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India are 1-0 up, but their playing XI has more more changes than Australia’s, who will field Boland instead of the injured Hazlewood

Andrew McGlashan05-Dec-20242:05

Finch: India look a lot better with Rohit at No. 5

Big picture: Huge test for AustraliaWas Perth a case of a very fine team having a bad few days and another playing as well as they possibly could, or the signs of a very fine team that has peaked and is now on the slide against one good enough to take advantage? Perhaps it’s somewhere between all that. The next few days in Adelaide should give us a clearer idea of how this Test series will unfold.Another win for India and Australia would need a comeback only seen once before in Test history: the 1936-37 Australia side, led by Don Bradman, is the only one to come from 2-0 down to win a five-match series. Although without rain in Manchester last year, England may well have etched their name alongside them. Should Australia prevail with the pink ball in Adelaide, as they have every time at this ground, then 1-1 with three to play sets up a tantalising prospect for what follows.Related

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It seems odd to say for the side 1-0 up after a 295-run victory, but there are a few moving parts for India. They were bowled out for 36 in their previous day-night Test in Adelaide (although that record collapse came in the day time) while their last floodlit Test came in 2022. Even for a player as experienced as KL Rahul, who spoke in some detail about the challenges of facing the pink ball, it will be a first.Then there’s the return of captain Rohit Sharma and fellow top-order batter Shubman Gill, meaning a rejig of the batting, along with a debate around whether there will be any changes to the bowling attack. Rohit confirmed that Rahul will continue to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, while he will bat “somewhere in the middle”. It was noted with some surprise by Nathan Lyon that 850-plus Test wickets – between R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja – sat on the bench last week. But India are selecting from a position of strength.Australia have issues of their own from the loss of Josh Hazlewood to a side injury (Scott Boland is a handy replacement), concerns over the productivity of the batting and uncertainty over how much of a bowling workload Mitchell Marsh can manage even though there is an expectation he will take the ball in Adelaide.There has been no baby-out-with-the-bathwater reaction from Australia to what happened in Perth – which in itself has annoyed some people – although if they can’t turn things around in Adelaide that philosophy will surely be tested. There has been surprise within the squad at the strength of reaction to the opening loss, but that emphasises the expectations of the team on home soil and a record that, overall, is incredibly successful. However, make no mistake, this is a vital Test for them.Form guideAustralia LWWLW
India WLLLW5:13

Cummins on pink-ball Tests: ‘Not a huge shift from red-ball cricket’

In the spotlight: Pat Cummins and Rohit SharmaPat Cummins had a very managed build-up to the opening Test and came into the series without a four-day game under his belt, instead playing a domestic one-dayer and two ODIs. He is experienced enough to know what works for him – and the preparation was done in close coordination with coaches – but he didn’t have a huge impact in Perth, even when Australia bowled India out for 150 on the first day. There is significant credit in the bank for Cummins, but in the absence of Hazlewood, this is a Test where the Australia captain will need to be at his best. “Was reasonably happy with how I bowled, felt like it came out alright,” Cummins said. “Overall pretty happy with the rhythm.”There will also be plenty of focus on his opposite number. Rohit Sharma is back having missed the first Test for the birth of his second child and with him came an interesting batting debate which has seen the captain take a decision for team. Rahul and Jaiswal, who combined so successfully in the second innings in Perth with a record stand of 201, will stay at the top. There are rumblings about Rohit’s form, too, with a top score of 52 in his last ten innings, while Jasprit Bumrah impressive marshalling the side in Perth has added another strand. Rohit’s highest Test score in Australia, an unbeaten 63 at the MCG in 2018-19, came at No. 6.Team news: One change for Australia, rejig for IndiaBoland comes in for the injured Hazlewood as Australia’s one change. It will be Boland’s first home Test in two years having not been needed at all last season. He has taken seven wickets at 13.71 in two day-nighters.Australia: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Nathan McSweeney, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott BolandThe positions of Rahul and Jaiswal are set. Rohit will bat in the middle, but where? Gill is expected to slot back in at No. 3. Virat Kohli is at No. 4. So Rohit could be in at No. 5 ahead of Rishabh Pant. Washington Sundar’s batting could again see him preferred over Ashwin despite the latter’s good record in Adelaide. Allrounder Nitesh Kumar Reddy is expected to retain his place.India (possible): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rohit Sharma (capt), 6 Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Nitesh Kumar Reddy, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj7:56

KL Rahul: ‘Focus is on winning each session and not worry about whole game’

Pitch and conditions: Chance of thunderstorm on day oneDamien Hough, the Adelaide Oval groundsman, is now very attuned to producing surfaces for day-night Test cricket. This season, he has also made one for a pink-ball Sheffield Shield game and the Test strip will have the same amount of grass – 6mm – left on. “Whether it’s a red ball or a pink one, we’re trying to replicate the Shield and the Test preparation… very similar preparations,” Hough said. “The Shield pitch showed if you didn’t get a new ball under lights, and you had a couple of set batters in, you’re able to see through some night-time cricket.” Lyon, meanwhile, said he expected the surface to take turn.There are showers and thunderstorms forecast for the opening day, which appear likely to interrupt play and could stretch into the second day as well, but after that the weather is fine so there should be plenty of time for a result.Stats and trivia Australia have won all seven day-night Tests in Adelaide. The closest margin was three wickets in the first of them against New Zealand in 2015-16. Bumrah needs one wicket to become the first bowler to reach 50 in Tests this year. If Virat Kohli scores another Adelaide hundred he would become the first overseas batter to have four at the ground.Quotes”Any Test there’s pressure, when you are down there’s that little bit more, especially when you are home. But we’ve been in similar situations, whether it’s World Cups or other series where you are in a kind of must-win situation – we aren’t quite there yet. But everyone has a lot of personal pride, professional pride, so there’s pressure on you any time you play from that, let alone the scoreboard being down 1-0.”

