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Chelsea dream of illustrious success, but this project is a work in progress, and there’s no doubting the Londoners’ improvements over the past several years.

Last season’s efforts under coach Enzo Maresca led to Champions League qualification and triumph across two continents, winning the Conference League and then beating Paris Saint-Germain over the pond to lift the Club World Cup in its fresh format.

Since Todd Boehly and co first arrived at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have recruited heavily, and this summer was no different. But there’s a new level of coherence about the squad, more focus and quality from corner to corner.

Liverpool

7

£415m

Chelsea

10

£285m

Arsenal

8

£255m

Newcastle

7

£250m

Man United

5

£216m

No longer are the Blues so reliant on Cole Palmer to lead the way. And that’s a good thing too, given the 23-year-old’s groin injury was confirmed by Maresca on Friday morning to have been aggravated, extending his spell on the sidelines.

How Chelsea can cope without Palmer

It’s not unfair to say that Chelsea have at times been reliant on Palmer’s brilliance since the Three Lions star transferred from Manchester City for £42.5m in 2023.

Across 101 matches in all competitions for Chelsea, Palmer has scored 45 goals and supplied 29 assists, effortlessly good in attacking midfield.

This season, a low-fitness first few months have put something of a spanner in the works, and that’s now set to drag through to the final month of 2025, striking a vicious blow against Maresca and his men.

However frustrating the setback is, this is no longer such a detrimental blow as it once was. After all, a number of Chelsea’s biggest talents have now grown into their skin.

Some believe Moises Caicedo has taken the crown as the club’s new main man. Truly, the Ecuadorian has come into his own this year, with Sky Sports’ Gary Neville even claiming he is “the best midfielder in the league”.

This is a far cry from the initial noise around his name after joining from Brighton for a record £115m fee in 2023.

But Caicedo’s not alone. Chelsea also broke the bank for Enzo Fernandez after the Argentine’s phenomenal World Cup campaign in Qatar. He has ebbed and flowed and been scapegoated on an occasion or two, but became an increasingly prolific force last year and works tirelessly to connect the thirds.

However, there’s another first-teamer down at Stamford Bridge who flattered to deceive for a time, but now is firing on all cylinders and might actually rival Palmer for the standing as one of the best players in the Premier League.

Chelsea star is now one of the best in the Prem

For as long as he is a member of the Chelsea first team, Palmer will be the poster boy. But the silky playmaker is no longer the head of a one-man outfit.

While the frontline is going from strength to strength, players like Marc Cucurella are finally realising their potential and shaping Maresca’s vision into one of completeness and depth.

In 2022, the 27-year-old joined Chelsea from Brighton for £60m, a staggering sum for a full-back. And for the first year or two, Boehly would have a hard time arguing he had received bang for his buck, even with the Blues’ wider problems exacerbating Cucurella’s own.

Journalist Tom Overend recently acknowledged the £175k-per-week talent “looked lost” during his first foray into life at Chelsea, but has since rebounded and is regarded as “one of the best left-backs in the world”.

The data speaks for itself. Cucurella’s tactical duty has changed since he first arrived from Brighton, inverting more often under Maresca’s wing, contributing to the build-up.

And with such confident passing, Maresca’s decision to use him in this fashion makes sense. As per FBref’s data, the Spaniard ranks among the top 11% of positional peers in the Premier League so far this term for assists, the top 2% for pass completion and the top 11% for passes attempted per 90.

Not only this, but Cucurella has also become more creative in his distribution. Sofascore record that he has averaged 1.4 chances created per Premier League match. On top of this, he has won two tackles on average each match and has won 58% of his ground duels.

Palmer and Cucurella are very different players and at different stages of their careers, but the latter’s meteoric rise is undeniable. He knows what it means to toil and struggle to get up from the wayside. Indeed, Cucurella was once branded a “disgrace” for his performances by the ever-outspoken Jamie O’Hara.

But the “machine”, as he has been called by content creator Terry Flewers, now undroppable, having added goals and assists to his game while reinforcing his defensive skillset and energising his athleticism.

Emphasising the trust his coach has in him, no Chelsea player has featured more often under Maresca’s leadership than Cucurella.

1.

Marc Cucurella

64

2.

Enzo Fernandez

63

3.

Pedro Neto

61

4.

Moises Caicedo

59

5.

Malo Gusto

57

It’s interesting to consider a full-back being among the most influential players within a competitive Premier League squad. Scant few could argue themselves with that standing within a team. Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold would be a good example.

