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India’s seven-run win in the third ODI against England won them the series 2-1 and completed a sweep across formats.India had put up 329 and had England on the ropes at 257 for 8, but a career-best 83-ball 95* by Sam Curran kept England in the game till the end of the final over. Curran had also got the wicket of a free-flowing Rishabh Pant to end India’s best partnership in their innings. In a relatively rare occurrence, players from the losing side were awarded the Player-of-the-Match and Player-of-the-Series awards, Curran winning the former and Jonny Bairstow the latter for topping the run-charts in the series with scores of 94, 124 and 1.India captain Virat Kohli expressed his surprise at the choices for the awards, holding that Shardul Thakur and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were better candidates for both.”I am quite surprised that he (Thakur) wasn’t the Man of the Match today, to be honest,” Kohli told Star Sports at the post-match presentation ceremony. Thakur had figures of 4 for 67 and had earlier scored 30 off 21.Related

• India need a little Pant-Pandya humpty in their ODI approach

“Four wickets for 65 in ten overs and scoring 30 off 20 balls…And Bhuvi, again, a big contender for Man of the Series as well. Picking up six wickets at an economy of under six on these kind of wickets? For me, it’s a no-brainer and I think these two guys were the difference during those middle overs and with the new ball as well. I think they were outstanding and a lot of credit goes to them for the series win.”Bhuvneshwar continued his fine form on his comeback to international cricket, following on from a stellar show in the T20Is to end the ODI series with six wickets in three games, at an economy rate of 4.65 – the best by a distance for any bowler in a series where the total of 300 was topped five times in six innings, and only a freak England collapse prevented it from being six out of six.Thakur ended up as the highest wicket-taker in both limited-overs series, taking eight wickets in the T20Is and seven in the ODIs, employing his slower ball variations to good effect throughout.Playing in bubbles for so long going to be very, very difficult
Kohli also reiterated that moving from bubble to bubble for extended periods of time was not a sustainable model for cricketers, saying the schedule needs to be looked at.The Indian players will move to their respective IPL team bubbles for the tournament that starts on April 9, making it nearly four non-stop bubbles since the start of last year’s IPL in September.”As I said, a couple of days ago as well, scheduling is something that needs to be looked at in the future,” Kohli said. “Because playing in bubbles for so long, two-three months, is going to be very, very difficult going forward. You can’t expect everyone to be at the same level of mental strength. Sometimes you do get cooked, and you do feel like a bit of change. I’m sure that things will be discussed and things will change in the future as well. But a different tournament, so it brings in fresh challenges now heading into the IPL. “

Leeds United are preparing to bid for a new midfielder as they look to bolster their ranks ahead of the new Championship season, it has been claimed.

Whites looking light in midfield

While the deal to sell Glen Kamara was a profitable one for Daniel Farke's side, they are yet to replace the Finland international. The 28-year-old midfielder completed a move to French side Stade Rennais earlier this summer in a deal worth 10m euros (£8m), helping Leeds record a profit on the reported £5m they shelled out in the summer of 2023 to bring him to Elland Road from Rangers.

Glen Kamara's Championship season 23/24

Appearances

37

Starts

33

Goals

0

Assists

3

Yellow Cards

3

But it has caused a problem given Kamara's usage last season, with the midfielder starting 33 of Leeds' 46 Championship games and all three of their subsequent playoff games. His natural replacement in the squad, teenage talent Archie Gray, has also been sold this summer with Tottenham pouncing to take him to north London.

It means that Leeds only have three recognised options to fill the double pivot role, with last season's options Illia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu boosted by the arrival of Joe Rothwell on loan from Bournemouth.

Given the desire to use two midfielders in every game, it feels as though Leeds are at least one midfield option short ahead of the Championship season kicking off in 10 days time, when Farke's side welcome Portsmouth to Elland Road. Now, they seem ready to move to sign another body in the middle of the park.

Leeds set to bid again for midfielder

That comes as HITC reveal that Leeds "are expected to make another offer" for impressive Bundesliga midfielder Dejan Ljubicic, who currently plies his trade with Koln.

The Whites have already seen one bid turned down to sign the midfielder this summer, believed to have been in the region of £3.3m, but are ready to return to ensure that they secure their man.

Ljubicic is down to the final 12 months of his £13,000 per week deal in Germany, and is yet to pen an extension in the Cathedral City, meaning that his side risk losing him for free in 12 months if they don't cash in this summer.