Newcastle United’s striker saga has defined their summer transfer window.

What began as a quiet plan to add depth has turned into a frantic mission following Alexander Isak’s refusal to reintegrate into Eddie Howe’s squad.

The Sweden international remains on £140,000-a-week wages but has made it clear he will not train or play, even if a transfer does not materialise before the deadline.

Isak’s stance stems from Liverpool’s approach earlier in the summer.

The forward, unsettled by the prospect of a move to Anfield, informed Newcastle that he no longer intends to represent the club.

It leaves Newcastle in a difficult position: they cannot sanction his departure until a replacement is secured, but without one, they risk heading into the season proper without a recognised senior striker.

Transfer Focus

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Their search has already produced a series of setbacks. Benjamin Šeško opted to join Manchester United. Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea remains a target, but there is little sign of progress.

The club have at least added Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw, and Aaron Ramsdale, yet none address the urgent need for a centre-forward. Attention has now turned to Paris Saint-Germain forward Gonçalo Ramos.

Ramos carries the profile and reputation of a marquee signing, but there is another candidate on the market who may prove to be the smarter, more effective addition to Eddie Howe’s side.

Newcastle closing in on Premier League striker

Reports from Football Insider suggest Newcastle are close to signing Yoane Wissa, as they will now see a bid accepted for him because Brentford are set to land his replacement.

The 28-year-old produced 19 goals and 5 assists in 35 Premier League appearances, per Sofascore, a return that placed him behind only Mohamed Salah in non-penalty goals.

Brentford, who have been picked apart this summer, appear resigned to his departure. Manager Thomas Frank has gone, as have captain Christian Nørgaard, goalkeeper Mark Flekken and winger Bryan Mbeumo.

With Dango Ouattara set to sign from Bournemouth for £37m, Wissa is now expected to be the next high-profile exit as that move will give the Magpies the green light to snap him up because a replacement will be in the building.

Nottingham Forest and Saudi club Neom SC have registered interest, but the player is understood to prefer Newcastle, attracted by the prospect of Champions League football.

Financially, the move makes sense. Wissa is on just £25,000 a week at Brentford, well within Newcastle’s wage structure. At 28, the forward is older than the club’s usual recruitment profile, but with Isak refusing to play and alternatives limited, Wissa’s Premier League pedigree may prove decisive.

Why Wissa is an upgrade on Ramos

The comparison with Gonçalo Ramos is unavoidable. The Portuguese striker, 24, joined PSG from Benfica in 2024 for £60m and remains highly rated. He has 16 caps for his country and nine goals at international level, with a market value of around £35m.

Last season, he scored 10 and assisted three in Ligue 1 across 22 appearances, per Sofascore, while also netting three times in the Champions League.

His strike in the Super Cup comeback against Spurs this week reinforced his reputation as a player for big occasions.

On paper, Ramos offers the glamour signing: younger, internationally proven, and with long-term upside. Yet Newcastle’s needs point in a different direction.

Wissa has been delivering consistently in the Premier League, while Ramos has had to compete with Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, and Désiré Doué for minutes in Paris.

The statistics reinforce the distinction. Wissa, dubbed “outstanding” by Keith Andrews, contributed 23 goal involvements in 35 matches last season, Ramos 13 in 22, per FBref.

In progressive carries per 90, Wissa (1.85) nearly doubles Ramos (0.93). He also leads in progressive passing distance (49.9m vs 31.1m), carries per 90 (17.0 vs 13.1), and successful take-on percentage (30.6% vs 9.1%).

Ramos outperforms in shooting accuracy – 55.8% of his efforts were on target compared with Wissa’s 45.6% – and he attempts more shots on target per game. He also shades shot-creating actions (2.54 vs 2.13).

However, when judged against Newcastle’s tactical requirements, Wissa’s profile is the better fit.

Howe’s team thrives on pressing, transitions, and direct attacking play. Wissa’s energy, ability to stretch defences and willingness to carry the ball forward align perfectly with that style.

Ramos is a more refined finisher but less active in buildup and pressing phases, raising doubts over how quickly he could adapt to the Premier League.

There are, of course, risks in signing Wissa. He turns 29 in September and is likely to miss part of the 2026 season for the Africa Cup of Nations.

His resale value is limited, but for Newcastle, short-term certainty outweighs long-term speculation.

They cannot afford to gamble on a player who may take a year to settle when Isak’s strike leaves them exposed right now. Wissa also brings the hunger of a player ready to grasp his final major opportunity.

After four years at Brentford, where he has scored 45 goals in 137 league appearances, per Transfermarkt, he now looks ready to play in the Champions League with the Magpies.

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2 ByWill Miller Aug 14, 2025

His motivation, coupled with Newcastle’s pressing need, makes the move logical for both sides.

Derby County are reportedly in an eight-club battle to complete the signing of a player who has enjoyed a productive start to the season.

Eustace "delighted" with Derby draw

The Rams picked up a 1-1 draw at home to Bristol City on Friday evening, earning their first Championship point of the season and now sitting outside the relegation zone.

Speaking over the weekend, Derby manager John Eustace had good things to say about the result, no doubt being buoyed by what he saw.

