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The incumbent No. 3 will be the batter under pressure ahead into the World Test Championship final in June

Andrew McGlashan13-Feb-20252:15

Marnus in or out? Finch and Clarke pick their WTC Final XIs

Aaron Finch believes Australia should drop Marnus Labuschagne for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June with his lean run having extended too far to be accommodated.Australia face some tough selection calls for the final following the recent successful debuts of Sam Konstas, Beau Webster and Josh Inglis which has led to a battle for batting spots.Related

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Travis Head, who opened in Sri Lanka, said he expected Konstas to regain his position at the top of the order against South Africa while Cameron Green is in the frame to play as a specialist batter as he recovers from the back surgery that ruled him out of this season.It leaves Labuschagne, who has one century in his last 51 Test innings and an average of 31.54 since the start of the 2023, under significant pressure for his spot for the first time since establishing himself in 2019.”I’ve gone with Cameron Green or Josh Inglis. They’re at No. 3,” Finch said on ESPN’s when the panel was asked to pick their XIs for the WTC final.”And the reason is, I just think that [Labuschagne’s form] is such a concern because it’s been over four series. If it’s over two or three, I think that you can say, you know what, he’s just around the corner. But the fact that it’s been four, to me, that’s a really alarming sign.Marnus Labuschagne is the Australia batter under scrutiny•Getty Images”Josh Inglis, I think to get him into the side, he will get that opportunity. Or if Cameron Green is healthy, he just provides so much extra to that bowling line-up as well as with the batting. He’s got the ability to bat anywhere in the order.”However, Michael Clarke and Callum Ferguson retained Labuschagne in their sides for the decider although Clarke said it could be make or break.”I hope they pick him for the Test Championship [final],” Clarke said. “It’s completely different conditions against a different team. He’s played a lot of county cricket. He knows English conditions as well as anyone.”Remember, he bats in the hardest place as well. I think No. 3 is the hardest place to bat in Test cricket. You’re right, the numbers don’t tell a lie. He’s out of form. He’s due.”And to me, I reckon the Test Championship…could be his last opportunity. Going to West Indies, I would like to think that’s an opportunity to give a young player a go if Marnus makes no runs in this Test Championship. If he does, then no doubt he holds his spot because he’s been a wonderful player.”Ferguson, meanwhile, would include both Labuschagne and Green with the latter batting at No. 6 and backing for frontline bowlers.”I’m backing the four bowlers in to get the job done in a one-off hit out in a Test match,” he said. “We didn’t use Mitch Marsh a lot over the last few years. He’s been in that No. 6 position. So we’ve played effectively without that stone cold all-rounder in that position, bowling 10 overs a day. So that’s how I see it.”Stand-in captain Steven Smith backed Labuschagne to emerge for his slump, seeing similarities in how he was low on runs before making four centuries in his last five matches.”Marn’s similar to me, in a way,” Smith said. “I’ve said this a lot of times about myself, there’s a difference between being out of form and out of runs.”I don’t think he’s out of form, personally. I’ve watched him train, I’ve watched him play and a lot of the things that he’s done so well are there. He knows he’d love to score more runs, we’d love him to score more runs, but in my opinion, it’s just around the corner.”

Aston Villa’s transfer activity this summer has been a careful balancing act, reflecting both ambition and necessity.

After losing academy graduate Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle and contending with persistent Premier League profit and sustainability regulations (PSR), Unai Emery’s side have sought reinforcement across multiple positions.

The Midlands outfit have already added Evann Guessand from Nice, but there remains a pressing need to bolster creativity and experience in midfield, particularly in the event of Morgan Rogers’ departure.

The club’s early campaign has been patchy, with a draw against Newcastle followed by a 1-0 defeat away at Brentford.

Despite summer interest from Newcastle and Manchester United, Ollie Watkins continues to lead the line.

However, there is a growing recognition that midfield reinforcement is required to support their talismanic striker, which in turn will unlock the team’s full attacking potential.

Previously, Aston Villa have gambled on other technically gifted Brazilian midfielders, exemplified by Philippe Coutinho’s arrival after struggling for form at Barcelona.

