The India batter has confirmed his availability for Delhi’s next match starting on January 30

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2025

Virat Kohli will train with the Delhi team on Tuesday ahead of what will be his first Ranji Trophy appearance since 2012. Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh confirmed that Kohli will join the squad, having confirmed his availability last week for their final group fixture against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium from January 30 to February 2.Kohli had opted out of Delhi’s previous match citing a neck injury. His participation in this round comes after the BCCI had issued guidelines to contracted players following India’s 3-1 defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, one of which was to play domestic cricket.Over the last couple of days, photos and videos have emerged on social media of Kohli working with former India and RCB batting coach Sanjay Bangar.Related

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The final round of Ranji Trophy group games will end four days before India’s first ODI against England in Nagpur on February 6. Kohli is part of the ODI squad for the three-match bilateral series in the lead up to the Champions Trophy from February 19.Rahul named in Karnataka squadKL Rahul has been named in Karnataka’s squad for their must-win Ranji Trophy fixture against table-toppers Haryana in Bengaluru later this week. He was included subject to fitness but ESPNcricinfo understands he has been cleared by the BCCI medical panel after an elbow niggle kept him out of the previous match against Punjab.Rahul’s return means Karnataka will be at full strength with Devdutt Padikkal and Prasidh Krishna, who were both part of the Test squad in Australia, also part of the squad.This will be Rahul’s first first-class appearance for Karnataka in nearly five years, since the the 2019-20 semi-final against Bengal at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.Jadeja to play for SaurashtraRavindra Jadeja will also play in Saurashtra’s final game against Assam in Rajkot. He had taken a ten-wicket haul in Saurashtra’s win against Delhi in the previous round.The fixture will also feature Riyan Parag, who was declared fit to play after recovering from a shoulder injury. He will lead Assam against Saurashtra.Mohammed Siraj will also turn out for Hyderabad in their group game against Vidarbha. Incidentally, the last time Siraj played a Ranji Trophy game was also against Vidarbha in February 2020. Vidarbha are the current Group B table-toppers while Hyderabad are in fourth place with two wins, two losses and two draws. Siraj recently played all five Tests against Australia in BGT 2024-25 where he bowled the second-most overs of all bowlers – 157.1 – only behind Pat Cummins.Rishabh Pant is not part of the squad for Delhi’s next group game against Railways. Pant played the previous match against Saurashtra where he managed just 1 and 17 as Delhi went down by ten wickets.

Leeds United have now identified a “scintillating” attacker as a key target, as there is a belief he would be the perfect addition to their forward line, according to a report.

Leeds still vying to sign new winger

Leeds were dealt a major blow when Igor Paixao chose to sign for Marseille, and they have now been forced to move on to alternative options, with a number of potential targets being identified.

Target

Current club

G/A in 24/25

Riccardo Sottil

Fiorentina

9

Moussa Djenepo

Standard Liege

3

Jota Silva

Nottingham Forest

7

However, the Whites were ultimately unsuccessful in their pursuit of Djenepo, with the 27-year-old remaining at Standard Liege, while they could also miss out on Jota Silva, with widespread reports suggesting the Forest ace is closing in on a move to Sporting CP.

That said, given that the two forwards hardly set the world alight last season, it may be a blessing in disguise that Daniel Farke’s side were unable to get deals over the line, and a different winger has now moved up the manager’s shortlist.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Marseille’s Jonathan Rowe has now been identified as a key target for Leeds, with the French club looking to receive a fee of just £17m for the England U21 international.

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The Whites are pushing to bring in new attacking options, and their pursuit of Rowe has now been reignited, as there is a belief he would be the perfect addition to their forward line.

Since moving to Marseille last summer, the winger has found it difficult to force his way into the starting XI, and a move could now be on the cards, with the French club open to a sale after signing Paixao and Timothy Weah.

"Scintillating" Rowe could be ideal signing for Leeds

Once praised for his “scintillating” form by pundit Carlton Palmer, the Marseille forward put himself in the shop window again with some impressive performances for England U21s at the recent European Championships.

