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She felt fielding was one area India can improve on in the lead-up to the upcoming World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-20253:00

Mandhana: I always back myself to be in ‘zen mode’

On a day when Australia posted their joint-highest ODI total, of 412, Smriti Mandhana gave India a strong chance to chase it down with a 63-ball 125. Her 50-ball hundred was the second-fastest in all Women’s ODIs.Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma made half-centuries from No. 4 and 5, but the chase eventually fizzled out, with India bowled out for 369. India lost the three-match series 2-1.Related

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Mandhana, who also scored a match-winning century in the second ODI and finished the series as its highest run-getter (300 runs), did not feel she was under too much pressure to do the heavy lifting at the top of the order, and rejected the idea that India’s batting line-up is overdependent on her.”Everyone [in the Indian side] is a match-winner – not only [the] 11 but all the 15 who are part of the team are match-winners,” Mandhana said. “I never look at anyone thinking that they are adding any pressure on me or anyone, for that case.”Secondly I have a huge belief in the whole team, that from any point we can still win the match. That is never going to change with one or two results. If you see in the last 12-odd months we’ve got 300 or 300-plus even when I’ve got out so that doesn’t really say anything about the batting reliance on anyone. Pratika [Rawal], Harleen [Deol], Jemimah [Rodrigues], Harman, everyone’s got a hundred in the last 12 months.”‘Not only [the] 11 but all the 15 who are part of the team are match-winners’•Getty ImagesMandhana, India’s vice-captain, pointed to fielding as an area India will look to work on heading into the upcoming World Cup. India were sloppy on the field throughout the three ODIs, dropping as many as 15 catches.”Australia is a great opposition to test ourselves [against] in terms of where we are lacking,” Mandhana said. “[…] It was a good series in terms of understanding our strengths and where we are lacking. There’s a lot of difference [between the teams] in the fielding. Fielding part is one thing which as a team we are on a rise but we also feel there are days where we look like a [good] fielding side and there are days where we don’t.”That’s about how we find the consistency in the team in terms of fielding as a unit and not individual brilliance, but fielding together as a team. That’s one thing which we thought we have to address before the World Cup. Otherwise, for everyone, it was just about [getting] the feel of the Indian conditions and how we really want to go forward.”The biggest positive from the series for India, according to Mandhana, was the “willingness” shown by the younger players to improve themselves.”The series was not like it was going to make us believe that we’ll win the World Cup. That belief is always there,” Mandhana said. “This series is just for us in terms of understanding what is going right and what’s going wrong because Australia is the best opposition to test it out [against].”We’ve had a great 12 months at home but we did not play Australia at home in the last 12 months. [We have taken back] a lot of positives, a lot of things in terms of what we want to work on. As long as that willingness to work hard is there, I feel the battle will be won. I see that a lot in the girls – that willingness to win, the willingness to learn and the willingness to grow. It’s a young team but the will level is very high.”

In-form Middlesex batter on being in the England selectors’ thoughts and adapting his game to thrive across formats

Vithushan Ehantharajah24-Apr-2025Max Holden is not a voracious consumer of podcasts. Experience has taught the Middlesex batter to ignore outside noise, so naturally those on cricket do not tend to pass his ears.Nevertheless, they would have been burning over the last fortnight after Holden was namechecked in two successive episodes of the Sky Sports Cricket podcast. On merit, of course.An impressive 184 against Lancashire in the opening round of the County Championship – Middlesex were 7 for 3 in their second innings and plenty behind – was highlighted by Rob Key when England men’s managing director was asked who had caught his eye early doors.Related

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The following week, selector Luke Wright used Holden, a former England Under-19 captain, as an example of someone thriving having previously been in “our system”. Three days later, Holden shifted up and down the gears for an impressive 107 against Glamorgan in Middlesex’s first win of their Division Two campaign.”I was actually made aware by one of my friends,” Holden tells ESPNcricinfo of his twin shoutouts. He resisted the urge to seek out the clips.”It is flattering, but yeah…. equally, I’ve just got to concentrate on what I’m doing. I think I’d be foolish to start reading into things too much or spending time worrying about that, rather than the next thing I can influence.”You can understand Holden’s restraint. Barring a brief taste of Lions cricket in the 2018-19 winter, his last real association with international cricket ended at Under-19 level. Neither Key, Wright nor any one else that matters from England have been in touch.The ambition, however, has never been stronger, and the attachment to various iterations of England teams helped by familiar faces. Four of his cohort from the 2016 U19 World Cup – Dan Lawrence, Sam Curran, Saqib Mahmood and Mason Crane – now have Test caps to their names.”It does feel like a really exciting era, and I’ve been watching it as an England fan first and foremost. Having played with and against a lot of these guys, it’s been cool seeing them go in and do well. Having been close to some of them, you know how good they are, and it’s fun watching them transition those skills into the Test arena.

