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Nuno Espirito Santo is now reportedly ready to launch his first transfer move in charge of West Ham United to sign Bristol City’s set-piece specialist Scott Twine.

The Hammers could certainly do with a busy January transfer window. Whilst results have improved recently, their 2-2 draw against Bournemouth in a game that they led 2-0 exposed their problems once again.

After watching on as his side let go of their 2-0 lead gained through Callum Wilson’s goals, Nuno told reporters: “It’s a very tough place to come. The first half was us – we took advantage of the straight ball, of the second ball, we managed the tempo of the game, we managed to control Bournemouth, and we achieved a good lead.

“In the second half, Bournemouth did exactly the same that we did [in the first]. They managed better the circumstances of the game, we couldn’t go out, they put us against the ropes, they engaged five players in the last line.

“The boys were organised but were missing the pass to go out of pressure, to really hurt them with space, under tough circumstances. But the positive is that I think the team was resilient, was organised, was compact and was really committed.”

After the dramatic draw, West Ham have at least escaped the dropzone, albeit only on goal difference. With the visit of Liverpool up next, they’ll be hoping to compile the champions’ recent misery and escape the relegation zone in the process.

It goes without saying that the January transfer window would be a lot easier if West Ham were approaching it without the bottom three in mind. It would hand Nuno the perfect opportunity to welcome first-choice reinforcements and potentially take the Hammers onwards and upwards.

On that front, the former Nottingham Forest manager already has certain additions in mind, according to reports.

West Ham and Nuno ready to launch Scott Twine move

According to Sports Boom, Nuno is now ready to launch West Ham’s move to sign Twine from Bristol City in the January transfer window. The set-piece specialist would be an instant upgrade on James Ward-Prowse, who has been frozen out by Nuno, and would cost West Ham just £8m.

Minutes

1,244

958

Goals

6

3

Progressive Passes

41

71

Ball Recoveries

52

53

Although it is in a league below the Premier League, Twine has shown plenty of promise compared to Lucas Paqueta this season. Based on those numbers, £8m could quickly turn into a bargain for the London club.

Whether Bristol City allow one of their key men to leave so easily remains to be seen, however. Robins manager Gerhard Struber recently praised his midfielder – telling reporters: “Scott (has) outstanding technical power with his monster leg.

Forget Guilherme: Nuno can fix Summerville blow with West Ham academy star

Nuno might already have the perfect solution to West Ham’s Summerville problem.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

“It helped us to score in this way but I like his energy at the moment – his work ethic on the field to invest everything. You do not see it that often that players on this level work really hard against the ball but this was the key – players with high technical level were involved in our defensive pressing moments.”

West Ham now make enquiry to sign Champions League CF with eight goals in 25/26

Aston Villa defender Matty Cash has been hailed for his incredible defensive form after shutting down Bournemouth winger

Antoine Semenyo on Sunday.

Villa cruised to a fourth straight home Premier League victory, brushing Bournemouth aside 4-0 at Villa Park. Unai Emery’s side had only scored nine goals in the league coming into the match but put their goalscoring woes to bed to dispatch Andoni Iraola’s below-par Cherries with ease.

Emiliano Buendia’s sublime free-kick put them on track for a fifth win from six before Amadou Onana’s cracker from range doubled their lead. Villa had to withstand a spell of Bournemouth pressure but Emiliano Martinez produced a string of fine saves to keep their lead intact, including a one-handed stop to deny Semenyo from the penalty spot after Morgan Rogers handled the ball.

Villa then made the match safe as substitutes Ross Barkley and Donyell Malen struck to wrap up victory and deliver a first four-goal haul of the campaign. During the game, though he didn’t get onto the scoresheet, one Villa player had a stellar performance.

Cash shone in dominant win over Bournemouth

Writing on X, Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic was full of praise for Cash, touching on his contributions over the 2025/26 season which rank him amongst the best defenders in the English top flight.

Cash, along with his Villa teammates, endured a slow start to the current campaign, far from a norm under Emery’s tenure at Villa Park. Picking up their first win of the season only in late September against Bologna, Villa have since lost just two of their last 10 matches, a run to which Cash has been a major contributor.

Matty Cash 2025/26 Season Stats So Far
Interceptions per Game	0.8
Tackles per Game	1.6
Clearances per Game	2.8
Blocked Shots per Game	0.7
Errors Leading to Goals	0
(All stats are from SofaScore)

In what has been a thunderous start to the season for Bournemouth, Semenyo has shone as one of the most exciting attacking talents in the Premier League. As Tanswell noted, Cherries head coach Andoni Iraola wanted the Ghanian international to be charging at Lucas Digne rather than Cash, given his form.

Semenyo was limited to a quiet game in a thrashing win, with Cash maintaining the exceptional standards he has had across the campaign as Villa look to, once again, qualify for European football under Emery.