Now, another South American talent is emerging on the radar, with the potential to recapture that same blend of flair and influence.

Villa enquire about potential Rogers replacement

According to journalist Santi Aouna, Aston Villa have opened discussions with West Ham regarding the possibility of signing Lucas Paquetá.

The 27-year-old Brazilian, who has amassed 55 caps and 11 goals for his national side, is considered one of several midfield options should Villa need to replace Morgan Rogers before the close of the transfer window.

West Ham are understood to be holding out for a fee in the region of £60m, with initial inquiries suggesting Villa would need to meet a minimum valuation of £40m before talks could commence.

Paquetá has undoubtedly experienced a turbulent period at the London Stadium, having faced betting allegations in August 2023.

Although he was cleared of all charges in 2025, the episode is reported to have affected him profoundly.

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

Nevertheless, he continues to be highly rated.

Former West Ham player Declan Rice praised the attacking midfielder’s abilities, describing him as “mind-boggling” in terms of quality and vision.

Clubs including Crystal Palace, Manchester City, and Tottenham have reportedly monitored the player, though news of Spurs’ recent acquisition of RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons will reduce the likelihood of any continued interest.

For Villa, Paquetá represents a chance to combine proven Premier League experience with the technical finesse necessary to complement both new arrivals and established stars such as Watkins.

Why Paquetá could be Villa’s next Coutinho

Tactically, Paquetá offers Aston Villa a multifaceted solution.

Primarily an attacking midfielder, the Brazilian excels in creating and progressing offensive sequences, with metrics that underline his all-around capability.

According to FBref, last season, he ranked in the 74th percentile for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (2.89) and the 79th percentile for progressive passes (6.16), demonstrating his ability to influence both goal-scoring opportunities and build-up play.

Additionally, he boasts the 84th percentile for touches in the opposition penalty area and the 75th percentile for tackles per 90, illustrating a willingness to contribute defensively – a balance Emery prizes in transitional play.

His aerial ability is also notable, with the 89th percentile for aerial duels won per 90, making him a threat in both open play and set-piece scenarios.

The comparison with Coutinho is plain to see.

Before arriving at Villa Park, the Brazilian struggled to live up to his colossal pricetag at Barcelona before briefly flourishing on loan at Bayern Munich.

When at his best, Coutinho combined exceptional vision, dribbling, long-range shooting, and set-piece delivery, ultimately making him a dangerous attacking asset.

Paquetá, arriving at a stage in his career where his technical maturity and Premier League familiarity intersect, could offer a more immediate and sustained impact than his predecessor.

From a squad composition perspective, Paquetá could integrate seamlessly with Villa’s existing framework.

He would complement Watkins in attack, add creativity in the final third, and relieve pressure on newly-signed Guessand, allowing Emery greater flexibility in rotation and tactical setups.

The midfielder’s proficiency in linking play and breaking lines would enhance Villa’s transitional play, which has been a key focus under Emery’s management.

If the deal progresses, it would also signify Villa’s commitment to international-level talent capable of impacting the Premier League immediately.

After losing Ramsey, and with ongoing interest in Rogers from external clubs, adding a player of Paquetá’s calibre would send a clear message regarding the club’s ambitions.

Aston Villa are prepared to invest in both technical skill and experience to remain competitive domestically and in this year’s edition of the Europa League.

Ultimately, a successful move for Paquetá could mirror the allure of Coutinho’s signing while avoiding the pitfalls that hindered his predecessor.

Villa would acquire a player with vision, creativity, and finishing ability, tempered by Premier League experience and tactical maturity – qualities capable of elevating both the midfield and the team’s overall attacking profile.

For supporters, it represents an opportunity to witness Brazilian flair integrated into a system designed for consistency and results, potentially bridging the gap between raw talent and polished Premier League performance.

