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Over the years at Manchester City, a celebrated few have managed to bag a goal on their debut for the Premier League giants.

Notably, both Sergio Aguero and Erling Haaland registered goals on their first appearance in City’s sky blue, with Tijjani Rejinders now a part of this exclusive club after stroking a superb effort home against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He was also directly involved in the opener when delicately laying it off to Rico Lewis to assist the aforementioned Haaland, before putting it on a plate for the deadly Nordic centre-forward himself to close the one-sided game at 4-0.

Already, it looks as if City have struck gold on a Premier League-ready star, with the hope now that another statement signing can also go through before September’s deadline to try and replicate the immediate success of this £42.5m deal.

Man City make £86m superstar their main target

City aren’t having it all their own way in the chaotic transfer window.

It seems as if they will miss out on long-term target Xavi Simons, with the in-demand RB Leipzig attacking midfielder reportedly more interested in a switch to Chelsea than moving to the Etihad.

Transfer Focus

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

That won’t knock their confidence for too long, as another statement move looks to be in the offing to further enhance City’s potent attacking personnel that tore Wolves to shreds.

Indeed, as per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, City hold Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo in high esteem, with Pep Guardiola and Co singling out the £86m-rated Brazilian as a main target, if Savinho does decide to leave City behind for Tottenham Hotspur.

City will hope that the entertaining South American attacker can be an instant hit in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League, much like Reijnders displayed at Molineux, with the pair holding many similarities, away from just potentially lining up alongside each other in England.

How Rodrygo can be Reijnders 2.0

Before embarking on this new adventure in Manchester with Guardiola’s men, Reijnders had managed to establish himself as an easy-on-the-eye midfield figure in some tough European terrains.

Across 232 appearances for both AZ Alkmaar and AC Milan, the much-talked-about Dutchman would tally up a mightily impressive 56 goals and assists, leading to him then picking up a goal and assist on a magical debut in the Premier League, with football pundit Chris Powell naming him as City’s “star-man” post-match.

Rodrygo has similarly lit up the pitches of La Liga with dynamic displays from the midfield ranks, as seen in his bumper 68 goals and 51 assists across 270 clashes in Madrid, with the Brazilian also capable of playing as a centre-forward, away from being a comfortable performer down either wing.

Reijnders has also shown off a similar adaptability across his playing days to date, with a standout five-goal contributions coming his way from only 16 career appearances on the left flank.

Away from just this similarity, the numbers below again show correlations between the two players and their constant desire to make openings and goals happen.

Total shots

2.54

21.5

Shot-creating actions

4.56

3.13

Attempted passes

50.35

44.37

Pass completion %

85.7%

88.2%

Progressive passes

4.69

6.35

Progressive carries

5.07

3.02

Successful take-ons

2.15

1.02

Touches in the attacking penalty area

5.84

2.33

Progressive passes received

11.33

3.53

Rodrygo’s arrival on the scene could see the goals rain even heavier at the Etihad, with the Brazilian attacker far less focused on the build-up play – compared with the brand new City number 4 – and more focused on driving forward with purpose, as seen in him averaging more shots and shot-creating actions over the last year per 90 minutes than the 23-time Netherlands international.

The two new signings together in Guardiola’s XI could push City to stay at the summit, with Rodrygo’s blistering exploits at the Santiago Bernabeu even seeing him be dubbed “world-class’ by Madrid teammate Luka Modric, on top of being labelled as a “jewel” by one analyst.

Man City now targeting "fantastic" Chelsea gem who Maresca wants to keep

The Citizens could deal their rivals a blow.

ByTom Cunningham Aug 17, 2025

West Ham United really struggled to get going last season in the Premier League, even after Graham Potter took on the reins.

The Hammers did manage to bow out of their unmemorable 2024/25 campaign in the top flight with back-to-back away victories at Manchester United and Ipswich Town. Still, the ex-Chelsea manager will have his work cut out for him to turn his fortunes around, with those two away-day wins making up a large chunk of his meagre five wins as Irons boss.

He will hope he’s given adequate time to leave his mark on the Hammers set-up, having only lasted a rash 31 games in the Stamford Bridge hot seat, with the likes of Kyle Walker-Peters already entering the building this summer, marking the start of West Ham’s makeover.

Up next, the Hammers could welcome in some attacking additions, with one target already in mind who might well be the top-flight club’s second coming of Jarrod Bowen.

