England will go into their T20I series against South Africa without both Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith this week, prompting head coach Brendon McCullum to concede they must learn how to cope better with their busy international schedule.Duckett, Smith and Harry Brook have been ever-present for England across their 15 international fixtures to date this summer, and all spent August playing in the Hundred. All three players will miss next week’s brief tour to Ireland, and McCullum has prescribed an additional week’s rest for his ODI openers so they can “freshen up” ahead of a busy winter away.It means that Duckett and Smith will miss consecutive T20I series less than six months out from a World Cup in the format, when better planning would have seen them skip the ODIs instead. In their absence, Phil Salt – who missed England’s most recent T20Is on paternity leave – looks set to open the batting alongside either Tom Banton or Will Jacks.Related

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England face a tight turnaround between the Ashes and the T20 World Cup this winter, interspersed with white-ball tours to New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Rob Key, England’s managing director, claimed last year that their upcoming schedule was “easing” when expanding McCullum’s role to cover white-ball cricket but it shows few signs of doing so.A one-day gap after the Hundred final meant that England’s players did not train together as a full squad ahead of Tuesday’s first ODI in Leeds, in which they were thrashed by seven wickets. ECB chair Richard Thompson acknowledged the crammed fixture list was an issue on Sunday, but admitted that it is unlikely to change significantly within the ongoing broadcast rights cycle.”The scheduling isn’t ideal,” McCullum said after England’s consolation win in Southampton. “That’s just the way it is and it’s not going to change, so we’re going to have to find ways to deal with it… We’re just going to have to find ways to be able to hit the ground running a bit quicker than what we did in this one.”I spoke to [Duckett] and I said, ‘I think you need to freshen up. You’ve played so much cricket and you’re such an influential player for us over the next few months.’ He’ll have a decent break at home, as will Jamie Smith… It gives the other guys opportunities, and it’s exciting, too. If we just rely on 11 players, then we’re not really going to be competitive.”One of those “other guys” is Sam Curran, who will bat in the top six against South Africa after winning a recall through his performances for Surrey and Oval Invincibles. McCullum has never previously picked Curran for one of his teams, and told him in an “honest conversation” over breakfast earlier this summer that he needed to “bang the door down” as a batter.”The message to Sam was that a lot’s come to you quickly and you’ve had a lot of success and a lot of fame, and a lot of things have fallen your way,” McCullum said, “but, of late, your performance had just tailed off a bit… With us resting both Jamie and Ben, it gives us the opportunity to bring Sam in and he’ll get his chance to bat in the top six.”England are expected to stick with the spin-heavy strategy they trialled against West Indies in June for this week’s series as they prepare for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Curran will likely be their third seamer, with Jacob Bethell and Jacks supplementing Adil Rashid and either Liam Dawson or Rehan Ahmed as spin options.Bethell and Jacks acted as England’s fifth bowler in the ODIs against South Africa but their combined 10 overs in a tight defeat at Lord’s were hammered for 112 runs. McCullum said it was “really hard” to balance the side without a genuine allrounder, but has already spoken to Brook about how to give his part-time options “slightly more in their favour”.”We’ve just got to be a bit smarter with it… Utilising the big side of the ground, or also trying to set slightly more defensive fields,” McCullum said. “They don’t need to take 3 for 30 off 10 overs. They’ve just got to find a way to be able to create pressure and hold for a period so that our attacking guys can come in.”We won’t always be married to that [balance] but at the moment, we want to make sure that we’ve got that familiarity within our batting group – particularly in the middle order, as they adjust to some new roles so that they get more and more comfortable with how each of them is going to play.”McCullum said that England’s record 342-run thrashing in Southampton had provided them with “an incredible blueprint” in ODIs during an “oscillating” series. “We got hammered in the first one, we were within one blow in the second, and we dished out a pretty good performance in the third… It shows that there’s not a huge gulf between the two teams.”

Manchester United are scaling up under Ruben Amorim and may now find themselves in the driving seat to land an England international on one condition.

Man Utd dig deep to see off Crystal Palace

Despite Crystal Palace’s recent form and a loss for the Red Devils at home to Everton on Monday, Manchester United rallied from a goal down to defeat the Eagles courtesy of goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount.