Emery's own Grealish: Aston Villa agree terms for "magical" late signing

Aston Villa are ready to welcome one or two late signings to their squad as the transfer window draws to a close.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 29, 2025

N'Golo Kante went viral after he appeared to snub Cristiano Ronaldo for a handshake before the start of the Saudi Pro League clash between Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr last week. Sadio Mane and Ronaldo were on target for Jorge Jesus' side, as they maintained their 100 per cent win record in the Pro League and extended their lead to three points at the top of the table.

Did Kante snub Ronaldo for a handshake?

In a video that went viral, Ronaldo was seen greeting the players from his rival team ahead of the Saudi Pro League clash between Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad. Ronaldo gave a warm hug to ex-Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema and then greeted former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho with a handshake. It was then that the attention shifted to Kante, who walked past the Portugal legend without even acknowledging his presence. 

AdvertisementWatch the clipGetty Images SportMane rolled back the years with stunning show

Former Reds star Sadio Mane stole the limelight with an incredible performance as he guided his team to a comfortable 2-0 win over reigning champions Al-Ittihad and helped the club extend their lead to three points at the top of the table. Ronaldo too got his name on the scoresheet as Jorge Jesus' side maintained their 100 per cent win record in the Saudi Pro League after four matches. 

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Getty Images SportAl-Ittihad in search of new head coach

A day after going down against Ronaldo's side, Al-Ittihad parted ways with Manchester United legend Laurent Blanc and are now in search of a new head coach. They have placed several candidates on their shortlist, including former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

Phillips explains what’s going right with his batting after yet another key knock in what has been a fruitful couple of weeks in Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2025Since landing in Pakistan a couple of weeks ago, Glenn Phillips has played four ODIs, scored 215 runs off 162 balls, and been dismissed only once. That dismissal came today, in New Zealand’s Champions Trophy opener against the hosts, but not before Phillips has thumped 61 from 39 to take his side well past 300 on a tricky pitch where run-scoring was hard especially early on.What’s his secret? “I’m just really clear at the moment, I’m seeing the ball really well and I guess being still at the point of contact and I think that goes a long way in being able to be a hitter,” Phillips said after New Zealand’s 60-run win in Karachi. “I haven’t always got it right in the past, but I’ve got a little bit of a feel for it for the moment.”He had scores of 106 not out, 28 not out and 20 not out in the preceding tri-series against Pakistan and South Africa that served as final preparation for the Champions Trophy. Today, he came in at 191 for 4 in the 38th over, joining a well-set Tom Latham, with New Zealand’s run rate at that point hovering at around five to the over. The pair went on to ransack 125 from 74, New Zealand finishing with 113 from the last 10 which was the second-most by any team in the last ten overs (41-50) of a Champions Trophy innings.Related

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Salman Agha laments Pakistan's poor start with the bat

What was it that held batters back before this partnership? “I think we’ve played a different pitch and it’s played a different way every time we’ve been here [Karachi].”The pacers I think were definitely harder to play in the day when the ball was going up and down a lot. The way Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke bowled [in the chase], it was a testament to how good they did but I think during the day the way the Pakistan boys bowled, especially at the top, made it quite tough for us to get away early on.”I think we’ve been really adaptable to different styles of pitches, and it was nice to see some turn out there in the evening.”New Zealand’s next game is against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 24, before they fly to Dubai to take on India on March 2. They will have to keep adapting for a while more to make the semi-finals and beyond, but this was a fine start in that direction.

Pep Guardiola hailed Kyle Walker as one of the greatest right-backs ever and is certain that he will get a big reception from Manchester City fans when he returns to the Etihad Stadium with Burnley on Saturday. Walker helped City win six Premier League titles and the Champions League in a seven-and-a-half-year spell with the club, although he had a sour end to his time there.

AFPWalker transfer ushered in glorious City era

Many eyebrows were raised when City paid Tottenham £50m ($66m) to sign Walker in 2017, with Gary Lineker claiming at the time that the player was incapable of putting in successful crosses. Walker proved a massive success, though, helping City swoop to a Premier League record 100 points in his first season as they won the title, defending their crown in his second. Walker made 319 appearances for City and lifted a total of 18 trophies.