West Ham prepare offer for £6m sensation

Of course, the Hammers are likely to be on the hunt now for an immediate Mohammed Kudus replacement, after the one-time fan favourite in East London defected over to enemy lines to join Tottenham Hotspur for £55m.

James McAtee might well be the replacement for Kudus that West Ham have up their sleeve, alongside Potter and Co. also reportedly showing interest in the services of Shakhtar Donetsk ace Georgiy Sudakov as their net widens out to Ukraine.

A new, up-and-coming centre-forward might also be on their agenda – even after Potter’s recent comments played down the importance of bringing in fresh talent up top – with West Ham-oriented website Claret and Hugh relaying information that the Hammers are reportedly considering an offer for breakout Wycombe Wanderers star Richard Kone.

Already this summer, Kone has been subject to a £6m bid from Luton Town, on top of interest coming from Brentford, Celtic, and Crystal Palace, but it’s West Ham who now allegedly lead the charge for the former non-league attacker.

Hull City

131

54

14

Hereford Town

8

1

1

Bowen also once found himself in the non-league scene with Hereford Town, before going on to solidify himself as a Premier League-worthy talent in the EFL with Hull City, as Kone now braces himself for that next gigantic step in his own career after a whirlwind campaign with the Chairboys.

Why Kone can be West Ham's next Bowen

Nobody at the London Stadium would have anticipated how vital Bowen would eventually become to the West Ham cause when he first joined the camp for £22m back in 2020.

There was a lot of excitement in the air that he would be a success story, though, having fired home a clinical 54 strikes for the Tigers in the demanding Championship, but even Bowen wouldn’t have anticipated that after 238 clashes in East London, he would be captaining the side after amassing an astounding 125 goals and assists in total for his Premier League employers.

Bowen has even become a regular on the international stage for England, with Kone surely harbouring his own dreams of representing the Ivory Coast if a move to West Ham comes to fruition, off the back of a potent season leading the line for Wycombe.

Having still been on the books of non-league outfit Athletic Newham last year, it’s a remarkable rise Kone has undergone in such a short space of time, with Bowen acclimatising to the EFL equally well when jumping ship from Hereford to Hull.

Games played

41

Goals scored

18

Assists

3

Goal conversion %

18%

Touches*

34.0

Accurate passes*

11.1 (65%)

Total duels won*

5.9

As can be seen looking at the table above, the Ivorian excels when being utilised as a poacher, with his venomous 18 league strikes coming about from just 34 touches of the ball on average per League One affair.

Bowen might well be whipping in many a cross in for Kone to latch onto, therefore, with the 22-year-old’s prowess in the air – which saw him win an impressive 5.9 duels on average in League One – also making him a suitable fit for the Premier League’s intense nature.

Labelled as a striker who “has got everything” by Wycombe great Joe Jacobson, it wouldn’t be the wildest shout to expect Kone to grow even more confident if East London came calling, mirroring Bowen’s sharp ascent in the process.

Bigger talent than Elliott: West Ham pushing to sign "incredible" £35m star

West Ham United are weighing up a major £35m move for this incredible star.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 21, 2025

Glasgow Rangers’ busy summer transfer window just continues to click into gear at Ibrox.

With the start of European qualifying now less than four weeks away, new Gers manager Russell Martin is reshaping his new squad.

Plenty of new signings have already arrived at Ibrox, with more still to follow, but could the Light Blues be about to lose a key figure, or perhaps even two?

Rangers striker on the move?

On Wednesday, Rangers unveiled new signing Max Aarons, with the right-back joining on a season-long loan from Bournemouth.

Lyall Cameron was also presented last week, having signed a pre-contract in January, while the Light Blues are also chasing the signatures of both Conor Coady and Owen Beck.

In less good news, however, French publication RMC Sport are reporting that Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille are “in talks” with Rangers over a possible move for Hamza Igamane, adding that the Moroccan striker has “agreed to personal terms”.

Having lost star striker Jonathan David on a free transfer, les Dogues are currently in the process of reshaping their attack, with Jeff Carlisle of ESPN reporting elsewhere that they’ve ‘made an approach’ to sign LAFC centre-forward Olivier Giroud.

In terms of Igamane, Gavin Berry of the Daily Record believes that Rangers “have set” a £20m price tag on the striker, which would make him one of the biggest sales in the club’s modern history.

