All posts by h716a5.icu

Kohli to miss Mohali T20I for personal reasons

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

He is expected to be back for the second and third matches of the series

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jan-2024Virat Kohli will miss the first T20I against Afghanistan in Mohali on Friday. India coach Rahul Dravid confirmed on the eve of the match that Kohli would be unavailable for personal reasons, and would be back for the second and third games of the series in Indore and Bengaluru.”Virat Kohli will miss the first game due to personal reasons,” Dravid said. “He will be playing from the second and third T20I.”Related

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India's Kohli and Rohit-shaped elephant in the room

Kohli and Rohit return to India's T20I squad for Afghanistan series

The three-match series against Afghanistan is notable for Kohli – and India captain Rohit Sharma – returning to T20Is for the first time since the T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to England in November 2022. Both players took a break from the format in this period in order to focus on the two longer formats with India playing the World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup in 2023.”There’s been quite a few ICC events over the last two, three years, and a lot of them back to back,” Dravid said. “So there’s not been a lot of time in between these ICC events. At various stages, in the last couple of years that I’ve been here, we’ve had to prioritise certain formats, certain tournaments, simply because just the amount of cricket that is being played, and just managing the players, it’s impossible for all the players to be playing all the time.”So we’ve always had to to prioritise what is important, especially for the guys who are playing all the three formats. Even in this series, people such as [Jasprit] Bumrah, [Ravindra] Jadeja and [Mohammed] Siraj have missed out because keeping in mind the five Test matches that we have against England. So you’re always playing that juggling act a little bit over the last two years.”6:24

Is the Rohit-Kohli T20I selection a step forward or back?

The Afghanistan series is India’s last T20I assignment before the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA in June, and represents the last chance outside the IPL – which is scheduled to run from March 29 to May 26 – for players to stake their claim for the tournament. While Rohit and Kohli boast immense experience and knowhow, they could be competing with a number of young batters who have come into the India side over recent months and shown immense ability.”Obviously, for the large part of the last year, and after the last T20 World Cup, we had prioritised the one-day World Cup. There has not been a lot of games after the one-day World Cup for us in terms of the T20 format,” Dravid said. “So this T20 World Cup is slightly different from that perspective, in the sense that there’s not been a lot of time to prepare for it. So we have to rely obviously on the cricket that we have. And also a little bit on the IPL. But the boys will play T20 cricket. So they’ll be playing here, they’ll play the IPL. We might not get many opportunities to play together, so we’ll just have to work around that.”You just have to adapt and be flexible. We had a really good preparation leading into the one-day World Cup; even before the last T20 World Cup, I thought we had a lot of games together as a group. This time, we probably won’t have that and it is a question of adapting and going with it.”Dravid also confirmed that Yashasvi Jaiswal would open along with Rohit in Mohali. With Kohli absent, India could move Shubman Gill – who usually opens the batting – to No. 3, or slot either Sanju Samson or Tilak Varma in at that position. The entire top six is set to wear an unfamiliar look, with the injured Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya also unavailable for the series.

Sri Lanka pull off highest successful chase in Asia

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Stats highlights from the one-off Test between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Colombo, where the hosts chased down 388

