da bet vitoria： There could be plenty of change at Manchester United this summer as Ruben Amorim prepares for his first full season in charge at Old Trafford.

da jogodeouro： The Red Devils and INEOS may have to move some players on before splashing the cash to comply with PSR, especially after the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham didn’t help with the club’s finances.

Amorim also now knows that he will be leading his Man Utd side against Arsenal at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Related AI predicts the 2025/26 Premier League table

Who are the winners and losers from AI’s table?

Posts 1 ByCharlie Smith Jun 7, 2025

Marquee signing Matheus Cunha will be expected to feature on the opening weekend, but who else will be in that side? Well, Grok, the AI tool on X, has predicted Man Utd’s 25/26 starting line-up, with three more new faces backed to join the Brazilian.

AI predicts Man Utd’s 2025/26 starting line-up GK: Emiliano Martinez

According to Grok, the new goalkeeper for the 25/26 season at Old Trafford will be Emiliano Martinez.

The Red Devils are seemingly on the search to replace Andre Onana two years after he arrived, and the Argentine is thought to be open to joining Amorim’s side. A fee of £40m has been mooted in the media for Aston Villa to sell.

RCB: Noussair Mazraoui

Versatile defender Noussair Mazraoui has been predicted to start on the right-hand side of a back three after making 20 appearances as a central defender last season.

AI says that the Moroccan ‘adapted well to Amorim’s right centre-back role, offering defensive solidity and attacking contributions’.

CB: Leny Yoro

Still just 19 years of age, Leny Yoro looks set to be a regular at the back over the coming years, and he made 33 appearances in his first season at Old Trafford.

His ‘long-term potential make him a starter’ under Amorim, according to Grok, providing he stays fully fit.

LCB: Matthijs de Ligt

With Lisandro Martinez still sidelined through injury, Matthijs de Ligt has been predicted to make up the back three alongside Mazraoui and Yoro.

Despite being right footed, the Netherlands international has bundles of experience at the highest level and should continue to help Yoro and Mazraoui.

RWB: Amad Diallo

In a 3-4-2-1 system, Amad Diallo impressed as a right wing-back in the early days of Amorim’s Man Utd tenure.

Amorim also praised Diallo, saying the Ivorian has “improved so much defensively”, and he has been backed to feature there on a regular basis, starting against Arsenal ahead of Diogo Dalot.

LWB: Patrick Dorgu

On the other side, January signing Patrick Dorgu could get the nod ahead of his first full campaign as a Red Devils player.

The Denmark international was a regular in the second half of the 24/25 campaign and will be looking to add to his 20 Man Utd appearances.

CM: Manuel Ugarte

The first of two midfielders is Manuel Ugarte, who, despite being known for his defensive work, contributed to eight goals under Amorim in 24/25.

Ugarte is described as a ‘guaranteed starter’, providing a major midfield signing isn’t made, as he ‘brings energy and defensive nous to midfield, aligning with Amorim’s desire for dynamism’.

CM: Bruno Fernandes (c)

After snubbing interest from Saudi Arabia, Bruno Fernandes was always going to start in Grok’s Man Utd predicted XI.

Bruno Fernandes’ Man Utd stats

Games

290

Goals

98

Assists

86

Trophies won

2

The Red Devils captain is into his sixth year at Old Trafford and despite the club’s struggles, will go down as an iconic Man Utd star. AI says Fernandes ‘will anchor the midfield, likely playing slightly advanced’.

RW: Matheus Cunha

After triggering Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m release clause, it is no surprise to see Man Utd’s new signing thrown straight into the starting line-up.

The Brazilian contributed to 19 goals last season as an attacking midfielder or second striker, with the remaining four contributors coming as a winger or centre-forward. Grok has predicted that Amorim will use Cunha as one of two No.10s behind a striker.

LW: Bryan Mbeumo

Joining Cunha in behind a forward is another new face in Bryan Mbeumo. The Red Devils have a major interest in the Brentford star, who is valued up to £60m.

Grok says Mbeumo ‘pace and goal-scoring’ will offer a ‘balance to the attack’, and after a career best season in front of goal with the Bees in 24/25, it’s hard to argue against that.