Villa exploring deal for exciting striker

His match-winning 92 trumps centuries by James Bracey, Ben Charlesworth

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Aug-2025Hampshire 315 for 5 (Middleton 92, Gubbins 76, Orr 52, Albert 52) beat Gloucestershire 313 for 7 (Bracey 104, Charlesworth 104, Barker 3-52) by five wickets Fletcha Middleton scored a match-winning half-century as Hampshire beat Gloucestershire by five wickets at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium to secure a quarter-final berth in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.The Winchester-born batter top-scored with 92 from 95 balls, struck six fours and two sixes and staged a crucial third-wicket partnership of 115 with Toby Albert, who made 52, as the visitors reached a victory target of 314 with eight balls to spare.The country’s leading scorer in the 50-over competition this season with 658 at an average of 131.6, captain Nick Gubbins made 76 from 60 deliveries, accrued 12 fours and staged a superb opening stand of 112 in 11.2 overs with Ali Orr, who contributed a quickfire 52 from 35 balls to set up Hampshire’s successful run chase.Put in to bat on a flat track, Gloucestershire posted 313 for 7 in a match reduced by rain to 49 overs a side, James Bracey and Ben Charlesworth both scoring 104. Bracey’s innings spanned 85 balls, included 12 fours and three sixes and took his tally for the campaign to 572 at an average of 71.5.He dominated stands of 81 and 118 with Ollie Price and Charlesworth for the second and third wickets respectively. Charlesworth proved equally destructive, facing 83 deliveries, with eight fours and four sixes and staging an alliance of 90 for the fourth wicket with Jack Taylor.But Hampshire withstood the pressure and Keith Barker, making his first appearance since completing a 12-month ban for a drug offence, returned figures of 3 for 52 from 10 overs to prevent Gloucestershire from posting a really big total.Victory secured Hampshire a second-place finish behind Worcestershire in Group A and a home quarter-final tie against Warwickshire on Thursday, while Gloucestershire will face a West Country showdown against Somerset at Taunton on the same day.Hampshire won the toss, elected to bowl and put Gloucestershire under pressure with the new ball, Eddie Jack producing a brilliant delivery to bowl Cameron Bancroft in the first over. Price was then fortunate to survive on nought, slicing Barker to point where Middleton spilled a straightforward chance.Bracey and Price overcame a testing examination and a short break for rain to post a 50 partnership from 58 balls. Acceleration followed when Bracey twice cut Jack for four and then pulled him for six as Gloucestershire posted 52 for 1 in the powerplay.Price succumbed to an ugly dismissal, bowled by a high full toss from slow left armer Andrew Neal, initially standing his ground in the expectation of no-ball being called before departing for a 31-ball 36.But there was no stopping the indomitable Bracey, who went to his fourth 50 in eight innings from 47 balls. He found an able ally in Charlesworth and these two put Hampshire spinners Felix Organ and Neal under sustained pressure during the middle overs, raising 50 from 41 balls in just 21 minutes as Gloucestershire advanced to 141 for 2 after 25 overs.Bracey’s second 50 occupied just 35 balls, the 28-year-old going to his fifth List-A hundred from 82 deliveries. Warming to his task, Charlesworth plundered 18 off an over from teenager Manny Lumsden to push the rate above six an over for the first time and the 100 partnership arrived via 86 balls as the third wicket pair put the visitors under the pump.Hampshire desperately needed a breakthrough and the returning Barker obliged, persuading Bracey to hit to Ben Mayes at deep mid-wicket in the 33rd over.Charlesworth picked up the pace thereafter, scoring a run-a-ball half century. In dominant form, the left hander went to his first List-A hundred in fine style, hoisting Barker high over midwicket for six to eclipse his previous highest score of 99 not out, made against Hampshire at Bristol in 2021.Having dominated an aggressive stand of 90 for the fourth wicket with Jack Taylor, Charlesworth hit Barker to long-off with the score 290 for 4 in the 45th.Despite not being at his fluent best, Taylor raised 38 from 42 balls. But he was bowled by Neal, after which the home side managed a mearge 17 runs off the last 20 deliveries as Hampshire seamers Jack and Lumsden kept things tight at the death.A lingering impression that Gloucestershire might have fallen short began to take hold when Hampshire openers Gubbins and Orr staged a chanceless 50 partnership in just 5.2 overs, new ball spearhead Josh Shaw going for 39 in three overs as the visitors seized the initiative. The pair raised 97 from the powerplay, registering 13 fours and two sixes between them and forcing the home side to resort to spin after only seven overs.Gubbins and Orr both went to 50 from 31 balls as Gloucestershire’s bowlers continued to allow them to cut and pull with impunity. Progress was smooth until Orr, attempting to sweep Price, top-edged to Shaw at short third and departing for 52. Middleton arrived at the crease with a further 202 required at 5.4 an over.Gloucestershire hardly helped their cause by missing an opportunity to dismiss Gubbins on 59, Graeme van Buuren putting down a sharp chance off his own bowling to allow the competition’s top scorer a life. The home side’s disappointment was compounded when Middleton hit the ground running, scoring at a run a ball and lifting Price effortlessly over long-on for six as the second-wicket partnership realised 48 in quick time.When Gubbins attempted to reverse sweep van Buuren, offered a catch behind and departed for 76 with the score 160 for 2 in the 21st, Hampshire still needed 154 to win and Gloucestershire supporters were afforded a glimmer of hope. But Middleton helped settle any nerves, posting a chanceless half-century from 54 balls as Hampshire advanced to 183 for 2 at halfway.Gloucestershire lacked a cutting edge with the ball and Middleton and Albert were able to move comfortably through the gears in a partnership which served to ease Hampshire’s path. With victory within sight, Albert opened his shoulders, pulling Jack Taylor for six to bring up an assured 50. He was dismissed lbw by Matt Taylor soon afterwards, while Middleton was brilliantly caught by Tommy Boorman on the deep backward point boundary off the bowling of Shaw as Gloucestershire refused to lie down.Ben Brown was then bowled by Matt Taylor with 23 still needed from 24 balls, but Mayes and Organ remained calm under pressure to see the job through.