On the pitch though, this would be a major blow, especially considering it’s set to be all change in terms of Rangers centre-forwards this summer.

Why Hamza Igamane will be a bigger loss than Cyriel Dessers

Igamane is not the only striker seemingly on his way out of Ibrox because, as has been widely reported, Cyriel Dessers is set to join AEK Athens.

The latest reporting from Ewan Paton of the National states that the Greek side are currently offering £4m, while Rangers are holding out for £5m, but that a deal is close, with new manager Martin already ‘looking at replacements’.

Between them, Igamane and Dessers scored 45 goals last season, while the only other player to bag more than six was Václav Černý, who also won’t be at the club next season, having returned to VfL Wolfsburg, following his loan spell.

Thus, there are currently serious question marks over who will be leading the line against Panathinaikos in Champions League qualifying on 22 July, but which of the pair will be the bigger loss?

As the table outlines, despite the fact Dessers scored 13 more goals, doing so in around 800 more minutes, all of Igamane’s underlying statistics are more impressive.

The most interesting statistic is the goals – xG metric where, in last season’s Europa League, the Moroccan finished second with +2.7, behind only Malick Fofana, while Cyriel Dessers was fourth-bottom on -2.5, out of all 712 players who attempted at least one shot in the competition, this according to FBref.com.

The table notes that Dessers missed a whopping 31 Opta-defined big chances across the Scottish Premiership and Europa League, hence why fans are pleased to cash in on him.

Igamane on the other hand, supporters will be sad to see him depart, but it would be for a fee the club simply cannot turn down.

When they won the league under Steven Gerrard, and then reached the Europa League final under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Rangers should have cashed in on prized assets such as Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Borna Barišić, instead choosing to hold onto them as a sign of ambition, before they ultimately left for free.

Just a year after arriving from AS Far for a reported fee of £2.5m, Igamane’s stock is very high, with writer Kai Watson asserting that he is “destined for big things”, while Samuel Hutchinson of Total Football Analysis outlines his ‘meteoric rise’, believing he ‘performed exceptionally’ in an otherwise mediocre Rangers side.

Thus, Igamane could turn out to be a bargain for Lille at £20m while, for Rangers, this is the right time to sell, but their focus has to be working out how best to spend that money, because finding a replacement in a short period of time will be far from easy.

After Aarons: Rangers open talks to sign £1m star who could be Kent 2.0

After signing Max Aarons, Rangers are in talks to repeat their Ryan Kent trick at Ibrox.

By
Ben Gray

Jun 25, 2025

Manchester United are now confident of agreeing deals for two new attacking signings in the coming weeks.

Man Utd lining up replacements for Ten Hag signings

Now that the transfer window is back open, teams such as Man United can get back to work on finalising their squads in time for pre-season to begin. Given how last season went for the Red Devils, club chiefs will be keen to have a lot of their business done as early as possible so they can give Ruben Amorim the best chance of success.

Man Utd in talks to sign £40m+ Aston Villa star keen on Old Trafford move

The Villans could have a decision to make on his future…

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jun 15, 2025

There are multiple positions Amorim and co. want to strengthen this summer, but none may be more important than in goal, given the mistakes Andre Onana made throughout last season.

The Cameroon international was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia a month or two ago, but that talk has now gone quiet. However, that hasn’t stopped United from looking at potential replacements, and according to Caught Offside, United are now in talks with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez over a possible transfer this summer. The Argentine is said to be open to a move to Old Trafford, as his time at Aston Villa looks to be coming to an end.

Martinez is not the only goalkeeper on United’s radar, as according to a new report, the Premier League side are also interested in signing Marco Carnesecchi from Atalanta. The 24-year-old has impressed for the Serie A side in the last 18 months, and his performances have caught the attention of United – it’s said that Atalanta would want around £34 million for their goalkeeper.

Man Utd confident of signing Mbeumo and a new striker

As the Red Devils work on a new goalkeeper, according to the Manchester Evening News, Man United are confident of agreeing a deal to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.

The report states that Mbeumo has told friends he only wants to join United but has not ruled out a move to Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs are said to be pushing for Mbeumo and are prepared to offer a higher salary, but United are considered to be the frontrunners for the £60 million star.

As well as working on a deal to sign Mbeumo, Manchester Evening News also adds that they are lining up a deal to sign a striker afterwards.