Shiva Jayaraman18-Jul-20170:43

By the Numbers: SL’s highest successful chase in Tests

4 Number of higher targets successfully chased in Tests. The 388 that Sri Lanka chased down in this match is the highest any team has successfully chased in Asia. The previous highest in Asia was India’s chase of 387 against England in Chennai in 2008. The previous highest in Sri Lanka was Pakistan’s chase of 377 against the hosts in Pallekele in 2015.352 The highest target successfully chased by Sri Lanka in Tests before this one. It had come against South Africa at the P Sara Oval in 2006. Overall, this is only the third instance of them chasing down a target in excess of 300 runs. The other instance had come against Zimbabwe at the SSC in January 1998.188 Runs added by Sri Lanka for their last five wickets in the fourth innings – the second highest by them in any Test match. This was also the second highest added by the last five wickets in a successful chase and only the third time Sri Lanka had added more than 100 runs.1 Number of fourth-innings totals in Tests in Sri Lanka higher than the home team’s 391 for 6 in this match. New Zealand had made 397 in a losing cause at the SSC in 2009. This is also Sri Lanka’s second-highest fourth-innings total in Tests.653 Balls from spinners played out by Sri Lanka in the fourth innings – the third highest played out by any team in the fourth innings of a Test in Asia. This is also the second-highest number of balls a team has faced from spinners in a successful chase in Asia.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3 Number of individual scores higher than Niroshan Dickwella’s 81 in successful chases for Sri Lanka. Aravinda de Silva had made an unbeaten 143 against Zimbabwe at the SSC in 1997-98, which is the highest. Mahela Jayawardene’s 123 against South Africa at the P Sara Oval in 2006 is the only other hundred in successful chases for Sri Lanka in Tests. Asela Gunaratne’s unbeaten 80 slots in at No.5 in this list.5 Number of times before this, teams had won scoring the highest total of the match in the fourth innings of a Test in Asia. The previous such instance too had come in Sri Lanka, in Pallekele in 2015, when Pakistan had made 382 – the highest total in the fourth innings chasing 377.9/275 Match figures by Graeme Cremer – the best by a Zimbabwe captain in Tests. Overall, Cremer’s effort ranks seventh in the list of best match figures by a Zimbabwe bowler in Tests.87.3 Overs sent down by Cremer in this match – the most by any Zimbabwe bowler in Tests. The previous most were the 79 overs bowled by Ray Price in the Bulawayo Test against South Africa in 2001. Overall, Zimbabwe’s spinners bowled 190.2 overs in this Test – the most they have bowled in any match.317 The highest target successfully chased down without an individual hundred in the fourth innings before this match. New Zealand had achieved it against Bangladesh in a Test in Chittagong in 2008. Sri Lanka’s highest individual score in the fourth innings chasing a target of 388 in this match was Dickwella’s 81. Overall, Sri Lanka’s 391 is the fourth-highest score in the fourth innings of a Test without an individual hundred. India’s 445 in the Adelaide Test in 1977-78 is the highest such score.

'We don't deserve what's happened to us'

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

An iffy lbw decision followed by rain left Scotland so near, yet so far away from achieving their World Cup dream. For an Associate side that beat Afghanistan, tied with Zimbabwe and went toe-to-toe with West Indies, it was a cruel end to their qualifying

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Mar-2018

The Stockbridge soundtrack to Scotland's sensational Sunday

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

From the sweet melody of cleanly struck boundaries to the crowd’s spine-tingling renditions of ‘Flower of Scotland’, The Grange pulsed with noise and emotion on a historic day for Scotland

