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The hosts will be without Tamim, Shakib and Mahmudullah while Pakistan will be keen to carry forward their T20I form into Tests

Mohammad Isam25-Nov-2021Big PictureBangladesh will look to bridge the gap in experience, skills and temperament with Pakistan, who have so far looked to be in control on this tour, when the two teams meet for the first Test in Chattogram on Friday. The 3-0 series win in Dhaka didn’t just show the difference in the two teams’ T20 skillset, but also their overall moods. Pakistan seem more organised and clear in thinking while Bangladesh cricket is in disarray.The only saving grace for the home side is the change in format, although Pakistan too would be glad to take a break after a period of busy T20 cricket.Pakistan’s middle order has to be assertive as they struggle to put together an opening combination. Azhar Ali and captain Babar Azam lend class and experience while Mohammad Rizwan and Fawad Alam tend to consistently contribute valuable runs lower down the order. Babar and Rizwan’s success in opening in T20Is will need to be translated into middle-order dependency in Tests.Related

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Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Rejaur Rahman Raja the new faces in Bangladesh Test squad

Imam-ul-Haq and Abid Ali will be Pakistan’s opening pair – the Abid-Imran Butt opened in their last six Tests. The 22-year-old Abdullah Shafique, who has struck two centuries in three first-class matches, is an interesting inclusion in the 12-player squad that was announced on Thursday.Pakistan will have Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali to take up the new ball with Faheem Ashraf being considered the pace-bowling allround option at No 7. Left-arm spinner Nauman Ali and offspinner Sajid Khan, who made his debut earlier this year against Zimbabwe, will be the likely spinners.Bangladesh will look at captain Mominul Haque and the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim to do the heavy-lifting for the batting line-up. The hosts will be without the injured Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan, and the recently-retired Mahmudullah, which will be a huge void to fill in.Top-order batters Shadman Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto have to tackle Pakistan’s new-ball force before the experienced Mominul and Mushfiqur come in. There might be a debut on the offing for both Yasir Ali and Mahmudul Hasan Joy, with Liton Das coming in at No 7. Yasir has been warming the bench for some time now after being in all the squads for the Tests this year, while Joy, who has mostly batted at No 3, was picked on the back of a promising domestic return where he hit back-to-back first-class centuries recently.Bangladesh will mostly go with seven batters with Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz as the main spinners. Both have been in good form in domestic cricket lately and will be expected to bowl the bulk of the overs in Shakib’s absence.However, their pace attack seems to be lean as only Abu Jayed has been in some kind of rhythm. Rejaur Rahman Raja, the surprise pick in the Test squad, could be handed a debut after getting rave reviews from high-performance bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake. Form guide Bangladesh WLDLL
Pakistan WLWWW
In the spotlight Pakistan will look at Shaheen Shah Afridi</a to lead the bowling attack and give early breakthroughs. Afridi may not find a lot of help from the Chattogram pitch which usually assists spinners, but he should use the breeze that blows across the ground.Najmul Hossain Shanto scored two hundreds in Bangladesh's last three Tests, against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka respectively, and also made a first-class century recently. Despite being in form, Shanto could be troubled by Pakistan's quality fast bowlers. His role at No. 3 will be crucial for Bangladesh. Team news Bangladesh are considering as many as three Test debutants in this game. Mominul has hinted that Joy may open while Yasir is a strong candidate at No 6. Rookie fast bowler Raja may also play ahead of Ebadot Hossain.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Shadman Islam 2 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Yasir Ali, 7 Liton Das (wk), 8 Taijul Islam, 9 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 10 Abu Jayed, 11 Ebadot Hossain/Rejaur Rahman RajaSajid Khan could partner Nauman Ali in the spin attack, which would leave batter Shafique out of Pakistan's XI. They are without Imran Butt, who was dropped from the squad, and Mohammad Abbas, from their last Test against West Indies.Pakistan (probable): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Abid Ali, 3 Azhar Ali 4 Babar Azam (capt), 5 Fawad Alam, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Nauman Ali, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11 Sajid Khan Pitch and conditions West Indies successfully chased 395 runs in the fourth innings in the last Chattogram Test, which suggests that the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury pitch will generally hold up for the entire five days. Temperatures are expected to be mild. Stats and trivia Abbas is ten wickets short of completing 100 Test wickets. Yasir has already taken six catches as a substitute fielder before making his international debut. Quotes "It is a challenge for a young captain like me to head into the new WTC cycle with a young team. We have always required senior players on the Test side. Shakib , Tamim and Taskin are regular players. But it is a continuous process. We have to move on. We cannot be disappointed all the time. I firmly believe it is a huge opportunity for the younger players."

