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Bumrah says bowlers have more perks as captains, while Cummins feels the captaincy experience has made his intuition stronger

Alagappan Muthu21-Nov-20243:00

Bumrah: I’ve always wanted to do the tough jobs

Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins kinda sorta sparkled in their freshly pressed Test whites on Thursday morning. Swap the green grass for a catwalk stage and Perth for Paris – the picture would’ve been complete.A photo op with the Border-Gavaskar trophy brought two of the world’s leading fast bowlers together and over the next few days they will determine the course of the cricket.Captaincy has usually been the domain of batters. Their workloads allow them the space to work on tactics and team management, and the division of labour is arguably a little bit easier. When you’re at the crease, you just have to worry about scoring runs. As a bowler, you’re planning your spell – R Ashwin says he sequences 25 balls at a time – you’re focused on millions of minutiae – line, length, pace, variation – it can become taxing to keep an eye on the big picture.Related

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Bumrah, though, argues the big picture is merely the next natural step of the whole bowling process and it comes with a pretty cool perk.”I can manage myself the best when I am the captain,” he said on the eve of the first Test in Perth, “Because I know when I am fresh, I know when I have to push myself and I know when I have to take extra responsibility. Obviously yes, there are different challenges but there are advantages as well I look at the advantages, that I understand bowling. You understand where the wicket is changing, what changes you have to make, what field sets are good at this moment. Obviously, bowlers do a lot more research and data-driven as well than batters because that is how the game is headed. So I look at the positives more than the negatives. Obviously there will be challenges and you want to be tested and you want to have challenges.”Bumrah got into cricket because he was struck by the whole experience of fast bowling. As he has grown in stature, assuming first the senior bowler’s position and then broader leadership roles, he’s been eager to do more. It might also excite him that there haven’t been a lot of people who’ve walked the path he’s on – temporary though it may be given Rohit Sharma is expected to be joining the team ahead of the day-night practice game in Canberra at the end of November.India’s only other fast bowling captain – Kapil Dev (played 34, won 4, lost 7, tied 1, drawn 22) – was more of an allrounder. There are others that come with the same asterisk – Shaun Pollock (P 26, W 14, L 5, D 7), Ben Stokes (P 29, W 17, L 11, D 1) and Jason Holder (P 37, W 11, L 21, D 5) being notable examples. Wasim Akram (P 25, W 12, L 8, D 5) and Courtney Walsh (P 22, W 6, L 7, D 9) didn’t just captain their respective countries, they actually got the chance to front up as fast-bowling captains against each other in 1997. There haven’t been too many occasions for that bit of history to repeat itself. In early 2024, Cummins faced off against Tim Southee’s New Zealand and now eight months later, he’s front and centre with Bumrah.Cummins is a little further down the road in his dual roles than his opposite number. He was thrown into captaincy without doing a lot of it at domestic level but his Australian teams have found enormous success, particularly last year when they won the World Test Championship, retained the Ashes and became ODI World Cup winners as well.It took a while for him to get into this groove. “I’d say, yeah, maybe, you know, maybe a summer or so,” Cummins said. “So maybe a year, maybe, you know, 10 Test matches or so. I think until you’re fully comfortable [with the dual role].Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins with the customary handshake on the eve of the first Test•AFP/Getty Images

“But I don’t think I’ve particularly changed too much over those 10 Test matches. Your intuition gets a little bit stronger. But, you know, even when I was really new to it, I’ve just got wonderful, you know, team-mates and staff who are helping you out. So you never really feel like you’re out there alone.”The question is always just are you bowling too much or not enough? That’s always the question, which, yeah, again, gut feel. Speak to some other people out there, kind of come up with a decision.”Bumrah will have the same kind of support – he made his Test debut under Virat Kohli in 2018 and spent a lot of time with Rohit Sharma right from his IPL debut in 2013 – but he’s also very keen to stand out on his own.”So I spoke to Rohit,” Bumrah said about the captaincy, “But when we came here, then I got a little more clarity because he was also not sure about his situation at that moment. But yes, when I came here then the coach [Gautam Gambhir] and the management gave me the clarity that I will be leading in this game.”My way is, you have to find your own way, you can’t blindly copy anyone. Obviously both of them are very successful and have gotten a lot of results. But my way, I have always never followed a copybook plan in terms of my bowling as well. If you can see that I have never followed a module, I go with my instincts. That’s how I have always played my cricket and I have a lot of faith in my instincts and gut. So that is what I go with and tactically as a bowler, you always make a lot of plans. You are well aware of what to do, what adjustments you have to make during the game of cricket. So yes, I look at it this way and I try to cover all bases as much as I can.”5:56