The report doesn’t state which striker, but this comes as Inter Milan are reportedly working on a deal to sign Rasmus Hojlund, which has made United look for replacements.

The Red Devils are interested in a deal to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt and have already made contact with the German side over a possible deal. Meanwhile, Victor Osimhen is another player on the radar, and it’s been reported that talks have been held between the club and the striker’s representatives over a potential transfer this summer.

Ekitike and Osimhen could be United’s potential striker targets, as Viktor Gyokeres has now prioritised a move to Arsenal over the Red Devils.

Tottenham Hotspur find themselves under a new manager in Thomas Frank and he could now pounce to bring one of his favourites to N17, according to a report.

Frank's aim to build on Tottenham Hotspur's Europa League success

Winning the Europa League was a watershed moment for Tottenham after 17 years of waiting, but the mission for all connected with the club now is to build on the foundations that Ange Postecoglou laid come next term.

Daniel Levy took exception to a poor Premier League points tally from the Australian. However, Thomas Frank now has a magnificent platform to build on, courtesy of Spurs qualifying for the Champions League off the back of their success in Bilbao.

Opting not to sugarcoat things, Chris Sutton proposed the theory that Frank will be under pressure to deliver immediately at Spurs, claiming the different expectation levels Brentford and Tottenham leave the Dane with little leeway to work with in N17.

He stated: “Thomas Frank has done a brilliant job at Brentford, but this is a whole different kettle of fish. Because of the expectation at Tottenham, Frank won’t get time to get his feet under the table. He will be under pressure from the off.”

Later, he added: “The aim for Frank will be to keep them in the Champions League, and whether that is by making the top four or five, that is not going to be easy.”

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Posts 1 BySean Markus Clifford Jun 15, 2025

Brentford duo Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa could join Tottenham, if Frank opts to go down the route of raiding his former club for talent, though it is hard to imagine the Bees letting either of their star men leave on the cheap.

Nevertheless, it appears that the 51-year-old could instead look to another of his favourites at the Gtech Community Stadium if reports are to be believed.

Tottenham preparing bid to sign Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard

According to CaughtOffside, Tottenham are preparing a bid for Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard and the Denmark international is viewed as a priority addition by Frank to strengthen his engine room.

Spurs are set to submit an offer between the £17-20 million mark, though the Bees are reluctant to see the 31-year-old depart this summer and could inflate his price to ward off interest.

Christian Norgaard’s reliability under Thomas Frank

Appearances

249

Goals

18

Assists

22

Winning an extraordinary 163 duels on Premier League duty last term, the Brentford captain is someone who has an ‘exceptional’ understanding of Frank’s system, making him indispensable in West London regardless of who is in charge.

Stockpiling in key areas would be a wise idea for Spurs amid their injury crisis last season, which rarely saw Postecoglou having a full-strength side to pick from in a tumultuous campaign.

Norgaard is a symbol of reliability for Brentford, and it makes sense to recruit experience if circumstances allow for it, though the Bees may prove to be too tricky to deal with in the end.

It’s been a tale of two halves for Everton this season.

The mood was dour when Sean Dyche’s side dragged themselves to the Premier League campaign’s midpoint, 16th after successive losses against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, their 15-goal haul better only than Southampton, a team that have since failed to pull themselves from the pit of the division, utterly miserable throughout.

A different trajectory for David Moyes’ Everton, though. The Scottish manager replaced Dyche shortly after those aforementioned defeats and has now sealed a 13th-place finish, far more optimism, far more fluency, and a new sense of hope that simply wasn’t there during the Farhad Moshiri era.

However, Dyche left the club in a somewhat stable fashion. No doubt, he needed to go, but defensive foundations had been laid and solidified, and one or two positive additions were welcomed last summer – namely, the £15m signing of Iliman Ndiaye from Marseille.

Moyes will also thank his lucky stars for Jarrad Branthwaite, who has grown into his role as one of the country’s most talented defenders over the past few years.

Jarrad Branthwaite is Everton's biggest star

A formidable presence, Branthwaite might only be 22 years old, but he’s shaped into one of the most powerful and precise centre-backs in the Premier League.

Described as an “absolute monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig last season, Branthwaite has continued to prove himself Everton’s defender par excellence, more athletic and accurate than James Tarkowski and with an underrated technical side too.

