Category Uncategorized

Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has reportedly been left disgruntled after failing to make manager Ruben Amorim’s newly formed six-man leadership group. The squad hierarchy, headed by club captain Bruno Fernandes, also includes Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui, Lisandro Martinez, Diogo Dalot, and veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

Shaw upset over leadership snubAmorim believes disappointment may motivate himYoro & Heaton preferred over the veteran left-backFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Shaw's reaction to the snub has been one of deep frustration, with Amorim aware of the player’s unhappiness. The Portuguese coach is hopeful that the defender will channel his disappointment into improved displays ahead of the new campaign. However, early signs during pre-season training have reportedly raised concerns, as Shaw has not been performing at maximum intensity. A visible drop in his commitment levels has been noted, raising questions about his readiness for the challenges ahead.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Adding to the tension, 19-year-old French centre-back Leny Yoro was believed to be on the verge of joining the leadership group. However, he narrowly missed out on a spot in the final selection as Amorim ultimately decided to leave him out for now, but insiders claim the manager views him as a central figure for the club’s future. The teenager is already being spoken of as a potential pillar of the United backline for years to come, with comparisons being drawn to past defensive greats.

DID YOU KNOW?

Shaw’s omission is all the more surprising given his long-standing association with the club. Arriving at Old Trafford in 2014, he has been a mainstay throughout the turbulent years following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. As the longest-serving member of the current squad, his experience and understanding of the club’s culture are widely recognised. Despite this, his place in the team has come under scrutiny due to recent defensive lapses and positional errors that have undermined his reliability on the pitch.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR SHAW?

Shaw has two years left on his lucrative £180,000-a-week deal. But questions about his defensive discipline have led to suggestions that younger, more dynamic options like Patrick Dorgu might soon challenge him for a starting berth. 

Gillespie is due to head to South Africa in the coming days for the two-match Test series

Danyal Rasool12-Dec-2024

Pakistan Test head coach Jason Gillespie is considering his options after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided not to renew his assistant coach Tim Nielsen’s contract for Pakistan’s upcoming Test tour of South Africa.Nielsen, who was appointed in August this year, officially designated as the “high-performance red-ball coach”, had seen his contract run out; it was up for renewal after Pakistan’s tour of Australia, and he had been waiting to hear about a decision on an extension. He told ESPNcricinfo he felt he was “making good progress” with the team and was fully committed to the Test series against South Africa and West Indies, but that the PCB had told him his services were no longer required.It is understood that PCB did not inform Gillespie ahead of time he would no longer have his assistant coach by his side in South Africa, a decision that has left him extremely unimpressed. That he wasn’t consulted beforehand appears to be the most significant catalyst for his irritation, and fits in with a wider pattern of Gillespie’s roles and authority being steadily eroded over the last few months.Related

Gillespie and PCB involved in financial dispute

Gillespie frustrated by lack of clear communication in role as Pakistan coach

Aaqib Javed set to replace Jason Gillespie as Pakistan head coach

PCB says Gillespie will remain head coach for South Africa Tests

In October, he was removed from the selection panel for the Test side and said he was now merely a “matchday strategist”. There was limited communication between the player and the board since the end of Pakistan’s white-ball series in Australia, where he coached the side on an interim basis after Gary Kirsten quit.Gillespie’s anger is understood to partly stem from what he felt was a great rapport Nielsen had developed with the players, a point he had made more than once in public. It is believed both Gillespie and Nielsen consider the fact that Nielsen is not based in Pakistan as the reason his contract hasn’t been extended, though, as Nielsen confirmed, he would have been available for the upcoming two tours in their entirety.While it is understood the PCB has not yet made a decision on any potential replacement for Nielsen, the current administration has sought to replace overseas coaches it appointed earlier in the year with Pakistan-based ones. The PCB has, in the past, attributed not spending enough time in Pakistan as a reason for their dissatisfaction with overseas coaches, most notably in the case of Gary Kirsten, who quit in October. Gillespie, though has always maintained he has met his contractual obligations in that regard.Aqib Javed, who was part of the selection panel, and retains his place on it, was appointed head coach of the white-ball side on an interim basis until the Champions Trophy last month. The PCB did initially ask Gillespie to take up that role, but without an accompanying financial offer to reflect the increased scope of his role. It was another factor that led to relations between the board and the head coach being strained, with the latest development bringing those simmering tensions to a boil.Jason Gillespie’s future in the role was already in doubt after he was removed from the selection panel•Associated Press

