A look at six of the best ODI innings by Mushfiqur

Mohammad Isam06-Mar-2025Mushfiqur Rahim called time on his ODI career on Wednesday, finishing as Bangladesh’s second-highest run-getter in the format. He is one of Bangladesh’s giants in the format, having played multiple match-winning knocks over the years. Here’s a look at six of his best ODI innings.

Showing maturity beyond his age

Imagine the pressure. A 19-year-old Mushfiqur, with just 11 ODIs under his belt, replaces Khaled Mashud, Bangladesh’s most experienced cricketer in the 2007 World Cup squad. It leaves cricket fans outraged, but the Bangladesh team management has a bigger surprise in store.They send Mushfiqur to bat at No. 3 against India, where he plays the anchor role in the tricky 192-run chase, allowing Tamim Iqbal to go bonkers. He then adds 84 runs for the fourth wicket with Shakib Al Hasan. All three future Bangladesh stars make fifties, with Mushfiqur hitting the winning runs in a famous victory.Related

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Ruining Tendulkar’s party

Bangladesh were chasing 290 runs against India in the Asia Cup in Dhaka, but the headlines were already written for posterity. Earlier in the afternoon, Sachin Tendulkar became the first cricketer to score 100 international hundreds. But Bangladesh were not deterred and worked on chasing down the steep total.They needed 66 runs in the last eight overs when Mushfiqur, Bangladesh captain by now, stepped out at the bustling Shere Bangla National Stadium. He struck three sixes in his 25-ball unbeaten 46, taking Bangladesh home in the final over. The pop when Mahmudullah hit the winning runs was one of the greatest in the stadium’s history.Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah helped Bangladesh notch a famous win in Adelaide•Getty Images

The brothers-in-law in arms

Bangladesh had recovered from a poor start against England in their 2015 World Cup game in Adelaide when they again lost two quick wickets.Mahmudullah was batting on 48 but he needed support from his brother-in-law Mushfiqur. The pair added 141 runs for the fifth wicket, with Mahmudullah reaching a memorable century. Mushfiqur’s 89 off 77 balls, including eight fours and a six, was a masterclass of a support act. Later he went on to take four catches in Bangladesh’s memorable 15-run win.

A special home series

Bangladesh’s first assignment after their quarter-final finish in the 2015 World Cup was an ODI series at home against Pakistan. In the first ODI, Tamim and Mushfiqur put on 178 runs for the third wicket, with both hitting centuries. Tamim top-scored with 132 but Mushfiqur was named the Player of the Match for his attacking 106. He struck 13 fours and two sixes in the 77-ball knock, an innings so dominant that Pakistan were struggling even when Mushfiqur got out in the 48th over. They ended up beating Pakistan in an ODI for the first time in 16 years. Mushfiqur hit 65 and an unbeaten 49 in the following matches to help Bangladesh seal the series 3-0.Mushfiqur Rahim had some support from Mohammad Mithun in the Asia Cup match against Sri Lanka, but very little thereafter•Getty Images

A one-man show

In their first game of the 2018 Asia Cup, Bangladesh got off to one of the most chaotic starts. Litton Das and Shakib were gone in the first over and Tamim broke his hand soon after. Mushfiqur sees all of this unfold, but then adds 131 runs for the third wicket with Mohammad Mithun. Despite any significant support after that, Mushfiqur soldiered on, adding crucial runs with the tail. When the ninth wicket fell, Tamim walked out with bat in one hand, and a huge strapping on the broken wrist on the other. An inspired Mushfiqur slammed three sixes and as many fours in their 42-run stand to take Bangladesh to 261. Mushfiqur made 144 and Bangladesh went on to win by a whopping 137 runs.

The fastest ODI hundred for Bangladesh

Among the many feathers in his cap, a big one was his whirlwind century against Ireland in 2023. In a match that was eventually washed out, Mushfiqur crashed a ton off 60 balls, the fastest for Bangladesh, beating Shakib’s 63-ball record.He struck 14 fours and two sixes and took Bangladesh to 349 for 6, their highest total in ODIs. Mushfiqur started off with pull shots against spinners before hammering the seamers over mid-off, extra cover and wide of point. He reached his fifty off 33 balls before going even harder in the last seven overs. He also reached 7000 ODI runs during this knock, before completing his century off the last ball of the innings.

Six bowlers used, five got among the wickets, and the one who didn’t kept a miserly economy

Sidharth Monga13-Jul-20251:41

Manjrekar: Dream spell for Washington Sundar

It has taken its time, but the wait has been worth it. India have been in a bowling transition for a while. They have won Tests on individual contributions – think Jasprit Bumrah in Perth, or Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep sharing 16 wickets in Birmingham – but this kind of awesome, irresistible, all-consuming wave after wave of attack has eluded them in recent times. Perhaps the last one was in Rajkot in February 2024 when R Ashwin flew home mid-Test to be by his unwell mother’s side and the others rose to the occasion, on a flat pitch, to bowl England out for 319.This, though, was something else. This was a day where the plans made before play, the captain’s moves on the field, and the bowlers’ execution all came together to crowd England where they didn’t have any breathing space. Even when they put together partnerships, a collapse always looked around the corner.Six bowlers bowled and five of them got at least one wicket. Ravindra Jadeja, the only one without, went at 2.50 per over in his eight overs. The last time India used six bowlers in an innings with each of them either taking a wicket or going for under three an over was way back in 2009 against Sri Lanka in Kanpur.Related

