All posts by n8rngtd.top

Khawaja is also wary of the threat posed by the other India quicks

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2024Australia opener Usman Khawaja feels that Jasprit Bumrah’s unique action makes him awkward to face at first, but batting against the India fast bowler gets better once you get used to it.Khawaja, who has faced 155 deliveries from Bumrah across seven Test innings, has scored 43 runs against him without getting dismissed.”I mean, when you first face him, it’s just his action. It’s a different, bizarre kind of action as his release point is very different than other bowlers,” Khawaja told . “It’s just a bit further up. So a lot of guys release the ball from near the popping crease. [Against Bumrah] it feels like he gets a bit further out just with his front braced leg and pushes the ball out.Related

• Batting issues loom over Australia with big five in focus

• Fast and furious: A spicy pitch awaits India in Perth

• Border-Gavaskar Trophy: What India and Australia can expect at the five venues

• Usman Khawaja debunks strike rate 'myth' in McSweeney selection

• Black veil of secrecy: India begin training in privacy in Perth

“So it feels like it comes out and then gets there a lot quicker than you expect it. It’s just once you get used to the action, it’s fine. I played against him a lot. Not to say that he can’t give me out first ball. I mean anyone can. But it’s one of those things where once the first time you face him, it’s very awkward and then when you get a little bit of rhythm it gets better. But he’s still a class bowler.”With Australia set to have a new opener in Nathan McSweeney and with their big guns down the order under some scrutiny, the onus will be on Khawaja to start strongly in the five-match series against India.Khawaja feels there is a lot more in the Indian attack to worry about than just Bumrah. “Everyone talks about Jasprit, but they actually have a lot of other good bowlers,” Khawaja said. “I think [Mohammed] Siraj is a very good bowler. He’s a very good bowler to both right-handers and left-handers. When [Mohammed] Shami was fit, when he was playing those series, he was a very good bowler. He was very underrated. No one really talked about him. And then they got good spinners lining up, too, which really complements their fast bowlers.””So for me it’s never … I’m just not thinking about Jasprit Bumrah. You want to ask me where do you think… I’m not thinking about where he is getting me out. I’m thinking about where am I scoring runs against him. And I’m sure all good batsmen would tell you exactly the same thing because if he misses, well, then I’m coming and then if he bowls good stuff, then I’ll respect that. So that’s just Test cricket.”The five-match series begins with the Perth Test from November 22.

Smith’s runs came off just 64 balls as he became the joint-leading century-maker in the BBL before Sean Abbott bagged four wickets

AAP11-Jan-2025Steven Smith sent an emphatic reminder of his T20 worth, smashing a masterful 121 not out to hit the Sydney Sixers to a 14-run win over Perth Scorchers.In one of the best BBL innings, Smith launched an astonishing seven sixes in front of 31,165 fans at the SCG on Saturday afternoon in a 64-ball innings for the ages as the Sixers cantered to 220 for 3 – their highest total in the competition.Related

• How Mitch Owen became Hobart Hurricanes' century-making opener

• Smith's assist in Connolly's selection, ten years on from childhood photo

• Tim David smashes Thunder as Hurricanes extend streak

Sean Abbott then celebrated his call-up to the Australian Test squad for Sri Lanka with 4 for 43, keeping Sixers second on the ladder and with one foot in the finals.And while Scorchers provided some fireworks of their own, this was a day for Smith.The century marked his third in the BBL, drawing him level with Ben McDermott for the most in the tournament’s history. Smith has played 32 matches for his three tons, compared with McDermott’s 100 games.Globally, Smith has been something of a forgotten star in T20 cricket, compared with his status as Australia’s best Test batter since Sir Donald Bradman with a return to runs this summer.The 35-year-old has not played a T20I for Australia since last February, and was overlooked for the World Cup squad last year. He has also been brushed in the past four IPL auctions, featuring only in the Major League Cricket last year of all overseas franchise leagues.Sean Abbott played a key role with the ball•Getty Images