The 22-year-old scored the winning goal against Germany in the final, while also scoring against Czechia in the group stage and picking up an assist against Spain in the quarter-final.

Former academy coach Greg Crane has also singled out the Marseille ace for praise, saying he “always had a bit of wow factor”.

Not only that, but the London-born winger caught the eye in the Championship with Norwich City during the 2023-24 campaign, scoring 12 goals, including an extremely well-taken effort against Hull City.

At just 22-years-old, Rowe is at the right age to be a long-term success at Elland Road, and the only concern about signing the Marseille winger is likely to be the fact he is yet to prove himself at Premier League level.

The attacking department at Tottenham Hotspur has been subject to somewhat of an overhaul this summer, especially after the departure of fan favourite Heung-min Son.

The South Korean departed in a £20m move to join MLS outfit LAFC, ending his Lilywhites career on a high after claiming the Europa League title at the end of last season.

However, it was an emotional departure, bringing an end to his decade-long stint in North London – a period that saw him amass over 400 appearances and become the club’s fourth-highest goalscorer in their history.

At 33, it was undoubtedly the right call to allow him to move on to pastures new, but it’s left a void in the forward area – something which Thomas Frank will want to fill before the end of the summer window.

Whilst Mohammed Kudus has already been added to such a department, the new boss has made it abundantly clear that he wants added reinforcements to help him in his quest to rise up the Premier League table in 2025/26.

Spurs preparing another big move after Eze

A deal for Eberechi Eze has been in the pipeline for numerous weeks now, but a deal seems to be edging closer to completion, after key moves were made by Daniel Levy.

It was reported that the Spurs owner held face-to-face talks with Steve Parish over a move for the Englishman, which has seen a verbal agreement of £55m plus £5m in add-ons be reached in recent days.

A deal for the 27-year-old could see the Lilywhites’ pursuit of a new number ten finally come to an end, subsequently turning their attention to Monaco star Magnhes Akliouche in an attempt to further strengthen the squad.

According to The Independent, Frank’s men have identified the winger as the latest attacking target this window, potentially pursuing a move for the 23-year-old before the September 1st deadline.

Their report claims that the Frenchman is seen as an alternative to Manchester City’s Savinho after the lack of progress on a deal for the Brazilian, with Akliouche a cheaper option, currently available for around a bargain fee of £43.5m.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be perfect alongside Eze

As previously mentioned, a deal for Eze appears to finally be edging towards its completion, in a deal that would be yet another excellent deal for Spurs this window.

The attacking midfielder was one of the most potent number 10s in the division last year, managing to register 26 combined goals and assists – subsequently firing the Eagles to FA Cup glory.

If he can replicate such numbers across the capital in 2025/26, it would be a signing that would go a long way to improving the options at Frank’s disposal – making the side a force to be reckoned with across all competitions.

Such a deal would also allow the Lilywhites to get one over their bitter North London rivals Arsenal, with the Gunners also previously interested in a move for the England international.

However, the prospect of Eze operating in Frank’s side is scary enough, not to mention the potential partnership he could strike up with Akliouche, should he too make the move to join the club.

He may be an unknown quantity to many, but the 23-year-old enjoyed a season to remember in his homeland last campaign, notching seven goals and 12 assists in all competitions.

His underlying stats were just as impressive, adding another dimension to the Lilywhites squad, offering another huge attacking threat in the hierarchy’s quest for added success in the near future.

Akliouche, who’s been labelled “exceptional” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, ranked in the 93rd percentile for touches in the opposition box and passes into the 18-yard box last campaign – highlighting his ability to create or be on the end of chances.

Such numbers would fit perfectly into the hands of Eze, who registered 12 assists last season, with the pair able to link up and improve their respective tallies in North London.

The Monaco youngster also ranked in the 94th percentile for carries into the final third, whilst posting a 49% take-on success rate, subsequently able to get the ball into dangerous areas at any given opportunity.