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And India needed all six because they have had ordinary luck all series to go with ill-timed unforced batting errors. In this Test alone, it took them 147 false shots to get the ten England wickets in the first innings, but they lost theirs in just 77. On the fourth morning alone, Bumrah produced ten false shots in five overs, drawing uneven bounce from a good length. It brought back memories of his first spells in both innings at Headingley, where not much followed.Here, not only did Siraj enjoy a turn in his luck and got a non-traditional wicket with a pull to mid-on, he and Shubman Gill also got a DRS review right moments after getting one wrong. The luck turned again as he drew nine false shots from Joe Root in 23 balls in a testing spell after lunch but without success.The thing with cricket is, you will have days or series when the luck is not running with you. The only solution is to keep coming back hard and with discipline. This is where India’s back-up bowlers – and plans – came in.After Bumrah and Siraj’s intensity in the morning, India went to Nitish Kumar Reddy before Akash Deep because they wanted to play on a Zak Crawley anomaly. Against pace with the new ball – up to 30 overs old – he averages 44 against faster balls (135kph plus) and 26 against balls bowled slower. Having tried to get him out traditionally and failed against his supreme luck – Crawley had an abysmal control rate of 62% – India got him out with military medium pace for the second time this week. Reddy kept up his end of the bargain, staying on a length after pinning him to the crease with the keeper up.1:28

Washington: One of my best days with the ball

The next challenge was the older, softer ball, which has been troubling both sides this series. In that wicketless one hour after lunch, the ball reached 37 overs, well past when it gets soft and becomes easy to bat against.This was likely not on purpose, but Washington Sundar and Jadeja started bowling from ends where the slope hindered their natural turn. Jadeja bowled no loose balls, and Washington, who has drifted the ball two times more than any other spinner this series, kept doing the batters in on the wrong edge. All four of Washington’s victims were bowled, beaten by balls that didn’t turn as much as expected. At least two of those batters were also playing too far inside the line because of the drift.With a mix of drift, now-dry pitch and the slope, India had found the final missing puzzle. This was now spell after spell of testing bowling. Gill put a fielder out to block Harry Brook’s ramp, and he was bowled immediately sweeping a fast bowler, Akash Deep. Gill put a short fine and sent the fine leg to deep square for the hard Ben Stokes sweep, and immediately he was out bowled, slog-sweeping to Washington.2:02

Manjrekar: ‘Lion-hearted’ effort from Siraj

A lot of Test bowling is about attacking the stumps without offering half-volleys. It takes bowling units time to find the ideal areas from where they can do that. In their first bowling innings, India attacked the stumps only about 11% of the time, but doubled it to about 22% in the second. Bumrah, four of whose five first-innings victims were bowled, came back to take two more with absolute seeds: a yorker and then one that seamed in to hit the top of off. In all, India had 12 bowled dismissals this Test. The last time a team had 12 or more bowleds was 70 years ago.If you believe in signs, there has been every sign that India will have to win this series the hard way. The bowling unit showed they were prepared for the hard way, and what a sight it was to watch them do it.And yet, India proceeded to lose four wickets to 21 false shots, precipitated by Karun Nair apparently failing to pick the ball and shouldering arms to a straight delivery, the kind of error in judgment you rarely see with Test batters. Even Gill, who has looked unhurried all series, was late on really full balls from the same bowler, Brydon Carse, bowling from the same end.If this is something England picked on and played on – Carse bowled 61% balls fuller than the six-metre mark in that spell – it is great situational awareness and feel for the game. Whatever it is, now it is for India’s batters to do it the hard way.

With Bangladesh languishing near the bottom of the ODI rankings, Mehidy Hasan Miraz has his task cut out as they eye direct qualification for the 2027 World Cup

Mohammad Isam01-Jul-2025Keep the team unitedMehidy has the unenviable task of uniting the Bangladesh team at a time of great upheaval – not something that’s new to Bangladesh captains.Related