ST: Viktor Gyokeres

Finishing off the side could be Man Utd’s most exciting and expensive signing of the summer in Viktor Gyokeres. The goalscoring machine starred under Amorim with Sporting CP and a reunion has been spoken about, although he does have an £85m release clause in his contract.

Grok says Gyokeres ‘could be the answer to their goal-scoring woes, outshining Rasmus Hojlund’ in the process.

أصدر عمر عصر لاعب منتخب مصر لتنس الطاولة، بيانًا رسميًا بعد الأزمة الأخيرة في بطولة إفريقيا لتنس الطاولة.

وكانت مباراة مصر ونيجيريا في بطولة إفريقيا لتنس الطاولة، شهدت مشادة وأزمة كبيرة بين اللاعب عمر عصر وزميله محمود أشرف، نجل رئيس اتحاد اللعبة.

طالع.. وزارة الرياضة تصدر بيانًا رسميًا بشأن واقعة عمر عصر ونجل رئيس اتحاد تنس الطاولة

وجاء بيان عمر عصر على النحو التالي:

“أتقدّم بخالص التهنئة لـ منتخب مصر لتنس الطاولة على تحقيق إنجاز تاريخي غير مسبوق منذ أكثر من عشرين عامًا، بعد الفوز بجميع الميداليات الذهبية في بطولة أفريقيا الأخيرة، هذا الإنجاز هو ثمرة جهد جماعي مميز من اللاعبين والجهاز الفني والإداري، ويعكس المكانة الحقيقية لتنس الطاولة المصرية على الساحة القارية”.

وأضاف: “بصفتي كابتن المنتخب الوطني، أُدرك تمامًا حجم المسؤولية الملقاة على عاتقي، ليس فقط في الأداء داخل الملعب، بل أيضًا في تمثيل المنتخب والقيم التي نعتز بها جميعًا، وقد صدر مني في بعض اللحظات ما لم يكن في الإطار الذي تعوّدنا عليه داخل المنتخب الوطني، وهو ما يدفعني دومًا للتأكيد على أهمية الحفاظ على الصورة التي تليق بمصر”.

وتابع: “إن تمثيل مصر شرف عظيم، ويستوجب دائمًا أعلى درجات الانضباط والالتزام، وأعد جماهيرنا العزيزة وكل من يساند المنتخب أن أكون عند حسن الظن، وأن أعمل بكل طاقتي ليبقى اسم مصر في الصدارة”.

وواصل: “كما أتقدّم بخالص التقدير والاعتزاز للجهاز الفني والإداري، ولمجلس إدارة الاتحاد المصري لتنس الطاولة، وللجنة الأولمبية المصرية، وكذلك لمعالي وزير الشباب والرياضة الدكتور أشرف صبحي على دعمه المتواصل”.

واختتم: “أؤكد من جديد التزامي الكامل بدوري ككابتن المنتخب، وحرصي الدائم على أن يكون ما نقدمه داخل الملعب وخارجه انعكاسًا لقيمة مصر ومكانتها، وتفضلوا بقبول فائق الاحترام”. 

Bryan Mbeumo rapidly appears to be the latest player to be edging closer to completing a move to Manchester United this summer, looking to add to their first-team overhaul.

Matheus Cunha has already completed his own switch to Old Trafford, costing a fee in the region of £62.5m – with the Brentford talent potentially being next in line.

The 25-year-old has already chosen the Red Devils as his next destination, leaving the hierarchy to agree a deal with Thomas Frank before he can complete a medical.

It’s been reported that they’ve already placed a £45m offer with £10m in add-ons, but it’s expected to be rejected with the Bees demanding a fee in the region of £70m to sell the Cameroonian.

It appears that the move is heading in the right direction, but he’s not alone in being wanted by the club this summer, with multiple other stars also on their radar ahead of 2025/26.

The latest on United’s pursuit of new additions

As previously mentioned, United have wasted no time in identifying options to help improve Ruben Amorim’s squad, in his attempts to transform the club during his first full season in charge.

Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen and Liam Delap are just three names who’ve been on their list, but have had to look elsewhere – with the latter joining Premier League rivals Chelsea.

