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The home side have gone big on pace in their squad. Here’s a quick look at the seven who made the cut (and the two who missed out)

Firdose Moonda23-Dec-2021A series between South Africa and a side from the subcontinent is usually about showing off seamers, but in 2019 it didn’t quite go the way you might think. Instead of South Africa’s pace attack powering through India, it was the Indian quicks, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, who left Kagiso Rabada, Vernon Philander, Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi in the dust. And while the Indian pack may be licking their lips at the thought of being able to do that again, in seamer-friendly conditions, South Africa are pulling out all the stops to match them.Although the Covid-19 conditions under which this series will be played have necessitated bigger squads on both sides, South Africa have included not five or six but seven seamers, overseen by bowling coach Charl Langeveldt. They’ve covered their bases when it comes to genuine pace, skilful variations and out-and-out aggression.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The front runners

Kagiso Rabada
The most recognisable and celebrated member of South Africa’s attack is only 26 and carries the responsibility of leading them against India. Rabada is, by some distance, the most experienced international among the pace pack and is the only one in the squad ranked in the ICC’s Test top ten. His reputation precedes any explanation we can provide here, except to say he is known for his pace and aggression, especially in big moments against big players, which bodes well for the contests he will be part of against the likes of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara. Over the last few years Rabada has also developed several impressive variations, including a well-disguised slower ball. Although collective achievement will be top of his mind in this series, there is a personal milestone for him to aim for: Rabada is nine wickets away from leapfrogging Vernon Philander as South Africa’s seventh-highest Test wicket-taker. Recent form: Rabada was the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket in 2018, with 52 wickets from ten matches, and he was South Africa’s highest Test wicket-taker in 2019, with 33 wickets from eight matches. He played just two Tests in 2020, and four so far in 2021; he has taken a total of 23 wickets in these two years.ESPNcricinfo LtdLungi Ngidi

With more time off the field than on it through much of 2021, Ngidi is desperate to get game time and re-establish himself as a regular in all formats. Despite lengthy absences from the game this year, he is not carrying an injury. He missed South Africa’s tour to Sri Lanka for personal reasons and was benched for the IPL and T20 World Cup, which gave him time to fine-tune his fitness. His task for this summer is to translate that into bowling success. Expect longer spells from him, if he plays, and more focus on accuracy than out-and-out fury.Recent form: Ngidi has not played competitively for five months but in the first half of the year he featured in four of South Africa’s five Tests. He has 14 wickets at 19.14 and has South Africa’s best bowling average of the year so far.ESPNcricinfo LtdDuanne Olivier

As the first of South Africa’s Kolpak returnees to be re-selected for Tests, Olivier’s challenge is to win hearts, minds and matches. Some South Africans still bear a grudge about his leaving and answering a question about whether he wanted to play for England in the affirmative. They may forgive him if he can replicate the fuller lengths that brought him success on the county circuit in home conditions that seem to cry out for short balls. Luckily Olivier already has practice and has been playing for the Johannesburg-based Lions since his return to the South Africa set-up. He has been the standout bowler in the first-class competition so far, was recalled at the first opportunity, and is tipped to make an international comeback in this series. Recent form: Olivier is the leading bowler in the domestic first-class competition, with 28 wickets at 11.14 and with two five-wicket hauls. He comes back into international cricket off a fairly successful run for Yorkshire over the last three years: 75 wickets in 25 matches for the county, but at a somewhat bloated average of 32.42.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The left-armers

Marco Jansen

Kohli is the reason Marco Jansen got his first big break. The India Test captain was impressed with the young bowler in the Johannesburg nets three years ago, which may have led to his name doing the rounds in India, and an IPL deal earlier this year. Jansen only played two matches in the tournament and has limited first-class experience, with only 19 caps, but in the absence of Anrich Nortje, and bowler-friendly conditions, South Africa may choose to unleash him. At close to seven feet tall, Jansen is expected to be the bearer of many bouncers, and will likely be tasked with making the visiting batters feel as uncomfortable as possible.Recent form: Jansen is 16th on the first-class wickets chart for this season, with ten wickets at 12.30. He was the fifth leading bowler in the series between South Africa A and India A, with six wickets at 31.83.ESPNcricinfo LtdBeuran Hendricks