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Najmul Hossain Shanto was sacked as ODI captain in Mehidy’s favour, and has also resigned as the Test captain. He said the decision to step down as Test captain wasn’t “personal”, but also said he wasn’t sure “three captains in three formats” would be ideal. Shanto might be hurting, even if he hasn’t said it. He had ambitions with both the Test and ODI teams but now will be expected to adjust under a different captain in ODIs.Mehidy might have to remove all the eggshells strewn around the dressing room before figuring out a way to take the ODI team in his desired direction.Decide his own batting positionWhere Mehidy chooses to bat in the ODI series against Sri Lanka will give an early glimpse into his mindset as captain. While a permanent fixture in the ODI side, he has been a floater in the batting line-up, even though he has learnt to pace his innings better whatever the position. He must now choose his batting position, or at least a role, to give the rest of the team a sense of stability.Tanzid Hasan and who? Eyes will be on the opening pair•AFP/Getty ImagesWho will open with Tanzid?Tanzid Hasan is one of Bangladesh’s incumbent openers. But with Litton Das and Mohammad Naim back, there are questions around the second opener’s spot.Soumya Sarkar has been left out to work on his fitness, while Parvez Hossain Emon, part of the ODI squad, is still work in progress in this format.Litton had been going through a lean patch before he was dropped for the Champions Trophy – he only has six runs in his last five innings. But his experience and seniority may give him the edge over Naim and Emon. Litton’s keeping will also allow for a bit more balance in the line-up.Shanto, meanwhile, is likely to return to his No. 3 role, despite opening in Bangladesh’s last ODI and scoring 77.Rebuild the engine roomBangladesh’s biggest challenge would be to rebuild their middle order. Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah are retired, Shakib Al Hasan had planned Champions Trophy 2025 to be his international swansong, but his political connections have meant that his future remains uncertain. Bangladesh have a void in their middle order, one that is worth about 760 ODIs in experience. But there is promise.Towhid Hridoy has played 35 ODIs, while Mehidy has made improvements to his white-ball batting. Jaker Ali has impressed in all three formats, but has played only seven ODIs. Shamim Hossain, a T20 basher, is the middle-order back-up. This is where Bangladesh perhaps could have looked towards Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan or Mosaddek Hossain.Previous head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe lost patience with Afif but the left-hand batter remains a young and viable option. Nurul and Mosaddek have international experience plus List A numbers to back that up. Even the uncapped Irfan Sukkur has racked up impressive runs in the middle-order in the Dhaka Premier League in the last three years.Get the spin attack to fireBangladesh have had a massive dip in their spin attack since Shakib’s last ODI in November 2023. They have averaged 65.69 in 15 matches and have taken just 23 wickets. Mehidy has taken nine wickets at 71.44, while Rishad Hossain and Nasum Ahmed haven’t stepped up from time to time. Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam is still uncapped in ODIs. He had a difficult time in the T20Is against UAE in May, picking up just two wickets in two appearances at an economy of 8.37.Bangladesh spinners’ form in ODIs has mirrored that of Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s in recent time•BCBThe bad news for Bangladesh is that they are playing Sri Lanka, who have had the most successful spin attack at home since November 2023.Recognise ODI specialists among fast bowlersWith spin being work in progress, Mehidy will have to rely more on his pace attack. The return of Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman is a boost, while Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana and Tanzim Hasan have impressed in red- and white-ball cricket.Mehidy has to quickly recognise his ODI specialists, especially with a World Cup in two years. Taskin and Mustafizur are big names but how Mehidy uses Rana and Tanzim will be crucial.Move up the ODI rankingsBangladesh could gain a spot in the ODI rankings if they beat Sri Lanka. Mehidy has his task cut out with Bangladesh eyeing direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup. They are in danger of not making the cut-off.Mehidy also has to live up to Bangladesh’s expectations from their ODI captain. This is Bangladesh’s best format. The last captain to have a healthy win-rate was Tamim Iqbal. Shakib and Shanto couldn’t quite carry that forward. Mehidy comes in as captain at a very critical time. He is fighting time, while keeping a close eye on the rankings table.

A look at the strengths and weaknesses of each WPL squad after the mega auction

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-20250:49

MI coach Keightley: ‘We’re excited to have the same core back’

Mumbai Indians

No. of players: 16 (6 overseas)Hot take: MI went all out to retain the core of the squad that has won them two WPL titles in the first three seasons. That explained why they spent 52% of their auction purse on New Zealand allrounder Amelia Kerr. They also wanted South African fast bowler Shabnim Ismail so badly that they raised the paddle even before the auctioneer announced her name. MI have put together another strong squad that has an abundance of all-round options; only three of their 16 players are specialist bowlers.Possible first XI: 1 G Kamalini (wk), 2 Hayley Matthews, 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amelia Kerr, 6 Amanjot Kaur, 7 Poonam Khemnar, 8 S Sajana, 9 Sanskriti Gupta, 10 Shabnim Ismail, 11 Saika IshaqueMI squadBatters: Harmanpreet Kaur (INR 2.5 crore)
Wicketkeepers: G Kamalini (INR 50 lakh), Rahila Firdous (INR 10 lakh)
Allrounders: Nat Sciver-Brunt (INR 3.5 crore), Hayley Matthews (INR 1.75 crore), Amanjot Kaur (INR 1 crore), Amelia Kerr (INR 3 crore), Sanskriti Gupta (INR 20 lakh), S Sajana (INR 75 lakh), Nicola Carey (INR 30 lakh), Triveni Vasistha (INR 20 lakh), Nalla Reddy (INR 10 lakh), Poonam Khemnar (INR 10 lakh)
Spinners Saika Ishaque (INR 30 lakh)
Fast bowlers: Shabnim Ismail (INR 60 lakh), Milly Illingworth (INR 10 lakh)
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru

No. of players: 16 (6 overseas)Hot take: The overseas firepower is undeniable but the missing link is a reliable Indian batter who can be the bridge between the middle and lower middle-order. D Hemalatha and Gautami Naik are two potential candidates; one has struggled in the WPL and the other is completely untested.Possible first XI: 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Grace Harris, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 D Hemalatha, 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Nadine de Klerk, 7 Pooja Vastrakar, 8 Radha Yadav, 9 Shreyanka Patil, 10 Arundhati Reddy, 11 Lauren BellRCB squadBatters: Smriti Mandhana (INR 3.5 crore), Georgia Voll (INR 60 lakh), D Hemalatha (INR 30 lakh), Gautami Naik (INR 10 lakh)
Wicketkeepers: Richa Ghosh (INR 2.75 crore), Pratyoosha Kumar (INR 10 lakh)
Allrounders: Ellyse Perry (INR 2 crore), Pooja Vastrakar (INR 85 lakh), Grace Harris (INR 75 lakh), Nadine de Klerk (INR 60 lakh)
Spinners Shreyanka Patil (INR 60 lakh), Radha Yadav (INR 65 lakh), Linsey Smith (INR 30 lakh), Prema Rawat (RTM, INR 20 lakh)
Fast bowlers: Arundhati Reddy (INR 75 lakh), Lauren Bell (INR 90 lakh)

