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Having bounced back from a recent wobble with a handy win over Everton in the Merseyside derby, Liverpool are one step closer to lifting the Premier League trophy.

At this point, it’s inevitable that Arne Slot will bow his head to receive a winners’ medal by May, maybe even sooner. What a season. What a triumph. No one saw it coming. No one, perhaps, except a prescient German, lopsided smile and all, who recognised he’d done all he could.

But back to the here and now. Liverpool travel to Craven Cottage this afternoon to take on Fulham, looking to add another hard-fought win to the collection and preserve their undefeated record on the road this term.

Winning at Anfield on Wednesday evening restored Liverpool’s 12-point lead at the summit, but it’s important to snuff out even the smallest flickers of hope from title rivals Arsenal by claiming another three points here.

So then, team news.

24/25

Premier League (H)

2-2 draw

23/24

Premier League (A)

3-1 win

23/24

Carabao Cup (A)

1-1 draw

23/24

Carabao Cup (H)

2-1 win

23/24

Premier League (H)

4-3 win

Liverpool team news

Slot has confirmed that Alisson Becker and Conor Bradley face late tests ahead of the trip to the capital.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez also sidelined, it looks like Curtis Jones is going to reprise his role at right-back, having performed so well in a new position in midweek.

Alexis Mac Allister avoided injury following a dreadful challenge from Everton’s James Tarkowski, however, fringe midfielder Tyler Morton remains out.

Slot hasn’t been one to chop and change all too frequently this season but Liverpool have dipped over the past few weeks, seemingly sapped and drained after an incredible start to the campaign.

Moreover, the frontline have been frustratingly profligate of late, but Diogo Jota broke his 11-game duck against Everton last time out and Luis Diaz claimed a third assist in as many Premier League matches.

Diogo Jota's return to form

You could very well argue that the international break came at the perfect time for Liverpool, allowing the squad to recalibrate after a series of blows and restore some of their wonderful fluency.

Jota has suffered a frustrating campaign on an individual level, only 11 times in the Premier League and struggling to harness his usual deadliness in front of goal.

However, his skip-and-finish moment against the Toffees reminded Merseyside of the 28-year-old’s prowess, and he’ll now be looking to end the season on the crest of a wave.

You’d perhaps think that Slot would want to keep his Portuguese striker at the bow of the ship for the clash against Fulham, but he might actually be inclined to make the bold move to drop the derby hero and instead shuffle the pack up top.

Slot could boldly drop Jota

The obvious name to draw here would be Darwin Nunez, but Liverpool are gearing up to sell the Uruguayan striker and he has only started eight Premier League games all season despite avoiding any significant injury blows.

Federico Chiesa is another to consider. The 27-year-old is the sole signing of the Slot era so far, but he’s been on the margins amid injury and selection frustrations, albeit he scored a well-taken consolation goal at Wembley last month to get fans chatting online about his potential as a centre-forward.

However, having yet to start in the top-flight this year, Liverpool may be better off parking that one and instead unleashing Cody Gakpo from the outset following his recent fitness issues.

Gakpo spent the 2023/24 campaign wandering around the park, with Klopp utilising his dynamism by fielding him in a number of different roles, principally at number nine but even on occasion in a central midfield position.

However, Slot seemingly recognised his compatriot’s strength on the attacking left flank, where he has played all season, scoring 16 goals and supplying six assists across 41 fixtures, matching last year’s haul but doing so in about 800 fewer minutes.

The numbers don’t tell the full story, either, with the Netherlands star now looking far more confident and effective in his performances. ESPN’s Beth Lindop has hailed the 25-year-old as a “special player,” drawing attention to his “elegant” style.

The left winger’s ball-striking ability is something that Liverpool could do with right now, bringing him back into form after Jota, something that could further ease Mohamed Salah’s burden and bring Liverpool into a more balanced attacking state ahead of the final weeks of the season.

Gakpo, moreover, has played six times against Fulham in his Liverpool career but has only featured twice on the left. Those appearances arrived in his past two league meetings with the Cottagers and he hit goal involvements in both, assisting during last season’s 3-1 win at Craven Cottage before scoring during December’s 2-2 draw on Merseyside.

The latter of those games was an anxiety-inducing watch, for Andy Robertson was sent off in the opening half. Gakpo was instrumental in helping his team avoid defeat at Anfield, scoring, hitting the target three times, creating one big chance, and winning five duels.