However, such a transfer could massively help the Red Devils in their latest pursuit, with Blues talisman Nicolas Jackson another name they’re targeting, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The report claims that Amorim’s side are seriously interested in a move for the 23-year-old forward, who managed to find the net 10 times in his 30 league appearances this season.

It also states that the Senegalese international could be available for the right price this summer, but doesn’t state how much they could demand, with Aston Villa also credited with a strong interest.

Why United’s latest target could be Amorim’s own Isak

Alexander Isak is a player who has torn up the Premier League over recent years, being one of the most feared attackers after joining Newcastle United back in the summer of 2022.

The Swede has since scored 54 league goals in just 86 appearances, with 23 of his efforts coming in 2024/25 – with only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah registering more goals this campaign.

His subsequent tally from this campaign is nearly three times higher than the Red Devils’ top scorers Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes – showcasing how impressive the Magpies ace has been in front of goal.

However, given his goalscoring record, he would cost a pretty penny, with Eddie Howe’s side placing a £150m valuation on the 25-year-old’s head this summer.

The Red Devils could be about to land their own version of the Swede in the form of Jackson, with FBref labelling the Chelsea talent as a similar player to Isak based off their respective figures in 2024/25.

When delving into the stats and comparing them, the Blues star has managed to match or better him in numerous key areas, handing Amorim his own version of the talisman should he move to Old Trafford.

Jackson, who’s been labelled “special” by journalist Rahman Osman, may have registered fewer goals this season, but has posted a higher shot on target accuracy rate – showcasing his ability to get his efforts on target, which could lead to added goals down the line.

Games played

30

34

Goals & assists

15

29

Shot-on-target accuracy

45%

43%

Pass accuracy

76%

75%

Aerials won

37%

32%

Shots on target per game

1.4

1.3

Fouls won

1.2

0.4

He’s also managed to win more aerial battles, whilst also completing more of the passes he’s attempted, handing Amorim an all-round option within the final third at Old Trafford.

The 23-year-old’s talents don’t stop there, winning more fouls per 90, offering a constant nuisance to the opposition backline, which could make him a real threat alongside the likes of Cunha and Fernandes at the Theatre of Dreams.

It’s safe to say that Jackson won’t be many supporters’ first choice for the centre forward role this summer, but he has that raw ability that could shape him into an elite-level talent.

Should he make the move to the North West and get anywhere close to the goal tally produced by Isak, it would be one hell of an addition – pushing the club one step closer to returning their former glory in the coming years.

As exciting as Mbeumo: Man Utd ramp up move for "better version of Haaland"

Man Utd’s swift start to the window could be followed by the signing of a new centre-forward

ByRobbie Walls Jun 5, 2025

West Ham have their sights set on an experienced Premier League forward to replace Michail Antonio following his release from the east London club.

• Antonio released following car accident
• West Ham opted against renewing contract
• Lining up move for Premier League veteran

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Graham Potter is searching for a new striker following the release of Antonio and has persuaded West Ham's higher-ups to open talks with 33-year-old Callum Wilson. The ex-Newcastle forward turned down a pay-as-you-play contract with the Magpies and could be on his way from Tyneside to the capital should negotiations go well.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Any deal for Wilson would still be based on incentives, according to reports. This is based on both the England international's age and injury record. During his time at Newcastle, Wilson bagged 47 goals in 113 appearances and could be a useful outlet for West Ham as they look to improve upon their below-average Premier League campaign last term.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Wilson is also drawing interest from other Premier League suitors, particularly those making the step up from the Championship. Leeds are also said to be keen on signing the former Bournemouth forward on a short-term deal.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WILSON?

  Nothing is agreed between West Ham and Wilson but the Hammers are in need of attacking reinforcements. Alongside Antonio, the London club also released Danny Ings and will need to bring in some support for Jarrod Bowen following the sale of Mohammed Kudus to rivals Tottenham.

Wrexham are currently preparing for a season in the Championship after they finished second in League One to earn promotion up to the second tier.

The Red Dragons are yet to make their first signing since the end of last season, but there will be plenty of work going on behind the scenes to identify targets to improve the team.

Phil Parkinson will have to judge which of his players are ready to make the step up to the Championship after a season in League One, which means that some difficult decisions could have to be made.