“It’s about the squad, it’s about 46 games, not three games, and we’re delighted to get a point. We would have liked all three. I don’t think Bristol caused us any problems at all, apart from the free-kick at the end and their goal, which could have been stopped.

“So the first half an hour is really positive. When you’ve lost two games in a row and you go a goal down, it’s always difficult from a confidence point of view, but this group we never give up, they’ll keep going, and it’s a really good thing to have.

“I thought first half an hour, I thought we were excellent. I think we have to remember that we’re off the back of two defeats, which isn’t easy, and then we you go a goal down, you know it’s always going to be very difficult.”

Derby could do with further signings before the end of the summer transfer window next Monday, however, and a new update has emerged in that respect.

Derby battling seven clubs to sign "special" ace

According to a fresh claim from Football Insider, Chesterfield Town attacker Armando Dobra is a transfer “target” for Derby this summer. The Rams are far from alone in showing an interest, however, with Portsmouth, Oxford United, Barnsley, Luton Town, Bolton Wanderers, Blackpool, and Reading also in the mix to snap him up.

Dobra could be a great addition for Derby, even though some may have doubts about his ability to make the step up from a lower league.

The 24-year-old has already scored three goals in all competitions this season, highlighting his attacking prowess, and Francis Jeffers lauded him as a youngster back in 2021.

“I thought he was special tonight. He’s got loads of ability. He has to get his numbers better with assists and goals, which I’ve spoken to him about and everyone gets on at him about, but if we can get him on the ball in those danger areas then he’s going to be some player.”

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This is their third bid for the player.

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Derby clearly need more attacking quality, even though five goals in three league games this season is a respectable return, and if they can beat the other seven clubs to Dobra’s signature, it could prove to be a coup over time.

Ruben Amorim is under mounting pressure to keep his job at Manchester United. The Portuguese coach has overseen the club's worst start to a Premier League season for 33 years, and has faced widespread criticism for his rigid tactics, with a £200m summer spending spree doing little to improve the Red Devils' fortunes.

It has been reported that Amorim only has three games left to save his job, and some are calling for club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to be drafted back in as his replacement. Solskjaer guided United to a second-place Premier League finish in 2020-21, while embracing the counter-attacking style that garnered so much success in the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

But does re-hiring a former coach actually work? GOAL ranks the top 10 managers who successfully, and not so successfully, returned to their old stomping grounds below…

Getty Images Sport10Frank Lampard – Chelsea

Frank Lampard may be Chelsea's greatest-ever player. The midfielder scored a remarkable 211 goals in 648 games for the Blues, but his time in management at Stamford Bridge was less fruitful. In his first stint between July 2019 and January 2021, the ex-England international had a respectable winning percentage of 52.38 in 84 matches. 

But in his caretaker spell between April and June 2023, it was an unmitigated disaster. Lampard won just one of his 11 matches in charge with a 9.09 win percentage. He is doing better at Championship side Coventry City now, though.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport9Guus Hiddink – Chelsea

Guus Hiddink has put together a glittering CV over more than 30 years in management. He has been in the dugout for PSV Eindhoven, Real Madrid, the Netherlands, Valencia, and more. So after Luiz Felipe Scolari was sacked by Chelsea in early 2009, there was a lot of excitement among fans when Hiddink was tasked with steadying the Blues' ship for the rest of the season. 

He guided them to an FA Cup triumph, and his side were arguably robbed in their Champions League semi-final aggregate loss to Barcelona, where some questionable refereeing calls went against them. Hiddink left with a win percentage of 72.73, but in another caretaker stint between December 2015 and May 2016, that dropped to 37.04. He inherited a Chelsea team sitting 16th in the table and could only guide them to a 10th-place finish, though he did break the record for the longest unbeaten streak as a new manager (12 games).

AFP8Tony Pulis – Stoke City

The famous quote of, 'Can they do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke?' came during one of Tony Pulis' spells at the Potters. Rory Delap's long throws, pitches that were as compact as possible, and upsetting the Premier League big boys were part and parcel of his time at the Staffordshire outfit. 

Pulis took hold of the reins at Stoke in November 2002 and had a 35.88 win percentage before leaving in June 2005. But his second stint led to them earning promotion to the Premier League, staying in that role for nearly seven years (2006-13), and his win percentage rose to 36.64 despite being in a higher division. He even got them playing in Europe. Chapeau!

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Getty Images Sport7Fabio Capello – Real Madrid

One of the most illustrious names on this list, Italian disciplinarian Fabio Capello did not suffer fools gladly in his managerial career. He enjoyed a huge amount of success, but his second stint at Real Madrid didn't prove to be as fruitful. He guided Los Blancos to La Liga success in 1997 and had a 64.58 win percentage between May 1996 to June 1997. 

When he returned in July 2006 for a year, Capello won another league title, but that win percentage dipped to 56. Moreover, the former Roma boss also had a much more successful spell at AC Milan between 1991-96 rather than in 1997-98.