While it is understood Gillespie has not ruled out the possibility of walking away before the series against South Africa, the terms upon which his stint at the PCB ends remain crucially important in what happens next. If the PCB decides to sack him, they could potentially be on the hook for paying out the vast majority of what remains of his contract, which runs till mid-2026. Should he resign of his own accord, that payout is significantly lower.ESPNcricinfo reported last month on the uncertainty surrounding Gillespie’s future. The PCB put out a statement denying his job was under immediate threat, reaffirming that Gillespie would be Pakistan coach for the two Test matches against South Africa, but pointedly declined to commit to stating that he would see out the remainder of his contract.Gillespie is scheduled to travel to South Africa from his home in Australia on December 13. Pakistan play the first Test in Centurion on December 26, with the second in Cape Town starting on January 3.ESPNcricinfo has reached out to the PCB for comment, but has not received a response.

The lowdown on Pakistan’s two new faces in Test cricket, who’ve been selected for the home series against England

Umar Farooq22-Nov-2022Pakistan have named Mohammad Ali and Abrar Ahmed in their squad for the home Tests against England. Wondering who they are? Here’s the lowdown.Mohammad Ali
Role: Fast bowler
Age: 30
Abdul Qadir first selected fast bowler Mohammad Ali for the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd (ZTBL) department team in 2018, on strong recommendations from the Sialkot cricket circuit, especially those involved with the Amir Waseem Cricket Academy and the Jaguar Cricket Club. Ali was 26 then, and just getting into competitive cricket, but he had an exceptional impact straightaway, playing the PCB Patron’s Trophy (Grade II) for ZTBL. He was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 41 wickets in six games at 13.05, taking his team to the title and helping the department regain first-class status.This, incidentally, was the same tournament where Naseem Shah kicked off his competitive cricket career; he and Ali played two games together.Friends on the cricketing circuit like to call him Dizzy – because his bowling reminds them of former Australia quick Jason Gillespie. He is sharp, hits the seam accurately, and is a workhorse who can bowl 25 overs a day. He currently represents Central Punjab on the domestic circuit.Abrar Ahmed
Role: Legspinner
Age: 24
Abrar Ahmed is a legbreak bowler on paper, but he can bowl the googly, the carrom ball and work his fingers around the ball to do magic: in essence he’s very much the modern mystery spinner, and if he does play any of the Tests, will be the first of his kind to play for Pakistan.He speaks Pashto but is born and raised in Karachi, his family having moved to the city from the north of the country – specifically a small village called Shinkiari, located on the outskirts of Mansehra near Abbottabad on the Karakoram Highway. He grew up playing tape-ball cricket in Karachi’s Lines Area.His standout ability to spin the ball caught the attention of local coaches. Zone 3 in Karachi is the weakest among all seven cricketing zones in the city, but Abrar’s heroic performance in 2016 – 53 wickets – got them the local title for the first time, and from there he was on his way to bigger things. His bowling evolved at the Rashid Latif Academy, and he thrived with the help of Muhammad Masroor – a renowned coaching name in the city.Abrar Ahmed with his awards at the National Under-19 Cup 2016-17•Masroor AhmedRed ball vs white ball: different routes to the top
Ali has played 22 first-class games picking up 85 wickets in the span of five years, but a big chunk of those wickets came in the last two seasons – 32 in 2021-22 and 24 so far in 2022-23. That might not look like a big haul but Pakistani domestic pitches at that time have been far more conducive for spinners.He also has the ability to bowl long spells; he bowled 206 overs in six games – 24 wickets at 25.54 included – in his debut first-class season, more than 50 more than the next highest from his squad despite some others having played 10 games. In the last two seasons, in 14 first-class games, he has bowled 2572 balls (more than 428 overs). He has 85 first-class wickets to his name overall, of which 27 wickets have come at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, in 11 innings, at an average of 21.92. Multan has brought him 20 wickets at an average of 11.20. Both venues will host England for the Tests.Related

'We are excited about the prospect of playing the WTC final' – Babar Azam

Naseem Shah's latest arrival feels like the real thing

Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Ali get maiden Pakistan call-ups