Cummins: ‘Smith’s hands have made their way to Perth’

Australia have played four Tests at Optus Stadium and won all four. They have a very settled side for the last three years of Cummins’ captaincy, which he found a little “weird” considering international sport tends to come with a fair bit of churn. India are facing that churn right now, starting this tour on the back of a 0-3 defeat at home to New Zealand, and having to come up with an XI with a couple of first-choice players missing.Bumrah has been doing his bit to address this discrepancy between the two teams. “The message that I would give them is that I always believe on self-belief that is there,” he said. “Because at this moment how cricket is going, everybody has played a lot of cricket. On that day, if you believe that you are good enough, you can make an impact It doesn’t matter if you have played 100 Test matches or 50 Test matches, it depends on what is going on inside you.”When I came here [in 2018] it was just my second tour. But in my head I wanted to make a difference and I was not looking at I am inexperienced I was looking at myself that how can I contribute And if I believe I can do it then I will make a difference So that is the message that I have passed on as well.”A lot of players are coming to Australia for the first time, but they have a lot of first-class cricket, IPL experience, international experience behind them. The players have now learned how to handle the good days and the bad days. On the good days, it’s not as if we go too high, and similarly, we also need to learn to deal with the bad days if we have to play international cricket. Those are the conversations which we have been having. Moving forward is most important. The focus of our preparations has been to start from zero, get used to the conditions, get used to the weather, and focus on what needs to be done to succeed over here.”

It’s a curious thing, football’s summer transfer market. So much goes on, rumours and shocks zipping about like so many hoofed clearances in a Sunday League match.

For Liverpool fans, the window has been not so much curious as chaotic, with Arne Slot’s side undergoing an incredible transformation after marching to last year’s Premier League title.

Trent Alexander-Arnold up and left for Real Madrid toward the end of his contract, and so Liverpool signed Jeremie Frimpong. But it is Frimpong’s Bayer Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz who is the Scouser’s true heir, signed on for a British-record £116m fee and heralded as “the best midfielder in the world” by former Werkself striker Patrick Helmes. Wirtz, for sure, is a world-class playmaker.

Milos Kerkez and Giorgi Mamardashvili both arrived too. And then along came Hugo Ekitike, leaving Eintracht Frankfurt for Anfield for a £69m initial fee. The 23-year-old has the potential to become one of the best strikers in the world.

But with Darwin Nunez a priority target for Al Hilal, sporting director Richard Hughes has set his focus on Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.

Why Liverpool might not sign Alexander Isak

Oh, he’s the dream, all right. However, prising Isak away from St. James’ Park this summer will be no easy feat, even though he’s desperate to wrap up his Newcastle career and join the Reds on Merseyside.

Could Liverpool pull it off? Certainly, if Isak is to join Slot’s side this summer, it would require a fee eclipsing that which Leverkusen have chequed in for Wirtz, with Newcastle valuing him somewhere in the ballpark of £150m.

The Premier League champions have already seen a formal offer worth £110m knocked back last week, though this was likely a negotiating tactic from Hughes and FSG to unsettle a player whose heart lies in Liverpool, and who refused to travel with the Toon for their pre-season tour in Asia.

The 25-year-old has now returned to Newcastle’s training facilities and is set for face-to-face talks with Howe.

Last season, pundit Jamie Carragher called Isak “the best striker in the Premier League”, and his 27-goal contribution across Newcastle’s title-winning campaign displays merely the tip of the iceberg of a wide-ranging and expansive skill set.

He’s the dream target, and understandably so. However, Liverpool might fail; Newcastle might fail to find and sign an acceptable replacement.

Thus, an alternative has been lined up.

Liverpool target favouring move to Anfield

According to ESPN, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has made it known to his entourage that he would prefer to sign for Liverpool this summer, should he have to depart from the Santiago Bernabeu.

Rodrygo is no longer considered one of Real Madrid’s untouchable superstars, but Los Blancos will only cash in if their valuation is met, with £78m the figure touted.

Tottenham Hotspur are also keen on Xabi Alonso’s Brazilian star, and with Heung-min Son set to sign for LAFC in the MLS, FSG will need to make a swift decision as to whether they forge ahead with a bid.