It’s difficult to see any reason for Hendricks’ inclusion in this squad except as injury cover. He has played just one Test, in January 2020, but has been around the squad as cover in several series since. Hendricks has a wealth of first-class experience under his belt, with more than a decade worth of professional cricket, close to 400 wickets, and is known for his ability to swing the ball. He may feel he has missed out on a longer international career but he has operated among strong contemporaries and may have to content himself with only a handful of opportunities in the near future.Recent form: Hendricks has played three first-class matches this season, including two of the three unofficial Tests against India A. He has taken just one wicket, for Western Province against Boland, and went wicketless against India A.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The back-up

Glenton Stuurman

Stuurman, who some call the next Vernon Philander, may have thought himself in line for a debut last summer but an injury just ahead of the series against Sri Lanka ruled him out. If South Africa think someone who moves the ball in subtle ways and probes outside the off stump for extended periods of time is needed to both keep India on their toes and wear them down with persistence, they may turn to Stuurman, though that may only happen once the series moves away from the spicy surfaces of the Highveld. If they don’t, he could find himself on the sidelines again, but with a lot of Test cricket this season, including in New Zealand, where Philander profited, he may be capped at some stage.Recent form: Stuurman has taken eight wickets in two four-day matches for Warriors in the domestic four-day competition and finished as the third most successful bowler against India A with seven wickets from three innings at an average of 27.14.ESPNcricinfo LtdSisanda Magala

With an array of cutters and slower balls, and expertise at the death in limited-overs cricket, Magala is a bowler South Africa have been wanting to play since before the pandemic. A bunch of injuries meant they had to wait until 2021 to include him, and he might find himself picked as an all-format cap by the end of the year. Magala’s challenge is to stay fit through the summer, and if he plays, to live up to a domestic reputation that includes the ability to win matches. He is a crafty operator and makes up for what he doesn’t have in speed with skill.Recent form: Magala has played in three of four rounds of the four-day competition this summer and is seventh on the wicket-takers’ list. He has taken 15 wickets at 14.33, including one five-for.

Who’s missing?

Anrich Nortje

Ruled out of the series with a persistent hip injury five days before it starts, Nortje will miss out on the opportunity to add to his dozen Test caps and to establish himself as Rabada’s right-hand man. Although Nortje is known for being quick, he should be equally lauded for his consistency. He is difficult to score off and uses the short ball with discretion. For now he will remain three wickets away from 50 in Tests.Recent form: After finishing 2020 as South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in Tests (16 at 32.50), Nortje is on track to possibly repeat the feat in 2021. He currently leads the pack, with 25 wickets from five Tests at 20.76, six ahead of his nearest rival, Keshav Maharaj. He also tied with Dwaine Pretorius as South Africa’s best bowler at the T20 World Cup, taking nine wickets at 11.55.Lutho Sipamla

After taking ten wickets in two Tests against Sri Lanka last summer, Sipamla has been overlooked for Test series against Pakistan and West Indies, and now against India. He was left out of the touring party to the Caribbean so he could spend time playing for South Africa A, and he was their second-most prolific wicket-taker against Zimbabwe A in a series played over the winter. Sipamla made his mark on the international stage for accuracy and keeping his cool – his first 12 overs in Test cricket cost 66 runs but his next 27.5 only went for 101 and yielded two handfuls of wickets – and he is likely to be called on in future.Recent form: Sipamla was South Africa A’s leading bowler in the series against India A, taking nine wickets at a shade over 33. He has played only two matches in the domestic first-class competition but took 12 wickets at 13.50, including a career-best of 6 for 34.

Australia steamrolled Sri Lanka’s listless batting order across two innings on day four to complete a near-flawless performance

Tristan Lavalette01-Feb-2025Australia brushed aside any concern over Galle’s fickle weather by steamrolling through Sri Lanka’s listless batting order across two innings on day four to complete a near-flawless performance in the first Test.After two sessions on day three were washed out, Australia’s push for a straightforward victory appeared under some threat with wet weather also forecast for later on the fourth day.But the rain held off and Australia resumed their domination by remarkably claiming 15 wickets to seal a massive innings and 242-run victory in a match that effectively only lasted nine sessions. Such was the gulf between the sides, Australia batted 154 overs in their sole innings compared to Sri Lanka’s 106.5 overs spread over two innings.Related

• Jayasuriya: 'There was a serious problem with our shot selection'

• Length, more than pace, key to Australia spinners' success, says Smith

• Sri Lanka turn up, but do little else in Galle mismatch

• Stats – Australia's new Asian high, Khawaja's big effort and Inglis' dream debut