Peter Della Penna in Edinburgh11-Jun-2018Five minutes before the start of play on Sunday morning at The Grange, a bagpiper led the players onto the field. Moments later, the Scotland players cleared their throats to sing “Flower of Scotland”. The consensus amongst local journalists in the media box who had stood on the boundary edge to take it in was that none of Scotland’s 13-man squad was ever going to stand a chance against Paul Potts in a sing-off, let alone any other contestant past or present on Britain’s Got Talent.But a funny thing happened. As the players’ off-key voices grew louder, so did those of the Stockbridge faithful who had poured into The Grange through the gates off Arboretum Avenue to the east and Portgower Place to the west. The fans didn’t care how they sounded, and the players had sung their last false note of the day. From here on, their willows would produce a melody for the ages.Kyle Coetzer and Matthew Cross were the first to pick up their instruments and take the field. As the opener-wicketkeeper, Cross was the drummer in the band. He established the rhythm and beat in the second over, cracking David Willey for the first boundary of the day. When necessary, he could kick it up a notch with a crunching drive or ease back slightly with a back-foot punch.Coetzer used the saxophone to mesmerize the home fans. Every one of his jazzy drives through the V is a tribute to John Coltrane and a reminder that there’s room for a classical instrument or two in any decent band. When he wants to hit a higher note, he just gets under the drive a bit more, as he did to Liam Plunkett to bring up his half-century and break the record for Scotland’s highest ODI stand against England.When Coetzer finished his tune, Calum MacLeod played to the heavy-metal fanatics with his electric guitar strokeplay. Cuts and drives early to the medium-pacers, sweeps and slog-sweeps to the spinners, pulls and flat-bat cracks over cow corner to the medium-pacers. His unbeaten 140 off 46 balls was up-tempo from start to finish. It was an innings worthy of a hat-tip from the Rolling Stones, who had played to a sold-out Murrayfield Stadium the night before and took in part of the day at The Grange.Vice-captain Richie Berrington was the bass guitar to MacLeod’s electric. Berrington didn’t have to do anything fancy. While MacLeod dominated their 93-run partnership, Berrington was content to just keep the bass notes consistent, turn over the strike to keep MacLeod in rhythm, and chip in the odd boundary when the opportunity presented itself.George Munsey arrived later to join MacLeod. Like the harpsichord solo from The Beatles’ “In My Life”, he pulled out his trademark reverse-sweep in his first over on strike to show there’s room for a bit of unorthodoxy in Scotland’s lineup too. By the end of his fine little ditty, he’d marked up his maiden ODI fifty and helped MacLeod take Scotland past 300 in another century stand.But England had some high-profile talent in their ranks too. Jonny Bairstow demonstrated the simultaneous grace and power of a cellist while at the crease. Just like Sheku Kanneh-Mason at last month’s Royal Wedding, Bairstow stole the show for his effortless brilliance. His virtuoso run of centuries continued at The Grange and the 40 pounds it cost to get into the ground was a bargain to witness him flay spinners Mark Watt and Michael Leask around the ground late in the Powerplay on his way to a 54-ball ton.England were in perfect sync halfway through the chase and then out of nowhere came the first door knock in Beethoven’s Symphony Number 5, the needless run-out of Joe Root called through by Alex Hales for a non-existent single to short fine leg. The second ominous knock at the door came a few overs later when Eoin Morgan and Hales fell off consecutive deliveries to make it 245 for 5 and suddenly England’s line-up was playing with broken strings.From then on, a sellout crowd but one that had relied on the players out in the middle to provide the soundtrack of the day began to find their voice. The raucous cacophony of Scottish cheers grew louder with each diving stop, each run saved with a slap back at the boundary. Moeen Ali did his best to quiet them with a violin score, driving elegantly to 46 off 33 balls, but with victory in sight the bow slipped off his strings.By the end of the 47th over, the match was still in the balance and with no music playing over the loudspeakers, the sound of silence triggered tension in the air. England needed 16 off 18 with two wickets in hand, and Scotland needed the crowd to get behind them once more.As if on cue, the Grange members on either side of the sightscreen at the Pavilion End began singing “Flower of Scotland” once again. It was hard not to get goosebumps listening to the collection of voices grow in unison, sensing that a famous victory was a matter of fate.Peter Della PennaWhen Adil Rashid was run out to start the 49th over leaving England’s last pair with ten runs to get, Cricket Scotland CEO Malcolm Cannon could no longer hold back his emotions. From his position near the front of the VIP area on the southeast boundary, Cannon started to wave his arms furiously like an orchestra conductor and exhorted everyone around him to get as loud as they possibly could.Four balls later, the top blew off The Grange. Safyaan Sharif let out a tenor’s scream after nailing Mark Wood on the toe with a yorker. When Marais Erasmus reflexively raised his right index finger, a chorus of euphoric screams rang out around The Grange. Grant Bradburn’s Ode to Kaizen had reached its climax.”Flower of Scotland” took over the loudspeakers stationed around the ground as the players and fans continued to bask in the glory of the moment. Those who didn’t spontaneously invade the pitch in jubilation were shedding tears of joy from the boundary. After an hour’s worth of unprecedented demand for interviews, Bradburn’s troops gathered back in the change rooms for one more full-throated rendition of “Flower of Scotland”: the pre-match anthem was now the post-match victory song.Coetzer then led his travelling band back onto the field for a group photo to look back on for posterity’s sake. By this point, the only sounds echoing around the ground were bottle caps being snapped off of celebratory brews as Coetzer drenched Macleod in a fizzy-ale shower to honor his epic century.But of all the enchanting sounds that carried around The Grange over the course of the most famous cricket result in Scottish lore, one stood out. It rang out while the Scotland squad circled the ground for a victory lap in the early part of the celebratory festivities once the match had ended.It was sung by a group of young fans in their teens and early 20s pressed up against the boundary near the Portgower Place entrance. Their song consisted of a basic four-word chorus, repeated over and over. It was a hymn not just for Scotland but for all Associate teams around the globe who yearn for an opportunity to take the field against England or any other Full Member.”Are you watching, ICC? Are you waaaaaaaaaaatching, I-C-C?”