His talents are further reflected in his progressive passes per 90 rate, averaging 5.5 per 90, with such tools able to find Eze – who will be required to make third-man runs in behind the striker within Frank’s current system.

Whilst both players would set the club back over £100m, they are additions that need to be made if the club are to build on their recent European triumph in 2024/25.

Both players are extremely technical, having the talent to get out of tight spaces and create endless opportunities, with Akliouche in particular being an exciting addition for the immediate and long-term future in North London.

Romero will love him: Spurs chasing "one of the best defenders in the PL"

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to land another top defensive talent this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Aug 19, 2025

Manchester City could make a sensational bid for an “insane” player, who they made contact with earlier this summer, it has been revealed.

Lijnders impacting Guardiola's style at Man City

Jamie Carragher believes former Jurgen Klopp assistant Pep Lijnders is having a real impact on Pep Guardiola’s style of play, with Man City now playing a high defensive line, and scoring goals on the counter-attack against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Carragher said: “I couldn’t believe what I saw, the players were all jumping high up to try and catch the Wolves players offside. This is very Liverpool-like. It made me think how much influence is maybe the new coach having on this team.”

However, the Blues’ defensive frailties were on show in the 2-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur last time out, with James Trafford making an error leading to Joao Palhinha’s goal, while Rico Lewis won just two of the eight duels he contested.

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Consequently, Pep may want to bring in a little more experience at the back, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma emerging as a major target, and there is also interest in a new right-back, who Lijnders knows very well…

Indeed, according to a report from Caught Offside, Man City could make a sensational bid to sign Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold in the January transfer window, with the former Liverpool man not exactly making a flying start to life in La Liga.

Dani Carvajal has managed to force his way back into Xabi Alonso’s side, which has led to doubts over Trent’s future, and City are monitoring the situation, having already contacted the right-back over a potential move to the Etihad Stadium earlier this summer.

The 26-year-old, who is reported to earn a base salary of around £276k-a-week at Real Madrid, has only made seven appearances for Real Madrid so far, but City are now in the picture for a shock move, with Guardiola in need of a long-term Kyle Walker replacement.

Trent would be "insane" signing for Man City

Given the recent history between Man City and Liverpool, the full-back linking up with Guardiola doesn’t seem like the most plausible of scenarios, although he has praised the atmosphere at the Etihad Stadium in the past.

The England international said: “People talk about City’s atmosphere and you know, hand on heart when we play them, the atmosphere is incredible, like we feel it. It’s intense.”

Lauded as “insane” by former footballer George Chomakov, the ex-Liverpool star has established himself as one of the best attacking full-backs in the world, while also impressing from a defensive point of view on occasion over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Assists

0.22 (87th percentile)

Progressive passes

8.40 (99th percentile)

Tackles

2.64 (87th percentile)

Interceptions

1.23 (82nd percentile)

That said, even though Trent seemingly burned his bridges with Liverpool by leaving in the summer, a move to Man City seems relatively far-fetched, especially considering he is still in the very early stages of his Real Madrid career.

The team made gains on the bowling rankings as well with Kuldeep Yadav ranked third and Jadeja tenth

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2025After India’s unbeaten run through the Champions Trophy, several of their star performers have moved up the ICC’s ODI rankings. They make up four of the top-eight batters in the world with Shubman Gill still at No. 1. Rohit Sharma, Player of the Final for his match-winning 76, has moved up two places to No. 3, and Virat Kohli, with 218 runs in the tournament, is at No. 5. Shreyas Iyer has retained his No. 8 spot.The side’s third Champions Trophy title was set up by their spinners and two of them have made it to the top ten on the bowlers’ rankings. Kuldeep Yadav, who began his spell in the final with a wicket, is up at third place, and in tenth is Ravindra Jadeja, who had a miserly economy rate of 4.35 in the tournament.Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