AdvertisementGuardiola: Walker's sour end does not taint legacy

Walker was named City captain in the summer of 2023 just after he signed a new contract to ward off interest from Bayern Munich. He skippered the club to a historic fourth consecutive league title but his next campaign was a harrowing ordeal and he left on loan for AC Milan after being dropped by Guardiola following a dramatic fall in his form and City's results. Guardiola referenced how it ended but said it should not change how Walker is viewed by City fans. He said: "Kyle, of course, the last season was tough for everyone, for him, all of us. But I don't judge one behaviour for a short period of time. He was unbelievable."

AFPGuardiola: I slept like a baby when Walker played

The City boss praised Walker's ability to stifle opposing forwards with his recovery pace and he said he felt relaxed going into matches knowing that his right-back would be able to take the sting out of most sides. "One of the greatest; in terms of consistency, no injuries, playing every single game, an incredible figure in the locker room," he said. "I slept like a baby knowing he was playing because of how he would control the opposition. In eight years, six Premier Leagues, Champions League, 18 titles, always being there in the good moments and bad moments."

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Haaland is 'ready' despite injury scare

Guardiola revealed that he had no concern about Erling Haaland after his top scorer came off in last week's 1-1 draw with Arsenal with a back injury. The coach said Haaland "is ready" but clarified that Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush were still out. Midfielder Mateo Kovacic, however, could return against Burnley.

Rathi, who had been penalised after a similar offence in the game against Punjab Kings, now has three demerit points against his name

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-2025Digvesh Rathi, who sent Naman Dhir off with a “writing in the notebook” celebration in the IPL 2025 match between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday night in Lucknow, has been fined 50% of his match fee and given two demerit points. His captain Rishabh Pant, meanwhile, was fined INR 12 lakh for his team’s slow over rate in the game, which LSG won by 12 runs.For Rathi, it was the second such offence and penalty under Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct. He was fined 25% of his match fee when he had sent Priyansh Arya back with a similar gesture – and a bit of body contact – in an eight-wicket defeat in Lucknow on April 1. That earned him one demerit point, too. The latest Level 1 code of conduct breach came with a bigger fine as a result, even though he was some distance away from the batter. The offence also earned him two demerit points to go with the one he had from the earlier occasion.According to the IPL Code of Conduct, four demerit points add up to one suspension point, meaning the player will be forced to sit out one match when that mark is reached. Since the demerit points remain on an individual’s record for a period of 36 months, Rathi will have to be careful even in the upcoming seasons.What is Article 2.5?

Article 2.5 includes any language, action or gesture used by a Player and directed towards a batter upon his/her dismissal which has the potential to provoke an aggressive reaction from the dismissed batter, whether or not any reaction results, or which could be considered to disparage or demean the dismissed batter, regardless of whether the batter him/herself feels disparaged or demeaned (in

It is understood that Rathi was told by the match officials after his first offence about the rule and why he was penalised*. On Friday, Rathi was again pulled up, but he said that he was under the impression that the first time he was sanctioned for charging towards the batter.For the 25-year-old Delhi mystery spinner in his debut IPL season, the latest reprimand came on a day when he had his best night out of the season so far. MI, chasing LSG’s 203 for 8, were in a strong position for the best part of their innings till they lost their way towards the end to go down. Rathi returned 1 for 21, an economy rate of 5.25. None of the other LSG bowlers on show on the night went at under 10 an over. Rathi was named the Player of the Match.Pant, who had another poor day with the bat, scoring 2 in six balls after 17 runs in his three earlier innings, became the third captain to be fined for his team’s slow over-rates in IPL 2025, after Hardik Pandya of MI and Riyan Parag of Rajasthan Royals (RR).*1000 GMT, April 5, 2025 The story was updated with the latest information.

Lamine Yamal has reportedly felt discomfort in his pubic area once again after the Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain. The 18-year-old was sidelined for three weeks due to the same injury and now his participation against Sevilla and his presence in the Spanish national team is doubtful.