• Sri Lanka's spinners find no answers to Australia's proactive gameplan

It was a brilliant performance from a new-look Australia without skipper Pat Cummins and boasting a spin-heavy attack. Everything went to plan for stand-in captain Steven Smith after he won a favourable toss and Australia capitalised on a slow surface to post their highest ever total in Asia.Australia’s decision to reshuffle their batting order proved a masterstroke with Josh Inglis scoring a rapid century on debut. So too selecting three spinners with left-armer Matthew Kuhnemann underlining his value in the subcontinent with nine wickets for the match having made a speedy recovery from a thumb injury sustained in a BBL game on January 16.Australia were well prepared and executed their plans with bat and ball superbly, but they came up against an inept Sri Lanka. Matches between the teams traditionally have been highly competitive in this terrain, but Sri Lanka were completely outclassed and will need to regroup quickly before the second Test at the same venue starting on February 6.The result means Australia have retained the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy.After being forced to follow-on, having lost 5 for 9 to be bowled out for 165 in their first innings, Sri Lanka hoped to reset and muster enough fight to get them into the late afternoon when rain was expected.But Sri Lanka’s troubles continued in their second innings against left-arm quick Mitchell Starc and offspinner Todd Murphy, both of whom had not bowled in almost 24 hours.Opener Oshada Fernando in the third over fell plumb lbw to a fierce in-swinging delivery from Starc. Fernando, bafflingly, wasted a review in yet another hapless use of the technology from Sri Lanka in this match.Mitchell Starc removed Oshada Fernando•Getty Images

It meant Chandimal came to the crease less than an hour after his earlier dismissal in the first innings. But he watched from the other end as opener Dimuth Karunaratne had a horrible misjudgement and was clean bowled not playing a shot against Murphy.Sri Lanka had remarkably lost 7 for 15 across the two innings in little over an hour. But Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews combined for a 69-run partnership, Sri Lanka’s best of the match, to offer belated resistance.But disaster struck in the last over before lunch when Chandimal on 31 gloved Lyon to short leg as Australia successfully reviewed the not-out decision.When play resumed after the interval, the main interest was how quickly Australia could roll through Sri Lanka.But Smith, so astute in this match, made a rare misjudgement when he decided not to review an lbw shout on Mathews who missed an attempted reverse sweep off Nathan Lyon. Replays showed that the not-out decision would have been overturned, but it didn’t halt Australia’s momentum despite an entertaining cameo from Kamindu Mendis.Kamindu went on the attack and showed the type of aggressive form that powered him to average 74 from 10 Tests before this match. He whacked Kuhnemann down the ground for a boundary to race to 32, but on the next delivery he was unable to get under a delivery and holed out to deep midwicket.Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews shared a 69-run stand for the third wicket•AFP/Getty Images

It was another tame dismissal for Sri Lanka and gifted Kuhnemann’s first wicket against left-handers in Test cricket having badly struggled up to that point, leaking 108 runs from 101 deliveries.Mathews soon fell to Lyon at short leg after failing to execute a reverse sweep before skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis combined for a half-century partnership to prolong the inevitable.Not for the first time in this match, Dhananjaya threw his wicket away and it was a matter of time despite a maiden Test half-century from Jeffrey Vandersay, who was Sri Lanka’s best bowler in Australia’s first innings.Lyon added a couple of wickets to finish with match figures of 7 for 135 after having had little to do during the recent series against India.The result was swift in the end, but Australia entered the day’s play with some anxiety. There had been questions raised over whether Australia batted too long in their first innings as they posted their highest total in Asia.Resuming their first innings at 136 for 5, Sri Lanka found themselves with unexpected hope of surviving with a draw due to the wet weather. But they desperately needed Chandimal to kick on having compiled an attractive half-century on day three.The pressure was on Chandimal and Kusal Mendis as the last recognised batters before the tail.Smith deployed Kuhnemann and Lyon from the get-go as Chandimal unfurled the reverse sweep which he had used to good effect on the truncated day three.It was a cautious start from Sri Lanka’s batters with Kuhnemann extracting awkward bounce that occasionally reared off the surface. Mendis went to his favoured sweep shot against Kuhnemann and he whacked a boundary to raise Sri Lanka’s 150.But Australia were well prepared with their tactics and baited Mendis into the sweep shot with two fielders positioned deep square of the wicket. Mendis couldn’t contain himself and top-edged a sweep to be well caught by a running Murphy at square leg.The burden fell to Chandimal, who had been unable to recapture his fluency from earlier in the innings. His rearguard finally ended on 72 when he missed a reverse sweep to fall lbw to Lyon as he reviewed in vain.Sri Lanka’s tail folded quickly with Kuhnemann claiming his second five-wicket haul of his Test career, after his 5 for 16 against India in Indore. But he was just getting warmed up as Australia continued on their merry way to inflict Sri Lanka’s heaviest defeat in Test cricket.