Related Latest Leeds transfer news: Farke eyes Norwich raid; PL trio after stars

Find the latest transfer reports involving Leeds United here as they look to bolster their squad over the summer.

Posts ByDan Emery Jul 30, 2024

Relegated from the Bundesliga last season, they are not in a strong position despite being keen to keep hold of their man.

He was dubbed a "top Bundesliga player" by boss Timo Schultz last season, and has come in for plenty of praise previously. Indeed, former coach Goran Djuricin highlighted his ability to keep the ball and win it back: "Dejan brings dynamism to our game, loves to tackle and hardly makes any bad passes."

That will come as music to the ears of Leeds fans should they be able to get a deal over the line, with the midfielder potentially being the man to help them back into the Premier League this time around.

Manchester United are plotting a shock move for Chelsea star Christopher Nkunku as the Frenchman considers his future at Stamford Bridge.

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Man Utd eyeing a move for NkunkuFrenchman could leave ChelseaUnhappy with game time under MarescaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Blues signed Nkunku from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023 for £52 million ($67m) in what was seen as a statement signing at the time. However, multiple injuries limited his game time last season and in the 2024-25 campaign, new manager Enzo Maresca has preferred Nicolas Jackson as Chelsea's first-choice striker. The French forward has started in just one Premier League game this season and has clocked 154 minutes on the pitch. While he remains the club's highest goalscorer this season with 10 strikes to his name, most of them came in the Europa Conference League and Carabao Cup.

AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

reported last week that the 26-year-old could consider exiting Stamford Bridge in the near future, although a January exit looks improbable. Now reports that Manchester United are plotting a move to sign the France international in the upcoming window as they look to bolster their squad in the new Ruben Amorim era.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Red Devils have been linked with a number of players as they are reportedly planning to raid Amorim's previous club Sporting CP in order to strengthen their squad, especially in the attack.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

The Portuguese coach is expected to travel to Manchester on Monday and formally take charge of the team. His first match as United boss will be after the international break on November 24 as they take on Ipswich Town in a league clash.

All things considered, the 2023/24 campaign was a disappointing one for Newcastle United, with the club unable to achieve any real success in the Premier League or various cup competitions.

Whilst the club have made remarkable progress since the takeover by the Saudi PIF back in 2021, the club registered a three-place lower finish than the season prior.

As a result, they faced the likes of AC Milan, PSG and Borussia Dortmund, unable to get out of the group, but registering a memorable 4-1 win over the French side at St James’ Park.

The congested fixture schedules hampered Eddie Howe’s side with numerous key players suffering injuries that dramatically weakened the squad, even resulting in a makeshift backline for large spells throughout the campaign.

However, the club have tried to rectify the issue, by signing centre-back Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer from fellow Premier League side Bournemouth.

Despite Kelly’s arrival, the Magpies are still aiming to strengthen at the back, with a move in the pipeline for a seriously talented youngster who’s been inundated with interest from sides all over Europe.

Newcastle make offer for European wonderkid

According to a report from Portuguese outlet A Bola late last week, Newcastle United have made an offer for Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva. The report claims that the Magpies’ bid is in the region of £29.5m plus £13m in potential performance-related bonuses – with Benfica undoubtedly holding out for a greater fee of €60m (£51m).

Silva, who’s previously received interest from Manchester United, Liverpool and PSG, has excelled in Portugal since his professional debut a couple of years ago, with the 20-year-old more than capable of excelling in the Premier League.

The report also claims the Newcastle hierarchy have a desire to add a young defender to lead the backline for years to come, with Silva having the ability to do just that given his tender age.

In the Liga Portugal last season, he produced some sensational figures, many of which would allow one current Newcastle to reach the next level.

Why Silva would be perfect for Bruno Guimaraes

Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has certainly been a huge fan-favourite at Newcastle since his £40m move to the club from Lyon back in January 2022.

He’s allowed the club to rapidly progress in such a short amount of time since his arrival, proving to be a phenomenal addition to Howe’s side in the middle of midfield.

Despite Silva being a centre-back, he can take Guimaraes to the next level, with his excellent ball-winning and passing game allowing the 26-year-old to cause carnage with his excellent ability on the ball.

The “truly remarkable” defender, as dubbed by scout Antonio Mango, completed an average of 58 passes per game in Liga Portugal last season, at a completion rate of 92%.

