Jordi Alba scored the winner for Inter Miami with a stunning finish after receiving a perfect pass from Lionel Messi.
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Messi and Alba linked up to score Inter Miami's winnerLeft-back scored a long-range stunnerInter Miami edge out Atlanta United 2-1Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The former Barcelona duo combined brilliantly for Inter Miami's second goal in the 60th minute as they clinched a narrow win over Atlanta United in the first match of their MLS 2024 play-offs Round One encounter. Around the hour mark, Messi set up a perfect ball for Alba who then took a touch and found the back of the net with a stunning shot from more than 25 yards away from the goal.
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The 37-year-old Argentina skipper has been in a fiery form of late. He scored five times and provided one assist in October and played an important role in the Herons winning their first-ever MLS Supporters' Shield by breaking the points record. The triumph in the regular season also enabled the David Beckham co-owned club to make it to the inaugural edition of the Club World Cup.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?
Gerardo Martino's side will be back in action against Atlanta United in the second match of the three-game contest in Atlanta on November 2.
Glasgow Rangers begin their Scottish Premiership season next Saturday as the Ibrox side travel to Edinburgh.
Hearts will be the opponents and given how impressive a finish they had to the 2023/24 campaign, Philippe Clement will be wary of how big a threat they could pose to his Rangers side.
The supporters still haven’t gotten over how poor a start to the season the Gers suffered last year, losing to Kilmarnock, Celtic and Aberdeen in their first seven matches. A similar run like this could derail their title challenge before it even begins.
Despite the need to overhaul the playing squad, it looks like several players who started the final game of the season could be about to play a part next week.
Might one recent signing be in the first-team squad, however? An update has emerged on a player who was brought to the Light Blues by Michael Beale…
Rangers could sell former Premier League midfielder
According to Heart and Hand’s David Edgar, who was speaking on the daily update show, Rangers could soon be losing more than just James Tavernier and Connor Goldson this summer if all goes to plan.
“One player who could be heading out the door is Todd Cantwell,” stated Edgar. “Reports coming from papers in England that Rangers are prepared to listen to offers for him. Saudi Arabia interest with, apparently, James Bisgrove’s club Al Qadsiah interested in taking Todd Cantwell over there.”
Todd Cantwell
Could this update suggest Clement is going to cash in on a player who looked like he fitted in at the Light Blues perfectly during his first six months at the club?
If the Belgian can receive a solid transfer fee, then it might be one way of bringing some much-needed funds.
Todd Cantwell’s season in numbers
Between February and May 2023, Cantwell settled into life in Glasgow extraordinarily well, scoring six goals while registering five assists in just 20 matches.
Goals
6
7
Assists
4
5
Big chances created
5
7
Key passes per game
1.3
1.7
Successful dribbles per game
1.5
1.2
Shots per game
2.1
2.3
Total duels won per game
5.6
4.1
It looked as though Beale had hit the jackpot with a player who was valued at around £40m by his former club less than two years previously.
Despite this initial goal-laden spell, Cantwell took time to really get going last term. He suffered an injury against Celtic in September, while his first goal didn’t arrive until November. Even then, Clement was often playing him out of position on the right wing.
Despite this, Cantwell was one of the club’s finest performers in the league last term. Among his teammates, the 26-year-old ranked fourth for goals and assists (12), third for big chances created (seven), fourth for key passes per game (1.7) and fifth for successful dribbles per game (1.2), demonstrating his class over a range of performance metrics.
Just when he was coming into form, Cantwell suffered a hamstring injury which meant he missed several games during the title run-in.
While Clement needs to sell in order to make new signings, is moving on one of the better players at the club a wise move?
Todd Cantwell’s market value at Rangers
The Light Blues paid just £1.5m to bring Cantwell north of the border 18 months ago and there is no doubt they stand to make a significant profit on that figure should he leave.
Rangers midfielder Todd Cantwell.
At the time of writing, the Englishman is currently valued at €8.5m (£7m) according to Transfermarkt, a figure which could rise should he start the campaign off well.
This is the highest in the current squad at the minute, showing just how impressive he has been during his time with the Ibrox side, and he is even worth four times more than another number ten who has been linked with an exit…
Ianis Hagi could be leaving Rangers
The Romanian dynamo spent the entire 2023/24 campaign on loan at Spanish side Alaves in a bid to secure regular first-team football after his recovery from a serious knee injury.