Unlike Ali, Abrar made his way into the national reckoning via age-group cricket, having first made his name with the white ball. He first came into the national spotlight playing for PSL side Karachi Kings, as one of their emerging picks in 2017 – he was wicketless in his two games but went away having sent down a memorable, miserly spell to Eoin Morgan – 16 balls, seven dots, one six, 17 runs – in a game in which the former England captain ransacked 80 not out off 57. Then coach Mickey Arthur was very excited by the prospect and both Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene were impressed.Abrar stalled by injury
He played one more PSL game after the Morgan clash, then all but disappeared from the cricket scene with a lower-back injury. He returned to regular action only in 2020, playing for Sindh Second XI in the National T20 Second XI Cup, picking up three wickets at a strike rate of 16 with an economy of 6.25. And he did even better with the red ball: in the Quaid-e-Azam Second XI Trophy that year, he finished with 57 wickets at 11.75, the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.Those numbers got him promoted to the first XI and, while he has not played most regularly, the wickets have kept coming – 16 in 2020-21, 17 in 2021-22, and 43 in the ongoing season at 21.95.According to coach Masroor, Abrar has been “grossly underrated in red-ball cricket, otherwise with him at peak fitness, he has always been a complete package for all formats of cricket. He doesn’t just bowl for the sake of bowling but he knows the art of taking wickets. He has variety in his bowling, and with the sort of control he has, he can become a mainstream bowler for Pakistan”.

Kane Williamson returned to competitive cricket after nearly two months out with a groin injury, and scored 60 for Northern Districts on day one of their Plunket Shield game against Auckland in Hamilton.Auckland asked Northern Districts to bat after winning the toss, and Williamson walked out to the crease at the fall of the first wicket. He hit seven boundaries in his 122-ball knock, which lasted for almost three hours. Williamson added 52 for the fourth wicket with Robert O’Donnell, before falling lbw to Jordan Sussex after a stand of 36 with Brett Hampton.It was Williamson’s first match in the Plunket Shield after five years – he last played in the premier first-class competition in the country in October 2019.”You always feel like an ND man, whether you are here or not,” he had said ahead of the game. “It is nice when, with the balance of the international schedule, you do have the opportunity to play.”Williamson had last played for New Zealand on the tour of Sri Lanka in September, and missed the entire Test tour of India and the white-ball series in Sri Lanka which followed. In his absence, Will Young occupied the No. 3 spot against India, and returned 244 runs to be named Player of the Series. But last week, Williamson was named in New Zealand’s squad to face England in three Tests at home.The first Test begins on November 28 in Christchurch, before the series moves to Wellington and Hamilton for the next two games. It will be Williamson’s long-time team-mate Tim Southee’s final Test series, unless New Zealand make the WTC final next year.

Lothar Matthaus questioned Harry Kane’s Bayern claim that the current squad is too small, insisting the striker had ignored the club’s new signings and key players returning from injury.

German icon challenges Kane’s Bayern viewPoints to reinforcements and returning starsInsists striker overlooked squad improvementsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Bayern lifted the DFL Supercup after a 2-1 win over Stuttgart, securing the first trophy of the season under head coach Vincent Kompany. Harry Kane was on the scoresheet with a stunner, but the England captain’s post-match comments raised eyebrows. Kane described Bayern’s squad as “one of the smallest” he has ever played in, with only 25 professionals available and further departures thinning the group. His remarks came just a day after Kingsley Coman completed a move to Al-Nassr.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT MATTHAUS SAID

Germany legend Lothar Matthäus openly questioned Kane’s remarks in his latest column for , suggesting the striker had overlooked Bayern’s reinforcements and returning players: “I didn’t quite understand Harry Kane’s comments that this year’s Bayern squad is one of the smallest he’s ever played in. Diaz and Tah are absolute reinforcements, and they’ve also added a really good player in central midfield in Tom Bischof. Furthermore, Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies, and Hiroki Ito will return from their injuries at the latest when the title is at stake.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The contrast highlights a broader debate at Bayern, should Kompany’s side rely on their experienced core and integrate emerging prospects, or push for more signings before the deadline? The club has brought in Luis Diaz, Jonathan Tah, and Tom Bischof, yet 11 players have departed permanently, leaving just 22 fit senior options. Sporting director Christoph Freund has admitted the squad “isn’t the greatest in terms of quantity,” underlining Kane’s concerns. Matthaus, though, believes faith in returning stars and youth development will balance the numbers.

