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Rachin Ravindra admits that winning a Test series in India is an extremely difficult task, but is hopeful that his recent white-ball success in the country coupled with New Zealand’s experience of playing in the subcontinent recently could stand them in good stead in the three-Test series, starting in Bengaluru from October 16.Ravindra had a breakthrough 2023 ODI World Cup in India where he scored 578 runs in ten innings, which included three hundreds and two fifties. An IPL contract with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) followed, and Ravindra suddenly found himself in the thick of things.”Although it is different formats, it gives you confidence that you can perform in this part of the world, although conditions will most likely be different,” Ravindra said on Monday. “It’s more, I guess, managing the crowd and the expectations of the people because we know how passionate Indian people are about cricket.Related

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“It feels like if you’re able to do it a couple of times, hopefully you’ll be able to do it in a Test series and, look, I think it’s a different challenge entirely and it’s something I’m really looking forward to. It’s always special to come back to India and play. Those two tournaments [ODI World Cup and IPL] were amazing, the crowds and the passion and the hype and the buzz around them, so I’m excited to have a fully-fledged three-match Test series here.”After a bit of a false start to his Test career, Ravindra has had a fairly successful year in the longest format with 599 runs in six Tests in 2024 at 49.91, including a top score of 240 against South Africa.The same, however, can’t be said about New Zealand in general, whose World Test Championship (WTC) campaign has nosedived after the two wins at the start of the year against a second-string South Africa. They lost a home Test series to Australia before going down 2-0 in Sri Lanka. Spin has largely been New Zealand’s undoing in this WTC cycle, but Ravindra wants to take all the learnings and positives from the Sri Lanka series and is hopeful his side can come up with a better show in India.”India have always been a quality side, I guess the brand of cricket they play is very positive, especially in their own conditions, they know how to play,” Ravindra said. “They’ve grown up on these wickets and their players, the way they’ve evolved over the last few years has been amazing.”For us, it’s [about] playing our game and doing what’s true to us. I think we did some really good stuff during the Sri Lankan series as well, obviously came on the wrong end of the stick and the wrong side of the win-and-loss column there, but I think as a group there were times where we actually really pushed. That first Test was close and we played the way we wanted to in certain moments, but I think we’ve got to understand that we’ve got to do it for long periods of time because that’s what Test-match cricket is about.”As New Zealanders, we don’t necessarily try and look at the opposition too much; we know what a quality side they [India] are and what they bring to the table. But I think if we’re able to play our game and be consistent and put our best foot forward, hopefully that will result in a win, who knows?”While the pitches in India are unlikely to do New Zealand any favours, the weather in Bengaluru might help them feel at home. It’s been overcast and damp here over the last few days, and the forecast for the first Test suggests heavy cloud cover and rain. The pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, too, has been under covers for a fair bit.Does that then bring New Zealand into the game a bit more?”I guess a bit of rain around, a bit of overcast conditions, looking at the wicket, it might not turn as much as what we might expect in Mumbai maybe, but I think the quality of the wicket, the quality of their bowlers, the quality of our bowlers, I think that will decide the make-up of the game,” Ravindra said. “Whether it turns, I don’t know, I guess we’ll only find out… it might not turn first, second day, we’ll only find out third, fourth, fifth day. It’s important for us as a group to play what’s in front of us and not come into this game with preconceived notions or ideas of what it looks like.”I think we did some really good stuff during the Sri Lankan series as well”•AFP/Getty Images

“We know what Test cricket in India is, but we know the quality of the Indian fast bowling set-up too, so it’s not like they’re just going to produce a rank turner, you know, they’re quality [fast] bowlers too.”It is a sort of homecoming for Ravindra. His father played a decent level of cricket in Bengaluru before settling down in New Zealand. Ravindra still has plenty of family in the city and expects them to turn up for the Test.”Yeah, it’s cool,” Ravindra said. “Obviously when I was here last, well I guess it was IPL and then before that it was the ODI World Cup, so two pretty cool experiences to have, part of two very good teams.”But I guess it’s something different about playing a Test match. You’re here for five days and it’s tradition, and I guess it makes it extra significant just because of the family connection. For me, I was born and brought up in Wellington, I’m a Kiwi all the way through. It’s amazing and I’m very proud of my Indian heritage and to be able to play where a lot of my family is based is something pretty special.”There’ll be a bunch of them in the crowd and I know Dad will be here watching, so those moments, you pinch yourself on the journey and for this, it’s definitely one of them.”