Games played

30

Goals

2

Passes completed

58

Pass accuracy

92%

Progressive passes

4.3

Progressive carries

1.6

Tackles

1.7

Blocks

1.6

He also averaged 4.3 progressive passes per 90, demonstrating his ability to play the ball forward into the likes of Guimaraes, handing the Brazilian more opportunities to create chances for the Magpies’ attacking talents.

If Newcastle are to return to mount a push for a top-four finish next season, defensive solidity is a must, with Silva potentially providing that with his average of 1.7 tackles per game. Equally, as a natural right-footer, he could be a dream partner for Kelly (in the short term) or fellow left-footer Sven Botman (following his return from injury).

His ability on the ball can unlock Guimaraes’ full potential, allowing him to have more opportunities in attacking areas, further boosting their already impressive attacking play.

The Benfica ace may cost the club a pretty penny, but he would undoubtedly improve Howe’s defence and provide a long-term solution at the heart of Newcastle’s backline, something which the board are desperate for this summer amid the addition of Kelly.

Bid made: Newcastle lead race for £25k-p/w star, his club need to sell

He could become an icon on Tyneside if he moves.

ByBen Browning Jul 11, 2024

It was a tale of two managers when Spurs met the Hammers on Saturday, with Postecoglou passing the torch of criticism onto his Spanish counterpart

Tottenham have won six of their last seven games in all competitions after thrashing London rivals West Ham 4-1 in the Premier League.

Mohammed Kudus proved the pantomime villain of the day as he got the home fans on his back early on with a well-taken opening goal, bringing out his signature seated celebration in front of Spurs' behemoth single-tier stand.

Despite that fast start, the Hammers quickly crumbled and found themselves three goals down by the 60-minute mark. Dejan Kulusevski brought Tottenham level just before the break before three quick-fire goals on the other side of half-time completely flipped the script.

Yves Bissouma put the north Londoners ahead, while an own goal off the foot of Jean-Clair Todibo and a lovely finish from returning captain Son Heung-min rounded off the scoring.

Kudus' afternoon of infamy came to a premature end after he was sent off for violent conduct, with VAR decreeing he lashed out unlawfully at Pape Sarr and Micky van de Ven.

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…

AFPWINNER: Ange Postecoglou

After a limp north London derby defeat to Arsenal last month, Tottenham ripped off a run of five straight wins to flex their muscle and bite back at the naysayers of their all-or-nothing style. And then an inexplicable capitulation at Brighton brought fresh questions right into the face of head coach Ange Postecoglou.

The Australian was subjected to two weeks of doubting, two weeks of scrutiny, two weeks of probing via the cesspit of social media. If his side didn't start turning performances into points, it would be his head on the line.

When Spurs went a goal down, it felt very conceivable that this was going to be another joyous day out for West Ham in N17. Many times previously have those from east London rocked up and piled the misery down Tottenham throats, but today the hosts stood tall.

The very best of Angeball was on display after Spurs were dealt with a shot of adrenaline brought about by Kudus' strike. The defence and the attack came together on the same page, a perfect unison, one that was able to carve West Ham open again and again.

Wins cure everything, and Postecoglou needed one like this to vindicate his methods again.

AdvertisementAFPWINNER: Tottenham's engine room

One of Tottenham's newfound strengths this season has been their ability to control possession and slice through teams with far more ease, and Dejan Kulusevski's reinvention has been at the forefront of this endeavour.

The Swede never really fit the bill as the touchline winger Postecoglou really wanted on the right, but he was simply too good and decisive a player to drop out of the line-up. Starting with August's 4-0 win against Everton, he has exclusively started as a central midfielder and, more importantly, been Spurs' best player by some distance.

Meanwhile, Pape Matar Sarr came off the bench at half-time and played his role as a one-man engine to perfection. Post-match, Postecoglou admitted that his side were in need the Senegalese's "running power", which was eventually reflected in the scoreline.

AFPLOSER: James Maddison

Football may be a team game and Tottenham will benefit in the long run from their depth in midfield, though it's hard to overlook the fact that James Maddison was withdrawn early for tactical reasons and Spurs went on to win by a sizeable margin.

It's not as if the 27-year-old was particularly bad in his one half of football either – in fact, he came up with the assist for Kulusevski's equaliser and has been in tremendous form – but more he became redundant when the hosts needed a runner instead of another playmaker.

Ultimately, this is a good position for Spurs to be in, with competition for places ramping back up again. The optics for now just look a little worse.