Gakpo’s finishing is a thing to behold, and while Jota scored against Everton, you could argue that the goal’s creator, Diaz, enjoyed the superior performance, so electric and intimidating as he made six key passes and won eight duels, as per Sofascore.

The Colombian might not be the most prolific, but it’s such qualities that make him such an important part of this soon-to-be title-winning side. Centrally, he can cause chaos and pick at Fulham’s defenders, opening up space for Gakpo and Salah to arc inwards and strike on goal.

Jota did well in returning to the scoresheet, but Slot needs to latch onto that energy and direct it toward his side’s other forwards. Sparking purple patches across the frontline will be a sure-fire way to maintain high levels over the closing weeks of the campaign.

Move over Szoboszlai & Trent: Slot has unearthed Liverpool's new Gerrard

This player has turned into Liverpool’s modern superstar.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 4, 2025

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has left the door open to a potential future move to Liverpool, admitting that while he is focused on his current role, "you never know what can happen" in football, amid intense speculation linking him with a return to Anfield. The coach's response comes amid claims he is in danger of being sacked, while questions have been asked of Arne Slot's future at the Merseyside club.

Alonso and Slot under pressure

The former Reds midfielder has found himself at the centre of a managerial merry-go-round rumour mill. While Slot is currently feeling the heat at Liverpool due to his side languishing in 10th place in the Premier League despite significant summer investment, Alonso is navigating his own storm at the Santiago Bernabeu. Following a chaotic 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo, the Spaniard is facing a defining week, with a Champions League clash against Manchester City looming.

However, despite the immediate pressure in the Spanish capital, questions about a potential switch to the Premier League have persisted. Alonso reportedly turned down the chance to replace Jurgen Klopp in order to stay at Bayer Leverkusen, before eventually taking the Madrid job in the summer.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMadrid boss addresses his future

When asked directly about the possibility of managing in England, specifically regarding a return to his former club Liverpool, Alonso offered a tantalising response that stopped short of a full denial.

"For sure, it's something to consider with the English clubs, with my former club," Alonso admitted. "But for now, this is the place that I want to be, and in the future, you never know what can happen."

Slot's situation grew even worse as the coach finds himself in a dressing room rift involving talisman Mohamed Salah, who sensationally criticised the Dutchman after their 3-3 draw against Leeds at the weekend. Alonso remained diplomatic, however, when asked about the situation.

"Those are decisions they have made at Liverpool. No doubt we're missing a lot of details. So it's not for me to give an opinion on that," he said.

Two giants in crisis

The comments come at a fascinating juncture for both clubs. Liverpool's title defence has crumbled spectacularly, leaving Slot on the brink. The Dutchman's relationship with Salah has fractured, with the Egyptian forward omitted from the squad to face Inter this week.

Meanwhile, at Madrid, Alonso is fighting to keep his own tenure on track. The defeat to Celta has left Los Blancos trailing leaders Barcelona by four points, and reports suggest a heavy defeat to Manchester City could be fatal for his prospects.

"The next one is the best one. I think I know myself, and the fans know Manchester City very well from facing them many times in recent years, but I see it as an opportunity more than anything," Alonso said.

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Alonso also touched upon his own player management challenges, drawing a parallel between the Salah situation and his handling of Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian forward reacted poorly to being substituted against Barcelona earlier in the season, a flashpoint that Alonso insisted he would not handle differently in hindsight.

"I would not change anything," he noted, reinforcing his stance on discipline – a trait that German legend Lothar Matthaus recently highlighted as a potential point of friction with Madrid's creative stars.

"It’s not about changing, it’s about adapting. I knew pretty much what it was, that’s why Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world. You need to adapt to it, to learn from it. After you have to perform, you have to have that interaction with the players. Some days are good, some days are not so good. But from every game, we take steps, and we are in this position now, and we have to face it with good energy, positivity, that’s the only way to turn it around."

Phil Parkinson was hugely disappointed with Wrexham’s performance in a 2-0 defeat at Hull City, with an “honest chat” taking place behind the scenes. The Red Dragons saw a nine-match unbeaten run in Championship competition come to a shuddering halt when paying a visit to East Yorkshire. Parkinson is now demanding an immediate response from his players.

Spent big: Reynolds and Mac chasing the dream

Wrexham spent big in the summer transfer window as Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac helped to make the funds available for more marquee additions. A slow start was made to the 2025-26 campaign, but the Welsh outfit have found their feet in the second tier of English football.