Babar selected for SA white-ball series and tri-series against SL, Zimbabwe

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Hasan Ali not selected in any squad while Hussain Talat drops out of T20Is

Danyal Rasool23-Oct-2025Babar Azam has returned to the Pakistan T20I squad for the first time in nearly a year. He was named in a 15-member squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, as well as the tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe which follows. Mohammad Rizwan, who was removed from the captaincy in ODI cricket, keeps his place in the 50-over squad, while wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan and offspinner Usman Tariq come into the T20 side.Babar has not played any T20 cricket since the end of the PSL, after which he was not part of any squad for the shortest format. At the time, Pakistan’s white-ball coach Mike Hesson said he would need to “improve a few things” to earn his way back into the side, with the Big Bash League in December believed to be the tournament Pakistan would use to assess his improvement. It is not yet clear what led to him being fast-tracked back in, but his inclusion means he is, once more, an all-format player for Pakistan.Related

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Ball not dead, bails knocked off – Why was Mohammad Rizwan not out hit-wicket?

Fast bowler Naseem Shah keeps his place in the ODI squad, and returns to the T20 side. He recently excelled in the CPL with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, where Tariq’s performance with champions Trinbago Knight Riders has also been rewarded. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Hasan Ali, who was part of the T20 Asia Cup squad, is not part of any of the white-ball teams, while Hussain Talat drops out of the T20 side.Shaheen Afridi will captain Pakistan’s ODI side for the first time against South Africa in November during a three-match series. Before that, Pakistan play three T20s against them. It is followed by the tri-series from November 17 to 29.Pakistan ODI squad
Shahen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali AghaT20I squad
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq

Clubs now queuing up to sign "fantastic" Fulham ace amid contract doubts

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Following a relatively quiet January transfer window, Fulham could be forced to bid farewell to one star player amid growing contract doubts and a queue of clubs reportedly waiting to land his signature.

Fulham transfer news

There’s leaving it late and then there’s Fulham signing their first arrival of 2025 after the January transfer window, welcoming free agent Willian back to the club for his second stint at Craven Cottage, where the Brazilian will look to repeat his previous impact in West London.

Speaking to the club website for the first time since putting pen to paper, Willian expressed his delight at returning to Craven Cottage, saying: “I’m really happy to be back here. I think it’s a great opportunity again to play for this Club, and I’m fully motivated to get on the pitch and do things well for this Club.

“I’m completely happy, my family’s happy. We are happy to be back, and I think we can do good things until the end of the season, so I can’t wait to start with my teammates and do good things inside the pitch.”

Fulham tried to sign "brilliant" ace who was in West London on deadline day

It was too little too late…

ByTom Cunningham Feb 6, 2025

As one winger arrives, however, another is on course for the exit door. According to reports in Spain, three La Liga clubs have now made contact to sign Adama Traore, who is yet to sign a new Fulham contract despite his current deal coming to an end this summer.

The Cottagers have the option to extend the Spaniard’s deal for another year but that option is yet to be triggered, casting doubts over his future as Villarreal, Sevilla and Valencia form a queue to land his signature.

Of course, a lot can change in a matter of months and Traore could yet stay put but that doubt will only increase as time goes on and there’s no denying that he has become quite the asset under Marco Silva.

"Fantastic" Traore is a unique threat

The Premier League has seen a number of unique assets over the years, from absurdly tall forwards to even more absurd long throw-in takers. Now, Fulham have a unique asset of their own in Traore.

There isn’t a single player in English football – perhaps even in Europe – who shares the same driving power as the winger who has the perfect combination of incredible strength and unstoppable pace. It’s something which can change a game in an instant and something that the Cottagers should look to keep hold of.