“The last couple of years, [my technique] all the same now. I’ve tried to keep it similar; my head position, bat path, my preparation in the nets. All my scoring areas are still strong, that rhythm is consistent across formats. Even in the winter, going from the ILT20 into pre-season training with Middlesex, I felt ready for the Championship season”

“In some ways, it’s been quite inspirational, to watch how they’ve gone in certain situations. That in certain moments in games, if you have the belief and confidence, you can go about putting across your different individual strengths to play your best cricket.”There’s no envy from Holden towards his peers, and that’s partly down to his own journey. Like most players of his generation, the 27-year old was reared on traditional red-ball fundamentals through the ranks at Middlesex. There were regular comparisons with Alastair Cook, which fit beyond the left-handedness and Gray-Nicolls gear.But it was not long before Holden was engaging in a familiar conflict of his craft as he looked to push on his limited-overs game. Honing watchfulness in one code and destructiveness in the other – despite the crossed streams promoted by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes at the top table – remains a quandary for all batters. Despite being one of only four men to register centuries in all three formats for his county, Holden struggled for balance.His 2023 was a microcosm of this: his best in T20 cricket (averaging 30.21 and striking at 177.16, with a 56-ball 121 not out against Kent in the Blast) came alongside one of his worst red-ball returns (19.00 across 23 innings).Things have worked out better since. From the start of the 2024 season, Holden is averaging 53.03 across 27 County Championship innings, with four centuries – more than the three he managed in his previous 141 first-class knocks – all from No. 3. In amongst that was a four-game stint at the business end of the ILT20 for Desert Vipers – head coach Tom Moody recruited him early on in the 2024 English summer – which reaped 230 runs at 76.66, including a top score of 76 in the final against eventual champions Dubai Capitals.So – what twigged?”When I first got into the Middlesex team, a lot of the narrative was around my red-ball stuff and batting for a long time and concentration. Obviously that’s really important to me, and I felt, growing up, that was my strength. But I didn’t want to pigeonhole myself as a red-ball player.”About seven years ago now, I had a long sit-down with coaches and dug into how I could be a good T20 player. I never had the power of guys who could just launch the out of the ground from ball one. So it became about manipulating the field, scoring options then, as I got more confident, which sort of bowlers to go after.Holden was a key component of Desert Vipers’ run to the ILT20 final•ILT20″But then I struggled adapting, switching between the two. I felt I had different techniques. I’d stay still against the white ball, and then move more, with my trigger, against the red ball.”The last couple of years, that’s all the same now. I’ve tried to keep my technique similar; my head position, bat path, my preparation in the nets. All my scoring areas are still strong, that rhythm is consistent across formats. Even in the winter, going from the ILT20 into pre-season training with Middlesex, I felt ready for the season without thinking ‘oh, I’ve got to go back to how I want to play in the Championship now’. It’s been a mixture of technical stuff and, I suppose, growing up and experiencing the ups and downs.Consistency, as ever, is key, especially for a top-order batter who has only just discovered it at No. 3, having occupied every slot from one to eight in his professional career. It remains a constant work in progress, but Holden has help.Middlesex assistant coach Rory Coutts remains a key confidant and eye, having worked with him since the age off 11 in his former role as head of youth cricket development. “He’s someone I’d always go back to if I had a problem or wanted advice. He’s good at spotting little bits in my game like ‘when you bat well, you do this and you’re not quite doing it at the moment’.”Former Australian Test batter Simon Katich, head coach at Manchester Originals, is another who Holden can turn to. A 10-day period with former South Africa lynchpin Neil McKenzie – batting coach at Vipers – was particularly eye-opening.None of the advice has been conflicting, largely down to Holden’s own dissemination. Close to a decade as a professional has grooved a phlegmatic disposition, one that Holden is keen to cultivate as the responsibilty he assumed grows.”I think back to when I was younger – I’d spend the week dwelling on a low score or a bad shot. But given all the experience I have now, you just realise, well, these things happen. It’s part of the game. Just learn from it for next time.Holden has blocked his ears to the noise after a strong start to the season•Getty Images”Don’t get me wrong, immediately after there’s 15 minutes of annoyance of getting out, trying to think if the bowler did me there, or my technique or concentration was off. I’ll digest it in that moment.”I guess a lot of young players are similar. They overthink things or spend evenings at home worrying about it. I don’t want do that. My girlfriend wouldn’t be very happy with me coming home every day worrying about what I’ve done wrong!”This summer, arguably the biggest test of Holden’s newly found clarity will come from within his own dressing-room. Middlesex’s acquisition of Kane Williamson – a tie-up with the MCC ahead of a London Spirit gig as captain – will see the Black Caps legend on deck for the majority of the Blast and at least five Championship matches for the second half of the season. And we all know where he bats.You can file this neatly into the “good problem to have” folder. The club’s promotion chase gets an undoubted boost, and whatever jolt for Holden comes at a time when he has never been more sure of himself as a first-class cricketer. Naturally, he sees no issue – only opportunity.”He can bat wherever he wants!” Holden laughs, when asked if he’ll budge for Williamson. “I’m well aware he’s probably one of the best number threes of all time. So if Middlesex want to slide him in there, he’s more than welcome to it.”If you’ve got someone of his calibre coming in and he wants to bat there, I’m more than happy to adapt and go wherever the guys need me. I’m going to try not to bombard him, but I’m going to learn as much as I can from him.”