Dyche and Moyes’ tactical approaches preclude fluid ball playing with the regularity that Branthwaite perhaps wants (he will be frustrated at having been left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad), but interest from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United make a telling comment on the high regard he is held in by possession-focused outfits.

Matches (starts)

35 (35)

30 (28)

Goals

3

0

Assists

0

1

Clean sheets

12

8

Touches*

52.2

51.9

Pass completion

80%

83%

Ball recoveries*

5.2

3.1

Tackles + interceptions*

3.3

2.1

Clearances*

4.5

6.3

Duels (won)*

5.3 (68%)

3.9 (63%)

As you can see above, he’s maintained a brilliant level across the past two campaigns, and it’s no surprise he was absent through injury during the 2024/25 season’s opening, when Dyche’s Toffees were at their nadir.

But would you believe it, he hasn’t actually been Everton’s best defender this season. Moyes will thank his stars for Branthwaite and Ndiaye and so on, but Jake O’Brien may well have been the most astute signing of them all.

Why Jake O'Brien has been even better than Branthwaite

When analysing the role O’Brien has played for Everton this season, it becomes clear that he’s been an instrumental part of the club’s success in steering away from relegation danger and erecting a framework for a promising new era under the wing of The Friedkin Group.

Everton signed the Republic of Ireland international from Lyon last summer for a £17m fee, but he failed to make more than a smattering of appearances for Dyche, playing two cameos in the Premier League before Moyes’ first match in January against Aston Villa.

Since coming off the bench at Goodison Park on that day, the 24-year-old has started 16 top-flight fixtures, principally at right-back, missing just one game due to injury.

He’s scored crucial goals in 1-1 draws against Brentford and West Ham United and has kept four clean sheets, winning 55% of his duels and averaging 4.3 clearances per game, as per Sofascore. He hasn’t made a single error.

Typically a central defender, O’Brien’s emergence on the right has been something of a masterstroke from Moyes, with Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman, who have a combined age of 75, both approaching the end of their contracts and lacking the powerful physicality and mobility of this rising star, whose defensive roots actually align with Moyes’ vision too.

Hailed “an absolute revelation” for the Merseysiders by TNT Sports commentator Adam Virgo, O’Brien has indeed proved his positional dynamism, his roundedness and his willingness to provide his services in any way Moyes sees best fit, and to a high standard at that.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 13% of Premier League full-backs this season for goals scored, the top 2% for clearances, the top 5% for aerial battles won, and the top 7% for long passes completed.

That final metric, his ranged distribution, is an interesting one. The 6 foot 6 O’Brien might be perfunctorily categorised as a hulking defender, good in the air and solid against onrushing forwards, but lacking on the technical side.

However, this simply isn’t the case. His crisp forward passing opens up a dimension for Moyes, who is rooted in his pragmatic style but open to advanced tinkering, creating a layered style that has worked a treat for Everton as they prepare to transition to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

It’s probably fair to say that Everton would have been in a spot of bother, had Moyes failed to: a) recognise O’Brien’s potential as a moonlighter at right-back or b) find he had the Irishman in his squad to begin with.

O’Brien has been brilliant, adding a defensive dimension that has kept Coleman and Young on the back burner. With Nathan Patterson unreliable on the fitness and, consequently, form fronts, his performances have maybe even been instrumental.

Moyes already has Everton's Doucoure replacement in future "top PL player"

With Abdoulaye Doucouré set to leave Everton after Sunday’s visit to Newcastle, does David Moyes already have a ready-made replacement?

ByBen Gray May 23, 2025

Aston Villa may not end the 2024/25 season with a trophy, but Unai Emery could still lead them back into the Champions League courtesy of a top-five finish in the Premier League.

The Spaniard now needs to add some depth to the current Villa squad this summer, especially if they do reach the promised land once again.

Securing a permanent deal for Marcus Rashford – now out for the season through injury – and Marco Asensio could be an excellent way to start his summer business.

It is another Premier League midfielder who Emery has recently targeted, however, and this could be a game-changer.

Why Aston Villa want to sign Kevin De Bruyne

According to Sky Sports last week, Villa have held internal discussions regarding a sensational move for Kevin De Bruyne once his Man City contract expires in a few weeks.

He wouldn’t cost a penny, therefore it could be one of the best bargains of the summer should a potential move go ahead.