Dubbed “fantastic” by Silva earlier this season, Traore should have no reason to depart either. Those in West London are better placed than ever under their manager and could yet cause an upset by challenging for a European place before the end of the campaign, using Traore’s freak athleticism.

So, whilst La Liga may well be forming a queue, they may be forced to wait even longer if Fulham manage to extend their winger’s contract and put to rest any increasing doubt over his immediate future.

Same agent as Stones: Man City ready to snap up £80m Champions League "superstar"

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Manchester City are now ready to snap up a “superstar” Champions League player, with the same agent as two members of Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Man City looking to strengthen after Bayer Leverkusen setback

After putting together a solid run to re-establish themselves as Premier League title contenders, Man City have endured a dip in form over the past week, losing 2-1 at Newcastle United on Saturday, before succumbing to a 2-0 home defeat against Bayer Leverkusen.

It was a new-look defence for City, with Guardiola making wholesale changes to his starting XI, bringing in Abdukodir Khusanov to replace Matheus Nunes at right-back, despite the 27-year-old impressing in that area this season.

However, given that both Khusanov and Nunes aren’t natural full-backs, the Blues remain keen on bringing in another option, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has now told TEAMtalk that Man City will be ready to sign Livramento if the opportunity presents itself, saying: “He’s happy at Newcastle, he is in a good position, he wants to push the limits of a new contract. But equally he knows he could secure a big transfer if he really wanted it.

“City have respect for his situation and have had to wait for him to decide what he does next. If he looks to leave, they are right there and will snap him up.”

"Superstar" Livramento could be perfect for Pep

Of course, any player in a Guardiola system must be comfortable in possession of the ball, and the Newcastle defender, who has the same agent as Stones and Nathan Ake, has averaged an 85.4% pass completion rate per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 87th percentile compared to other full-backs.

Once referred to as a “superstar” by Newcastle content creator Kendall Rowan, the three-time England international is also proven in the Premier League, having reached the 100-game mark in his side’s 2-1 win against City, during which the full-back made three clearances, two interceptions and two tackles.

Having been ranked as one of the best right-backs in the world, ahead of the likes of Nunes and Khusanov, Livramento could be a real upgrade for Pep at right-back, but a deal could be on the expensive side…

Man City preparing £158m+ bid for star who wants to work under Guardiola

The Citizens are keen to make new signings and could now look to acquire one of Europe’s most prominent attackers.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 24, 2025

Newcastle value Livramento at the £80m mark, which would make him one of the most expensive signings in Man City history, and given that Nunes has been impressing this season, it is questionable whether they should spend that much on another right-back.