Despite a fresh start, Hagi scored just twice in all competitions for the La Liga outfit, starting only eight matches in the top flight.
Rangers midfielder Ianis Hagi.
He did impress at Euro 2024, grabbing an assist against Slovakia which secured Romania’s progress into the last 16, but it looks as though Clement is ready to cash in on the playmaker.
According to reports from his homeland, Hagi has seemingly agreed terms with Italian side Fiorentina as he bids to depart Ibrox. Although it appears as though personal terms have been agreed, the Serie A club still have to match the £3m valuation which the Gers have placed on the player.
If Clement can sell him for this fee, it would represent a decent piece of business, especially considering his current market valuation is slightly lower…
Ianis Hagi’s market valuation at Rangers
According to Transfermarkt, the Romania international is worth €2m (£1.7m), which is a rapid decrease from his previous high in December 2022 of €7m (£5.8m), showing the impact that injuries have had on the midfielder during his spell at Ibrox.
This value is four times less than Cantwell's. If Clement can sell both attacking midfielders this summer, he could be in line to record a wonderful profit on the pair, although he will be short in this area of the pitch.
Is it worth it? Considering how many new signings the club needs in order to challenge Celtic for domestic prizes next season, it is certainly a gamble the Belgian seems keen on taking.
Not only do the Light Blues need another striker, but signing a centre-back and another winger is also high on the priority list.
Glasgow Rangers midfielder Ianis Hagi.
Sacrificing two players for the greater good of the team could be the strategy that Clement takes in the coming weeks, especially with the Champions League qualifiers looming.
Cantwell and Hagi have both enjoyed some success since arriving at Rangers, but with money required to strengthen, the duo could be the first two to be sold this summer.
Cantwell 2.0: Clement ready to reignite Rangers move for EFL star
Philippe Clement could sign a free agent in the next few weeks….
Vincent Kompany has equalled Pep Guardiola's points records after 10 games in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.
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Bayern extended unbeaten start vs St PauliHave 26 points after 10 gamesSame as Guardiola's record in 2013Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
A Jamal Musiala screamer ensured Bayern continued their unbeaten start in the Bundesliga under Kompany. The Bavarian side have eight wins and two draws in their first 10 games, a record only Pep Guardiola in 2013 and Branko Zebec in 1968 have managed to achieve.
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It was important for Bayern to start strong in 2024-25 and lay down a marker to Bayer Leverkusen as they look to wrestle back their crown. The two meet on December 3 and Kompany would like to have as much of a buffer as possible to Xabi Alonso's side when they welcome them to the Allianz Arena.
DID YOU KNOW?
Since returning from injury, Musiala has bagged seven goal contributions in six games, including the winner in each of Bayern's last two games. He is stepping up during difficult times for the German giants.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN?
Players will now head off for the international break, but when they return, Bayern will host Augsburg in the Bundesliga before taking on Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Baroda will take on Punjab in the second semi-final
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2021It was a remember-the-name moment for Vishnu Solanki in Ahmedabad as he hit six, four and six off the last three balls of Baroda’s chase against Haryana, the last of those with a helicopter shot from well inside the crease, to take his team to an eight-wicket win and a place in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy semi-finals.Till that point, it had been a decent day at work for Sumit Kumar, the 25-year-old medium pacer, who had scored a 16-ball 20* in Haryana’s 148 for 7, and then conceded 21 runs from 2.3 overs, including singles off the first three balls of the final over of Baroda’s chase. But Solanki got stuck into him when it mattered the most, going bang-bang-bang in the last three balls to win the game. Solanki ended on a 46-ball 71*, with four fours and five sixes.The day started with Kedar Devdhar, the Baroda captain, opting to field, and he was in the thick of the action early on, playing his part in running Guntashveer Singh out in the third over.Chaitanya Bishnoi did the bulk of the scoring immediately after that with a 15-ball 21, but the going was rather slow for Haryana for the first half of their innings – possibly where they lost the game. The powerplay overs ended with 33 for 2 on the board, and the subsequent overs went for only three, six, nine and seven runs respectively, and they were 58 for 2 after ten overs.Himanshu Rana and Shivam Chauhan did pick up the pace after that, though, and when Chauhan was dismissed by medium pacer Atit Sheth in the 15th over for a 29-ball 35, the scoreboard had a much healthier look to it – 105 for 3 with 34 balls to go.But Rana was sent back by offspinner Kartik Kakade in the very next over for 49 off 40 balls and there followed yet another slow passage for Haryana as they added just 19 runs in the next three overs before a 14-run final over, bowled by medium pacer Babashafi Pathan, lifted them to a competitive total.Baroda’s innings started as slowly as Haryana’s had, and they ended the powerplay at 33 for 1 (compared to their opponents’ identical run tally but with one fewer wicket lost). In fact, at the halfway stage, they were 55 for 1 (not too dissimilar to Haryana’s 58 for 2), but Devdhar and Solanki – who came together at the fall of Smit Patel, dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal for a run-a-ball 21 – did the job asked of them with a solid if unspectacular partnership of 68 runs.Like with the Haryana innings, the scoring picked up in the second half of the Baroda innings with both batsmen finding their range. Devdhar broke the shackles with a six and a four off Rahul Tewatia’s legspin in the 11 th over, and Solanki did likewise against Jayant Yadav’s offspin in the next.It did get tricky after Kumar sent Devdhar back for a 40-ball 43, though, leaving Solanki with what looked like quite a lot in the last over. It wasn’t. He was up for it, even if it needed a six off the final ball.Baroda will take on Punjab in the second semi-final, to be played on Friday in Ahmedabad.