Click here for the full player rankings

India’s next ODI assignment is away in Bangladesh in August, followed by ODIs in Australia in October-November. South Africa and New Zealand then tour India over December and January, and one question has been whether Rohit and Kohli continue playing the format with the 2027 ODI World Cup still quite far away.Ricky Ponting, though, believes Rohit certainly has some unfinished business in the ODI game. “I think probably the fact that they lost the last one [2023 World Cup in India] and he was captain, that might be the thing that’s playing on the back of his mind,” Ponting told . “Just have one more crack at trying to win the T20 World Cup, the Champions Trophy, and the ODI World Cup. I mean when you see him play like he played in the Champions Trophy final, you wouldn’t say that his time is up just yet.”Santner, Bracewell, Ravindra zoom upNew Zealand’s players made significant gains as well after their team’s run to the final of the Champions Trophy. Captain Mitchell Santner is ranked second on the ODI bowlers’ list, moving up six places on the back of several eye-catching performances. Santner finished with nine wickets in the tournament with an economy rate of 4.80.Santner is also fourth on the ODI allrounders’ rankings with Michael Bracewell, who made a fifty in the final and was New Zealand’s second-highest wicket-taker in the Champions Trophy, in seventh place.The other standout New Zealand player, Rachin Ravindra, who was the highest-scorer of the competition, jumped 14 places to 14th on the ODI batters’ rankings and eight places up to eighth in the allrounders rankings.

Arsenal have splashed the cash this summer in a bid to win their first Premier League title in over 20 years, and Mikel Arteta may not even be done there.

While a move for Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze grows more and more unlikely by the day, amid stiff competition from Tottenham, who are now in talks for the England international, Andrea Berta could still go after a left-winger.

This would be dependent on one of Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli leaving in the next two weeks, or perhaps both, but Arteta has already confirmed that Arsenal are still looking at opportunities after signing Kepa, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and Viktor Gyokeres.

“Let’s see,” Arteta said when asked about Arsenal’s transfer plans for the rest of the window.

“Let’s see what happens, in terms of where the squad is in the next few weeks.

“But, we are actively looking at options. As well, there are a few players, maybe, that they have to leave as well. So, we will be open to see what happens.”

It’s important to note that a move for Eze still hasn’t been entirely ruled out by credible media sources, but Tottenham appear to be taking pole position for him right now amid their glaring need for a playmaker to replace the injured James Maddison.

Arsenal’s hesitation is a result of their already-stocked central attacking midfield (talkSPORT), with club captain Martin Odegaard set for another key role going forward and Ethan Nwaneri tipped for more minutes after committing his future to the Emirates Stadium.

In truth, Arteta is very well reinforced in midfield, having also welcomed the arrivals of Zubimendi and Norgaard to replace Jorginho and Thomas Partey – who both left N5 after their contracts expired.

Norgaard in particular already boasts considerable Premier League experience from his time at Brentford, where he captained the Bees and stood out as perhaps one of their more underappreciated key players.

Mikkel Damsgaard says Arsenal have made a "surprising" signing in Norgaard

His former teammate at the Gtech Community Stadium, Mikkel Damsgaard, is convinced that Norgaard will be a quality signing for Arteta – albeit a “surprising” one.

Speaking to Danish news outlet Tipsbladet, via Sport Witness, Damsgaard says his fellow Dane is a hard-working player and backs him to succeed in north London.

Interestingly, former Tottenham director Frank Arnesen echoes this sentiment – calling Norgaard the “whole package”.

The 31-year-old signed a two-year contract with Arsenal, who spent an initial £10 million, plus £5m in add-ons, to secure his signature.

Kylian Mbappe was hiding in the background while Xabi Alonso soliloquised. It was just after the opening game of the Champions League group phase. Mbappe had pieced together a remarkable Blancos rescue act, scoring twice to overturn a 1-0 deficit (and he might have had one or two more.) Alonso was singing his praises. He hailed Mbappe's "incredible impact", and promised that they were "just getting started.” And then, as he realised Mbappe was in the room – just out of the shot – he tailed off.