Yamal played full game against PSG

After returning from the national team in September, Yamal missed three weeks of club football due to pain in the pubic bone. The Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) management of his injury left Barca fuming, and manager Hansi Flick expressed his frustration publicly, gaining support from sporting director Deco. However, after returning from injury, he featured for a few minutes against Real Sociedad before recording a full-fledged outing against Luis Enrique's PSG three days back. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportYamal to miss national team action as well

According to , the club has indicated that Yamal might once again miss two to three weeks of action. This means he may be sidelined for the Sevilla game and may not be able to travel with the squad to Nervion. Moreover, he could miss the national team camp for the two World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria. Communication has been established between Barca and the RFEF.

Spain coach slams Flick

Spain national team head coach Luis de la Fuente has hit back at Flick's fuming comments over Yamal's injury management by the national team officials. The 64-year-old had previously stated that he is not interested in what the Barca coach says. And now, he has criticised the German over a lack of empathy. He said: "I was simply surprised by those statements because he was a national team coach, and I believed he had that empathy. Likewise, I say that he was a coach and knows how we players behave. That's what surprises me, that a former coach would have that opinion. We're playing for the World Cup, that's what's really important. The rest isn't important."

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Getty Images SportWhat can be Barca's front three in Yamal's absence?

In Yamal's absence, Flick might be forced to use Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford and 2025 Ballon d'Or nominee Raphinha on the wings to help the lone Polish forward Robert Lewandowski up front. He has used a similar tactic in previous games and might switch back to the same against Sevilla. Other options on the flanks can be Ferran Torres or Roony Bardghji.

David de Gea will go down as one of Manchester United’s greatest-ever goalkeepers in their history – undoubtedly exceeding all the expectations placed on him after joining in the summer of 2011.

The Spaniard racked up 545 appearances for the Red Devils over a 12-year period, subsequently keeping 190 clean sheets – the most by any player in their history.

He also won five major trophies, including a Premier League title in his second year at the club, with Ruben Amorim wishing he was able to rely on such a talent in 2025.

Former boss Erik ten Hag decided in the summer of 2023 that the player was no longer part of his plans, subsequently releasing him at the end of his contract at Old Trafford.

Such a decision was an unpopular one with the fanbase, even more so a couple of years on, after the performances of the player who was brought into the club to replace him.

Andre Onana’s time at Manchester United

In the summer of 2023, United forked out a fee in the region of £47m to sign goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter Milan, with the Cameroonian seen as the player to take the club up a level.

However, his spell in Manchester has been nothing short of a disaster, contributing to nine errors leading to goals – the most of any player in England’s top-flight since his arrival.

He’s not been used in any of the Red Devils’ Premier League outings so far this campaign, with his only outing coming in the Carabao Cup second round defeat to League Two side Grimsby Town.

The Cameroonian was arguably at fault for both of the Mariners’ goals, before being unable to prevent the hosts from claiming a shock victory in the penalty shootout.

Senne Lammens has been brought in to provide added competition between the sticks, but the hierarchy have already sanctioned the departure of their Onana upgrade.

The former United star who is an upgrade on Onana

Alongside Onana, Altay Bayindir is also another option on the books for United, subsequently filling the void left by the Cameroonian since the start of the new campaign.

The Turkish shot-stopper has made three league appearances to date, conceding four times, only achieving a 55% save percentage, leading to their recent addition of Lammens.

However, despite the three options currently at Amorim’s disposal, he certainly would’ve benefitted had the hierarchy kept hold of Dean Henderson a couple of years ago.

After climbing through the ranks at Old Trafford, the ‘keeper was sent on various loan spells – with his latest being at Nottingham Forest during the 2022/23 campaign.

Whilst he kept six clean sheets at the City Ground, it wasn’t enough to catapult himself into the first-team setup – subsequently joining Crystal Palace in a £20m transfer in the summer of 2023.

Such a transfer has come back to bite the Red Devils, with the Englishman taking his career to the next level at Selhurst Park with regular game time in the last few seasons.

When comparing his stats to those of Onana from last season, he massively outperformed the United flop in key areas – not to mention winning double the amount of trophies too.