Newcastle United missed out on one of their key targets this summer, Bryan Mbeumo. The Brentford attacker reportedly chose to join Manchester United over the Magpies, as well as Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, although that is a deal that is yet to go through.

So, with the Cameroon star off the table, they turned their attention to another Premier League forward, Anthony Elanga. The Nottingham Forest star had his move to St. James’ Park all but confirmed by Fabrizio Romano with his famous “here we go” tagline. It is a deal that will cost the Magpies £55m.

Even though one winger is essentially through the door, Newcastle are not stopping there. They are targeting another wide player who could be an even better signing than Elanga.

Newcastle’s next winger target

There are certainly not many options for Eddie Howe out wide. Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon did an impressive job last season, but it is no surprise that they are signing Elanga to help reduce the workload.

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Indeed, to supplement that further, the Magpies could turn to Manchester City and England international winger Jack Grealish. Football Insider says that the North East giants ‘are planning to accelerate their interest’ in the 29-year-old this summer.

However, they will face competition for the former Aston Villa star. Everton, who move into the Hill Dickinson Stadium this season, as well as newly crowned Serie A champions Napoli and clubs in Saudi Arabia, are also interested.

It was reported by Caught Offside at the start of the week that City will ask for £40m to secure Grealish’s services.

Why Grealish would be a good signing

It has obviously not been the season that Grealish may have hoped for in 2024/25. He barely got a look in at the Etihad Stadium and was not included in their squad for the Club World Cup, a competition in which they were eliminated by Al-Hilal.

The Birmingham-born winger played just 32 times for the East Mancunian side across all competitions. That included just 20 Premier League games, and 715 minutes, in which he scored and assisted just two goals.

Yet, let’s not forget the quality that the former Villa star possesses. He played 96 Premier League games for his boyhood club, scoring 15 goals and grabbing 19 assists. That included 18 goal involvements in 26 games during his final top-flight season at the club in 2020/21.

Those are impressive numbers, with Elanga putting up similar numbers in the most recent Premier League campaign, to the ones Grealish notched up five seasons ago.

For Forest last season, he managed six goals and 11 assists in 38 top-flight games.

He also scored one of the best solo efforts in the Premier League in recent memory, against his former club, Man United. The Sweden star picked up a loose ball in his own half and carried it all the way into the United penalty area, before slotting home past Andre Onana.

Indeed, ball carrying at such an electric pace is a key part of Elanga’s game. Likewise, Grealish is a specialist carrier, although in a slower and more methodical way. The numbers from 2020/21 via FBref suggest his all-around game was better than Elanga’s now.

For example, Grealish averaged 7.08 progressive carries and 7.78 progressive passes for Villa in that campaign. In comparison, the Forest number 21 averaged 3.67 progressive carries and 2.27 progressive passes last term.

Grealish and Elanga key stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Grealish (2020/21)

Elanga (2024/25)

Goals and assists

0.66

0.61

Key passes

3.33

1.8

Progressive passes

7.78

2.27

Progressive carries

7.08

3.67

Take-ons completed

2.67

0.9

Ball recoveries

5.14

3.2

Stats from FBref

If the Magpies can help Grealish find his best form, like what he showed in the 2020/21 season, they may have made an even better signing than Elanga.

At his best, he can be a “menace”, according to Statman Dave, and Howe will be hoping to unleash that side of his game.