Minority owners Red Bull have reportedly told Leeds United to replace Daniel Farke with a manager who has worked with Thomas Tuchel at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

Leeds set fresh Farke sack timeline

The pressure is on Farke, who’s looking to avoid his very own Groundhog Day in the Premier League. The German is yet to achieve survival in the Premier League, despite previous attempts with Norwich City, and will be desperate to silence any doubters at Elland Road this season.

It looked for a moment as though the Leeds boss was about to do exactly that against Manchester City last time out, to his credit, only for Pep Guardiola’s side to turn on the style and secure a late 3-2 victory. A point at the Etihad would have been invaluable for those in Yorkshire, but they now play host to Chelsea this Wednesday with Farke under increasing pressure.

According to The Guardian, defeat against both Chelsea and Liverpool could spell the end for Farke at Elland Road. On paper, that may seem harsh. After all, Leeds are facing the world champions who just earned a point against Arsenal with 10 men and the Premier League champions, albeit during a tumultuous period for the Reds.

That is the harsh reality of the Premier League, though, and Leeds are seemingly willing to act as early as possible in an attempt to avoid the drop. As such, names like Ange Postecoglou have already been mentioned as potential candidates recently, but Red Bull have reportedly recommended Zsolt Low instead.

Red Bull tell Leeds to hire Zsolt Low

As reported by TeamTalk, Red Bull have told Leeds to hire Low to replace Farke if they decide to part ways with the German. The minority owners don’t have a say on sporting matters but are there for the 49ers to lean on, should they please.

Related Leeds eyeing move for 4-3-3 Farke successor who has admirers at Elland Road

The Whites are struggling for form in the Premier League and could now change tact in the dugout.

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Nov 28, 2025

It seems that, if they choose to do exactly that, then Low could be an option. The 46-year-old won’t be a name that many are familiar with at Elland Road, but he is someone that PSG, Bayern Munich and Chelsea know well.

Low was Tuchel’s assistant at all three clubs and is known by Red Bull thanks to his time as the interim boss at RB Leipzig at the end of last season and his time as Adi Hutter’s assistant at Red Bull Salzburg.

Zsolt Low at Leipzig

Record

Games

8

Wins

2

Draws

3

Defeats

3

Goals scored

13

Goals conceded

17

Out of the options available, Low would arguably be the greatest gamble. He’s had just eight games as a manager and won just two of those games at Leipzig last season – using a 4-4-2 system.

His work as an assistant is admirable, but Leeds must replace Farke with a far more experienced candidate.

Leeds lining up January spending spree for "phenomenal" Farke replacement

Seven seamers included in Lions group to shadow England during first two Ashes Tests

Matt Roller30-Sep-2025

Rehan Ahmed will be part of the England Lions squad in Australia•Getty Images

England will bring Rehan Ahmed, Jordan Cox, and seven fast bowlers to Australia this winter as part of an 18-man Lions squad. Andrew Flintoff’s team will shadow England’s main touring party for the first two Ashes Tests, providing a stable of potential reinforcements at close quarters.The Lions will provide England with their only competitive match practice ahead of November’s first Test in Perth and will then face a Cricket Australia XI (also in Perth) and Australia A (in Brisbane) alongside the first and second Tests. They are also expected to provide the bulk of the England XI to face the Prime Minister’s XI in a pink-ball tour match.Rehan and Cox were both overlooked for the main Ashes squad but will both be on standby at the start of the tour in the event of injury. Will Jacks was preferred to Rehan as the back-up spinner, while Cox’s omission came after England opted against taking a second specialist wicketkeeper, reasoning that Ollie Pope can take the gloves from Jamie Smith if required.Related