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN?

The Bundesliga champions face a decisive two weeks before the transfer window shuts in September. While links to Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku persist, a deal appears unlikely given his price tag. Kane hopes for reinforcements, while Kompany may choose to double down on his younger players, especially after their promising pre-season showings. Bayern kick off their league campaign against RB Leipzig on August 22, followed by a DFB Pokal clash against Wehen Wiesbaden, fixtures that will test whether the squad depth debate proves costly or overstated.

da betobet： This season is shaping up very nicely for Chelsea at the moment.

da casino： Enzo Maresca’s side are second in the Premier League and have the chance to cut Arsenal’s lead to just three points on Sunday.

Then in Europe, they sent a warning out to the rest of the sides in the Champions League with their thumping 3-0 win over Barcelona, a game in which Estevao shone once again.

Maresca and Co will have a chance to make Chelsea’s season even better once the transfer window reopens in just over a month, not just by signing players, but by selling one who once looked like Estevao when he was a youngster.

Estevao's sensational start to life at Chelsea

The expectations placed upon Estevao have been monumental for quite some time now, to the point that respected analyst Ben Mattinson labelled him a “future Ballon d’Or winner” months before Chelsea even signed him.

Chalkboard

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

Expand Collapse

Since then, the hype surrounding him has only grown, thanks in large part to his fine form in Brazil, where he produced 17 goal involvements in 37 games last season.

Even so, few would have expected the start to this season he has had.

The youngster is not only playing a decent number of minutes, but he’s chipping in with important goals and has already shown a hugely impressive ability to get the fans on their feet.

So far, the 18-year-old has scored five goals and provided one assist for the Blues in 17 appearances, totalling 740 minutes.

That comes out to an excellent average of a goal involvement every 2.83 games, or every 123.33 minutes, which would be commendable for a seasoned veteran, let alone a teenager.

The Franca-born wonderkid has been so effective this year that fans and pundits have actually spoken about him being a particular threat to league-leading Arsenal ahead of Sunday’s game.

However, while Chelsea should be delighted with their new wonderkid, they also need to find a way to sell one of their biggest duds, who once looked like Estevao when he was first breaking through.

The Chelsea flop who needs to be sold

Chelsea have become quite good at moving on players they don’t want in recent years, but even then, a couple remain in the bomb squad who are proving tricky to sell, like Raheem Sterling.

The former Manchester City star joined the club in 2022, and while he’s had moments for the club in which he’s looked excellent, they’ve only ever been that, moments.

Moreover, while his tally of 19 goals and 15 assists in 81 games isn’t terrible, he’s never really put together a string of impressive performances, which is why he was allowed to join Arsenal on loan last year.

Unfortunately, that move only made the situation worse, as he ended up scoring just a single goal and providing five assists in 28 games for the Gunners, and was labelled a “passenger” by journalist Charles Watts.

Since returning to Stamford Bridge, the 30-year-old has been left to train separately from the first team, and with a weekly wage of £325k, that is far from ideal.

It is a serious shame that things have not worked out for the former England international, as before his move south, he was one of the best players in the league.

For example, during his time at the Etihad, he scored 131 goals and provided 86 assists in 339 appearances and won four league titles.

He was even a brilliant player for Liverpool, making his debut in the 11/12 season, but making his name in the 13/14 season, when, like Estevao now, he was just 18 years old.

In that season, the Kingston-born phenom managed to rack up an incredible tally of ten goals and seven assists in 38 appearances, totalling 2535 minutes, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or every 149.11 minutes.

Sterling (13/14) and Estevao (25/26) at 18

Player

Sterling

Estevao

Appearances

38

17

Minutes

2535′

740′

Goals

10

5

Assists

7

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.44

0.35

Minutes per Goal Involvement

149.11′

123.33′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

It wasn’t just the goals, though, as, like the Brazilian, he was a serious threat with the ball at his feet, thanks in part to his speed and close control.

Ultimately, Sterling will go down as a legend of the Premier League, but for the sake of all parties, Chelsea need to sell him in January, even if they barely get anything.