For a Premier League proven, England international, £40m seems like a bargain of a move for the Magpies this summer.

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Posts ByBen Gray Jul 8, 2025

James Wharton and Jonny Tattersall shared a record-breaking stand before rain frustrated Yorkshire on the second day of the Vitality County Championship match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.The pair shared a partnership of 241, Yorkshire’s highest for the sixth wicket against Derbyshire, as the visitors moved to 416 for 6 when play was abandoned shortly before 4.30pmWharton faced 241 balls for his career-best 188 which contained 23 fours and six sixes with Tattersall 93 not out off 151 balls to give Yorkshire a lead of 340.Yorkshire had been unrelenting with the ball on day one and there was no respite for Derbyshire as Wharton and Tattersall batted through a rain-shortened first session.With Derbyshire bowling spin from both ends to improve their over-rate, they did much as they pleased to eclipse a record which had stood for more than a hundred years.Wharton twice dispatched the leg spin of Mitch Wagstaff for six and after surviving a difficult chance to deep cover on 147, he reached 150 off 180 balls, 104 of them coming in boundaries.Tattersall’s contribution was not as eye-catching but was just as valuable in putting Yorkshire into a near impregnable position and the pair eased past the county’s previous highest sixth wicket stand against Derbyshire of 178 set by Emmott Robinson and Cecil Burton in 1921.Derbyshire eventually claimed a second new ball after 89 overs and after Wharton drove Daryn Dupavillon through the covers to bring up the 400, rain brought another prosperous session for the visitors to a close.When play resumed after lunch, Dupavillon finally broke through by having Wharton caught at second slip for the 12th highest individual score against Derbyshire in Yorkshire’s history.He departed to a standing ovation and warm congratulations from the Derbyshire fielders who recognised how well he had played in far from straight-forward conditions.Jordan Thompson announced his intentions by hitting two fours before more rain stopped play with Tattersall seven short of a century.and that proved to be the final action on a day when only 35.1 overs were bowled.

Everton beat Newcastle United at St. James’ Park to finish the 2024/25 Premier League campaign on a high, finishing 13th with 48 points.

Curiously, David Moyes has led the Toffees to their best league finish since 2020/21. We’re a far cry away from the woes of mid-season, when Sean Dyche was sacked with Goodison Park, in its final year, walking a tenuous line between safety and the drop zone.

The improvements have been vast. However, Everton still lack that certain something in attack. Indeed, only the relegated teams finished the term with paltrier goalscoring hauls.

A new striker is needed, and Moyes means to bring one in.

Top target urged to sign for Everton

talkSPORT’s Tony Cascarino has urged Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap to sign for Everton this summer, and that’s in spite of interest from Chelsea and Manchester United.

Transfer Focus

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

This follows a revelation from Fabrizio Romano relating to the ongoing transfer saga, with the journalist confirming Everton’s vested interest as they have presented their project to the 22-year-old, willing to meet the striker’s £30m release clause.

Cascarino believes Delap could get “lost in the system” at Chelsea or the Red Devils, whereas serving as Everton’s star man, and under Moyes’ wing at that, could be the right move at this stage of his career.

The talkSPORT pundit noted: “He fits a lot of clubs, but he needs to find the club he thinks is best for him. It’s not just, ‘I’ll go to Man United or Chelsea’. There’s something about me with Moyes… He still needs to work on a lot, so go to a manager who can help him become a better player. You can get lost in the system at Chelsea or Man United. We’ve seen younger players go to these clubs and find it really hard to settle, get into the team, and perform to what is expected of them.”

Why Everton should sign Liam Delap

Described as a “beast” of a number nine by his Ipswich teammate Jens Cajuste, former Manchester City academy star Delap has thrived in his first year in the Premier League.

Having scored 12 goals from 32 starting appearances for Kieran McKenna’s relegated side, he’s proved his worth, proved he has what it takes to succeed for a team competing higher up the table.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s future is uncertain, at the end of his contract, but potentially penning a new deal, while Armando Broja will return to Chelsea after his unsuccessful loan spell.

