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Last summer was a poor one for Liverpool as far as transfer business was concerned.

The sole incoming was that of Italian Federico Chiesa, who moved to Anfield in a deal worth just £12.5m.

Well, a lack of business mattered not as far as Arne Slot was concerned. No Jurgen Klopp, no problem. No mass recruitment, no problem. The Reds still went on to win the Premier League.

Fast forward and the Merseysiders have made an almighty splash in the transfer market, bringing in the likes of Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and before too long, Hugo Ekitike is set to be confirmed as a new Liverpool player.

Fabrizio Romano gave the deal his famous ‘here we go’ on Sunday, noting that the French forward is set to sign a six-year deal after a fee of £78m was agreed with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Liverpool may not be done there, however.

Liverpool's transfer plans after signing Hugo Ekitike

Next on the agenda for Richard Hughes and Co will surely be slimming the squad a little. Darwin Nunez has been widely expected to leave for much of the summer while Luis Diaz, subject of a bid from Bayern Munich last week, could still depart.

Should more funds be generated, then a move for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi could still come to fruition. An agreement on personal terms was reached earlier in the summer, but a club-to-club agreement has not yet been reached between the Eagles and the Reds.

Liverpool appear to be keen on a number of domestic players with fellow Palace star Adam Wharton a target for next summer and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers also on their radar.

TBR Football report that Chelsea are devising a plan to try and sign Rogers this summer but they will face competition from Arsenal and Liverpool who have ‘maintained a watching brief’ of the player.

Previous reports have suggested that Villa would be looking for a fee of £100m in order to sell.

What Morgan Rogers could offer to Liverpool

While this move feels extremely unlikely this summer given the funds Liverpool have already spent on new recruits, if they could maintain their interest in upcoming windows, he’d be a fabulous signing for Slot’s side.

Transfer Focus

Once of Manchester City’s academy, Rogers quietly went about his business in the EFL with the likes of Lincoln City and Middlesbrough before Villa came calling.

In the Midlands, the attacking midfielder has become a genuine sensation. He’s now an England international and deservedly so when you consider the numbers he generated throughout the 2024/25 season.

It’s safe to say it was the best year of young Rogers’ career, scoring 14 goals and registering 15 assists in all competitions.

The 22-year-old didn’t just dazzle in the Premier League but he also took to Champions League football like a duck to water, scoring four goals in 12 games, three of which came in one game as he netted a sensational hat-trick against Celtic.

A goalscorer, a creator, and someone who can play through the middle as well as on the flanks, there are similarities with new Liverpool signing, Wirtz.

If you thought the art of the number 10 role was dying out, then you only need to look at Wirtz. However, he’s not just an attacking midfielder, but also someone who can play in a wider role, just as Rogers can.

Analysing the data above, it’s clear to see why Wirtz has been described as “the best midfielder in the world” by former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes. He’s a generational talent and the fact his data is so far ahead of Rogers, one of the Premier League’s most exciting young players, says a lot.

Still, Rogers does hold his own and if Liverpool are looking to sign England’s version of Wirtz, they’d find few better candidates than the Villa star. He’s notably progressive, ranking inside the top 20% of positionally similar players in the English top-flight for attempted take-ons.

In the words of The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, he’s been an “unstoppable” force over the last year and while he falls some way short of Wirtz in a lot of areas, this is a player who’s already been there and done it in the Premier League.

Principally, he scores goals like Wirtz and he creates them like Wirtz. What’s not to like?

Similar to Wirtz: Liverpool want to sign "special" £112m Diaz replacement

He could be an unbelievable addition for the Reds.

By
Henry Jackson

Jul 14, 2025

This is no longer hearsay, nor is it a twisted narrative that inevitably springs from the gnarled mass of rumour during the summer transfer window. Luis Diaz is in talks to leave Liverpool; he’s said so himself.

The Colombian winger, 28, has admitted that negotiations with potential suitors are ongoing, with suitors such as Barcelona and Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. BILD in Germany have also reported that personal terms have been agreed with Bayern Munich.

Despite Liverpool’s earlier stance in the window that Diaz would be going nowhere after his central role in Arne Slot’s incredible Premier League triumph, money talks, and the South American is frustrated that he earns a comparatively modest salary at £55k per week as he enters the next-to-last year of his deal.

Liverpool will need a replacement, of course, but they already have Cody Gakpo performing admirably on the attacking left flank, and they’ve signed Florian Wirtz for a British-record £116m fee too.

Why Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz

While Liverpool’s attacking midfield zone is occupied by two talented players in Dominik Szoboszlai and Harvey Elliott (who has been heavily linked with a summer transfer away from Anfield), Wirtz adds a different brand of attacking quality.