Rangers have been linked with a move for an “unbelievable” player, but he may now decide against heading to Ibrox for two key reasons, according to a new transfer development.

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Philippe Clement badly needed some respite this weekend after seeing the pressure heaped on him further last week, following the Gers’ 2-1 defeat away to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.

Thankfully, the Belgian managed that, helping Rangers reach the Scottish League Cup final after winning 2-1 against Motherwell in the semi-finals at Hampden Park. Cyriel Dessers and Nedim Bajrami scored the goals for the Ibrox outfit, overturning a 1-0 deficit, as they booked a place in the showcase event against Celtic.

Despite this win, other managers continue to be linked with the Gers job, should they part company with Clement in the near future. Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen has been mentioned as a potential option for the Scottish giants.

It should be stressed that the current manager is believed to be safe in his job for the time being, however, with Rangers feeling that now isn’t the right time to relieve him of his duties, given the general situation at the club.

Away from the managerial situation, the Gers will also want to sign players in the January transfer window, but they have suffered a blow regarding one target.

"Unbelievable" ace may turn down Rangers move

According to Football Insider, Rangers “will struggle” to sign Motherwell youngster Lennon Miller, due to the current financial issues at Ibrox and their form under Clement this season.

The 18-year-old is arguably one of the biggest teenage talents in Scottish football and the Gers have been linked with signing him, but the report states that “the uncertainty surrounding the club and the potential pressure to help turn Rangers’ season around are expected to heavily influence” his decision, with the player not keen to come into Clement’s current set-up.

Miller is a massive talent who came up against Rangers on Sunday, failing to get the better of them, but there is no doubt that he would be an exciting signing. Gers legend Barry Ferguson is a huge admirer, once saying of him: “The Motherwell kid has unbelievable talent.

“I was at the game where he came off the bench at Ibrox for his league debut. He was 16 years old, Motherwell were losing and it was a massive moment for such a young player. But he was demanding the ball from his team-mates, some double his age. It was brilliant to watch. From that moment I knew there was a player there.”

This sums up what a big talent Miller is, and why it would be such a disappointment to see Rangers miss out on signing such a gem of a midfielder, but it is understandable why he may have reservations about joining currently.

Game-changer: The 8/10 Rangers star who was even better than Cerny

The Rangers midfielder enjoyed a terrific afternoon at Hampden Park on Sunday.

ByDan Emery Nov 3, 2024

The Gers don’t feel like a stable club, in terms of the managerial situation and ongoing issues in the boardroom, but hopefully, those problems can be resolved and he ends up seeing his future at Ibrox.

Leah Williamson has joked that the “shirt would have come off” had Chloe Kelly found the target during her north London derby debut for Arsenal.

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Returned to roots from Man CityMade second bow off the bench vs SpursDetermined to earn regular roleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Some 2,815 days after her last appearance for the Gunners, Lionesses star Kelly is back in familiar surroundings after securing a winter window loan transfer from Manchester City. Her first outing for the Gunners since 2018 could not have come in a bigger contest.

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Kelly was introduced off the bench – in front of 56,784 spectators at Emirates Stadium – in the 61st minute of a clash with arch-rivals Tottenham. Arsenal would go on to win that game 5-0. The returning debutant came close to netting a memorable goal, but was denied by the woodwork.