England were bundled out for sub-200 scores in both innings and end the series with a lot to ponder

Alex Malcolm01-Feb-2025These will forever be known as Alana King’s Ashes. Australia’s legspinner delivered another spellbinding performance at the MCG to ensure England were whitewashed 16 points to nil for the first time in the multi-format era after an innings and 122 rout inside three days.King took her maiden Test five-wicket haul, nine for the match and 23 for the series at a 11.17 to equal Ash Gardner’s record haul of 23 scalps in the 2023 Ashes and finish as Player of the Series.Gardner took 4 for 39 to cap a wonderful series. The spin duo bowled 47.4 overs together unchanged to claim the last nine wickets of the match and allow England to start their recriminations a day early.It was a day of celebration for Australia with Beth Mooney earlier becoming just the fourth female and the first Australian to score international centuries in all three formats, making 106 as the hosts piled up 440 and a first innings lead of 270, their second-highest such lead in a women’s Test. Annabel Sutherland was Player of the Match for her 163.ESPNcricinfo LtdDespite taking four wickets in the first innings, and having multiple chances missed, captain Alyssa Healy oddly waited 22 overs in England’s second innings before throwing King the ball. England had shown some resilience with Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight compiling a half-century stand and looking relatively untroubled after Maia Bouchier had her middle stump flattened by Darcie Brown in the first over to end a miserable tour.But when King and Gardner were finally locked in tandem, they created carnage just as they had done throughout the ODI series. With England 79 for 1, Knight bunted a catch to short leg where Phoebe Litchfield held her second sharp close catch of the match.King then bamboozled Nat Sciver-Brunt for the second time in the match and the fourth time in the series. Sciver-Brunt had spoken after her first innings half-century about wanting to play King off the back foot despite twice being bowled playing back, including on day one for 51.She changed tack in the second, instead pushing forward at every opportunity and sweeping anything pitching outside leg. King forced a leading edge that landed just wide of silly mid-off and then fizzed another past the outside edge, but Sciver-Brunt did well to hold the line.With that set-up, she played for turn on the front foot trying to defend and King got one to skid into her front pad and trap her lbw. Sciver-Brunt took a review with her to underscore how deceived she was.Sophia Dunkley was bowled by a ripping Alana King legbreak•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesKing then delivered the ball of the series to Sophia Dunkley. She drifted one outside leg at 72.1kph, ala Shane Warne to Mike Gatting, it dipped and pitched and spun sharply past Dunkley’s forward defence and crashed into the top of off. There was an audible gasp from the 11,804 in attendance when the replay came up on the big screens. It meant Dunkley was in no doubt as to what had happened, unlike Gatting.Danni Wyatt-Hodge avoided falling to King for a fourth time as Sciver-Brunt, instead meekly sweeping Gardner straight to short fine.King’s third and fourth scalps were from arguably her two worst balls. Beaumont dragged on from a non-committal jab at a shorter legbreak wide of off for 47.Ryana MacDonald-Gay had been strangely upbeat in the press conference on the second night, but her mood would surely have shifted after hitting a rank full toss from King straight to deep midwicket.In the midst of those two dismissals, Mooney took an excellent catch off Gardner via a thick deflection from Amy Jones’ outside edge.Sophie Ecclestone’s bizarre Test match concluded when she top-edged a long-hop from Gardner to midwicket.With both spinners on four wickets each, the race to join Peggy Antonio on Australia’s bowling honours board at the MCG was comical as skied balls and edges somehow evaded fielders hands. Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer faced the most balls ever for a 10th wicket pair in women’s Tests before Filer finally chipped one to catching mid-on.Beth Mooney became the fourth woman to score a century in all three forms•Getty ImagesEarlier, Mooney joined Sutherland on the MCG honours board as the second century maker in the Australia’s innings.Having spent the night unbeaten on 98, Mooney looked a bundle of nerves through the first five balls of the day. Ecclestone beat her twice and she nearly caused a mix-up trying to invent a non-existent single. But off the last ball of the over she breathed a huge sigh of relief as Ecclestone dropped short to allow her to punch two off the back foot through point and raise her arms aloft.Thereafter, England finally had a decent hour as they held their catches to reward their bowlers. Ecclestone gave Tahlia McGrath nothing to hit before she skipped out to the wrong line and dragged a catch to mid-on.Filer then cranked up the pace despite having delivered 21 overs on day two. She had Kim Garth caught behind for a third-ball duck and could have easily had Mooney lbw from around the wicket in the next over. Mooney was initially given not out and DRS showed it was umpire’s call on impact in line with off but it was crashing into middle.Mooney’s luck continued five balls later when she gloved down the legside but Amy Jones caught it while part of the ball brushed the ground as it entered her gloves. Filer was finally rewarded when she clattered Mooney’s off stump with the left-hander playing down the wrong line.In between, Ecclestone pinned King lbw for 3 which brought Ellyse Perry to the crease at No.10 for the first time in her career. It was odd that Perry was fit to bat but came in behind Garth and King. But the moment she ran her first runs, a two to wide long-off, it was clear she was in a lot of discomfort with her corked left hip. She chipped a return catch back to Ecclestone to end the innings and unjustly dent her extraordinary Test average.Australia had bizarrely lost 5 for 9 despite their extraordinary batting depth and handed Ecclestone her third Test five-wicket haul, albeit her most expensive ahead of the 5 for 129 she took in the last Ashes Test in Nottingham.

Manchester United are now considering a move for a “sensational” midfielder who is also being chased by Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, having pulled out of the race for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba.

Man Utd eyeing midfielder after EFL Cup disaster

Since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, there have been some difficult moments for Man United, but being knocked out of the EFL Cup by Grimsby Town is without doubt a low point, with the League Two side progressing after winning on penalties.

In Ruben Amorim’s post-match interview, the manager made it clear that the best side won on the night, despite an improved second-half performance, with Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire leading the fightback.

With Andre Onana making yet another error leading to a goal, following on from a key mistake from Altay Bayindir on the opening day against Arsenal, bringing in a new goalkeeper should undoubtedly be one of United’s key objectives in the final days of the transfer window.

However, Amorim has also been keen to bring in a new central midfielder throughout the summer, with Baleba previously emerging as a major target, before the interest was ended, in light of Brighton’s high asking price.

