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First and foremost, Newcastle United have no pressing concerns relating to finances and the ever-ominous profit and sustainability rules in the Premier League.

Furthermore, technical director Ross Wilson is now settled into his chair in the St. James’ Park offices, and have formed a good early relationship with Eddie Howe as they look to tackle key areas of the squad.

Now is the time for action. It’s been a wobbly start to the season after a summer of upheaval, but United are beginning to show green shoots in their bid to cement themselves as Champions League contenders and a multi-trophy-winning outfit.

Defensive positions are being examined, but with Joelinton’s form lacking in stages this season, Howe wants a new midfielder.

The question on everyone’s lips: Will it be Elliot Anderson?

Newcastle chasing elite midfielder

Howe spoke at the start of October about his desire to bring Anderson back home. The 23-year-old was sold to Nottingham Forest in 2024 and he has since become a top-class midfielder. It was not a happy sale for the Magpies, whose hand was forced by PSR.

Now, United want him back. The problem? Manchester City and Manchester United are also keen, and the Tricky Trees have priced their gem in excess of £100m.

This is a superstar in the making. Already, he is ranking favourably against the likes of Sandro Tonali in the Newcastle midfield; the Italian is widely regarded as one of the best in the Premier League.

If Newcastle are fruitless in their bid to sign Anderson, they could do worse than fall back on Scott McTominay, who was named the Serie A MVP last season after leading Napoli to the Scudetto.

As per Chronicle Live, McTominay is reportedly unsettled in Naples and is considering a return to the Premier League. Newcastle would be right there, offering the Scotland star a chance to take his career to the next level.

Valued at £70m, McTominay, 28, will not be short of suitors in 2026, but sources close to the player suggest that he would be open to moving to Tyneside and working under Howe’s stewardship.

What McTominay would offer Newcastle

It’s a testament to McTominay’s meteoric rise in Italy that had Newcastle signed him from Manchester United, it would have been a move met with indifference.

But now, he is revered as a hero for both club and country, 18th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings and regarded as a “true superstar of European and world football”, as said by content creator Adam Joseph.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær, his former boss at Old Trafford, also hailed him as a “physical monster” once, and this is why McTominay could be such an interesting Anderson alternative.

He is capable of show-stopping moments, but the Tartan Army hero also has the athleticism and defensive attributes to dovetail right into Howe’s engine room.

His high duel success bespeaks his tenacity, and his eye for goal makes him an intriguing option to place just ahead of Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, both elegant and combative players with excellent passing ranges, sure to pick out the Napoli star’s surges into the danger area.

Anderson has since raised his level, but McTominay has hardly regressed himself, instrumental in a title-defending Napoli team that trail first-placed AC Milan this season by only a single point.

There is a winning mentality about McTominay that Newcastle need to take their project to the next level, and while the 23-year-old Anderson would be a fantastic addition, this would provide Howe with the instant effect he and his team need.

Newcastle need a new midfielder, and that won’t change. Either of these stars would mark stunning acquisitions.

He wants to leave: PIF must sell Newcastle's "poor man's Haaland"

Newcastle United must cash in on this player who reportedly wants to move on from the club in January.

1

By
Dan Emery

Dec 1, 2025

It sure feels like John Schneider is done watching Shohei Ohtani hit baseballs.

On Monday night, the Dodgers beat Schneider's Blue Jays 6–5 in an epic, 18-inning showdown in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series. While Freddie Freeman's walk-off home run won the game for L.A., it was Shohei Ohtani who terrorized Toronto for most of the night.

Ohtani finished the game 4-for-4, with two home runs, two doubles, and walks. The three-time MVP doubled in the first inning, homered in the third, and doubled in the fifth. He came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh with no outs, the bases empty, and the Dodgers trailing 5-4. Schneider decided against walking the best player on the planet and instead allowed Seranthony Dominguez to pitch to him. Ohtani blasted the first pitch he saw over the left-center field fence for a solo home run that tied the game.

Toronto pitchers faced Ohtani five more times after that home run, and walked him each time. The first four times the walks were intentional, before Brendon Little issued him a four-pitch unintentional pass in the bottom of the 17th.