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Switch Hit: Ashes optimism department

Cox, who also features in England’s T20I squad to play New Zealand in October is expected to miss the final Lions match in order to play in the ILT20 after signing a lucrative replacement deal at Dubai Capitals.Raw seamers Sonny Baker, Josh Hull, Eddie Jack and Mitchell Stanley have all featured regularly in the Lions programme before, while Matthew Fisher – who won his only Test cap three years ago – is rewarded for his strong finish to the County Championship season with Surrey. Fisher’s county team-mate Tom Lawes and Nathan Gilchrist, who is joining Warwickshire from Kent, complete a seven-man pace battery.Thomas Rew, the England Under-19s captain, is one of four new Lions call-ups after impressing for Somerset in the Metro Bank Cup this summer and is named alongside his older brother James. Yorkshire’s Matthew Revis and Glamorgan’s Ben Kellaway and Asa Tribe – who has five ODI and 26 T20I caps for Jersey – are the other new names.Sussex’s James Coles is a notable absentee, but is understood to be prioritising short-form cricket this winter after encouragement from the ECB; he has a contract at the SA20 in early 2026, and is also hoping to line up deals in the Abu Dhabi T10 and the ILT20. Saif Zaib, the leading Championship run-scorer this season, is another curious omission.Sam Cook, who struggled in his maiden Test against Zimbabwe earlier this summer, has also missed out on the Lions tour with England already aware of what he offers them as a medium-fast new-ball option. He could yet come into contention as an injury replacement in the event one of their six Ashes seamers goes down.”There are some unbelievably talented players in this squad, and this is a fantastic opportunity for them to go to Australia, excel in the conditions, and thrive against quality players,” Flintoff said. “At the same time, these players will get a sense of what an away Ashes series is all about.”Meanwhile, Rehan’s youngest brother Farhan Ahmed will captain England’s Under-19s on their tour to the Caribbean in November, following Rew’s Lions call-up. They are due to play seven ODIs – two against USA, five against West Indies – as part of their preparation for the Under-19 World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe early next year.”Farhan has been exceptional whenever he has been with the U19s squad and he deservedly gets the opportunity to captain the team for this tour and show his leadership qualities,” Michael Yardy, their head coach, said. “These will be important matches as we begin to fine-tune our plans for the U19s World Cup early next year.”England Lions in AustraliaSquad: Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Jordan Cox, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Nathan Gilchrist, Tom Hartley, Tom Haines, Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Ben Kellaway, Tom Lawes, Ben McKinney, Matthew Revis, James Rew, Tom Rew, Mitchell Stanley, Asa TribeFixtures:
November 13-15: England vs England Lions (Lilac Hill, Perth)
November 21-24: Cricket Australia XI vs England Lions (Lilac Hill, Perth)
November 29-30: Prime Minister’s XI vs England XI (Manuka Oval, Canberra)
December 5-8: Australia A vs England Lions (Allan Border Field, Brisbane)England Under-19s in West IndiesSquad: Farhan Ahmed (capt), Ralphie Albert, Will Bennison, Ben Dawkins, Caleb Falconer, Jamie Feldman, Matthew Firbank, Alex French, Alex Green, Manny Lumsden, Ben Mayes, James Minto, Isaac Mohammad, Sebastian Morgan, Joe Moores, Jack Nelson, Charlie TaylorFixtures:
November 13 and 19 – Youth ODIs vs United States (both St Vincent)
November 16, 22, 25, 28 and December 1 – Youth ODIs vs West Indies (all St Vincent)

Do Arsenal lack attacking firepower?

The arrival of Viktor Gyökeres this summer was supposed to end the Gunners’ search for a centre-forward but, so far, the Swede has scored just four Premier League goals, with supporters yet to be truly convinced by their new number nine.

The Swede, as well as Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Ødegaard, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are all likely to remain sidelined ahead of Sunday’s North London derby, meaning Mikel Merino will continue as the makeshift centre-forward.

So, could Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta address this issue in January by targeting “one of the best strikers in Europe”?

Arsenal searching for more attacking firepower

The January transfer window is often a quiet one for Arsenal, albeit they have pulled off some memorable winter signings down the years.

Nacho Monreal, Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor, Leandro Trossard and Andrey Arshavin all arrived in various Januarys, as did current club captain Ødegaard, albeit the most exciting mid-season addition surely remains Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who joined from Borussia Dortmund for £56m in January 2018.

So now, in a deal that would be very reminiscent, reports in Spain claim that Arsenal are ‘seriously considering’ a January move for another Dortmund centre-forward, this time Serhou Guirassy.