Now, Man United are in the race for another midfielder, according to a report from The Boot Room, which states they are considering a move for Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, after deciding against pursuing Baleba.

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A number of Premier League clubs are in the race for Gallagher, with Crystal Palace believed to be keen admirers, and it has been widely reported that Oliver Glasner’s side have already made contact, as have Newcastle United.

Newcastle were said to be leading the race for the midfielder earlier this summer, with Howe well-known to have wanted him for years, but there are indications that United could now be willing to hijack the move.

"Sensational" Gallagher could be solid signing for Man Utd

In truth, the 25-year-old, who Atletico paid £33m for last summer, wouldn’t be the flashiest of signings, but he has impressed Diego Simeone since arriving in Spain, with the manager saying: “He is a hard-working player who has quality and a good ability to arrive in the area from deep and who never fails to give everything in every ball.”

There are also indications the Atletico maestro could have the personality to succeed at Old Trafford, with reporter John Cross praising the central midfielder for his “sensational” attitude during his time with Chelsea.

That said, the former Crystal Palace man probably shouldn’t be brought in as a direct alternative to Baleba, given that he has predominantly featured in a central or attacking midfield role throughout his career, while the Brighton star has a more defensive mindset.

Not only that, but Man United’s number one priority before the transfer deadline should be to sign a new goalkeeper, after Onana made yet another blunder against Grimsby.

Vidarbha are chasing their third title, while this is the first time Kerala have qualified for the Ranji Trophy final

Shashank Kishore25-Feb-2025Big picture: Kerala’s time under the sunHave film stars and politicians ever been this excited about the Ranji Trophy? Kerala’s entry into their maiden final has ticked that box. And the manner of their getting there has been nothing less than a Lalettan blockbuster.It’s the biggest moment in the careers of many who come from a part of the country where there’s a culture of hero worship, but also where there have been only a few cricket heroes – like S Sreesanth and, more recently, Sanju Samson. But dig a little deeper and you find others with an impeccable body of work.Like KN Ananthapadmanabhan, now a recognised umpire who led Kerala to their biggest result in the mid-1990s, when they made the pre-quarter-finals in 1994-95. Or Feroze Rashid, who helped them qualify for the Ranji Trophy Super League after they emerged South Zone winners in 1996-97. Or VA Jagadeesh, a probationary bank officer who was one of the classical old-school openers of the early 2000s. The list is long, but they have usually flown under the radar.So, when the Sachin Baby-led squad takes the field in Nagpur on Wednesday, a state of 35 million known mainly for its football, will have their time under the sun. Their previous shot at a final in 2018-19 ended in heartbreak, but the current squad has a number of players from that game who are not only better off from the experience, but perhaps better equipped, a direct consequence of a more streamlined system.They are up against Vidarbha, two-time Ranji winners who are now beginning to regularly dominate the domestic scene. A state that for long wasn’t known for producing players by the truckloads for India, but is now a feeder line of talent. Like Jitesh Sharma, who took over the mantle from Umesh Yadav and has gone on to play for India in T20Is. Or Harsh Dubey, the season’s leading wicket-taker who R Ashwin has taken under his wing.Vidarbha’s growing investment in the age-group set-up, has helped churn out seasoned players like Atharva Taide, Yash Rathod and Yash Thakur. Led astutely by Akshay Wadkar, a rookie when they first won a title in 2017-18, there’s a strong core group that now includes senior professionals like Karun Nair and Dhruv Shorey. Vidarbha are favourites, but Kerala have played like a team without baggage and will fight until the end, like they have time and again this season.Karun Nair has been in sparkling form this season•PTI Form guide: Vidarbha on a rollVidarbha WWWWD
Kerala DDWDDRun to the final: Two contrasting journeysVidarbha’s six wins in seven games were the most by a team in the group stage. Kerala got there on the back of just three wins, having pipped Karnataka and Bengal.Kerala made the final on the back of two first-innings leads in dramatic circumstances against Jammu & Kashmir and Gujarat, while Vidarbha got here having ousted Tamil Nadu and defending champions Mumbai in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively.In the spotlight: Aditya Sarwate and Karun NairAditya Sarwate bowled 11 wicketless overs combined out of the 194.5 Vidarbha bowled across two innings in last year’s Ranji Trophy final against Mumbai, back spasms holding him back. He ended the season with 40 wickets, the most by a Vidarbha bowler, but soon found himself under scrutiny when his fitness and work ethic were questioned within the team. Sarwate is now Kerala’s second-highest wicket-taker this season and is coming off a sensational semi-final performance on the final day against Gujarat. Kerala will bank on Sarwate for plenty of intel on his former team at his home ground.Karun Nair was in his first season when he hit three centuries during a memorable Ranji Trophy triumph with Karnataka in 2013-14. In the final that followed next year, Nair hit a triple-century as Karnataka beat Tamil Nadu to win back-to-back titles. A decade later, he’s back among the runs in a big way. Having topped the charts with a record-breaking 779 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he has the opportunity to trigger talks of an India comeback for the England Tests should he score big in the final.Aditya Thakare will be back for the final•PTI Team news: Thakare and Nizar fitSeamer Aditya Thakare, who picked up a five-for in the quarter-final against Tamil Nadu, missed the semi-final owing to a hamstring niggle. Thakare is fit and available for the final. That could mean Vidarbha leave out one of Darshan Nalkande and Nachiket Bhute.Vidarbha (likely XI): 1 Atharva Taide, 2 Dhruv Shorey, 3 Danish Malewar, 4 Karun Nair, 5 Yash Rathod, 6 Akshay Wadkar (capt, wk), 7 Harsh Dubey, 8 Parth Rekhade, 9 Nachiket Bhute/Darshan Nalkande, 10 Yash Thakur, 11 Aditya ThakareThe blow to his helmet in what was a tournament-defining moment for Kerala last week had left Salman Nizar concussed, but he has since recovered and is set to play. Kerala have no other injury concerns. They could bring back medium pacer Nedumankuzhy Basil in place of allrounder Ahammed Imran for better balance.Kerala (likely XI): 1 Akshay Chandran, 2 Rohan Kunnummal, 3 Varun Nayanar, 4 Sachin Baby (capt), 5 Jalaj Saxena, 6 Salman Nizar, 7 Mohammed Azharuddeen (wk), 8 Aditya Sarwate, 9 MD Nidheesh, 10 Basil Thampi, 11 Nedumankuzhy BasilPitch and conditionsNagpur is hot and dry already, with day temperatures touching the mid-30s (Celsius). The fresh surface in use for the final is believed to have a decent grass cover, to begin with, but the dryness will ensure cracks open up, allowing spin to come into the game from days three to five.Stats and trivia Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey is three short of the all-time Ranji record for most wickets in a season. Bihar’s Ashutosh Aman currently holds the record with the 68 wickets that he picked up in 2018-19. Nizar is Kerala’s highest run-getter this season, with 607. Nearly 60% of those runs have come in the last three games. Vidarbha won the only Ranji final in Jamtha, Nagpur previously, when they beat Saurashtra in 2018-19. Sarwate, Vidarbha’s highest wicket-taker during that winning campaign (55 at 19.57), will be looking to win his third Ranji title, this time with Kerala. Rathod is 105 runs away from eclipsing Wasim Jaffer’s record for most runs in a single Ranji season by a Vidarbha batter. Jaffer aggregated 1037 during their winning campaign in 2018-19, with four hundreds and two fifties. Rathod has already hit five hundreds and three fifties this season.Quotes”He’s a sound leader – a performer who has shown the tenacity to withstand pressure and lead from the front. The entire team has resonated his fighting spirit through the season”
.”In my first meeting with Amay [Khurasiya, head coach] sir in August, I told him we needed just two things: discipline and strengthening of our lower-order batting. I think so far we’ve delivered on both counts. Now, the talk within the group is we don’t have one game left, but two. Final and Irani Cup [between the Ranji winners and a rest of India team]. We are going in with that mindset”
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To outsiders, the fact that Manchester United have not sacked Ruben Amorim yet is one of the great mysteries of our time. There have been several occasions when the Portuguese would have been given his marching orders at many other top clubs. Can you imagine Real Madrid sticking with a coach that had lost eight out of 12 league games between last December and February?

