All posts by h716a5.icu

He began in usual fashion, nudging here and pushing there in tricky conditions, before exploding in the slog overs

Saurabh Somani in Chennai01-Apr-20193:32

Agarkar: Royals allowed Dhoni to milk easy singles early

It’s the sort of deafening roar that fans who are now of slightly older vintage might remember with nostalgia for when India’s second wicket used to fall. It reaches a crescendo in a second. However, this was not an international game involving India and featuring Sachin Tendulkar. And at Chepauk, the roar came at the fall of the third wicket for Chennai Super Kings, as MS Dhoni strode out.Just like it used to happen with Tendulkar, the score – Super Kings were a fairly dire 27 for 3 in 4.5 overs – didn’t matter.Dhoni began in usual fashion, nudging here, pushing there and gathering runs in a trickle rather than a flood. That would come later, repaying the faith of the faithful with not just victory on Sunday, but victory orchestrated by their hero.As Dhoni’s, and Super Kings’, innings against Rajasthan Royals progressed, the captain realised the slowness of the pitch that impeded strokeplay would be offset more and more as dew set in. Dew would make the ball come onto the bat better and make it more difficult for bowlers to control the ball. That was when Dhoni began to accelerate, and it was calculated. Where the bowling demanded respect, he respected it. Where he knew that he could muscle the ball, he exploded.Dhoni’s first 15 balls brought only 12 runs. The next 20 balls brought 28 runs. And at that fateful moment, with Dhoni on 40 off 35 in the 18th over, Dhawal Kulkarni bowled a shoulder-high full toss. The ball had slipped out of his hand, but the pronounced effect of the dew was nothing compared to the pronounced transformation in Dhoni. The free-hit went for a powerful six over wide long-off, and Dhoni rocketed away, 35 runs coming off the last 11 balls he faced, including three sixes to finish against a hapless Jaydev Unadkat.He had the crucial luck that innings of this type – coming in with the bowlers on top, the track difficult, and the opposition having at least one gun bowler – needed. The man most likely to trouble Dhoni (and every Super Kings batsman for that matter), was Jofra Archer. Royals had given him the new ball, and he had promptly bowled a wicket-maiden in the second over, but after that Ajinkya Rahane took him out of the attack. As soon as Dhoni came in, Archer was brought back on. As Ben Stokes would say later, “We tried to attack him, getting him out was our main objective.”1:49

Five reasons why Super Kings beat Royals

Archer’s first ball to Dhoni was back of a length, coming into the batsman at pace. It took an inside edge and trickled onto the stumps via boot – but hit them softly enough that the bails stayed in place. Dhoni could have been walking back for a two-ball duck, but all Royals could do was give wry smiles. He could have been walking back for 28 off 27 too, having clubbed a full delivery from Stokes through cover with some force. K Gowtham was perhaps a little slow to react inside the circle and only got his left fingertips to the ball. It was the kind of catch that either sticks, or doesn’t.Dhoni faced only two balls from Archer early in his innings, and by the time he batted against Stokes, he had already begun to get a feel for the conditions, having faced 19 balls. There were only two bowlers in the Royals attack who could have bashed a hard length into Dhoni’s hips and cramped him for room. But Stokes didn’t opt for that line, and by the time Dhoni faced Archer for a second time, it was the back end of the innings, where both Dhoni and dew were flowing freely.At that point, there was almost an inevitability to it all.”It’s obvious what MS Dhoni does. He’s one of the greatest finishers to have ever graced the game of cricket,” Stokes said. “Especially when he comes early, I think every team knows what he’s going to try and do to start with. I think he just takes it as deep as he possibly can. He’s a great person to learn from and watch how he goes about his innings, whether it be setting a total or chasing a total.”Dhoni wasn’t chasing a target set by the opposition, but he was chasing a par score that was being constantly revised in his mind. When Super Kings began batting, it seemed like anything in the region of 140 or 150 would be competitive. But as the dew set in with greater force, it became apparent that this would need to be revised upwards. Not only did Dhoni stay at the crease to be able to recalibrate his target, he had the nous and skill to reach that target too.MS Dhoni got to his highest IPL score at home with a well-paced innings•ESPNcricinfo LtdArcher bowled the 17th and 19th overs, and Dhoni was happy to knock singles. Two loose balls, both at the start of the over, were expertly carved through the offside for boundaries, but otherwise he was happy to respect the quality of the bowling, even in the death overs. It was almost the opposite against the duo of Kulkarni and Unadkat. There is possibly no pitch slow enough to counter the muscle of Dhoni against medium pace. The last three legal balls of the innings – split by a wide – Unadkat gave Dhoni no pace at all, and Dhoni simply used his immense strength to biff them over square leg, long-off and long-on.Once again, Dhoni had shown that he could manipulate a slower-than-normal pitch. Once again, he showed that in the art of constructing an innings, when he doesn’t have to go bang at the start, he remains masterful. Once again he showed that if he took the game deep, there was no telling how destructive he could be. Super Kings were well served by their bowlers up front getting key wickets. But it was Dhoni’s acceleration that made the Royals top order take chances they otherwise wouldn’t have. It was also Dhoni’s acceleration that gave Super Kings the final cushion in what became a tight win.”He’s done that so many times. He’s been through situations like this all his life, and he knows his game-plan,” Imran Tahir said. “We’re happy to have him in our team, because I don’t want to play against him!”His team-mates, those watching the game, and even the opposition knew what Dhoni was going to do. And he did it anyway.

In the same week one took the other’s place in India’s World Cup squad, they squared off against each other in an IPL game and it was… well, nice