Games played

38

24

Saves made

2.7

2.5

Clean sheet percentage

29%

26%

Save percentage

70%

66%

Short pass accuracy

99%

98%

Errors leading to goals

0

6

Defensive actions (outside box)

1.1

0.6

Trophies won

2

0

Henderson, who’s been described as “incredible” by one analyst, made more saves per 90, whilst also producing a better clean sheet percentage rate – subsequently offering a more consistent option between the sticks.

His dominance is further reflected in his higher pass completion rate, whilst also registering fewer errors leading to goals – numbers which could provide a more reliable option for the Red Devils.

To rub salt into the wounds, his price has soared since his departure, with FootballTransfers now valuing the former academy graduate at £25m – a figure higher than the one they sold him for two years ago.

Given his form away from Old Trafford in recent times, it’s safe to say the club made a mistake in allowing the shot-stopper to depart the club – with their loss now Palace’s gain.

The Red Devils have spent a whole heap of cash trying to replace De Gea in recent years, but it’s evident that they would’ve been better off keeping hold of Henderson.

Sold for £5m: Man Utd must rue selling £43m star who'd get Sesko firing

Manchester United made a huge mistake in allowing one player to depart Old Trafford in recent times.

1 ByEthan Lamb Sep 5, 2025

DC have a 2-0 record against GT in Ahmedabad, and this time, it will be a tussle for the top spot

Hemant Brar18-Apr-20252:58

How has Gill upped his intent in IPL 2025?

Big picture: GT defy expectations yet againGujarat Titans (GT) are the prime example of why first impressions could be misleading. Before IPL 2022, their inaugural season, no one gave them a chance. GT not only went on to win the title but also came within one ball of defending it the following year.They had a miserable 2024 but the original script seems to be repeating in IPL 2025. Before the start of the season, their top three looked all too similar, almost playing the role of anchors, while their middle order was virtually non-existent. But GT have again defied expectations and come out as one of the stronger teams in the tournament.Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler have ensured their middle order doesn’t get exposed too soon. At the same time, all three have improved their strike rates from last season. GT’s stronger suit, again, is their bowling, led by Mohammed Siraj in the powerplay, and Prasidh Krishna in the middle overs, while R Sai Kishore has made up for Rashid Khan’s below-par returns.Related

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Axar Patel: 'I am not following a template' as captain

Mohit Sharma interview: 'I feel it is important to have pressure'

GT pick Shanaka as replacement for injured Phillips

On Saturday afternoon, though, they are up against a well-rounded Delhi Capitals (DC) – a team that has a 2-0 record against them in Ahmedabad. One of those games was played on a red-soil pitch, the other on a black-soil one. Unlike many other teams, GT seem to have a say in the pitch preparation at home. Given both teams have strong pace and spin attacks, it would be interesting to see what type of pitch GT dish out.With five wins from six games, DC are currently at the top of the points table. A win on Saturday will mean they remain in pole position. If GT win, they will be guaranteed the top spot, too.Form guideGujarat Titans LWWWW
Delhi Capitals WLWWWNew loyaltiesIt was at GT that Mohit Sharma’s career got a second wind. During IPL 2023, he emerged as their go-to death bowler and finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. This season, he is with DC.Team news and likely XIIsThe pitch will decide who out of Washington Sundar and Kulwant Khejroliya plays. Dasun Shanaka has joined the GT squad as a replacement for Glenn Phillips, but he may not be available for this game. There has been no update on Kagiso Rabada’s return either.Gujarat Titans (probable): 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Sherfane Rutherford, 5 Shahrukh Khan, 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Arshad Khan, 10 R Sai Kishore, 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Prasidh Krishna3:59