After the game, Schneider was asked if we should expect him to continue walking Ohtani for the rest of the series and gave a short answer: "Yeah."

I'd be shocked if Ohtani saw any good pitches for however long the series continues, unless the Blue Jays happen to have a large lead in a game.

Shohei Ohtani's record-breaking night in Game 3

Ohtani's performance in Game 3 broke or tied several MLB records.

He reached base nine times, which is a new MLB postseason mark. The previous high was six. He also tied the all-time record, which only three players had accomplished before. Max Carey reached base nine times in 1922, while Johnny Burnett (1932) and Stan Hack (1942) also accomplished the feat.

Ohtani became the first player with two doubles and two home runs in a postseason game, while also becoming the first player to have five walks in a World Series game. He is also the first player in MLB history to have four hits and five walks in a game, regular season or postseason.

Oh, we're not done.

Before Monday night, only one player had ever been issued an intentional walk with the bases empty in a World Series game. That came when the Rangers walked Albert Pujols during Game 5 of the 2011 World Series. Ohtani was intentionally walked with the bases empty in Game 3.

Ohtani became the first player with four extra-base hits in a World Series game since White Sox second baseman Frank Isbell had four doubles against the Cubs in Game 5 of the 1906 Fall Classic.

His historic night will almost certainly change the way the Blue Jays approach him moving forward.

Also, were England and India’s four changes apiece for the fifth Test a record?

Steven Lynch05-Aug-2025Was India’s six-run win at the Oval their closest in a Test? asked Jaswant Mohan, among many others

India’s pulsating victory at The Oval yesterday was indeed their closest by runs in any Test match – previously it was a 13-run win over Australia in Mumbai in 2004 (Australia were set 107, but were bowled out for 93).There have been only seven narrower victories by runs in all Tests, including two by just one run, by West Indies over Australia in Adelaide in 1993, and by New Zealand over England in Wellington in 2023.There have also been 15 victories by one wicket, including India’s over Australia in Mohali in October 2010 (VVS Laxman and Pragyan Ojha scrambled 11 for the last wicket to win that one).Ravi Jadeja passed 1000 Test runs in England during the fourth Test, and he’s also taken more than 30 wickets. How many people have done this double over the years? asked Afzal Burman from India

After his century in the second innings at Old Trafford, the Indian allrounder Ravindra Jadeja had 1096 runs in 16 Tests in England, plus 34 wickets: by the end of the Oval Test, he had increased that to 1158 runs (and still 34 wickets). Only two other visiting players have collected more than 1000 runs and 25 wickets in Tests in England: the durable Australian allrounder Charlie Macartney, with 1118 runs and 26 wickets in 21 Tests between 1909 and 1926, and the great West Indian Garry Sobers, who amassed 1820 runs at 53.52 and took 62 wickets at 31.58 in 21 matches between 1957 and 1973. He also pocketed 28 catches.Nine other overseas players have completed the Test double of 500 runs and 25 wickets in England. Of those, Shane Warne took 129 wickets in 22 matches (to go with 563 runs), while Richard Hadlee (70) and Mitchell Starc (65) both took more than 50 wickets.For the fifth Test, both England and India made four changes from the previous match. How unusual is this number of changes mid-series? asked Alex Baker from Scotland

There was an unusual shuffling of the cards for the fifth Test at The Oval last week. It was the sixth time that both teams had made four changes in a Test in the middle of a series, following Australia and India in November 1956, England and Pakistan in July 1962, England and West Indies in July 1976, and Pakistan and Sri Lanka in March 1982 and also in July 2015.In the middle of the 1994-95 series down under, Australia made four changes and Pakistan five, while in England in July 1959, England made six changes and India five between the second and third Tests. But the record was set in Sri Lanka in July 2002, when the hosts made no fewer than seven changes for the second of two Tests, and Bangladesh five.The most team changes by one team in mid-series is the maximum of 11, back in 1884-85 when Australia selected an entirely new side for the second Ashes Test in Melbourne after a pay dispute. England, however, kept an unchanged team. Australia made another seven changes for the third Test in Sydney: four of the “new” team survived, three of the pay rebels returned from the first Test, and four new players were called up – so Australia used 26 different men in the first three Tests of that series.Australia’s 3-0 thumping of West Indies last month was only the second instance a team losing all 60 wickets and still going on to win a Test series•AFP via Getty ImagesIn the recent Test series in the West Indies, Australia lost all 60 wickets but still won the series 3-0. Has this ever happened before? asked Rawle Agard from Canada