Aged 22, the German international claimed the Bundesliga Player of the Year in 2023/24 as he helped Bayer Leverkusen toward the title as invincibles, also winning the DFB-Pokal. He’s been described as a “generational talent” by sports media professional Cristian Nyari.

Typically found in a thrusting central berth, Wirtz’s artsy dribbling skills and creative intelligence suggest he could be a great fit for Diaz’s role on the left, when Gakpo’s not playing.

But Liverpool need an out-and-out wideman to replace the Colombian, should he go.

Wirtz’s surpassing creativity is a world-class thing. It should, even, be enough to lift Darwin Nunez’s game, but Liverpool’s record centre-forward has had ample chance to prove himself, and, if Italian outlet Di Marzio are to be believed, an official bid has been tabled worth £47.5m. It’s been rejected, but discussions are ongoing.

If both Nunez and Diaz go, Liverpool might even be able to dip into the transfer market and sign one of the finest widemen in the business.

Liverpool enter talks for Diaz heir

According to TBR Football, Liverpool are among the host of top-level European clubs to have been in contact with Real Madrid star Rodrygo’s camp as the superstar moves inexorably toward a summer transfer.

Rodrygo’s peripheral role at the Club World Cup and recent rumours that Xabi Alonso is planning to convert the young and talented Endrick into a wide forward suggest that the Brazilian will soon be on the move.

Arsenal and Manchester City are both in the race, as are continental outfits such as Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. Los Blancos are seeking a £75m fee if they are to part ways

The Brazil international needs to leave the Spanish capital if he’s to resurrect his name as one of the very best in the business.

Why Liverpool want Rodrygo

The 2024/25 campaign left plenty to be desired for Rodrygo, who is considered a “world-class superstar” by former teammate Luka Modric, but has been questing for a role befitting such talent and reputation, consistently placed on the right flank, an unfavoured position.

It should be noted that Rodrygo did not have a good season, not by his lofty standards. However, those rare occasions that saw him placed on the left yielded the richest fruits, having scored six goals and supplied six assists across only 12 outings.

And even without the acknowledgement of positional value, and how that would be better applied on Merseyside, Rodrygo has always retained a sense of underlying quality.

Ranked among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for pass completion, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 14% for touches per 90, as per FBref, Rodrygo has illustrated his willingness to be in the thick of the action, make things happen through athleticism and indeed retain possession confidently. Slot will love that.

He’s also a maverick in the Champions League, so often reserving his finest performances for Europe’s elite stage.

This thrilling acquisition would rival the furore that surrounded Wirtz’s posting to Anfield last month, for this is one of the most talented forwards in the world, inhibited by Real Madrid’s sweep of attacking options but undoubtedly capable of proving his world-class level when required.

Indeed, he’s played a starring role for the Spanish giants across so many years, leaving his Brazilian homeland to join the prestigious institution for around £40m back in 2019.

Rodrygo has still played an important role over the past year for Real, but it’s worth noting he only started 22 La Liga games in 2024/25, and blanked for both goals and assists across his past 12 league fixtures.

He only missed one big chance, though, as per Sofascore, and that illustrates the kind of finishing ability Slot would be able to work with.

Without a doubt, this could be a stunning signing for the Reds, one which could carry all the excitement of last month’s arrival of Wirtz.

Slot's answer to Gyokeres: Hughes lines up Liverpool move for "crazy" CF

Liverpool have been named among the interested parties for this prolific forward.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 8, 2025

Having already welcomed both Danny Batth and Andreas Weimann this week, Derby County have now reportedly reached an agreement to sign an impressive international forward.

Derby confirm Batth and Weimann arrivals

The Rams are wasting no time ahead of their second season back in the Championship. After kicking their summer transfer window off by signing Carlton Morris from Luton Town and Richard O’Donnell from Blackpool, those at Pride Park have since stepped things up even more by welcoming both Weimann and Batth on free transfers from Blackburn Rovers.

After putting pen to paper to join the club, Batth told Derby’s official website: “When I got the call, I was excited [by the opportunity] and I’m glad to be here now and ready to get down to work.

“I just think it was a great opportunity for me to come and help the team and the club. I’ve played against Derby over the years. I know what an occasion it is when you play at the stadium and the support the club gets.

“I just wanted to be part of that. It’s a real project, and I think the foundations were set last year. The club is now looking to move forward, so I want to be a big part of that.”

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Weimann shared that same excitement after rejoining the club for the first time since leaving for Bristol City in 2017. The forward particularly singled manager John Eustace out for praise, saying: “I think there are a couple of factors, to be honest.

“Obviously, one is the manager. I loved working with him last year, I have known him for a long time and played with him at Watford when I was a teenager.”