But in the BBL Smith continues to prove his worth, with this his third century in his past seven games. And it may have been his best yet. Smith’s last 95 runs came off 40 balls, after Sixers were particularly patient early and 24 for 1 after five overs.Smith regularly targeted the short boundary at the SCG, while also cutting behind point with glee when Scorchers went too wide outside off to try to counteract him.Two of his sixes came off switch-hits to the short rope, and another was a crisp flick off his pads from Jhye Richardson that sailed into the Bill O’Reilly Stand.Still, Smith’s shot of the day went to the long boundary, picking up a full and wide ball from AJ Tye and hitting it inside out over backward point for six.Tye copped the brunt of the damage for Scorchers, going for 0 for 62 from his four overs while also being taken to by Ben Dwarshuis.Richardson also went for 0 for 51 from his four overs, as Smith and Moises Henriques took him for 24 from the first over of the power surge during a 113-run partnership.This was a day when everything Smith touch turned to gold, including being caught in the deep in the last over before replays fielder Nick Hobson had put a foot on the rope.In reply, Scorchers faced an uphill battle from the moment Abbott took back-to-back wickets in the fourth over. Ashton Turner hit 66 from 32 balls to give the Scorchers a late hope, but 23 from the final over proved too much as they stayed fifth on the ladder.

“We need to give a little bit back to the bowlers,” says the former South Africa captain who is also part of ICC’s cricket committee

PTI11-Jan-2025Shaun Pollock, the media representative of the ICC’s cricket committee, has said that the body is “working on something” to give bowlers “bit more leeway on wides”, particularly with batters often moving around the crease in limited-overs formats.”If a batter jumps across [at the] last minute, it doesn’t really work out for me,” Pollock told PTI on the sidelines of the SA20. “I think a bowler, at the start of his run-up, needs to know where he can bowl it.”The current rule tends to suggest that if he [the batter] moves and it’s that point of delivery where the batter is, and that’s according to where the wide will be called, I want a little bit of a change. I want them to know exactly when they’re running up why or how – how can a bowler be expected to change his game plan at the last second when he’s bowling? He needs to have a clear idea where he can go.”So it’s in the pipeline, we’re all discussing. We need to give a little bit back to the bowlers.”As things stand, though, the ICC’s playing conditions specify that a ball should be called a wide if it “passes wide of where the striker is standing and which also would have passed wide of the striker standing in a normal batting position”, and also, it is not a wide “if the striker, by moving, either causes the ball to pass wide of him, or brings the ball sufficiently within reach to be able to hit it by means of a normal cricket stroke”.That aside, at the IPL and the WPL in India since 2023, players – bowlers and batters – have been empowered to review wide calls by umpires using DRS.Simon Taufel, though, has not been in favour of it.”I’m really conscious around trying to turn the art of officiating into a science and seek perfection, whatever that looks like, with decision making,” Taufel had told ESPNcricinfo. “So with wides for example, and here we’re going to, potentially according to you, or according to the player or the debate, take a wide call and throw that back to the third umpire for them to judge on something that might be marginal and is still a judgement call.”

Pollock hopes SA’s ‘IPL stars’ make a difference at Champions Trophy

Pollock said South Africa should look to leverage their players’ experience in subcontinent conditions during the upcoming Champions Trophy, which will be played in Pakistan (with the exception of matches featuring India, which will be played in Dubai).”You’ve got basically the similar players that were at that [2023 ODI] World Cup, where we got to the semi-final and lost to Australia,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of IPL stars who play for South Africa. In those situations, everything looks good. The amount of IPL players, people like [Heinrich] Klaasen, [David] Miller, even [Quinton] de Kock, all those guys who spend so much time over there, getting an understanding for conditions, that can only help South Africa.”They [have] got the ICC Test Championship [final] now as well, so it’s been some good stuff and, hopefully, some younger individuals come up. We’ve seen it starting to develop in the Test arena.”

‘South African cricket needed SA20 injection’

The SA20, South Africa’s pre-eminent franchise-based T20 competition, is now in its third season, and Pollock said it had “gone from strength to strength” in its short existence.”Some of the activities at the ground as well, the Catch 2 Million competition this year has been added,” he said. “I know the young kids are taught ‘you’ve got to get to the ground’, because we need some money these days with the economy the way it is. But it’s definitely gone from strength to strength.”South African cricket needed this injection – there’s no doubt about it. They needed something to create a bit of unbelievable interest in the game.”