Would Bayern Munich have backed a manager that lost six out of their final nine league matches last season? Or even Borussia Dortmund? And would Juventus, Inter or AC Milan have stuck with a coach that had presided over the club's first ever defeat to a fourth-tier team and then lost three of their six league games, including being humiliated by their local rivals? The answer is obvious: no.

Now let's move the conversation on from the owners. Would the supporters of any of those elite European teams refrain from demanding such a struggling manager be dismissed? Clearly not. And would they be chanting his name at each game or holding up supportive banners for him at home and away matches? No chance. They would be much more likely to boycott games by way of protest or even invade the training ground to confront the coach and his players.

That United fans are still supporting the manager, at games at least, has a lot to do with the legacy of having Sir Alex Ferguson in charge for 27 seasons and a lack of appetite for a never-ending churn of managers. When Ferguson ended his glorious reign in 2013, he urged the Old Trafford faithful to "stand by the new manager" and that is largely what they have done, from David Moyes' nightmare tenure through to the metronomic football of Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho's mood swings and the many thrashings Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag oversaw.

But why is Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a man who had no qualms about sacking 450 workers and gleefully took away employees' free lunches, keeping the faith? GOAL tries to explain the conundrum facing the United co-owner…

Getty Images SportRatcliffe likes the cut of his jib

There are quite a few similarities between Ratcliffe and the fictional media tycoon Logan Roy from the HBO smash hit television series . Both men rose to become self-made billionaires after working class upbringings and have a particularly ruthless side. They also place a big value on first impressions.

Roy takes an instant liking to Swedish entrepreneur Lukas Matsson and then to right-wing presidential candidate Jeryd Mencken, never dwelling on the negative consequences of either choice. And in a similar way, Ratcliffe simply likes Amorim, in a way he did not take to Erik ten Hag or the short-lived sporting director Dan Ashworth.

Ratcliffe secretly flew out to Lisbon to meet personally with Amorim last year when Ten Hag was still in the role and was immediately impressed with him. When describing him to last December he described the Portuguese as "intelligent, thoughtful" and hailed him as "a fantastic coach".

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Given United's form had nosedived by the time Ratcliffe spoke to last March, he modified his tone somewhat, but still made excuses for Amorim. "You know, you’re a young guy, you’ve come into the Premier League for the first time in your life, you’ve come in mid-season, it’s not your natural language," the Briton said. "I think coaches are emotional and Ruben’s no exception to that. And he’s a young coach. And he’s not perfect. But give Ruben a break. I think he’s a good guy, he’s working hard and I think he’s doing a great job."

He also emphasised, once more, his personal connection with the coach. "I really, really like Ruben. He’s a very thoughtful guy. Every time I go to the training ground, I speak to Ruben," Ratcliffe revealed. "I sit down and have a cup of coffee with him and tell him where it’s going wrong, and he tells me to f*ck off. I like him."