Two-time All-Star Shane Bieber is set to return to the mound this week.

Bieber, who has not played in over a year since undergoing Tommy John surgery for a torn UCL last April, will make his Blue Jays debut on Friday at Miami, manager John Schneider told reporters. Bieber has recently completed seven starts as part of his rehab assignment, posting a 1.89 ERA and 37 strikeouts across 29 innings.

Bieber was traded to Toronto in July at the deadline after previously spending his entire career with Cleveland, and will begin pitching for a Blue Jays' team that is second in wins and fourth in strikeouts, but just 23rd in ERA. He joins the rotation a little over a month before the end of the regular season, as the Blue Jays lead the American League East with a 73-52 record.

The 30-year-old pitcher has been one of the best starters in the league when healthy. In the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, his best campaign, Bieber went 8-1 with a league-leading 1.63 ERA and 122 strikeouts and won the triple crown and Cy Young award. When he last saw significant playing time in 2023, he went 6-6 with a 3.80 ERA.

At 46, the ageless wonder leggie still has what it takes in T20. He talks about his success with Guyana and what keeps him ticking

Interview by Deivarayan Muthu11-Aug-20252:53

‘I know how to respect my team members and that’s most important’

Imran Tahir turned 46 this March but continues his Benjamin Button act in T20 tournaments around the world. In 2023 he led Guyana Amazon Warriors to their maiden CPL title and two years later he captained them to their first Global Super League title. Since turning 40, he has bagged 266 wickets at an economy rate of 6.86 in T20s. Only Rashid Khan, Haris Rauf, Chris Jordan, Wanindu Hasaranga and Shaheen Afridi have taken more wickets than Tahir during this period. The T20 veteran spoke to us during the GSL this July about his cult status in Guyana, captaincy style, Amazon Warriors’ spin depth, and his ambitions for the upcoming CPL season.You have played for a whole lot of T20 teams around the world but you keep coming back to Guyana. You’re the only overseas player with more than 100 CPL wickets. What’s it like to be a cult hero in Guyana?
Look, it’s very special. The team gives me all the confidence and still believes in my ability. The people of Guyana really respect and give me a lot of love, and I think that’s where you want to be. With that kind of love you always want to come back and play for the same badge, and you just want to be here every year.I think I need to do a lot of extra gym work to be here every year (). But as long as I’m doing well for the team and what they require from me, if I justify it, then , I can keep coming back to Guyana.Related