It was a funny moment, but one that encapsulates the Alonso-Mbappe dynamic this season. Thus far, the Spaniard has made Mbappe the centre of his team, the focal point Mbappe perhaps always wished he could be. But, as with the rest of this Madrid team, Alonso has also been remarkably stern. Mbappe has not been allowed to dictate this team. Instead, he has been asked to play in different roles, embrace various styles – and trust that the goals will come as a result.

And in the early goings of the season it seems that the two have an excellent working relationship. Mbappe trusts Alonso. Alonso trusts Mbappe. Madrid might just have unlocked the Frenchman's best in cultivating that partnership. 

AFPA difficult first season

It is worth remembering, first, how we got here. Mbappe's first season at Madrid was a strange one. The raw numbers were nothing short of staggering. He bagged 31 goals in La Liga and 42 in all competitions. He set the record for the most goals in a debut season for the club and won the European Golden Boot. He established himself as the only Madrid player to score in seven different competitions in a single season. 

This is the elite goalscorer Madrid knew they had signed. But the bigger picture isn't so flattering. Madrid may have gotten goals out of Mbappe, but they got little else. 

It wasn't just a lack of assists as much as the way he failed to work as part of the collective. He didn't press. He didn't run. He invaded spaces that others liked to operate in. For a lot of the season, it felt like Mbappe scoring lots of goals while 10 others watched. 

The result was a team-wide failure, Madrid finishing second in La Liga, being bounced from the Champions League, and going a full season without a major trophy. It cost Carlo Ancelotti his job, and threw the rest of the side into jeopardy.

AdvertisementAFPClub World Cup questions

It all left things a little uncertain. The Club World Cup always felt like a bit of a wash for Madrid. They might have retooled before the tournament, but there was an overwhelming sense that they were an incomplete side, outmatched by whomever they faced. 

Paris Saint-Germain beat them in the semi-final emphatically, and it really wasn't much of a surprise. After that game, Los Blancos' media team didn't make a single player available to awaiting journalists. 

Mbappe was hospitalised for a few days during the group stage, but still managed to appear in all three knockout games. In fairness, he grabbed a signature moment, burying an acrobatic volley late on to defeat a resilient Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-final. But he turned in an anonymous showing in the semis against his former club, going 90 minutes without having a real impact.

In fact, the real star of that tournament for Madrid was someone who operated in Mbappe's position. Gonzalo Garcia, a little known academy striker heading into the tournament, paced Madrid's attack during the group stage, scoring in each of Los Blancos' first three games. There was scattered talk that with Vinicius Jr and Mbappe dueling for two spots, he could also make a push. 

Getty Images'Kylian understands football very well'

Alonso did away with those concerns from day one. Mbappe has started every single game for Madrid thus far, and played all-but 16 minutes of Los Blancos' perfect start to the season. 

Nominally, he has operated as a striker, but Alonso has been flexible in the way he has used him. Indeed, the manager relies heavily on positional play, asking his side to fill individual tasks within a position. Against Osasuna, in the first week of the season, Mbappe played much like a traditional striker – staying mostly central, and offering a run off the last defender when Madrid had a chance to hit on the break. He grabbed the only goal in a slightly unconvincing 1-0 win. 

But he has filled other roles, too. Against Espanyol, he started up front with Garcia. It seemed a confusing set-up. But instead of having two alongside each other, Alonso used Mbappe as a second striker of sorts, linking play and working in coordination with the midfield.

"Today he played in a more different role, as a playmaker," Alonso explained after the game. "We talked about the responsibility he had to be closer to Urko (Gonzalez de Zarate). On (Marko) Dmitrovic’s long balls, that superiority was important. Kylian understands football very well. Today in his role, in a different position, as a second striker, he did very well."

It would perhaps be a bit premature to dub Mbappe a "complete striker". There is a long way to go on that front. But his improvements are clear to see.