Varun Shetty in Hyderabad17-Apr-2019Vijay Shankar seems to keep finding himself in the spotlight. It happened at the Nidahas Trophy last season, when he was fast-tracked into the ODI team, and then – although it was shared many ways – when he was one of several No. 4 aspirants.On Tuesday, just a day after being named India’s No. 4 for the World Cup, he was dragged back into the spotlight. This time because of a tweet from the man who had publicly been allotted that No. 4 spot by the India captain for many months leading into the World Cup.Ambati Rayudu doesn’t tweet very often, but this wasn’t the first time he has been in the news for tweeting. In 2017, he’d hit out at Harsh Goenka, brother of Sanjiv Goenka, who owned the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant. Rayudu had tweeted in support of MS Dhoni, who’d made a fifty shortly after Harsh had celebrated the appointment of Steven Smith as Supergiant’s captain at the time.It was with Dhoni that Rayudu first appeared on the field for Wednesday’s match. Dhoni had his arm around Rayudu’s shoulder as they walked in for training, and drew applause from the crowd at Hyderabad. It hadn’t been clear from Rayudu’s ‘3d glasses’ tweet if he was unhappy with the reasons given for his omission, or with the man who had been picked ahead of him.Vijay Shankar doesn’t bowl often at this level. For India, he has generally been the sixth option. For Sunrisers, he had only bowled five overs before this game.But he had the ball when Rayudu walked in on Wednesday. Here it was then, the spotlight again for Vijay Shankar. Had he been dragged in to a fight he’d done nothing to be part of? Was there a fight at all?Vijay Shankar celebrates a wicket•BCCIIt did not matter to the announcer at the stadium, who had picked up on a fantastical script: Ambati Rayudu v Vijay Shankar. Rayudu against Hyderabad. Vijay Shankar against his own home. Orange flags everywhere, and many thousands of yellow shirts in the stands.His chant hinged on the words “Shankar MBBS,” borrowed from the Telugu film of that name, followed by “,” borrowed from the terraces of any ground along the south-eastern coast of India.The crowd took to it. Vijay Shankar ran in, bowled length outside off, and nearly got Rayudu to drag onto the stumps, first ball. The bout was on. The “3D derby” tweets were rushing in. Rayudu soon had the strike back and responded with the oldest form of defiance – the forward block. How exciting, the head-to-head battle in a team sport, a scream in the face of all players who insist It’s All About The Team.A little more Shankar Dada MBBS for the crowd. And then the over ends. A couple of pats from Rayudu to Vijay Shankar. Is that the end of what might be a hug?Are you kidding me! It was almost as if Rayudu didn’t hold Vijay Shankar responsible for something he wasn’t responsible for. Madness.There was no fight. Rayudu chipped one wide of midwicket in Vijay Shankar’s next over. Had the catch been taken, it would have fed into and amplified the narrative. But there wasn’t a catch, and it was probably the best result, because there wasn’t bad blood either by the looks of it. There are no dimensions to this. One of them is going to the World Cup, the other is on standby. On we go. It is still, tragically, all about the team. Let us reconvene when Rayudu crosses paths with MSK Prasad.

A look at which batsmen dominated the five-day format, from its start in the late 19th century