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AFPWINNER: Son Heung-min

Every season, Spurs captain Son is told by his critics that he is now entering a steep decline, that now is the time for the club to roll on with a succession plan. Nine years in and he's still putting those people back in their place.

An injury sustained prior to Tottenham's 3-0 win at Manchester United appears to have benefitted the South Korean, who was not called up for international duty and was spared racking up the air miles. Refreshed and with rejoice, he rolled back the years with a stunning display.

The clamps of Aaron Wan-Bissaka weren't enough to knock Son out of stride, while he sent Todibo into a spin with a trio of dizzying step-overs for the final goal of the afternoon. His performance was outstanding, but the modern Spurs legend was just happy to be back out there.

"To be back on the pitch is a joy, playing with my team-mates in a beautiful stadium is one of my favourite things – especially when you get the result," Son said.

"[The support is] incredible, I have been missing this support for three weeks and I didn't go to the national team. Playing in front of these fans is a huge honour and I want to give them something back.

"Sometimes injury time [out] can be good, we have such a busy time, that two or three weeks was perfect to recharge myself and today I was feeling really, really good."

Now that the dust has settled, it’s fair to say that Manchester United’s 2023/24 campaign would have been disastrous had they not won the FA Cup.

There were plenty of negatives and few positives, with one of those being the development of Alejandro Garnacho.

The Argentine became an irreplaceable figure in the starting lineup last season, boasting seven goals and four assists in 30 Premier League starts.

Luckily for the number 17, United are on the lookout for attacking reinforcements who without doubt could take him to the next level.

Man Utd want to sign a new striker

According to a report from the Daily Mail, Man United are set to make a move for Joshua Zirkzee.

It’s mentioned that a bid is currently being prepared after positive talks have taken place between the respective parties.

The Dutch attacker has a £34m release clause in his contract this summer, which is ideal for the Red Devils due to their ‘limited budget.’

However, they will have to beat the likes of Arsenal and AC Milan to his signature, which could prove to be a difficult task.

Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg, meanwhile, suggests that he is now the top target for INEOS.

How Zirkzee could improve Garnacho

Prior to last season, Zirkzee wasn’t exactly a name at the top of wish lists around Europe, but that’s certainly not the case anymore.

Under the influence of Thiago Motta, the 23-year-old exploded during his second campaign at Bologna, becoming a crucial player as they achieved Champions League football.

Operating as a lone centre forward in a 4-2-3-1, the former Bayern Munich ace made 32 Serie A starts, and his performances most definitely impressed.

Zirkzee netted 11 goals across the campaign, which made him Bologna’s highest goalscorer in the league, ahead of Riccardo Orsolini.

Goals

0.42

0.36

xG

0.32

0.29

Passes completed

12.68

23.16

Progressive passes

1.38

2.81

Key passes

1.17

1.4

Shot-creating actions

2.42

3.16

Touches (mid 3rd)

10.93

20.49

Successful take-ons

0.75

1.70

However, as you can see in the table above, the number nine provides much more than just goals, despite the fact that he’s an incredibly clinical finisher, as shown by his xG to goal ratio.

The prospect of playing alongside Zirkzee will certainly excite Garnacho, due to the 6 foot 4 centre forward’s brilliant creativity and link-up play, something that's finely represented in the clip below.

Unlike Rasmus Hojlund, who is often a passenger in matches, the Dutch striker seems to always be involved in play, whether that’s by dropping deep to progress the ball or acting as a wall to bounce passes off in and around the box.

This is why analyst Ben Mattinson has labelled him “one of the most complete ST’s in 23/24,” and his ability to bring others into dangerous areas would certainly make the effervescent Garnacho thrive.

Zirkzee is also an extremely technical player who can dribble with the ball and play passes in behind the opponent. Considering he’s an “insane athlete” as well, according to Mattinson, this is rather impressive.

Having a striker that can drop deep and pick up the ball would enable Garnacho to find himself in high and wide positions where he can get 1v1 with his full-back, whereas at the moment, he’s often isolated with a lack of service.

Furthermore, Zirkzee’s movement towards the ball would also create space in behind, which would give the Argentine more opportunities to make forward runs in a similar fashion to how Harry Kane and Heung-min Son used to operate at Tottenham.

Therefore, it’s quite obvious that signing the Dutch sensation for just £34m is a steal, not just because of his quality and influence on Garnacho but also because of how he’s still nowhere near his true potential.