Related The original Estevao: Chelsea lead race to sign "best player in the world"

Chelsea could sign the original Estevao for a mega-money fee.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

Barcelona have confirmed that the Joan Gamper Trophy clash against Como will not be played at Camp Nou with their return to the stadium delayed again.

• Joan Gamper Trophy clash vs Como confirmed
• Venue has been changed from Camp Nou
• Match won't be accessible to a huge section of fans

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After the fuss regarding playing the Joan Gamper Trophy at the resurrected Camp Nou, Barca have confirmed that the game against Como, which is managed by their former player Cesc Fabregas, will be played on August 10 at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, a stadium which can accommodate 6,000 people and plays home to their women's team.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After two years at Estadi de Montjuic, Barca were confident of returning to Camp Nou with the Joan Gamper Trophy clash. They received the Activities and Construction license two weeks back and were waiting for the First Occupancy license last week; however, they were not issued the latter. If the City Council had opted to allow the First Occupancy license, the Como game would have been played at the Camp Nou, of course, with a reduced capacity of up to 60,000 fans. The club considered shifting the game to Montjuic, but the stadium will host a concert on August 9, a day before the clash, making it almost impossible to be prepared on time. Hence, the Catalans had to take this game to Estadi Johan Cruyff, where only 6,000 fans will be able to enjoy Fabregas taking on his former side. Moreover, their return to the home ground might be delayed until January.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Como will become the ninth Italian outfit to participate in this competition, with Sampdoria, AC Milan, Inter, Juventus, Napoli, Parma, Roma and Brescia being the previous contestants.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA AND COMO?

  This will be the first-ever meeting between Barca and Como in their respective 125 and 118-year history.

كشف كريم نيدفيد لاعب فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا، حقيقة تلقيه عرضًا من نادي الزمالك للانتقال إلى صفوفه عقب رحيله عن النادي الأهلي. 

وكان كريم نيدفيد قد رحل عن صفوف الأهلي في فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الماضية، لينضم إلى صفوف فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا. 

طالع.. كريم نيدفيد: “مبلعتش” ما فعله رمضان صبحي مع الأهلي.. واللاعبون أرادوا رحيل كولر

وقال كريم نيدفيد في تصريحات على قناة “أون سبورت”: “لم أتلق أي عرض من الزمالك بشكل رسمي ولم يتحدث معي أحد، عقب رحيلي عن صفوف النادي الأهلي”.

وأضاف نيدفيد عن أسباب اختياره اللعب في صفوف سيراميكا كليوباترا: “علي ماهر له فضل عليا بشكل عام، وسيراميكا آخر موسمين له شكل ووضع في الدوري، نادي مستقر وإدارة محترمة ويوفرون للنادي كل شيء” 

وتابع: أي مدير فني ينضم لهم يستمر معهم لفترة، بجانب وجود علي ماهر معهم لأنه يعلم إمكانياتي بشكل جيد جدًا ويجعلني مرتاح في الملعب، ويحارب على لاعبيه وطالما هو متمسك بي فأنا أكون متمسك به أكثر”.

وأردف: “لم أهاجم رمضان صبحي ولكن قلت الذي شعرت به في لحظتها وكرد فعل على الذي حدث وقتها، أنا ورمضان صبحي أصدقاء طوال عمرنا ولكن علاقتنا كانت علاقة ملعب فقط، علاقة عمل أكثر ما كانت إنسانية”.

وأكمل: “موسيماني لم يُظلم في الأهلي وحصل على تقدير كبير، ولكن الكرة في جنوب إفريقيا لا تلعب تحت ضغوطات مثلما يحدث في الأهلي، ولكن موسيماني مدرب جيد هو يعمل في التمرين لمدة 20 دقيقة فني ويترك كل شيء للذي معه، وهو قادر على قراءة الفرق بشكل جيد جدًا”.

وواصل: “لا أعتقد انني لو تلقيت عرضا من الزمالك سأنضم له، هو نادي كبير ويمتلك جماهيرية كبيرة، وأي لاعب تربي في النادي الأهلي ويحب النادي بدون أي مقابل يكون الموضوع صعبًا اللعب في الفريق المنافس، نفس الكلام على لاعبي الزمالك سيكون لديهم نفس الشيء والأمر لن يكون بهذه البساطة”.