Cucurella might not have the same range of passing, but if he continues in his current rich vein of form over the course of the season and the next few years, he would stake a compelling case for being one of the most complete defenders in the history of the division.

If that’s the case, surely he is shaping into one of the finest in the country.

Forget Gittens & George: Cobham teen is the "future of Chelsea & England"

Chelsea may have found the latest superstar to emerge from Cobham academy.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 17, 2025

Mohammed Shami had broken the stumps with the Sri Lanka captain on 98

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jan-20232:58

Run-out controversy: should India have gone ahead with their appeal?

India captain Rohit Sharma defused a potentially controversial situation by withdrawing a run-out appeal against Dasun Shanaka, despite the Sri Lanka skipper being out of his crease at the non-striker’s end in the first ODI in Guwahati.The incident occurred in the final over of the game, when Mohammed Shami ran in to bowl but broke the stumps at the non-striker’s end before delivering the ball. Sri Lanka needed 83 off three balls at the time and Shanaka was batting on 98.

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WATCH the first India vs Sri Lanka ODI full replay

“I had no idea Shami had done that,” Rohit told Star Sports after the game. “When he went up in an appeal… Again, he [Shanaka] is batting on 98. The way he batted was brilliant. We got to give it to him. We cannot get him out like that. We wanted to get him out the way we thought we would get him out. But that was not something that we thought of. But again, hats off to him, he played really well.”Had Rohit not withdrawn Shami’s appeal, Shanaka would have been out, but the Sri Lankan captain was allowed to continue his innings and went on to finish 108 not out off 88 balls. India ended up winning the game by 67 runs, after Virat Kohli’s 113 off 87 balls – his 45th ODI century – had powered the hosts to 373 for 7 in 50 overs.After winning the T20I series 2-1, India have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. The teams now travel to Kolkata for the second ODI at Eden Gardens on January 12.

Former India legspinner Sairaj Bahutule has joined Punjab Kings (PBKS) as their new spin bowling coach ahead of the 2026 IPL season. He replaces Sunil Joshi, who held the role from 2023 to 2025.ESPNcricinfo understands Joshi decided to leave as he is set to take over as spin coach at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.”Sairaj’s deep understanding of the game, particularly his extensive experience in grooming domestic bowlers and managing strategy, will be invaluable to our side,” PBKS CEO Satish Menon said. “His expertise aligns perfectly with our vision of building a strong and cohesive bowling unit for the season ahead.”Bahutule joins a backroom team that has Ricky Ponting as head coach, Brad Haddin as assistant coach, James Hopes as the fast bowling coach, and Trevor Gonsalves as assistant bowling coach.”I’m really excited to join Punjab Kings as a spin bowling coach for the upcoming IPL season,” Bahutule said. “This is a team that plays a different brand of cricket, and I can see the potential is massive. They have a bunch of talented players, and I’m looking forward to working with them to refine their skills and help them reach new heights.”Bahutule was the spin bowling coach at Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2025. He had also been RR’s spin bowling coach from 2018 to 2021 before joining the National Cricket Academy and serving as support staff for India A assignments.Bahutule’s exit from RR follows Dravid’s departure from the franchise as head coach. Dravid has been replaced by Kumar Sangakkara.PBKS finished runners-up in IPL 2025 after finishing top of the points table in the league phase. They lost the final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six runs.

Moghees Ahmed had his registrations as an agent suspended by the ECB in March

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2025England’s Cricket Regulator has handed a prominent agent a five-year ban from “any cricket-related activity” that falls under the ECB’s jurisdiction. Moghees Ahmed, who fronts the International Cricketers Association, was ruled to have made a corrupt approach to the head coach of a county and will serve a minimum of 30 months of his suspension.The Cricket Regulator ruled in March that Ahmed – who represents a number of prominent Pakistan players – had proposed an arrangement whereby a coach would receive a share of his commission in exchange for selecting certain players he represents in franchise leagues. The coach reported the approach later that day, and a tribunal was satisfied that it had been made.Ahmed was found guilty of four charges of breaching the ECB’s anti-corruption code and had his registration to act as an agent suspended. He has now been “declared ineligible” for five years from March 26, 2025, with the first 30 months served in full and the remaining 30 suspended on condition of no further offences and the completion of an anti-corruption education programme.”Moghees Ahmed sought to engage a professional county coach in a corrupt scheme which would have had serious consequences for the integrity of cricket in England and Wales and beyond,” Chris Haward, the director of the Cricket Regulator, said in a statement.”This lengthy ban rightly reflects the seriousness of the conspiracy Ahmed sought to embark upon. Offering, seeking or taking illicit financial inducements for selection is never acceptable and strikes at the heart of the integrity of our sport. Where corrupt conduct is suspected, it will be investigated and those responsible will be held to account.”This case came to light due to the courage of the coach and others who reported their concerns within moments of the corrupt offer being made. They have also greatly assisted the investigation and tribunal process and are commended for their conduct.”Ahmed told ESPNcricinfo that he “categorically denies all allegations” made against him and “rejects the decisions of the ECB tribunal”. He added that he is “considering legal options to challenge the decision”.