Gayle's fear of females, and KP's concern for youngsters

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

It has been an odd month in cricket

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Nov-2017The lapsed villain
Reports from New South Wales have suggested this month that former international umpire Darrell Hair, who had lorded it so stubbornly over several controversial incidents, pleaded guilty to stealing from the liquor store he was working at. Apparently, this was in order to fund a gambling habit that had spun out of control. The news was particularly startling for Sri Lankans (and perhaps Pakistanis) of a certain generation, because it humanised the man who had been among their foremost childhood villains. It was like discovering Darth Vader put out of action by a hip replacement, or that Hannibal Lecter no longer eats his victims because his teeth had started to fall out.The non-war
In the build-up to the Ashes, David Warner was roundly criticised for comparing the coming series with England to “war”, in addition to suggesting he would “dig deep” to develop “hatred” of the opposition. Apparently, Ashes sledges now cannot be one iota more inflammatory than abuse based on opposition players’ legitimacy of parentage, choice of preferred species for sexual relations, promiscuousness of spouse, stupidity of offspring, and gingerness of their hair. I suppose a line had to be drawn somewhere.The straight face
Chris Gayle won his defamation suit against Australia’s Fairfax Media, but the best line of the case surely goes to Gayle’s friend Donovan Miller, who without flinching told the court that Gayle had become reserved “and scared, especially [around] females” since the 2015-16 Big Bash League. It is unclear if he is referring to this condom ad in which Gayle cannot stop cowering amidst a gang of cheerleaders or this Instagram post in which Gayle appears to have been frighteningly ambushed by a posse of swimsuit-clad models.The victims of historical irony
For two decades, the Barmy Army’s go-to chant down under was one that preyed on Australia’s history as a British prison colony. Even when their cricketers were being resplendently shamed 5-0, England fans may have felt they could draw themselves to their feet, wipe the tears from ruddy cheeks, and croak out a sobbing rendition of “they’re the convicts over there”. The world, however, has been upended in 2017. Team England has left for the Ashes without Ben Stokes, who is suspected of exactly the sort of action that would have seen him transported to Australia in past centuries. As one of their own players now stands accused of antisocial behaviour, could it be possible that when groups of England supporters sit shirtless in sunny Australian stands, painted lettering upon flabby chests, lips foamed from the ninth beer of the day, they will reflect they are not intrinsically a more refined species of human being than the natives?”We essentially beat Pakistan in their own game”•Getty ImagesThe pitch scandal
The spectre of corruption was raised again in October, most notably with the allegation that Maharashtra Cricket Association curator Pandurang Salgaoncar had given pitch information to people posing as bookies, ahead of India v New Zealand ODI in Pune. However, it was not the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) – whose job it is to stamp fixing out of the game – that presented evidence against Salgaoncar. The issue was brought to light by an Indian TV channel, just as the 2010 Lord’s spot-fixing scandal had been the result of a media-driven exposé. All of this highlights long-held concerns about what the ACU actually does, apart from, as in this case, allow international matches to go ahead unhindered on what was apparently a suspect pitch.The tough act to follow
Commiserations are due to Cricket South Africa. One month after the IPL bagged what was effectively the biggest television rights deal in cricket, CSA was forced to postpone the 2017 T20 Global League, thanks partly to an inability to land a decent broadcast deal. This must have been like watching Michelangelo sculpt the famous statue of David before stabbing yourself with the chisel.The altruist
Particularly irked at this cancellation was would-be GLT20 star Kevin Pietersen, who tweeted: “I feel so sorry for all the youngsters who were going to learn & earn out of this comp!” Yes, what a pity for… “the youngsters”. We can have no reason to doubt that Pietersen’s immediate worry was for the younger players’ loss of earnings, based of course on his career, which was most distinguished by the concern he displayed for people other than himself.The collapsathon
If Pakistan are the classical masters of the batting collapse, Sri Lanka have in recent years perfected their own equally dramatic version: the neo-collapse. Their two-Test series early in the month, became, at times, a festival of batting incompetence. When Sri Lanka went into the third innings of the first Test with a three-run deficit, for example, they hurtled comically to 138 all out. They should have lost the match had they not been out-collapsed by Pakistan, who were all out for 114 less than a day after they had made 422 (in the first innings). The second Test was almost as extraordinary. Sri Lanka crashed to 96 all out after claiming a 220-run first-innings lead. Though at times in the chase Pakistan seemed like they had the measure of a big total, they lost 5 for 52 and 5 for 23, with a 173-chase in between.

All Indian cricketers should write books like this

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Sanjay Manjrekar’s autobiography sets a template with its frankness and ability to cover areas other cricketers fear to tread