واستطرد: “إمام عاشور يمتلك إمكانيات كبيرة وصنع الفارق منذ انضمامه للأهلي وأضاف أشياء مختلفة بطريقة لعبه وأسلوبه لخط وسط ملعب الأهلي، ويحل مباريات كثيرة”.

وأختتم نيدفيد تصريحاته قائلا:”موسيماني في نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا أمام الزمالك أبلغلنا لو أردنا الفوز على الزمالك، يجب الضغط عليه بشكل قوي وسنسجل في مرماهم مبكرًا وهذا بالفعل حدث، وعودة اللاعبين للدفاع بعد الهدف كان قرار اللاعيبه للحفاظ على هدف وليس بقرار من موسيماني، وتعرضت للظلم في الأهلي بعدم المشاركة بشكل مستمر، ولم أتوقع انضمام أحمد سيد زيزو وإمام عاشور للأهلي”.

Fulham are the club pushing the hardest to sign an “outstanding” midfielder, with Marco Silva set to be backed in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Cottagers set to back Silva amid uncertain future

Having been at Craven Cottage for just under four years, Silva is now among the longest-serving managers in the Premier League, but there is widespread interest in the Portuguese coach, with Juventus becoming the latest club to express an interest.

With Tottenham Hotspur and clubs from the Saudi Pro League also keen on the 47-year-old, it could be difficult for the board to retain his services, but they have now displayed a willingness to back the manager in the summer transfer window.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Silva has been promised money to improve his squad, while also revealing the Cottagers have now set their sights on a new midfielder.

Fulham are said to be the club pushing the hardest to sign Mainz attacking midfielder Nadiem Amiri, who is set to leave the German club this summer, having attracted widespread interest from the Premier League.

New target: Fulham now ready to pounce for 23-goal striker available for £0

The Cottagers have joined the race for a forward, who is set to be available on a free transfer this summer.

ByDominic Lund Jun 3, 2025

Amiri has already turned down a move to Leeds United, while Crystal Palace have identified him as a potential target, but the west Londoners appear to be more determined to get a move over the line.

A deal would not break the bank either, with the 28-year-old expected to be allowed to leave for a fee of around £15m, and he could be brought in to replace Tom Cairney, amid interest from Wrexham, while fellow midfielder Harrison Reed is also set to depart.

"Outstanding" Amiri enjoyed impressive 2024-25 campaign

The Mainz star has been particularly impressive going forward as of late, picking up seven goals and five assists in 30 Bundesliga outings, and his displays at club level have led to a return to the German national side.

Upon selecting the central midfielder, manager Julian Nagelsmann said: “Nadiem is having an outstanding season. He’s a very good example of how you can take a step back to push your career forward.”

The German maestro had been uninvolved with his national side since 2020, but fought hard to regain his place, saying: “After I received a call from Julian Nagelsmann on Tuesday, I was in tears. It was my dream for so long to be able to play for the national team again. I worked hard, trying to improve every day”

Not only does Amiri have international experience, but he also has 10 Champions League appearances to his name, which could stand him in good stead to be a success at Craven Cottage, and a fee of £15m seems like a bargain for a player of his quality.

In their last nine Test series in South Africa, England, New Zealand or Australia, India’s opening partnership has averaged 21, and lasted only 6.3 overs per stand

S Rajesh24-Dec-20184:05

Manjrekar: Hanuma Vihari should play up the order

India’s last century stand for the first wicket in a Test match in South Africa, England, New Zealand or Australia (SENA, in short) came in Centurion eight years ago, in 2010, when Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir put on 137 in India’s second innings.Since that series in South Africa, India’s opening pairs have come out to bat 62 times in a Test innings in these four countries, and have passed 50 only seven times, with a highest of 63. Their average partnership during this period: 21.03; the average balls they have survived per partnership: 39 (6.3 overs). In nine series in these countries, only once have they lasted more than 50 balls per partnership, on average, and only once was their average stand more than 30.

Whichever way you look at it, these are damning numbers. During the same period, the opening pairs haven’t had too many problems in Asia, averaging 48.27, with eight century partnerships in 75 attempts. Clearly, the challenge of facing up to the new ball in difficult conditions is one that India’s openers have consistently failed to tackle in the last seven-and-a-half years. Their average of 21.03 in these countries is lower than it is for all wickets, except the last two.