They claim that the Guinea international has a €50m release clause (around £44m) in his contract, making him an attractive proposition for any potential suitors, including Arsenal.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Former national team head coach Kaba Diawara is the only Guinean to ever feature for Arsenal, scoring zero goals in 14 appearances in 1999, infamously hitting the woodwork with pretty much every shot he took, so Guirassy would certainly surpass that legacy, should he swap North Rhine-Westphalia for North London.

How Serhou Guirassy would repeat Aubameyang's success

When Aubameyang joined Arsenal, he was 28 years old and had just scored 141 goals in 213 appearances for Borussia Dortmund, winning the previous season’s DFB-Pokal, scoring the winning penalty against Eintracht Frankfurt in the final at Olympiastadion.

Once at Arsenal, the Gabonese international netted 92 times in 163 outings, sharing the Premier League golden boot in 2018/19, while only five players have ever scored more goals for the Gunners in the competition.

For those wondering, this quintet are: Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Robin van Persie, Dennis Bergkamp and Olivier Giroud.

Now 36, Aubameyang is proving that goal-scoring instincts never fade, having netted six times for Olympique de Marseille already this season, most recently breaking the deadlock during Friday night’s 5-1 demolition of Nice, having also scored when les Phocéens crushed Ajax 4-0 at Stade Vélodrome in the Champions League in September.

So, with Gyökers earning mixed reviews, Arsenal might just lack a striker with that killer instinct, but could that be Guirassy?

Well, let’s compare his and Aubameyang’s time at Borussia Dortmund to see if he would be able to replicate the ex-Gunners star’s career?

Guirassy 24/25 vs Aubameyang 16/17
Stats	Guirassy	Aubameyang
Appearances	50	46
Minutes	4,244	3,959
Goals	38	40
UCL Goals	13	7
Assists	9	5
Shots per 90	2.9	3.4
Shots on target per 90	1.8	2.2
Shot accuracy %	60.54%	63.11%
Big chances missed	31	32
% of touches in the box	15.9%	20.5%
Stats via Transfermarkt, SofaScore & Squawka

As the table documents, Guirassy’s form last season is remarkably similar to that of Aubameyang during his final campaign with die Schwarzgelben.

​​​​​​​

The current Dortmund centre-forward scored two fewer goals than peak Aubameyang, albeit he did net 13 times in last season’s Champions League, thereby picking up the competition’s golden boot.

Other numbers that are similar are the pair’s shots per 90, shooting accuracy and the percentage of their touches that come in the opposition’s penalty area, while the duo both missed more than 30 Opta-defined big chances, which, statistically speaking, is a lot!

Nevertheless, Guirassy’s form at Westfalenstadion​​​​​​​ led to Germany’s all-time record appearance holder Lothar Matthäus asserting that he has become “one of the best strikers in Europe”, underlining how highly rated he is by regular Bundesliga observers.

Thus, should Guirassy arrive at Arsenal in January, he would undeniably have a massive impact, one that could fire Arteta’s team to that elusive first Premier League title in 22 years.

Rice & Merino hybrid: Berta now exploring Arsenal move for £70m "monster"

Declan Rice & Mikel Merino remain two of Arsenal’s most important players, so is Andrea Berta now targeting a monster hybrid of of the two worth £70m?

By
Ben Gray

Nov 21, 2025

The first, in Adelaide, was a win manufactured from a position where a draw was the only likely outcome, while the second was an against-the-odds scrap that ended with a world-record chase

ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The AUS-ENG 2006 Adelaide Test moves to the round of 16.

A win out of nowhere – Adelaide, 2006

The final day of the Adelaide Test of 2006-07 started with 1123 runs already scored, and only 17 wickets having fallen. The ESPNcricinfo report after the fourth day’s play was headlined “Draw beckons after Clarke hundred” – Michael Clarke was the fourth century-getter in the Test, after Paul Collingwood, Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting.But within no time on the fifth morning, Shane Warne – who else? – had broken through, and broken through again, and 54 overs into the day, England were done for 129. Collingwood, who had scored 206 in the first innings, was 22 not out at the close, his runs coming in well over three hours.And Australia had a target: 168. In 36 overs. That meant an “asking rate” of 4.67.We didn’t know what Bazball was, but Australia had their own version of it at the time, and made a dash for it.Matthew Hayden’s 18 came off 17 balls. Ponting’s 49 off 65. Mike Hussey remained unbeaten on 61 off 66. And Clarke, slow by comparison, scored 21 not out in 39 balls. And it was done. Australia victors by six wickets, with 3.1 overs in the bag, having scored their 168 at a scoring rate of 5.11. A victory from… nothing, really.