Now that Weimann and Batth are official, however, Derby have reportedly turned their attention towards the likes of Callum Brittain as well as finalising another impressive deal.

Derby reach agreement to sign Agyemang

According to GiveMeSport’s Tom Bogert, Derby have now reached an agreement to sign Patrick Agyemang from Charlotte FC in a package worth a total of $10m (£7M) this summer.

The American international, who has scored five goals in just nine appearances for his country, represents an exciting arrival for Derby and arguably their best yet this summer.

The 24-year-old has unsurprisingly been at the centre of praise whenever he has starred for his country, including from USA manager Mauricio Pochettino. The former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss told reporters last month after victory over Haiti: “Patrick is doing a fantastic job for the team.

“All that he gave to the team today and the previous games also, he’s a fantastic striker. Still room to improve, but we are so happy with him.”

Leeds United have been given a transfer boost as they eye a move for a new Brazilian attacker who has hailed former Whites star Raphinha.

Raphinha starring for Barcelona after leaving Leeds

Following promotion back in 2020, Raphinha was Leeds’ best signing in recent memory, joining from Rennes and starring at Elland Road under Marcelo Bielsa.

The Brazilian would also almost single-handedly keep Leeds in the top flight in the 2021/22 campaign before sealing a dream £50m transfer to Barcelona.

Since moving to the Nou Camp, the relentless winger has gone from strength to strength and is now a leading contender to win the Ballon d’Or after scoring 34 goals and providing 25 assists in 2024/25.

Leeds: 49ers lead race to sign £20m+ La Liga attacker who Chelsea wanted

He was playing amateur football in 2019.

1 ByCharlie Smith Jun 4, 2025

Raphinha, who won his second La Liga title and first Copa del Rey in 24/25, still keeps an eye out for Leeds and celebrated the Whites’ recent promotion, reacting to the club’s social media post on Instagram.

Leeds will now be looking for a player of the same ilk as Raphinha as they aim to establish themselves in the Premier League once again, and one wide attacker who has been linked with a move to Elland Road is Igor Paixao from Feyenoord.

There were claims Leeds submitted an enquiry to sign the Brazilian, however, the Dutch club would like a fee of €40m (£34m), but there has been a new update on a potential move.

Igor Paixao now open to Leeds transfer

According to Leeds Live, Paixao is open to the idea of joining Leeds this summer, however, despite previous reports, no contact has been made by the Whites at this moment in time.

Paixao would consider a move to Yorkshire, though, under the right personal terms, following an excellent individual campaign in 24/25 where he produced some impressive numbers, scoring 18 goals and registering a further 19 assists.

Talking earlier in the season, the Brazilian addressed his future and left the door open to a possible exit this summer.

The 24-year-old is a right-footed winger who primarily plays on the left-hand side and previously expressed his admiration for Raphinha, saying: “Raphinha is an example for me and all of us Brazilians.”

Dan James

Leeds

Bertrand Traore

Ajax

Estevao Willian

Palmeiras

Wilfried Gnonto

Leeds

Johan Bakayoko

PSV

Now, should Leeds make their move, they could soon have another exciting Brazilian winger on the books, three years after parting ways with Raphinha.

Whilst boss Arne Slot claimed the Premier League title during his first season as Liverpool boss, the club have wasted no time in turning their attention towards the summer window.

Signings are expected in various areas of the pitch to try and bolster the ranks and improve the Reds’ chances of retaining their top spot throughout 2025/26.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is already one player who’s set to depart Anfield at the end of the season, with supporters voicing their anger after he announced he would leave on a free transfer upon the expiration of his contract.

The contract extensions handed to Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are arguably the two best pieces of business the hierarchy will conduct this window, but that’s not to say new players won’t arrive.

One department in particular looks set for huge investment from the hierarchy in the coming months, looking to hand the manager the added depth he needs.

An update on Liverpool’s hunt for a new striker this summer

Current Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez has struggled to make a huge impact this campaign, notching just seven goals in his 44 appearances across all competitions.

As a result, he’s expected to depart Merseyside this summer, with Atlético Madrid leading the race to secure his signature, potentially departing for just £35m.

Such funds could be used to land a new talisman in the form of Sporting CP forward Viktor Gyokeres after the Swede emerged on their shortlist, according to talkSPORT.

The report claims that the Reds are pondering a potential move for the 26-year-old who’s managed to score 52 goals in his 49 appearances throughout 2024/25.

It also claims that Slot’s side will face stiff competition from Manchester United and Arsenal for his signature, with previous reports saying it could be available for £64m this summer.

Why Liverpool’s £64m target would be better than Sesko

Over the last couple of days, rumours have picked up over a potential deal to see Benjamin Sesko complete a switch to join Liverpool in the coming months.