The recent Frank Worrell Trophy series in the Caribbean was a low-scoring one, without an individual century, as this column touched on two weeks ago. Looking into it a little more closely, it seems the recent encounter was only the second three-Test series in which all 120 wickets fell. The other one was South Africa vs India in 2017-18, which the home side won 2-1.Early in 2004, Australia won 3-0 in Sri Lanka, despite losing 58 of their 60 wickets in the series (Sri Lanka lost all 60). There are two other three-Test series in which 118 wickets fell, both resulting in 2-1 wins.I noticed that Paul Allott took 26 Test wickets, all of them in England. What’s the most? asked Jack McConnell from Manchester

You’re right that all of the Lancashire and England fast bowler Paul Allott’s 26 Test wickets came in England. He did play two Tests overseas – one in India and one in Sri Lanka in 1981-82 – but failed to strike. Allott did lead the way for England on this esoteric list – until the fifth Test against India at The Oval last week, in which Josh Tongue took eight wickets, which gave him 31 in Tests to date, all so far at home. So Tongue leads the way for England now, at least until he takes a wicket overseas.The overall leader is the unorthodox left-arm spinner Bert “Dainty” Ironmonger, whose 74 Test wickets all came at home in Australia. There are various theories about why he never toured England, ranging from doubts about his bowling action to worries about whether he had the social graces required for such a trip. England definitely missed out on an interesting character: Ironmonger spun the ball off the stump of a finger mangled in a farm accident, and was almost unplayable on a helpful pitch. Against South Africa in Melbourne in February 1932, he took 5 for 6 and 6 for 18 on a “sticky dog” that was drying after rain. He made his Test debut in 1928-29 at the age of 46, and played in the 1932-33 Bodyline series when he was 50 years old.Two more Australians come next: legspinner Herbert “Ranji” Hordern took 46 Test wickets without playing abroad, while the later fast bowler Alan Hurst collected 43. Like Allott, Hurst played two Tests on the subcontinent without taking a wicket. Also ahead of Allott are a trio of South Africans whose wickets all came at home:Mike Procter (41), Alf Hall (40) and “Goofy” Lawrence (28).Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

The final international break of the year came at the worst time possible for West Ham United.

After months of dire football and worse results, Nuno Espírito Santo looked to have finally got a tune out of the East Londoner, beating Newcastle United and Burnley in back-to-back Premier League games.

Fortunately, the break has come to an end and the Hammers finally get the chance to continue their good form with a challenging game away to Bournemouth, albeit without the talismanic Lucas Paqueta, who is suspended.

However, while the loss of the Brazilian is a big one, Nuno can minimise its impact by letting Mateus Fernandes pick up the attacking slack and starting someone with shades of Declan Rice alongside Freddie Potts.

Why Fernandes should start in Paqueta's place

Now, in the last two games, Nuno has opted for a midfield three of Paqueta, Potts and Fernandes, with the Brazilian obviously playing as the more attacking midfielder of the three.

With him out of contention, it makes sense for the responsibility of being more forward-thinking to fall on the Portuguese star’s shoulders, as the Englishman is far better suited to being an all-action box-to-box type.

While this change might worry some fans, it shouldn’t, as while he’s not reached the level of the former Lyon ace just yet, he is more than capable of doing so.

For example, while he’s spent plenty of time in the central midfield role, he spent more time playing as an attacking midfielder during his time at Southampton.

Moreover, during his time in Portugal, respected analyst Ben Mattinson highlighted the fact that he could play “those KDB-type passes” with relative ease.

Furthermore, despite playing for a team that, for some time, looked in danger of breaking Derby County’s most unwanted record last season, the 21-year-old still produced six goal involvements in 36 league games.

Finally, FBref ranked him in the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the league last season for attempted and completed long passes as well as the top 14% for passes into the final third, all per 90.