Why Liverpool should sign Rodrygo

Should Liverpool fail to sign Isak this summer, there’s a case to be made that Rodrygo could be the perfect alternative, and that’s despite him being more of a wide forward than a focal frontman.

Rodrygo – Career Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Right winger

146

34

31

Centre-forward

84

22

8

Left winger

78

23

16

Attacking midfield

4

–

1

Data via Transfermarkt

Hailed as “the most talented and the most gifted player” in Real Madrid’s squad by teammate Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo is renowned for his tenacious and industrious work-rate, his technical quality, and his ability to shift between multiple positions.

There’s no question that he could shift between wide and central positions in a manner not dissimilar to Luis Diaz, who last week completed a £65.5m transfer to Bayern Munich.

Diaz operated in a makeshift centre-forward berth under Slot’s guidance last term, notching eight goals and an assist from 15 fixtures in the role.

So then, we can see that Rodrygo, a goalscoring wide forward, could emulate the Colombian, whose crispness in possession is also a factor of note.

But then the same can be said of Real Madrid’s versatile forward, who ranked last season among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, as per FBref.

Moreover, he missed just one big chance in La Liga last season, as per Sofascore. Albeit he only scored six times after a disappointing year. Given that Rodrygo was routinely played on the right flank, his unfavoured position, such woes are provided some important context.

This all points toward Rodrygo being the perfect, if somewhat left-field, alternative to Isak, for he could replace Diaz while providing a different dimension to Slot’s central striking area too.

Liverpool have, of course, welcomed Ekitike to the fold, and so have a new out-and-out striker to replace Nunez. The Frenchman scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists across all competitions for Frankfurt last season, and pundit Owen Hargreaves said last season that he “looks like the perfect centre-forward.”

With this in mind, losing out on Isak wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, not when FSG have succeeded in packaging Slot’s squad with such a wide array of elite-level quality.

Rodrygo is one of Real Madrid’s “world-class superstars”, so says the great Luka Modric, after all, and he’s demonstrated that he has the ability to score and to assist and to come up with big-game defining moments with regularity.

For the moment, it seems as if Liverpool will continue to push for Newcastle’s star striker, but should they fail to break the British transfer record for a second time this summer, it might be worth advancing with a deal for Rodrygo, whose qualities suggest he could become a multi-positional machine for the Anfield side as they chase down more illustrious success.

Leeds United are now “interested” in signing a £17m Igor Paixao alternative who has “wow factor”, journalist Francesco Guerrieri has revealed.

Leeds eyeing new winger with Paixao set to join Marseille

It was always going to be a tall order for Leeds to compete for Paixao’s signature, given that some of Europe’s biggest clubs were also in the race, and Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed the Brazilian is set to sign for Ligue 1 giants Marseille.

Missing out on the Feyenoord star will no doubt be viewed as a blow, but Daniel Farke must now move on to alternative options, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Manor Solomon on the list of targets, having impressed on loan at Elland Road last season.

However, Solomon is keen to remain at Tottenham and prove himself to new manager Thomas Frank, meaning it could be difficult to secure a deal for the 26-year-old, and a different winger has now entered the frame as a target.

According to Guerrieri on X, Leeds are one of the clubs “interested” in signing Marseille winger Jonathan Rowe, but there could be fierce competition for his signature, with AS Roma, Atalanta and AFC Bournemouth also in the race.

A deal for Rowe would not break the bank, with Marseille set to hold out for €20m (£17m), and there are plenty of signs the winger could be a superb alternative to Paixao…

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While it is very disappointing to have missed out on Paixao, the Marseille winger could also be successful at Elland Road, having seriously impressed in the Championship in the past, picking up 12 goals and two assists for Norwich City in the 2023-24 campaign.

The London-born winger also caught the eye at the recent U21 European Championships, picking up two goals and an assist for England, making himself a hero by scoring the winner against Germany in the final.

Academy coach Greg Crane previously revealed the England U21 international has always possessed the ability to have that sort of impact on a match, saying: “Jonny always had a bit of a wow factor.”

The only concern over the signing of Rowe will be the fact he didn’t exactly set the world alight at Marseille during the 2024-25 campaign, picking up just six goal contributions in Ligue 1, but he clearly has the talent to kick on at Elland Road.

Arsenal are now in “very advanced” talks to sign a “magnificent” player, who could be set to join alongside Viktor Gyokeres, reporter David Ornstein has revealed.

Gunners closing in on Gyokeres

The Gunners have now made major progress in their pursuit of Gyokeres, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that positive talks took place on Sunday night.