UP Warriorz

No. of players: 18 (6 overseas)Hot take: They came to the auction with by far the biggest purse and made full use of it to assemble a well-rounded squad. Three of the five most expensive buys belonged to them: Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey and Meg Lanning. Deepti, who was bought using the right-to-match option, fetched INR 3.20 crore, the joint-second-most expensive player at a WPL auction. UPW also spent INR 1.20 crore on Phoebe Litchfield and INR 1.10 crore on Asha Sobhana. By comparison, Sophie Ecclestone (INR 85 lakh), Deandra Dottin (INR 80 lakh) and Kranti Gaud (INR 50 lakh) were steals. The only Associate player of WPL 2026 is also in their squad: USA’s left-arm seamer Tara Norris.Possible first XI: 1 Meg Lanning, 2 Kiran Navgire, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Phoebe Litchfield, 5 Deepti Sharma, 6 Deandra Dottin, 7 Sophie Ecclestone, 8 Asha Sobhana, 9 Shipra Giri (wk), 10 Shikha Pandey, 11 Kranti GaudUPW squadBatters: Meg Lanning (INR 1.90 crore), Phoebe Litchfield (INR 1.20 crore), Kiran Navgire (RTM, INR 60 lakh), Pratika Rawal (INR 50 lakh), Shweta Sehrawat (retained, INR 50 lakh), Harleen Deol (INR 50 lakh), Simran Shaikh (INR 10 lakh)
Wicketkeepers: Shipra Giri (INR 10 lakh)
Allrounders: Deepti Sharma (RTM, INR 3.20 crore), Deandra Dottin (INR 0.80 crore), Chloe Tryon (INR 30 lakh), G Trisha (INR 10 lakh), Suman Meena (INR 10 lakh)
Spinners: Asha Sobhana (INR 1.1 crore), Sophie Ecclestone (RTM, INR 0.85 crore)
Fast bowlers Shikha Pandey (INR 2.40 crore), Kranti Gaud (RTM, INR 50 lakh), Tara Norris (INR 10 lakh)
1:53

‘Wolvaardt can fill Lanning’s shoes’

Delhi Capitals

No. of players: 16 (6 overseas)Hot take: DC paid INR 1.30 crore, their joint-highest bid of the day, to buy West Indies allrounder Chinelle Henry. DC had faced Henry’s wrath last season, when she smashed a 23-ball 62 while playing for UPW. They also paid INR 1.3 crore to buy back left-arm spinner N Shree Charani, who played an important role in India’s ODI World Cup victory. They have packed their squad with allrounders and top-order batters, but are short of Indian fast bowlers. Another exciting prospect is 16-year-old Deeya Yadav from Haryana, who DC head coach Jonathan Batty described as “a young Shafali.”Possible first XI 1 Shafali Verma, 2 Laura Wolvaardt, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Annabel Sutherland, 6 Chinelle Henry, 7 Niki Prasad, 8 Taniya Bhatia (wk), 9 Sneh Rana, 10 Shree Charani, 11 Nandani SharmaDC squadBatters: Shafali Verma (INR 2.20 crore), Jemimah Rodrigues (INR 2.20 crore), Laura Wolvaardt (INR 1.10 crore), Deeya Yadav (INR 10 lakh)
Wicketkeepers: Taniya Bhatia (INR 30 lakh), Lizelle Lee (INR 30 lakh), Mamatha Madiwala (INR 10 lakh)
Allrounders: Annabel Sutherland (INR 2.20 crore), Marizanne Kapp (INR 2.20 crore), Niki Prasad (INR 50 lakh), Chinelle Henry (INR 1.30 crore), Sneh Rana (INR 50 lakh), Minnu Mani (INR 40 lakh), Lucy Hamilton (INR 10 lakh)
Spinners: Shree Charani (INR 1.30 crore)
Fast bowlers: Nandani Sharma (INR 20 lakh)

Gujarat Giants

No. of players: 18 (6 overseas)Hot take: At INR 2 crore, Sophie Devine was their biggest buy of the day. With Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner retained before the auction, they have a solid batting core. But that’s about it. They did pick Yastika Bhatia but she is unlikely to be available because of injury. The rest of their Indian batters lack experience at the big stage. Except for Renuka Singh, the same can be said about their Indian seamers too, although Titas Sadhu and Kashvee Gautam are promising youngsters.Possible first XI: 1 Beth Mooney (wk), 2 Sophie Devine, 3 Bharti Fulmali, 4 Ashleigh Gardner, 5 Georgia Wareham, 6 Kanika Ahuja, 7 Ayushi Soni, 8 Kashvee Gautam, 9 Tanuja Kanwar, 10 Titas Sadhu, 11 Renuka SinghGG squadBatters: Bharti Fulmali (RTM, INR 70 lakh), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (INR 50 lakh), Shivani Singh (INR 10 lakh)
Wicketkeepers: Beth Mooney (retained INR 2.5 crore), Yastika Bhatia (INR 50 lakh)

Allrounders: Ashleigh Gardner (retained, INR 3.50 crore), Sophie Devine (INR 2 crore), Georgia Wareham (INR 1 crore), Kashvee Gautam (RTM, INR 65 lakh), Anushka Sharma (INR 45 lakh), Kanika Ahuja (INR 30 lakh), Ayushi Soni (INR 30 lakh)
Spinners: Tanuja Kanwar (INR 45 lakh), Rajeshwari Gayakwad (INR 40 lakh)
Fast bowlers: Renuka Singh (INR 60 lakh), Kim Garth (INR 50 lakh), Titas Sadhu (INR 30 lakh), Happy Kumari (INR 10 lakh)

Kuldeep was the Player of the Match in India’s last Test but he knows that does not guarantee anything

Karthik Krishnaswamy13-Nov-20252:19

Bangar: ‘Kuldeep has to play all Tests in India’