Beto, at least, has made gains under Moyes’ wing, scoring seven goals from 18 Premier League fixtures since the Scotsman’s arrival, but he’s inconsistent.

It’s pretty clear Delap would be an upgrade, not only more clinical but bearing a physicality and combativeness to align with Moyes’ vision.

Matches (starts)

37 (32)

30 (15)

Goals

12

8

Assists

2

0

Shots (on target)*

1.8 (0.9)

1.6 (0.8)

Big chances missed

10

12

Touches*

22.2

20

Pass completion

62%

59%

Key passes*

0.6

0.4

Dribbles*

1.1

0.6

Duels won*

4.2

5.2

Delap might have produced a pretty shoddy pass completion rate in the Premier League this season, but then so has Beto. If anything, this indicates his ability to thrive in conditions which might settle in the Hill Dickinson Stadium next term.

He’s converting his chances more often than not, and he bears a willingness to get stuck in that has drawn plaudits for the muscular Beto.

Beto’s pace and piledriving movements also add a dimension for Moyes, but Delap is capable of bringing his own brand, maybe even surpassing the Bissau-Guinean’s ball-carrying ability.

As per FBref, Delap ranks among the top 13% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90.

While the Ipswich striker wouldn’t come cheap, there’s a reason why so many Premier League clubs want his signature this summer. This is an opportunity Everton cannot afford to let pass them by, for if he arrives, he will leap right over Beto into the first-choice spot.

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After watching on as Liverpool seemingly jumped ahead of them in the race to sign Florian Wirtz, Bayern Munich have reportedly turned their focus towards payback in the form of recruiting one particular Anfield star this summer.

Liverpool submit first Wirtz offer

Whilst it was Manchester City and Bayern who found themselves battling for Wirtz’s signature, it has been Liverpool who have grabbed hold of the headlines. Sending shockwaves through Europe, the Reds have stolen a march on their rivals and are reportedly set to sign the Bayer Leverkusen star in what could quite easily be the deal of the summer in all regards.

Having already lifted the Premier League in their first season under Arne Slot, it’s clear that those at Anfield mean business after deciding against splashing the cash last summer.

Alongside Wirtz, rumours have also indicated that Liverpool are pushing to sign the midfielder’s Leverkusen teammate, Jeremie Frimpong, to replace the Real Madrid-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez.

Liverpool’s interest in Wirtz is a fairly open secret already and Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes had his say on the potential move earlier this week, telling reporters: “There is concrete interest from Liverpool, but there’s no more to say right now. Florian is our player.”

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Meanwhile, on Bayern Munich’s end, they’ve been left with no choice but to turn their attention elsewhere. And that could yet deal the Premier League champions a frustrating blow amid rumours that the German giants have set their sights on signing an Anfield star who Slot loves.

Bayern make contact to sign Cody Gakpo

According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich have now made contact to sign Cody Gakpo. Club chief Max Eberl is reportedly a fan of the Dutchman and has now added him to a list of left-wing options which already includes Rafael Leao and Brighton’s Karou Mitoma.

What’s more, given that they’re set to welcome Wirtz this summer, Liverpool and FSG are open to selling Gakpo if the right offer arrives. Whether Slot would approve such an exit is the big question. Gakpo has been a man transformed under his countryman, scoring 18 goals in all competitions and claiming a spot in Liverpool’s front three as a result.

Slot hasn’t hesitated to praise the former PSV man, either. He told reporters when asked about his winger earlier in the season: “In the second half of last season Cody scored a lot of goals so he’s been a good player for Liverpool for a long time now. He continues doing that and that’s a good thing. For me, he is a regular starter.”

Also dubbed “excellent” by former Liverpool and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole back in October, Gakpo is not someone that Liverpool should be keen to lose in the coming months.