Anantha Narayanan12-Oct-2019This article is in three parts. First, the main article on decade-wise performances by batsmen. Then a brief review of the 2019 Ashes series. And finally, some information on my work on the redesign of my Test performance ratings (an area in which I need readers’ inputs).To start with, an update on the article on best bowlers of each decade. Nick Fisher pointed out that Alan Davidson missed out during the two decades in which he played. Yes, Davidson took 92 wickets at 20.50 in the 1950s and 94 at 20.56 in the 1960s, missing out narrowly on my list. What consistency! That was indeed an astute observation by Nick and my special thanks to him for not saying that I missed this. He trusted my workings and made his derivations based on this belief.The top batsmen – by decade
For the purposes of this exercise, I will avoid the obviously flawed batting-average metric and instead use my own creation – the Weighted Batting Average (WBA). The WBA, which negates the huge disadvantage faced by top-order batsmen, is calculated as explained below: All dismissals, irrespective of the score, count as one innings
All not-out innings above the average Runs per Innings (RpI) count as one innings
All not-out innings below the average RpI are assigned proportionate innings values between 0.0 and 1.0 (as a fraction of their average runs per innings)
The WBA is then calculated using the derived Weighted Innings countLet me illustrate this using Don Bradman’s career. He had ten not-outs, and his scores in those innings were 30, 37, 56, 57, 102, 103, 127, 144, 173 and 299. The last six are above the RpI (87.45) and are considered completed innings. Only the first four are to be prorated. The Weighted Batting Average is 89.61 (6996/78.07).Now, let me move on to the batsmen who performed well in each decade. The selection criteria are simple. I work with a suitable cut-off (1500 runs for the period between 1877 and 1914, 2000 for the period between 1920 and 1989, and 3000 since 1990). I sequence the selections by WBA. Then, I select the top ten batsmen by WBA and add up to a maximum of ten players by runs scored, taking care to avoid overlaps. In order to increase clarity in crowded areas on the graph, the circle and name are linked by a small dot.Anantha NarayananLet us start with the current decade, which is almost over. Steven Smith is the leading batsman, having scored nearly 7000 runs at a WBA of just over 57. Normally many of my batting narratives start with the rhetorical question: “Who is second?” Soon, I think I may have to ask, “Who is third?”, implying that only the third and further positions are up for grabs. Look at Smith’s numbers: An average of 64.5, ahead of the next best, Herbert Sutcliffe, by four runs, and a top batsman, Virat Kohli, by over 12. Because of his 16 not-outs (8% of his total innings), Smith’s WBA is down to 57.25, around the levels of the other great batsmen. But he is still in second place to Bradman’s 89.61.
An aggregate of over 100 runs per Test; one of only two batsmen to reach this amazing mark.
Average rating points per weighted innings of 209, the only batsman other than Bradman to cross 200 points. (Bradman’s score was 264.)Kohli, Joe Root, Kane Williamson, Hashim Amla and David Warner have all scored over 6000 runs and at WBA values between around 45 and 50. The other outliers are Alastair Cook, with nearly 9000 runs, and Kumar Sangakkara, with the best decade WBA value of 58.5.Anantha NarayananIn the first decade of the millennium, Ricky Ponting was the standout batsman, scoring over 9000 runs at a WBA of just over 53. Mohammad Yousuf had the best WBA value, though with fewer runs. The two Sri Lankan batting greats are clustered in the 7000-8000 runs range, with WBA values above 52. Jacques Kallis and Matthew Hayden scored around 8500 runs at an almost identical WBA of around 50.5. Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar scored over 7000 runs at WBA values below 50.Anantha NarayananSachin Tendulkar was the batsman of the 1990s: over 5000 runs at a WBA of 53. Brian Lara and Graham Gooch are close behind, with WBAs greater than 50. Steve Waugh scored over 6000 runs but his WBA dropped steeply because of 46 not-outs (17.7%). A few other batsmen have reasonable WBA values but with fewer runs. The cluster at the top is dominated by Ashes batsmen.Anantha NarayananJaved Miandad was the best batsman of the 1980s. He scored over 5500 runs at a very good WBA. Greg Chappell, with fewer runs, matched Miandad in WBA. Allan Border had over 7000 runs at a very good WBA of just over 46. Viv Richards had similar WBA figures but with fewer runs. It is nice to see that Kapil Dev qualified.Anantha NarayananThe 1970s was the decade of Sunil Gavaskar, who stood head and shoulders above the others. He scored nearly 6000 runs at a 53-plus WBA value. Miandad had a WBA value of more than 50 in this decade but scored only around 2000 runs, as did Viv Richards, whose WBA of 56 was among the best by any batsman ever. Greg Chappell and Geoff Boycott performed well.Anantha NarayananThe 1960s was the decade of two chalk-and-cheese players – Ken Barrington, who scored well over 6000 runs at a WBA of close to 55, and Garry Sobers, who made nearly 5000 runs at a similar WBA. Look at the group of batsmen clustered in the middle. All of them have WBA values around 45 and run totals close to 4000 on either side. A number of batsmen scored above 2000 runs, the qualifying mark.Anantha NarayananThe next segment is a little over a dozen years. In the 1946-59 period the three great West Indies batsmen, Everton Weekes, Clyde Walcott and Sobers all had WBA values exceeding 50. Len Hutton and Neil Harvey had WBA values nearing 50 and scored many runs. Bradman played for only two years in this period and scored too few runs. It’s nice to see Vijay Hazare in this group.Anantha NarayananBradman dominates the 1920-39 period by a mile. Just over 5000 runs at a WBA value just above 90. The daylight between him and the others on the graph is a clear visual indication of where the master stood. Wally Hammond made almost all his aggregate of close to 7000 runs in this double-decade period at an excellent 55-plus WBA value. Sutcliffe had a similar average with fewer runs. George Headley had a WBA value of 60-plus (the only batsman other than Bradman to do this in a decade) but scored only just above 2000 runs.Anantha NarayananJack Hobbs was the leading batsman by a wide margin in the first period of 37 years. He scored well over 2000 runs at a very high WBA of nearly 53. Clem Hill and Victor Trumper scored over 3000 runs in that time but at a sub-40 WBA. But these averages need to be regarded in light of the fact that the pitches were uncovered back then. Most of the other batsmen are nicely clustered around the 2000 runs and sub-30 WBA mark.A brief review of the Ashes series
S Rajesh analysed the 2019 Ashes series in depth from various points of view and concluded that Australia had the edge in many measures. I have done a comprehensive team-contribution analysis in which I determine the team performance points, incorporating various aspects of the match. My summation of the team performance points for the two sides confirms Rajesh’s conclusions: Australia secured 254.7 team performance points to England’s 238.9. There were 100 points each on offer for the four result games, and the drawn Test got 93.6. Australia had two comprehensive wins and one close loss. England had one comprehensive win, one very narrow win, and the better of the one draw.While Australia might have been marginally ahead on the field, they were tactically way behind the English team. Judgement errors: Australia had a DRS success rate of 7.7%, against England’s 33.3%
Selection errors: Mitchell Starc played in one Test and James Pattinson in two, as against Peter Siddle’s three Tests
Tactical errors: Sending England in to bat almost certainly led to the loss of the Oval Test, and the near-loss of the Lord’s Test. Also, the last two hours at Headingley were handled poorly in tactical terms. This was partly made up during the last hour at Old Trafford.The on-field performances made up for these lapses and Australia were able to share the series.Let me summarise the player performances using the rating points as the yardstick. Smith was the leading batsman, with 3656 points. For England, it was Ben Stokes, with 2149 points. The best bowler on show was Pat Cummins, with 2807 points. Stuart Broad leads the table for England, with 2307 points.Let us compare these ratings to those from some other Ashes series. Bradman secured 2733 points (810 runs) for his best Ashes series in 1936-37. (Bradman scored 974 runs in 1930 and that was his most prolific series, but that was not his best performance because of a combination of very benign pitches – did Bradman make them appear so? – and some average bowling, Maurice Tate excepted.)Wally Hammond ‘s magnificent Ashes outing in 1928-29, when he scored 905 runs, fetched him 2711 points. Jim Laker got 3990 points for his 46 wickets in 1956. Finally, Terry Alderman scored 3979 points with his lbw-dominated haul of 41 wickets in 1989.Test Ratings: redesign-related points
One formula for all innings is not working, whether it is batting or bowling. The four innings have totally different dynamics. The targets are different (explained below). The pressures are different. The other discipline can be counted on for as long as the third innings is not completed. When Ian Botham batted at Headingley in 1981, he had the small comfort that he and Bob Willis could still turn the tables with the ball in the fourth innings – which Willis indeed went on to do single-handedly. Stokes, 38 years later, did not have that luxury. The partnerships for the ninth and tenth wickets take on different hues in different innings. The Pitch Quality Index (PQI) might vary drastically: 400 and 450 in the first innings does not mean that a chase of 250 in the fourth will be a cakewalk. First-innings target: Totally notional. The match is a clean slate. The team batting first has to aim for a reasonable target, ranging between 300 and 400, depending on the era the game was played in.
Second innings target: Predominantly notional. At least for this innings, there is a first-innings score in play. In general, against low totals, a substantial lead should be aimed for; against middling totals, aim for parity, and against big totals, to minimise the deficit. Still, quite a lot is up for grabs.
Third innings target: Part notional, part actual. We now have a much clearer picture. There is a deficit or lead on the table. Depending on what has happened in the two innings so far, the objective is to set the team batting fourth a reasonable target – say from 200 to 400-plus. Fourth innings target: This is set in stone. Fortunately there is no DLS to contend with. A secondary target might be time-related. However, the run target is very clear – it ranges from 1 to 835.The first two innings are difficult to evaluate. How does one value two great innings, such as Virender Sehwag’s 201 not out and Steven Smith’s 144 relative to each other? Both were once-in-a-lifetime gems, invaluable, and set up wins in difficult away conditions. It is unfair to say that Kusal Perera (in Durban earlier this year), and Stokes and Botham at Headingley, had all the pressure in the world and Sehwag and Smith did not. I consider Sehwag’s and Smith’s innings as no less than those of Perera and Stokes, but lingering doubts remain. While I think I have managed to have a single set of parameters, valuations and calculations across all innings, I realise that there are many questions that are difficult to answer. My overriding need to be fair across innings has resulted in some shortcomings in evaluation, especially of innings in the latter half of matches.Match status has a different connotation when the target is a firm one (as in the fourth innings) or a totally notional one (as in the first innings). As the match moves towards its close, the stark facts behind the resources remaining comes into play. The winning percentage values, which I develop for the third and fourth innings, do not exist in the first- and second-innings computations.The inescapable conclusion is that there is a clear need to have separate ratings for first and second innings and third and fourth innings, with their own independent parameters. It is also certain that the weight allocation will vary considerably. The contrast between setting up the match and concluding the match has to be incorporated. And of course, three-innings matches, such as innings wins, have to be properly taken care of.Presentation: I have had major problems in the presentation of data in both Golden Willow 25 and Red Cherry 25 tables. When the tenth-placed performance secures 788 points and the 20th gets 759 points, they are only 29 points (3.7%) apart, but readers make a fuss about the difference in rank and talk as if the 20th-placed innings is very poorly placed. They fail to understand that these are tenth and 20th places among 80,000-plus innings. The other problem is that readers often compare two closely placed innings, say, which received 764 and 763 points respectively, asking how I can rate one higher than the other, little realising that the one-point difference could be caused by a fourth-decimal-place difference in any one parameter.Readers should understand and accept the beautiful maxim “first among equals”. They should understand that the innings of Perera, Graham Gooch, Sanath Jayasuriya, Bradman and Azhar Mahmood are the current top five innings ever played and Perera’s is first among equals. Since it is unlikely that most readers will accept and understand this concept voluntarily, I may have to only present groups of innings in future. Maybe by giving each innings a finite ratings value, I might have implied that Perera’s was a better innings than Gooch’s and so on. Let me put paid to that. I could instead potentially have, say, four groups of five innings each for the top 25, instead of a serially ranked list. Within each group of five, I might present the innings in chronological or alphabetical order only, so that no inferences are drawn about where each ranks alongside its peers.I would really like readers to comment on these far-reaching suggestions, and the specific points mentioned below:1. Use PQI for first and second innings and third and fourth separately, as against the current method of using the PQI-Match.<!–