Kuldeep Yadav has won three Player-of-the-Match awards in Test cricket: against Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2022, against England in Dharamsala last year, and in India’s most recent Test match, against West Indies in Delhi last month.On the first two occasions, India left Kuldeep out of their XIs in their very next Test. On both occasions – Mirpur, 2022 and Chennai, 2024 – he went out because India left out a spinner to play an extra seamer.There’s a chance now that Kuldeep’s wretched luck with Player-of-the-Match awards could continue into Friday, with India captain Shubman Gill suggesting on the eve of the first Test against South Africa that the team management was debating the choice between an extra allrounder and an extra spinner.Related

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The context of Gill’s statement was a question about whether India were thinking of picking a third seamer rather than a third spinner given Eden Gardens’ recent history of help for fast bowling.This was Gill’s reply: “This time of the year, there’s always a conflict whether you would want to go for that extra allrounder or you want to go for an extra spinner, but once we come tomorrow, see how the wicket looks in the morning, we are going to take a decision [on] what kind of combination would give us the best chance to be able to win this Test match.”India’s bowling combination in their last Test match in Delhi was two seamers in Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj and three spinners in Kuldeep, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, of whom the last two are allrounders.Kuldeep Yadav was the Player of the Match in India’s last Test•AFP/Getty ImagesThere are two possible interpretations of Gill’s statement.One is that India are thinking of picking a third seamer, in which case Akash Deep would come into their attack. That, then, would mean leaving out either Washington or Kuldeep.Given that Gill referred to the time of the year, this seems the likely quandary for India. The weather in Kolkata through the Test match is set to be mild, with daytime temperatures in the mid-to-early 20s (Celsius). With the ground staff preparing a pitch that looks like it will start out flat and true, there is a chance that the sun may not beat down hard enough over the first two or three days to accelerate surface wear and tear. Given the likelihood of swing, both conventional and reverse, playing a role through the Test match, India may feel a third seamer could be a likelier wicket-taking option than a third spinner.This would leave them with the classic debate: attacking wristspinner with the tools to take wickets even on flat pitches (Kuldeep) vs offspinning allrounder who is good enough to play either as a pure batter or bowler in Indian conditions, but who is unlikely to run through teams on unhelpful surfaces (Washington).On the evidence of the Delhi Test, where India spent 200 straight overs on the field after making West Indies follow on, India would be heavily inclined to pick Kuldeep. On a slow, low Delhi pitch where edges seldom carried to close catchers, Kuldeep was by far India’s most incisive spinner, picking up 8 for 186 in 55.5 overs. Between them, Jadeja and Washington bowled 88 overs and took 5 for 269.But India value batting depth, and have emphasised it to an unusual degree during Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as head coach. Kuldeep can hold up an end as a lower-order batter, as he has shown previously in Test cricket, and showed last week while scoring 20 off 88 balls and 16 off 54 in India A’s second unofficial Test against South Africa A in Bengaluru. But Washington is a proper batter with a century, five fifties, and an average of 44.76 in Tests. There is no competition between the two as batters.And even if he may lack Kuldeep’s wicket-taking genius, Washington is a genuine bowler in home conditions, and can bowl long spells and test batters’ defence even on flatter pitches, particularly through his ability to generate unusual amounts of drift.Washington Sundar scored his maiden Test century in England earlier this year•AFP/Getty ImagesIt isn’t a straightforward choice at all, if the choice is between Kuldeep and Washington, with the player picked batting at No. 8.There is, though, another possible interpretation of Gill’s words, that India stick to a two-seamer, three-spinner combination, with Kuldeep and Axar Patel – who would be the extra, third allrounder – fighting for one slot.At Thursday’s press conference, Gill was asked if Kuldeep vs Axar was the conflict he had referred to.”I think let’s leave that one for tomorrow,” Gill said, after a pause. “You can see it at the toss.”In most circumstances, three spin-bowling allrounders would seem like overkill, and an exceedingly defensive move, especially if it came at the cost of the point of difference Kuldeep brings to India’s attack. With Rishabh Pant returning to their XI and displacing Nitish Kumar Reddy, their batting definitely doesn’t need the extra security of Axar batting at No. 9.But there are signs that India could be a little worried about Kuldeep’s form. They released him midway through the white-ball tour of Australia so he could get into red-ball rhythm by playing an unofficial Test for India A. He went on to endure a difficult match with the ball: just one wicket across two innings in South Africa A’s five-wicket win while going at a run a ball in the first innings and at close to five an over in the second.Anyone can have a bad match, of course, and Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep, who also played that match, also bowled expensive spells, on a pitch at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru that began as a green seamer before flattening out entirely.Axar Patel’s last Test was in February 2024•BCCISiraj and Akash Deep, however, aren’t in the position Kuldeep has occupied right through his career. Whether it was Jadeja and R Ashwin in his early years or Jadeja, Washington and Axar now, he has always been the wristspinner who isn’t much of a batter competing with quality fingerspinning allrounders. Any fluctuation in Kuldeep’s form is a chance for one of the others to remind the team management of their best attributes.And Kuldeep isn’t competing with bits-and-pieces allrounders. Even Axar, who hasn’t played a Test match since February 2024, is a genuine bowler in Indian conditions. When he lost his place during the series against England last year, he had begun looking a little one-dimensional, threatening only one edge of the bat, with teams seeming to have worked out the threat of his wide release and undercut. But he has shown signs of late, albeit in white-ball cricket, of having worked hard on adding more layers to his craft, dangling up a noticeably higher proportion of overspin-heavy balls in the 81-84kph range, much slower than his usual pace.Because there’s so much competition, none of India’s spinners are standing still and resting on their skillsets. They simply cannot afford to.”I consider myself very fortunate to have the allrounders we have,” Gill said. “Whether it’s Axar Patel or Washington or Jaddu , whether it’s their bowling record or their batting record, it’s really good, especially in India. As a captain, it’s very difficult to decide whom to pick and whom to leave out, because they are as good batsmen as they are bowlers, they are proper allrounders […] But it’s a better problem to have too many options rather than too few options.”India’s problem of plenty has once again left them mulling over a splitting headache of a selection. Whether it’s two spinners or three, and whether it’s two allrounders or three, someone who would walk into most other Test teams will be sitting out.