New Zealand remain on top after taking a 158-run lead

Hemant Brar31-Jul-2025The Zimbabwe bowlers put in a more disciplined performance on the second day of the first Test in Bulawayo, but Daryl Mitchell’s gritty 80 ensured New Zealand kept their advantage intact.New Zealand started the day on 92 for no loss and marched to 158 for 1 before losing five wickets for 42 runs. But Mitchell, with the help of the lower order, steered them to 307, ensuring a lead of 158. New Zealand then removed the Zimbabwe openers before stumps, still 127 ahead.In the morning, Blessing Muzarabani gave Zimbabwe a dream start, removing Will Young with the first ball of the day. It was a short delivery and Young fended it towards Nick Welch, who was slightly deeper than usual at short leg and completed the catch with a dive. Welch was not sure if he had taken it cleanly, but the TV umpire found no issues with it.Devon Conway was fluent at the other end. With Muzarabani and Tanaka Chivanga operating from around the wicket, he used the cover drive to good effect and picked up three boundaries with it in three successive overs. Muzarabani switched to over the wicket to deny Conway but by then he was into the last over of his spell.Henry Nicholls, playing his first Test since December 2023, came in at No. 3 and looked a little uncertain. The Zimbabwe seamers found his outside edge a couple of times but they did not carry to the slip cordon. Nicholls grew in confidence as he spent time in the middle. When Newman Nyamhuri missed his line or length, he pounced on it, taking 22 runs off just 24 balls from the left-arm seamer. During this, he also completed 3000 Test runs.Blessing Muzarabani celebrates Michael Bracewell’s dismissal•Zimbabwe Cricket

Conway and Nicholls took New Zealand into the lead before Muzarabani returned to end the 66-run stand for the second wicket. Seeing Nicholls back away, Muzarabani followed him. Two balls earlier, Nicholls had hit a boundary using the same ploy. But this time, he was cramped and ended up hitting the ball straight to Brian Bennett at gully.That triggered a collapse in which New Zealand lost five wickets for 42 runs.Rachin Ravindra was the next to fall, edging Sikandar Raza to slip, where Craig Ervine completed an otherwise regulation catch on the second attempt.After lunch, Chivanga got the reward for his hard work. His extra bounce had Conway, on 88, miscuing an uppercut to Bennett, who took his second catch at gully. In his next over, Chivanga used the short ball to get rid of Tom Blundell, who pulled one into the lap of deep square leg.Muzarabani, too, used the short ball to have Michael Bracewell top-edging a pull. For a moment, it looked like wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga had misjudged it but he put in a full-stretch dive in the end to complete the catch near fine leg. That left New Zealand at 200 for 6.Mitchell and Mitchell Santner added 33 for the seventh wicket to lend the innings some stability before Santner chipped one back to legspinner Vincent Masekesa. After that, Mitchell took the lead. In the company of Nathan Smith, he brought up his fifty and added 61 for the eighth wicket. Smith played his part by scoring 22 and resisting for 79 balls, of which he took two on the body. He had to eventually retire hurt.With Matt Henry falling soon after and Smith not coming back, Mitchell was forced to take risks. He moved across his stumps to scoop Nyamhuri but missed and lost his middle stump. By then, though, New Zealand had regained their advantage. They extended it when Henry had Ben Curran hooking one to fine leg and Will O’Rourke had Bennett edging one to the wicketkeeper before stumps.