The Slovenian international has been in superb form for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, registering 13 goals in his 31 appearances to date – including an excellent effort against Bayern Munich last time out.

It has previously been reported that the 21-year-old has a £55m release clause in his current deal, making him a cheaper alternative than other targets like Gyokeres.

However, if the club had to decide between a deal for one of the aforementioned pair, it’s pivotal they prioritise a move for the Swede, with the Sporting CP talisman a much better option for Slot’s men.

When comparing their respective stats from the current campaign, Gyokeres has massively outperformed Sesko, having the edge in numerous key areas over the Leipzig ace.

Games played

31

31

Goals & assists

44

18

Shot-on-target accuracy

50%

44%

Shots on target

2.1

1.1

Shot-creating actions

5.1

1.9

Progressive carries

4.3

1.8

Pass accuracy

72%

67%

Take-ons completed

1.9

1.4

The 26-year-old, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, has massively outscored Sesko, whilst also posting a much higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – highlighting his clinical edge in the final third.

He’s also achieved more shot-creating actions per 90, whilst registering a higher tally of shots on target, handing Slot the added attacking threat he’s been craving.

Gyokeres’ dominance doesn’t stop there’s completing more progressive carries per 90, along with a higher pass completion rate – allowing the likes of Salah to increase their own tallies in the process.

£64m may appear to be a huge sum of money, but given his dominance in various key areas, it could be an addition that massively bolsters the club’s already impressive attacking department.

If the Reds are to sustain such a high level of performance going into 2025/26, it’s pivotal that the club backs the manager to make the additions needed for further success – with Gyokeres a player who would certainly do just that at Anfield.

Best CF since Suarez: Liverpool prepare bid for "ridiculous" £60m star

Liverpool expect to replace Darwin Nunez in the transfer market this summer.

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Whilst their Champions League hopes hang in the balance, Aston Villa have reportedly set their sights on signing a Real Madrid player who will be allowed to leave for the right price this summer.

Aston Villa face important summer after win over Fulham

It’s been a mixed season for the Villans as they head into the closing stages of the campaign. Although Unai Emery’s side have enjoyed some incredible moments against the likes of Bayern Munich and very nearly against Paris Saint-Germain, they’ve also found themselves frustrated in the Champions League race and dumped out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage.

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Scouts have been sent to watch him in action.

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Now, with a handful of games remaining, it will be their race to finish inside the top five which defines the narrative of Villa’s season. Emery recently had his say on what is set to be a frantic battle, telling reporters before his side’s win against Fulham: “2nd May today, and we are very, very excited.

“Our motivation is so, so high, motivation to finish the season, really feeling it’s our moment to play, showing as well our capacity through the most important way to get our objective, Premier League. And, of course, Villa Park is very, very important. We will need tomorrow our supporters, our fans to be with us.”

Meanwhile, off the pitch, a place among Europe’s elite would also have a significant impact on the Villans’ transfer plans. Recent reports have suggested that they’ve already got some PSR concerns and missing out on a place in the top five would hardly ease those concerns.

On that front, player sales have already been mooted too. The likes of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers have already found themselves on Chelsea and Liverpool’s radars, but whether Villa are desperate enough on the PSR front to sell two of their biggest stars remains to be seen.

Aston Villa prioritising Lunin move

Away from potential departures, those in the Midlands are also already setting their sights on potential incomings. According to reports in Spain, Aston Villa are now prioritising a move to sign Andriy Lunin from Real Madrid, who will allow their second-choice goalkeeper to leave for the right price this summer.

The shot-stopper has played a larger role than in previous seasons thanks to Thibaut Courtois’ injury, but has found himself once again benched since the Belgian’s return. As a result, an exit could now be pending and an opportunity to land a replacement for 32-year-old Emiliano Martinez.

Dubbed a “fantastic” goalkeeper by scout/writer Jacek Kulig last season, Lunin may well be ready to step into a No.1 role and out of the Courtois shadow at Real Madrid. At 26 years old, the shot-stopper is at the peak of his powers and could yet find himself on his way to Villa Park this summer.

Leeds United had some excellent players in their squad back in the 2019/20 campaign, the season they got promoted back to the Premier League.

The Whites’ core of the squad was built upon homegrown hero Kalvin Phillips, who went on to become a key player for England and earned himself a major move to Manchester City.

Patrick Bamford was entering his very best years that season, too. The Englishman scored 16 goals and grabbed four assists for the Yorkshire side across competitions in the promotion season. Club legend Pablo Hernandez was also on fire with 18 goal involvements.

One of the more underrated players in that campaign was Helder Costa, although he did struggle to adapt to life in the top flight.

Costa's transition from Championship to Premier League

Costa’s impact in the Championship during Leeds’ promotion campaign was excellent. The attacker, who was on loan for that season in the second tier, scored four goals and grabbed five assists in 43 games.