Why Thomas O'Connor may be replaced

One player who could be replaced as a regular starter is left-sided central defender Thomas O’Connor, who has been at the club since they were in the National League.

The former Southampton academy graduate has never played above League One level in his career to date, and was a regular starter – starting 25 of his 31 appearances in the 2024/25 campaign – for Wrexham this season.

O’Connor was, however, an unused substitute in five of the last seven matches and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to handle the step up to the Championship, a level that he has never played at before.

Transfer Focus

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

The BBC reported earlier this month that Wrexham, Norwich, Birmingham, and Sheffield United are among the teams interested in a deal to sign Harry Darling on a free transfer from Swansea City.

His contract with the Welsh side is due to expire at the end of this month, and the Red Dragons are one of the sides looking to snap him up for nothing.

Why Darling would be an upgrade on O'Connor

Parkinson must push to convince Darling to make a move across Wales rather than joining Birmingham, Norwich, or Sheffield United, as he would improve the club’s options at the back.

Despite being right-footed, the 25-year-old Englishman often plays on the left-side of a centre-back pairing and this means that he could take O’Connor’s place as the left-sided centre-back in a back three at Wrexham.

Unlike the current Red Dragons defender, Darling is an experienced Championship defender who has made 108 appearances at that level, which means that he would arrive at the Racecourse as a proven second tier star.

He would be a relatively risk-free signing as someone who has been there and done it and could immediately improve Wrexham’s team, particularly when you take his performances this season into account.

Appearances

31

39

Goals

0

5

Clearances per game

2.9

5.0

Dribbled past per game

0.5x

0.3x

Ground duel success rate

53%

66%

Aerial duel success rate

57%

64%

As you can see in the table above, Darling’s defensive work in the Championship, in terms of his success rate in duels and how often he was beaten by opposition attackers, was more impressive than O’Connor’s was at a lower level.

This suggests that the Swansea star, who was hailed as “outstanding” by former boss Luke Williams, is a big upgrade on the current Wrexham left centre-back, particularly from a defensive perspective.

Darling also, as shown in the table, scored five goals from centre-back, compared to O’Connor’s barren return in League One, and this suggests that he would offer a much greater goal threat in the 2025/26 campaign.

The English titan, who ranked in the top 31% of centre-backs in the league for progressive passes per 90 (3.70), is a ball-playing defender who has shown that he can mix technical quality and class on the ball with strength and reliable out of possession at Championship level.

Big Rathbone upgrade: Wrexham still in race to sign "outstanding" PL star

Wrexham could be about to land a big upgrade on Oliver Rathbone by signing this Championship-experienced ace.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 12, 2025

Therefore, he would be the perfect signing, as a proven second tier star, to come in as a big upgrade on their left-sided centre-back position this summer.

Amid rumours that they’ve already had to reject a bid worth £45m to sell Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly opened talks to sign a possible replacement.

Nottingham Forest reject Newcastle's Elanga bid

After securing a shock place in the Europa Conference League in an excellent season last time out, Nottingham Forest are in no position to sell key players. But that hasn’t stopped certain clubs from testing the waters. Among them, Newcastle United reportedly formalised their interest in Elanga with an offer worth £45m earlier this week, only to see that bid rejected by those at the City Ground.

There’s still plenty of time remaining in the summer transfer window, however, and Forest will be well aware that Newcastle could yet come calling a second time.

If that does happen, then preparing for Elanga’s exit in a worst-case scenario would not be a bad idea for all involved at the City Ground. Already, on that front, Forest have attempted and failed to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus and have also been linked with versatile AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.

Whether either of those options possess the quality to replace Elanga is the big question. One man who is unlikely to face problems in that regard is Igor Jesus. The Botafogo forward is reportedly on his way to the Midlands alongside teammate Jair Cunha following their Club World Cup campaign.

The former has already stolen plenty of headlines with his winning goal against Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain and is seemingly about to take the Premier League by storm.

Nottingham Forest open talks to sign "elite" new star after Weah rejection

They’ve instantly turned towards another option.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025

Jesus and Cuiabano may not be the only Club World Cup stars to arrive, either, amid reports that Forest have opened talks to sign another attacking target.