Sharda Ugra24-Mar-2018If a more honest book about Indian cricket is released this year, please turn up at ESPNcricinfo’s Bangalore office. Drinks are on me.When the title of Sanjay Manjrekar’s book was first revealed, it did sound a little intriguingly precious. Like  was aiming to be Andre Agassi’s , but with pads on. A few pages in, you don’t care: about the title, about the unremarkable photograph of Manjrekar on the cover, because it’s the stuff inside that rings through, grabs attention, and tells a story worth listening to.The disclaimer: Manjrekar happens to be the first of many cricketers to have been annoyed with something I wrote. The year was 1990, and he was the most accomplished of Indian top-order batsmen. His first Test century had come in Barbados, against Marshall, Ambrose, Bishop and Walsh. He was just off a drawn series against Pakistan, with more than 550 runs in four Tests against Imran, Waqar, Wasim and Qadir at 94; two centuries (one a double), three fifties. In an interview I did for , the first newspaper I worked for, not even six months into the profession, I asked Manjrekar if he had contemplated opening the batting. At the team’s pre-departure press conference before the England tour, Manjrekar voiced his unhappiness over getting into trouble with the selectors over his answer. A few months later, he’d forgotten all about it and I could go to him when explanation or clarity was sought about one or more of Indian cricket’s complicated tangles.Following his first few luminous seasons with India, the struggles that followed were discussed in low tones by the Mumbai faithful. As a “senior” during his second stint as Mumbai captain, he was always fun to be around at the end of the day’s play. Generous with his time, toothy grin and acerbic humour intact, tolerant of reporters’ questions. In , you rediscover Manjrekar and that time again, but in greater, far more finely drawn detail.He sets out with an unsparing portrait of his father, the great Vijay Manjrekar (“it took me a long time to realise he was an exceptional cricketer”), and through the book we hear Manjrekar talk frankly, without self-censorship, like he might to a friend or a therapist. Flaws are admitted, personal vulnerabilities uncovered – not just his own but of those around him.  is at once a discovery of the inner Manjrekar and a sharing of Indian cricket’s outer world in the 1980s and 1990s.On the way, we run into grace from the most unexpected sources: The West Indians, who were fearsome but gentlemen competitors, encouraging and supportive of a young Indian batsman; the Pakistanis under the generous dictatorship of the Imran Khan captaincy. This was at a time when there was a comparative lack of such leadership among the Indians.India had their individual titans in the ’80s and ’90s, but there was little guidance or support for younger players. We had heard about the dark corners in the Indian dressing room, the chasm between senior players and the younger ones, and the bad blood between players from different parts of the country. All true, and Manjrekar spells it all out so dispassionately that you wonder how India won anything. The amateurishness of it will astonish every young reader used to the Indian team travelling around with a support staff that’s about the size of a rugby team.The book is full of details and stories – why you’d try to be the first to the Podar College nets; why Ajay Jadeja thought Rahul Dravid wouldn’t make it; why Ravi Shastri tried to convince Manjrekar not to retire (because an inter-city league was being talked about); the advice an unnamed South African gave Manjrekar about sorting out his grip when playing in South Africa, and so on.There are memorable character sketches of Manjrekar’s family, particularly of his mother, and his colleagues (Mohammad Azharuddin, for one, is crying out for a more honest book and movie about his life), written with a mix of frankness and compassion.There is fine recounting of the Mumbai cricket scene, and its buzz about what was around the corner. “Scores of people talking about upcoming talent in Mumbai. When they met each other, that’s all they talked about… in essence, this community was the marketing team of Mumbai’s talent.”HarperCollinsThere are also Manjrekar’s admissions about himself as a young man – his cocksureness, arrogance, uncertainty, regret, and tendency to take technical perfection over run-scoring. It’s all there. Well, almost.Now the quibbles. Mostly about how the material is structured, and the book’s unevenness near the finish line. The final chapter, 25 pages long, is called “Commentary”, but unlike the rest of the book, the approach here is of an unsatisfactory broadbrushing. While it is hardly expected that Manjrekar would dish the dirt on his colleagues while still in the commentary box, a more clear-eyed examination of its environment (without naming names even) would have been insightful. The commentary scene is not all camaraderie and chortling. At one point, the Big Dads of Indian cricket commentary nicknamed Manjrekar and another of his Indian colleagues “Anna” and “Kejriwal” in mocking tribute to their desire to speak a few plain truths about Indian cricket.What we do get are a few lines about the “changing” role of a commentator, where once “grievances about the game were freely expressed”. Today it is more, Manjrekar writes, about “enhancing the viewer’s experience”. He says, “If you are a keen, opinionated observer of the game, it’s probably a good idea to express all your passionate views on the game on other platforms, not in the commentary box”. That’s a damn pity, Sanjay, don’t you think? Thinking, after all, is Manjrekar’s thing, and he laughs about a question Shoaib Akhtar once put to him: “Give your mind a rest. How much will you think? How much will you analyse?” ends abruptly, like a wicket against the run of play, in the wrong place, as if someone just tacked the last chapter about commentators on and sent the manuscript to the printers. It does not do justice to the rest of the book, which is a cut above the usual dish-the-dirt-burn-up-the-cash-register kind of memoir.Is  the most honest book to come out from an Indian cricketer over the last four-five years? Possibly. But this much is certain: in truth and in tenor it is most certainly the kind of book you wish every Indian cricketer would write.Imperfect
By Sanjay Manjrekar
Harper Sport, 2018
207 pages, Rs 699

Best signing since Raphinha: “Underrated” Leeds star must start every game

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Leeds United have now shown that they have enough quality in the big matches in the Premier League this season to clinch survival.