Pitch: PQI-1/2 or PQI-3/4 vs PQI-Match

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Test PQI-Match PQI-1/2 PQI-3/4 Scores (1-2) Scores (3-4) Summary

Eng v Aus, Headingley, 201937.020.253.3179 and 67 246 and 362/9Improved significantlyNZ v SL, Christchurch, 2018-1950.122.276.3178 and 104 585/4 and 236Improved drasticallyEng v WI, Headingley, 1976 49.662.332.9450 and 387 196 and 204 Deteriorated significantlyWI v NZ, Antigua, 1995-9659.876.534.6548/7 and 435184 and 130/5Deteriorated drastically2. Split CTD_Away (Career-to-date away) into CTD_Asia and CTD_Others in all away workings. The following statements are self-explanatory. Murali: 307 @ 27.8 Away, but 119 @ 30.5 in Asia and 188 @ 26.1 in other countries
Walsh: 290 @ 25.0 Away, but 77 @ 20.5 in Asia and 213 @ 26.7 in other countries
Lara: 5736 @ 47.8 Away, but 1530 @ 58.9 in Asia and 4206 @ 44.7 in other countries
Saleem Malik: 2860 @ 39.2 Away, but 752 @ 31.3 in Asia and 2108 @ 43.0 in other countries3. Introduce Recent Form (last ten innings or spells) while determining player quality. The RF will carry 33.33% weight as against the 66.67% for career-to-date values. The RF will be based on runs scored and wickets taken (and not the averages). Sufficient care will be taken to ensure that the RF values do reflect “recent” periods. This is a tough algorithm, since Tests were played at different frequencies during different eras.There was a suggestion that the Recent Form should look forward and include Tests until the end of the series. This is a brilliant suggestion. Cummins’ Recent Form in Ashes series, if tweaked to include his 29 wickets at 19.6, would go a long way in establishing how he bowled during the early Tests. Similarly for Broad. And in the case of Jofra Archer, this will be very meaningful since he does not have any Recent Form because he made his debut in the series, at Lord’s. The forward look will anoint his status as a leading bowler for England through the entire series.However, there is a minor problem to contend with. When the ratings work is done at the end of the Test, an innings/spell might get a ratings value that might change as we progress towards the end of the series. But this is only a minor point, since the values will get set at the end of the series. This suggestion deserves serious consideration.4. Strengthen Bowling Quality faced parameter. Take in a combination of “four best bowlers who took the field” and “the bowlers who bowled in the innings”. Decide on the proportion by doing a bit of AI work. (If James Anderson bowls only four overs, lean more on the latter value; if there is no discernible shortfall, lean on the former value.) If Broad and Chris Woakes run through Ireland in 16 overs, the bowling-quality parameter should reflect primarily these two bowlers. Of course, each of these options will have a minimum weight of 25%.5. Rationalise Innings size points, taking into account redundancy and slack.

Test Batsman Score Target Actual Won by Summary

Pak v SL, Faisalabad, 2004-05Sanath Jayasuriya 253321438201 runsRedundancyEng v Aus, Trent Bridge, 2013Ian Bell 109365375 24 runsNot much redundancyAus v SA, Sydney, 1993-94Jonty Rhodes 76373239 5 runsAbsolutely no redundancyWe have to recognise that in Faisalabad, Sanath Jayasuriya might well have scored 100 runs fewer and Sri Lanka could still have won. But in Sydney in 1993-94, Jonty Rhodes needed to score every single one of those 76 runs. This should have some impact but not necessarily very high.6. Factor in the margin of result, especially in losses. Reward performances in close losses, both bowling and batting, in third and fourth innings. For example:Reward Labuschagne (80), Hazlewood (4 for 85) at Headingley, 2019
Reward Langer (54), Tim May (5 for 9) in Adelaide, 1992-93
Reward Azhar Ali (65), Yasir Shah (5 for 110) in Abu Dhabi, 2018-19
Reward Ryder (87), Oxenham (4 for 67) in Adelaide, 1928-297. Analyse partnerships more in depth and more effectively. Top-order partnerships. Let us consider two partnerships. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant came together at 121 for 5 at The Oval last year and added 204 runs. Despite India’s ultimate loss, this has to be given a very high degree of recognition. A few months later, in Rajkot, Kohli and Pant came in at 337 for 4 and added 133. There was no pressure and this partnership does not require any special recognition. Incorporate Win% values while determining the match status at the beginning and end of the partnership. This will be applicable for the third and fourth innings. For the first and second innings, a comparison to the target (primarily notional) should suffice. For points 7 and 8, work out a complete snapshot of the innings, incorporating whatever data is available.8. Completely rework the processing of the late order of the innings. This is the most important change. There is a need for a clear treatment of each of the late-order partnerships, starting from the sixth wicket onwards. We have to strongly reward ninth- and tenth-wicket partnerships, especially in the third and fourth innings. Botham, Perera and Stokes should get a lot of credit, but also their partners. Today, Graham Dilley, Vishwa Fernando and Jack Leach are not rewarded properly. Smith (and Siddle) should also get a lot of credit, but probably less than the third- and fourth-innings heroes.9. X-Factor to be introduced. I have given below a non-exhaustive list of factors that could be considered. Winning after follow-on. Recognise the only three instances in the history of Test cricket
Recognise tied matches – only two occurrences in the history of Test cricket
Recognise great defensive innings – Dennis Amiss’ 262 not out, Mike Atherton’s 185 not out, etc
Responding after scoring a very low total (67) or facing a huge total (595/586)
Special situations such as Ashes/winning streaks at stake (but not necessarily the series), mass exodus of players, etc
Important World Test Championship match – especially in the later stages and the final
Take series situation into account
Possibly recognise a hat-trick – it has occurred only 44 times in 142 years
An epochal win by a new team very early in their existence – Pakistan v England in 1954, Afghanistan v Bangladesh in 2019, etc
Allow for manual input since some of the above cannot be gleaned from the scorecardA simple request to readers. The invitation to comment is made in good faith. If you do not respect me or my work, or you want to rant against specific players, or show off, or you have chips on your shoulders, please do not send vitriolic emails wasting your time and mine. Your mail will go where it belongs – to the trash or spam folder.