David Warner set the platform with a positive half-century against winless South Australia
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Mar-2021A partnership of 141 between Moises Henriques and the promoted Sean Abbott secured New South Wales an impressive chase in Adelaide as they hunted down 295 with 11 balls to spare to propel the defending champions top of the table.David Warner had set the base after South Australia declared shortly before lunch but after he and Kurtis Patterson had fallen either side tea the decision to elevate the in-form Abbott worked a treat in a perfectly-paced partnership.The outcome rewarded New South Wales’ decision to declare well behind on the third day and thereby opening up the chance for a chase while South Australia played their part by “dangling the carrot” as their coach Jason Gillespie put it rather than killing the match off.”We definitely wanted to have a crack at that for most of the day and not shut up shop and they certainly needed win,” Abbott said. “A sporting declaration, so good on Heady [Travis Head] for doing that.”After spending a couple of days in the dirt I was more than happy to go out there and try and score some runs. Got together with Mo and things went our way. We faced a couple of tough spells, credit to them they created chances and beat the bat.”Nathan Lyon had struck with the second ball of the day with a terrific delivery to take Jake Weatherald’s off stump and it proved difficult for South Australia to press the accelerator, not aided when Alex Carey was given run out to what was a very borderline call with no TV replays available. In the end they batted for 22 overs adding 85 runs.New South Wales had few problems maintaining a run rate of four an over early on. Travis Head broke an opening stand of 59 when Nick Larkin miscued a pull, but Warner ensured the scoreboard kept moving with a 61-ball fifty although he slowed down significantly after that with his last 19 runs taking 45 deliveries before becoming a notable wicket for debutant Joe Medew-Ewen as he picked out deep midwicket.Patterson then dragged on immediately after tea to give the Redbacks some hope as they also managed to squeeze the scoring rate but Henriques and Abbott did not panic, passing 600 and 500 runs respectively for the season. Henriques, who was given a life on 28, went to his fifty with an elegant lofted drive for six off Medew-Ewen and Abbott’s second half-century of the game came from 52 balls.
Manchester City star Erling Haaland has turned up for Norway this month in style as the striker scored a hat-trick in their 5-0 win over Kazakhstan.
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Norway win 5-0 over KazakhstanHaaland scores third hat-trick of the seasonNorwegian now has more hat-tricks than his ageFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?
Haaland has not had the best month as Manchester City have struggled to provide chances for their star man and Pep Guardiola's struggling side have fallen to four-straight defeats. However, the same has not been the case for Haaland during this international break as the 24-year-old has scored in both of Norway's Nations League clashes this week. Haaland scored a hat-trick as Norway completed a 5-0 win over Kazakhstan to secure their promotion to Nations League A for the next cycle.
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StatsMuse have now posted an amusing stat that showcases Haaland's absolute prowess as a goalscorer. The Norwegian has now scored 25 hat-tricks in his career, one more than his age (24). Haaland has scored four hat-tricks for Norway, 11 for Manchester City, four for Borussia Dortmund, five for RB Leipzig and one for Molde.
Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?