The 3-1 win over Chelsea saw new recruits Jaka Bijol and Dominic Calvert-Lewin come into their own as the goals were shared out, while the following 3-3 draw against Liverpool – which Daniel Farke coined as another “magic night” at Elland Road – also saw faces such as Anton Stach deliver the goods on the tense occasion.

All of these fresh signings that have contributed to the positive patch of form unfolding will hope they’re viewed in the same glowing light Raphinha is still held in down the line.

The Brazilian winger was key to Leeds beating the drop during the 2021/22 season, when collecting a memorable 11 league strikes.

Of course, while the likes of Stach have stuck out as positive influences ever since moving to England, Leeds’ success rate in the transfer department since Raphinha’s £17m switch has been rather mixed.

Rating Leeds' transfer business since signing Raphinha

While the £17m splashed out on Raphinha’s services ended up looking incredibly shrewd, other bits of business signed off on at Elland Road since this masterstroke purchase have gone down as extortionate wastes of money.

The summer window right after the South American’s departure, before the 2022/23 season kicked off, sticks out as having a lot of misfires, with nearly £70m spent on obtaining Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra, and Tyler Adams, as Aaronson has the tag next to his name of being the only remaining first-team presence today.

Thankfully, though, Leeds haven’t just been setting cash on fire since Raphinha’s exit, with the reported £10m fee to bring Joe Rodon to West Yorkshire in 2024 still looking to be a fine acquisition, as the Welshman remains an undroppable part of Farke’s starting XI, with two Premier League goals next to his name this season.

Moreover, the £7m dropped to pick up Ethan Ampadu the summer before Rodon made his move permanent is another bargain that’s arguably on the same level as Raphinha’s coup, with the ex-Chelsea man winning a mighty nine duels against his former employers and Arne Slot’s visitors, to firm up his own concrete starting spot.

That said, there’s a deal that eclipses the moves to bring both Ampadu and Rodon to Elland Road.

Underrated Leeds star must now start every game

Although Leeds have splashed the big bucks on the likes of Georginio Rutter in recent years, they have also demonstrated an eagerness to bring in cheap gems who have then exploded into life at Elland Road, as seen in the glittering examples of Rodon, Ampadu, and Raphinha.

Ao Tanaka’s name now has to be added to this ever-growing list, with the modest £2.9m the Premier League newcomers had to part ways with last year to land the Japanese midfielder from Fortuna Düsseldorf, continuing to look like an insane steal, and one of “the best bargains in Leeds history” as per writer Adonis Storr.

Tanaka has become an ice-cold figure Farke can rely on in the big moments, with his ultra-cheap price-tag justified just with his last-minute equaliser against Liverpool last time out, as the Japan international was in the right place at the right time to slam home a 96th-minute leveller.

He was also the hero against Chelsea, who gifted his relegation-threatened side a two-goal cushion, as the German just continues to get more and more out of his “unbelievable” signing, as he referred to the 27-year-old during his team’s promotion-winning exploits.

Games played

57

Goals scored

7

Assists

2

Promotions won

1x

Indeed, Tanaka hasn’t just shown up to the party in the Premier League, with five goals and two assists in the hustle and bustle of the Championship, helping steer the Whites to the title in emphatic style.

While Manor Solomon and Joel Piroe would steal many of the plaudits last season, Tanaka would have his own fanbase forming, too, with the “underrated” star – as per journalist Bence Bocsak – now ready to become a regular in the top-flight and start every game.

For just £2.9m, Leeds really have won themselves a once-in-a-lifetime deal, with Tanaka’s heroics continuing on, surely securing survival, as Farke hopes he remains put for the foreseeable future, unlike Raphinha.

Forget Tanaka: Leeds hero who had 100% passing now has to start every game

Leeds United’s wild week continued with a last-gasp draw against Liverpool.

ByRobbie Walls 5 days ago

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