Nottingham Forest open talks to sign Pepe

According to ESPN Brazil, Nottingham Forest have now opened talks to sign Pepe from FC Porto, who are demanding over €15m (£12m) to sell their 28-year-old winger this summer.

An experienced winger who scored at the Club World Cup for Porto in a 4-4 draw against Al-Ahly this summer, Pepe would offer Forest instant depth and may even be asked to replace Elanga if the Swede joins Newcastle.

Minutes

1,991

2,501

Goals

3

6

Assists

2

11

Key Passes

31

50

The pressure would instantly be on Pepe if he did step in for Elanga and although his experience could prove to be invaluable, questions will be asked about his ability to match the 22-year-old’s output.

As a versatile backup who can play all across the frontline, however, the Porto man represents an ideal choice as Forest step into European football. At just over £12m too, it’s not a deal that Evangelos Marinakis will need to splash out on for Nuno Espirito Santo in the coming months.

Liverpool are basking in the glory of becoming Premier League champions and have now lined up a World Cup winner who could help their cause heading into next season.

Liverpool ready to strike in the summer window

Arne Slot and his group have reveled in the opportunity to celebrate their top-flight title triumph and finally got their hands on the trophy on Sunday afternoon after playing out a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at Anfield.

Despite the joyous scenes among supporters in the stadium on Sunday and at their parade on Monday, attention at the club will already have turned to what will happen next at Anfield as Liverpool look to become England’s dominant force for years to come.

The Dutchman shares that sentiment and is in for the long haul on Merseyside, as he said last week: “I could see myself working here for a long time because it’s a great club to work for and I’m really happy over here.”

Backing from FSG will likely play a huge part in his positive morale, which will be helped enormously by news that Bayer Leverkusen duo Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong are likely to sign for Liverpool this summer.

Developments of late indicate the finer details are what remain to be signed off on regarding both deals, and they won’t be the only arrivals at Anfield over the next few months to freshen up a squad that could be altered significantly.

Forget Gravenberch: Slot's 6/10 Liverpool star showed why he must be axed

Liverpool drew against Crystal Palace before lifting the Premier League trophy at Anfield.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 25, 2025

Carrying a ruthless streak is paramount to guarantee a consistent flow of success. Tough decisions need to be taken, though you get the impression that Slot isn’t one for letting sentiment get the better of him, with Milos Kerkez expected to come in to replace Andy Robertson at left-back.

Stocking up in defence, the former Feyenoord boss is now keen on bringing another steely operator to Anfield in light of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure.

Liverpool in the mix to sign Atletico Madrid's Nahuel Molina

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool are willing to sign Atletico Madrid right-back Nahuel Molina, who could be available for between £25.1 million to £29.3 million this summer if Diego Simeone decides to cash in on the Argentina international.

Newcastle United, Inter Milan, Roma and Juventus are also in the race for the 27-year-old, who also thrived in Serie A at Udinese.

Nahuel Molina’s season for Atletico Madrid in numbers – La Liga
Total minutes played	1581
Big chances created	3
Duels won per match	2.6
Balls recovered per match	2.2

Praised by Lionel Messi for his role in Argentina’s win over the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup, Molina has registered a goal and three assists in 44 appearances across all competitions this season.

With Conor Bradley already on the books at Anfield and Frimpong set to join him, it would be a surprise if Liverpool were to bring in a third right-back once the window opens.

However, depth is needed to juggle multiple competitions, so it may be a case of covering all bases for Slot in his pursuit of further silverware, and perhaps Frimpong’s ability to play further up makes room for another natural full-back.