WHAT CHLOE KELLY & LEAH WILLIAMSON SAID

Speaking to afterwards, Kelly said: “I thought it was going in.” Her fellow European Championship winner Williamson, who is now a club colleague, chipped in with – in a nod to Kelly’s iconic celebration in the Euro 2022 final: “And the shirt would have come off!”

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Kelly, who says the reception she received when being introduced as a second-half substitute was “flipping amazing”, is determined to earn a regular role at Arsenal after growing frustrated at her lack of opportunities with City as her contract runs down.

Manchester City return to action in the Premier League this evening as they prepare to travel away from home to take on Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Cityzens have lost their last three matches in all competitions, including a 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth in the top-flight last weekend, and were hammered by Sporting on Tuesday night.

Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick against Pep Guardiola’s side in a 4-1 win for Ruben Amorim’s men in the Champions League, in a result that City have to bounce back strong from.

Whilst Gyokeres put his name in the spotlight with a huge performance, Manchester City’s number nine – Erling Haaland – continued his recent struggles.

Erling Haaland's recent struggles

The Norway international has scored 11 goals in ten Premier League games and three goals in four Champions League outings this season, which makes it seem fairly ridiculous to be critical of his performances.

However, Haaland has underperformed, by his high standards, and has struggled in recent weeks, failing to score in four of his last six outings in all competitions.

xG

3.46

Shots

17

Big chances missed

5

Goals

1

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, the former Borussia Dortmund star has been incredibly wasteful in his last four outings in the Premier League, with one goal from 3.46 xG.

Haaland also missed two ‘big chances’, one of which was a penalty, in the 4-1 defeat to Sporting, which further shows that the striker is not at his best right now.

Guardiola, though, could get the centre-forward firing again by unleashing Kevin de Bruyne from the start against Brighton at the Amex this evening.

Why Kevin de Bruyne should start

The Belgian wizard made his return from injury off the bench against Sporting and should now return to the starting XI, if he is fit enough to do so, today.

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Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

De Bruyne started the first four games of the Premier League season for City and the team won all four matches, whilst Haaland scored a staggering nine goals.

Since the midfielder’s absence with a hamstring injury, the Norwegian star has only scored two goals in six Premier League appearances for the Cityzens, which suggests that he has struggled without the 33-year-old ace’s presence in the middle of the park.

The experienced campaigner, who Thierry Henry claimed is “on another planet” when it comes to creating chances, was also restricted to just 18 games in the top-flight last term and, yet, managed to create a stunning 21 ‘big chances’ for his teammates.

In his first season with Haaland, in the 2022/23 campaign, de Bruyne racked up a staggering 31 ‘big chances’ created and 16 assists in 32 Premier League matches.

The striker’s career record whilst playing alongside the Belgian playmaker is 54 goals and nine assists in 50 Premier League games, with nine hat-tricks in that time, with 20 goals and three assists in 26 matches without him.

This suggests that Haaland is at his best when playing with de Bruyne, which is why Guardiola can get the forward firing again by unleashing the midfielder from the start.

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He’s a man in-demand…

ByTom Cunningham Nov 8, 2024

Mary Earps starts ahead of Hannah Hampton in the Lionesses' first game of 2025 as the battle to be England No.1 resumes against Portugal.

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Earps gets England start ahead of HamptonClinton and Toone in Stanway-less midfieldJames to play first Lionesses game since AprilFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Earps and Hampton are neck-and-neck in the race to be England's first-choice goalkeeper ahead of this summer's European Championships and it is the former who has been granted the first opportunity to show Sarina Wiegman why she should win that battle, in the Lionesses' first game of their new Nations League campaign.

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One of Wiegman's most interesting decisions for Friday night's game away at Portugal is in midfield, due to the injury absence of Georgia Stanway. The Bayern Munich star had knee surgery at the end of January and is expected to be out for several months, and it is 21-year-old Grace Clinton who Wiegman has turned to to fill her boots in the No.8 role in Portugal.