New Zealand’s sixth-wicket pair helps put a strong total which proved to be 21 too many for South Africa

Firdose Moonda16-Jul-2025

New Zealand’s new coach Rob Walter – who is also South Africa’s old white-ball coach – began his tenure with a win but his previous team made his current one work for it.Chasing 174, South Africa were 111 for 7 in the 14th over before George Linde struck 30 from 20 balls and shared a 37-run stand with Gerald Coetzee. South Africa needed 31 runs from the last three overs but Linde holed out against Jacob Duffy who ended the contest with two wickets in two balls.That meant New Zealand’s joint second-highest score against South Africa of 173 proved to be enough on a surface where short balls proved to be the most challenging. Three of New Zealand’s top five were undone by back of a length deliveries and they were wobbling on 70 for 5 in the 10th over before Tim Robinson and South African-born debutant Bevon Jacobs put on 103 – New Zealand’s second-highest sixth-wicket partnership in T20Is. Their stand, which included 43 runs off the last three overs, is also only the eighth century stand in a men’s T20I for the sixth-wicket or lower.South Africa did not have a partnership anywhere close to that. Their highest was 39 between Dewald Brevis and Linde, also for the sixth wicket, in a shortened line-up. With Senuran Muthusamy in at No.4 and the all-rounders starting from Linde at No.7, South Africa may want to tinker with their combination ahead of Sunday’s clash against Zimbabwe.New Zealand, who were without Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra as they were involved in the MLC final, will be pleased with Matt Henry’s return to the side after injuring his shoulder at the Champions Trophy. He finished with 3 for 34.Gerald Coetzee played his first international game since November 2024•Zimbabwe Cricket

Jury’s out as Coetzee hits the comeback trail Coetzee last played for South Africa in a Test against Sri Lanka in Durban in November last year, where he injured his groin. He made a brief comeback in the SA20 but hurt his hamstring and spent more time on the sidelines. After returning to fitness at the IPL, a lack of long-form bowling meant he was not considered for June’s World Test Championship final but the plan was always to bring him back in white-ball cricket.He made his comeback after nine months and was given the ball in the final over of the powerplay. His first three balls were pacy (without Hawk-Eye it was not possible to tell exactly what speed) and on a good length before he went fuller and then to his signature back-of-a-length. He only gave away a wide in the first over. Robinson pulled the second ball of his second over in front of square but when Daryll Mitchell tried to repeat the dose two balls later, he top-edged and Kwena Maphaka, at deep square leg, did the rest.Coetzee was too short in his third over which cost 13 runs and then lost his lengths in his final over to finish with figures of 1 for 39, which was South Africa’s most expensive.Tim Robinson launches a six•Zimbabwe Cricket

Robinson’s career best powers New Zealand over 170Robinson announced himself when he advanced down the track to meet the last ball of Linde’s first over and launch it over his head and the sightscreen for the innings’ first six. His first three partners – Mitchell, Mitchell Hay and James Neesham – were dismissed in single figures (Neesham for a duck), but when debutant Bevon Jacobs joined him, runs came easier. The pair saw off Muthusamy and took on the seamers. They were particularly severe on Coetzee, against whom Robinson reached fifty with the shot of the innings. Coetzee banged it in short, Robinson backed away and hit him over backward point for six off the 42nd ball he faced. He was equally adept at taking on the full delivery and sent two Corbin Bosch yorkers for four before finishing with a flourish and pulling Coetzee over square leg for his third six.Pretorius comes out swingingAfter a golden duck in the series opener, Lhuan-dre Pretorius came out with good intent in his second T20I, determined to get some runs. He creamed Henry’s second ball – too full and too wide – through the covers for four and gave the next one, which was much better in line and length, the same treatment. Duffy’s overpitched and Pretorius hit him back over his head for four and then finally went leg-side when he pulled Duffy for his fourth four. Pretorius faced 13 of the first 14 balls in the innings and scored 21 runs from them, including five boundaries. He managed one more when he drove Henry aerially toward mid-on, where Duffy parried it away for four, but then guided a Henry delivery that angled away straight into Tom Seifert’s gloves to end an energetic knock.Mitchell Santner celebrates a wicket with his team-mates•Zimbabwe Cricket

New Zealand’s fielding to the foreNew Zealand threatened to find a South African batter short of the crease when Reeza Hendricks, on 13, only just made it in as a direct hit came in. Three overs later, Rassie van der Dussen was not quite as lucky. He was on 6 when he nudged Mitchell Santner into the leg side and Brevis called him through for a single. Van der Dussen hesitated while Seifert ran around to throw the ball to the stumps at the bowler’s end and missed. Santner had to clean up and was still on the ground when targeted the stumps again and hit. New Zealand did not think they had reacted quickly enough to get a wicket but replays showed van der Dussen was short of his ground. South Africa were 62 for 5 in the ninth over and needed 112 runs from 68 balls to win. Brevis’ 35 and Linde’s 30 took them close but South Africa were bowled out for 152 inside 19 overs to lose by 21 runs.