What Man Utd's dream XI could look like after £230m spending spree

Marcus Rashford doesn’t make the best eleven.

1 ByTom Lever Jun 7, 2024

Now that the 2023/24 Premier League season is complete, Sir Jim Ratcliffe can finally undertake his first transfer window as Manchester United owner.

It’s clear that wholesale changes will occur at the club after an underwhelming season, with only a select few safe from being put up for sale.

However, as players depart, others must arrive, but this time around, it’s been reported that younger players will be prioritised over ready-made superstars.

With that in mind, there is a potential summer signing who could very well be an even bigger wonderkid than Kobbie Mainoo.

Man Utd eye up promising defender

According to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Man United are eyeing a move for the highly-rated Jorrel Hato.

Having scouted the defender for some time, he’s become a player that the Red Devils admire and could look to sign this summer.

However, they won’t be alone in their bid to sign Hato, with Arsenal also interested in acquiring his services and in pole position to do so.

In order to sign the Ajax ace, a report – via TEAMTalk – in March stated that the club will demand a huge £86m, which could be a stumbling block for both Premier League sides.

Why Hato could be a bigger talent than Mainoo

Mainoo’s rise to becoming a consistent first-team starter this season has been a joy to watch, arguably one of the best moments to have occurred over the campaign.

The 19-year-old midfielder has been absolutely immense over his 24 Premier League starts, showing the maturity and mentality of a seasoned professional.

Just six months ago, Mainoo was slowly announcing himself to the world, but after scoring three wonderful Premier League goals, there’s a genuine chance that he’s on the plane to Germany with England this summer.

Hato is also a player who’s followed an identical path to first-team glory as Mainoo, stepping up for a struggling side and performing at an extremely high level despite being just 18 years old – one year the United midfielder's junior.

As you can see by the table above, Hato is already performing at such a high level, which is completely remarkable considering his age.

The left-footed defender has started 33 matches in the Eredivisie this season – more than Mainoo – operating in three different roles: at centre-back, at left-centre back in a three, and as a left-back.

It’s clear from the statistics that Hato is a fantastic technician, boating incredible passing range and accuracy, which is why he’s been labelled as “magnificent” by football scout Jacek Kulig.

On top of that, he’s a dominant defender who’s not afraid to enter duels, taking on a proactive approach that would suit a team that opts for a high line, as shown by his tackles, interceptions, and balls recovered.

Furthermore, not only has the number four developed into a consistent key player for Ajax, but he’s taken on the responsibility of the captain’s armband this season, which highlights how much he’s valued as a talent. Not even Mainoo can manage that.

To be performing at an even higher standard than two of United’s key centre-halves this season just proves how incredible he truly is, and he could just be an even bigger prospect than Mainoo.

But one thing is crystal clear: Man United must do all they can to sign Hato this summer.

Man Utd could finally ditch Wan-Bissaka by signing "monster" star

INEOS would score a major win by getting this one over the line.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 21, 2024

Arne Slot will take the reins at Liverpool in a matter of days, and while he will have to work with Michael Edwards and Co to resolve contractual situations concerning Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, there is simply so much talent at the Dutchman's disposal.

One of the other, most pressing, concerns, is that of Darwin Nunez, who has been widely criticised for his wasteful finishing and his perceived conduct during the final weeks of the campaign.

Luckily, Liverpool have some of the finest finishers in the Premier League in Diogo Jota and the above-mentioned Salah, with the former actually ranking among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

But there is indeed a superabundance of talent, with perhaps none as exciting as Harvey Elliott, who is starting to show signs that he can become one of Europe's pre-eminent playmakers.

Harvey Elliott's rise under Jurgen Klopp

The Anfield outfit signed Elliott from Fulham as a 16-year-old in 2019 and ultimately paid a tribunal fee of just over £4m, half of what the Cottagers had hoped to collect for the sale of their prized youngster.

Now aged 21, the England U21 star is on the cusp of a prominent role for Liverpool and has enjoyed incremental growth that now showcases the finest aspects of his creativity and technical prowess in midfield.

23/24

53

27

4

11

22/23

46

25

5

2

21/22

11

6

1

0

20/21

1

1

0

1

19/20

8

6

0

1

*Elliott was on loan in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers during the 2020/21 season

In one of his final press conferences as Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp admitted that if he regrets "one thing" about his tenure on Merseyside, it's that he didn't play Elliott enough, with the talented midfielder actually scoring a wondrous goal against Tottenham Hotspur and supplying three assists across the final three Premier League matches of the German's reign.