In total, he played 2956 minutes under the legendary Marcelo Bielsa, featuring for the equivalent of 32 full 90-minute games. Mainly playing on the right wing, the attacker was a key part of the Whites’ side that finally took them back to the first tier.

Costa signed for the club permanently for £16m in 2020, but his time in the Premier League was nowhere near as easy. He was far less of a key player in the 2020/21 campaign, the year in which football was played behind closed doors due to COVID-19.

In total, the Angola international played 22 times in the top flight that term, scoring three goals and assisting three times. Two of those strikes came in the second game of the season, in the excellent 4-3 win over Fulham.

It was not the impact Costa may have hoped for in the Premier League, and he soon departed on several loans before his contract expired.

Leeds' modern-day Costa repeat

Well, in a season in which they are once again chasing promotion, perhaps Leeds have the 2024/25 version of Costa in their squad.

Manor Solomon has had an important role to play for Leeds this season. The winger has contributed seven goals and eight assists as his side fight for promotion back to the Premier League.

However, as it was with Costa, it has not been plain sailing for the Whites’ number 14 this season. After an assist on the opening day of the campaign, he went seven games without contributing a goal and has recently just ended an eight-game goal involvement drought. There are certainly similar levels of inconsistency.

With that being said, the winger has chipped in with some important goals at key times. One of those moments came against Oxford United, in a 4-0 win for Leeds, where Solomon scored once and assisted twice.

According to a report in March from GiveMeSport, the Yorkshire outfit are looking to make the 25-year-old’s loan move from Tottenham Hotspur permanent. Ben Jacobs explained they are currently working on “trying to buy” the attacker this summer.

He is a player who has featured in the Premier League before, for Fulham and Spurs. However, with just four goals and two assists in 24 games in the English top flight, are Leeds fans looking at another player who could struggle at the highest level?

The stats, via Sofascore, suggest that Solomon has not really performed well in the Premier League yet. In his only full season in the top flight for Fulham, he managed just six key passes and just 19 dribbles across the campaign.

Goals

4

0.6

Key passes

6

0.9

Dribbles completed

19

2.9

Tackles and interceptions

26

4.1

Expected goal involvements

1.92

0.3xGI

If Solomon does make the permanent switch to Elland Road, the Leeds faithful will no doubt be hoping life in the Premier League will be easier, given they don’t slip up in their promotion bid, of course.

Former Leeds manager Neil Redfern once described him as “unplayable”, and their fans will certainly be hoping that version of the 25-year-old will be on show if they get promoted.

If not, it could be a repeat of the Costa situation under Bielsa.

Meslier included: Leeds must axe £150k-p/w quartet if they go up

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And has anyone else made a fourth-innings hundred on the second day of a Test as Travis Head did?