Chelsea have seen a huge improvement defensively in recent weeks, keeping five clean sheets in their last seven games, only conceding two goals and 16 shots on target across those seven games.

However, the attacking prowess does seem to have tailed off, with the Blues only scoring nine in their last seven games, with four of those goals coming against bottom of the Premier League, Southampton.

Enzo Maresca will be keen to add some extra firepower to his forward line this summer, with a new striker high on the wish list, alongside a new winger who suits the Italian’s system.

Chelsea battling for £64m "cheat code"

The Blues have been linked with a number of forwards over recent months, from Newcastle superstar Alexander Isak to Ipswich forward Liam Delap.

However, they’re not just casting their net across the Premier League but across European football, too.

Indeed, according to reports from TBR Football, Chelsea are interested in signing AC Milan’s £150m-rated winger, Rafael Leao. The player’s camp are currently assessing the player’s options ahead of the summer.

Transfer Focus

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

That being said, the Blues could face competition from London rivals Arsenal, who are also now emerging as an option for the Portuguese winger.

Both Chelsea and Arsenal are keen to add a right-footed left-winger who offers a direct goal threat, speed in transition and creative qualities to unlock a game through their individual brilliance.

Leao has made 43 appearances for the Italian outfit this season, scoring ten goals, providing nine assists and totaling 2,997 minutes.

Chelsea are also reportedly in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens, so just how do the pair compare?

How Leao compares to Gittens this season

Dortmund’s Gittens is another target emerging for Maresca’s side and it’s easy to see why.

The 20-year-old sensation – who is seen as the future of English football – has made 42 appearances for the German outfit this season, netting 12 goals and providing four assists.

He notably shone in the Champions League, scoring against Real Madrid, and would be a superb signing. Still, he’s not quite as good as Leao.

Both players fit the bill of a Maresca winger, looking to get into plenty of 1v1 isolations with the opposition fullback, capable of going both inside and outside and having the directness to drive towards the box themselves.

One factor that could be slightly more worrying surrounding Leao compared to Gittens is work rate, with Maresca often asking his wide players to work hard defensively.

Whilst Gittens has a slightly higher shot volume, manages more progressive carries and successful take-ons, Leao offers more through creative passing, with more key passes, more shot-creating actions and higher assist numbers.

Described as one of football’s “cheat codes” by analyst Raj Chohan, Milan’s Portuguese star has blistering pace, the persistence to be direct and attack the opposition full-backs. He always forces them into uncomfortable scenarios and has the ability to create something out of nothing in a split second.

Both players would be excellent signings for Chelsea, but with the Blues already having such a young and inexperienced side, an addition like Leao could provide more of an instant boost, with a big-name signing to raise morale and ready to play a significant part in a title challenge.

“Once you’re back in, you start looking at what’s on the horizon and it’d be amazing to play in a home T20 World Cup”

Valkerie Baynes26-Jun-2025Two teams, many changes, all to play for. That’s the scenario for India Women’s tour of England, where the hosts of the next two World Cups will face each other, not just for the immediate spoils but with an inevitable big-tournament focus.England have been buoyed by twin 3-0 sweeps of their white-ball series against West Indies after their 16-0 Ashes drubbing but expect a sterner test from an India side featuring a mix of stars, comebacks and inexperience.England have also shaken things up under the new leadership of head coach Charlotte Edwards, captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and national selector Lydia Greenway.Related