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Getty ImagesThe impressive numbers

But more than anything, Mbappe is a goalscorer. That's why he's here. Sure, Madrid can try to tinker with more versatile genres of him, ask him to do different things against different teams; that's just good coaching. But getting Mbappe into positions where he can put the ball into the net is absolutely vital. And the stats there aren't bad, either. 

Mbappe has scored seven in six games. He bagged two against Levante in a 4-1 win, two against Oviedo in a 3-0 win, and played a crucial role in a signature Champions League comeback. He has scored or assisted in all but one of Los Blancos' contests so far.

The underlying numbers make for good reading, too. Mbappe is being clinical in front of goal. Thirty-three percent of his shots have been on target – the best mark in the league. He leads La Liga in goals, expected goals and shots. But he has also created 18 chances, and is in the 96th percentile in pass completion percentage.

More impressive, though, are his defensive figures. He has won possession in the final third 10 times, putting him in the 99th percentile among all La Liga players. He is winning his duels at a higher rate than in previous years. 

So, while the assumption had always been that Mbappe was perhaps a little one-dimensional, that perception is eroding, little by little.

Birmingham City are now waiting to be given the “green-light” over the signing of a “valuable” £3m attacking player on deadline day.

Davies wants last-gasp signings for Birmingham

The Blues were beaten 2-0 away to Leicester City on Friday evening – their first Championship defeat of the season – perhaps highlighting the need for late summer transfer business.

That’s certainly the opinion of Birmingham manager Chris Davies, even though he has stressed that not a huge amount needs to be done on deadline day.

“I think we’re trying to finish the squad off in the next few days. I don’t think there’s going to be loads and loads going on, but we do need reinforcements in certain areas. We need to add to it a little bit, but there’s a lot of moving parts to that, like most clubs. So, I haven’t been too focused on that this last couple of days, but we can pick that up now this game’s finished.

“I think we need a little bit of reinforcement, just depth in our defensive area and again, we could do with a bit more depth, maybe higher up the pitch as well. But we have to see what the squad looks like in the next couple of days because there’s a lot of moving parts to it, as I said. But everyone’s trying, we’ll see what happens.”

Birmingham waiting for "green-light" over signing

Now, writing on X, Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claimed on Sunday that Birmingham are awaiting the “green-light” to sign Hyun-jun Yang for £3m from Celtic, following talks over the weekend.

Signing Yang before the window closes would be ideal for the Blues, giving Davies that extra bit of attacking quality that he could crave in his side’s Championship promotion push. The South Korean can shine on both flanks and in a central role, so he feels ideal.

The 23-year-old has 16 goal contributions in 70 appearances, and his end product should only improve with age, with Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers praising him as a player.

“He’s obviously a young player still developing and adapting to the culture and everything about the game here and the size of the club. But he’s made a valuable contribution for us this season. When he’s been asked to play, he’s done well.”

Birmingham City in "talks" to sign" 23 y/o attacker in "permanent" transfer

The forward has been praised for his work ethic.

ByCallum Kemp Aug 28, 2025

Hopefully, a deal for Yang is agreed as soon as possible, potentially making him Birmingham’s final signing of a strong summer in the market.

A fighting 79 from Campbell Kellaway in the face of two excellent four-wicket hauls by Jordan Buckingham and Henry Thornton kept Victoria’s Sheffield Shield final hopes alive against ladder leaders South Australia on a difficult day for batting at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.Kellaway’s innings was crucial as Victoria were bowled out for 285 on a green surface having been sent into bat. Scott Boland then removed both South Australia openers in an examining evening spell to leave the visitors under pressure on 40 for 2 at stumps on the opening day.Kellaway, who scored a maiden first-class century before the BBL, got excellent support from Blake Macdonald who was playing his first Shield match for Victoria having moved from New South Wales without a contract last winter. Macdonald had earned his place through twin Second XI centuries against Western Australia and continued that form with a steady 45.Their 122-run stand could prove vital in the context of the game and the season. Following a short rain delay to start the day, Victoria were hit by the early loss of Marcus Harris who edged a delivery from Buckingham that pitched well outside leg stump to third slip in the second over.Scott Boland was soon in the wickets•Getty Images