Steven Lynch25-Nov-2025Mitchell Starc improved his best bowling figures in his 100th Test, against West Indies, and improved them in his 101st Test at Perth. Has anyone done this later in a Test career? asked Ekambaram Raveendran from India
Australia’s Mitchell Starc took 6 for 9 – his best figures at the time – as West Indies were skittled for 27 in Kingston in July. That was his 100th Test – and in the first innings of his 101st, against England in Perth, Starc took seven wickets in a Test innings for the first time, finishing with 7 for 58.Unsurprisingly, this is easily the latest stage of a career at which a player improved his best Test figures in successive matches. Two Pakistanis come next: Wasim Akram had best figures of 6 for 62 after 50 Tests, but took 6 for 43 against New Zealand in his 51st, and improved that to 7 for 119 in his 52nd, in February 1994. Abdul Qadir started his 48th Test with a best return of 7 for 142, but took 7 for 96 against England at The Oval in August 1987, and improved that with 9 for 56 in his 49th, against England in Lahore in November 1987.The latest a batter has improved his highest score in successive Tests was by Australia’s Ricky Ponting in December 2003. After 72 Tests his highest score was 206, but he scored 242 against India in Adelaide in his 73rd, and improved that with 257 against them in Melbourne in his 74th match. His successor as captain, Michael Clarke, improved his previous-best of 151 with 166 in his 58th Test, against Pakistan in January 2010, then made 168 in his 59th, against New Zealand in Wellington two months later.Travis Head scored a century on the second (last!) day in Perth. Has anyone else ever made a fourth-innings century before the end of the second day of a Test before? asked Martin Bennett from Australia
That stunning innings by Travis Head, which decisively wrenched the first Ashes Test Australia’s way in Perth, was indeed the first time anyone had made a century in the fourth innings of a Test by the end of the second day. The only other time a team has reached 100 in the fourth innings on the second day of a Test was at Headingley in 1912, when South Africa made 105 for 7 against England – but the highest individual score was Louis Tancred’s 38 not out (he was out for 39 next morning).Head reached his century in just 69 balls, the fastest in the Ashes apart from Adam Gilchrist’s 57-ball hundred at the WACA in Perth in December 2006. The only other faster century for Australia in a Test was in 67 balls, by Jack Gregory against South Africa in Johannesburg in November 1921. David Warner also reached three figures in 69 balls against India at the WACA in January 2012.England faced only 67.3 overs in both innings in Perth. Have they ever been bowled out twice more quickly? asked Jon Morrison from England
England were bowled out twice in 67.3 overs – 405 balls – in the first Test in Perth. They have only been bowled out twice more quickly in Tests they lost on two occasions, the most recent of which was in March 1904, when they faced just 54.1 overs (325 deliveries) in being dismissed for 61 and 101 by Australia in Melbourne. Before that England were bowled out for 53 and 62 in 388 balls (97 four-ball overs) by Australia at Lord’s in July 1888.The fewest balls to be bowled out twice and lose by any side in a Test is 248 (49.3 five-ball overs) by South Africa (93 and 30) against England in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha) in February 1896.With his 109 not out against New Zealand, Shai Hope now has hundreds against every Test-playing nation, albeit across formats•AFP/Getty ImagesShai Hope has scored international centuries against all 11 possible Test-playing opponents. Has anyone else done this? asked Marlon Hoyte from Barbados
Shai Hope’s 109 not out in an ODI against New Zealand in Napier last week completed this particular full set: he’s scored individual international centuries (in Tests, ODIs or T20Is) against his 11 possible Test-playing opponents. Hope has scored four against England and India, three against Bangladesh, two against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and one against Afghanistan, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Only three of his hundreds have come in Tests: two against England at Headingley in August 2017, and one against India in Delhi in October.Seven players have scored international centuries against ten of their 11 possible Test-playing opponents: Hashim Amla (no hundreds against Afghanistan), Shikhar Dhawan (none against England), Martin Guptill (missing Afghanistan), Mahela Jayawardene (Ireland), Virat Kohli (Ireland), Rohit Sharma (Ireland) and Marcus Trescothick (never played against Afghanistan).How many times in Tests have a team won the toss, decided to bat first, been bowled out on the first day, have a deficit on the first innings but gone on to win the Test against the host nation, as South Africa did in the first Test in India? asked Andre Terblanche from South Africa
That’s probably the most specific question I’ve ever received! South Africa did do all this in the first Test against India in Kolkata earlier this month, but actually it was the third time it had happened this year – Australia did it against West Indies in Bridgetown in June, and Ireland did it to beat Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in February. This particular set of circumstances appears to have happened 32 times in all in Tests now. The first time was in August 1882, when Australia beat England at The Oval in the match that spawned the Ashes legend.There’s also an update from a question a couple of weeks ago:
In this column I answered a question about the players with the best averages in their last 25 Tests. In calculating the answer we considered only players who had won at least 50 caps – but actually that probably wasn’t the right way to do it. Two or three readers pointed out that the great England bowler Sydney Barnes took 170 wickets at 16.49 in his last 25 Tests – but he hadn’t shown up in our searches as he played only 27 matches in all.And so… we widened the search to include everyone’s last 25 Tests, even if they only played 26 (or 27 like Barnes). The efforts of Jasprit Bumrah in the first Test against South Africa actually gave him a better average than Barnes ahead of the second match of the current series – 125 wickets at 16.38 – but that may change: and in any case there’s someone who beats both of them, as the England offspinner Jim Laker took 120 wickets at 15.93 in the last 25 of his 46 Tests. Alec Bedser (136 at 18.68) and Curtly Ambrose (99 at 18.78) are fourth and fifth.Among batters Don Bradman remains way out on top (3468 runs at 105.09), but the West Indian Clyde Walcott comes in second, with 2651 at 67.97 in the last 25 of his 44 Tests, ahead of Kane Williamson (currently 66.67), Kumar Sangakkara (64.05) and Andy Flower (63.83).Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

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Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Sep-20233:07

Shaheen Afridi vs India’s top order will be defining – Wasim Jaffer

Even in the hinterlands of the hill city of Kandy, excitement has built over their hosting of one of the world’s great sporting encounters.It is not an unassuming city. The elites here will deride the capital as a crime-ridden, sweat-festival, on account of Kandy and its surrounds being a whole 500 metres higher than Colombo, and supposedly superior for its having resisted colonialism for three centuries longer than the coasts of Sri Lanka. The city has also just this week finished hosting the Esala Perahera – the most glittering Buddhist procession on the island, which starts from the Palace of the last King of the island. Do not trifle with this place.But even here, who can possibly resist India v Pakistan. On the eve of this match, the Abeetha Ground, a little under 2kms from the Pallekele Stadium, was packed with potential match-goers, seeking tickets to the big show. The Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh match had been only about 60% full, partly due to the high price of tickets, controlled largely by the Pakistan Cricket Board, the official hosts of this Asia Cup.Related