Amorim gave more details of the pair's relationship in the summer during United's pre-season tour. "We speak on the phone. He sends me messages, he sends me GIFs. I think it's really easy to deal with Jim," the Portuguese said. 

"I will say whatever I need to say with, of course, a lot of respect. Like with everybody, I know that he's the owner of the club, I know my place. But when I need to say something, I will say it naturally. With no bullsh*t. I'm not around the subject, I'm really direct. I think it's something that he likes a lot."

Getty Images SportCharisma and good looks go a long way

Ratcliffe's rapport with Amorim goes some way to explain why he has been so reluctant to fire him despite the dire results and poor performances. It is difficult not to agree with the assessment of Jamie Carragher, who said: "If he wasn’t so charismatic in the press conference, and wasn’t such a good-looking man, he might have lost his job a lot earlier. When you look at the results, they are horrendous."

But Ratcliffe's relationship with Amorim would not be the only thing at risk if he were to fire him less than a year after hiring him. The United co-owner has staked his reputation on the coach being a success. He has admitted to making a huge mistake by giving Ten Hag a vote of confidence after the FA Cup final win over Manchester City, having tried to find a new coach before extending the Dutchman's contract. 

And when he hired Amorim, he went over the head of Dan Ashworth, who favoured an English manager like Graham Potter, Gareth Southgate or Eddie Howe. The disagreement over who should replace Ten Hag reportedly played a big part in Ashworth being fired five months into his role as sporting director, although Ratcliffe claimed the problem was a lack of "chemistry". 

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Getty Images SportFinancial considerations

That leads us to another factor protecting Amorim from imminent sack: financial concerns. Firing Ashworth cost United around £4m ($5.3m) in redundancy payments, in addition to the £10.5m ($14.1m) it took to remove Ten Hag. Then there's the fact United paid an additional £11m ($14.8m) to release Amorim from his contract with Sporting CP. 

With Amorim under contract until 2027, it would take at least another £10m ($13.4m) to part ways with the Portuguese. That would mean the club squandering around £35m ($47m) on hiring and firing fees in less than 12 months, which would be extra sensitive given the club sacked 250 workers in 2024 in order to save an estimated £10m per year.

Then there is the £220m ($295m) the club invested in new players over the summer. You can see why they would be keen to give the coach more time to work with Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. And that is only one element of transfer dealings the club have done to support the coach. They also sanctioned the departures of Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony, taking a massive loss on all of them, because Amorim did not see them fitting into his team.

Gujarat Giants put down four catches in the field, before losing their way in a chase of 214 in the Eliminator