Atletico Madrid have agreed personal terms with Stuttgart midfielder Enzo Millot as Diego Simeone looks to revitalise his attack for the new season.

• Atletico agree personal terms with Millot
• Can trigger his €23 million clause
• Could be the eighth signing of the season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fabrizio Romano has reported that Atletico have agreed personal terms with Millot and now must agree a transfer fee with German club Stuttgart for the midfielder. Millot has a €23 million (£20m/$26m) release clause which Atletico will trigger, according to .

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In a season where president Enrique Cerezo has challenged Diego Simeone to win the treble, Atletico have been highly active in the transfer market, investing around €149m (£129m/$172m) in seven players. Key additions include USMNT midfielder Johnny Cardoso, defender Marc Pubill and winger Alex Baena, brought in to offset the departures of Rodrigo De Paul, Angel Correa and Saul. Millot is poised to become their eighth signing, with Simeone eager to add the Stuttgart midfielder to reinforce the squad after a standout season in which he scored 12 goals and provided eight assists.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Atletico confirmed the signing of Slovakian defender David Hancko after Saudi side Al-Nassr abandoned the deal despite having agreements with both the player and his previous club Feyenoord.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MILLOT AND ATLETICO ?

  Millot will be eagerly waiting for Atletico to trigger his release clause as it will represent a step up in his career. Meanwhile Atletico will hope that Millot will add the finishing touches in the attacking midfield role as they will look to challenge on all three fronts next season.

The Ballon d'Or holder and Women's Super League Player of the Season were denied by Hannah Hampton as La Roja fell short in Basel

World champions Spain's fell to a penalty shootout loss to defending champions England in the Euro 2025 final as star players Aitana Bonmati and Mariona Caldentey were among those to miss from the spot on Sunday.

La Roja started the final on the back foot when Alessia Russo's low effort was parried by Cata Coll and into the path of Lauren James, but the Chelsea star couldn't tuck the ball home. Coll then went from villain to hero in a matter of seconds when her wayward pass was intercepted by Lauren Hemp just outside the six-yard box, but the goalkeeper atoned for her error with a vital stop low to her left.

As the contest wore on, Spain began to turn the screw, and took the lead in the 25th minute when Caldentey headed in Ona Batlle's pinpoint cross into the area.

The 2023 World Cup winners' stranglehold on the first half continued early into the second, but then out of nowhere, the Lionesses were level in the 57th minute when Alessia Russo guided in substitute Chloe Kelly's inch-perfect delivery.

The defending champions were galvanised by that equaliser, and had it not been for the fingertips of Coll, Kelly's instinctive strike would have made it 2-1. Claudia Pina then fired a warning shot back at Sarina Wiegman's team when the substitute's rifled shot brought an excellent save out of Hampton.

Substitute Salma Paralleulo missed a gilt-edged chance on the stroke of half-time in extra time, and the two old foes could not be separated as penalties beckoned. And despite Coll saving two penalties, the misses of Paralluelo, Bonmati, and Caldentey proved costly as Kelly once again scored the winner for England as they defended their Euros title.

GOAL rates Spain's players from St. Jakob-Park…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Cata Coll (7/10):

  Had a mixed first half as she did well to deny Russo early doors, before nearly gifting England a goal soon after. After that, the keeper made impressive saves from Kelly and in the shootout – but it was all in vain.

  Ona Batlle (8/10):

  Some of her attacking interplay was a joy to watch, and her dinked cross for Caldentey's opener was pure class. She also made some key interceptions in defence, too.

  Irene Paredes (6/10):

  Sometimes struggled to deal with the livewire Russo and was part of a backline that dropped deeper as the contest wore on.

  Laia Aleixandri (7/10):

  Had a solid game but allowed Russo to get a header away too easily for the Lionesses' equaliser. Got stuck into the opposition and was properly fired up.

  Olga Carmona (7/10):

  The Lionesses found a lot of joy down her flank early on, but the marauding full-back repeatedly caused England's defensive line problems with her skill and directness.

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  Midfield

  Aitana Bonmati (7/10):

  The two-time Ballon d'Or winner, who had a viral meningitis to contend with just last month, was always a threat, particularly with her driving runs, vision, and neat lay-offs, but had a costly penalty shootout miss.