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You turned 46 this year but you keep finding ways to take wickets and win games. How do you manage your body and mind in this fast-paced T20 world?
Yeah, look, it’s tough. But I’m a bit lucky now because I have more time to do training than [having to] keep playing. I think that gives me a bit more benefit – I look after myself well, eat well and try to sleep on time and just be loyal to my job. Then when I get to play, I know I can give my 100% to my team.You had a great GSL, where you led from the front. How has the build-up been, leading into CPL 2025?
Last year it was a bit of a rush. We jumped out of a flight and started playing GSL. So I felt like this year we should get together and have a camp and see how we can improve as a team. All of us, [including] guys coming from overseas, worked very hard and looked to improve on a few things and it paid off for us.Red and green spell go for Tahir: Guyana is home for him, the Pakistan-born leggie says•CPL T20/ Getty ImagesI hope we can carry this form into the CPL, where we also have a couple of youngsters who are not part of the GSL with us. But we picked them for the CPL, and they were there for the training camp, and I’m sure they’ve had a good experience with the senior players before they get to play the CPL. All in all, it was a good effort from the franchise to get everyone together and build this team for the GSL and CPL.In 2023, Warriors won their first CPL title under your leadership, and they came close to defending it successfully last season. How would you describe yourself as a captain?
Yeah, look, I’ve only been given one opportunity in my life as a captain. I just feel like I don’t have to prove anything to anyone about my captaincy or skills. I use my experience during captaincy, and I know how to respect my team-mates. I think that’s the most important thing in a team environment.When you’re happy for each other, play for each other and respect the team culture [success follows]. I’d rather be a player, but whether I play as a captain or player, I want everyone in the team to be happy and respected. That’s what I try to do in this team, and hopefully [as long as] I have this responsibility, I want to share my experience with the players and make sure the youngsters, if they want to learn something, I can try and help them through our senior players.Like we have some really good local players in our squad. Romario Shepherd, Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul have been with the franchise for a long time, and to have them around, I’m sure it’s a great learning experience for the youngsters. And like I said, if there’s any spinners, even batters or bowlers with whom I can share my experience, I want to help them. I feel that’s my job as a captain.Over the years you have been mentoring spinners in leagues around the world. Is that something you enjoy?
Yeah, I think so. I don’t do it for the camera. I just like to share my knowledge. I think not many shared their knowledge with me when I was younger, and that was a bit of a sad part. But if you want to be a professional cricketer and you want to achieve your dreams, then you have to work hard and keep learning and that’s what my belief is.Tahir and Gudakesh Motie celebrate a wicket in the 2023 CPL final, which gave Guyana Amazon Warriors their first title in the tournament•Ashley Allen/CPL T20/Getty ImagesI don’t want youngsters to go through [what I did]. I want them to know what a slider, googly and flipper is. I’d rather want them to know it at the age of 15. Then they can serve their country or franchise in a better way than I did because I came to international cricket very late and showed my skills late in my career. I’m still trying to improve.So from my point of view, wherever I go, I just want to share my knowledge and pass it on to the youngsters. I do like to talk about legspin bowling and see how the other spinners think about the game and how my thinking is. So it’s always nice to talk about the game and share my knowledge. When I do that, I feel good deep in my heart.You were a pioneer as a wristspinner in T20 cricket, bowling flat and quick and getting your googlies to zip. How do you think your bowling has changed as T20 has evolved?
You always want to keep learning. It doesn’t matter how good you are; you always learn about the game every single day, and that’s what the game has taught me throughout my career. Spinners play a big role in modern T20 cricket these days and you need to keep improving your skills.Apart from legspinners, even left-arm spinners and offspinners have high skill levels these days. You have to work hard to be successful in the international arena because you know the batsmen are waiting for any [mistake]. If you see a slow ball [flighted] in the air, they want to hit, and the batsmen have got so many shots these days. So, as a spinner, I always want to keep improving.The googly and the flipper have brought you a lot of wickets. Have you explored any new variations?
Yeah, there are a few, but you’ll only get to see it on TV. I’m not the kind of guy who would talk about it in interviews and put it [the thought] in people’s head (). But yes, I’m still working on a couple of things and hopefully I can be able to bowl those balls in the future.ESPNcricinfo LtdAmazon Warriors have almost every variety of spin in their attack. What do you make of the spin depth?
It’s a blessing for Guyana that we have so many spinners when we come up against left-right hand [batter pairs]. [Gudakesh] Motie is very good, and our local core is very good. We’ve also got Moeen [Ali].Motie has become a world-class spinner. Having these spinners helps. You see different batsmen coming with different plans and you can just throw the ball to any of these spinners who can challenge any batsman. Trying to get wickets as quick as we can is our plan, so we try to keep putting pressure on the opposition and make sure we demolish their batting plans – whatever they come up with.You touched upon Moeen, another senior figure in the side. You also played with him at the SA20. What does he bring to Amazon Warriors?
Moeen is another great spinner and batter, who brings a lot of experience. His record speaks for itself. To have someone like him in the team is only going to benefit you. He also shares his experience with youngsters and other team-mates. He’s really committed and we’re lucky to have him in our squad. We’re hoping he will have a good time again in Guyana.Does having a spin-friendly home pitch empower you to be more attacking as the lead spinner?
Look, the spinners we have, they have performed all over the world. If the ball turns for us, it’s also turning for the opposition. It just means we’re using the facility better than the others. So I don’t like it when people say, “Oh, Guyana turns” and stuff like that.Yes, it turns, but for both teams, and we need to use our variations. So we try and upgrade our skills. That’s what we do here in Guyana. Myself, Motie and Moeen – all of us have picked up wickets on some of the flattest decks in the world. The most important thing for us is the combination of the team and we try to break partnerships and batting plans with that combination. So far we’ve been successful and hopefully we can carry this form into the CPL.The bane of T20 batters everywhere: Tahir trots out his Victor Gyökeres celebration•GSL/Getty ImagesThe CPL is known for its funky celebrations. Your sprint is perhaps the OG one, but what’s the story behind doing Ronaldo’s “Siuuu” and Victor Gyökeres’ celebrations recently?
I have to because my son [who is travelling with Tahir], he asked me to do it (). The celebrations are purely for him. He just loves football. I actually don’t know the guy [Gyökeres’] who does this celebration, but I know he’s a footballer. But look, it’s nice, I want to put a smile on my son’s face and hopefully a smile on the faces of other people as well, if they like it.You’ve been there and done that in international cricket and every T20 league around the world. At 46, how do you remain so passionate about the game?
I’m the kind of guy who got [success] very late. And when you have a dream to be on the stage where I’m now, I think I just don’t feel like letting it go. I want to live the dream [as long as] I keep playing. If I’m playing, I want to give whatever I have to my team, and that obviously comes through passion. If you don’t have passion for anything, you won’t be successful in life.At the SA20 and even in the GSL, you were throwing yourself around in the field and there was a spectacular grab in the eliminator at the 2024 SA20. How proud are you of such fielding efforts?
I have to do extra work on my fielding and thanks to all the practice sessions with our coaches, the energy and the focus they gave… they gave me a lot of confidence. I take a lot of pride in my fielding, and I feel like if I can take one or two catches, I can change the game. That gives me bigger joy, but I think some people might have been more shocked than appreciative of my catches (). But no, generally a lot of people still appreciate such catches.What are your ambitions heading into CPL 2025?
Yeah, the team and the combination looks really good. It’s all about how we start the competition and that’s the most important thing. Going into the competition, the first few games are important and the GSL [success] will help a lot. We’ve been playing a good brand of cricket in the GSL and I believe that will set the standard for us in the CPL.We just need to stick together and before the tournament starts, we will have a camp for a few days. Things have been looking good so far. The only thing we can do is work hard and give it back to our fans in Guyana.