Bruno Fernandes was the architect for his side and a major driving force behind their victory, which has moved the English giants further up the Premier League table as they look to qualify for European competition.

Speaking post-match, Amorim praised his side for the control they had over proceedings after they managed to break their duck in a notoriously difficult fixture encompassing years gone by.

He stated via BBC Sport: “It was small details that helped. The pace and intensity was better in the second half. I could see that Palace were getting tired at the end of the first half and knew they would suffer if we scored.

“We went on to control the game well away from our goal and in the opposition half. We controlled the game well but just have to be careful about what we did in the first half.”

There is no time for rest at Manchester United, who will now prepare for a quickfire double header against West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, offering the prospect of more points in their mission to scale the table.

Either way, their squad has started to be stretched, and the next window or two will be pivotal for the long-term future of Amorim’s tenure, and he could now be set to raid a Premier League rival to sign an England international.

Man Utd confident they can sign Adam Wharton under one condition

According to The Mirror, Manchester United are confident they can sign Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace if they achieve continental qualification this term.

Amorim believes the 21-year-old is an ideal fit for his vision at Old Trafford, though it is said the former Blackburn Rovers man is likely to snub a move should the Red Devils fail to achieve their goal of European football.

Part of this focus comes from the fact that he is ready to take a step onto the biggest stage. Should a summer move come to fruition, he would likely be keen to consolidate his name at one of the elite after playing a part for England at the World Cup.

Joao Gomes, Conor Gallagher and Elliot Anderson are also on the Red Devils’ list. However, Wharton, valued at £70m is their number one choice and has previously been labelled “incredible” by Eberechi Eze.

With two assists under his belt in 18 appearances across all competitions this term, the Three Lions man has imposed himself on the top-flight and would likely be a premium grade long-term replacement for Casemiro if a deal were to go through.

Man Utd now told they can sign "intense" want-away England star for £26m in 2026

The Red Devils could land a bargain deal.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 30, 2025

Liverpool meet Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend, two teams clinging to the old way of things.

The age of corners and long throws is upon us, and here are two sides championing the slick and stylish passing play that was shaped and defined by Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp across so many exciting years at the top of the English game.

This is just a bit of humour, but the truth remains that the Premier League’s tactical culture has shifted in recent months, with table-topping Arsenal masterfully secure in defence and with an incredible knack at scoring from set-pieces.

Arne Slot has tried to adapt by changing things this season, but there the Dutchman’s progress has unravelled after a summer of sweeping change.

Recent wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid have sparked a red revival, but this could be the toughest test of the lot, with the Etihad anything but a happy hunting ground for Liverpool in recent years.

Having reverted to type, Slot may fancy dropping Florian Wirtz for this one, even after the German’s show-stopping performance in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

Why Slot could bench Florian Wirtz

There’s no denying that it’s been a tough ride for Wirtz since he completed a record-breaking £116m transfer from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool this summer.

The 22-year-old is regarded as one of the most exciting creative talents in the world, and having achieved staggering things in his German homeland, had been expected to hit the ground running.

Instead, Wirtz has struggled to settle into Slot’s Liverpool squad, and after ten matches and 610 minutes of action in the Premier League, he still searches for his first goal contribution.

However, there have been undeniable improvements in recent weeks, and against Real Madrid, he came alive.

The attacking midfielder’s time will come, but Slot may opt against recalling him to the starting line-up in the top flight here, instead entrusting a proven formula to get the job done against Guardiola’s title-challenging outfit.

Of course, Wirtz could always make his presence known from the bench, boasting an array of technical qualities simply out of reach for the lion’s share of positional peers across Europe.

Should Wirtz be dropped, there is another Redman who could take his place.

Slot must unleash the new Mo Salah

While it might seem like Cody Gakpo would be the perfect candidate to return to the left wing, Slot has intimated on several occasions that Hugo Ekitike has the athleticism and awareness to play off the wing.

Ultimately, that decision lies with Slot. But, without question, Liverpool must unleash Alexander Isak at number nine if the 26-year-old is given the green light.

The precondition to this indeed being an assessment of the Sweden international’s fitness, of course. Isak has missed Liverpool’s past four matches in all competitions as he recovers from a groin injury picked up against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League last month.