Overall, Fernandes is more than good enough to pick up the creative slack in Paqueta’s absence, and Nuno has someone in the squad who can come in as a partner to Potts to help with the less glamorous side of the game.

The Rice-like midfielder Nuno should start

While Nuno might be tempted to bring someone like Tomáš Souček back into the side for this game, he really shouldn’t, as Bournemouth will make it an intense and frenetic encounter.

Chalkboard

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

Therefore, the manager should turn to someone capable of dealing with that, if not thriving in it, someone like £17m summer signing, Soungoutou Magassa.

The Frenchman is still relatively young and certainly needs to develop some areas of his game, but he has all the ingredients to be a monstrous all-action midfielder.

Described as a “a forward-thinking” talent by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, who is blessed with “pure athleticism” and can “spray passes wide out to the wings,” the 22-year-old would be excellent alongside Potts.

Moreover, his profile, combined with his ability to play centre-back, makes comparisons to a young Rice impossible to ignore.

With that said, if you are still unconvinced, you only need to look at his underlying numbers to see how promising a player he is.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for tackles and blocks, the top 2% for ball recoveries, the top 4% for interceptions, the top 12% for switches, and more, all per 90.

In other words, the “composed” midfielder, as dubbed by Mattinson, is superb when it comes to the defensive side of the game, but is also more than capable of kick-starting an attack from deep.

Ultimately, while it’s not ideal, Nuno should start a midfield three of Fernandes, Potts and Magassa against Bournemouth, as that should be the best way to deal with Paqueta’s absence and pick up three points.

Bigger talent than Potts: West Ham must rue losing England's future 9 for £0

The incredible attacker would have been just the player West Ham United need.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 21, 2025

Out of almost nowhere, Chelsea have emerged as Arsenal's closest challengers for the Premier League title this season as the London rivals prepare to lock horns at Stamford Bridge this weekend – but is this another false dawn? After all, Enzo Maresca's side found themselves in a similar position midway through 2024-25 only to fall away dramatically in the second half of the campaign. Ahead of Sunday's showdown, though, there is reason to believe the Blues could have staying power this time around.

After grinding out wins against Wolves and Burnley, following the customary defeat of Tottenham on the road, Chelsea have – – risen to second in the Premier League table ahead of hosting Mikel Arteta's early-season champions-elect, albeit they are still six points behind their cross-capital foes.

Serious doubts, though, remain over their ability to stay the course for the long-term – which are justified given the Blues haven't mounted a sustained title challenge since they last lifted the trophy nine seasons ago, and the backdrop of the club's tumultuous recent history since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital takeover three years ago.

It's not long since Chelsea were in a similar position, either; around this time last season they surged into second place behind eventual league winners Liverpool, before failing miserably to deal with the packed festive schedule and sliding back down the standings amid a winter of discontent.

This time, though, things feel slightly different, with Maresca's side showing the kind of mettle and big-game aptitude that suggests they could have staying power for the season. However, the visit of the Arsenal juggernaut will be the ultimate test of their credentials at the top of the table.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Winning habit

  Chelsea's start to the season was inauspicious as they picked up just two wins from six league games, leading many to believe that another top-four finish would be the best that they could hope for. Since the start of October, though, there has been a shift.

  The sensational late victory over Arne Slot's toiling champions has proven to be the catalyst for a run of eight victories in 10 matches in all competitions, with the alarming home defeat to high-flying Sunderland late last month proving to be an anomaly in what could prove to be a defining period in the west Londoners' campaign.

  Having dropped points in clashes they were expected to win earlier in the season against Crystal Palace, Brentford and Brighton, the Blues have defeated Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Burnley with relative ease, as well as notching another victory over Spurs in north London in one of the most one-sided 1-0 wins you're likely to see.

  Of course, Chelsea's young squad reached the latest significant milestone in its progression in the Champions League in midweek, as they utterly dominated the 10 men of Barcelona at Stamford Bridge in a mightily impressive 3-0 thumping that sets them up very nicely for Sunday's top-of-the-table showdown.