Sai Sudharsan picked up the injury when he “caught” John Campbell’s slog-sweep at forward short-leg, the slog-sweep hitting him in the helmet grille before the ball lodged itself in his arms

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2025There will be no B Sai Sudharsan on the field for India on the third day of the ongoing second Test against West Indies in Delhi after he suffered “an impact injury” on the second day of the Test. The good news for India is that “the injury is not serious, and he is doing fine,” as a BCCI media statement on Sunday morning said.Sai Sudharsan, fielding at forward short-leg on the second day, picked up the injury when he “caught” John Campbell off Ravindra Jadeja – the big slog-sweep from the West Indies opener hit Sai Sudharsan in the helmet grille before the ball lodged itself in the crook of the fielder’s arms.That was in the eighth over of West Indies’ first innings after India had declared on 518 for 5, and Sai Sudharsan stayed off the field for the remaining 35 overs that were bowled on the day. “He continues to be monitored by the BCCI medical team,” the BCCI said. There was no update on whether Sai Sudharsan would bat – at his No. 3 spot or at all – on Sunday’s third day if the West Indies first innings were to end.Sai Sudharsan had earlier made an important contribution when India batted, scoring 87 in 165 balls with 12 fours. He put on an 193-run stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the second wicket and was dismissed when trying to flick Jomel Warrican across the line in the 69th over. Jaiswal’s 175 and Shubman Gill’s 129 not out put India in the driver’s seat to make it 2-0 in the series.

Taylor Ward is lucky he has attentive teammates.

The Los Angeles Angels outfielder ran headfirst into the left field wall while attempting to chase down a fly ball off the bat of Houston Astros second baseman Ramon Urias in the bottom of the eighth inning. Ward missed the ball, but got a face-ful of the wall and fell to the field in a heap.

He eventually got up and signaled to the Angels' bullpen that he needed help, and the team's relievers responded, rushing out to check on him and provided a towel to soak up the blood running down his face.

Video is below.

That is a scary scene.

The outfield at Daikin Park can be difficult to navigate due to its intricate angles.

Ward left the game and was replaced in left field by Luis Rengifo, who moved from second base, with Christian Moore taking over that spot.

Despite Ward's absence, the Angels won the game 3-0. Hopefully, he winds up being OK.

Rahul has not been among the luckiest batters in recent years, but when he got a life on Monday at Headingley, he cashed in and made it count

Sidharth Monga23-Jun-20251:18

The curious case of KL Rahul

A total of 335 batters have had reprieves in Test cricket since 2020, which is when ESPNcricinfo started maintaining a log for such things. Ben Stokes has been missed 31 times, Marnus Labuschagne 26, and Rishabh Pant 24. This is catches and stumpings put together, of all kinds: regulation, tough, half-chances.When Harry Brook dropped KL Rahul on 59 in the second innings at Headingley – a return gift of sorts after having been missed twice himself, though not by Rahul – it was only the seventh time in 23 Tests since 2020 that Rahul had been given a life. Arguably, nobody deserved a chance more than Rahul.Bear with this repetition for a second. In terms of skill, Rahul has been the second-best India batter of the Virat Kohli era, but it is inexplicable that he had averaged 33.57 coming into this Test, his 59th. Even allowing for the notably bowler-friendly conditions that have prevailed in recent years, particularly since the WTC came into being in 2019, it is a bit underwhelming. The overall batting average for the top six in the Tests he had played was 33.88. A player of great innings, yes – seven of his eight hundreds came away from home – but a pretty average player overall.Related