Ganga: ‘Matured’ Rutherford is a six-hitter

If Faf du Plessis is fit for DC, he could replace Jake Fraser-McGurk, who has scored only 55 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 105.76. Kuldeep Yadav had hurt his shoulder against Rajasthan Royals (RR), but Axar Patel hinted it was nothing major.Delhi Capitals (probable): 1 Faf du Plessis/Jake Fraser-McGurk, 2 Abishek Porel, 3 Karun Nair, 4 KL Rahul (wk), 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Axar Patel (capt), 7 Ashutosh Sharma, 8 Vipraj Nigam, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mohit Sharma, 12 Mukesh KumarThe big question: A spin-offRashid, Sai Kishore and Washington on one side. Kuldeep, Axar and Vipraj Nigam on the other. Who will come out on top?In the spotlight: Sherfane Rutherford and Tristan StubbsHis struggle against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) notwithstanding, Sherfane Rutherford has provided plenty of solidity to GT’s middle order. Building on the platform set by the top three, he has scored 158 runs in six innings at an average of 39.50 and a strike rate of 166.31. This is way better than his overall T20 numbers: average 23.48, strike rate 136.06. With Phillips out of the tournament, Rutherford’s form becomes even more important for GT.Tristan Stubbs is showing why he was one of the four players retained by DC ahead of the mega auction. With 152 runs in six innings, he is their third-highest run-getter this season. But Stubbs’ genius lies in the details. He has a strike rate of 211.53 in the death overs, while his overall dot-ball percentage of 17.20 is the best in the league (min. 50 balls faced).Key stats: Rahul vs Rashid Last season, Gill’s strike rate in the powerplay was 131.08. This time it’s 151.19. Buttler has a strike rate of 177.41 against Mitchell Starc, while getting out only once in seven innings. KL Rahul has struggled against Rashid. He has a strike rate of just 96.96 against him, while being dismissed three times in nine innings. Siraj has picked up seven wickets in the powerplay, the joint-most in the tournament alongside Khaleel Ahmed of Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Among those who have bowled at least ten overs in IPL 2025, Kuldeep has the best economy rate (6.04).Pitch and conditions: Piping hotThe red-soil pitch offers good pace and bounce. The black-soil pitch is slow and helps spinners. It needs to be seen what GT choose. It’s a day game, and the forecast is of “excessive heat”, with the temperature during the match expected to be around 38°C.

Although Celtic couldn’t find a way past Red Star Belgrade, Joe Hart had plenty of praise for one star who he believes has become “underrated” under Brendan Rodgers.

Rodgers: Belgrade draw a "good point" for Celtic

It was another frustrating night for Celtic in Europe as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Red Star Belgrade, but Rodgers chose to remain optimistic in his post-match reaction. The manager called for “realism” before claiming that the result gave his side a “good point” as they look to build on the result in the rest of their Europa League campaign.

Whether those at Celtic Park agree with that verdict is another question. The Bhoys were initially on course to seal all three points when Kelechi Iheanacho found his second goal in three games for the club, only for Marko Arnautovic to level things up just 10 minutes later.

The Bhoys will now turn their attention back towards the Scottish Premiership, where they’ll be looking to take their unbeaten start to six games and potentially push away from Hearts, who have matched them for every stride so far this season.

"Very, very good" – Rodgers hails "outstanding" Celtic star in Europa League

The Hoops drew 1-1 in Serbia.

ByCharlie Smith Sep 25, 2025

It’s also worth noting that it wasn’t all bad for Celtic in Belgrade. Hart reserved particular praise for a player that he believes has now become “underrated” at the club.

Joe Hart praises "underrated" Scales

Taking to X whilst on commentary duty during Celtic’s draw against Belgrade, Hart heaped praise on the “underrated” Liam Scales, who started at the centre of the Bhoys’ backline for the ninth time this season.

Dubbing the defender “safe and secure”, it’s hard to argue with Hart’s verdict. Scales enjoyed yet another impressive display against Belgrade – completing 10 clearances, three recoveries and winning five of his six aerial duels. Once again, he was simply dominant.

Whilst others have come under fire at Celtic Park so far this season, Scales has quietly enjoyed a solid start to the campaign. As far as Rodgers is concerned too, long may it continue.

If the Celtic boss can get his frontline firing on all cylinders, then he should see his side get back to their very best. The defensive foundation is arguably already in place.

Scales, alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers, the experienced Kieran Tierney and exciting prospect Colby Donovan, has completed his end of the bargain on plenty of occasions so far this season.