He is expected to take a month to recover after the surgery

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2025India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has undergone a surgery on his finger, but is expected to be fit in time for the IPL, where he will lead Rajasthan Royals (RR). It is understood that Samson will take around a month to recover after his surgery took place on Tuesday. That gives him enough time for be ready for the IPL, which will start in the March 21-22-23 weekend.Samson picked up the injury during the fifth T20I against England earlier this month when he was hit by a Jofra Archer delivery early in the game. Samson scored 16 off seven and was later subbed out because of the injury and Dhruv Jurel kept wickets in his place; he went on to take three catches in India’s massive 150-run win.The injury forced Samson miss Kerala’s quarter-final in the Ranji Trophy, against Jammu & Kashmir in Pune from February 8.Samson didn’t have a great T20I series against England, scoring just 51 runs in five games to average 10.20, while striking at 118.60.He last played an ODI in December 2023 – when he scored a century against South Africa – and after India played just three ODIs in 2024, he was left out of Kerala’s one-day squad in the Vijay Hazare Trophy after he failed to show up for their preparatory camp in the lead-up to the tournament.Samson’s next assignment will be leading RR in IPL 2025. RR made the playoffs under his captaincy last season but were beaten by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the second Qualifier.

He has received the NOC from UPCA although DDCA is yet to receive it to finalise the move

Daya Sagar26-Jun-2025Nitish Rana has decided to return to his original home state Delhi after spending two domestic seasons with Uttar Pradesh (UP). He has received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) and is likely to make the switch before the upcoming domestic season.”The experienced batter asked for an NOC and we have given it to him,” UPCA’s chief executive officer Ankit Chatterjee told ESPNcricinfo. “He mentioned family reasons for his decision.”Ashok Sharma, secretary of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), also confirmed that Rana had spoken to them about his decision and has already received the NOC from UP. “However, DDCA has not yet received a copy of his NOC. Only after receiving the NOC, we can say anything about the chances of him playing for Delhi,” Sharma said.Related

• Nitish Rana turns lost years into comeback story

• Prithvi Shaw leaves Mumbai ahead of next domestic season

• Duleep Trophy returns to zonal format for 2025-26 season

Rana had played age-group and domestic cricket for Delhi until 2022. In 2023, he made the switch to UP and even went on to lead the side. However, his stint with UP was largely disappointing, and due to poor performances last season, he was dropped from the one-dayers and first-class cricket.In the 2024-25 domestic season, he played four Ranji Trophy matches, scoring only 150 runs in six innings, including just one half-century. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20s, he scored only 111 runs in nine matches, with an average of 13.87 and a strike rate of 114.43. In the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, he got to play only two matches and due to his continued poor form, he was dropped from the team.After that, he was also left out of the Ranji Trophy side when the second phase of the tournament started in January this year. Even in IPL 2025, before injuring his calf muscle, Rana scored only 217 runs in 11 innings with two half-centuries for Rajasthan Royals, struggling for consistency.When he was not included in the auction for this year’s UP T20 League, it became evident that he might not play for UP this year. Overall, he played ten first-class matches for them, scoring 447 runs, including one century and two half-centuries. Additionally, in seven List A matches, he scored 72 runs, and in 16 T20 matches, he accumulated 314 runs with two half-centuries. He also captained the UP team in six Ranji Trophy and four Vijay Hazare Trophy matches during the 2023-24 season, leading them to victory in one and three games respectively.Rana’s potential return to Delhi will be interesting, especially because during a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match last season, he had an on-field argument with Delhi’s current captain Ayush Badoni which required an umpire intervention. There is also stiff competition for middle-order spots in the Delhi squad.For now, if the DDCA accepts his NOC, Rana could feature in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) as well, scheduled for August.

Fast bowler keen to play both remaining Tests against India before touring with Ashes party

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jul-2025

Jofra Archer made an impressive Test return at Lord’s•Getty Images

Jofra Archer has reiterated his desire to be involved in the winter’s Ashes after making a stirring return to Test cricket in England’s dramatic victory over India at Lord’s.Archer had not played a Test for more than four years due to a combination of elbow and back injuries, but finally made his return in whites after a carefully managed comeback. He took a wicket with his third ball and then produced key interventions in India’s fourth-innings chase, on the way to match figures of 5 for 105.Having got through 39.2 overs, while maintaining his speeds in the region of 90mph/145kph, Archer will now have a week to recover before the fourth Test, which starts at Old Trafford on July 23. He said he would be keen to play in both remaining matches against India, though England will likely closely manage his workloads.Related

• Stokes on final-day bowling efforts: 'Nothing was stopping me'

• Sledging, swearing, send-offs – Lord's needling promises explosive series ahead