After 11 years at City, where he won six league titles and the Champions League, the Belgian is now looking for a new challenge.

He will be 34 by the time the 2025/26 season begins, yet according to Transfermarkt, he is still valued at €27m (£23m) after registering 13 goal involvements this term.

It’s safe to say he’s been one of the most elite playmakers we’ve ever seen in the English top-flight.

A six-time Premier League winner, a Champions League winner and the assister of 121 goals in the Premier League, few have been better when it comes to supplying chances and creating magic than the Belgian.

This is the type of quality Emery needs. Although there is someone who plays in his position that is valued nearly twice as much as the Belgian.

Aston Villa's very own De Bruyne

When Villa spent just £15m on bringing a certain Morgan Rogers to the Midlands from Middlesbrough in the 2024 winter transfer window, it was deemed a signing for the future.

Three goals and an assist in his first 13 top flight games, however, cemented Rogers as one of the finest young talents in the Premier League.

Goals

8

4

Assists

8

2

Big chances created

13

5

Key passes per game

1.3

1.3

Successful dribbles per game

1.8

1.6

This season couldn’t have gone any better for the Englishman who is now following in the footsteps of De Bruyne, creating and scoring goals aplenty while shining on the European stage too.

Across 50 matches so far, he has amassed 27 goal involvements – 14 goals and 13 assists – with seven of these coming in the continent’s premier club competition, the Champions League.

The former Man City starlet even made his England debut against Greece towards the end of 2024 and was called up for Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad for the games against Albania and Latvia.

Following his display against the latter, Glenn Hoddle hailed the midfielder as “wonderful” and his future at both club and international level looks bright indeed.

He ranks 14th for big chances created (13) and eighth for successful dribbles per game (1.8) in the Premier League this season, just rubberstamping those comparing to De Bruyne.

These displays have, unsurprisingly, seen a staggering rise in his market valuation over the previous 12 months.

As per Transfermarkt, Rogers is now valued at €50m (£43m) and this is nearly double what De Bruyne is worth at the time of writing.

If Emery does persuade the City dynamo to join Villa, hopefully it won’t be to the detriment of Rogers, who certainly has the number ten position locked down with a string of excellent performances.

Worth 330% more than Nypan: Aston Villa struck gold with "unstoppable" star

Aston Villa are reportedly closing in on a move to sign Sverre Nypan.

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 23, 2025

He made the most of the new ball on a flat Ranchi pitch and kept some of the batters guessing with his variety even though he leaked runs

Alagappan Muthu01-Dec-20254:46

Takeaways – Kohli in his comfort zone, Jansen, Kuldeep and Rana sparkle

India’s best XI in any format starts with Jasprit Bumrah. He will lead the bowling attack at the 2027 World Cup, guaranteeing 10 overs of magic.Mohammed Siraj is second in charge. He can be hit or miss in white-ball cricket. He missed the Champions Trophy but was such a hit in an Asia Cup final a couple of years ago that the opposition scorecard looked like this.Hardik Pandya, who is returning to competitive cricket for the first time since his injury in September, will be crucial to balance the team in overseas conditions. That leaves one specialist fast-bowling spot open for Harshit Rana (28 List A matches), Arshdeep Singh (40) and Prasidh Krishna (75). All of them have a lot to learn but they’re still familiar with high-pressure white-ball situations thanks to the IPL.Related