Kellaway and Macdonald then settled in under overcast skies and calmly guided Victoria to lunch. They went about it in different ways. Kellaway struck nine boundaries in his 79 while Macdonald cleared the rope twice off Thornton and Ben Manenti but only struck two other boundaries in his 45.Thornton got his revenge slightly fortuitously to break the partnership with the score at 126 for 1 when Macdonald gloved a hip-high short ball down the leg side trying to pull behind square.Buckingham made a decisive blow shortly after, castling Kellaway with a cracking yorker that sneaked under the bat and hit the base of off stump. That sparked a collapse as Victoria lost 3 for 0 in the space of nine balls. Harry Dixon was adjudged lbw to Buckingham for a second-ball duck, although replays suggested it may have both pitched and struck the pad outside the line of leg stump.Thornton picked up Peter Handscomb in the following over pushing away from his body to guide a catch to Nathan McSweeney in the gully.However, Victoria’s lower order salvaged the innings. Sam Harper blasted seven boundaries in a 33-ball 44 before he fell edging Buckingham to first slip in the first over after tea. Xavier Crone made 34 not out while Sam Elliott and Fergus O’Neill provided valuable contributions of 23 and 22 respectively before Thornton returned to clean up the tail.Boland then went to work in the final hour, nipping the ball both ways to cause South Australia’s top order no end of trouble. He breached the defence on Conor McInerney in the opening over, nipping one through the gate from around the wicket. He then found the outside edge of Henry Hunt who was neatly caught at second slip by Handscomb to leave the visitors 8 for 2.Boland also had close lbw shouts against both McSweeney and Jason Sangha turned down. But the pair fought through the new ball to remain unbeaten at stumps. Sangha was positive, striking three boundaries in his unbeaten 19, while McSweeney ground out 9 off 53 balls but will reset on the second morning.

Two weeks ahead of the Champions Trophy, both teams have an air of vulnerability

Karthik Krishnaswamy05-Feb-20250:52

What will India’s playing XI for the first ODI be?

Big picture: An air of vulnerability in both campsThere are two Indias.There’s the India of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, an India that is, for the moment, scarred and uncertain.There’s also, at the same time, another India, an India of an assuredly post-Rohit, post-Kohli era, an India that has flown to dizzying heights over recent months.There are two Indias, but there are three formats. So where exactly do they stand, as the awkward middle format gets this rare chance in the spotlight? India in ODIs are still the India of Rohit and Kohli, but what does that mean for India, Rohit, and Kohli? There are several questions hanging over India ahead of these three ODIs against England and the Champions Trophy that will follow, but this one, for now, seems the most urgent.Related

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Varun added to India's ODI squad for series against England