There’s nothing quite like Liverpool vs Manchester City in the Premier League. Some of the greatest games in the division’s history have been contested between these two heavyweights over the past decade.

Isak has struggled since completing his British-record £125m move to Anfield from Newcastle on transfer deadline day, only playing eight times and scoring just once.

GK

Giorgi Mamardashvili

RB

Conor Bradley

CB

Ibrahima Konate

CB

Virgil van Dijk

LB

Andy Robertson

DM

Ryan Gravenberch

CM

Dominik Szoboszlai

CM

Alexis Mac Allister

RW

Mohamed Salah

LW

Hugo Ekitike

CF

Alexander Isak

However, injuries and Liverpool’s wider imbalances have inhibited him, and this could be the perfect opponent for him to announce himself as the club’s new talisman, taking the baton from the great Mohamed Salah as he begins to wind down.

Isak hasn’t hit his stride on Merseyside yet, but we all know what he is capable of. Last season, he scored 27 goals for the Magpies, including a strike against Liverpool at Wembley to clinch the Carabao Cup. Jamie Carragher was in awe, hailing him as “the best striker in the Premier League” back in January.

Isak typically operates higher than his counterpart, Ekitike. He is fast and intelligent, and his skill at playing off a defender and peeling away down the lane and into the danger area is almost matchless across Europe.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

Such data signifies not only his ball-carrying ability but his ability to drop deep and funnel play forward before blistering ahead himself and join the attack that he sparked off in the first place.

Wirtz and Isak have a partnership in the making, but fielding both here might not be the best course of action. City will look to dominate on the ball and overwhelm a Liverpool backline that has shown itself to be shaky across multiple matches this season.

It had been nine years since Liverpool last beat Man City away from home in the Premier League. That was before Slot came along.

Things are different for both clubs since that springtime showdown last year, but with Isak up front for the Reds, they will have their answer to the wrecking ball that is Erling Haaland, and maybe it will be enough to steer the champions over the line.

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Liverpool need to sign a new centre-back in 2026.

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Neither side able to force a result on final day of season at Emirates Old Trafford

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-Sep-2025Middlesex 211 (De Caires 52, Geddes 52, Aspinwall 4-62, Bailey 4-68) and 99 for 4 (Bailey 3-47) drew with Lancashire 375 for 5 dec (Bohannon 87, Hurst 67, Wells 62, Jennings 61)Josh Bohannon made a superb 87 and both Seb Morgan and Arav Shetty took their maiden first-class wickets on an eventful last day of the first-class season at Emirates Old Trafford but the Rothesay County Championship match between Lancashire and Middlesex ended in a draw.Replying to Middlesex’s 211, Lancashire’s batters went on the attack in the first half of the day, scoring 270 runs in 44 overs before declaring on 375 for 5 an hour after lunch. However, their imaginative attempt to conjure a victory was thwarted, not without the odd alarm, by Middlesex’s top-order and the game ended with the visitors on 99 for 4.The result ensures that Glamorgan will finish second in Division Two, although whether that means they will be promoted to Division One or one of the proposed conferences has yet to be decided.The morning had begun on a positive note for Middlesex when Luke Wells was lbw to Toby Roland-Jones for 62 in the third over of the day. But the session was dominated by the batting of Bohannon whose 69-ball 87 included 14 fours and two sixes, the latter off Henry Brookes and Zafar Gohar. Lancashire’s No. 3 scored 74 of the first hundred runs in his 113-run stand with Jennings and looked set for a very quick hundred before he was bowled by Roland-Jones when hitting across the line.Jennings had been completely overshadowed by his batting partner but he was dismissed for 61 two balls after Bohannon when he played all around a ball from Morgan and lost his leg stump. That gave 18-year-old Morgan his maiden first-class wicket on the ground where his 61 runs had been instrumental in Middlesex’s memorable one-wicket Metro Bank Cup victory back in August.Lancashire came into lunch on 239 for 3, giving them a lead of 28, but they lost George Bell in the third over of the afternoon session when he was leg before wicket to Higgins for 17. By then, though, Matty Hurst had hit the first of his four sixes, two of the maximums coming off Gohar, and Lancashire’s rapid progress was not slowed by the dismissal of Michael Jones, caught at deep point off Morgan, for 33. When the declaration was made, Hurst was 67 not out off 68 balls and Lancashire had scored 270 runs off 44 overs in the day’s play.Lancashire’s hopes of achieving an unlikely victory were given an immediate fillip when Josh De Caires was leg before wicket to Tom Bailey in the ninth over of the innings. That gave Bailey his 500th wicket in all formats for Lancashire and Middlesex came into tea on 26 for 1.On the resumption, Sam Robson and Luke Hollman coped reasonably easily with Lancashire’s seam attack but after the light had worsened and stand-in captain Bohannon was compelled to bowl his slow bowlers if the game was to continue, Robson fell to Bailey’s first offspinner when he was caught at short leg by Bell for 21. Shetty then took his maiden first-class wicket on debut when he bowled Leus du Plooy for 5 and Middlesex’s anxieties were increased three overs into the last hour when Bailey bowled Luke Hollman for 33.To their evident relief, though, the visitors lost no more wickets and were 99 for 4 with Higgins on 14 not out and Ben Geddes unbeaten on 1 when the players shook hands. Bailey finished with 3 for 47 from 17.5 overs.