The Sweden international has been determined to seal a move to the Emirates Stadium for quite some time, with Romano revealing the striker wouldn’t entertain signing for another club, and the deal is now edging closer to completion.

It will be a major relief to finally get a new centre-forward through the door, especially considering Gyokeres’ goal-scoring statistics from the 2024-25 campaign are seriously impressive.

However, Mikel Arteta is also keen to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch, given that Gabriel’s injury issues during the 2024-25 campaign left the manager a little light on options at centre-back, although Jakub Kiwior did a stellar job in the Brazilian’s absence.

As such, according to an update from Ornstein on X, Arsenal are now “working to complete” a deal to sign Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, with reports from elsewhere revealing the deal is likely to set them back £17m.

The Gunners are in “very advanced” talks to sign Mosquera, with personal terms already done, indicating the defender is keen on making the move to the Emirates Stadium.

Arteta views the centre-back as ideal cover for Gabriel and William Saliba, and the deal now appears to be very close to completion.

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As such, the Spaniard could be ready to fill in for Gabriel and Saliba when required, with Arteta likely to rotate regularly next season, should he have ambitions of competing for both the Premier League and Champions League.

With Kiwior already on the books, Arsenal are starting to look very well-stocked in the centre-back department, ahead of a season in which nothing but winning a major trophy will be deemed good enough for Arteta’s side.

Tottenham Hotspur’s rooted strategy in signing exciting young talents and developing them into high-class players capable of thriving in the Premier League preceded the glittery early days of Ange Postecoglou’s tenure.

But perhaps the Londoners lacked a bit of experience to help guide them through the stormy spells any season will bring. The lowly top-flight finish ended Postecoglou’s frenzied spell at the helm, a two-year stint that elicited every range of emotion from the Spurs faithful and culminated with triumph in the Europa League, thus restoring Tottenham’s place in the Champions League.

While the Lilywhites have created a foundation with their historic victory over Manchester United, it’s crucial that the secured silverware is used as a springboard for sustained success over the coming years.

In order to do this, Tottenham are going to need to hit the mark with their transfer priorities, piecing a team together that is fit for purpose at the highest level of the Premier League.

Spurs' transfer priorities this summer

Uncertainty continues to reign over Cristian Romero’s future in the English capital. The Argentina centre-back is being chased by Atletico Madrid, who are willing to spend around £60m to bring him over to La Liga.

Frank is desperate to keep hold of his defensive anchor. However, the Danish tactician does seem keen on bolstering his ranks with a slick attacking full-back – the £45m-rated Antonee Robinson is on the radar – and a winger to replace Heung-min Son, should the iconic captain leave.

While he wouldn’t have strictly been a direct replacement, the powers that be down at N17 were desperate to sign Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo as Tottenham’s new goalscoring winger supreme, but he’s rejected advances from all but United and is edging closer to a transfer to Old Trafford.

Midfield is in less need of reinforcements, but the pursuit of Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze denotes an interest in signing a creative midfielder to contest for a starting berth with the likes of James Maddison.

However, with Eze fixed in Arsenal’s sights, Daniel Levy seems to have shifted his attention elsewhere.

Spurs join race for sought-after midfielder

According to Caught Offside, Tottenham have joined the race for SL Benfica midfielder Orkun Kokcu, who is anticipated to be available this summer for the right price.

Kokcu would fetch a €40m (£34m) fee, having impressed across his two terms with Benfica. Spurs are alongside Manchester United, Tottenham and Inter Milan in their interest; however, the player is thought to favour a move to Premier League champions Liverpool.

The 24-year-old worked under Arne Slot at Feyenoord, but Frank’s new project, offering the promise of Champions League football, could see the Londoners sign an exciting new creative presence.

Why Spurs wants Orkun Kokcu

Kokcu is still young in his professional career, but he has already accomplished so much. Joining Benfica from Feyenoord for around €30m (£25m) in June 2023, he’s chalked up 19 goals and 22 assists over 98 appearances in all competitions.

Once heralded as “one of the best midfielders in the country” by football legend Jaap Stam, while plying his trade in Holland, Kokcu opted against taking a move to one of Europe’s elite and instead focused on fostering his talents with Benfica, now more complete for it.

And given that he’s been praised as a “leader” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, this rising star might turn out to be the galvanising midfield force to spearhead the Frank era.

Who knows, maybe he’ll even come to be an upgrade on Maddison.