India last played ODIs in August, when they lost 2-0 to Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. It seemed like an anomalous result then, but events that followed it have cast it in a different light. As India return to the 50-over format, then, they find themselves in an odd position. They are still more or less the same team that looked like one of the greatest of all time during their run to the World Cup final in 2023. But even if the players are largely the same, they no longer play together day in and day out, so are they still the same team? And so many of them carry wounds from other battles, bringing to this group a distinct air of vulnerability.But airs of vulnerability – and invincibility – come and go depending on results. India – the other India, admittedly – are fresh off a 4-1 T20I series win, and should count themselves as heavy favourites against an England side that’s coming off that T20I result, and is still trying to find its feet in ODIs after a poor 2023 World Cup.And England, too, are fighting the awkwardness of this middle format. This is still the England of Jos Buttler and Joe Root, but neither played a single ODI in 2024.So here we are, then. The India of Rohit and Kohli versus the England of Buttler and Root, both unsure of where exactly they stand in ODIs, with a major ODI tournament starting in two weeks’ time.Form guideIndia LLTWL (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
England LWLLWJoe Root has been out of England’s ODI side since their league-stage exit from the 2023 World Cup•Michael Steele/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Hardik Pandya and Joe RootRohit and Kohli may be under more scrutiny at the moment, but arguably, no player is as important to India’s Champions Trophy hopes as Hardik Pandya is. Until his premature departure from the 2023 World Cup with an ankle injury, Hardik’s presence allowed India to have six bowling options, and gave them the luxury of playing a third frontline seamer or spinner depending on conditions. Hardik hasn’t played an ODI since that tournament, and as the next big one looms, India will hope his body can take a genuine allrounder’s workload once again.He has been out of England’s ODI side since their league-stage exit from the 2023 World Cup, but Joe Root is back, and will bat at No. 3. “He’s one of the great players of the game, in all the formats,” England’s captain Buttler said of Root in his pre-match press conference. “I’m excited to see him in this sort of phase of his career where I look at what he’s done in the Test stuff, where he’s not had the captaincy. He’s sort of back with that cheeky smile on his face, and really enjoying his cricket. I expect him to do exactly the same in this environment.” Apart from the smile, Root will also be expected to bring backbone to a line-up that has sometimes struggled to find the right tempo for 50-over cricket, as England have lost eight or more wickets in seven of their 11 ODIs since the World Cup.KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant? India have a choice to make against England•Getty Images

Team news: England rest Mark WoodIndia are expected to line up with their first-choice top six from the 2023 World Cup, with only the wicketkeeper’s slot under debate. Rishabh Pant could potentially come in ahead of KL Rahul thanks to his left-handedness. Meanwhile, Nagpur, with its large outfield and tendency for slow turners, is likely a three-spinner venue, which leaves India to choose two out of their three spin-bowling allrounders to partner Kuldeep Yadav, who returns for the first time since his hernia surgery.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul/Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 and 8 two of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Mohammed ShamiEngland have named their XI for the series-opener, with Mark Wood rested and Saqib Mahmood partnering Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse in the pace attack. With only four frontline bowlers, part-time spinners Liam Livingstone, Root and Jacob Bethell are expected to shoulder a considerable bowling workload.England: 1 Ben Duckett, 2 Phil Salt (wk), 3 Joe Root, 4 Harry Brook, 5 Jos Buttler (capt), 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Jacob Bethell, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Saqib MahmoodPitch and conditionsA clear, sunny day is expected in Nagpur with daytime temperatures in the low 30s. The pitch at the VCA Stadium over recent years has tended to offer a good amount of help to spinners, who also appreciate the long boundaries at this ground. The last three ODIs in Nagpur were all India-Australia contests won by the hosts: a memorable chase of 351 in 2013 powered by one of Kohli’s great hundreds, followed by significantly lower-scoring matches in 2017 and 2019.Stats and trivia: Virat Kohli on cusp of 14,000 Both India (2-3) and England (4-7) have negative win-loss records in ODIs since the end of the 2023 World Cup. Kohli is 94 runs away from the 14,000-mark in ODIs. Only Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234) have more runs in the format. Mohammed Shami is five wickets away from becoming the eighth India bowler to take 200 in ODIs. Since the last time they played together, which was at the 2023 World Cup, Buttler has played 23 games for England (three ODIs and 20 T20Is) and Root 17 (all Tests).Quotes”World Cup was one and a half years back, so clearly we need to regroup as a group now and think about what we need to do here […] It’s just about coming together now – because it’s been a while since we’ve played this format – it’s just about coming together and trying to [carry on from] where we left [off] during the World Cup. If it takes a little bit of time, so be it. It’s not easy to start what we did in the World Cup.”
“I look back on [the 2023] World Cup, and the two teams in the final were playing a really positive and aggressive brand of cricket. You think of the way Travis Head took that final on with the bat, you see it can be successful. This can be a great part of the world to play that fashion of cricket. Obviously Rohit [Sharma] takes a lot of credit for the way he’s come out and played himself as a captain and pushed India more towards that style of cricket. So, absolutely, we want to do exactly the same. We believe that’s the way that’ll give us the best chance of getting positive results.”