They had moved to within touching distance of the play-offs spots, but have now slipped to 14th place in the tightest of divisions. They remain only four points adrift of the top six, but saw collective standards slip at MKM Stadium.

AdvertisementGettyPull no punches: Parkinson assesses defeat at Hull

Parkinson told reporters afterwards, with Wrexham paying the price for a particularly poor first-half display: “We just weren't at the levels tonight and I've got to look at that – my part in it, all the staff will, and the players themselves. But we'll do that together. The lads have given us a lot but tonight we were below the level, and we'll come out ready for action at the weekend.”

Parkinson added on dressing room chat that saw the Red Dragons’ coaching staff pull no punches: “We've just had an honest chat with the lads. We just weren't where we needed to be tonight and we've got to be honest about that.

“It's very rare in my whole time at Wrexham to have a 45 minutes that was so unlike us. Tonight the first 45 minutes was certainly one of those performances, but against a good side as well. Give them credit, they were excellent.

“We will look to respond, of course. That's what football's all about. We'll be a bit flat tomorrow because we don't like losing. Nobody does in football, but we'll work together as a group, and we'll look to put up a good performance on the weekend.”

Confident camp: Hyam expects immediate improvement

Wrexham defender Dom Hyam is confident that Wrexham’s efforts so far this season mean a much-improved performance will be delivered when Watford pay a visit to SToK Racecourse on Saturday.

He said: “We've been on a really good run, we've got to add some perspective as well, we've come up from the division below and we've done well up until this point. Don't get me wrong, we're still bitterly disappointed with that tonight but it's a good opportunity to get it right on Saturday. That's the beauty of the league, we've got a game in three days' time. We know there's a big opportunity on Saturday in front of our home supporters to put things right.

“It's not doom and gloom by any means. It's very raw, that performance wasn't great on a lot of levels, but there's a lot to be positive about still. We'll take our medicine and make sure we're right again.”

GettyUltimate goal: Wrexham aiming for the Premier League

While Wrexham were nine Championship games unbeaten heading into their meeting with Hull, they had been held in five of those fixtures. Inability to turn draws into wins has prevented them from clambering into the play-off places and daring to dream of securing a record-extending fourth successive promotion.

That remains the ultimate goal for all concerned, with Reynolds and Mac having never shied away from the fact that they want to bring top-flight football to North Wales. Greater consistency is, however, going to be required when it comes to picking up maximum points.

It could be that the Red Dragons dip back into the transfer market for more new recruits during the January window. They have four games to take in through to the end of the calendar year – with three of those being played out on home soil, while a trip to Swansea for a derby date with Welsh rivals will be taken in on December 19.

Manchester United’s draw against West Ham United yesterday once again highlighted the struggles faced by the side during Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford.

Diogo Dalot’s strike looked as though the Red Devils would secure all three points for the second time in a week, but their inability to defend set pieces ultimately cost them all three points.

Soungoutou Magassa’s effort was enough to secure the visitors a point, with Amorim left frustrated by his side’s lack of killer instinct to put the game to bed in the second half.

The result leaves United in eighth place in the Premier League, just two points off fourth, but the season could already look a whole lot different had the side managed to once again hold on for the win.

Numerous players failed to deliver during the meeting at Old Trafford, which could see the manager make some needed changes ahead of their next outing over the weekend.

United’s poor performers against West Ham last night

During the draw against Nuno Espírito Santo’s side, Luke Shaw was once again handed a start in the Premier League, now taking his run of starts to 14 in a row.

However, it was yet another performance to forget for the Englishman, with the centre-back struggling to deal with the threat posed by opposition forward Jarrod Bowen.

Shaw was dribbled past twice, lost 75% of the ground duels he entered, whilst also committing three fouls – showcasing his inability to stop his compatriot from impressing.

At the other end of the pitch, Bryan Mbeumo also struggled to continue his fine recent form in the Premier League, as the Cameroonian once again failed to find the back of the net.

Like Shaw, he struggled in his duels against the Hammers at Old Trafford, as seen by his measly tally of 100% aerials lost out of the five battles in which he entered.

He also failed to complete any of the crosses he attempted, whilst only placing one of his shots on target, subsequently being unable to provide the added threat needed in attacking areas.

The Man Utd star who needs to be dropped after West Ham

After failing to win for an eighth time in the league this campaign, Amorim will certainly need to find a winning formula quickly if he is to be a success as United manager.