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• AFP
  

  'There is only one way'

  For Maresca, this developing winning habit is vital to his side's chances of success: "Last year, we were playing in the Conference League, and I said many times that for me personally, if you want to build a winning mentality, there is only one way: winning games. Because otherwise, if you don't win games, it's difficult to convince the players, 'guys, we are building a winning mentality'," the Italian tactician said after Tuesday night's dismantling for the Catalan giants.

  "But when we don't win, it's difficult. So the only way in any competition, Conference League, Champions League this season, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, is to win games. It's the only way to build the winning mentality. And I think the Conference League and the Club World Cup last season helped a lot.

  "And now we are trying to do exactly the same. For sure, the players are better players in this moment compared to last season, because we spent more time together."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Rotation, rotation, rotation

  In downing the mighty Barca by exploiting their recklessly high line, Maresca served up another timely reminder of his tactical acumen, but what has been even more impressive of late is his ability to utilise his whole squad without results and performances suffering.

  No Premier League manager has made more changes to their starting XIs than the Italian so far in 2025-26, with the five he made for the Barcelona game from his team that eased past Burnley taking his tally for the season to a remarkable 102, and it's only November.

  While he has a core of guaranteed starters in bigger games, Maresca has been able to lean on the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Jamie Gittens, fit-again Liam Delap and academy graduates Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George in lower-stakes situations – either from the start or as substitutes.

  They have handled remarkably well without the talismanic Cole Palmer, too, who has made just four appearances this season due to a groin issue and subsequent broken toe. He has, though, been passed fit to play on Sunday. Meanwhile, defensive midfielders Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo – whose imminent returns will strengthen the group again – have also been sidelined, as well as long-term absentee Levi Colwill.

  That ability to rotate, and doing so successfully, could well prove to be vital for Chelsea as they fight on four fronts over the notoriously hectic winter period. If they require a two-legged play-off to reach the Champions League last 16 and make progress in the domestic cup competitions, then they face a brutal schedule of as many as 32 games in the next four months.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Another false dawn?

  There will, of course, still be question marks over whether Chelsea have the staying power to go the distance and truly challenge Arsenal – who look ominously capable of becoming runaway leaders – all the way until the final day of the campaign, especially given the young group's lack of experience in that department.

  If we zoom out, the Blues are only one point better off than at the same stage last season, and they have certainly benefitted from unrecognisable champions Liverpool and, to a lesser extent, disjointed Manchester City underperforming considerably to this point.

  As we've touched upon, their title challenge completely unravelled over the winter period last term before they managed to steady the ship in time to secure a top-four finish on the final day. Even when they were second, Maresca was consistent in his messaging that his team were 'not ready' for a title challenge, although that led some to question whether he had manifested their downturn in form with his pessimistic outlook.

  It will be very interesting to see how Chelsea contend with the relentless nature of the schedule this time around, but there is a sense that things are different one year on in terms of cohesiveness, togetherness and strength in depth – something the manager has recognised, albeit he maintains it is too early to predict what they are capable of.

Directors from USAC called for “immediate and decisive intervention not to punish, but to rebuild what has been broken”

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2025Directors from an embattled USA Cricket (USAC) board have called for the ICC’s immediate intervention to remove a rival group of directors, including the chair Venu Pisike, as the fallout and divide from the board’s suspension continues to deepen. They have also asked the ICC to conduct an investigation into the organisation’s “collapse.”In a statement issued on Tuesday by two current directors, Arjun Rao Gona and Kuljit Singh Nijjar, and Patricia Whittaker, who was removed by USAC last year as an independent director (she is legally contesting the termination), have also asked the ICC to conduct a forensic audit of USAC dealings and make the findings public. Gona and Nijjar are elected directors.”We call for immediate and decisive intervention not to punish, but to rebuild what has been broken,” the trio said in the statement. “This is no longer a crisis of management; it is a test of integrity and courage.” The directors’ statement follows USAC’s media release last week, where the board complained it could not “comprehend” the ICC’s decision on September 23 to suspend it.Related

• USA Cricket calls ICC suspension 'one of the most difficult moments' in its history