U.S. Soccer has appointed Dan Helfrich, former Chair and CEO of Deloitte Consulting LLP, as its next Chief Operating Officer, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Helfrich will report to CEO and Secretary General JT Batson and oversee the federation’s day-to-day operations. His hiring comes shortly after his retirement from Deloitte in December 2025.

Getty Images SportExperienced leader

In announcing the hire, U.S. Soccer said Helfrich will oversee implementation of the federation’s strategic plan, known as In Service to Soccer, using the sort of operational rigor he applied at Deloitte. Helfrich arrives with nearly three decades of leadership experience guiding large, complex organizations – most recently leading a consulting practice of roughly 85,000 people and $20 billion in revenue – and will bring that scale to the federation’s commercial, competition and development operations.

 “U.S. Soccer has more than doubled in the last few years – and we know there is more work to do to reach our ambitious goals,” Batson said in a press release. “Dan brings a rare combination of deep operational expertise, curiosity, and a lifelong passion for the game. His leadership and commitment to excellence will help us move faster, work smarter, and continue building the foundation for soccer’s next chapter in the U.S.” 

AdvertisementHelfrich outlines vision for growth

Following his appointment as U.S. Soccer’s new Chief Operating Officer, Helfrich spoke about embracing the opportunity to help guide the federation during a transformative era for the sport in the United States. Emphasizing his lifelong connection to soccer, Helfrich described the moment as the right time to commit fully to the game’s nationwide development, outlining a mission centered on strengthening all 27 national teams.

 “Soccer has been a defining part of my life for more than 40 years, as a player, fan, broadcaster, volunteer, and parent,” Helfrich said in a press release. “And now is the right time for me to focus my career here during this pivotal time for the sport in our country. I’m inspired by U.S. Soccer’s mission and excited to partner with JT, our staff, and our members to strengthen the game and ensure soccer is accessible to everyone, everywhere, for generations to come.

“This means delivering results on the field through our 27 national teams while also making sure every player, coach, referee, and fan feels a deep connection to U.S. Soccer and their role in achieving our shared mission.” 

Deep roots in soccer

Prior to becoming Deloitte Consulting Chair and CEO, Helfrich held key executive roles, including Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer and leader of Deloitte’s Government and Public Services practice.

Beyond his corporate career, he actively supports youth development through board and advisory roles with organizations such as Grassroots Soccer, Street Soccer USA, and the Positive Coaching Alliance. He has also captained Georgetown’s men’s soccer team and earned Academic All-American honors. Since 2005, Helfrich has also contributed as a play-by-play broadcaster for Georgetown Soccer, calling over 250 matches.

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What comes next for Helfrich and U.S. Soccer

Helfrich will relocate to Atlanta and begin integrating with U.S. Soccer’s executive team in January, charged with converting strategic plans into measurable programs and outcomes. Early priorities are likely to include operational readiness for post-World Cup growth, rolling out Next Gen Committee recommendations where applicable, and strengthening systems that support player pathways and competition delivery.

It’s been an unfortunate start to the season for Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, who’s been sidelined multiple times through injury already and is now racing to recover from an MCL problem.

The North London derby on November 23rd takes on added significance for Arsenal as they await Odegaard’s potential return from a frustrating spell on the sidelines.

The Norwegian playmaker has become synonymous with Arsenal’s attacking fluency, and his absence has been an unwanted headache for Mikel Arteta.

Amid their pursuit of a first Premier League title in 22 years, the Gunners have done very well to cope through a torrid period of injuries to key attacking players at the Emirates. Odegaard’s latest setback came during their 2-0 win over West Ham in early October, when a collision with winger Crysencio Summerville resulted in a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee.

The incident forced him off after just 30 minutes and made unwanted history. Odegaard actually became the first player in Premier League history to be substituted before half-time in three consecutive starts, and what makes this injury particularly cruel is the timing.

The 26-year-old had only just returned from a persistent shoulder problem that had already disrupted his campaign. That shoulder issue saw him withdrawn after 38 minutes of Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Leeds United at the very start of 25/26, before an aggravation of the same injury forced him off after just 18 minutes against Nottingham Forest.

Odegaard has completed a full 90 minutes only twice this season, and Arsenal rehab specialists have resorted to pretty unique methods to speed up his recovery.

The former Real Madrid midfielder has been using anti-gravity treadmills at Arsenal’s London Colney training centre to accelerate his comeback, a technique that reduces gravitational load while restoring muscle strength and mobility.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

His return would provide a massive boost heading into one of the season’s most important fixtures against Spurs right after the international break, but Arsenal have now been dealt a pretty concerning update.

Credible reports had claimed that Odegaard is battling to be in contention for Tottenham alongside Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres, with Gabriel Jesus the only forward definitively ruled out (Simon Collings).

However, Norway boss Stale Solbakken has now made a suggestion that even the derby may be too soon for him.

Arsenal star Martin Odegaard "some distance away" from injury return

Speaking in a press conference this week, Solbakken stated that Odegaard is actually “some distance away” from his injury return — which makes for a pretty concerning admission ahead of Tottenham’s visit to the Emirates in just 10 days time.

Despite still being sidelined, Odegaard has travelled with the Norway squad to be a presence for morale ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Italy.