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Ella Toone has got the nod in the No.10 position which means that Jess Park, who often plays in midfield at Manchester City, will operate from the wing instead. Lauren James starts on the opposite flank in what will be her first appearance for England since April, with Chelsea team-mate Niamh Charles also back in the Lionesses' line-up after her return from injury.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

England's second game of this international break will be played on Wednesday, when they welcome Spain, the world champions, to Wembley for a rematch of the 2023 Women's World Cup final.

The left-armer says he’s fit for the final installment of the Ashes having been the only quick to play throughout

Alex Malcolm12-Jan-2022Australia quick Mitchell Starc is adamant he doesn’t need or want to rest for the fifth Ashes Test in Hobart, especially as it will be a pink-ball Test under lights.Starc has been Australia’s leading fast bowling in the series with 15 wickets and the only one to play all four Tests so far, but he laboured a bit in Sydney on a surface that has traditionally not suited him.He took 1 for 124 from 34 overs at the SCG and had some trouble with the footmarks on the final day, wincing at times during his final spell with the second new ball as Australia pushed to bowl out England prior to stumps.However, speaking on Wednesday, Starc said he was fully fit and available to play and was not at all keen to be rested.”I hope not, it’s a pink-ball game,” Starc said. “[I’m] feeling good. Obviously, we’ve had a couple of days now to get ready for the fifth Test match.”It’s purely up to the selectors. I’m not looking for a break. It’s the last Test match of an Ashes series at home. It’s a pink-ball game too. I’d very much like to play. I guess it’s in the hands of the selectors. But I won’t be asking for rest.”Australia have a selection squeeze amongst both its batting and bowling groups. The selectors are trying to find a way to bring back Travis Head after he missed the Sydney Test due to Covid-19, while his replacement Usman Khawaja created an irresistible case to be retained thanks to brilliant twin centuries.There is a similar squeeze with the bowlers. Jhye Richardson is fully fit having missed the Melbourne and Sydney Test matches due to left shin soreness. Scott Boland came into the side in his place and has taken 14 wickets at an insane average of 8.64.Scott Boland clutches his side after slipping on release•Getty ImagesBoland bowled magnificently again in Sydney but did need injections in his ribs to get through the match after he fell heavily on his side while bowling in the first innings. Scans did clear him of any serious damage but Starc was unsure how Boland had pulled up.”I don’t know. I think he went to the gym yesterday.” Starc said. “No doubt he’ll be at training and bowl today. He’s a quiet character but quite a resilient one. So no doubt he’ll be looking forward to taking part in this Test as well.”Boland was heralded as a horses for courses selection at the MCG and SCG but if the selectors were to apply the same logic in Hobart then Richardson would have a strong case to return. Richardson took a five-wicket haul in the fourth innings in Adelaide with the pink ball and averages 20.70 in day-night first-class matches, two of which have been Tests. He also took seven wickets in his only Sheffield Shield game at Bellerive Oval earlier this summer.Boland averages 22.64 in pink-ball games and is the only Australia quick to have played two pink-ball Shield games in Hobart, but he took just three wickets at 60.33 in those two matches. His overall record at Bellerive is a bizarre anomaly. He has 13 wickets at 64 in eight first-class matches there, whereas he averages under 20 at the SCG, the Gabba and Adelaide Oval, and 25 at the MCG.While the selectors ponder what pace attack to choose, Starc and his captain Pat Cummins are debating who should bat at No. 8 given Starc’s recent form with the bat.Related