The highest chase in Test history – St John’s, 2003

To start with, there was a tie – both teams stopping at 240 in their first innings. So it came down to a one-innings-a-side shootout. One which Australia appeared to have won when they scored 417, leaving West Indies upwards of two days to cross or crumble. Not to forget, it was the Test with the (in)famous Glenn McGrath-Ramnaresh Sarwan spat.Australia had a specific target: sweeping West Indies in a Test series in the West Indies. Never done before. West Indies also had a target: preventing aforementioned sweep. Australia’s target was closer, it seemed.Not to Brian Lara, not to Sarwan, and not to Shivnarine Chanderpaul.Lara fell for 60 on the fourth afternoon, and then it was a 123-run stand between Chanderpaul and Sarwan that took West Indies to 288. But, when Sarwan was gone for 105, and Ridley Jacobs fell for a first-ball duck, off successive Brett Lee deliveries, the die appeared to have been cast. Chanderpaul had no one really to partner him, and the target was still 130 away.But help was an unexpected source away. In fact, “help” might be the wrong word to use, since Chanderpaul was gone for 104 the final morning, and Australia were closing in, and it was left to Omari Banks, the first Test cricketer from the island of Anguilla to play Test cricket, to do the job, with Vasbert Drakes for company.They did. Banks scored 47 not out. Drakes scored 27 not out. And West Indies had pulled off the highest successful chase in Test history, still unsurpassed.

Abhimanyu Easwaran, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna all made compelling cases for selection

Vishal Dikshit26-Oct-202411:45

‘Bold move to pick two youngsters in Reddy and Harshit’

Abhimanyu Easwaran

The 29-year-old opening bat from Bengal has been part of India’s Test squads in the recent past after grinding it out in domestic cricket for over a decade. Abhimanyu Easwaran has the body of work to instil confidence in the team management – and himself – if he needs to open in the absence of Rohit Sharma in Perth or Adelaide early on in the five-match series. An old-school batter, Abhimanyu is already in Australia for two India A games and would have played 100 first-class games by the time the Test series starts.Abhimanyu Easwaran has scored a century in each of his last four first-class games•Hindustan Times via Getty ImagesHe has over 7600 first-class runs while averaging nearly 50, and his recent form probably helped him pip the likes of B Sai Sudharsan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devdutt Padikkal for the reserve opener’s slot. Abhimanyu has scored a century in each of his last four first-class games, against a variety of bowling attacks at that, starting with 157* and 116 in the Duleep Trophy followed by 191 against Mumbai in the Irani Cup before starting the Ranji Trophy season with a second-innings 127* against Uttar Pradesh. India will hope he can continue this streak into the ‘A’ series while facing the likes of Scott Boland, Michael Neser and Todd Murphy, Test cricketers all of them.

Washington Sundar

Back in the Test circuit after over three years, Washington Sundar proved in Pune that he deserved to brought into the Test XI from the Ranji Trophy.His stifling offbreaks, delivered from close to the stumps, fetched him seven wickets – of which six were bowled or lbw – in the first innings before he picked up another four in similar fashion in the second. It’ll be a surprise if he plays a Test in Australia ahead of Ravindra Jadeja or R Ashwin, but if either of them is unavailable, Washington will fit right in – and his batting will help him push his case.2:32

Will India play a spin-bowling allrounder at No. 8 in Australia?

He came into the Pune Test against New Zealand on the back of a 152 for Tamil Nadu from No. 3 – even if on a flat deck against an inexperienced and injury-hit Delhi attack – but his classy 62 at the Gabba on India’s previous tour of Australia and his unbeaten half-centuries against England at home in early 2021 are proof that he can do it against better bowling too.His height could fetch him extra bounce on the Australian tracks and his previous experience of playing there in 2021 bodes well for him, if India need an offspin-bowling allrounder.

Nitish Kumar Reddy

One of the key players for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their run to the IPL 2024 final earlier this year, the seam-bowling allrounder earned a T20I debut earlier this month against Bangladesh. Just 21, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s batting exploits in the middle order have been on show for a while now, first while rescuing SRH with blazing knocks in the IPL and then the 74 off 34 in the second T20I against Bangladesh, where he also picked up two wickets while opening the bowling.1:04

Will Nitish Kumar Reddy get into the playing XI?

His performances in the Duleep Trophy before the India debut didn’t inspire much confidence, though. Reddy bagged two ducks in five innings with a high score of 40 not out and picked up only two wickets across 48 overs.However, he has the ability to swing the ball both ways in the mid-130s, as he has shown for Andhra in the domestic circuit with a fairly new ball, being their top wicket-taker in the last Ranji Trophy season with 25 wickets at 18.76. That tally featured a five-for against Mumbai, including the wickets of Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer, and the India team management will hope he gets some overs under his belt in the ‘A’ series before the Tests.Called “awesome” by his SRH captain Pat Cummins, Reddy’s inclusion for Australia shows the faith the selectors have shown in a young allrounder over the established Shardul Thakur, who is back playing domestic cricket after an injury layoff and had contributed with seven wickets and a valuable knock of 67 in Brisbane in 2021.