  Patricia Guijarro (7/10):

  Was part of a midfield that out-pressed and at times overran England with their relentless energy and organisation. But that changed after the Lionesses' equaliser.

  Alexia Putellas (8/10):

  The lively Barcelona star was conducting her side's midfield with real purpose, and that was why it was such a surprise call to take her off with 20 minutes to go.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Athenea del Castillo (6/10):

  The 24-year-old proved to be very elusive at times, but also went missing a tad as the encounter progressed.

  Esther Gonzalez (6/10):

  The striker popped up with a couple of decent opportunities, but was largely well marshalled by England's defence.

  Mariona Caldentey (7/10):

  The Arsenal star and Women's Super League Player of the Season was coolness personified when she headed her side into the lead. Put in a confident all-round display, but missed from the spot.

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  Subs & Manager

  Claudia Pina (8/10):

  Made an instant impact off the bench and troubled Bronze with her trickery.

  Salma Paralluelo (4/10):

  Her physical presence provided England problems, but she spurned some glorious opportunities. Missed in the shootout, too.

  Vicky Lopez (6/10):

  Wasn't too far away from scoring a delightful curled effort just before the end of normal time.

  Leila Ouahabi (5/10):

  Didn't make much of an impression when she came on.

  Montse Tome (6/10):

  Would have been pleased with how her players responded to England's early pressure as their tactics completely unsettled the opposition. But some of her substitutes were questionable as they were undone by the Lionesses.

Chelsea have just hours to register more new signings in time for the Club World Cup, which kicks off this weekend, and Stamford Bridge officials are attempting to finalise some behind-the-scenes captures.

Chelsea working on deal for Jamie Gittens with Mike Maignan move off

After sealing their £30 million deal for Liam Delap, who will be travelling with Enzo Maresca’s squad to the CWC rather than competing in the Euros with England Under-21s, BlueCo have been trying to get two more players through the door before the 7pm deadline this evening.

AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract and Chelsea have been in talks with the Rossoneri over a cut-price deal, but Milan value their captain at around £25 million – a figure which Maresca’s side are not keen to pay.

Chelsea now in "ongoing" talks over deal to sign "incredible" £84m striker

The Blues are in negotiations to sign a centre-forward, with a meeting taking place in recent days.

By
Dominic Lund

Jun 9, 2025

Chelsea would have preferred to fork out £10 million for Maignan, but while there was some hope that a compromise could be reached at £15 million (Dom Smith), the deal is now off according to Romano.

Meanwhile, despite time running out fast, Chelsea have also been working to finalise a high-profile deal for Borussia Dortmund sensation Jamie Gittens.

Chelsea had an opening bid of around £30 million rejected for Gittens, but they’re expected to go in with another offer as Maresca’s side scrap to agree a deal and bring him to the CWC.

It is believed that Chelsea have already agreed personal terms with Gittens, though Dortmund are demanding up to £51 million to sell, so this is another story to keep a close eye on today.

Luckily for Maresca, even if Chelsea miss the deadline to sign Gittens tonight, Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol has shared that there will be a unique registration period midway through the CWC – from June 27 to July 3 – which allows Chelsea to introduce new signings to their tournament squad right after the group stage finishes.

Chelsea make contact with Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers via representatives

So, taking this into account, Chelsea are in fact able to strengthen their team midway through the CWC – so failing to complete a deal for Gittens or Maignan by 7pm may not actually be the end of the world when it comes to their prospects of winning the competition.

Chelsea are looking to bring in a versatile attacking midfielder alongside a new left-winger in the form of Gittens, according to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, and they’ve started to lay some groundwork over a potential deal for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers.

As per Phillips, via his SPTC Substack, Chelsea have made contact with Rogers’ agents, and are seriously weighing up adding to their contingent of ex-Man City academy gems with a summer move for the forward – who is expected to cost around £80 million.

Chelsea would apparently “love” to sign the England international, if they consider it a realistic opportunity, and it’s not hard to see why.

Rogers is fresh off the back of a phenomenal campaign with Villa, racking up 14 goals and 15 assists in all competitions. While it is claimed that the 22-year-old wouldn’t push to leave the Midlands, he’s also likely to be at least open to the prospect of a switch, according to Phillips.

Raheem Sterling is reportedly open to the idea of joining Fulham on loan as the experienced forward looks to end his nightmare at Chelsea.