• Six years on from World Cup glory, Stokes and Archer light up Lord's again

Archer said in a post-match interview with Sky Sports that his overs “are still marked out for me until December”, which hints at how meticulous England’s planning has been. But a successful return has whetted his appetite for featuring against Australia, more than six years on from his previous Ashes experience.”I can play the other two [against India] if they let me,” he said. “I don’t want to lose this series. I told Keysey [England men’s managing director, Rob Key] I wanted to play the Test summer and I wanted to play the Ashes. I think one tick is already there and I will do everything possible in my power to be on the plane in November.”Archer’s first outing under the captain-coach combination of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum could scarcely have gone better, with the bowler glad that the long periods in rehab had paid off.”Obviously it [Test cricket] would have been the format which would have taken the most time to come back to. So I played 50-over [and] T20 for the last year, year and a half, two years. And you always just wondered… the guys have played some really exciting cricket since Baz [McCullum] took over. I think the mentality of the team under Baz suits the way I like to play my cricket. So, you know, I just couldn’t wait to get back and actually do it without having to be prompted to do it.”His first wicket, Yashasvi Jaiswal caught at second slip, prompted an emotional celebration – although Archer was more analytical when assessing the moment after the game.”With the slope, that’s how I bowl to left-handers anyway. So, I guess it was just a matter of when, if I kept bowling like that. I can’t imagine many left-handers getting away with it.”He was also notably pumped up on day five, giving Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar send-offs as he and Stokes made the key breakthroughs to undermine India’s attempts to pull off a chase 193. Archer said afterwards that his comment to Pant “wasn’t a proud moment” but was part of a conscious team effort to be less “nice” as England sought to secure a 2-1 lead in the series.”I think everybody had a word today,” he said. “It was nice that everybody… we went together as a group, as a pack basically. And, you know, it didn’t matter if it wasn’t just the bowler, you had the whole slip cordon, you had cover, you had mid-off. You had everybody going in with you. It’s days like this that make Test cricket feel special.

A 92-ball phase saw Hope turbocharge WI’s innings before Seales blew away Pakistan’s specialist batters

Danyal Rasool12-Aug-2025Knowing when it’s time to go is a valuable trait, and if Pakistan were in any doubt their time in the Caribbean was up, West Indies quashed them and sent the visitors out of town with a comprehensive trouncing.Jayden Seales’ six-wicket haul – the joint second-best figures by a West Indian in men’s ODI cricket – and an unbeaten hundred from Shai Hope put Pakistan to the sword in each innings. It was more than enough to secure West Indies’ first ODI series win over Pakistan in 34 years with their biggest ever win over Pakistan, scything through them for 92 having set them 295 to win.It was a 15.2-over passage of play straddling both innings which lay at the heart of West Indies’ dominance, a stunning inversion of a script Pakistan thought they had been writing all along. West Indies struggled to get going on what looked a tricky pitch to negotiate against the slower bowlers, with Mohammad Rizwan greedily getting through as many of their part-time fifth bowling options as possible.West Indies appeared to have sacrificed an ambitious innings total in exchange for conservatism that at least preserved their wickets, but as a result, they hadn’t yet crossed 200 by the start of the 44th over. It took one ball to change that, a smeared six from Hope off the first ball from Mohammad Nawaz bringing up that milestone. A second six off the next delivery emphasised his intent, and Pakistan watched frozen as West Indies shuffled themselves off the canvas and began landing body blows Pakistan one after the other.Shai Hope remained unbeaten after making his 18th ODI ton•AFP/Getty Images

Rizwan immediately turned to Abrar Ahmed, so effective through the middle of the innings that he’d conceded just five off his first six overs. But West Indies’ captain had redlined his game, turbocharging to a gear Pakistan believed he wasn’t capable of achieving on this surface. He would bleed a further 18 off the mystery spinner, with Justin Greaves bursting into life from the other end, flaying Hasan Ali for as many. Naseem Shah, trying his best to land the kind of reverse swinging yorkers that had put paid to Roston Chase earlier, could not escape Hope’s wrath as he bore down on three figures, getting there with a crunching cover drive that put him third on the all time West Indian ODI centuries list.That was just the start of a 21-run over, and by the time he caressed Hasan Ali over backward point off the final ball of the innings, 100 had come off the final seven. As Pakistan walked off dejected muttering amongst themselves, it was hard to escape the feeling this was about as poor a passage of play as they could endure.And yet, Seales spent the next 8.2 overs disabusing them of that notion. For the third time in the series, the right-arm quick exploited the angle moving away to Saim Ayub, who nicked off in the first over. His fellow opener, Abdullah Shafique, would also leave without troubling the scorers, trying to whack Seales over mid-on, but couldn’t take into account the heavy ball he was bowling, ballooning it to Gudakesh Motie stationed perfectly in position.Jayden Seales finished with a career-best six-for•AFP/Getty Images