Chetry is yet to make her ODI debut but has played four T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2024Wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia has been ruled out of India’s upcoming ODI series in Australia due to a wrist injury she picked up during the ongoing WBBL. In her place, India have called up Uma Chetry, who is uncapped in the format.Chetry has played four T20Is, all this year. Her debut was against South Africa in July. Earlier this month, she was the second-highest run-getter in the domestic T20 Challenger Trophy with 231 runs at a strike rate of 154.00. She also scored the only hundred in the competition, a 122 off 71 balls.Chetry also has the experience of touring Australia, with India A side in August, even though her returns were underwhelming. In four matches across formats, she scored 7 and 11 in T20s, 16 in the one-dayer, and 2 and 47 in the four-day game.Related

• Shafali dropped for Australia ODIs; Ghosh, Punia return

• 'Just go all out': Rodrigues looks to Australian mindset

Bhatia was the second-highest run-getter for Melbourne Stars – despite missing the last three games – scoring 154 runs in six outings at a strike rate of 104.76. Stars, however, finished at the bottom of the points table with two wins from ten matches.Before her WBBL stint, Bhatia played the three-match ODI series against New Zealand at home and scored 84 runs in three innings. She was part of the T20 World Cup squad but didn’t get a game.The first two ODIs against Australia will be played at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane, on December 5 and 8. The third and final match will be played at the WACA ground in Perth on December 11.

India Women squad for Australia ODIs

Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Radha Yadav, Titas Sadhu, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Saima Thakor, Uma Chetry (wk)

Warwickshire captain Alex Davies became the first player to score 1,000 runs in Division One of the Vitality County Championship this summer on a severely truncated second day against local rivals Worcestershire at Visit Worcestershire New Road.The 30-year-old began his innings needing a further 34 and turned Logan van Beek square of the wicket for a boundary to reach the milestone during the morning session.Surrey batter Rory Burns started the day as Davies’ nearest challenger but he was dismissed for 21 against Somerset with his total on 974.It was the second time Davies had completed 1,000 runs in a campaign after, in 2017, becoming the first Lancashire wicket-keeper to achieve the feat.He moved to Warwickshire for the 2022 season and the first two years at Edgbaston produced first class returns of 649 at 28.21 and 437 at 25.70.This summer he has struck four centuries and averages 56.88.He eventually fell to Ethan Brookes who delivered an impressive nine-over spell which yielded two wickets before bad light and rain ended play for the day at 2.15pm after 37 overs were possible.Those spectators who waited until the play was officially called off were entertained via the club PA to a series of weather anthems including ‘Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head’ and ‘It’s Raining Men.’Warwickshire needed only four overs to polish off the Worcestershire first innings but not before the home side had secured a second batting point.Jack Home, who was making his Championship debut, pulled Chris Rushworth for successive boundaries to bring up the 300.But then Rushworth struck twice in the space of three balls.He ended a stand of 65 between Tom Taylor and Home by trapping the latter lbw for 29 and then knocked out the off stump of on loan Surrey spinner Amar Virdi.It left Taylor unbeaten on 36 from 49 balls.Taylor then took the new ball but only five balls were possible before bad light stopped play with Warwickshire 6-0.When play resumed after a short delay, Taylor made the first breakthrough when Rob Yates tried to work the ball on the leg side and was caught off a leading edge at mid on by Virdi.Taylor bowled an excellent opening spell and constantly beat the bat.Davies went to his four-figure milestone in spectacular fashion against Logan van Beek during his first over.He twice hit the New Zealander for sixes backward of square and then a square drive to the boundary took him past 1,000 in an over costing 16 runs.Davies completed a 59-ball half-century with three sixes and six fours as Warwickshire reached 76 for 1 off 20 overs by lunch.But former Warwickshire all-rounder Ethan Brookes struck with the first delivery after the resumption when Will Rhodes aimed to work to leg and inside edged through to keeper Gareth Roderick moving away to his right.There was more joy for Brookes with the prized scalp of Davies (58) who went for a drive but took his one hand off the bat and inside-edged onto his stumps at 91 for 3.Van Beek switched ends and claimed his first scalp when Sam Hain (11) tried to turn a delivery on the on-side and was bowled shortly before the players left the field for the final time.