He’s massively come under fire over recent months for his lack of success in the role, no doubt down to his reluctance to move away from his 3-4-2-1 system in key moments.

At 1-1 last night, he had the opportunity to bring Kobbie Mainoo onto the pitch in an attempt to secure victory, but it was his conservative substitutions which led to the draw.

The 40-year-old simply laughed in his post-match interview when one journalist suggested that the Englishman should have been brought on to push for the win.

Such a move wasn’t the only questionable decision made by Amorim last night, with the manager deciding to utilise Ayden Heaven at centre-back alongside Shaw and Noussair Mazraoui.

The youngster was handed his first league start of the campaign, but it was a decision that massively backfired, given his struggles at the Theatre of Dreams last night.

He featured for 45 minutes during the contest, before being replaced at the break after picking up a yellow card for a rash tackle on Bowen during the closing stages of the half.

The 19-year-old lost 100% of the duels he entered, whether that being on the ground or in the air, whilst committing two separate fouls, which no doubt led to his booking.

Heaven was also only able to complete a measly tally of six passes out of a possible ten, with none of his long balls being completed – showcasing his struggles in possession.

His struggles were compounded by his lack of involvement during the first half, only achieving a tally of 17 touches of the ball – with goalkeeper Senne Lammens having more, as seen by his tally of 29.

After such a performance, the manager must surely look to more senior options to fill the void, when his Red Devils side face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night.

Leny Yoro was brought on to replace the Englishman at the break, with the manager needing to select the Frenchman next time around to help the side return to winning ways.

18x ball lost: Amorim must ruthlessly bench overhyped 5/10 Man Utd man

This Man Utd ace struggled in their 1-1 draw at home to West Ham

ByJoe Nuttall 7 days ago

He has taken his time to come up the ranks, but at 28, Patil might be hitting his peak as a white-ball allrounder

Deivarayan Muthu03-Sep-2025He has the potential to become the next big white-ball allrounder from Mumbai after Shivam Dube and Suryansh Shedge. Like his better-known team-mates, he can launch mighty sixes from the middle order and also bowl handy seam-ups. His all-round skills earned him three Player-of-the-Match awards in six games and eventually the Player-of-the-Tournament award from Rohit Sharma at the T20 Mumbai league earlier this year. Meet 28-year-old Sairaj Patil, who is now on the radar of IPL teams as well.In the 2025 T20 Mumbai league, Patil scored 233 runs in six innings at a strike rate of over 150 to go with seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.35 for Eagle Thane Strikers. Despite state-run leagues mushrooming across India, allrounders who can clear the boundary and also bowl are still rare, which is why Patil has piqued the interest of scouts ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.Patil has been bossing the local and corporate tournaments in Mumbai for a while, but the recent success in the relaunched state league was proof that he could do the job at a higher level.Related

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“Yeah, I had a great Mumbai T20 league and I am grateful for everything,” Patil told ESPNcricinfo on the sidelines of the pre-season Buchi Babu Tournament in Chennai. “I had prepped very well before the start of the tournament and I was dominating Mumbai cricket for the last two years and I was part of the Mumbai white-ball squad for [the 50-over] Vijay Hazare [Trophy] and Syed Mushtaq Ali [T20 tournament], but I was not getting chances.”So the past two seasons I was sitting outside… but by sitting outside I got to learn a lot of things. I built up a lot of patience, perseverance, and the grit to do well in every game I get and while I was playing in Mumbai cricket, I had the hunger to score in each and every game and dominate in all groups.”The most striking aspect of Patil’s T20 game is his six-hitting prowess – he smashed a chart-topping 16 in six innings in the T20 Mumbai league. He can even hit sixes off yorkers and low full tosses, thanks to his ability to play the helicopter shot. He said that his six-hitting wasn’t natural and put it down to hours of training and range-hitting with his childhood coach Bharat Chambre.”I hit 500-1000 balls a day along with my coach and so it has helped me now,” Patil said. “I didn’t have much power and strength when I was a kid but I’ve built it up with good coaching, diet and training. Even now, when I go to my practice sessions, I try and hit around 50-200 sixes and I try to get better every day.”With the ball, Patil is capable of hitting hard lengths at 130kph and also has some slower cutters in his repertoire. He has been working closely with former Mumbai and India bowlers Dhawal Kulkarni and Sairaj Bahutule to add to his variations and skills.