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Rahul has indeed failed to fill his boots at times – including in the first innings here – but he is not the luckiest batter going around either. And that is not insignificant. Forty-seven batters have offered 30 or more catches since 2020, and 24 of them have had a lower percentage of catches held than Rahul. The luckiest batters happen to be Pant, Labuschagne and Stokes. Rahul was being dismissed every 11.67 mistakes, leaving 22 luckier batters than him out of 57 that have been dismissed by a bowler 30 or more times.Of course, you’ll never hear players complaining about a lack of luck, even though they know the role that it plays, especially in Test batting. They won’t say it because they don’t want to stop improving, they don’t want to stop repeating their processes.Rahul, filthy with himself for throwing it away on 42 in the first innings, pulled himself up and repeated his processes all right. Actually, what Rahul did in the first innings also was part of a process. Through that breezy first-innings knock, he played more cover drives than he usually does outside Asia and the Caribbean. It seemed to be a plan: being slightly proactive denied England the freedom to keep bowling a good length. The ball that got him was full enough for the drive. What hurt him more was that he had done the hard work, then failed to convert the start into a big one.In the second innings, when the bounce became a bit more uneven, he went to stumps on day three unbeaten with 95% control and 47 off 75. He had put out all the best hits in that evening session. A back-foot punch off Chris Woakes in front of point, three gorgeous cover drives, one square drive on one knee, an on-drive and a pull off Shoaib Bashir.On the fourth morning, the uneven bounce and nip off the surface increased. India lost Shubman Gill in the first full over. Pant tried to counter the movement and the new ball in his own idiosyncratic manner. Rahul, at the other end, was a proper, classic Test batter. In the first hour he scored just 7 off 44 balls, with a control rate of 89%.3:12

Rahul: ‘I’ve forgotten what my batting position actually is’

When it got difficult, Rahul trusted his method and processes to take him past the new ball. Or, in the event he didn’t succeed, at least his efforts would give the incoming batters an older, softer ball. He also just about managed to nudge Pant when he tried one slog too many. Not everyone has the tact to speak to Pant. He famously got upset with Cheteshwar Pujara for asking him to be watchful in Sydney 2020-21 in the last over before the new ball. He still tried to hit a six to get to his hundred before the new ball, but maintained that the doubt planted in his mind caused the mis-hit for him to be caught on 97.Rahul managed to get through to Pant. He spoke three languages: Tamil with B Sai Sudharsan, Hindi with Pant, Kannada with friend and fellow Bangalorean Karun Nair. The real language he spoke was that of proper Test batting, playing the ball on its merit because he has the ability to do so. He shifted gears seamlessly as the ball got older. When he was scoring the first 47 off 75 or the next 7 off 44 or the next 46 off 83 or 37 off the 44 after reaching his hundred, you couldn’t look and tell he was doing anything out of character. Every tempo seemed natural to him, in his own bubble, almost a meditative state.In the last five tours outside Asia and the Caribbean, Rahul now has had superb starts: 84 and 129 in the first two Tests in England in 2021, 123 in the first Test in South Africa later that year, 101 in Centurion in the same fixture in South Africa two years later, 26 and 77 late last year in Perth, and now this century in the most difficult conditions in this Test so far. However, incredibly, he doesn’t have a single blockbuster series. The highest he has ever aggregated in a series is 393.Rahul acknowledged how disappointed he was that, despite batting well in Australia on the last tour, he didn’t have that defining series. He also said he knows that effort, preparation, skill and application don’t always translate into results in this game. That, if you let the outcomes play on your mind, you will be paralysed playing this game. How sweet it will be, though, if he can use this rare stroke of luck and finally go on to chalk up that big 500-run series.

Mikel Merino salvaged a 1-1 draw for Premier League leaders Arsenal, but they will feel like this was two-points dropped against a Chelsea side who were reduced to 10 men after just 38 minutes when Moises Caicedo was sent off. In an extremely feisty London derby that was littered with early yellow cards, it was no real surprise to see a dismissal, with Caicedo seeing red for a brutal tackle on Merino seven minutes before the interval.

It was a big blow to Chelsea, but they dealt with it well and got themselves in front just after half-time when Trevoh Chalobah flicked on Reece James' corner and his header looped over everyone and into the far corner.

Arsenal hit back quickly, however, and got back on level terms when Merino rose to power Bukayo Saka's cross past Robert Sanchez, and you felt at that point the visitors would go on to make their extra man advantage count.

But they struggled to create any clear cut chances and had to settle for a point which keeps them six points clear of the Blues and moved them five clear of second-placed Manchester City.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Stamford Bridge…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (6/10):

Got caught out a bit by the free-kick that led to the corner which Chelsea scored from. Didn't have much to do in terms of saves.