Sometimes the eagerness to do well can be counterproductive

Aakash Chopra19-Aug-2021Right from his first day at the highest level, KL Rahul came across as a batter who would fit the bill for all three formats without compromising the foundation of his game. His stance, feet movement, back lift and the downswing of his bat were all in perfect sync. Even though it took him some time to meet the demands of T20, there was no looking back from the day he cracked its code.There’s a mysterious element to competitive cricket – when everything seems to be moving smoothly in the desired direction, something will threaten to derail the train. It happened to Rahul too. There were injuries and then a loss of form.It’s important to understand why and how one loses form, for even its presence is something you can’t put a finger on. One day you are so comfortable with your game that you are not thinking about your responses, and on another day, it’s the only thing you’re thinking about. Of course, the former happens when you are in form and the latter, when you are out of it.Cricket skills are like a wheel in motion and while you’re constantly attempting to upgrade your skills, sometimes it’s tough to just hold on to what you thought was your core strength. Minor errors find ways to creep into your game like uninvited guests and before you acknowledge their presence, they start controlling the way you think. In fact, you reach a point when you are thinking only about them.Related

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KL Rahul curbs his enthusiasm to make his comeback count

India: No longer a one-man army but a team of 11 heroes

Rahul was going through a lean patch and spending countless hours in the nets between games, but the hard work wasn’t translating into runs in the middle. From the outside, you could see he wasn’t sure about his trigger movement – while in England (in 2018), he was out poking at deliveries, in India, he was getting trapped in front. Both sorts of dismissals often stem from how much you are moving and the timing of that movement.When you’re in “form”, this movement happens almost unconsciously, because your focus is on the ball coming your way. But when you’re not in “form”, you end up thinking about the same trigger movement and that leads to a delayed response to the incoming delivery.Sanjay Bangar, India’s former batting coach, recounts how after getting dismissed in a Test during that horrid run between 2018 and 2019, Rahul couldn’t wait to get into the nets to iron out his mistakes. He had just been dismissed, had seen the dismissals a few times on the screen and perhaps revisited it a hundred times in his head, but he wasn’t willing to let it sink in. He was eager to get to the nets while India were still batting in the Test.While there’s nothing wrong with the intent to identify and rectify mistakes, too much of anything, even training, can be counterproductive.That day Rahul was eager to iron out his flaws. Once he was dropped from the Indian team, he must have felt eager to get back into it. That’s a natural human reaction to rejection, even more so when you have already tasted success at the highest level. You seem to know the secret to success but have temporarily forgotten the username and password. You try different combinations, only to draw blanks.Rahul is bowled by a Josh Hazlewood yorker in Perth, December 2018•Ryan Pierse/Getty Images”Eager” has two very different meanings – keen and anxious. When you start, you are keen. But little do you know when keenness turns into anxiety. You start thinking too much about the result and too little about the process. It’s not that you aren’t putting in the hours, but you stop noticing the joy of playing the game, the melody of ball hitting the bat. And then one day, you stop obsessing about the result and things start to fall in place again.Of course, there’s a lot of conjecture in my reading of how it must have panned out for Rahul, but I won’t be surprised if it wasn’t too dissimilar to what I have described.It’s true that the IPL is a big part of a modern cricketer’s career, but I can bet my last dollar on the fact that Rahul isn’t one to be satisfied by just the IPL reward. His bigger goal was not just playing for India again but to play for India in all three formats. He re-established himself in white-ball cricket when he assumed the roles of keeper and finisher. And while he had prepped for a middle-order role in Tests, life played a trick to get him back to where he belongs – as opener.Rahul’s comeback as an opener in Test cricket wasn’t so much about his ability to succeed at the top – you don’t score five Test tons (four of them away from home) if you don’t have the skills. For me, it was about his eagerness to do the right thing. Was he keen or was he anxious?If his first innings of the tour, 84 at Trent Bridge, showed that he’s trusting his skills against the new ball, Rahul’s century at Lord’s established that he is back for good.It takes a lot of patience and self-belief to hang around for 18 runs off 100 balls when you know you have the shots to score faster, and to also insulate yourself from the fact that your opening partner has outscored you massively (at that point, Rohit Sharma was on 81 of 122 balls).Rahul isn’t anxiously eager to get bat on ball and is in a happy place while leaving a lot of deliveries alone. He isn’t anxiously eager to hit an extra shot on the up either. Instead, he’s willing to bide his time and wait for the right moment to up the ante. It’s not that minor errors will never find their way into his batting or that he’ll never go out of form again, but it’s very heartening to see him bat the way he is right now. The next challenge for him is to extend this good form for as long as possible.