“Yeah, when you play in a country like India, everyone aspires to play the IPL and eventually for the country. So, like everyone else, I would like to be part of any of the franchises and showcase my talent in the tournaments”Sairaj Patil

“I’ve been bowling at 130-132 [kph] and Dhawal Kulkarni and Sairaj Bahutule have been my bowling mentors,” Patil said. “I enjoy contributing with both ball and bat. In the Mumbai T20 League, we had a tight schedule. It was quite difficult to manage the [bowling] load, but thanks to my trainers and S&Cs [strength and conditioning coaches] for managing me well.”Patil cherishes his all-round effort – 61 off 37 from No. 4 followed by four wickets – against SoBo Mumbai Falcons – at the Wankhede Stadium in June. Having come in to bat at 10 for 2, Patil watched Strikers slip further to 10 for 3, but he counterattacked with a boundary-laden fifty. He then fired with the ball too, the highlight being his dismissal of Shreyas Iyer with a 98kph cutter in his team’s successful defence of 151.”The game against SoBo Mumbai Falcons was special because we were three down [early],” Patil recalled. “I did dominate with the bat and it was special to get Shreyas’ wicket. So to score and take wickets in the pressure situation, I felt it was a turning point.”Patil, who hails from Palghar, where his father Bipin runs a club called Palghar Dahanu Taluka Sports Association, which has provided the platform for the likes of Shardul Thakur, Hardik Tamore and Sylvester D’Souza, idolises Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes, and has been bouncing ideas off Mumbai team-mates that have enjoyed success at the top level.”I share a good camaraderie with Surya [Suryakumar Yadav] , Shardul and Shreyas. Sarfaraz [Khan] and Prithvi [Shaw] are also my good friends and I learn from them. So they share a lot of insights on how I should go about with the game and how I can develop more to do better in the coming matches.”Sairaj Patil was named Player of the Tournament in the latest edition of the T20 Mumbai league•T20 Mumbai LeagueIt may not be too long before Patil joins some of those big names in the IPL. He had a stint with Mumbai Indians during their tour of the UK in 2022 and has been part of camps of quite a few franchises since, including Delhi Capitals’ most recently.”Yeah, when you play in a country like India, everyone aspires to play the IPL and eventually for the country,” he said. “So, like everyone else, I would like to be part of any of the franchises and showcase my talent in the tournaments.”Patil had been impressive with his big-hitting in the second season of the T20 Mumbai league in 2019 and now, with more experience and exposure, he believes that he is better equipped to deal with pressure.”Yes, experience comes as you play more and more games,” Patil said. “In 2019, when we [North Mumbai Panthers] won the T20 Mumbai league, I was the top six-hitter, but this year I did exceptionally well. From the previous experiences I had the motivation to become the best with bat and ball. I did that this season, so I am glad. I want to do the same things in all formats – whether it be red ball, whether it be white ball, and replicate it wherever I play.”While Patil is a work in progress in red-ball cricket – he is yet to make his Ranji Trophy debut – he has turned himself into an attractive T20 package, and though not exactly young, could yet have a career at the higher levels.

Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles was playing for the team's Triple-A affiliates in Tacoma during a rehab assignment over the weekend, when he was hit by a pitch that ran up and inside on him.

Robles was irate, and in retaliation he launched his bat in the direction of the pitcher's mound and had to be held back by teammates and the home plate umpire as he attempted to escalate the situation further. Robles then threw some snacks from the dugout onto the field before making his way to the locker room.

As a result of his bonkers outburst, MLB issued a 10-game suspension to the veteran outfielder on Tuesday. Robles is expected to appeal the suspension. The suspension will be served in MLB, so he'll be docked 10 games once he's eligible to return from IL.

Robles has since issued an apology for his actions.

There's some history behind his irate response, however. The pitcher on the mound was Joey Estes, and he'd already plunked Robles with a pitch earlier in the series. In fact, Robles was hit twice in his first game of the rehab appearance, though only once by Estes. He was then hit again in the first plate appearance of the very next game. Finally, in the third game of the series, Robles was once again hit by Estes, though it was ruled a swing because his bat came around. He lined out in that at-bat, and then came to the plate again in the third inning. For the fifth time in three games––and the third time by Estes in that span––Robles was hit by a pitch from Estes.

All of that, is what sparked his incredibly frustrated and aggressive response to being hit, again, by Estes.