• USA cricket crisis worsens as USAC files for bankruptcy

• ICC suspends USA Cricket board

Pisike chaired a USAC Board meeting on October 1, after which USAC said it was filing for bankruptcy as part of a financial restructure. That decision was taken by five directors, including Pisike, Srini Salver, David Haubert, Pintoo Shah and Anj Balusu (USAC currently has nine directors after Whittaker’s exit). Four directors at that meeting – Gona, Nijjar, Nadia Gruny and Atul Rai – exited in protest.In a statement of his own issued on Tuesday, Rai said USAC’s public statement to its members on Friday was “not authorised by the Board” while alleging it was “clearly an abuse of power and authority.”The ICC Board decided to suspend USAC, citing “repeated and continued breaches of its obligation” as a member. The ICC’s major concern will be if the cycle of events since then could affect USAC securing NGB (National Governing Body) status from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), necessary for all sports that are part of the 2028 Los Angeles Games.The ICC’s Normalisation Committee drew up a six-step roadmap for that, starting with an organisational revamp of USAC where three new independent directors replace the existing Board, which would step down and pave the way for fresh elections. The ICC would simultaneously carry out a comprehensive review of the USAC constitution to bring governance and structural reforms to a body enmeshed in controversies since 2019 when it was awarded Associate status.Gona, Nijjar and Whittaker want the Normalisation Committee to take control of USAC immediately and “go beyond administrative control and conduct a full, independent investigation into the root causes of USA Cricket’s collapse, identifying every act of constitutional breach, misuse of authority, and conflict of interest.”The three have also suggested appointing five new independent directors once the USAC constitution has been amended.”Conduct a full forensic audit of all financial transactions, contracts, appointments, and legal decisions taken under the current regime, and publish the findings to the public to restore trust, confidence and transparency.”Safeguard players, competitions, and development programs during this transition, ensuring that athletes and fans do not suffer for failures of leadership.”

Shohei Ohtani has had another incredible season at the plate as he hit more than 50 home runs for the second straight year with the Dodgers. He is also leading the National League in on-base percentage and slugging for the third straight season.

Ohtani has worked incredibly hard to hone his craft and it shows. Los Angeles found out just how hard Ohtani works very quickly. When their prize free agent showed up two years ago he told them there was one thing in their clubhouse that was not sufficient.

The batting cage.

According Dodgers executive vice president Lon Rosen, Ohtani pointed out that one batting cage was not enough. So they built a whole new clubhouse with two.

"We also built a new clubhouse last year because when we were signing Shohei, one of the things he noticed was we only had one batting cage," said Rosen. "So we rebuilt."

After adding the second cage Ohtani had the best season of his career with Los Angeles. And apparently that's when he explained why the second cage was so important.

"In the offseason Shohei came into the office and you know he went 50 for 50 and won the MVP and Stan [Kasten] says to him And he answers ."

No wonder Ohtani has plans to construct a "small hitting and pitching facility" at his new home in Hawaii. More importantly for the Dodgers, it's no wonder he's having another MVP-caliber season.

Victoria allrounder Will Sutherland will join the four-day squad for the second of the two matches in Lucknow

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Sep-2025Allrounder Aaron Hardie has been ruled out of the Australia A tour of India due to a shoulder injury to add to the list of pace-bowling options to be sidelined.Hardie will be replaced by Victoria allrounder Will Sutherland, who was already part of the one-day squad for the tour and will fly out to India in time for the second four-day game in Lucknow. A replacement for Hardie in the one-day squad will be named at a later date.It is hoped that Hardie will be able to recover in time for the early rounds of Sheffield Shield matches – Western Australia’s opening game is against New South Wales at the WACA on October 4.Related

• Maxwell named for 50-over return for Victoria despite ODI retirement

• Morris ruled out for up to 12 months after opting for back surgery

• Vidler ruled out of Australia A tour of India with a partial stress fracture

• No regrets for Konstas as he prepares to fight for Ashes berth

Hardie featured in the recent T20I and ODI series against West Indies and South Africa but he struggled against the latter and had not been selected for the short New Zealand trip for three T20Is, instead being included in the A squad. Depending on how his recovery tracks, he may come into consideration for the white-ball series against India.Though an allrounder rather than a specialist bowler, Hardie’s injury adds to a growing list of players sidelined heading into the season. Pat Cummins is the most significant with question marks over whether he will recover from his back injury in time for the Ashes.Lance Morris, a team-mate of Hardie’s at WA, has been ruled out for 12 months having undergone back surgery, while promising quick Callum Vidler has been diagnosed with a stress fracture. Morris had been due to feature in the four-day leg of the A tour and Vidler the one-dayers. Brody Couch had initially been Morris’ replacement but he suffered a side injury during the Top End T20 final with South Australia’s Henry Thornton subsequently called up.The first four-day game against India A starts on September 16 followed by the second on September 23. The three one-dayers, which will all be in Kanpur, are on September 30, October 3 and 5.