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Sophie Ecclestone returns for her first international appearances since January, joining fellow left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, who shone on ODI debut against West Indies, as did seamer Em Arlott.Tammy Beaumont, who has been on the fringes of the T20I side since the 2022 Ashes, is in the squad after a hugely successful ODI campaign, reprising her opening partnership with Amy Jones.Against West Indies, the pair amassed 464 runs between them, including 424 in tandem, in two ODIs. With T20I opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge scoring just 17 runs in three innings, Beaumont offers a batting option, especially with former captain Heather Knight sidelined after tearing her hamstring tendon from the bone during that series.Knight says she is on track to be fit for the 50-over World Cup in India later this year, while Beaumont – who has played just five T20Is in three years and was part of the squad but didn’t play against West Indies – hasn’t given up on making it to a home T20 World Cup in the English summer of 2026.Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont were prolific in the ODIs against West Indies•PA Photos/Getty Images”The previous couple of years, I hadn’t overly thought about that Lord’s final and that World Cup here next year,” Beaumont told ESPNcricinfo. “It was something that would be nice to happen, but I can’t get too caught up in it. Getting that call-up for the West Indies T20 series was a little bit of a surprise, but a really nice surprise.”This India series, I’m just trying to really enjoy my T20 cricket and try to contribute in any way I can. Once you’re back in, you start looking at what’s on the horizon and it’d be amazing to play in a home T20 World Cup. For me, it’s just about enjoying every opportunity I get these days.”It’s been proven that if you perform at county level, you’ll get a go and then you’ve just got to perform where you get the chance. That’s something that tends to work pretty well in my brain, play what you see in front of you and, so far, so good.”Rewarding players for performing at domestic level has been a tenet of Edwards’ time in charge since replacing Jon Lewis in April and the India series represents the next step in her task of rebuilding a team which, like India were humbled at the T20 World Cup 2024.

“She’s almost superhuman at times, just to be able to be a mother and a new England captain and perform at the level that she always has done”Tammy Beaumont is in awe of Nat Sciver-Brunt’s all-round game

“It will be a really tough tour and series for us, but a really good test and a really good time for that,” Beaumont said. “They keep finding more and more talent. There’s a lot of names that I haven’t played against before in this squad and that normally throws out some unexpected challenges.”With the WPL, they’re just getting so much talent coming through that’s ready to go. It’s going to be a tough challenge, but really exciting. There’s always a bit of drama with the England-India series, so I’m sure there’ll be some drama coming forward.”This is India’s first visit to England since 2022, a tour which ended in high drama when Charlie Dean was run-out backing up by Deepti Sharma in the third ODI at Lord’s and which seems a long time ago in the context of two T20 World Cups in which both sides have fallen short.The T20I leg which kicks off this tour with five matches from Saturday represents a chance for both sides to stamp their authority before moving their attention to the three ODIs with eyes on the 2025 ODI World Cup.The coach-captain combo of Charlotte Edwards and Nat Sciver-Brunt could face a stern test against India•Getty ImagesWhile Jones and Beaumont made the bulk of England’s runs in the ODIs, Sciver-Brunt still managed to score fifties in the first and third games, the latter while Beaumont was rested and Jones dropped down the order to give others a chance to bat. Sciver-Brunt also struck an unbeaten 55 in the second T20I in Hove, her first series as captain and a new mum after wife Katherine gave birth to their son, Theo, in March with the family travelling together through the West Indies series.”She’s always been great with kids and being with her own son is absolutely no different,” Beaumont said of her skipper. “A lot of us are getting a bit broody watching how good she is with Theo.”Katherine is doing brilliantly as well, making sure Nat can do everything she needs to do and look after the baby and then enjoy that time together and the way that Nat’s handled it, is so typical Nat.”She’s almost superhuman at times, just to be able to be a mother and a new England captain and perform at the level that she always has done. It’s just a testament to her character that she can just always take anything and everything in her stride.”

Where the India vs New Zealand game could be won and lost

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2023The Powerplay face-offThe semi-final of the 2019 World Cup, in which New Zealand beat India by 18 runs, was pretty much decided in the powerplay. India were 5 for 3 in the fourth over making it hard for them to chase down the target of 240 set by New Zealand.This could be one of the biggest challenges for the Indian batters on Sunday. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill have not been able to dominate the opening pair of Trent Boult and Matt Henry. India’s batters have not faced them in ODIs since that semi-final four years ago, so how they take these two bowlers on in Dharamsala will set the tone for the rest of the innings.