Jurrien Timer (7/10):

Class act as always. Amid all the chaos, especially in the first half, he was the one calm head in the Arsenal back four.

Cristhian Mosquera (6/10):

Surprisingly named in the XI due to the training ground injury suffered by William Saliba. Looked edgy on the ball as Chelsea pressed, but never hid and played his part,

Piero Hincapie (6/10):

You could see him trying to talk Mosquera through the game at times. Played the senior defensive role quite well. Almost set up a late winner with his cross into the box. Booked.

Riccardo Calafiori (5/10):

Stupid booking in the first half. Chelsea dealt with him quite well, so he wasn't his usual attacking threat. Replaced by Lewis-Skelly at half-time.

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Martin Zubimendi (6/10):

Booked in the opening minutes so was always walking a tightrope. Found very little as was in a constant battle with Enzo.

Declan Rice (7/10):

Probably the one player who showed any consistent quality for Arsenal. Produced one exceptional tackle to deny Neto. 

Eberechi Eze (5/10):

Never really got into the game. Looked frustrated by the constant fouls and stop-start nature of the game.

Getty Images SportAttack

Bukayo Saka (6/10):

Was in and out of the game, but found a moment of real quality when he got to the touchline and picked out a perfect cross for Merino to score.

Mikel Merino (6/10):

Not his best game. His touch and passing range was off at times, but still popped up with a crucial goal.

Gabriel Martinelli (5/10):

Had one shot well saved in the first half. Looked rusty, which is no surprise given this was his first start in well over a month.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Myles Lewis-Skelly (5/10):

On at half-time to replace the booked Calafiori, but picked up a yellow himself almost immediately.

Martin Odegaard (6/10):

Good to see him back. Got involved, but was unable to unpick the lock in the Chelsea defence.

Noni Madueke (6/10):

Booed relentlessly on his return to Chelsea. On the fringes of things. 

Viktor Gyokeres (N/A):

Couldn't get into the game, though did look like he was about to score the winner right at the death, but Timber took Hincapie's cross off his head.

Mikel Arteta (6/10):

It felt like his late attacking changes didn't work. It made the game more open and Arsenal lost any control.

Tottenham’s unbeaten Champions League run came to a dramatic end at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night against PSG, but there were positives to take from the thrilling encounter.

The European champions were rocked by Thomas Frank’s plucky Spurs side, who gave Luis Enrique a real nightmare, with PSG mounting two separate comebacks to secure a pulsating 5-3 victory.

Midfielder Vitinha claimed a memorable hat-trick, with PSG having to rely on moments of sheer quality just to overcome the north Londoners in France.

Frank’s men stunned the home side by taking a deserved lead on 35 minutes through Richarlison, who headed home from close range after brilliant build-up play involving youngsters Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray. The Brazilian’s opener looked set to give Spurs a halftime advantage, but Vitinha crashed in a spectacular 25-yard equaliser via the crossbar just before the break.

Randal Kolo Muani

8.7

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

8.4

Vitinha

8.4

Willian Pacho

8.1

Joao Neves

8.0

via WhoScored

Tottenham regained their lead five minutes into the second period when Randal Kolo Muani fired home against his parent club, converting the rebound after Gray’s effort was cleared off the line. However, PSG responded immediately with a devastating 13-minute blitz that turned the contest decisively in their favour.

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Vitinha curled home his second goal after being afforded excessive space to cut inside, before Fabian Ruiz completed the turnaround six minutes later following a costly turnover from Pape Matar Sarr outside his own penalty area. William Pacho then extended PSG’s advantage to 4-2 after Tottenham failed to clear Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s corner adequately.

Kolo Muani bundled his way through to drill home his second goal with 18 minutes remaining, briefly offering Spurs hope of salvaging something from the match. Those aspirations were dampened moments later, when Cristian Romero’s handball gifted PSG a penalty, which Vitinha confidently converted to complete his hat-trick and seal all three points.

The loss was Tottenham’s first in nine Champions League matches and leaves them sitting 15th in the league phase standings. Despite showing attacking intent and twice taking the lead, Frank’s young side were ultimately undone by defensive lapses during crucial moments in the second half.

Kolo Muani’s man of the match display against PSG, a club he’s still under contract with, gave Spurs major hope that they could have the answer to their striking problems after all.

The Frenchman, who’s suffered repeated injury setbacks since joining on loan, bagged his first goals for the Lilywhites and proved a real mence against one of the continent’s top sides.

However, Kolo Muani wasn’t Tottenham’s only bright spark on the night.

Thomas Frank praises "very impressive" Archie Gray in Tottenham loss to PSG

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Frank reserved special praise for Gray, who linked up with Bergvall for Spurs’ opening goal of the contest and provided real energy in midfield.