Robles has just been trying to work his way back to Seattle after missing most of the season with an injury. Finally on his rehab assignment after being out since April, the last thing he wants is to suffer an injury at the plate. It's not hard to see why he was so enraged, though his response was certainly still extreme.

The series will also mark the first time Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad hosts international cricket in 17 years, with all three ODIs between the sides set to take place there

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Sep-2025The Gaddafi Stadium is set to host its first Test match in over three years – and the first since it was rebuilt ahead of the Champions Trophy earlier this year. It will be the venue for the first of two Test matches when South Africa visit Pakistan for an all-format series next month.That game, starting on October 12, will kick off the series, South Africa’s first in a World Test Championship campaign since they became champions in June this year. It will be the first series of the next two-year Test cycle for both teams. The second game will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, which also underwent some renovation work over the past year.The series will also mark the first time Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad hosts international cricket in 17 years, with all three ODIs between the sides set to take place there. Faisalabad was initially a venue for two T20Is against Bangladesh in May, but amid a reschedule due to an India-Pakistan border tension, the games in Faisalabad were scrapped.South Africa became the World Test Champions in June this year•ICC/Getty ImagesThe series also features three T20Is which precede the ODIs, with the first in Rawalpindi and the next two in Lahore.Lahore’s return as a Test venue is notable, with this being just the second Test at the Gaddafi since Test cricket returned to Pakistan in 2019. In the years since, Pindi, Karachi and latterly Multan became favoured venues for red-ball games, primarily because smog in the winter months affects Lahore more than the other cities, and restricted the window for Test cricket in the city. The one game it hosted was in March 2022 against Australia at the back end of the cricket season in the country.It will also be the first red-ball series against South Africa with full crowd involvement since the return of international cricket to Pakistan. The sides played a two-match series in 2021 behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”We are looking forward to welcome South Africa for the opening series of our ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 campaign,” PCB COO Sumair Ahmed said. “Starting the new cycle against the current Test champions will provide quality cricket for our players and fans.”The ODIs begin on 28 October, with the final T20I on 8 November in Faisalabad.South Africa tour to Pakistan scheduleOctober 12-16 – First Test, Lahore
October 20-24 – Second Test, Rawalpindi
October 28 – First T20I, Rawalpindi
October 31 – Second T20I, Lahore
November 1 -Third T20I, Lahore
November 4 – First ODI, Faisalabad
November 6 – Second ODI, Faisalabad
November 8 – Third ODI, Faisalabad

With the ODI World Cup around the corner, a formidable batting line-up is taking shape