• Joined the Blues in summer of 2022
• Spent last season on loan at Arsenal
• Ready for another new challenge

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  England international Sterling was considered to be quite a coup for the Blues when leaving Manchester City for Stamford Bridge in 2022. He has managed just 19 goals for Chelsea through 81 appearances, with the 2024-25 campaign being spent on loan at Arsenal.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Sterling failed to rekindle a lost spark there, with just one Carabao Cup goal being recorded while drawing a blank in the Premier League, and another move is expected to be made this summer.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It could be that the 30-year-old remains in west London when swapping Chelsea for Fulham. claims that Craven Cottage is considered to be a "credible destination" for Sterling, with Marco Silva looking to add more experience and goal threat to his squad.

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  TELL ME MORE

  It is claimed that the Cottagers will wait until later in the window before making their move, with there no rush to complete a deal that does not require a big-money fee to change hands. Plans are, however, being put in place.

The former captain made his first-class debut aged 17, scored 28 Test centuries and led Australia to 2015 ODI World Cup

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2025Former captain Michael Clarke has been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of FameClarke, 43, accepted the honour on Thursday, nearly a decade after he closed the chapter on his remarkable playing career. He is the 64th inductee, with two further members to be named this season.Making his first-class debut for New South Wales at 17, Clarke captained Australia to victory in the 2015 ODI World Cup and led the side across 47 of his 115 Tests.Overall, Clarke scored 8643 Test runs, putting him sixth on Australia’s all-time list, and 7981 in ODIs where he stands fourth. His tally of 28 Test centuries also leaves puts him sixth on that list.Having impressed early in his ODI career – he wasn’t dismissed in his first three innings – Clarke burst onto the Test scene during Australia’s 2004 tour of India, crowned the player of the match in Bengaluru after scoring 151 on debut.After being dropped in late 2005, Clarke returned a even more formidable player. He became the sixth Australian to score a Test triple-century after posting an unbeaten 329 against India at the SCG in the 2011-12 series.He followed up his SCG performance with a double century in the fourth Test against India, before notching two further double centuries against South Africa the following season.Other standout innings included the 151 against South Africa at Cape Town in 2011 (from a total of 284) in the game Australia were later dismissed for 47, his 161 at the same venue in 2014 when he defied a broken shoulder to set up a victory that would take Australia to No. 1 in the world and the hugely emotional 128 against India at Adelaide in 2014 shortly after the death of the Phillip Hughes in what would prove his final home Test.Michael Clarke was prolific in the period from 2012 to 2014•Getty Images

It had been in 2011, after England won the Ashes 3-1 in Australia, that Clarke succeeded Ricky Ponting as captain. At his peak, he was ranked the best batter in the world. He was also at the helm for the Ashes whitewash in 2013-14 and retired at the end of the lost 2015 campaign in England.”To be able to sit along so many wonderful players, idols, role models growing up as a kid and looking up to is something I’m honoured by,” Clarke said. “Retirement does a lot of things to you. Through stages of watching cricket now, you miss parts.”When you play at the highest level, people talk about your international career but for me, it started at six years of age. I retired at 34 so it was my life. It’s still a part of my life.”Cricket – it’s probably so similar to life in general. You walk out and make 100 and then lift the bat, and then you walk out to field, field in slip and drop a catch second ball of the game.”Australian Cricket Hall of Fame chairman Peter King praised Clarke as a player who “defined his generation”.”Michael’s extraordinary first-class playing career started at just 17 at the SCG – the place where many of his highlights occurred, including a Test triple century against India in 2012,” King said.”Michael’s career will forever be remembered fondly by the Australian public and his standing held alongside those at the upper echelon of our game.”Clarke also proved capable as a left-arm spinner. It was his spell of 3 for 5 in 1.5 overs in 2008 against India that helped Australia retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and extend their winning streak to a record-equaling 16 Tests. In his debut series against India he had also taken 6 for 9 in Mumbai.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will be chasing Club World Cup glory, but he certainly isn’t taking his eye off the ball regarding potential signings.

Defender Tomas Araujo has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge. Elsewhere, Jamie Gittens is a major attacking target, and the Blues are keen to wrap up a deal for him sooner rather than later.

Add in the fact that Maresca has already signed Liam Delap, it suggests that the manager is plotting an overhaul this summer.

Hugo Ekitiké is another key target, and with Manchester United revving up interest in the young striker, now could be the time to act.

Latest on Chelsea's pursuit Hugo Ekitiké

Despite being one of the Blues’ top transfer targets, it now appears that the Red Devils are looking to secure his signature this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

With a reported price tag of €100m (£85m), it is a significant outlay for the Blues as they seek to bolster their attacking options.