Leeds United are interested in signing of AZ Alkmaar striker Troy Parrott in January, following his stunning performance for the Republic of Ireland.

Parrott wrote his name into Ireland folklore on Sunday afternoon, scoring a hat-trick in his country’s 3-2 win away to Hungary and booking a place in the 2026 World Cup playoffs in the process.

The 23-year-old netted the winner deep into stoppage time, leading to scenes of unrivalled joy among the visiting players, staff and supporters, and even Roy Keane had words of praise for both the Alkmaar ace and Ireland.

“Fantastic, amazing. When you think the way they started the campaign, a draw and a defeat. To win today on the back of the Portugal result, fantastic.

“Great boost for the country and the team. The manager was heavily criticised but they’ve bounced back and got some momentum now. Parrott got a hat-trick. There was always talk about Parrott over the last few years, but he has stepped up in the last few days. Great achievement. Fingers crossed now for when they go to the play-offs.”

In terms of Leeds, they are on the lookout for a new attacker to bolster their firepower, and it looks as though Parrott could be a contender to come in.

Leeds eyeing move for Troy Parrott

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are among the clubs who are “interested” in signing Parrott in January, having pursued him during the summer transfer window.

The Whites and the 49ers Enterprises want to bring in a new striker when the winter window rolls around, with transfer insider Dean Jones claiming as much to TEAMtalk recently.

“It sounds to me like the club know they have let him down a bit by leaving him short of goal power. Leeds have been competitive in most games but it has been clear they lack a cutting edge and they know they should have signed another forward. It is something they need to do in January and they just hope they can reach that stage of the season and still be in a relatively good position to stay in the division.”

Parrott would be a strong addition for Leeds, with his stock never higher than it is currently, following his heroics for Ireland over the weekend.

He has impressed with Alkmaar in the Netherlands, scoring 33 goals in just 61 appearances, and he could add that extra bit of quality that Daniel Farke craves, as the Whites look to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

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By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 17, 2025

Parrott has two appearances in the English top flight from his time at Tottenham, and the fact that he has been on Leeds’ radar for a while suggests they really like him, rather than it being a knee-jerk decision after his Ireland brilliance.

Leeds have an amazing Okafor rival who once scored 10 goals in 1 game

A new update has emerged regarding Manchester City’s pursuit of Real Madrid’s Champions League-winning attacking midfielder Arda Guler, with Pep Guardiola’s stance made clear.

The Turk is arguably one of the most talented and exciting young attackers in Europe currently, gradually becoming more of a key man for La Liga giants Madrid.

Guler has started 10 league games so far this season, scoring three goals and bagging five assists, while Madrid legend Toni Kroos has lauded him, also discussing comparisons between the pair.

“But I don’t believe in comparisons. Arda is also a different type of player than me. His best position is much more attacking than mine, so it’s not about me succeeding him at all. But I’m generally pleased because he’s a good lad. I’ve played alongside him.