Teams visiting India plan extensively for the challenge of facing spin. Our correspondent wonders whether SA failed to plan just as hard for the pacers

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Ranchi21-Oct-20196:34

Bangar: Umesh should be in the XI when India play at home

Straighten against the angle, beat the outside edge, hit the top of off stump. You’d usually be lucky to see three such deliveries in a series, but we saw three on Monday itself.Who did it best?Watch cricket on ESPN+

India v South Africa is available in the US on Hotstar and ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the Ranchi Test.

Was it Umesh Yadav to Faf du Plessis in the first innings, because the batsman seemed to be in a pretty good position to play the ball, and was still left clueless? Was it Ravindra Jadeja to Heinrich Klaasen, because of the trajectory and the length, which drew the batsman forward and still left him far, far away from the pitch of the ball? Or was it Mohammed Shami to Zubayr Hamza in the second innings, because, well, because of that Mohammed Shami seam position?If you relax the qualifying criteria a little, there was also Umesh to Quinton de Kock in the second innings, which went past the left-hander’s outside edge to hit off stump without deviating against the angle, and Shami to du Plessis, a jaffa like all the other balls, turning the batsman around and hitting his back pad.For India, it wasn’t just a 16-wicket day, rare as those are, but also one filled with memorable deliveries, especially from the fast bowlers. It’s been written about before that India’s quicks have outbowled South Africa’s through this series, and on Monday, Umesh and Shami perhaps hit their peak.There isn’t much that a batting team can do against this kind of bowling. You can nitpick at the footwork – or lack of it – that contributed to some of these dismissals, but do remember how well the fast bowlers used the bouncers to push the batsmen back.ALSO READ: Umesh and Shami revel in toss advantageExcept, well, isn’t this a challenge top-order batsmen know very well, and one they deal with through their careers? South Africa’s batsmen, in particular, have grown up facing fast, hostile bowling all their lives. And yet.Most teams come to India prepared to face a lot of spin. South Africa are no exception to this, and in their very first innings of the tour, in Visakhapatnam, they showed how alive they were to that challenge by playing proactive cricket and using calculated risks to try and put the spinners off their lengths.Hamza, playing his first Test of the series, looked at ease against spin in the first innings, his footwork light and decisive, and his strokeplay emphatic, until he was dismissed attempting to cut Jadeja off his stumps. It was clear that he too had prepared extensively to deal with India’s spinners.But as comfortable as some of South Africa’s batsmen – and even their lower order – have looked against the spinners, they’ve all been undone time and again by pace.Umesh Yadav celebrates the wicket of Heinrich Klaasen•Associated PressIt shows in the numbers. R Ashwin’s average for this series (25.26) isn’t too far off his career average, while Ravindra Jadeja’s (30.69) is well below his, especially in India. Umesh (12.18) and Shami (14.76), however, have achieved absurdly good numbers.Which begs the question: did South Africa plan just as hard for the challenge of facing India’s fast bowlers as they did for the spinners?”I would say, based on just the general thought of playing in India, you’d assume that it would be tougher to play against the spinners,” Hamza said during his press conference at the end of day three. “In saying that, we knew, obviously first we’d have to get through the quick bowlers that they’ve got, who are extremely disciplined and professional about the way they go about doing their job, so I wouldn’t say we underprepared against the seamers. I would just say that maybe we should have prepared more mentally in terms of playing them in whatever conditions that we were faced with.”The foremost mental challenge that India’s quicks posed was how relentlessly they made the batsmen play. Typically, in South Africa, opening batsmen would go out looking to leave as many balls as possible, but here, Shami and Umesh hardly allowed them to do that. A couple of Dean Elgar’s dismissals in this series, in Pune and in the first innings here, when he was caught in the grey zone between playing and leaving, showed how hard it can be to make that adjustment.”I would say that with the new ball they just forced us to play at more balls,” Hamza said. “They bowled attacking lines, they didn’t allow us to leave the ball many times, and by asking us to play at the majority of balls, given the fact that they’ve got good skill as well, obviously we’re going to have to be on top of our game in defence to keep those good balls out, and we haven’t done that.”The pitches for this series haven’t offered a great deal of help to the spinners. There have been phases – the fourth innings in Visakhapatnam, and the second innings here – where inconsistent bounce has made batting difficult against the quicks, but otherwise, there hasn’t been any exaggerated assistance for them either.Shami and Umesh have bowled brilliantly to make the most of whatever help they’ve had, but there is a lingering sense that South Africa could have done more to combat their modes of attack. Perhaps their failure will alert future touring teams to prepare better against India’s fast bowlers.

Having replaced Hardik Pandya in the A squad for New Zealand, Vijay has another chance to make it back to the India side