Updated Australia A four-day squad

Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Liam Scott, Will Sutherland (second game only), Henry Thornton

Updated Australia A one-day squad

Cooper Connolly, Harry Dixon, Jack Edwards, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Todd Murphy, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachie Shaw, Tom Straker, Will Sutherland, Henry Thornton (one to be added)

It is likely KL Rahul will move up to open, leaving a batting spot in the middle order up for grabs

Nagraj Gollapudi08-May-20252:03

Who replaces Rohit as Test captain?

Other than captaincy, the other immediate impact of Rohit Sharma’s Test retirement is it has created an opening in India’s batting order. It is likely that KL Rahul will take Rohit’s opening slot, and if that happens, it opens up a middle-order slot. ESPNcricinfo looks at the most significant contenders, names that are understood to be pencilled in by the national selectors, who will soon finalise the squad for the five-Test series against England starting June 20.

Dhruv Jurel, 24 years

It was Jurel whom Rohit had replaced in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year, having missed the first Test in Perth for the birth of his second child. The solitary batter to impress, both in defence and attack, during the second unofficial Test for India A against Australia A in Melbourne, where he made 80 and 68, Jurel played as a specialist batter at No. 6 in Perth. It would end up being the only Test Jurel played on the tour, making 11 and 1.Related

• Rohit Sharma in Test cricket: a solid opener, yet a six-hitter

• High peaks, imperfect bookends: Rohit, the Test batter

• Gill leads the race for India's next Test captain after Rohit's retirement

While he is set to be picked again as back-up to Rishabh Pant, the Indian selectors have remained confident about Jurel, who has played four Tests, growing into a pure batter ever since he won the Player-of-the-Match award in his second Test, against England on a challenging Ranchi pitch last February.

Karun Nair, 33

How can Nair, who played last of his six Tests in 2017, even be part of this list? While it’s a valid question, you wouldn’t have asked that in case you were following the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, where Nair was among the chief architects in Vidarbha winning their third title. Nair, who was dropped by his home state Karnataka two years ago, moved to Vidarbha ahead of the domestic season in 2023-24 as a professional, and ended last season as the fourth-highest run-getter in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 863 runs in 16 innings at an average of nearly 50, including four centuries.A right-hand middle-order batter, Nair, who scored a triple ton against England in the Chennai Test in 2016-17, has a compact technique, and has vast first-class experience. Nair also featured for Northamptonshire in the Division 1 County Championships over the last two seasons: overall, in 14 innings, he scored 736 runs at an average of 56.61, with two centuries – including an undefeated 202.

B Sai Sudharsan, 23

Regarded as among the most talented batters in the domestic circuit, Sai Sudarsan has been on the fringes of India’s Test set-up for the last two years. Recognised for his temperament and sound technique, the Tamil Nadu left-hand batter bats predominantly in the middle order, although he has played in the top order too. Currently among the leading run-getters in the ongoing IPL 2025, where he’s playing for Gujarat Titans, Sai Sudarsan has also got decent county experience, with two stints with Surrey: first in 2023, and then last year, during which he scored 281 runs in eight innings at an average of 35.13, including 105 in his last match.

Sarfaraz Khan, 27

Last October, Sarfaraz was “fighting” for one middle-sorder slot with Rahul during the home series against England. With an entertaining 150 in the second innings in the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand, which featured some unorthodox but bold strokeplay, Sarfaraz retained his spot for the remaining two Tests in that series, while the more experienced Rahul sat out.However, Sarfaraz, who had made his debut against England earlier in 2024 after several successful seasons in domestic cricket, was part of the collective batting failure in the final two Tests of the New Zealand series, failing to go past 11 in four innings. Though he was part of India’s squad for the Australia tour that followed, Sarfaraz, who has played six Tests, failed to get an opportunity and returned home with a single run, which he scored in the tour match against PM’s XI. Since then, though, Sarfaraz has not played any competitive cricket due to a rib injury.