“He has a really delicate touch, which he’s already used very effectively for Real this season. That’s why I hope he continues to get consistent playing time, because that’s the only way to improve. Then I’m sure he can make his mark at Real for many years to come.”

At 20 years of age, Guler has an enormous amount of potential, and while Madrid are no doubt hesitant to allow him to leave, it looks as though he remains on City’s radar.

Guardiola wants Man City offer for Guler increased

According to a report from Spain, Manchester City are readying an offer of £88m for Guler, but that won’t be accepted by Madrid, who will demand more for his signature.

Guardiola has asked ‘whether it’s feasible to increase the offer’, though, no doubt considering him a player who he values greatly, as he looks to snap up some of the biggest young talents in the game.

The idea of Guler in a City shirt is a mouthwatering prospect, with the Turkey star someone who could fit perfectly into Guardiola’s style of play, with his technical ability right up there with the best in Europe.

Like Phil Foden, he possesses an effortless class with his left foot, being capable of drifting in off the right flank or adopting a No.10 role, while Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has lauded him.

“With his quality, he’s a mix between Ozil and Guti. Guti had that vision and finesse to link play or operate closer to goal, and with Mesut I enjoyed football so much. Arda has that something special – that natural talent you can’t teach.”

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For now, it looks as though Madrid are going to be stubborn in allowing Guler to leave the club, but City and Guardiola should continue to pursue him as a top target, given his world-class long-term potential.

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Lancashire have “formally expressed” their disappointment to the ECB over Liam Livingstone’s dismissal on Blast Finals Day at the weekend.Livingstone was given out lbw in Lancashire’s run chase during the first semi-final, against Somerset. He immediately reviewed, seemingly convinced of an inside edge; but the third umpire umpire, Sue Redfern, decided on the evidence of UltraEdge that there was no bat involved before the ball hit the back leg.Lancashire were 102 for 3 at the time, needing another 81 from 49 balls, but saw their challenge evaporate after Livingstone’s departure as the last seven wickets went down for 57 runs.Related

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In a statement posted on X, Lancashire said: “Following on from Finals Day, @lancscricket has formally expressed its disappointment to the ECB regarding the decision that led to the dismissal of Liam Livingstone. The Lancashire allrounder was given out lbw for 29, following a review by the TV umpire.”While the club remains deeply frustrated and disappointed with the decision, @lancscricket is equally clear that it does not condone the misogynistic comments that have appeared across social media in response. Such behaviour is unacceptable, does not reflect the values of our club or the wider Red Rose family, and has no place in the game.”Lancashire had already expressed their frustrations ahead of Finals Day, as they were forced to contest the semi-final without the services of six first-choice players. Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Saqib Mahmood and Luke Wood were all unavailable while on England duty, while Chris Green had departed for the CPL and Ashton Turner was recalled by Western Australia.Keaton Jennings called the scheduling “ludicrous”, with Lancashire giving a T20 debut to spinner Arav Shetty against Somerset, while allrounder George Balderson was also playing his first game of the season.

The India vice-captain claimed the No. 1 ranking for the fourth time in her career

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2025India batter Smriti Mandhana has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC rankings for women’s ODI batters following her half-century in the first ODI against Australia on Sunday.Mandhana’s 63-ball 58 helped her overtake England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt at the top of the charts. Australia’s Beth Mooney also rose three places to fifth, while Annabel Sutherland and Phoebe Litchfield are joint 25th after their half-centuries.Australia chased down their 282-run target in New Chandigarh with eight wickets and 35 balls to spare. The teams play the second of three ODIs on Wednesday.This is the fourth time Mandhana has achieved the No. 1 ranking for ODI batters. She did it first in January 2019 and most recently in July before Sciver-Brunt overtook her. Harmanpreet Kaur (12th) and Jemimah Rodrigues (15th) are the other India batters in the top 20.In the bowling rankings, Australia’s Kim Garth and Alana King achieved their career-best rankings of fourth and fifth. India offspinner Sneh Rana, who took 1 for 51 moved up five places to 16th.England spinner Sophie Ecclestone continues to lead the ODI bowling rankings with Deepti Sharma at No. 7 being the only Indian in the top ten.

When there is no shortage of venues to choose from, why pick one where the air quality reaches dangerous levels at precisely that time of year?