Deivarayan Muthu21-Jan-2020About a year back, Vijay Shankar took on Lockie Ferguson and co. on India A’s tour of New Zealand, then broke into the senior white-ball side, and made a compact 45 after a top-order collapse in an ODI in Wellington. Vijay’s technique in swinging conditions had impressed the team management and the selectors so much that they took a punt on him for the No. 4 slot in the 50-over World Cup.Vijay’s family travelled all the way to England to watch him live on the biggest stage and although he took a first-ball wicket against Pakistan in the World Cup, the dream soon turned into a nightmare as a toe injury in the nets sidelined him after a mere three games in the tournament.Vijay has fought more injuries and is now fit again, but hasn’t been part of the India side since. With Hardik Pandya, too, recovering from a back surgery, Mumbai allrounder Shivam Dube was trialled recently in the shorter formats. Pandya was originally picked for the New Zealand A tour that begins this week, but the BCCI said his rehab was “taking longer than expected”.ALSO READ: India have missed a trick with their allrounder strategyThat has once again opened doors for Vijay by accident as he was called up at the last minute to replace Pandya in the A squad for the two warm-ups and the three one-dayers against New Zealand A which begin on Wednesday. Vijay had a decent workout with the bat in the second warm-up over the last weekend, helping finish the innings with a 41-ball 58, but proved expensive with the ball – his weaker suit – to concede 50 runs in only four overs in Lincoln. Vijay, though, had fared much better with the ball in the first warm-up, claiming 1 for 26 in six overs.Vijay is now looking for a second chance in a country where he had been handed his first real chance last year. Recently, former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar had said on ESPNcricinfo that the conditions in New Zealand could suit Vijay’s nippy medium-pace and he could give the senior side some batting depth and a fifth-bowling option in Tests.Getty ImagesThe India squads for the three ODIs against New Zealand, which begin on February 5, and the two Tests, beginning on February 21, have not been announced yet. Vijay will hope the selectors will wait to look at the three-match one-day series against New Zealand A on whether he stands a chance as a seam-bowling allrounder or not.It has not been an easy wait for Vijay since the World Cup. He was in line to play against South Africa A at home last year, but he split his webbing at a club game and spent further time on the sidelines.”Coming back from an injury has always been a tough thing for me because I’ve always had some setbacks, which has kept me out for a while,” Vijay told ESPNcricinfo during the domestic white-ball season. “Being out [of action] is very disturbing and irritating at times, but what has happened has happened and it’s going to be a fresh start.”I kept training hard, which kept me going. I travelled with the Tamil Nadu team to Jaipur [even when I wasn’t playing]. By watching the game also you can learn. When I started batting, I wanted to implement that in my game and definitely, yes, [I’ve] been batting well and bowling well after those injuries.”Vijay had floated up and down the order in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy and 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. After forging some crucial partnerships with his Tamil Nadu captain Dinesh Karthik in the 50-over matches, he nearly took them to the Syed Mushtaq Ali title. Once Tamil Nadu were reduced to 80 for 4 while chasing 181 in the domestic T20 final, Vijay took charge and made a calculated 27-ball 44. He had focused on his strengths – timing the ball and taking the chase deep as opposed to slogging against the Karnataka attack. He narrowed the equation down to four off two balls, before he was run out, by a rocket throw from Manish Pandey, despite a sprawling dive.”If you see my opportunities, I’ve carried the bat in some games and a couple of games I batted down the order, where I’ve got out also,” he said. “In whatever other opportunities I got I have done well, I just need to adapt to the situation and condition and deliver what the team needs. I need to take up responsibility and deliver at that particular moment. That will give me more satisfaction. Scoring 100 or 150 matters, but playing tough situations at some point is also important.”Despite the narrow loss in the Mushtaq Ali final, Vijay did show that he had learnt from the Nidahas Trophy final, where he was desperately swiping and missing balls against Mustafizur Rahman. Vijay’s personal coach and former Railways player S Balaji said that they have been working on ensuring that Vijay maintains a stable base when he meets the ball.NurPhoto/Getty Images”We discuss on the balance at the crease during training,” Balaji said. “If you see Rohit Sharma, he has the best balance in the whole world. You can’t copy him, but we’re trying to make it better [for Vijay]. If you look at M Vijay as well, his balance and control when he hits the ball is good. You need to be in proper position when you want to hit the ball wherever.”Last year during IPL, he tried to hit the ball straight and over the leg side. We’re looking more at the off side now, behind point and over covers, where there are vacant areas. If you hit straight, there’re always two fielders to stop the ball if you can’t clear the rope. Sixes can come later on, you need to build the innings – maybe start at a strike rate of 80 and then move to 150 in T20s – and we’re working on that.”On the bowling front, Vijay had taken the new ball on the seamer-friendly pitches in Jaipur during the Vijay Hazare Trophy and then hit hard lengths in the Mushtaq Ali semi-final against Rajasthan in Surat, where he returned with 2 for 13 in his four overs. While Vijay hadn’t picked up a bagful of wickets in the domestic season, he was pleased with the way his bowling was coming along following multiple injuries in 2019.”With the ball the numbers might have not been like three-four wickets, but then it’s very important for me to bowl well,” he said. “Sometimes you might not get wickets, but it’s important to bowl tight and sometimes you will end up picking wickets at some stage, but it’s important to keep at it and try to execute it.”Vijay and Balaji were initially targeting a “big” IPL at the turn of 2020, and the latest India A call-up has come as a pleasant surprise. With his ability to bounce back and having made it to the World Cup last year, he has fond memories from the last New Zealand tour to look back on as he prepares to grab his second chance one year on in the same country.

The Manchester City squad rebuild is firmly underway.

Last week, Kevin De Bruyne confirmed he will be leaving the club this summer, following the expiration of his contract.

He’ll follow fellow sky blue stalwart Kyle Walker out the exit door while, as outlined by Philip Buckingham of the Athletic, Man City spent around £180m in January. That’s more than the other 19 Premier League clubs combined, recruiting Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, Nico González, Vitor Reis, and Juma Bah.

Now, as Pep Guardiola attempts to fill the gigantic void that De Bruyne will leave behind, does he have his eyes on one of the Premier League’s very best midfielders?

The latest on Man City interest in PL star

According to UOL Esporte, via a report from Spain, Guardiola ‘has identified’ Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimarães as his ‘ideal candidate’ to replace De Bruyne this summer.

The Belgian is on his way out of The Etihad and the Cityzens have now set their sights on the Premier League midfielder to bolster their options in the middle of the park ahead of next season.

However, it remains to be seen how much money it will take for the Magpies to consider parting ways with their brilliant Brazilian in the upcoming transfer window.

The 27-year-old joined Newcastle back in January 2022 from Olympique Lyonnais for a reported £40m, making 146 appearances for the Magpies to date, scoring 20 goals, a key figure in the side that won last month’s EFL Cup, the first major domestic trophy the club have hoisted aloft for 70 years.

His manager Eddie Howe described Guimarães as “world class”, with Chris Waugh of the Athletic believing that, when the Brazilian is deployed with more attacking freedom, there’s few better in the Premier League.

Thus, his signing would obviously be a major coup for Man City, but any potential deal will be far from straight-forward.

Why Guimares would be the perfect de Bruyne replacement

Instinctively, it does not feel as though Guimarães would be the perfect stylistic fit to replace De Bruyne.

The Belgian is known as the pass master, with Sam Lee of the Athletic outlining that a whipped ball to the back post is very much his ‘trademark’ assist.

As noted by Opta, since De Bruyne’s debut for Manchester City, no player has registered more assists (117) or created more chances (827) than him across Europe’s top five leagues.

Meantime, Guimarães is more well known for his ‘tenacity’ and leadership qualities, as documented by Jack Lang and Maurício Alencar of the Athletic, registering just 24 assists in 146 appearances for Newcastle to date.

But, let’s now take a deeper dive into the numbers.

Appearances

21

30

Minutes

1,192

2,590

Goals

2

3

Assists

6

6

Expected assists

6.1

5.3

Progressive passes

116

212

Chances created

39

38

Shot-creating actions

81

97

Through-balls

8

21

Pass completion %

76.7%

82%

Ball recoveries

44

144

Touches per 90

77

67

As the table outlines, despite having played less than half the number of minutes that Guimarães has, De Bruyne’s assists, expected assists, and chances created numbers are still comparable, emphasizing his qualities in that regard.

Nevertheless, the Brazilian has registered more progressive passes, shot-creating actions, and through-balls, while accumulating exponentially more ball recoveries, underlining that he is more of a useful asset out of possession.

This suggests that he would be a perfect replacement for de Bruyne in the sense that he could arrive with more depth to his game, due to his qualities out of possession and in deep build-up, which means that he could offer more to the all-round team performance than the Belgian veteran.