Matches (starts)

33 (30)

31 (21)

Goals

7

9

Assists

7

7

Shots (on target)*

1.9 (0.7)

1.3 (0.5)

Big chances missed

2

5

Pass completion

86%

87%

Big chances created

12

6

Key passes*

2.3

1.3

Dribbles*

0.3

1.1

Ball recoveries*

5.6

2.5

Tackles + interceptions*

1.6

1.4

Duels won*

3.0 (47%)

4.3 (53%)

As you can see, Kokcu is more than capable of matching Maddison’s immense creative qualities – an aptitude which has indeed seen the England international hailed as a “magician” by the likes of statistician Statman Dave in the past.

Moreover, the 28-year-old playmaker’s two terms with Tottenham have been frustratingly defined by regular injury setbacks. Given that Kokcu is four years his junior, there’s plenty of scope for growth with Frank might want to take advantage of.

While Spurs’ man is somewhat more combative than Kokcu, the Turkey talent is even more creative and clinical besides. Indeed, having missed just two big chances in the Primeira Liga last season, scoring seven goals, he’s got the goalscoring edge that could be channelled in a similar fashion as his counterpart here.

And the proof is in the pudding, for Kokcu, indeed, has demonstrated his ability to stand out against high-level Premier League opposition.

While Maddison is an incredible, dynamic midfielder, he’s got his flaws, and in Kokcu, Tottenham could get their hands on a pass master with the ever-widening scope that is required for success at the highest level.

After all, he managed to throw down with the heavy hitters in last season’s Champions League, finishing the campaign ranked among the top 15% of midfielders for goals scored and shot-creating actions, the top 19% for progressive passes and the top 13% for completed through balls per 90, as per FBref.

Tottenham might not be able to sign one of their top targets in Eze, but by moving for Kokcu, Frank could get his hands on an astute signing who has so much room for growth – potentially even turning out better, more consistent, than Maddison.

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Having hinted for several months that she may be close to an international retirement, Chamari Athapaththu confirmed following Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup victory in Dambulla, that she aims to be around for her national team until next year’s ODI World Cup at least.Athapaththu, 34, has been coy about her future over the last several months. She is Sri Lanka’s captain and almost indisputably their best player. However, she had posted on social media that a series in South Africa in April would be her “last duty” with the national team but subsequently refused to expand on that post.Related

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“Hopefully I’ll still play till the next 50-over World Cup,” Athapaththu told the host broadcaster when asked if she would promise her fans they’ll see her play for a long time in Sri Lanka colours. The dates for next year’s World Cup have not yet been confirmed, but India will host the tournament.This means that Athapaththu will be around for the next two global events – this year’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, set to be played in October, and the ODI version next year.Athapaththu was once again instrumental to her team’s success at the Asia Cup. Not only did she hit 61 off 43 in the final as Sri Lanka chased down 168, she was also by a huge distance the top run-scorer in the tournament, having hit 304 in five innings, at a strike rate of 147. The next-best was India’s Shafali Verma, with 200 runs at a strike rate of 141.

Fulham have now submitted an opening bid of £1m for an “outstanding” EFL defender who has a “wonder of a left foot”, according to a report.

Silva set to stay on as Fulham boss

In what will no doubt come as welcome news to Fulham fans, Marco Silva has now made it clear he expects to remain at Craven Cottage beyond the summer, saying: “I am under contract with the club and of course I’ve been in planning with the board (for) next season.

“Everything on track and the plan is there. We have the next two months to prepare for the season as best we can. If I’m under contract with the club and if I’m planning with the club the next season, of course I expect to be here.”

As such, the Cottagers can now continue to plan for the summer transfer window with Silva in mind, despite recent suggestions they could make a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Vitor Pereira or Sheffield Wednesday’s Danny Rohl to replace the 47-year-old.

With their manager looking likely to stay, a new transfer target has also now entered the frame for Fulham, with a report from Football League World revealing they have submitted an opening offer of £1m for Peterborough United defender Harley Mills.

The Posh are currently considering the bid for the left-back, who scored a free-kick in the Vertu Cup final last month, which attracted the attention of a whole host of scouts.

Peterborough do not want to sell the 19-year-old, having offered the youngster a new contract in the hopes of retaining his services beyond the summer, but they will be well-aware that a move to the Premier League is likely to be a tempting proposition.

"Outstanding" Mills has a "wonder of a left foot"

Peterborough U18s manager Jamal Campbell-Ryce was full of praise for the starlet upon signing a professional development contract with the Posh, lauding him as “outstanding”, while also adding: “Harley has shown how much he values defending now and has real quality when in possession of the ball and has a wonder of a left foot.”