Sidharth Monga03-Apr-2025When India and South Africa play their second Test there later this year, Guwahati will become the 17th venue to have hosted a Test in India in the last 10 years. It means India has 16 active Test venues that all have excellent facilities except for Green Park in Kanpur, which, last year, struggled to get cricket going even after rain stopped. It won’t happen, but even if we assume Kanpur is blacklisted, the BCCI had 15 options for the first Test of that South Africa series, starting November 14.It takes special apathy and lack of duty of care to still go ahead and schedule this Test in Delhi, where the poor air quality becomes a health emergency in November. On the Air Quality Index (AQI), a reading of over 300 is considered “very poor” and over 400 “severe”. India’s official AQI meters are not designed to measure air that gets so bad that it reaches four digits. On November 18 last year, the AQI officially reached 999. IQAir, a Swiss company that measures air quality, measured Delhi’s AQI on that day at 1600, according to the . It resulted in lockdown-like conditions. People were advised to leave home only in emergency. Schools were shut and outdoor activity barred even when they reopened.The situation in recent years has been so bad that 500 is considered a good day in November when the unholy combination of industrial pollution, vehicular fumes, construction activity, post-Diwali firecracker fumes and the burning of post-harvest stubble in neighbouring states is at play. Delhi’s landlocked geography and unfavourable wind directions make it the perfect storm.Related

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It is pertinent to avoid athletic activity in that air because the major air pollutant is PM 2.5, particulate matter that is less than 2.5mm in diameter. When we strain during athletic activity, our breathing gets deeper and more rapid, thus eliminating any chance of avoiding inhaling PM 2.5. The Central Pollution Control Board warned in 2017, when the AQI didn’t reach four figures, that running a marathon in those conditions could deposit two tablespoonfuls of toxic ash in your lungs. A Test match is no marathon but it is still elite high-performance athletic activity.To be fair, no Indian should need a refresher on this health emergency because it happens every year. The BCCI shouldn’t need reminding either. Here is a quick timeline of how cricket has been affected in Delhi in the last 10 years.In the first week of November 2016, two Ranji Trophy matches were called off as players “could not even stand outside”.In 2017, Sri Lanka players put on masks to deal with the pollution in Delhi•BCCIIn 2017, Sri Lanka took the field wearing masks in a Test match interrupted by air pollution. The players kept going off the field and vomiting. There were oxygen cylinders in the dressing room. Mohammed Shami and Suranga Lakmal vomited on the field.The ODI between India and Australia in March 2019 went off well, but later that year, on November 3, two Bangladesh players vomited on the field. The then BCCI president Sourav Ganguly tweeted to thank the two teams for playing the game “under tuff [sic] conditions”. ESPNcricinfo understands Ganguly, who had been elected BCCI president only a month earlier, privately expressed displeasure at the scheduling when he read this on November 1.The 2023 ODI World Cup featured four Delhi matches in October, which went off fine, but the one match in November nearly didn’t happen. This being an ICC event, there was at least a chance of the match being called off. Bangladesh skipped practice.And yet, here we are. Of all the gin joints in the world. Three weeks after Diwali. Another Test match that will expose not just the players but also spectators, who are otherwise warned to not leave home unless in an emergency, to life-shortening air pollution.The last time Delhi got a match in November, sources in the BCCI said off the record that matches are allotted to state associations on rotational basis, and that the BCCI can’t cross members who constitute the body in the first place. That doesn’t even begin to explain how Ahmedabad, which hosted England in February 2025, will get two more matches later in the same year.If this Test in Delhi does go ahead, India will have hosted only 14 internationals (two in Ahmedabad) between two matches in Delhi. Even if you restrict it to just Tests, there will have only been 14 India home Tests since the last one in Delhi. By comparison, Eden Gardens last got a Test in November 2019, which is 23 Tests ago. Ahmedabad will have hosted four Tests between the last Eden Gardens Test and the one it is scheduled to host in October against West Indies.These, though, are internal BCCI machinations that a private body should be free to partake in. Even the dismal treatment of fans in India can be seen as the BCCI enjoying the favourable end of the demand-supply stick. The wellbeing of players and spectators, though, is another matter. Cricket South Africa (CSA) will not protest, or cannot protest. There is no player union in India. The South African union can only make an indirect, unthreatening request. “Player well-being must always be the primary concern,” it told ESPNcricinfo. “All stakeholders need to recognise this and act accordingly.”The only entity that can act on this is the BCCI. There are still eight months to go. There is still time to do the right thing and move this Test elsewhere.