The 19-year-old has spent most of this season out with a calf injury so far, and before that, found it hard to get consistent first-team minutes with Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr and Bergvall all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Much like last season, Gray responded with a solid performance when called upon last night, and it could be time for the Englishman to earn Frank’s starting nod much more often.

The former Leeds United sensation was given a baptism of fire under Ange Postecoglou last season when asked to play multiple unfamiliar roles during Spurs’ 24/25 injury crisis, and he’s done arguably done enough to earn the club’s favour.

With the 2026 World Cup just round the corner, Gray will be hoping that he can potentially stake his claim in Thomas Tuchel’s squad, but he’ll need Frank’s faith with more game time.

Australia have been inconsistent in ODIs since the last World Cup and are missing some key players for this series

Tristan Lavalette18-Oct-2025Garbed in Australia’s bright new yellow ODI kit, as he leads the team on their first steps towards a title defence at the 2027 World Cup in the absence of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh could not avoid a question he has started to be increasingly asked.Given his outstanding form in white-ball cricket, and injury concerns mounting for the Australia Test team, is Marsh starting to think about the possibility of an unlikely Ashes call-up?”I’ve got tickets to day one and two. Haven’t asked the wife yet, so that’s about as much thought as I’ve given it,” a smirking Marsh said to reporters in his trademark style of completely playing down his chances of resurrecting a Test career that looked over after he was dropped last summer.Related

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While it was a humorous way to end the press conference on the eve of Australia’s three-match ODI series against India, it did underline that the Ashes is hovering over basically everything in Australian cricket right now.It has overshadowed the build-up of this series, no mean feat given India’s heft in the sport. While these ODIs and T20Is against India are widely viewed as the entrée ahead of the Ashes, they do have longer-term implications given that there are World Cups in each format over the next couple of years.We’re at the halfway mark in the ODI World Cup cycle, meaning it’s time for teams to start strategising. Australia are in transition in the 50-over format, with several unknowns over their batting order after the retirements of Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.Australia’s batting-order has been weakened further with Josh Inglis, Alex Carey and Cameron Green not playing in the first ODI in Perth. While Carey is currently on Shield duties, Inglis is on the sidelines due a nagging calf injury and Green has been pulled out of the series after suffering a side strain.The developments, of course, have Ashes implications. “He’s okay, it’s on the very, very minor end. It’s a cautious take on it but he’s all good,” Marsh said of his WA team-mate Green.This series is an important opportunity for Matt Short after a run of injuries•AFP/Getty ImagesIt does mean Australia have an opportunity to experiment with batter Matt Renshaw and batting allrounder Mitchell Owen set to make their ODI debuts, while Josh Philippe will take the gloves and play his first ODI in more than four years.After his recent hot run of form at the domestic level, Marnus Labuschagne has been recalled as Green’s replacement but won’t play in the first ODI even though he is making the long journey to Perth to link up with the group.”Across the board in our white-ball teams over the last 12 month, we’ve seen a lot of guys get opportunities, so it always brings excitement to those guys,” Marsh said. “We just have to be really clear on their role and they will enjoy playing cricket for Australia.”A golden opportunity is likely to be presented to Matt Short, who has been on the verge of Australia’s white-ball sides but inconsistencies and, of late, injuries have proven hurdles.Short has thrived at the top of the order in domestic white-ball cricket, but will likely have to settle at No. 3 with Marsh and Head having established such a dynamic opening partnership.”We know he opens for Victoria and Strikers and in T20 cricket around the world,” Marsh said of Short, who has opened the batting in 11 of his 13 ODI innings. “But we see no difference opening the batting and No.3. We’re comfortable with him batting there.”After missing the South Africa series with concussion, Mitch Owen will get a chance in ODIs•AFP/Getty ImagesAustralia’s form has been patchy since their 2023 World Cup triumph, having most recently lost to South Africa 2-1 in northern Queensland in August, a time of year where little attention is on cricket.There will be considerably more spotlight on this India series and it feels very much like Australia will now start ramping things up in cricket’s middle format.Australia will face a tough test against top-ranked India, similarly in transition under new captain Shubman Gill but still boasting Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.”Had the privilege of playing against them quite a lot over the journey,” Marsh said of Kohli and Rohit. “They’re obviously legends of the game, Virat is the greatest chaser ever in this format. I think you can see by the ticket sales that a lot of people want to come and watch them.”More than 50,000 fans are expected at Optus Stadium, a nod to the pulling power of India but also indicative of Ashes fever in the air in a city that will host the first Test in just five weeks.”To see the stadium packed out against India, it’s going to be a great experience for our group,” Marsh said. “I believe it’s going to be a high scoring affair, but getting through the first 10 overs for both teams will be a challenge and maybe where the game’s won and lost.”