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Starc has made 151 runs in the series and only been dismissed twice, making valuable contributions in each of the four Tests. He is far more credentialed with the bat from a pure run-scoring perspective than Cummins, averaging 23.60 for his career with 10 half-centuries, while Cummins averages 16.63 with just two fifties.Cummins moved ahead of Starc in the order after the 2017-18 Ashes on the basis that Cummins occupied more balls than Starc in order to hang around with the specialist batters for longer. Cummins averages 37 balls per innings compared to Starc’s 26.But in the last two series, Starc has averaged 33 balls per innings and 38.66 per dismissal having been not out in six of his 11 innings, while Cummins has averaged 35 balls per innings and 14.75 per dismissal, leading to a conversation about who should bat higher.”We have sort of started that conversation about where we were both going to bat, we both want to bat No. 9 I think,” Starc said. “He’s the captain after all. So we’ll see how that pans out this week.”Starc said his wife, Australia wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy, has noted his improved numbers with the bat.”Alyssa has been laughing at me because she’s seen I’ve been hitting a lot more and obviously spending a bit more time in the middle,” Starc said. “She’s taking the mickey out of me about how much I’ve been batting at training. Whether that’s paying off, I guess, in a way it has been.”We’ve got Michael Di Venuto with us at the moment who’s just been fantastic. I did a lot of work with him in his first stint as the batting coach. And then since he’s come back, working with him and Andrew McDonald just on getting a clear game plan.”Technically I haven’t changed anything, probably since the World Cup in 2019. Doing a little bit of work with Ricky Ponting [in 2019] seemed to have put me in some good positions as well. It’s more about just getting some time out in training and then in the middle, but having clear plans on what I’m trying to achieve.”

With 15 minutes remaining, it looked as though Aston Villa were heading for their fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions.

Ross Barkley saved the day, however, scoring the equaliser against Crystal Palace with just 13 minutes left and this could be the catalyst for the club to put this poor run of form behind them and look forward.

Unai Emery won’t be panicking just yet, but his team need to return to the sort of form which saw them defeat Bayern Munich just a couple of months ago.

Aston Villa’s best and worst performers against Palace

Ollie Watkins looked lively leading the line, scoring Villa’s first goal while also registering five shots in total during the clash.

On the left wing, John McGinn was also impressive, making three key passes, having an 88% pass success rate and creating two big chances before being subbed off for Jhon Duran, who failed to really make much of an impact.

On the opposite flank, Leon Bailey continued his lacklustre form as he failed to deliver a single accurate cross from four attempts, failed with all of his four dribble attempts and lost possession a staggering 18 times during his 82 minutes on the pitch.

It was Diego Carlos who also delivered yet another poor performance for the club and Emery should be looking to drop him to the bench for their next game, no doubt about that.

Diego Carlos’ game in numbers vs Crystal Palace

The Brazilian had started eight games this term prior to the visit of Palace, but Villa conceded nine goals in those matches.

Against the Eagles, Carlos may have looked bright on the ball, completing 90% of his passes while taking 102 touches of the ball throughout the clash. That said, he was susceptible during his one-on-one battles with opposition players.

Stat

Highest Ranking

Highest pass accuracy

Emiliano Martínez (94%)

Ground duels won

Will Hughes (7)

Most successful dribbles

Ross Barkley (3)

Most key passes

John McGinn & Youri Tielemans (3)

Most shots on target

Ismaila Sarr (3)

Most tackles

Will Hughes (6)

Indeed, the 31-year-old won just two of the four duels he contested, while the centre-back also managed to lose possession ten times and made zero tackles.

It is no wonder the club conceded twice and Emery was clearly missing the presence of Ezri Konsa, or even Tyrone Mings, against Oliver Glasner’s men.

Journalist John Townley gave the defender a match rating of just 5/10 for his display on Saturday afternoon, not holding back with his criticism of the player, saying ‘Carlos let Mateta wander in the middle of the pitch to collect the ball and play Sarr through on goal. He was booked for fouling Mateta on the hour mark. Villa lack leadership at the back when Ezri Konsa isn’t on the pitch’

With a clash against Juventus coming up in midweek, Emery must get his defence sorted out, otherwise it could be a long evening against the Serie A side.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

His first change should be dropping Carlos for someone who is more competent at the heart of the defence and this is an area which the manager must strengthen when the January transfer window opens in a few weeks.

If not, the Midlands side will struggle to crack the top four of the Premier League for the second year in a row. That’s a certainty.