Last season, the Frenchman scored 22 goals and grabbed 12 assists, emerging as one of the most sought-after talents on the continent.

The striker would compete with Delap and Nicolas Jackson for a role in the team should he move to London, but for the price, Maresca will be determined to use him as his main option.

That said, could he perhaps make a move for another youngster this summer instead? Especially as a player who was on the club’s radar previously looks set to leave their current club.

Why Chelsea should reignite a move for Jhon Duran

The Colombian striker was close to a move to Stamford Bridge last summer, but ultimately decided to stay with Villa.

Unai Emery couldn’t turn down an offer of around £65m for the talented hitman, however, and he made his move to the Middle East in January.

According to reports from Saudi Arabia (as per the Metro), Duran could be set to leave Al-Nassr in the summer, with the chance there for Chelsea – among other suitors – to reignite a move for the player. It is said that unnamed clubs have expressed interest in signing him on loan, should the chance of an exit emerge.

While Ekitiké shone in the Bundesliga for Frankfurt last term, is there a case to be made that Duran is the bigger talent?

When comparing the two strikers via FBref, Duran not only registered more shots per 90 (4.26 vs 4) than Ekitiké last term, but he also recorded more shots on target (1.92 vs 1.55) per 90 and won a higher percentage of aerial duels (50% vs 46.8%) domestically last season.

Given the fact he is younger and has a potentially higher ceiling for growth, Duran – who already scored 12 goals in 55 Premier League games – could perhaps turn out to be the better striker for the club.

Following his excellent first half of the 2024/25 season at Villa, football talent scout Jacek Kulig described him as a “monster in the making” and with 12 goals in 18 games for his new club, he is living up to that statement.

Maresca must be on high alert in the coming weeks if Duran is available, especially if he costs less than the £85m that has been demanded for Ekitike.

He may be a “maverick”, in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, although unlike Ekitike, he has already proven himself in England’s top flight.

Free agent defender now "close to finalising" Chelsea move after talks

The west Londoners are pushing.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 13, 2025

He seemed to be out of favour in limited-overs by mid-2017, but a door that appeared shut is now a window full of possibilities

Saurabh Somani18-Nov-20211:12

Daniel Vettori: Ashwin’s skill helped him set Chapman and Phillips up

Since India’s tour of England which began in August, the team has played four Tests and six T20Is, including the first game of the ongoing series against New Zealand. If told at the start that R Ashwin would feature in four of those international games, how many people would have predicted zero Tests and four T20Is?Ashwin, a bonafide candidate in discussions of an all-time India Test XI, has suddenly got a new lease of life in white-ball cricket. A door that appeared slammed shut after mid-2017 is now a window full of possibilities.Not that the white-ball skills were lacking. In the IPL, Ashwin regularly showed how effective he could still be in limited-overs cricket. IPL 2018, the first one since his limited-overs exile, was a decent outing. But from IPL 2019 onwards, Ashwin has been among the top bowlers in the most competitive T20 league on the planet. He’s done it with guile, nous and a fine control. The door might have appeared shut, but Ashwin kept knocking on it.Related

• Chapman on impressive NZ return: 'Nothing beats being out in the middle'