Srinidhi Ramanujam11-May-2025With the conclusion of the women’s tri-nation series in Colombo, it seems like India have reached a moment of clarity. It’s something that the captain Harmanpreet Kaur and the head coach, Amol Muzumdar, have been working towards for a while. A year ago, India weren’t entirely sure of the make-up of their batting line-up. Now, just as a home ODI World Cup is around the corner, their top seven is locked.Colombo has arguably been the most challenging venue for India in the last six months, where batters’ temperament and endurance were tested in the extreme heat. But they responded remarkably in this tri-series against Sri Lanka and South Africa. India posted at least 275 runs four out of five times, and that includes the 342 for 7 in the final. They are showing signs that they are no longer dependent on Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet for the bulk of their runs.”Definitely proud of the entire team, the way we played today,” Harmanpreet said. “Especially our batters, they played good cricket and that’s what we discussed in the beginning that if we won the toss, we will bat and we will look for a really good total on the board and really happy the way we batted today.””A lot of positives, especially the other batters the way they have batted, in the last game Jemimah [Rodrigues] had a knock of hundred, and Harleen [Deol] kept batting for the team and Pratika [Rawal] too and Deepti [Sharma]’s all-round performance and Sneh Rana’s bowling efforts.”Over the past two weeks, India have shown the ability to ride out tough periods with the bat and make their moments of supremacy matter.The 3-0 loss to Australia in Mumbai last December might have been the wake-up call. Since then, India have played 11 ODIs and lost only one. This run has been built on a batting line-up that is pushing itself to new heights. In six out of the eight matches that they’ve had to set a total, they’ve made over 300.Pratika Rawal averages 63.80 after her first 11 ODIs•SLCIn the series opener against Sri Lanka, when India were asked to chase a target of 148, they did so with nine wickets and nearly 10 overs to spare. Rawal scored an unbeaten fifty, and would go on to score another, continuing her extraordinary run of form since making her debut last December. She is averaging 63.80 after 11 ODIs.Is this the way forward for India, without Shafali Verma? Maybe. Despite a strong showing at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) earlier this year, Shafali was left out of the tri-series. She has also churned out runs with remarkable consistency in domestic cricket since being dropped from the India squad last November. But, for now, India are happy to let Rawal have her run.There was a bond of trust when Rodrigues was handed a role in the middle order. It’s the sort of trust that has survived setbacks.She started her ODI career as a top-order batter, but two years ago, India needed something different from her. They knew Rodrigues, a player of talent and maturity, was capable of batting at any position. But she struggled to find her feet in this new position and had a forgettable 2024: she could muster only 329 runs in 12 innings, only one fifty-plus score.Jemimah Rodrigues on her success in 2025: It’s just the confidence I have and more than that, just me understanding my game•SLCThe new year brought a new Rodrigues. She notched up her maiden ODI hundred against Ireland in January and followed it up with 245 runs in this tri-series – India’s second-most productive batter behind Mandhana. Overall in 2025, she has 360 runs in seven innings. It is evident that she has worked on her strike rate (up to 115 this year from 91 last year) and fitness in the process.”I just want to keep going. The main target is the World Cup,” Rodrigues would say after her second ODI century, against South Africa, a few days ago. She went on to explain that “it’s just the confidence I have and more than that, just me understanding my game. Usually, I used to play 4-5 dot balls, get panicked and throw my wicket. But now, I think that sense of calmness is there and you know, I can make [it] up. And at the same time, a lot of T20 cricket has helped me play in different leagues, in different conditions. It has helped me and given me a belief and a trust in myself. I know that in any condition and any situation, I am well able to deliver what the team requires.”Rodrigues is becoming India’s rock in the middle order.As far as the finishers are concerned, the team has been banking on Richa Ghosh, but they will be more than pleased with Deepti’s 93 against South Africa earlier in this series. It was her first fifty-plus score in ODIs since her unbeaten 68 against England at Lord’s in 2022, and India would be hoping that the senior allrounder carries this form forward.Harleen Deol has helped India find stability•BCCIThe next big box that was ticked is India’s No.3. After trying out Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Priya Punia, and D Hemalatha, Deol was slotted in at one-down during the home series against Australia last December. Since her comeback, she has played 14 innings and has done fairly well – 511 runs at an average of 39.30 including a match-winning century against West Indies. In this tri-series, Deol’s top score of 47 came in Sunday’s final against Sri Lanka.Through all this, Mandhana kept doing Mandhana things, which doesn’t come as a surprise anymore. Perhaps it’s even underappreciated because of her mind-boggling consistency. Her 11th ODI century on Sunday propelled India to 342 for 7 in the title clash, which was too much for Sri Lanka as they eventually lost by a margin of 97 runs. She has accumulated 1260 ODI runs in 21 innings since the start of 2024, the most for a batter in this period. This includes six centuries and five fifties. The second best on this list is Hayley Matthews, with 851 runs.Five different India batters made a score of fifty or more over the course of the tri-series. It is a welcome development for a team facing some more big tests.India’s next assignment will be a long tour of England in June-July where they are scheduled to play five T20Is and three ODIs in vastly different conditions compared to Colombo. But for now, they will be content having ticked a lot of boxes in the batting.

He achieved this wish on his 35th birthday, helping India seal a dominant win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-20251:13

Wahab: Kuldeep always one step ahead of batters

Three spinners, and just the one frontline quick. This has been India’s way at this Asia Cup, and their captain Suryakumar Yadav said the template had been set earlier this year during their run to the Champions Trophy title. That was an ODI tournament, but India played all their matches in the UAE, which is also hosting this Asia Cup.The spinners played a crucial role in India’s seven-wicket win over Pakistan on Sunday, with Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy sharing six wickets between them. In all, India’s spinners conceded just 65 runs in 13 overs, including one from part-timer Abhishek Sharma.Related

Suryakumar: Spinners come well prepared so things move 'on autopilot'