Vishal Dikshit13-Mar-2025Majestic batting from Nat Sciver-Brunt, middle-overs acceleration from Hayley Matthews, and power-hitting from Harmanpreet Kaur helped Mumbai Indians post a daunting total of 213 in the Eliminator. That proved to be too much to chase down, and Mumbai’s 47-run win extended their head-to-head dominance over Gujarat Giants to 7-0 and powered them into their second WPL final in three years. On Saturday, they will face Delhi Capitals in a repeat of the 2023 finale.Giants were without Deandra Dottin for their first knockout game in three WPLs after the allrounder hurt herself only five minutes before the toss, and was replaced by England’s Danielle Gibson. Giants didn’t do themselves any favours as they misfielded through the innings and put down four catches that cost them heavily. In the run chase, they lost their three top-scorers this season – Beth Mooney, Harleen Deol and Ashleigh Gardner – in the powerplay as Mumbai held on to their catches and effected run-outs.Phoebe Litchfield scored a quickfire 31 off 20 balls, but once she was stumped off Amelia Kerr, Giants were all but out of the chase at 107 for 5, with the asking rate above 13 an over.Matthews, Sciver-Brunt set solid platformPut in to bat, Mumbai went back to opening with Yastika Bhatia, but it didn’t change her fortunes. After collecting three boundaries in her 14-ball stay during a sedate powerplay in which MI didn’t take too many risks, Bhatia pulled Gibson to midwicket to fall for 14.The wicket brought out the in-form Sciver-Brunt, who didn’t bat an eyelid to get going alongside Matthews, who started with only 17 runs off her first 22 balls before taking off. Sciver-Brunt took the aerial route straightaway. She ended the seventh over with consecutive boundaries, which Matthews followed up by smacking three of her own off the next three balls from Priya Mishra to power the run rate past eight an over. Three of those five consecutive fours came off short deliveries, a length the Giants bowlers often bowled and got punished for.Their sloppy fielding didn’t help either, leading to a number of boundaries. The first came in the ninth over when Sciver-Brunt drove to deep cover, where Simran Shaikh let the ball go through her. Soon after, Sciver-Brunt reverse paddled Gardner for her fifth boundary in 12 balls. Kashvee Gautam then let one through at point when Matthews cut one square. By then, Matthews had started to find her A game, and a six off Tanuja Kanwar’s short ball brought her fifty up off 36 balls, and the team’s 100 in 11 overs.With Mumbai at 111 for 1 after 12 overs, Meghna Singh and Mishra brought some sort of balance back by conceding only 13 runs in two overs. But from the cushion of 124 for 1 with six overs to go, it was time to floor the pedal.Harmanpreet Kaur smashed 36 off just 12 balls•BCCIHarmonster demolishes Giants againHarmanpreet already had her helmet on in the dugout, and was shadow-practicing her big swings while waiting for her chance. Sciver-Brunt deposited Gibson over deep midwicket and long-on to raise a 29-ball fifty. Giants, meanwhile, continued their wretched run on the field when the reliable Gardner dropped Matthews on 57 straight down the ground.Matthews made them pay immediately, hitting Mishra for back-to-back sixes over long-on and cover with deft footwork. Such was Mumbai’s luck that even a top-edge off the next ball went for four. But that luck ran out when Matthews edged Gautam behind for 77 off 50 balls, and Mooney took a sharp catch standing up.Harmanpreet averaged nearly 79 against Giants before this game, and the number could have fallen had Mishra held on to a catch at midwicket when she was on 1. But Mishra didn’t, and Harmanpreet became Harmonster. She went deep in the crease and opened her stance to cart the ball around, whether it was in the slot or not.Harmanpreet started the 18th over by hammering Kanwar for 6, 4, 4 – even that sequence included a misfield – before ending the over with her trademark slog-sweep for six. That over went for 22 in all. Sciver-Brunt also got a life in the next over – sandwiched between two boundaries off Gibson – when Kanwar made a mess of a skier. Giants were punished yet again next ball, but finally ended the partnership when Litchfield caught one at deep midwicket, leaving Sciver-Brunt seven short of 500 runs this season, and three short of 1000 in the WPL overall.Harmanpreet was gifted two balls in the slot at the start of the last over, and she happily collected sixes off both. Meghna, however, finished well, giving away just two off the next three balls before nailing a yorker that led to Harmanpreet being run out for 36.Danielle Gibson’s dive wasn’t enough for Amanjot Kaur’s flat throw from the deep•BCCIMumbai’s fielders show how it’s doneIt took only five balls for the hosts to show their superiority in the field on the night, despite the presence of dew. When Shabnim Ismail drew Mooney’s edge, Matthews leapt to her right from first slip to grab the ball with both hands. When Harleen Deol and Gibson got into a mix-up in the fifth over, 20-year-old Sanskriti Gupta put in a dive at point and hurled the ball quickly to the wicketkeeper to find Deol short. And just before the halfway mark, Gibson also fell short when attempting a second run, and her dive wasn’t enough to beat Amanjot Kaur’s flat throw from the deep.In between, Gardner lost her off stump against Matthews, which meant Giants were 43 for 3 in the powerplay. Litchfield was their only hope and she used her feet regularly against Kerr and struck two boundaries against Ismail that showed her class on either side of the wicket. But when Litchfield ventured out of the crease against Kerr once again and missed, Bhatia did the rest to leave Giants 107 for 5.Another run-out and Giants go downGiants hardly had any steam left in their tank, and their poor running added to their misery. Next to fall short was Gautam, who was sent back when she hurried out for a quick single after drilling the ball to cover, from where Harmanpreet fired the ball back for the sixth wicket.With another 102 runs to get from the remaining 42 balls, and their top five back in the hut, Giants’ only hope of getting anywhere close to their target was Bharti Fulmali. She started with a straight six off Amanjot, dispatched Kerr to the leg-side boundary, and flayed Matthews for consecutive boundaries behind square. But when Fulmali backed away looking for a third boundary in a row, Matthews beat her attempted cut and knocked the stumps over.Mumbai continued their stellar fielding display as Harmanpreet took a diving catch to send Shaikh back, and Sciver-Brunt ran to her left at deep midwicket to seal victory in the last over.

Jose Mourinho is open to the idea of taking over at Glasgow Rangers and is now on the lookout for his next managerial position after leaving Fenerbahce.

Mourinho departs Fenerbahce after Champions League exit

It has been confirmed that Mourinho has left Fenerbahce after 14 months in charge of the Turkish side. The iconic 62-year-old manager was sacked just six games into the 2025/26 season, with Fenerbahce failing to qualify for the Champions League after a qualifier defeat to Benfica.

A serial winner who has been in charge of huge European clubs in Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham and Roma during his career, it doesn’t appear as if Mourinho has any plans to retire just yet.

FC Porto

Champions League

2004

UEFA Cup

2003

Liga Portugal

2003, 2004

Taça de Portugal

2003

Portuguese Super Cup

2003

Chelsea

Premier League

2005, 2006, 2015

FA Cup

2007

League Cup

2005, 2007, 2015

Community Shield

2005

Inter Milan

Champions League

2010

Serie A

2009, 2010

Coppa Italia

2010

Italian Super Cup

2008

Real Madrid

La Liga

2012

Copa del Rey

2011

Spanish Super Cup

2012

Manchester United

League Cup

2017

Community Shield

2016

AS Roma

Europa Conference League

2022

A move to Scotland has also been put to the ‘Special One’ in 2025, with Rangers going through more managerial struggles at this moment in time.

Mourinho actually faced Rangers in the 2024/25 Europa League Round of 16, with interim Gers manager Barry Ferguson getting the better of the Portuguese boss over two legs.

Jose Mourinho open to managing Rangers

Talking earlier in the year, Mourinho was asked if the possibility of asked of working in Scotland for Celtic or Rangers would interest him.

He was happy at Fenerbahce at the time but did admit he would be open to a move in the future, calling Rangers a “big club” with a “big fan base”.

Rangers currently have Russell Martin in charge at Ibrox, however, he has had a woeful start to life in Glasgow, with speculation surrounding his future after 10 games in charge.

The Gers also went out of the Champions League at the same stage as Fenerbahce, with Martin’s side humiliated by Club Brugge in a 9-1 aggregate defeat.

Mourinho is now available, so Rangers’ new owners the 49ers Enterprises may have the chance to offer him a move, should they part ways with Martin sooner rather than later.