Haaland's treble against Kazakhstan was his third this season after having scored two hat-tricks in back-to-back Premier League matches against Ipswich Town and West Ham in August. He also scored another hat-trick in a pre-season friendly against Chelsea at Ohio Stadium in the United States.
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WHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND?
The Norwegian will now head back to Manchester and he will look to carry his form into Guardiola's side's next clash when they take on Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, November 23.
West Ham United are gearing up for the 2024/25 Premier League campaign under new manager Julen Lopetegui, with the aim of bettering their ninth-place finish last season and returning to the European qualification spots.
They have already been busy in the market, acquiring Wolves defender Max Kilman, and highly rated Brazilian, Luis Guilherme, but the transfer activity doesn't look set to conclude there.
The Hammers continue to be linked with a host of players, in a host of different positions, including recent links to Borussia Dortmund striker Niclas Füllkrug, who scored two goals at Euro 2024 for Germany.
niclas-fullkrug-premier-league-transfers-everton
West Ham's search for a striker
According to reports from Bolavip Brasil, West Ham are ready to make their first official offer to Corinthians for talented striker, Yuri Alberto. The report suggests the Hammers have made recent inquiries about the player, and are expected to make that interest official.
Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto
The report also indicates Everton were interested in the 23-year-old forward. However, no official offer was made by the Toffees, and other names have been prioritised by Sean Dyche and co.
Alberto made 36 appearances in all competitions last season for Corinthians, scoring 17 goals, providing three assists, and totalling 2,679 minutes of football.
Why Alberto can be West Ham's new Carlos Tevez
Alberto has been dubbed as a "complete forward" by Jacek Kulig, praising his powerful, athletic qualities and killer instinct. His ability to be a nuisance up top, using that athleticism, speed and tenacity, brings the comparison of a certain Carlos Tevez.
Tevez made 29 appearances in all competitions for West Ham in the 2006/07 season, scoring seven goals and providing four assists to help steer the club clear of relegation, with his overall work rate and effort – which saw him described as "like a terrier" by Sir Alex Ferguson – subsequently earning him a move to Manchester United.
West Ham could be looking for lightning to strike twice, acquiring another striker from Corinthians (same as Tevez), who can provide a wide set of skills to the Hammers forward line.
Stat (per 90 mins)
Alberto
Fullkrug
Non-Penalty Goals
0.26
0.32
Shots Total
3.04
2.36
Shots on Target
1.05
0.92
Progressive Carries
1.44
0.76
Aerials Won
1.96
3.49
While a lesser-known target, that comparison to Tevez should make Alberto a worthy option to consider for the Hammers and a perfect alternative to the aforementioned Fullkrug as the club's new number nine.
Fullkrug made 46 appearances for Dortmund in all competitions last season, scoring 16 goals, providing ten assists, and totalling 3,605 minutes, proving to be an important player in their Champions League run, finishing runners-up.
niclas-fullkrug
Both strikers bring different assets. Fullkrug is more of a hold-up play centre-forward, bringing others into play, using his 6 foot 2 frame, winning aerial duels as seen by his 3.49 aerials won per 90 metric, and being a threat in the box.
Alberto is smaller at 5 foot 10, but is a more complete archetype of striker, running the channels and being a counter-attacking threat, linking up play, while proving very instinctive and clinical around the box, but also good in the air for his height.
The 23-year-old Corinthians striker offers the extra shot volume in attack for the Hammers, averaging 3.04 per 90, whilst bringing that complete centre-forward play to the club, allowing him to link up with the wide men, who offer such a huge goal threat of their own.
As stated above, Alberto may be something of a left-field choice, but as the Irons found with the signing of Tevez, looking to the South American market can prove fruitful.
West Ham could forget all about Fofana by signing an “extraordinary player”
Arsenal are reportedly set to welcome defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu back from injury after the international break.
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Calafiori and Tomiyasu to return from injuryArsenal expect defenders after international breakGunners suffering from injury crisis this seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?
In October, Calafiori sustained a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury to his left knee while playing against Shakhtar in the Champions League. Meanwhile, since moving to the Emirates Stadium in 2021, Tomiyasu has been dealing with a number of injuries. Most recently, the Japanese international has been sidelined due to a knee problem he suffered in July.
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After the current international break, Calafiori and Tomiyasu are expected to both be available for the Gunners, according to the Daily Mail. The duo's return will be a very positive one for Arteta as the Gunners have been struggling for form amid a number of injuries. Ben White has also been ruled out for a lengthy period after undergoing surgery earlier this month.