Prasidh Krishna

Prasidh Krishna is also returning from injury but he got himself a Test berth, unlike Thakur, after proving his fitness with four first-class games at the start of this domestic season. Even though he returned unimpressive numbers in his two Tests in South Africa in 2023-24, leaking runs at more than 4.60 an over in his 28 overs for just two wickets, it’s his height that works in his favour. He can draw extra bounce, is accurate, and bowls with the sort of pace that India are hoping will come handy in Australia, especially if they need to change the combination – because of workload or injuries – in a long series.2:13

Manjrekar: Surprised Prasidh and not Dayal was selected

Prasidh is also with the India A squad for the two first-class games to be played in Mackay and Melbourne, and India will want him to stay fit. And also find some form. Since his comeback in September, he has picked up just seven wickets in as many innings across the Duleep Trophy, the Irani Cup and the eight overs he bowled in a Ranji Trophy game for Karnataka.

Harshit Rana

The least experienced of the 21 players – including the reserves – picked for the tour with just nine first-class matches, Harshit Rana is a tall and bustling fast bowler from Delhi who made his IPL debut, for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), before his senior domestic debut. Rana, too, featured in the Duleep Trophy at the start of the season and collected two four-fors while opening the bowling. He was KKR’s best fast bowler – with 19 wickets and an economy rate of 9.08 – in their victorious IPL 2024 campaign and would have been closely watched by Gautam Gambhir and Abhishek Nayar, who have both moved from the KKR dressing room to India’s.Harshit Rana is inexperienced, but has a lot of qualities that make him an exciting prospect•AFP/Getty ImagesWhile it was his variations and death-overs exploits that shone through in the IPL, Rana has also proven himself with the red ball in a fledgling career, and at times given the ball a good bash down the order. He bagged 21 wickets in five Ranji Trophy games in 2022-23, smashed an unbeaten 122 off 86 balls in the Duleep Trophy next year, and then toured South Africa with the India A side in 2023-24.Despite the lack of experience, it’s his promise that got 22-year-old a Test spot ahead of Mukesh Kumar and Navdeep Saini, who are in the reserves. He was called up for the T20Is against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh but is yet to make his international debut.Rana was part of the India Test squad for the New Zealand series initially as a reserve, before turning out for Delhi in the third round of the Ranji Trophy where he started with three early wickets against Assam on Saturday morning.

It’s the bromance of the year that no one could have predicted but President of the United States, Donald Trump, has issued another message, gushing in his praise for Cristiano Ronaldo. The pair met at the White House earlier this year at high-profile event involving world business leaders and Trump described CR7’s appearance at the event as a “real honour”, and POTUS has now revealed details of a recent phone call.

• Trump/Ronaldo love-in 

  Trump and Ronaldo have developed a warm, mutually admiring public relationship, which began after the Portugal superstar expressed his desire to meet the president, calling him one of the "guys that can help to change the world". This wish was fulfilled last month when Ronaldo, as part of a Saudi delegation, attended a dinner at the White House and had a private meeting with the President. During the visit, Trump praised Ronaldo as "an extraordinary guy, not only as an athlete, but also as a person". 

  Trump even joked that the meeting earned him extra respect from his son, Barron, a huge Ronaldo fan. During the dinner, president Trump said: "You know, my son is a big fan of Ronaldo, wherever Ronaldo is here. And Barron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now, just the fact that I introduced you. So I just want to thank you both for being here. Really an honour."

  The interaction appeared very positive, with the White House captioning footage of the two with "Two GOATs". Trump also presented Ronaldo with a gold key to the White House, an honor reserved for special guests. And now there’s been an update on a phone call between the pair. 

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  Trump: 'You don't get any better'

  Posting on Truth Social, Trump said: "Cristiano Ronaldo, the GREAT soccer (football!) player, just called to thank me to thank for his tour this week of the White House and Oval Office. What an incredible guy he is, not only as an athlete, but as a person. You don't get any better!!!"

• Ronaldo brushes off criticism

  The 40-year-old superstar received criticism for some quarters for attending the dinner party at the White House, however, his sisters, Elma and Katia Aveiro defended their elder brother

  On her Instagram story, Elma wrote: "Haven't these clowns realised yet that he doesn't give a damn about their opinions? This isn't for those who want it, it's for those who can handle it. They have nothing else to say, damn it." 

  Katia, on the other hand, posted a video where she said: "All it took was work, something many critics have only heard about. A visit to the White House, and that's it, an emotional nuclear explosion. Hypocrites. Such a huge hysteria has taken hold that it's frightening. It's as if Cristiano had announced the end of the world."