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ByJoe Nuttall Nov 22, 2024

Ronald Araujo's future is clouded in uncertainty and is directly linked to the potential arrival of Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.

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Araujo has summer exit clause in contractBarcelona have held talks with Tah's agentClub have decided on their transfer planFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ronald Araujo's recent goal against Real Sociedad has once again sparked talk about his future at Barcelona, according to a report from Cadena SER. While the Uruguayan centre-back has made it clear that he wants to stay at the club, the decision ultimately lies with the Catalan side. Araujo is working to regain his starting role after an injury sidelined him for the better part of the season, with wonderkid Pau Cubarsi and veteran Inigo Martinez currently first choice.

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Araujo was close to an exit in the January transfer window, only for the board to convince him to sign a new deal which will run until 2031. The real catch, though, is Araujo's €65 million release clause, which is valid for the first ten days of the transfer window, raising questions about his long-term future at Barca. Despite the uncertainty, both Araujo and the club are confident he will stay for now, although summer developments could change that.

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Barcelona have also been linked with Tah for months, but according to report, a club source revealed that a deal is "far from done." The future of Araujo will be crucial, with the club reportedly preferring to keep him rather than sign Tah as a free agent. However, if Araujo does depart, Barca could use the transfer fee to sign a different target.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR RONALD ARAUJO?

Araujo is currently seen as the superior player compared to Tah by the Barcelona hierarchy, and while there are many factors to consider, it would likely take a huge offer for the club to cash in on him this summer. Tah, meanwhile, looks likely to leave Leverkusen for nothing when the transfer window reopens.

Ponting reveals conversation he had with Kohli in IPL 2021 when the former India captain wanted to continue leading in Tests

Saurabh Somani31-Jan-2022Virat Kohli’s decision to relinquish Test captaincy took nearly everyone in the cricket world by surprise, with Ricky Ponting being more surprised than most because of a conversation the two had during the first half of IPL 2021, where Kohli spoke to Ponting about possibly giving up the white-ball captaincy but appeared quite passionate about continuing to lead in Test cricket.”Yes it did actually (come as a surprise). The main reason why is that I had a good chat with Virat in the first half of the last IPL,” Ponting said in a conversation with Isa Guha on , a new show launched this week by ICC. “He was talking then about stepping away from the white-ball stuff and about how passionate he was to continue on to be Test match captain. You can see he just loved and cherished that post so much. Obviously, the Indian Test team had achieved a lot under his leadership. When I heard it, I was really, really surprised.”Kohli quit after captaining in 68 Tests, 40 of which he won – the most successful record for any Indian captain. The team he led was ranked No.1 for a majority of his reign, an achievement that Ponting described as “staggering” and greater than his own record as Australia captain.”It’s probably more of a staggering achievement for India than it was for us,” Ponting said. “When I took over, I captained a side that had been dominant in world cricket for a long time. If you think about India before Virat, it was about winning a lot of games at home and not winning quite as many overseas. The thing that improved the most was India winning a few more games overseas, and that’s something that he and all of Indian cricket have to be really proud of.Virat Kohli quit after captaining in 68 Tests, 40 of which he won•AFP/Getty Images”The other thing about it as well is that there was a real focus placed on Test cricket by the BCCI when Virat took over, and I think a lot of that has come from him as well – to focus more on Test cricket and winning more games home and away. He can walk away from the role very, very proud of what he has achieved.”While he had been captain, they (India) were a fiercely competitive team. They probably elevated themselves to world rankings that a lot of people might not have thought possible. They’ve probably carried around arguably one of the best fast-bowling attacks in world cricket for the last four or five years. No one would have ever expected that, and I think a lot of that is to do with what Virat brought to the team, once he became leader.”Ponting also opened up about his thoughts on split-captaincy. “In an ideal world, every playing group would want to have the same voice and the same leader around their different formats,” Ponting said. “But whether it’s possible for that person to play every game through the calendar year… with World Cups and big Test series and things being on almost every year now, that’s the other challenge that comes up. And that’s the challenge I guess that’s being talked about as far as coaching positions are concerned as well.”The other thing with the captaincy as well is that there probably aren’t too many players in world cricket that will find themselves in their countries’ best team in all three formats. Rohit Sharma probably fits into that category. KL Rahul probably fits into that category for India as well. As I say, in an ideal world for me – maybe it’s a bit old-school – I still think if you can manage the one captain, that would be ideal.”Related