DID YOU KNOW?
Arsenal have been suffering a bit of an injury crisis in defence this season as Calafiori, White, Tomiyasu, Jurrien Timber, Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Tierney have missed games through injury at least once this season. Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba have been the only defenders in the squad to not miss games through injury.
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WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?
While it may be a race for Calafiori and Tomiyasu to be fully fit to play in Arsenal's next clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, November 23, Arteta will be hoping to see the duo at least on the bench for the game.
Celtic are braced for a fourth Matt O'Riley bid as yet another club enter the mix for his signature this summer, it has been reported.
O'Riley in hot demand
There has rarely been a player more in demand at Celtic than midfielder Matt O'Riley after a fantastic Scottish Premiership campaign. The Danish midfielder, who opened the scoring in their 4-1 pre-season thrashing of Chelsea last week, has been a key part of Celtic's midfield since joining in 2022, and has attracted the interest of some of Europe's biggest clubs.
Atletico Madrid had a bid rejected for the 23-year-old in January, while reports linked Serie A champions Inter with a move for the midfielder ahead of the summer window.
Celtic now open to offers for trio who take home a combined ÂŁ30,000-a-week
The three players are deemed surplus to requirements at Celtic Park.
2 ByBen Browning Jul 29, 2024
They are yet to complete a move, but current European Champions Atalanta are pushing hard to land the talented midfielder for Gian Piero Gasperini's side. So far, they have seen three bids turned down by the Glasgow outfit for O'Riley, with the most recent offer totaling €17m (£14m) knocked back by Celtic last week.
Brendan Rodgers refused to be drawn on the latest on his star man when quizzed during pre-season, but admitted he could well depart.
"There's no update, fairly relaxed," Rodgers told a news conference. "He knows the privilege it is to play for Celtic. Celtic is a club where you can move on but you don't have to and it's a very difficult club to move on from.
"Naturally, with the wages that are on offer for players, that makes it a real challenge for Celtic to compete at that level. He knows what he has here. We're all quite relaxed with it. Every player has a value, we know that."
O'Riley's incredible 23/24 campaign
Appearances
49
Goals
19
Assists
18
Minutes per goal/assist
116
Southampton readying bid for midfielder
Football Insider now report that Southampton are readying an opening bid for the Celtic midfielder. The south coast side, who can offer Premier League football after their promotion via the play-offs, have an advantage on the competition too.
That is because coach Russell Martin has already worked with O'Riley before, and is reported to have a "close relationship" with the midfielder, who he is "very keen to work with" again.
It is added that O'Riley has been "earmarked as a statement signing" after an otherwise largely low-key summer for the Saints, and that "an official bid" is now being readied for his services.
It remains to be seen whether the close bond between Martin and O'Riley is enough to convince the Danish midfielder to pick what is likely to be a relegation battle in the Premier League over a Champions League campaign under Gasperini, but it would certainly be a masisve coup were the Saints able to pick him up ahead of the competition.
For Celtic, added interest may drive the price up further, and should the club be resigned to his exit this summer then a bidding war would be in their best interests.
The India allrounder says day-night Tests ending sooner than expected have been the norm so far
Deivarayan Muthu27-Feb-20210:51
Is the pink ball responsible for Tests ending quickly?
Sixteen pink-ball Test matches have been played so far, with only five of those stretching up to the fifth day. The most-recent pink-ball Test, between India and England in Ahmedabad, finished within two days, throwing up the shortest Test result since 1935 and the shortest in India. The day-night fixture against Bangladesh in Kolkata in 2019 had resulted in the second-shortest Test in the country.Two days after the Motera Test, R Ashwin conceded that the challenges posed by the pink ball to the batsmen could be responsible for such Tests ending quickly.”It could be. Honestly, if you give a little bit of favour stacked towards the bowlers, this is what might happen,” Ashwin said during a virtual media interaction. “Because the ball…[there’s] a little bit of advantage towards the bowlers. It starts to swing more, it seams more, and the margin of error for the batter is so much more little. Instead of the ball beating the bat or probably getting a thick outside edge, it ends up getting a fine edge and goes behind to the keeper. These are things that we’ve noticed and it even happened at the Eden Gardens when we played Bangladesh.Related
Kohli: Spinners left no room for others in bizarre game
Ashwin: 'It's been a dreamy ride'
Ashwin even cited the examples of the 2020 Adelaide and 2018 Auckland Tests, explaining that pink-ball Tests have usually had early finishes.”It could very well be spoken about how we really played well in that game [against Bangladesh] and won that game and all that… but that’s been the nature of the pink-ball Test. Even the one in New Zealand, where England got all out for 59 [58], and we got all out in Australia for 36 – if you look at the larger picture of Test cricket, you might say these are one-off occasions, but these are regular affairs in pink-ball Tests.”In the third Test in Ahmedabad, England reunited James Anderson with Stuart Broad at the expense of a frontline spinner in Dom Bess. England captain Joe Root later told the host broadcaster that the swing and seam the pink ball had offered at practice had prompted that decision. England’s selection came under sharper focus after they lost 19 of their 20 wickets to spin on a turner.6:27
Ashwin: ‘What makes a good surface? Who defines this?’