Arteta will be keeping a very close eye on his players during this international break, which always poses the threat of unwanted injury problems, and defender Riccardo Calafiori gave Arsenal a scare earlier this week after it was revealed the left-back is training alone with a hip issue.

Luckily for the Azzurri and Arteta, Italian medical officials believe that Calafiori will be fit to face Norway on November 16, with the individual training programme most likely a precaution and nothing too serious.

Immediately after their clash against Tottenham, the north Londoners take on Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Chelsea just four days later, with Arteta hoping he has most of his attacking contingent back and ready to contribute in these vital face-offs.

How Rahane slots into their XI, and how 36-year-olds Narine and Russell perform, could make or break their season

Sreshth Shah15-Mar-20255:11

Chopra: Rahane could face ‘captain-batter conflict’

Where they finished last year

Champions. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) topped the league table with nine wins, three losses and two points from washouts. They beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1 and then, with Mitchell Starc rampant with the new ball, won the final and sealed their third IPL title.

What’s new in 2025?

Ajinkya Rahane, the new captain, will slot into one of the spaces left open by the outgoing Shreyas Iyer and Nitish Rana, while new buy Quinton de Kock is a quality replacement for Phil Salt. The overseas bench looks strong with Rahmanullah Gurbaz as the back-up opener and fresh picks Moeen Ali and Rovman Powell bringing power and versatility.Related

• Angkrish Raghuvanshi: 'Cricket is what I go to sleep wanting to do and what I wake up wanting to do'

• KKR vs RCB rivalry: Exciting, intense and dramatic encounters over the years

• Chetan Sakariya replaces the injured Umran Malik at KKR

• Ottis Gibson takes charge as KKR assistant coach

• Why KKR made Rahane, and not Venkatesh, their captain

Starc has a like-for-like replacement, at least in terms of bowling role, in Australia left-arm swing bowler Spencer Johnson, who made his IPL debut with Gujarat Titans last season. Anrich Nortje is a more experienced candidate for the overseas seamer’s spot.Off the field, too, there’s a new look. Gautam Gambhir’s crew is gone, and mentor Dwayne Bravo and assistant coach Ottis Gibson are the new additions. Rahane joins hands with Chandrakant Pandit, his former coach in domestic cricket.With Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh and Andre Russell in the lower middle order, KKR remain among the most dangerous death-overs teams and they would expect Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana to build on from their recent international form with the ball.

Likely best XII

1 Sunil Narine*, 2 Quinton de Kock* (wk), 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell*, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Spencer Johnson/Anrich Nortje*, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Vaibhav Arora
Full KKR squad</aCould Luvnith Sisodia be a wildcard for KKR this season?•kkr.in

Big Question

Watch out for

Can Ajinkya Rahane carry forward his Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy form from December? His ranking as the tournament’s top scorer was impressive and his strike-rate of 164.56 stood out too. In IPL 2023, he was a brilliant bridge between the openers and middle order at Chennai Super Kings, and KKR would want that version of Rahane this season.Sunil Narine and Andre Russell come into the tournament not in the best of form, with below-par performances with the bat in the ILT20 in January-February. Narine has also gone wicketless in six of his last ten T20s, although he conceded more than 24 only four times. KKR retained the two high-impact 36-year-olds and trust the pair to turn up in the big moments, but can they keep doing it season after season?Luvnith Sisodia, the wicketkeeper-batter from Karnataka, could also be a left-field option up top. That could make space for Moeen or Powell. KKR have taken their chances with young, exciting domestic cricketers in their past, and Sisodia had a terrific Maharaja T20 Trophy run with semi-finalists Gulbarga Mystics.

Key stats

• Andre Russell was a star with the ball last season, with 19 wickets in only 29.2 overs for a strike rate of 9.2. But in T20s after IPL 2024, in the 66.5 overs he has bowled, Russell has taken only 17 wickets with a strike rate of 23.5. With Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora as their main Indian quick bowlers, Spencer Johnson not quite experienced enough, and Anrich Nortje returning from injury, Russell will need to do a lot.
• KKR had the best spin attack by far in IPL 2024, and they have retained it for 2025. Their 38 wickets last season was eight ahead of the second-best team and their average (23.18) was the best by a distance too, with their economy rate (7.68) behind that of only Chennai Super Kings’ spinners.
• Quinton de Kock has scored 500-plus runs in three IPL seasons, and his team has gone into the playoffs each time, with Mumbai Indians winning twice in 2019 and 2020. But IPL 2024 was his worst since 2014, bringing him only 250 runs in 11 outings for Lucknow Super Giants at an average of 22.72.

Who’s out or in doubt?

A fully-fit Nortje can hit the high 140s (kph), but he has only just recovered from a back injury. He missed the SA20 and Champions Trophy competitions, and last played a game in December 2024.Another quick, Umran Malik was ruled out with a hip injury, and he’s been replaced with Chetan Sakariya.

Arsenal's Eberechi Eze has revealed the inner workings of his relationship with former Crystal Place team-mates Michael Olise and Jean-Phillippe Mateta on the latest episode of the Beast Mode On podcast. The 27-year-old spoke of the almost-immediate friendship he struck up with Olise, and the similarities he shares with the driven and determined Mateta.

• Eze spills the beans on Mateta and Olise

  Eze was speaking about the France internationals with former Wycombe Wanderers team-mate Adebayo Akinfenwa on the latest episode of GOAL’s Beast Mode On podcast. 

  Eze, Mateta and Olise formed a lethal strike force for the Eagles during the 2023-24 season, scoring 37 Premier League goals combined. Their partnership, along with the hiring of Oliver Glasner, helped turn around a woeful start to that campaign. Palace would win six of their seven final games, eventually finishing 10th in the table. 