• Harshit Rana reprimanded, handed demerit point, for Dewald Brevis send off

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Ranchi was a high(ish)-pressure situation in the appropriate format and Rana rose to it. He picked up two wickets in an over, which eventually left South Africa 11 for 3 chasing 350. Ryan Rickelton was bowled on a defensive shot and Quinton de Kock was caught behind on the drive.”I think a lot of credit to Harshit also,” India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said at the post-match press conference, “For taking the early wickets because I think otherwise, for them, in so much dew, they would’ve found it very easy to score runs.”Beyond those results was the process. Rana didn’t waste the brief window, under lights, when a still new, still dry ball was willing to zip around. That alone was good work. The wickets (three) and the win will perhaps reinforce it.”He was moving the ball well,” Kotak said. “He was hitting the right area early in the innings because the Kookaburra only swings for the first four or five overs and I think he made the most of it.”Rana still gave away 65 runs in 10 overs though. This happens because he bowls to unsettle. Targeting the stumps. Then the helmet. Then taking pace off. Then going wide. Then going yorker. Then going wide yorker. Or wide and slower ball. It’s basically fast bowling on shuffle. Bangers mixed in with duds.Rana commits to this role, at the expense of his economy rate, and India are happy to pay the price because they have Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav as banker bowlers capable of creating and sustaining pressure from the other end. They must also value how Rana doesn’t flinch when things go wrong. On Sunday, he took a no-look six on the chin from Dewald Brevis in one over. Dismissed him in the next. He gritted his teeth when Corbin Bosch saw through his slower ball and sent it into the stands. Then killed the momentum with a couple of good yorkers. Rana still needs a bit of refining but there’s something there.Conditions for fast bowling in India vary from those expected at the World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Marco Jansen touched upon it after the first ODI when he said he had to keep reminding himself to get lower in his batting stance.Two years ago when India were in Centurion, they tried to lean into a pitch with pace and bounce by picking Prasidh in their Test team. His release from a high-arm action and ability to hit the deck hard were seen as an asset after South Africa had used a similar strategy to beat them on the previous tour. It didn’t quite pan out but not because it was poor logic.Arshdeep’s skills are more traditional and his left-arm angle can be a useful point of difference. There’s his composure at the death as well. He bowled a wicket-maiden in the 47th over when South Africa had brought the equation down to 38 off 24.The spotlight in that game and in any ODI that India play nowadays tends to be elsewhere, but these three are very different fast bowlers and the way they’re getting along makes for interesting viewing too.

If Royals go far, they could also find themselves without Buttler late in the season

Himanshu Agrawal19-Mar-2024Where Rajasthan Royals finished last seasonRoyals started strongly by winning four of their first five games but could win only one of the next six. Eventually, they finished fifth with 14 points, two short of qualifying for the playoffs.RR squad for IPL 2024Jos Buttler* (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore* (wk), Sanju Samson (capt, wk), Shimron Hetmyer*, Rovman Powell*, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Donovan Ferreira*, Kunal Singh Rathore (wk), Shubham Dubey, Riyan Parag, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult*, Nandre Burger*, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Abid Mushtaq[Updated after Adam Zampa pulled out]*Overseas playersPlayer availability: Prasidh ruled outPrasidh Krishna has been ruled out for the second successive season. He picked up a quadriceps injury during the Ranji Trophy and underwent surgery on February 23. Royals are yet to name a replacement.If Royals make the playoffs, they might be without Jos Buttler, who will lead England in a five-match T20I series against Pakistan at home, which begins on May 22.Related

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What’s new with RR this year?A lot. To begin with, they traded Devdutt Padikkal to Lucknow Super Giants for Avesh Khan. At the auction, the Royals bought Rovman Powell, Nandre Burger, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Shubham Dubey and Abid Mushtaq.The good – Jaiswal, Jurel and spinnersRoyals boast of an experienced spin duo of R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, having lost Adam Zampa’s services. Zampa was not always a first XI player, but picked up eight wickets in six appearances in 2023.Last season, Chahal grabbed 21 wickets to finish as Royals’ highest wicket-taker. That took his overall IPL tally to 187, the most in the history of the tournament. Having been left out of India’s both white-ball squads, he will have a point to prove.Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel, who are now capped India players, will look to carry their confidence of having performed well in the Tests against England. Jaiswal had an impactful season last year as well, when smashed 625 runs at a strike rate of 163.61, including a century and five half-centuries. One of the fifties came off 13 balls, an IPL record. Batting in the lower order, Jurel scored 134 runs in the 88 deliveries last year, at a strike rate of 172.72.The not-so-good – lack of quality allroundersAfter releasing Jason Holder, Royals did not pick an allrounder at the auction. That means despite the Impact Player rule, they may end up with just five bowling options.However, Royals will be buoyed by Riyan Parag’s brilliant all-round show in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He was the leading run-scorer in the tournament, with 510 runs at an average of 85.00 and a strike rate of 182.79. That included seven half-centuries in ten innings. Parag also bagged 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.29. The big question is: can he do it in the IPL, too?Schedule insightsRoyals’ four games in the first leg of the IPL are well spaced out. They start with two home matches against LSG and Delhi Capitals, on March 24 and 28 respectively, before travelling to Mumbai for a game on April 1. Four days later, they play Royal Challengers Bangalore at home.The big question