As for Ashwin, he said that he was uncertain about the behavior of the pink ball.”Look even before I started the game in the nets, we were a little skeptical as a spin group – I mean not as a spin group, I’ll just talk for myself,” Ashwin said. “But, when I did bowl, the balance of the ball seemed very different to that of the red ball – when you tried to put a lot of revs, it probably wasn’t rotating as much on the seam as I thought the red ball was rotating.”Clearly, the chance of it catching the glossy surface was far greater and if at all it caught the seam, it was you know spinning quite big at times, and it was not really responding the way the red ball might respond. Whatever was happening was happening a little quicker off the surface, so I think it did make a difference. If we’d played a red-ball game on the same surface, I think the pace of the game might have been a touch slower. But these are all things I’m talking about in hindsight. Only if you’ve done it, you will know it.”Sighting the pink ball wasn’t an issue, according to Ashwin, but he said that the way it skidded rapidly off the track was “quite different”. Ashwin and Axar Patel, in particular, undercut the pink ball to make life even more difficult for the tourists.”The way it skidded was how it skidded (laughs) because I can’t really explain,” Ashwin said. “But a small few microseconds make such a huge difference in the game. If it’s going to skid on like even a fraction of the second quicker, it’s the difference between hitting the inside edge and hitting the pad. So, it is quite different, sometimes the batsman can be caught with bat behind the pad because the [pink] ball skidded faster than what you are used to the red ball skidding. So, to make an adjustment with the span of five-six days it’s not so easy, but the more we play, the players will get better at it.”‘If it’s going to skid on like even a fraction of the second quicker, it’s the difference between hitting the inside edge and hitting the pad’ – R Ashwin•Saikat Das/BCCIAshwin said that India didn’t have any apprehensions about playing with the pink ball and reckoned that the players would deal with it better with more game-time.”There is no apprehension. If there’s apprehension, we can probably express. There is no apprehension as such for the pink-ball Test. I think it’s completely a new sort of a facet that’s being introduced into the game. You are used to playing with the red ball, and everybody is conditioned, like I said, to playing with the red ball, and all of sudden they’ve brought in the pink ball. And the pink ball is bringing new dimensions to the game, so it’s about adapting. If you play more and more and obviously get used to it, the players are going to adapt better for the good.”It’s the same thing with one-day cricket, right? We were playing with the red ball for a long period of time, then we shifted to the white ball. Initially, the white ball was doing a lot more and now it literally does nothing. That’s how this format will also evolve because people are trying to understand what works with the pink ball and what doesn’t, how to adapt and all these sorts of stuff. Anything new is going to throw a lot of challenges and that’s the beauty of the sport.”When asked if there are any differences between the Kookaburra pink ball and the SG variety, Ashwin said that he couldn’t pinpoint any, given the small sample size. Ashwin – and India – had used the Kookaburra pink ball in Adelaide last year, and the SG one in the home Tests against Bangladesh and England.”I don’t think there’s enough sample size to compare both because I’ve played only a grand two days of pink-ball cricket with the Kookaburra and the same with SG,” he said. “So, the surfaces have been different – different conditions and different dynamics to the ball. I think what I realised with the pink ball in Australia was it definitely aided more bounce and pace off the surface than the red one. Here also, it was the same. It offered more bounce and pace off the pitch than the red ball would. That’s probably due to the lacquer in the ball and also probably the slightly more prouder seam that both these pink balls have. I can’t really different much at this point of time and I’ll have a very few sample size in my hand when I’m done.”