Newcastle United resume their Premier League campaign after the international break hesitant about what the near future holds.

Indeed, back-to-back away defeats to West Ham United and Brentford very much exposed Newcastle’s weaknesses, as a lethargic defence was caught out in both games in London, alongside the midfield ranks looking equally as ropey.

In particular, Joelinton has fallen short of his usual high standards in recent defeats, with only three duels won by the midfielder at the London Stadium, who was once referred to as an energetic “machine” by Magpies teammate Kieran Trippier.

He could well be dropped for some fresh blood centrally, therefore, as Manchester City do battle with the Toon to close out November up next.

In an ideal reality, though, Eddie Howe’s men would still have Elliot Anderson to call upon, as the former St James’ Park product continues to excel for both Nottingham Forest and England.

Why Newcastle would love Anderson back at St James' Park

Once upon a time on Tyneside, a far rawer, younger Anderson would be clamouring for more senior minutes at his boyhood club.

Unfortunately, that failed to come to fruition, courtesy of an injury-ravaged final season at the Toon. In total, Anderson would make just a paltry three league starts during this swansong year.

But, the revitalised 23-year-old has never looked back since leaving the Magpies behind, with the Forest number 8 now setting the standard for midfielders in the Premier League this campaign, even as his side loiter towards the bottom of the division.

It was yet another classy display from Anderson last time out in league action before the break interrupted Forest’s flow, winning five duels and making seven ball recoveries, keeping a nervous Leeds largely at bay in a vital 3-1 win. While he excelled again, Joelinton limped off against the Bees scared for what his first-team future holds.

He also shone for England to further pile on the Newcastle misery, as only six of his 136 passes didn’t reach their intended target against Serbia and Albania.

Thomas Tuchel even heralded him as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League” in the build-up to the Serbia encounter.

Chalkboard

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

Safe to say, Newcastle desperately wish they still had the much-talked-about 23-year-old on their books, but Howe could start to unearth a new version of Anderson back on Tyneside.

Newcastle's next Anderson

Newcastle will need to ensure they don’t suffer another Anderson-style clanger soon, with Yankuba Minteh also sold prematurely by the Magpies, before he then exploded into life at Brighton and Hove Albion.

If they aren’t careful, they could lose Lewis Miley down the line, with the 19-year-old now ready for some “serious minutes” at his boyhood employers, according to journalist Liam Kennedy, after starring as a combative, yet skilful midfielder in flashes for Howe and Co in recent matches.

Much like Anderson has proven on the big stage countless times now for the Tricky Trees, Miley hasn’t looked fazed at all this season when also being dropped into the deep-end, particularly when he shone against Benfica in Champions League action to receive these rave reviews.

Indeed, the teenage sensation won all of his tackles on the night and also won four duels, while further exiting the field of play with only four passes going astray.

To further back up his similarities to the departed Anderson, the 19-year-old also stood out for the Three Lions at U21 level during the break when facing the Republic of Ireland.

Minutes played

75

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

73

Accurate passes

58/61 (95%)

Key passes

1

Tackles won

1/1

Interceptions

1

Clearances

1

Blocked shots

1

Ball recoveries

2

Total duels won

3/6

Miley has also being tipped for greatness at international level, far beyond his current age bracket, notably hailed as “England’s next superstar” by BBC pundit Pat Nevin.

Again, much like his showing against Benfica, Miley stood out as a calm and assured operator, also capable of getting stuck in, with a 95% pass accuracy, coupled with three tackles and ball recoveries being amassed.

Of course, Newcastle would love to have the finished product of Anderson at their disposal. But, to win him back, it is reported that it could take an eye-watering reported £100m to regain his services.

Therefore, Miley could be their next best bet, having been branded a “mature” performer by Howe this season when used irregularly. That word not only aptly describes the Toon’s budding midfielder but also Anderson.

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