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But for this game, the PCB has released lower-cost tickets to locals, particularly in the very popular grass banks at Pallekele. This works out to almost the same price (roughly LKR 1500 – Approx USD 5) as tickets for Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka. But perhaps helped by the fact that the India v Pakistan match is on a Saturday, these tickets are in greater demand.On the field, while the teams trained, it felt pretty low key. It has often been said that two nations that share so much (language, culture, food) should not be so irredeemably opposed. And on the eve of this big match, both India and Pakistan shared a desire to train under lights. Pallekele had the facilities to have them both in at the same time, and so, Shaheen Afridi and Babar Azam were running through their warm-ups and later fielding drills, less than 50 metres away from where Mohammad Siraj was bowling bouncers to Virat Kohli.The India-Pakistan bromance was in full swing at the tandem practice session in Pallekele•Getty ImagesThe Pakistan coaching staff was cracking jokes with their players. Morne Morkel, Pakistan’s bowling coach, ran in off a few steps to bowl mostly rank off-side wides to the batter in the centre net. In the nets area beside the ground, Babar paused to watch every time Suryakumar Yadav or Shreyas Iyer, batting three nets away, sounded like they middled a ball.Sometimes fireworks let off in the western reaches of Amritsar can been seen in east Lahore.In the next week, BCCI officials are scheduled to visit Pakistan. PCB officials are set to be at the border to meet them. This is the way plans stand for now. But this is South Asia. Calls from high-ranking ministers happen. Nationalist sentiments frequently trump meaningful reaching out.On the field, it is 11 guys playing cricket against 11 other guys. The tandem practice session at Pallekele ended with Shadab Khan and Mohammad Rizwan being greeted by Kohli at the top of the steps, just by the dressing rooms. Shadab and Kohli stopped to speak.At the press conferences, in a small room near the nets, where dozens of sweaty media dudes (it was almost all dudes) gathered to vacuum up every word said by the captain of each team, Rohit Sharma said this: “They are a very good team, last few years they’ve done really well, whether it’s at the T20 World Cup or in the 50-over format. No team becomes No. 1 just like that. Pakistan has worked hard a lot to get there, looks like a unit. We’ll have a good challenge to play against them.”In the past, Babar has been equally generous to India’s cricketers. Though both teams are no doubt aware of the immensity of the occasion, on this neutral ground, there seemed to be a straightforward, no-big-drama, going-through-the-motions vibe to their preparation.When the game goes live on Saturday, perhaps hundreds of millions will be watching. In the stands will be tens of thousands, whose alliegances may be split (Sri Lankans are historically supporters of Pakistan, but have lately grown fond of India as well, though this has often been when India are playing teams outside South Asia).Perhaps because of its airs, Kandy seems an appropriate place to host this match. A fitting seat of kings.

They have always stuck to their plans on this tour, but while it didn’t result in a win in Johannesburg, Cape Town has been a completely different story