Thus, even though this would not be a like-for-like replacement, Guimarães would surely slot into Man City’s team perfectly, making this a transfer they should absolutely complete, if at all possible.

Three more points in the bag. Newcastle United might just claim a top-four spot in the Premier League, you know, to make an incredible season even more special.

Leicester City were tired and weary against a Newcastle side that pulled no punches. The Foxes limped through the contest, picked at by the swooping Magpies.

Eddie Howe has worked wonders at the club, reaching such heights this year off the back of a disappointing 2023/24 campaign and a frustrating 2024 summer transfer window.

But he needs a big push this summer, should United rise to the next level in 2025/26. Holding onto Alexander Isak will be key, but that’s not to say Howe’s squad won’t need a new centre-forward anyway.

Newcastle make contact with striker

As per Calcio Mercato over in Italy, Newcastle have made contact with Moise Kean’s agent as they prepare to chase down his signature this summer, though caution is needed with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur also eager to sign him.

Kean, who flopped during his younger years at Everton, has bloomed into one of Serie A’s leading strikers over the past few years, currently enjoying a prolific campaign with Fiorentina.

With a release clause in his contract worth £45m, the 25-year-old could be on the move this summer and St. James’ Park would be the perfect new stomping ground.

What Moise Kean would bring to Newcastle

PIF will hope that their valuation of Isak, north of £150m, will deter interested parties this summer. In any event, Howe needs new forwards, with Callum Wilson’s contract expiring this summer and William Osula as yet unproven as a reliable option.

If Newcastle are to sign a new number nine, they might be wise to target one in the same vein as their Swedish sensation. Kean is that man.

The Italy striker, who has scored 22 goals for Fiorentina this term, so strong and assured of himself, so “fearless” and “courageous,” as has been noted by Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel.

Reviving his career after a rocky start – a bit like Isak at Real Sociedad, before his £63m transfer to St. James’ Park – Kean has the athletic skill set to succeed in the Premier League.

He boasted such quality before, but was felled by a lack of composure and frustrations concerning being an up-and-coming talent in a turbulent Everton team.

Fiorentina – 24/25

28

17

3

Juventus – 23/24

19

0

0

Juventus – 22/23

28

6

0

Juventus – 21/22

32

5

3

PSG – 20/21*

26

13

0

Everton – 20/21*

2

0

0

Now, he’s enjoying the apotheosis of his career (thus far), with his clinical nature marrying into an aggressive approach to the final third, actually ranking among the top 9% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

This is a further illustration of how he could slot right in as Isak’s partner, mirroring the superstar while bringing something new to the table too.

Last month, BBC Sport’s Mina Rzouki remarked that Kean “made the best decision of his career to go to Fiorentina and leave Juventus.”

Newcastle could provide a similar hothouse for development, and he should emulate his international teammate Sandro Tonali in making the move to Tyneside.

As good as Murphy: Newcastle star just proved he's as undroppable as Isak

The Newcastle United star showed why he is as undroppable as Alexander Isak.

ByDan Emery Apr 8, 2025

This summer could be make or break in terms of Ruben Amorim’s future as Manchester United manager, needing to make the right decisions in the transfer market if they are to progress next season.

The Red Devils currently sit in 13th position in the Premier League, with their only hope of securing European football next season relying on their success in the Europa League.

Their lowly league standing is huge evidence that the board need to back the 40-year-old in the window, allowing him to make the additions he wants to fit his 3-4-2-1 system.

He’s so far only had one window to implement his own changes, largely having to operate with the players signed under the guidance of former manager Erik ten Hag.

However, he appears to have wasted no time in identifying players to improve his first-team squad, targeting one player who could massively improve the situation at Old Trafford.

Man Utd already in talks to land huge PL talent

According to GIVEMESPORT, United are already in talks with Wolverhampton Wanderers over a summer deal to sign their star man, Matheus Cunha.

The Brazilian only signed a new contract back in February but has stated his desire to depart Molineux this summer, with any club wanting him needing to trigger his £62.5m release clause.

The 25-year-old has registered 13 goals and four assists in the league to date, undoubtedly playing a huge role in maintaining the club’s top-flight status this campaign.

The report claims he’s interested in making a move to Old Trafford this summer, potentially making personal terms a forgone conclusion should the Red Devils trigger his release clause.

Whilst it would be a huge sum to fork out on yet another attacker at the Theatre of Dreams, it would be a worthwhile investment, providing a better option than another player already on their radar.

Why Cunha would be a better signing than Delap for United

Over the last week or so, reports have emerged that United have made Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap their number-one choice to become their new talisman next season.

The 22-year-old is set to be a man in demand this summer, with Chelsea also in the race to land the forward who has a £30m relegation release clause within his current contract.

The former Manchester City youngster has been the Tractor Boys’ key man in 2024/25, registering 12 goals in 30 appearances – scoring 39% of Kieran McKenna’s outfit’s efforts to date.

However, despite the huge difference in fee, Cunha would undoubtedly be the better option for Amorim’s side, having the ability to feature in a centre-forward or attacking midfield role.

When comparing the pair’s respective figures from 2024/25, the Brazilian massively outperformed Delap, showcasing why the hierarchy should pay the added difference between the player’s different clauses.

Games played

26

30

Goals & assists

17

14

Progressive carries

3.9

2.2

Progressive passes

4.7

1.1

Shots on target

1.5

1.1

Pass accuracy

70%

61%

Take-ons completed

2.1

1.4

The Wolves star, who’s been labelled “sensational” by current boss Vitor Pereira, has managed to register more combined goals and assists, whilst also registering more shots on target per 90 – showcasing his clinical nature in attacking areas.

He’s also completed more progressive passes per 90, whilst completing more take-ons per 90, achieving a higher pass completion rate – highlighting his all-round nature with the ball at his feet.

Whilst the club would pay more than double if they were to land Cunha, it’s evident that he would be a better option for the Red Devils based on the stats he’s produced in England’s top flight in 2024/25.

If they are to return to the summit of the Premier League in the next couple of years, it’s pivotal they learn from their mistakes in the market, needing to invest in top-quality talent rather than players who have only impressed over one season.

64 touches, 93% passes: Man Utd's 8/10 star is now as important as Bruno

Manchester United could only secure a 2-2 draw with Lyon in the Europa League last night.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 11, 2025

Chelsea are not short of attacking options in their current squad.

Enzo Maresca has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal in the forward areas, with the likes of Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson all key players at Stamford Bridge.

There is also a chance Jadon Sancho joins the club permanently this summer, with his buy clause activating over the weekend. He has made a real impression over the past few weeks, as has Tyrique George, who has broken into the first team from the academy, notably scoring his first top-flight goal last weekend at Craven Cottage.

Yet, the Blues want more in forward areas. It seems like they will look to sign a new winger in the 2025 summer window, and have been linked with someone who could further elevate their attacking options.