But it was the third of his six which will serve as the jewel in the crown. Rizwan can be tricky to settle on a length to for all his fidgetiness, and as he took a step out, he determined the fourth-stump line on a hard length was safe to leave on both counts. As he shouldered arms, he would have heard the mildest clink behind him, like ice-cubes tinkling in a glass. The ball had seamed back in and kissed the off bail without even touching the stumps; it could not have been dislodged more clinically if someone picked it up and set it on the ground.A punch-drunk Pakistan were already dreaming up wild scenarios for how this match could turn, and it’s safe to say they all involved Babar Azam. Babar, though, was a mere plot-point to Seales’ perfect day as he trapped him in front with the batter still in single figures to leave Pakistan reeling at 23 for 4.It was those 92 balls that defined the game. Pakistan may have started well, but it barely feels like it matters now. The cracks and weaknesses were apparent even then, when Rizwan turned to Hussain Talat for his first deliveries in international cricket after the first powerplay saw them constrict West Indies, only for Evin Lewis to pick him up for two sixes and break the shackles. Abrar was so accurate and menacing he often appeared on the verge of running through West Indies early, and the hosts spent much of the innings batting at a glacial pace well under four runs per over. It did not matter now.Mohammad Rizwan looks back after Jayden Seales’ sorcery dislodged the bails•AFP/Getty Images

Neither did whatever happened after that fourth Pakistan wicket fell. Salman Agha and Hasan Nawaz had little ambition beyond stealing a few singles each over, even if that made the ultimately Herculean task even more insurmountable as the asking rate spiked. That Pakistan had stripped their side of full-time bowlers for superficial batting depth hardly seemed to matter. They knew they were never getting there anyway, and when the spin of Motie and Chase accounted for them in quick succession, West Indies could see the finish line.To do the honours, they handed that baton to none other than Seales, who blew past Naseem and Hasan Ali before Abrar jogged through for a single that was never on. Chase effected a direct hit, that sharpness depriving Seales the opportunity to bag the best ever bowling figures in men’s ODIs by a West Indian. For all of the young speedster’s brilliance, the fact Pakistan ensured they had a final say in their own downfall felt somewhat apt.

UAE coach Lalchand Rajput will be up against the team of his country of origin, whom he coached to the T20 World Cup truimph in 2007

Sidharth Monga09-Sep-20252:38

Best of Asia Cup feat. Kohli, Naseem, Rajapaksa and others

Big picture: It’s India against Lalchand Rajput’s UAE

It’s been a month and five days since the most lucrative banner in cricket took field. It is rare that India get such a long break from international cricket. They resume international cricket with a tournament that to the cynical mind exists so that other Asian boards can benefit from India’s economic heft and in turn support the BCCI in the boardroom. However, one mustn’t downplay the opportunity it gives to some of the smaller teams to play big-time opposition.Like UAE, India’s first opponents, who have played a full T20I tri- series since India last played international cricket. They came within a shot of upsetting Afghanistan even though they didn’t win a single match in the tournament. This is just the kind of tough cricket they needed before facing the best team in the world in a year in which their momentum of a bilateral series win against Bangladesh was thwarted by two defeats in ten days to Uganda in the Pearl of Africa series.Make no mistake, they are coming up against the reigning T20 world champions, who are not just the only team to have won every match in a T20 World Cup but one that has only got better since that campaign. India may have a small weakness in not having a specialist bowler who can hit sixes, but their specialist batting’s firepower and their specialist bowling’s uniqueness makes them strong contenders for being the best T20 empire ever created.Who else to know the powerhouse India have become than the UAE coach, Lalchand Rajput, who took India to their first T20 World Cup campaign when the superstars of the game were not even serious about the format? If Rajput and captain Muhammad Waseem can plot a win against India, it will be the upset of the year.

Form guide

India: WWLWW
UAE: LLLLL

In the spotlight: Shubman Gill and Simranjeet Singh

India’s Test captain Shubman Gill is making a comeback into the T20I team. Not just any comeback but one as a vice-captain, which suggests he will take his opening position. There can be an argument made that he never lost the place, he was asked to vacate it as he prepared for what was perceived as more important cricket at that time. Now he comes back as India get a little more serious about their combination in the lead-up to their world title defence early next year. And he comes back with form: 650 runs in the IPL at a strike rate of 155.87 while batting within himself.Fellow Punjabi, Ludhiana’s Simranjeet Singh bowled to Gill in the nets when the India Test captain was about 12 years old. Always on the fringes of Punjab and Kings XI Punjab, left-arm spinner Simranjeet was stranded in Dubai during the Covid-19 lockdown. He ended up staying back, coaching young cricketers, and now, at 35, will come up against Gill, who has just turned 26.10:21

Does Samson get a place in India’s starting XI?