Moreover, the £40k-per-week ace ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive passes and the top 3% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Slot must be licking his lips at the prospect of wielding such a talent at the dawn of his stewardship at Anfield, with Elliott's market value now having skyrocketed to reflect his standing in the Liverpool squad.

Harvey Elliott's market value in 2024

Back in December, Elliott bemoaned his 'super-sub' tag and spoke of his desire to cement a role of higher import. Well, while there is much work still to do, the diminutive midfielder has demonstrated his quality is fit for purpose at the centre of a Liverpool team chasing honours and lasting success.

He started five of Klopp's final six matches and is certainly one of the most talented young players in the Premier League, with his market value indeed now corroborating the praise of The Athletic's James Pearce for his "special talent."

Indeed, according to CIES Football Observatory's player appraisal system, Elliott is currently marked with a transfer valuation of £51m, which actually places him higher than some of Liverpool's most talented stars, including the aforementioned Salah and Jota – the pair deemed to be worth £34m apiece.

Salah is approaching his 32nd year and his Portuguese counterpart is stifled by incessant injuries that mar his wonderful attacking ability, but there's little question that Elliott is on the rise to the top, currently eclipsing the initial outlay to bring him to Anfield with a 1086% rise.

Slot lining up Liverpool swoop for £51m star who'd thrive with Jota

The Reds are reportedly interested in a summer swoop for the talented winger.

ByDan Emery May 27, 2024

Much is changing at Liverpool but with young guns such as Elliott pushing for a place at the top, the club is in good hands indeed.

Shakib Al Hasan has admitted to having “made mistakes” that led to his ongoing ban from international cricket. In an interview on ESPNcricinfo’s series, hosted by Deep Dasgupta, Shakib said he wanted to serve as a cautionary tale for other players.Last October, Shakib accepted three charges of breaching the ICC anti-corruption code, for failing to report corrupt approaches in two tournaments in 2018: an ODI tri-series in January and an IPL match when he turned out for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He will be free to return to international cricket from October 29.”You have to be honest,” Shakib said. “You just can’t lie to the people and pretend different things. Whatever happened has happened. People are bound to make mistakes. You are not 100%. The important thing is how well you can come back from those mistakes. You can tell other people not to make those mistakes. Tell them the path so that they never take those paths.ALSO READ: Shakib on the lesson his ban has taught him“It could have happened to someone else and I would have learned from him, but it happened to me so other people can learn from me. I wanted to be honest from the first day. I didn’t hide anything from the guys when they were asking me questions. I will say the straightforward things. I made mistakes. It shouldn’t happen for a player like me. I apologised for it, and I want to move forward, I want everyone to learn from it and never make these mistakes.”Shakib said he has seen many controversies ever since he was first made captain in 2009. He had trouble with the board chief, selectors and the media, mainly about selectorial decisions and not being made permanent captain between 2009 and 2010. He believes those experiences have changed him as a person over time.”I think [it’s] combination of both [controversy following him, and vice versa]. I got the responsibility so early in my career, I was bound to make mistakes. I was captain when I was 21. I made a lot of mistakes, and there are so many things that people think about me. Now I realise that it was my fault in some areas, and in some I was misunderstood. But I get it completely. It is part and parcel in the subcontinent.”Of course I will try to minimise [my mistakes] as much as I can, but by the time I got married, and now I have two kids, I understand the game and life better. It has made me a calmer person than I was in my twenties. I have changed quite a lot. People won’t see me doing a lot of mistakes now. My two daughters changed my life completely.”Shakib also spoke about his experience in the Bangladesh dressing room as captain, during a period when he had to lead other seniors like Mohammad Ashraful and Mashrafe Mortaza. Mashrafe and Shakib exchanged captaincy stints during a difficult phase for Bangladesh cricket over 18 months leading up to the 2011 World Cup.Shakib also spoke about his experience in the Bangladesh dressing room as captain, during a period when he his team included the likes of Mohammad Ashraful and Mashrafe Mortaza, senior players and past leaders.Mortaza and Shakib exchanged captaincy stints during a difficult phase for Bangladesh cricket. Mortaza suffered from a fair few injuries between 2009 and 2010, which meant a young Shakib found himself taking charge in the middle of matches or series. BCB never named anyone captain for more than a series at a time, leaving Shakib fuming with several decisions. Even after he was named captain in 2011, he lasted only seven months after an indifferent World Cup campaign and series losses to Zimbabwe.”I never had to face difficulties due to senior players,” Shakib said. “It was never a problem. We were a team struggling to win consistently, so our focus was to improve our game. Off the field, there were always issues. If you say something in the media, it diverted into another direction. I feel that I needed those things in that time, and it helped me to bring me where I am now.”Shakib will likely return to international cricket during Bangladesh’s proposed Test series against Sri Lanka in October.