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  All roads lead to the World Cup

  Ronaldo is having an excellent season with Al-Nassr, showing remarkable consistency even at a veteran stage of his career. He’s bagged 10 goals in just nine appearances, and is among the league's top goalscorers. His performances show no signs of slowing down as he actively pursues the 1,000 career goal milestone and his next fixture for Al-Nassr is a club friendly against Al Wahda FC on December 10th. And CR7 has confirmed the World Cup will be his last major tournament for Portugal, so what chance is there of another meeting with Trump on the biggest stage of all – the World Cup final? 

  Speaking last month, Ronaldo said: "If you ask me, 'Cristiano, is it a dream to win the World Cup?' No, it’s not a dream. To win the World Cup, nothing will change my name in the history of football, I’m not going to lie. One thing that I’m sure of [is] that I will enjoy the moment. The moment is the most important thing that we have. We are not qualified already. Enjoy the moment."

Hansi Flick has outlined Barcelona’s transfer priorities for 2026, urging the club to reinforce three key positions as the squad’s shortcomings become impossible to ignore. The German coach has aligned with sporting director Deco on the need for a left-footed centre-back, a new winger and a long-term No.9, as Barca look to regain competitiveness after recent setbacks in La Liga and the Champions League.

• Flick maps out Barca’s rebuild after warning signs

  Barcelona’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League served as a painful reminder of the squad’s limitations. Flick’s team looked disjointed, stretched and far from the level needed to compete with Europe’s elite, the latest in a string of results that exposed long-standing structural issues. It intensified the mood inside the club, where injuries, tactical imbalance and a lack of specialist profiles have derailed momentum. With the Blaugrana sitting behind Real Madrid in La Liga and still needing nine points to secure direct qualification for the Champions League last 16, internal pressure has grown on the sporting leadership to act decisively.

  Against this backdrop, Flick held talks with Deco and the committee responsible for squad planning. Together they agreed on three priority areas for next season: A left-footed centre-back, winger and centre-forward, according to .

  Of these, the central defender is considered the most urgent. Inigo Martinez’s late departure last summer removed the squad’s only natural left-footed centre-back and forced Pau Cubarsi into uncomfortable adaptations. Flick considers the absence of that profile one of the biggest tactical handicaps this season, especially with the team unable to control the offside line or build from the back as effectively without Martinez.

  Barca would like to address this already in January, but the club knows it is unlikely due to Financial Fair Play restrictions and a winter market that rarely offers specialist defenders of the required level. Still, the shortlist is clear: Goncalo Inacio, Jeison Murillo, Nico Schlotterbeck, Luis Benedetti and Marc Guehi – who becomes a free agent in June. The other areas will wait for summer, but Flick has made it clear that the spine of the squad needs strengthening if Barcelona are to compete again at the highest level.

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  Why Flick sees three new signings as essential

  This transfer plan underlines a broader truth about the Catalan giants' current project: Without structural reinforcements, the team cannot sustain the level required to challenge Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich or Premier League opposition. The centre-back situation is the most pressing, and both Flick and Deco agree that a natural left-footer is irreplaceable. Reports show Alessandro Bastoni and Schlotterbeck as the two ideal fits, with the Dortmund defender seen as more financially accessible due to a release clause of around €60 million. Bastoni would require complex negotiations with Inter.

  But Barca’s issues extend beyond defence. With Robert Lewandowski in the final year of his contract, and due to turn 38, the club knows a new striker must arrive. Julian Alvarez is admired internally, though Manchester City and Atletico Madrid’s positions complicate any pursuit. Harry Kane’s €65 million release clause also makes him a realistic option, while the club continues to explore alternatives such as Serhou Guirassy and Etta Eyong.

  A winger is also on the agenda, particularly a versatile profile who can play on both flanks. An option to buy Marcus Rashford for €30m exists should Manchester United make him available in the summer, but Barcelona will reassess his season before deciding. 

• Internal evaluations and financial realities

  Barcelona’s leadership believes the dip in form from players expected to be key, such as Dani Olmo, Jules Kounde, Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal is partly due to an unbalanced squad and over-reliance on youngsters. The project’s success cannot depend solely on youth players handling elite demands every week.

  Financial Fair Play continues to complicate the club’s flexibility, but president Joan Laporta and Deco view next summer as non-negotiable. Major investment is expected, with the board aware that delaying another season would risk falling even further behind Europe’s biggest clubs.

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  A decisive summer awaits

  The club's immediate focus remains on closing the gap in La Liga and securing Champions League progression, but much of the club’s planning has already shifted to 2026. Flick, Deco and Laporta are aligned on the need for three signings that reshape the defence, restore attacking threat and add depth in wide areas.

  All eyes will now be on January’s possibilities, however slim, and the decisive summer window that follows. Barca know the stakes: without a bold rebuild, the project risks stagnation. With the right additions, however, Flick believes the team can return to Europe’s elite far sooner than expected.