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Ponting recalled how Rohit’s leadership qualities had been evident to him in 2013, when he was captain of the Mumbai Indians, but had to drop himself on account of poor form.”There were a few names thrown around between owners and the other coaches but it was really clear to me that there was only one guy that can lead the team – he was a young guy at the time and his name happened to be Rohit Sharma,” Ponting said. “I think the proof is in the pudding with what he has done at the Mumbai Indians since that moment on. He has been a very successful leader there and has been when he has led India on a few occasions as well.”Mumbai won the first of their five IPL titles in 2013 and Rohit too has gone from strength to strength.”It is pretty hard to argue after what he has done with his Test cricket in the last 2-3 years,” Ponting added. “He has played as well as anybody in the world through that period of time, and we know how good he is as a white-ball player.”Ricky Ponting: There was a real focus placed on Test cricket by the BCCI when Virat took over•PA PhotosHarking back to his own playing days when he gave up the Australia captaincy but stayed on as a player, Ponting said that Kohli would have to make the first approach to whoever becomes his successor and make it clear that it was the new man’s team to lead as he saw fit.”It’s a conversation that needs to happen between those players, and it probably has to be led by Virat to be honest,” Ponting said. “He’s made the decision to stand down, he’s also made the decision that he wants to play on. So whoever takes over the captaincy of the Test team, they just have to sit down and have a conversation about how it’s all going to work. And Virat has to explain to the incoming captain what he’s going to do. The way I tried to handle it is I said ‘I’m just another member of the team. It’s not my team anymore. My fingerprints are not on this team’. You have to hand everything over, you have to let go of everything that you thought and felt as a leader, and the way that you wanted to have your team – because it’s not yours now. It doesn’t matter what you think, you’ve got to keep all your thoughts to yourself and give a really clear air to the new captain and players.”Ponting also held that freed from the captaincy, world cricket could see the best of Kohli, the batter.”I think there is potentially a shelf-life for international cricket captains and even international coaches,” Ponting said. “Virat’s been there for what, five or six years now (seven years as Test captain). If there’s a country in the world that’s the most difficult to captain than other teams, it’s probably India because of just how popular the game is and how much every single Indian loves to see the fortunes of the Indian cricket team, whether they are good or bad. You weigh all those things up. He is 33 years of age now and he will want to continue playing for a few more years I am sure and have a crack at breaking some records that he is not far off from breaking (chuckles). Maybe if he does that as a batsman and without the extra responsibility of captaincy, it might make it a bit easier for him.”

Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement will likely have plenty on his mind after his side dropped points once again in the Scottish Premiership at the weekend.

The Light Blues were held to a 1-1 draw by Dundee United at Ibrox and are now a whopping 11 points behind Celtic in the title race, having lost three and drawn two in the league already.

This means that the Gers, who are third in the table, may already be questioning whether or not they are still in the title race, against a relentless Hoops team.

Clement will, therefore, be plotting ways for his side to improve and gain more consistency in their performances, in an attempt to catch up with their Glasgow rivals.

The Belgian boss, however, will also be wary of what these results mean for his future. Football Insider reports that he will be given until, at least, the League Cup final clash with Celtic at Hampden Park next month before the board make a decision on his position.

He may hope that, after that final, the club decide to give him and Nils Koppen a chance to make further changes to the squad in the January transfer window.

Rangers eyeing Championship forward

According to the Yorkshire Evening Press, Rangers are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a swoop for Leeds United centre-forward Joe Gelhardt.