  This potent attacking line was quickly broken up however, with Michael Olise departing for Bayern Munich in the summer for a fee of around £50 million ($65m). One year later, after scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final, Eze would secure his own big money move, moving across the capital to join the club that released him as a boy, Arsenal. Only Mateta remains at Selhurst Park, but it's clear that Eze still enjoys a close relationship with the mates he made in south London, despite their separate paths. 

  The 27-year-old spoke glowingly about Olise's talent, saying the winger impressed him from the first time he saw him play. When the prodigious winger made the switch to Selhurst Park from Reading a short time later, the pair almost instantly hit it off according to Eze. 

  With regards to Mateta, the Arsenal man praised his improvement over the years, saying that both of them possess a force of will that helps them succeed at the top level. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Olise's talent and their friendship

  Asked if he knew he was on the same frequency as Olise immediately, Eze said: "I played with him maybe six months earlier [before he joined Crystal Palace] and I saw him, I spoke to him. I think he's maybe 17 [at this time].

  "I saw him and I was like, ‘yo, you're mad’. That was the first time I saw him play. So then when he signed, he came into the treatment room, I was getting treatment, and I asked him: ‘why did you sign?’.

  "At this time we weren’t boys, but we were cool enough. I just remember him speaking and I'm like, ‘yeah, man, this is going to be my guy’. I can tell. As time went on, you can see the relationship built and [we’re] very like minded in terms of the drive, trying to achieve something. You can see that he's got that."

• Mateta's improvement and self-belief

  Asked about Mateta and whether he thought he’d turn into the player he is now, Eze said: "[He’s] Scary. No. Every player you see has quality and everyone you see has strengths. You can see his ability. But for me, I look at him and I see a similar type of vibe in terms of what I feel about myself.

  "I don't expect you to see what I see myself. He would have seen this, though, and you can tell by the conversations he's had INtraining ground and the things he would say about himself, he believes this. So for me, whenever someone speaks that way, you know that it’s possible and you believe that it’s possible.

  "It's been beautiful to see it [Mateta’s progress] though, because that's another story of someone that's saying, ‘OK, I'm going to do this thing and you're going to see me… and whether people believe it or not, don’t matter. I’m going to do it’

  "He's doing it now, so for me it's a beautiful thing to see. And when I speak to him, it's always a joy."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Eze and Olise to square off in Champions League tie

  All of their mutual admiration will be forgotten when Eze and Olise square off for the first time since they both left Selhurst Park, as Arsenal and Bayern Munich square off at the Emirates Stadium on November 26. That promises to be titanic clash at the top of the Champions League table, the Gunners and the Bavarian giants are two of the three clubs with a perfect record in this year's competition.

Newcastle United may be active in the January transfer market, with a number of areas in need of work.

After winning the Carabao Cup last season and securing Champions League qualification for the second time in three seasons, Eddie Howe has struggled to get a tune out of his Magpie squad, who languish in 14th place in the Premier League.

Struggles on the road have been well documented in recent weeks, but Newcastle have a wider crisis of creativity that must be fixed.

#

Club

xG Total

1.

Chelsea

20.4

2.

Man City

19.3

3.

Crystal Palace

19.0

4.

Arsenal

18.8

5.

Man United

18.2

12.

Newcastle

12.8

Nick Woltemade has been the shining light at number nine, so exciting and promising in Alexander Isak’s former berth, but he can only do so much as United struggle to fashion chances with the regularity that is required to compete at the top of the table.

Latest on Newcastle's transfer search

While Newcastle have dynamic wingers and a robust and compact central midfield, there’s no question that more is needed, and with Joelinton under fire for his performances this season, there’s a vacancy emerging for a hungry new playmaker.

Newcastle did sign Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa for a fee in excess of £40m this summer, but the 24-year-old has yet to hit a rich vein of form on Tyneside. A new solution may be needed here.

Well, according to GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle could land the help that they need in the form of Kees Smit, having learned that they will have to make the 19-year-old AZ Alkmaar’s club-record sale if they wish to prise him away from the Netherlands in 2026.

The Eredivisie outfit would be looking for a £22m payment if they are to relinquish control of their prized prospect, and with Barcelona and Real Madrid lurking, Newcastle will need to act speedily.

Why Newcastle want Kees Smit

Smit might be a teenager, but he’s already welcomed a few onto the hype train, with analyst Ben Mattinson marvelling at the “duel monster” and his all-encompassing midfield qualities.

Effortlessly calm in tight spaces, Smit is fostering an exciting and creative skillset, with FBref recording that he ranks among the top 6% of similar midfielders over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for through balls, and the top 10% for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

He thrived against Crystal Palace in their recent Conference League clash, grabbing an assist, completing three dribbles and winning six duels.

There’s a maturity about this creator that suggests he could be tailor-made for a career in the Premier League, with Sofascore recording that he has averaged 3.5 duels, 1.2 tackles and six ball recoveries per Eredivisie match too. He’s the complete package.

19 years old. We might even be talking about a bigger talent here than Woltemade, a dominant athlete whose technical understanding has seen him become one of AZ’s most important cogs at this fledgling phase.

Woltemade has been one of Newcastle’s star players this season, and he will continue to improve, but Smit’s playmaking may elevate the German to another level entirely down the line.

Smit or Woltemade? Who’s the bigger talent? Perhaps we’re splitting hairs. United just need to get the deal over the line, thus combining two brilliant footballers and reenergising Howe’s attack.

He'd revive Gordon: Newcastle could hire Howe 2.0 in "the best coach in PL"

Recent form has made Newcastle consider the unthinkable possibility of Howe moving on at some stage.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 15, 2025