Chelsea's attacking shortlist this summer

With Jackson now on a run of 13 games without a goal it will come as no surprise that Chelsea are hoping to add a striker to their ranks this summer.

One name that stands out is Newcastle’s Alexander Isak while a cheaper alternative could be Ipswich Town striker, Liam Delap, according to reports.

Well, not just content with bolstering their central areas, they could also sign a winger from Barcelona.

Transfer Focus

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

One of the most exciting teams to watch this season has been Hansi Flick’s Barca side. Their front three has been dominant, with Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal two key players, alongside Raphinha.

Well, according to TBR Football, it is the Brazilian who Chelsea are interested in signing over the summer. They have reportedly been told there is a chance to sign him this summer, and are thought to be ‘huge admirers’ of the winger.

However, there will be competition for his signature if there is a chance the Blues can sign Raphinha. Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool are also ‘being kept informed about his situation’. It is reported that intermediaries have told the three English clubs that an £80m offer could be enough.

Why Raphinha would be a good signing

It has been a sensational season for Raphinha in 2024/25. He has been the spearhead of a Barca attack that has dominated Europe. They had amassed 100 goals in just 32 games by February, and have now far exceeded that number.

As for the former Leeds star, he has an extraordinary 30 goals and 23 assists in 48 appearances so far this season. In La Liga, he’s notched up an impressive tally of 26 goal involvements in 30 appearances.

However, it is the Champions League where he has really thrived. The “unplayable” star, as Statman Dave called him, has 19 goals and assists this term, more than any other player, including a hat-trick against Flick’s former side, Bayern Munich.

Raphinha’s performances this season have been so good that Owen Hargreaves, former Manchester United midfielder, thinks he is a “revelation”. Hargreaves also said on TNT Sport that he thinks the Brazilian is “in the lead for the Ballon d’Or” at the end of the year.

The underlying stats via FBref from Raphinha’s incredible campaign show just how well he has played. For example, the former Leeds United star averages 1.11 goals and assists and 0.84 goal-creating actions per game. They rank him in the top 2% and 4% of attackers in Europe’s top five leagues, respectively.

Goals and assists

1.11

98th

Goals per shot on target

0.45

88th

Key passes

2.98

96th

Shot-creating actions

5.36

91st

Goal-creating actions

0.84

96th

Thus, should the Blues bring Raphinha to the club, there is every chance he could end up becoming their best attacker since Eden Hazard.

Has there ever been a better forward in Chelsea history than Hazard? Well, that comes down to personal preference, but former Blues player turned pundit Pat Nevin called him a “world-class” operator back in 2019. Since his exit, no wide player at Stamford Bridge has scored more than his 16-goal Premier League haul from 2018/19 and Raphinha is streets ahead of that already in Catalonia.

Hazard was certainly unbelievable in that famous Blue shirt, scoring 110 goals and assisting a further 85 in 310 appearances for the club.

A sensational dribbler, he could often be seen running rings around opposition defenders before bearing down on goal or finding a teammate, as the video shows.

If Raphinha could replicate what Hazard did at Stamford Bridge, he’d be an instant success. The quality is there, of that there is no doubt, and his pure goals and assist numbers are sensational this season.

It would be some coup for Chelsea, and if they could bring the Brazil international back to the Premier League, it would be a real statement signing ahead of 2025/26.

Shades of Hazard: Chelsea plotting move to sign £39m-rated "entertainer"

Chelsea are looking to add to their depth in attack

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 16, 2025

Liverpool fans have been left annoyed over the last week, after boyhood supporter Trent Alexander-Arnold announced he would be departing the club after a 20-year spell.

The right-back’s contract is set to expire at the end of June, but he will not sign a new deal, making him a free agent with the side unable to receive a fee for the academy graduate.

He’s racked up over 350 appearances for the Reds, but now looks set to make a move to join Real Madrid ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, subsequently strengthening one of their European rivals.

After Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk extended their own deals at Anfield, hope was held that the England international would follow suit, but ultimately it wasn’t meant to be.

Such a decision has given boss Arne Slot a huge job to fill the void of the 26-year-old, potentially dipping into the transfer market over the coming months.

Liverpool’s hunt for a right-back

Over the last couple of days, Liverpool have made an enquiry to sign Monaco star Vanderson to try and soften the blow of Trent’s pending departure this summer.

The Brazilian is said to be available for a fee in the region of £25m this summer, with the Ligue 1 outfit wanting to keep hold of one of their key performers.

However, the biggest target to date has been Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong, with interest in the Dutchman ramping up over the last couple of days.

It was reported that the 24-year-old has a £35m release clause within his deal at the Bundesliga giants, with his tally of four goals and five assists evidently catching the eye of boss Slot.

Despite the interest, there’s also another option that the manager could consider next season to soften the blow of the outgoing first-team regular.

The Liverpool star who could replace Trent next season

Conor Bradley will likely be the main player within the current first-team ranks to fill the gap next campaign, with the Northern Ireland international a player with huge potential at Anfield.

The 21-year-old has already made 26 appearances this season, even pocketing Kylian Mbappé in the Champions League, proving he has the quality to step up to the plate.

Curtis Jones is one player who’s also operated in such a position in the absence of the aforementioned duo, which could lead to another Red following suit upon the return from his loan.

Stefan Bajcetic, who’s primarily a midfielder, looked to be the club’s next big star a couple of years ago, but his progression had stagnated before his current stint at Las Palmas.

The 20-year-old was sent to the LaLiga outfit last summer to gain valuable first-team minutes and continue his progression – something which he’s achieved in recent months.

The Spaniard, who’s been labelled “exceptional” by former boss Jurgen Klopp, has made 13 appearances in the league to date, producing numerous impressive figures to date.

He’s managed to complete 75% of the passes he’s attempted, whilst completing 63% of the dribbles he’s made – handing Slot the marauding presence they will miss with Trent’s departure.

Games played

13

Minutes played

924

Pass accuracy

75%

Dribbles completed

63%

Tackles won

1.4

Duels won

6.4

Interceptions made

1.5

Bajcetic has also starred without the ball, winning 1.4 tackles per 90 and coming out on top in 6.4 duels – offering an added defensive presence to the backline.

His tally of 1.5 interceptions and 5.8 recoveries made also reaffirms the talents he possesses, saving the club millions if he can adapt to featuring out of position.

It would be an interesting decision for Slot to utilise the youngster next season, but he needs to give every player the opportunity to stake their claim for a place within his side next campaign.

Frimpong and Bradley will certainly be the supporters’ main options in such a role, but Bajcetic has the tools to offer key depth and options to the manager in such a department throughout 2025/26.

Dream Frimpong alternative: Liverpool make enquiry for "world-class" star

Liverpool could forget about Jeremie Frimpong with a move for another defensive star.

ByEthan Lamb May 10, 2025