• Ashwin, Suryakumar, Rohit shine as India earn hard-fought victory

It is the mark of a good team that there will always be quality players on the outside, hungry to get in. Ashwin was one of those players for India’s limited-overs teams in the recent past. It is also the mark of a good player that once in, he’ll make himself difficult to dislodge. When Washington Sundar’s injury meant he wouldn’t be there for the T20 World Cup, that opportunity came Ashwin’s way. It wouldn’t have, if he hadn’t stacked up the performances he did leading up to that. And once back, Ashwin has bowled his full quota of 16 overs in four T20Is, taking 8 wickets and giving up runs at just 5.375 per over.More than the limited sample size of his recent T20Is, it is the IPL that reveals Ashwin’s value and effectiveness.The middle overs of T20 cricket are spinners’ bastions, but a bowler versatile enough to be effective elsewhere is gold-dust. Since IPL 2019, no spinner has bowled more in the powerplay than Ashwin’s 38 overs. Not coincidentally, no one has taken more than the 10 wickets Ashwin has in the powerplay in this period either. In the middle overs, Ashwin has taken 22 wickets, which seems at first glance a tad less for 105.5 overs bowled, especially when set against fellow spinners like Rahul Chahar (37 wickets in 128 overs), Yuzvendra Chahal (50 wickets in 127.1 overs) or Varun Chakravarthy (27 wickets in 84 overs). However, Ashwin’s role has often been to enforce control for his team, and he’s been excellent at doing that. Ashwin remains a bowler who seeks wickets, but he does so while also keeping one foot on the opposition’s run-rate.What the bare figures don’t account for, is Ashwin’s impact even when it comes to wicket-taking. That is something Smart Stats brings into focus, with an algorithm that takes into account the quality of batter dismissed, and the match situation in which the bowler operates and assigns a value to a wicket in accordance with that. In IPLs since 2019, Ashwin has the difference between the Smart Wickets he’s taken and the conventional ones. He has 35 wickets in 42 innings, but in terms of Smart Wickets, the figure is 50.1. Among spinners, only Chahal has a bigger difference in that time frame, with his 57 wickets worth 74.27 Smart Wickets. Ashwin’s strikes have had game-changing impact, because he’s gotten top order batters early. And he’s done it while keeping the runs in check too.R Ashwin (left) has made himself difficult to dislodge from the T20I team•BCCIHe illustrated exactly those qualities against New Zealand. Brought on for his first over within the powerplay, he gave up only six runs. In his second over, immediately after Martin Guptill and Mark Chapman had taken 15 off Deepak Chahar, he conceded seven runs. And that too, was because bowling first and one over in the powerplay meant he had to suss the pace of the pitch by degrees.”It is kind of tricky, right, in a T20 game, how much do you toss it up? When do you toss it up? The windows for attacking the batsmen are pretty less, so you need to find them and then deliver those balls,” Ashwin would tell host broadcaster Star after the game. “Line and length, you can’t miss much of it.”Identifying the right pace is always a challenge when you’re bowling first in a T20 game. I bowled my first over inside the powerplay, so the pockets of change of pace had to be much lesser than what you did later on in the game. Identifying that pace took a little bit of time for me. I probably slowed it down once or twice in the first two overs I bowled, and then I realised if you slowed the ball down the purchase was better on this pitch.”By his first two overs, Ashwin had figured out that slowing the ball through the air and landing it correctly would get him more bite. And when he was brought back for his final over – the 14th of the innings – he did what he often has, prising out wickets to cause an inflexion point in the game. Chapman was done in by a classical off-break, while Glenn Phillips got a carom ball that pinned him in front after two off-breaks. New Zealand had lost two wickets, one of a set batter who was accelerating and another of a big-hitter who could have wrecked India’s death overs.Guptill, who lashed 70 from 42 balls in New Zealand’s total, summed up the difficulty of facing Ashwin in reply to a question from ESPNcricinfo. “He’s a wily bowler, got a great control of his line and length,” Guptill said. “And he just doesn’t bowl bad balls. I don’t remember him bowling any bad balls. He’s just very difficult to get away. His change of pace is so subtle and so well controlled, he’s just very hard to get away.”The T20 success for Ashwin is not unexpected, given the pedigree he has shown. He also gave a teaser of what could be coming New Zealand’s way on this tour, bowling a more classical pace of off-spin and finding bite in the surface. If he could do it with a white ball, given only four overs, what might Ashwin do with a red ball, with more overs and more purchase, with wickets to make up for after having sat out four Test matches?

Sunderland's ambitious summer transfer window is set to continue after striking a loan deal for Chelsea striker Marc Guiu.

• Chelsea's Guiu to join Sunderland on loan
• Follows capture of Swiss star Granit Xhaka
• Black Cats continue ambitious summer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fabrizio Romano claims that the Chelsea youngster will head on a season-long loan to the newly-promoted Premier League side, but there is no option to buy the former Barcelona academy player. This comes shortly after the Black Cats signed Swiss veteran Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen in another statement signing.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In a time when all three promoted teams have been relegated straight back down to the Championship for the past two years, Sunderland, Leeds, and Burnley, arguably, face a tougher task than ever to survive in the Premier League. The established teams have such a huge advantage financially, thanks to TV deals and merely staying in the Premier League, making the gap between England's two top divisions more and more vast. The Mackems have spent around €130 million (£112m) on signings so far, and while that is an eye-catching amount, realistically, they have to go big if they want to maintain their top-flight status.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Guiu, 19, joined Chelsea from Barcelona last year for a reported fee of €6m and since then, he has scored six goals in 16 appearances for Enzo Maresca's team. But most of his game time came in the Conference League, so this move represents a big opportunity for the teenager to shine.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Spain Under-19 international Guiu, who made just three Premier League appearances last season, could make his Sunderland debut when they begin their 2025/26 top-flight campaign at home to West Ham on August 16.