Paris Saint-Germain have reignited their pursuit for Atletico Madrid start forward, Julian Alvarez. With Luis Enrique pushing for a dynamic No. 9 and Alvarez open to a Ligue 1 switch, PSG believe he is the missing piece in their evolution. But Atletico’s massive €120m valuation threatens to turn the chase.

• PSG rekindle their push for Alvarez

  Alvarez’s name has re-emerged at the top of PSG’s agenda, and this time, the French champions believe the door is wider than ever. Earlier this month, Alvarez revealed to in an interview with L'Equipe that PSG had already attempted to sign him back in 2024 when he left Manchester City. Even though he ultimately chose Atletico Madrid, the conversations with PSG were real and serious, and that interest has not faded.

  As reported by Sacha Tavolieri, Luis Enrique remains an enormous admirer of Alvarez’s all-round ability, his pressing intensity, positional intelligence, and capacity to operate both as a central striker and a roaming second forward. PSG want a new long-term No. 9, and Alvarez fits the profile exactly. Crucially, the Argentine is open to the move and is not considering a Premier League return despite interest from England.

  The only obstacle are Atletico, who have placed a €120m (£105m/$139m) valuation on him, a fee PSG view as excessive. While agreeing personal terms with the Argentinian would be straightforward, negotiating with Los Colchoneros may prove to be the real challenge.

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  From Haaland's shadow to Spain's most effective forward

  After joining City from River Plate, Alvarez grew into one of Europe’s most efficient forwards despite playing behind Erling Haaland. His two seasons under Pep Guardiola produced six major trophies, including a historic treble, and he contributed 36 goals in 103 matches. The 25-year-old even achieved the unprecedented feat of winning the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League and World Cup in the same campaign.

  But Alvarez wanted a platform where he could start every week, and Atletico gave him that. Since his €75m (£66m/$87m) move in 2024, he has repaid the investment with astonishing productivity with 29 goals and eight assists in his first full season, and already nine goals with four assists in 15 matches this year. His adaptability across attacking positions, ability to press from the front, and instinct for decisive moments have made him one of LaLiga’s standout performers.

  Alvarez has also admitted that life in Spain keeps him in constant headlines, especially with Barcelona rumours swirling around. But when asked about PSG, he confirmed there were serious talks during his Atletico move and that he has never ruled out joining the French giants in the future.

• Will PSG break the bank for Alvarez?

  While Alvarez is open to the move, Atletico’s stance complicates the entire pursuit. The club believe his development, goal output, and contract running until 2030 justify their €120m asking price. PSG disagree and view that valuation as steep, especially since they want to strengthen other positions in the summer.

  Coach Enrique’s admiration only intensifies PSG’s motivation. Enrique’s system often functions without a traditional centre-forward, as seen when Ousmane Dembele operated as a false nine during PSG’s treble-winning season. Gonçalo Ramos has not cemented the role, leaving a natural opening for a striker who offers high pressing, tactical fluidity, and intelligence between the lines. Alvarez embodies all of that, a forward who works tirelessly, links play beautifully, and strikes decisively.

  PSG see him as a transformational signing. Atletico see him as non-negotiable unless a massive bid arrives. And Alvarez finds himself right in the middle, willing to listen if Paris make their move.

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  What's next for Alvarez?

  For Alvarez, the next step is about choosing the environment that maximises his long-term growth. He has already proven himself in England and Spain, winning trophies and delivering world-class performances in two very different systems. A move to PSG would hand him the keys to the No. 9 role under a coach who values his exact attributes and sees him as the centrepiece of the next attacking cycle.

  But staying at Atletico also has merit, he is thriving, scoring freely, and is firmly trusted by Diego Simeone. The question is whether Atletico’s conservative, counter-attacking approach limits his ceiling compared to the technical, possession-heavy football Enrique offers.

  What is clear is that Alvarez is entering his peak years. His next move or decision to stay will define the next chapter of his career.