The Peterborough defender’s ball-striking ability was particularly on show during his side’s 2-0 triumph over League One title winners in the Vertu Cup, scoring a stunning free-kick to open the scoring in the first half.

Fulham are well-stocked at left-back, with Antonee Robinson and Ryan Sessegnon at their disposal, but with the former being linked with a move elsewhere this summer, it could make sense to bring in a new option.

Mills is yet to prove himself above League One level, but the teenager’s performance in the Vertu Cup final indicated he is ready to make the step-up to a higher level, and at a fee of just £1m, the young Englishman would be a low-risk addition for the Cottagers.

Looking to continue their transfer strategy of welcoming future stars, Chelsea are now reportedly preparing an offer worth £17m to sign a young South American full-back ahead of the summer.

Chelsea aiming to spoil Liverpool's title party

Level on points with sixth-place Nottingham Forest, Chelsea are playing host to the Premier League champions at the worst possible time. The Reds will enter Stamford Bridge with the pressure eased, celebrations continuing and fresh from the first of four guard of honours. For Chelsea, meanwhile, this is simply a must-win game.

Manager Enzo Maresca is well aware of the importance of victory this Sunday too, having told reporters in his pre-match press conference: “The mood is good and I’ve said for a few weeks now that it’s a matter of how we manage emotions until the end [of the season].

“When we win games, we are happy and when we don’t win, we’re not happy. But it’ll be a race until the end and we need to manage the emotions. In this moment, the main thing is to watch ourselves and be focused on ourselves. This is the main point. For sure, there are more clubs involved [in the top-five race] but for us, it’s important to stay focused on ourselves.”

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With games against Newcastle United, Manchester United and most importantly, Nottingham Forest on the final day awaiting Chelsea, it is set to be a frantic few weeks for the Blues. Maresca has arguably been handed the toughest games of his tenure at the most crucial stage of the campaign.

On the pitch, securing Champions League football would signal quite the sigh of relief. Away from the action, meanwhile, it would allow those at Stamford Bridge to get to work in the summer transfer window.

Chelsea preparing £17m Wesley offer

According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are now preparing an offer worth €20m (£17m) to sign Wesley from Flamengo, with talks over a deal set to intensify at the Club World Cup – a competition both sides will be competing in this summer.

As things stand, those negotiations will need to reach a breakthrough regarding the defender’s price-tag, given that Flamengo are reportedly holding out for €35m (£35m), rather than the £17m offer that Chelsea are seemingly preparing.

It should come as no surprise to see Chelsea interested in signing Wesley, given how often they’ve set their sights on South American talent throughout BlueCo’s ownership.

The Blues have already sealed the talented Estevao Willian and could now sign Wesley to go alongside the midfielder. Described as “pacy” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, the right-back is certainly one to keep an eye on.

He delivered more overs than any other bowler, was faster and better than any other, but was the most expensive of the three specialist quicks

Danyal Rasool27-Dec-2024Like blindly following the recipe book for an exotic dish, it was hard to say what Naseem Shah was cooking up at first this morning. He began groggily, throwing the ball up in search of swing as if this was a Rawalpindi winter day and not a Centurion summer one. He barely broached 135kph, and was much too wide, so any away movement only meant an extra lunge for Mohammad Rizwan. If something was brewing, it was difficult to tell what that might have been.But it was that kind of morning session, a bowling effort on psychedelics, balls just floating into the ether, hovering there briefly as if the laws of gravity had briefly been suspended, and barely kissing the surface before dancing away into the wind. On a pitch where banging the ball into the surface has been the most proven way to get results, Naseem was rejecting conventional wisdom, no discernible logic behind this iconoclasm. Mohammad Abbas, 13 years his senior, tried following the rulebook to a tee, bless him. But at his pace, with little work going into the ball off his wrist, even the Centurion surface struggled to give him a leg up.So Shan Masood took him off after a four-over burst. Naseem has built up quite the oeuvre of glorious failure, the universe seemingly conspiring to refuse to give him what he was owed. But he knows, better than most, how frugal with the distribution of joy the world can sometimes be, and he will have known that on this occasion, his empty-handedness was well-deserved.Related