Karthik Krishnaswamy12-Jan-2022It was a picture that seemed to sum up India’s day.Cheteshwar Pujara, their first slip, was flat on his stomach, watching the ball roll away from him, and Virat Kohli, their second slip, was setting off in futile pursuit as it made its way towards the helmet lying behind keeper Rishabh Pant. Temba Bavuma had just flashed at a wide one outside off stump from Shardul Thakur, and the edge had gone low between keeper and first slip. It reached Pujara at catching height as he dived to his left, but he failed to hold on.A drop, and five penalty runs. The wound and the salt.India’s bowlers had been at South Africa’s batters all day, hovering in the corridor outside off stump, extracting movement both ways, and usually either beating the edge or finding it only for the ball to fall short of the cordon – or, in this case, reach it and get shelled. And if there was an lbw shout, height inevitably came to South Africa’s rescue.For their second successive innings on the field, India were doing most things right without getting the reward for it. The previous time had been South Africa’s fourth-innings chase in Johannesburg, where the bowlers had induced 62 false shots and only picked up three wickets. Other factors had contributed to India’s defeat, such as rain making conditions easier to bat in on the fourth day, and the taller South African bowlers being able to better exploit an up-and-down pitch than India’s, but you couldn’t deny the role luck had played.It seemed to be happening all over again. India had been bowled out for 223, and South Africa, following that drop, were 143 for 4.During India’s innings on day one, South Africa’s bowlers had induced 64 false shots while picking up ten wickets in 77.3 overs. India induced their 64th false shot in the 56th over of South Africa’s innings, 5.3 overs after Pujara’s drop. This time, Mohammed Shami found Bavuma’s edge with a ball that straightened dangerously in the fifth-stump channel. The edge may have fallen short of a less athletic second slip, but Kohli dived to his left to complete an outstanding two-handed grab, his 100th catch in Test cricket. South Africa were 155 for 5.India have at times been rather unlucky on this tour of South Africa•Associated PressIndia’s bowlers had induced the same number of false shots as South Africa’s bowlers, for exactly half as many wickets.But their luck was beginning to turn. Two balls later, Shami straightened another from that hard-to-ignore line, and Kyle Verreyne poked and nicked. Another low chance, and Pant completed it with a dive to his right.Process. You’ll hear the word at every pre-, post- and in-match press conference, and you’ll hear it so often that you’ll ask yourself if it has any meaning beyond this set-piece situation that neither you nor the player really wants to be part of, deep down, but it truly is the cricketer’s bread and butter. It really is all about the process.Right through this series, India’s bowlers have stuck to their processes, whether they’ve brought about the desired outcomes or not. Even when Dean Elgar was steering South Africa to a stirring victory at the Wanderers, India – except for a couple of passages late in the game, when a bit of desperation set in – didn’t waver too much from their plans to him or his colleagues. The ball kept going past Elgar’s outside edge, and they kept looking for it.On day one at Newlands, Jasprit Bumrah found Elgar’s outside edge with the kind of ball he had bowled multiple times without luck to the same batter only a few days earlier. Bumrah and Elgar will both know that Elgar not out 96 and Elgar c Pujara b Bumrah 3 were wildly fluctuating outcomes of the same processes.Those fluctuations aren’t unusual on an innings-to-innings or match-to-match basis. But they tend to even out over longer periods, and over the course of series, seasons, careers and eras, the players and teams who execute their processes in the most relentlessly skillful way usually end up tasting the rewards they are due.Jasprit Bumrah finished with 5 for 42•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesOn day two at Newlands, the quality of India’s bowling eventually reaped the rewards it was due. It earned their team a narrow first-innings lead that may well prove critical in their quest for a first Test series win in South Africa.And most fittingly, Bumrah, who had taken just one wicket over 38 mostly excellent overs in Johannesburg, ended up with figures of 5 for 42.
Inevitably, Bumrah’s press conference at the end of the day’s play featured a heavy emphasis on process.”Nothing extra-special or out of the ordinary. I was just focusing on what I had to do, and I was trying to focus on my routines and my processes and what I do, basically, before a Test match, or whatever has to be done whenever I prepare for a Test match,” he said, when asked if he had been especially fired up for this occasion. “So, nothing out of the ordinary; I was not giving any extra attention or I was not really angry or, I was just focusing on what I had to do, I was just trying to be in the present.”Coming into this game, there had been plenty of scrutiny around Bumrah’s recent form. His lines and lengths had been pored over in other publications; this website had noted a seeming lack of bite in his shorter lengths.There may well have been merit to all those critiques, but the dominant feeling Bumrah has evoked over the last few months is of bowling well without necessarily picking up bagfuls of wickets. And Bumrah knows how capricious the relationship between process and outcome can be.”See, the success, whatever comes, is a byproduct, so what we try to do is have a routine, try to follow that again and again, and maybe create pressure as a bowling unit,” he said. “Some days I would get wickets, some day somebody else would get wickets, but we as a unit want to focus on our routines and we know what has worked for us, so trying to stick to our plans, and then evolving the game around it.”Yes, there will be doubters, there will be people who’ll be praising, but that is something that an individual has to decide, so I try to focus on what I have to do. If I’ve given any attention to the outside noise, it doesn’t really help, so at the end of the day when I bowl, I try to control [what I can control], and I try to have my perspective towards bowling, so I try to avoid whatever else is going on around the world.”Maybe some people like my bowling, some people might not, but my focus is always to back my processes, back my routines, and try to give the best that I can for the country.”If Bumrah has fallen short of anything at all over his last few Test matches, it’s probably only been his own absurdly high standards.On Tuesday and Wednesday, he lived up to those standards. And as he always does, he left you with moments you’ll remember for a long, long time. The first ball of the day jagged away from Aiden Markram, perhaps inducing the batter to leave the second, which pitched on virtually the same spot and nipped back in to knock back off stump.You’ll remember that ball, and you’ll remember the look Bumrah directed at Marco Jansen after straightening one past his outside edge to hit the top of off. You’ll remember those moments, but to really understand the excellence of Bumrah and this India attack, you must also remember all the balls in between that didn’t take wickets but induced just as much discomfort.