Team news: Will Sanju Samson get a chance?

The big question for India is around Sanju Samson and the No. 8. If Gill takes the opening slot alongside Abhishek Sharma, does Samson bat at No. 3 or in the middle order or does he get to play at all? An ideal T20 combination won’t ask him to bat out of position or disrupt their Nos. 3 and 4, which should open the door for Jitesh Sharma to come back into the XI. Stranger things have happened, though, and there is a lot of popular backing for Samson.The other question for India is: do they play four specialist bowlers plus two allrounders and have no batting from No. 8 onwards or do they go three plus three? If they go four plus two, they could play both mystery spinners in Kuldeep Yadav Varun Chakravarthy, with Harshit Rana asked to do a batting job at No. 8. Three plus three will call for one of the spinners to be left out unless the pitch is a turner, which it doesn’t seem to be.India (possible): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun ChakravarthyAlishan Sharafu, back to opening the innings during the tri-series after an experiment to space the big hitters out through the order, should continue doing so with captain Waseem. Asif Khan and wicketkeeper Rahul Chopra should form the rest of the core of the batting. Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Rohid and Haider Ali are the core of the bowling, with Simranjeet making an impression with figures of 4-0-24-1 in his only match this year.UAE (possible): 1 Muhammad Waseem (capt), 2 Alishan Sharafu, 3 Rahul Chopra (wk), 4 Asif Khan, 5 Muhammad Farooq, 6 Harshit Kaushik, 7 Muhammad Zohaib, 8 Muhammad Jawadullah/Saghir Khan, 9 Haider Ali, 10 Junaid Siddique, 11 Muhammad Rohid

Pitch and conditions

When India played in Dubai earlier in the year, in the ODI Champions Trophy, they unleashed four spinners on a used surface. The pitches are likely to be fresher and livelier for the Asia Cup, which might call for more balanced attacks and a second specialist fast bowler to partner Jasprit Bumrah. The oppressive heat at this time of the year will test the conditioning of both the sides.

Stats and trivia

• UAE have played India only once in T20Is, losing by nine wickets in the 2016 Asia Cup. They have also lost each of their three ODIs against India, the last of those in the 2015 World Cup.
• India hold a 24-3 win-loss record in T20Is since the start of the last T20 World Cup.

[ad_pod ]

Liverpool announced via their official club website on Monday that defender Joe Gomez is to undergo surgery to aid his rehabilitation from the fractured leg he suffered against Burnley in December, and Reds fans have been quick to react on Twitter.

Liverpoolfc.com reported at the time of the initial diagnosis that the England international could be out for up to six weeks, but that deadline arrived and passed and now the club has confirmed the setback and new plan, although they also add in the most recent update that they still expect the 21-year-old to play again this season.

It means that the Merseyside outfit will carry on with Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren and Fabinho as their centre-back options in the coming weeks, although the former will be absent for the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against Bayern Munich later this month through suspension.

Liverpool supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the setback for Gomez, and while one said “I’m actually going to cry”, another said the “man’s finished”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Mo Salah has been brutally mocked for his recent diving antics in a new video by 442oons. Check it out below…

[ad_pod ]

Leeds were left puzzled as the January transfer window slammed shut and a deal for Swansea’s Daniel James had collapsed, despite the two clubs having brokered an agreement and the player having had his medical, agreed personal terms and been interviewed by the Elland Road outfit’s media.

The Swans, though, had apparently changed their minds, leaving James in the dark – the South Wales club reportedly wanted the £1.5m loan fee paid immediately rather than at the end of the season, despite having already offloaded highest-earner Wilfried Bony earlier in the month as they look to hold onto some cash.

Former Manchester City striker Bony was reportedly earning upwards of £100,00-a-week – an obscene figure – and so it is no wonder that the Liberty Stadium outfit are so short of funds at this time. Unfortunately, James was the victim of their cash crisis and is surely disgruntled that he is not in Leeds white now.

Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…

Instead, the winger is soldiering on with the Swans and spoke out for the first time since his switch fell through. The 21-year-old declined to comment on his future at the Liberty Stadium beyond this season though, leaving the door ajar for Leeds fans to speculate on Twitter.

You can check out the best of the reaction below…