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“You have to learn to adjust in new conditions,” Naseem admitted after the match. “It’s not easy but you have to be disciplined and adjust to different conditions quickly. The pitch here is at a bit of a height and the ground at a depression, so I think you have to adjust as a bowler, and it took me a few overs to do that.”But there was something Test cricket saw in Naseem, something it liked. In a country that has recently seen its express quick either lose their pace, or their interest in Test cricket, or both, Naseem still has it all.By his second spell, he was pushing up as high as 145.9kph, he had dragged his lengths back. The rebellious streak was gone, the spell was beginning to come of age, and the recipe book was being faithfully followed. When it still wouldn’t produce a wicket, Naseem dealt with the setbacks with wistful smiles rather than visible agitation. After all, he had seen from the dugout the fickle nature of Test cricket’s generosity; Kagiso Rabada had bowled better than any of the Pakistan bowlers without being rewarded for it.David Bedingham had ridden his luck against Naseem, surviving a review off the first ball of Naseem’s return spell. Pakistan, to be fair, managed their reviews about as efficiently as many lottery winners do their prizes, but it did signal a shift in intensity from a bowler whose ceiling remains a formidable force to handle. Bedingham soon paid the price for his insouciance when a shade of extra bounce, thanks to improved lengths and higher pace, became too hot to handle, and Naseem had begun to put a spell of proper old-ball Test match fast bowling together either side of lunch. Kyle Verreynne was goaded into a similar shot, and outdone by a similar delivery.By now, the crowd by Castle Corner had broken out into a chorus of grudging respect; South African spectators cannot help, it would seem, but respect a fast bowler operating at the top of his game. Chants of “Naseem! Naseem” began to go up every time he walked back to the mark, but it was the afternoon, and they were well lubricated by now, so you may be able to put some of the generosity down to that. Apparently, SuperSport Park sold more than 1 million Rand worth of alcohol on day one; the eye test would suggest day two wasn’t far behind.

“You have to learn to adjust in new conditions. It’s not easy but you have to be disciplined and adjust to different conditions quickly.”Naseem Shah

Naseem knew, though, that this day had been generous to Pakistan; none of the other bowlers had come close to matching his quality, and yet South Africa were suddenly seven down; the woefully out of form Marco Jansen was meat and drink for Naseem. By then Naseem’s second spell was a match-turning one: 3 for 28 in five overs, and the question turned from the size of South Africa’s lead to the possibility they may not get one at all.On other occasions, in other countries, that might have been work done for a brittle, express pace bowler, but Masood felt Pakistan had no other well to turn to. He tied Aiden Markram up at one end, inducing him into a false shot against Khurram Shahzad at the other end. And still Naseem bowled, him powering on from the media end blending into the background of the day. Drinks came and went, and Naseem was still there, pace slightly down, but banging it into the pitch and asking the same questions.”Fast bowling is not easy but you have to be ready. I always try to work hard and bowl more in the nets and even in domestic cricket.”The team needed it, and obviously when the captain asks you, you have to be ready. That is my habit as a fast bowler, to accept the ball when needed. I hadn’t known it would happen, but the captain thought about which bowler would be more impactful, and asked me to bowl. My body’s fine.”However, the good balls were no longer producing edges, and the occasional loosener that crept into his spell was being put away by Corbin Bosch, exactly the sort of player who Pakistan tend to allow dream career starts. There were five overs between Naseem getting a break, and the captain turning right back to him, but now, Test cricket was playing hard-to-get with him once more.The field had been spread out for Bosch, the sniff of optimism from the early afternoon had gone. The
crowd, too, began to treat Naseem as the figure of heroic failure he was becoming as the innings dragged on, playfully booing every appeal, and then shouting “review it” once Pakistan’s profligacy had squandered them all.South Africa had added 88 for the last two wickets, and, despite delivering more overs than any other bowler, faster than any other bowler, better than any other bowler, Naseem’s figures showed he was the most expensive of the three specialist quicks. It is a wonder Naseem plays Test cricket with a smile on his face, but Pakistan are fortunate he does. And perhaps, a pleasant festive afternoon when Test cricket briefly smiles back is all the reward he needs.