Kuldeep makes it worth the wait

Kuldeep, Axar and Abhishek lead India to thumping win

“That’s what happened a few months back – our team that won the Champions Trophy, they set the tone,” Suryakumar said at the post-match presentation. “But I am always a fan of spinners, because they control the game in the middle and post-powerplay [overs], and I think all the spinners were amazing.”India’s victory was particularly sweet for Suryakumar since it came on the day he turned 35. He celebrated his birthday by scoring an unbeaten 47 and hitting the winning six as India chased down their target of 128 with 25 balls to spare.”It’s a great feeling and it’s a perfect return gift for India,” Suryakumar said. “This is one box I always wanted to tick, stay there till the end, and it was the need of the hour today. And love to stay not out till the end.”The win left India with a 11-3 T20I head-to-head over their arch-rivals. Asked about this, Suryakumar said India don’t treat games against Pakistan any differently to other matches.”For me, and for my boys, and for the whole team, I feel it’s just another game,” he said. “We come on the ground, we prepare for all the oppositions, and that’s how we go about it.”Kuldeep Yadav sent Mohammad Nawaz back first ball•Associated PressKuldeep won his second Player-of-the-Match award in a row, returning figures of 3 for 18 to follow up on his four-wicket haul against UAE.”You just have to think who is batting on the crease and react to what they are doing, what their strength is and what they like to play,” Kuldeep said when asked about his plans. “Just follow that, and obviously I had my plans and just executed them.”As he did against UAE, Kuldeep struck with back-to-back deliveries against Pakistan. Having bagged two ODI hat-tricks in his career so far, Kuldeep said he wants his first ball to any batter to be a wicket-taking delivery.”First ball is always wicket-taking ball, you know, you just have to go with that mindset and try to execute that wicket-taking ball,” Kuldeep said. “Because whoever is batting is obviously new on the crease or maybe set, but yeah, he’s facing you the first time in the game and probably you have the chance to get on top of him.”Despite being in terrific form, and leading the tournament’s wicket charts, Kuldeep said he still had areas of improvement in his game.”I still think I need to really work on my bowling as well. Sometimes I feel that I try too many variations, but I have to learn day by day and game by game. I still think there’s a lot of room to improve in.”

Ex-Celtic striker Charlie Mulgrew has told the Hoops exactly what they must offer Jurgen Klopp to become their Brendan Rodgers replacement in what would be a sensational move.

The Bhoys are still looking for their next manager as Martin O’Neill continues to be a success as interim boss. The 73-year-old made it two wins from two on Sunday after defeating Old Firm rivals Rangers 3-1 after extra-time in the Scottish League Cup semi-final.

It was just like old times for O’Neill, who watched on as goals from Callum McGregor and a first goal for Callum Osmand ensured that his side got one over on their biggest rivals once again.

Relieved to earn a place in the final, O’Neill told reporters at full-time: “It was an incredible game. We were terrific and got the goal in front and got one disallowed for offside.

“We were in command, but I was saying to [assistant] Shaun Maloney we needed a goal to kill the game off and six or seven minutes later, Rangers get the penalty. I was 73 on Monday… I’m 94 now!”

Victory against Rangers has done O’Neill’s chances of becoming the next Celtic manager no harm, that’s for sure. Although the Northern Irishman was quick to admit that he’s just keeping the seat warm when first arriving, two wins from two has sparked rumours that he could yet get the job until the end of the current campaign.

With Ange Postecoglou taking a break from football and reportedly pulling out of the race and other candidates such as Nicky Hayen still in a job, O’Neill may make perfect sense. He’s more experienced than most, especially at Celtic Park, and he is already turning things around.

But he’s not everyone’s first choice. Instead, Mulgrew has urged Dermot Desmond to “go big” and turn to a Champions League winner in Klopp.

Mulgrew urges Celtic to "go big" and hire Jurgen Klopp

Speaking on the latest edition of The Warm-Up Show, ex-Hoops player Mulgrew urged Celtic to hire Klopp and offer the former Liverpool manager a contract worth as much as £7m-a-year, which works out at £135k-a-week.

There’s no denying that it would be an incredible appointment. Klopp transformed Liverpool, awaking English giants and taking them back to Champions League glory, but it seems unlikely that he would make a return to the dugout for Celtic.

Not just Osmand: O'Neill has another future superstar for Celtic's next boss

Celtic have another future superstar who is as exciting as Callum Osmand in their academy.

ByDan Emery Nov 3, 2025

That said, whilst unlikely, all hope isn’t lost. The Liverpool legend recently admitted on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast that a return to management is still possible – saying: “I’m 58, that means I could make the decision in a few years, I don’t know. Do I have to make the decision today?

“Then I will not coach again. But thank God, I don’t have to do that. I can just see what the future brings.”

Celtic submit offer for Mark van Bommel