The report claims that interest is building in the former Wigan Athletic starlet ahead of the January window, as he has not played regularly for the Whites so far this season.

It states that there is ‘enthusiasm’ from the player’s camp to pursue a potential loan move away from Elland Road ahead of the second half of the season, but it does not reveal whether or not Leeds are prepared to sanction a deal.

The YEP reveals that there was interest, including from Rangers, in a loan for Gelhardt in the summer transfer window but the Whites were unwilling to send him away at the time.

It is now said that Portsmouth, Stoke City, Plymouth Argyle, Preston North End, Rangers, and two unnamed clubs from Belgium are lining up swoops to sign the English forward in January, due to his willingness to move away from West Yorkshire.

The report claims that they are all interested in exploring a loan agreement for the 22-year-old dynamo, whilst it remains to be seen whether or not the English side would entertain any permanent offers.

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Whether it is on loan or on a permanent deal, Clement and Koppen – should the former still be in his post – should push to win the race for the talented youngster.

He has yet to make a breakthrough at Leeds in the Championship but his form at youth level and his previous experience in the Premier League suggests that the potential is there for him to be a star for Rangers

Joe Gelhardt's attacking potential

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, Gelhardt has only started two matches and made 12 appearances in the second tier of English football, which means that he has not had many opportunities to showcase his quality or develop as a player on the pitch.

He did show early signs of promise in the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch, though, with a return of two goals and four assists in 35 top-flight outings, despite only starting six of those matches.

The 22-year-old star was described as a “human wrecking ball” and a “really exciting” talent by pundit Jamie Redknapp after his impressive start to life in the Premier League.

Unfortunately, though, Gelhardt was unable to kick on and establish himself as a regular starter for the Whites and now finds himself on the fringes of Farke’s squad.

That does not mean that he is a bad player or that he would not score goals for Rangers, though, as the youngster may just need regular minutes to find his feet and gain some confidence in front of goal.

Gelhardt’s record of five goals in five games for Wigan’s U18s and 20 goals in 31 games for Leeds United’s U21s suggests that the potential is there for the centre-forward to score goals on a regular basis, if he can find his rhythm at senior level.

Joe Gelhardt could be Clement's own Odsonne Edouard

Clement could find his own version of former Celtic number nine Odsonne Edouard by unearthing the £15k-per-week youngster’s talents at Ibrox in the second half of the season.

In the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, Gelhardt was listed as one of the most similar players to the then-Crystal Palace attacker on FBref, based on their statistics that term.

Non-penalty xG

0.36

0.32

Expected Assisted Goals

0.19

0.11

Shot-creating actions

3.14

2.93

Successful take-ons

2.05

1.73

Non-penalty goals

0.24

0.29

As you can see in the table above, both players offered a similar threat in front of goal per 90, as scorers and creators, whilst they also showcased their ability to beat defenders with the ball at their feet to create something out of nothing, with their take-on successes.

Edouard was, of course, an elite striker at Scottish Premiership level during his time on the other side of Glasgow, before his move to Crystal Palace.

As you can see in the graphic above, the French marksman plundered 87 goals in 179 appearances for the club in all competitions and won the Golden Boot in the division on two occasions, with 60 goals in 104 Premiership outings.

Rangers are looking for their clinical, reliable, goalscorer after Cyriel Dessers (16) finished eight goals behind Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland in the Golden Boot race in the top-flight last season, and has only managed four goals in 12 games this term.

Gelhardt, based on his Premier League form under Bielsa, can provide similar qualities to Edouard in the number nine position in regards to his all-round play and threat in front of goal, with his academy record suggesting that the potential is there for him to be a reliable scorer.

Rangers struck gold with Clement signing who's now similar to a £100m star

The Glasgow Rangers attacker has been a terrific addition to the squad this season.

ByDan Emery Nov 27, 2024

That is why Clement and Rangers must push to bring him to Ibrox in January to see if they can unearth their own version of the former Celtic star by providing the Leeds outcast with regular minutes at first-team level.