He is confident he, Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan and Waqar Younis will work well together on the England tour

Umar Farooq11-Jun-2020

Mushtaq Ahmed said it would require clear communication and tactful management to ensure Pakistan’s high-profile coaching team worked smoothly with the players on the team’s upcoming tour of England. The former Pakistan legspinner has been brought in as spin bowling coach, one of two big-name appointments for the England tour, the other being Younis Khan as batting coach.This is the first time since Bob Woolmer’s appointment as head coach in 2004 that Pakistan is travelling with a fully Pakistani backroom staff. The reasons why the PCB had wanted to avoid an all-local environment in that time included internal politics, trust deficits, and infighting that plagued the side in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Besides, the lack of professionally qualified coaches in Pakistan meant the local options were limited.”We all are on the same page with a clear-cut predefined role,” Mushtaq said. “Misbah is our head coach. Younis is going to deal with batsmen as consultant, Waqar [Younis] will be working with the bowlers, and I am doing mentoring and working with spinners. So all of us from the same generation who played modern-day cricket are coming together to work for Pakistan. The problem will arise when there is a communication gap, [so] we have to look out to gel the team. If there is any conflict, it needs to be resolved there and then and move on. We have to play smart.”We all are sensible people and this [combination] is going to work well. I have worked with big coaches and the biggest example is dealing with Andy [Flower] and KP (Kevin Pietersen). Both didn’t have the mutual understanding but England still won big games. I had a role there, I used to mentor KP and at the same time worked with Andy as well to manage the communication gap. So we (the Pakistan dressing room) shouldn’t allow that communication gap to create misunderstandings. We are very optimistic that we will all come together and graciously share our experiences and stay united on tour.”Mushtaq also downplayed the perception that Younis does not get on with the PCB. “Younis Khan is a straightforward guy and people learn with the passage of time,” he said. “With age you learn a lot. Younis is a wonderful guy. Whenever you talk to him sensibly, he always responds positively. His work ethics are great and we give his example to youngsters to follow his lifestyle and how he manages his routines. He is a professional and has a tough mindset and we need people like him. He has the experience playing everywhere in the world in tough situations and coming out fighting against odds.Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq enjoyed a good relationship as players•AFP

“His personality of being a tough guy is very useful for players going to England in the ongoing situation. Sometime mental toughness takes more weight than talking technique. With him (Younis) around in the dressing room, players will have a good role model in front of them.”Mushtaq has been in the coaching business for over 10 years, starting in 2008 when he worked with the then England coach Peter Moores. He has since then established himself as a reputed spin-bowling consultant, and his time with the England side coincided with the best years of Graeme Swann, who ended up becoming one of England’s greatest spinners. He worked with spinners in Pakistan for several years following on from that, but it is believed his coaching style made players more dependent on the coach. Pakistan’s high-performance coach Nadeem Khan doesn’t want this to happen.”In the 90s we didn’t have a lot of coaches and I always believed you were your best coach,” Nadeem said. “When you analyse yourself on your own, you have a better prospect of becoming a good player quickly. These days, [the amount of] cricket has increased drastically and players don’t have time to keep a balance between playing matches, fitness [work] and updating themselves with information.”They are playing all formats and are fully engaged series after series. We had more time in the nets on our own, and with less cricket, we had ample recovery time. But in today’s cricket players need coaches, expert coaches to manage [their workload]. Teams these days take a bigger pool of coaches and consultants, and sometimes the support staff easily outnumbers the playing side in the dressing room.”It’s very important to have a relationship with players and you have to take ownership. It’s about communication and a player needs help and information. I used to think that players needed to develop on their own, but they don’t have time to work on their own. They are not even properly enjoying the victories or learning from the failures because they are playing back-to-back cricket. This is exactly where the role of a coach comes in.”