A fixture that was once dominated by Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo is now being reinvigorated with younger, fresher blood

Matt Roller07-Apr-2023Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are Indian cricket’s versions of Real Madrid and Barcelona, the biggest and best teams in the IPL’s history. Even after propping up the table in 2022, they are the rivals whose meetings still attract more interest than any other fixture in the tournament.But Saturday night’s marks a changing of the guard, one that could be detected in their most recent meeting at the Wankhede. That night, with both teams languishing at the wrong end of the table, Dwayne Bravo played his 116th and final match for Chennai, bowling two wicketless overs; Kieron Pollard, a Mumbai stalwart since 2010, was dropped from their side, never to return.For all the brilliance of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, those two men, who grew up 10 miles apart from one another in North-West Trinidad, have defined this rivalry. At least one of Bravo and Pollard has featured in each and every one of Mumbai and Chennai’s 36 previous encounters, 34 of them in the IPL and two in the Champions League T20. In those games, nobody has taken more wickets than Bravo, and nobody has hit as many sixes as Pollard.Related

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This weekend, they will sit in their respective teams’ dugouts as bowling and batting coach. Both men still play around the world, and lined up together for one of Mumbai’s team in the UAE’s ILT20 earlier this year, but announced their retirements from the IPL in late 2022 and have taken up roles on the support staff.”I look forward to my batters coming up against DJ and his bowlers,” Pollard said on Friday evening. “Hopefully we can see how that goes, and who can be singing at the end of it – or who will be singing, and who will be crying.” History is on his side: Mumbai have won 21 times and lost 15 against their rivals.If Chennai have not yet identified a long-term successor to Bravo, Mumbai’s replacement for Pollard is clear. The end of last season’s basement battle offered a glimpse of the fixture’s future: Mumbai’s low-key victory was sealed by a 6ft 5in power-hitter, who faced seven balls and swung two of them over midwicket for towering sixes; this time, it was not Pollard but Tim David who clinched the points.The pair worked closely last year. As Pollard’s own form fell away, David became Mumbai’s designated finisher, after unexpectedly finding himself out of the side during the middle of the season.Confronted with the realisation that he was no longer in the franchise’s strongest XI, Pollard took it upon himself to act as David’s mentor.Kieron Pollard has slipped into a new role, as batting coach, at Mumbai Indians•Mumbai Indians”Polly did the role for 12 years for Mumbai Indians, and did an unbelievable job – but Tim has got a very similar skillset,” Aaron Finch, who as Australia captain played a role in the selection of David ahead of Steve Smith at the start of last year’s T20 World Cup, told ESPNcricinfo. “They can chip in with the ball and are always in the hotspots in the field, and with the power that they’ve got, you feel as though the game’s never out of reach when you’ve got guys like that in your side.”Mumbai shelled out INR 8.25 crore (A$ 1.5 million approx.) to sign David in 2022 and while they only picked him eight times last season, his strike rate of 216.27 was enough to earn him a retention for 2023. David made a false start at the Chinnaswamy on Sunday night with a 7-ball 4, but on Saturday he returns to a ground where he faced 36 balls across last season, and hit ten of them for six.”Over a 14-game IPL season, you’re backing those guys to win you two or three games,” Finch added. “I don’t think Tim will ever be a guy that you’re banking on to consistently get 500 runs in a tournament – but you don’t buy him for that. You buy him to have a huge impact, a huge strike rate.”The similarities between the pair extend beyond the field of play. David attended Scotch College, a prestigious private school in Perth’s western suburbs. But unlike Cameron Green, three years his junior at the same school, he was not a childhood prodigy who had been marked out as a future international.Instead, he forced his way on to the franchise circuit by taking up every opportunity that came his way during the pandemic and becoming a freelancer – just as Pollard had, more than a decade ago. David is an outlier in the Australian system, playing for the national team without a central contract, or even a state one.2:22

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There is mutual admiration between them. “Polly has been a pioneer with his career, David told this website last year. “I definitely look up to him and I love the brand of attacking cricket that he plays.”Pollard passed on not only specific batting advice, but also tips as to how David could stay “fresh throughout a two or three-month tournament – and also when you’re playing all year round”.”Tim is a very, very intelligent young man, who knows what he wants to do,” Pollard said. “He has taken a different path as an Australian. He’s gone around the world, trying to get experience in different conditions. Now he’s entrusted with a job here at Mumbai Indians, and he’s doing it.”As I know, batting at that number, sometimes it’s not the greatest position to be in,” Pollard added with a smile. “If things don’t happen, they blame you; if things go well, you go dormant and no-one praises you. He has great power. He can hit the ball, he’s a strong guy, and it’s just a matter of trying to do that consistently whenever the team needs him.”The nature of the position means that there is no guarantee David will succeed on Saturday, as the Wankhede welcomes back a capacity crowd for an IPL game for the first time since 2019. But if he does, he could become the new poster boy of a fixture that is evolving in front of our eyes.