Same agent as Sadiki: Leeds now targeting £13m alternative to Union SG star

Having already welcomed Lukas Nmecha and Jaka Bijol, Leeds United are now reportedly targeting a move to sign an alternative option to recent target Noah Sadiki.

What Leeds are planning next after Bijol

After splashing out to sign Bijol from Udinese, reports suggest that the 49ers are not done. Names such as Habib Diarra and Sadiki have found themselves on Leeds’ radar as of late and it looks as though adding another midfielder to Daniel Farke’s squad will be among the priorities in the coming months.

The Whites have even reportedly made an official offer worth as much as £24m to sign Diarra and could be closing in on their target sooner rather than later if reports are to be believed. Meanwhile, Sadkiki has also been the subject of a reported bid with the 49ers clearly ready to follow up the signing of Bijol by spending big again.

The Union St.Gilloise star would be another impressive signing and could partner Ao Tanaka at the heart of Farke’s side to form a midfield duo capable of achieving Premier League survival and more next season.

What may help their pursuit to sign Sadiki is the news that rivals Lyon have been relegated to Ligue 2 amid financial problems. Without a direct rival for the midfielder’s signature, those in the Midlands could have a simple route towards his arrival.

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Jun 26, 2025

If that does not prove to be the case, however, then it could be another interesting midfield talent who arrives to offer those at Elland Road an instant boost.

Leeds targeting Mahdi Camara

According to Footen France, the 49ers and Leeds are now targeting a summer move to sign Mahdi Camara, who could arrive as an alternative to Sadkiki. The Stade Brest midfielder is reportedly available for as little as £13m this summer in what could quickly turn into a bargain deal in Yorkshire.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Ao Tanaka

Mahdi Camara

Minutes

3,584

2,659

Goals

5

5

Progressive Passes per 90

7.04

3.76

Ball Recoveries per 90

5.90

3.32

Whilst Camara struggled to match Tanaka in possession last season, the Frenchman did showcase his goalscoring ability from midfield in what could offer Farke an unexpected threat going forward.

Forming a midfield partnership capable of scoring 10 goals between them would certainly go a long way towards survival for those at Elland Road given how the Premier League has a history of blunting previously sharp Championship frontlines.

Mahdi Camara for Stade Brest.

What’s more, the fact that Camara is represented by the same agent as Sadiki may help any deal this summer. If the latter fails to complete a summer move to Elland Road, then it could be an easy transition to negotiate for Camara, who would be an excellent alternative option.

فيديو | إنجلترا تواصل تألقها وتكتسح صربيا بخماسية في تصفيات كأس العالم

واصل منتخب إنجلترا نتائجه المميزة مع المدرب توماس توخيل في تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم نسخة 2026، بعدما حقق فوزًا مساء يوم الثلاثاء على نظيره منتخب صربيا.

وحل منتخب إنجلترا ضيفًا على صربيا، في الجولة السادسة من تصفيات القارة العجوز المؤهلة إلى المونديال، حيث فاز الأسود الثلاثة بخمسة أهداف دون رد.

سجل هاري كين هدف منتخب إنجلترا الأول، في الدقيقة 33 من عمر الشوط الأول، قبل دقيقتين من تسجيل الهدف الثاني عن طريق نوني مادويكي.

وتمكن إزري كونسا من تسجيل هدف منتخب إنجلترا الثالث، في الدقيقة 52، واضطرت صربيا إلى اللعب بـ10 لاعبين فقط منذ الدقيقة 72 بعد طرد اللاعب نيكولا ميلينكوفيتش.

وفي الدقيقة 75، نجح مارك جويهي في تسجيل الهدف الرابع لمنتخب إنجلترا، ليتواصل الأداء المميز من جانب لاعبي كتيبة توماس توخيل في التصفيات.

وتحصل منتخب إنجلترا على ضربة جزاء، في الدقيقة 90 من عمر مباراته ضد صربيا، ونفذها ماركوس راشفورد بنجاح حيث حولها إلى هدف خامس.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد منتخب إنجلترا إلى 15 نقطة في صدارة المجموعة الحادية عشر، بينما تجمد رصيد صربيا عند 7 نقاط في المركز الثالث.

Bigger talent than Delap: Chelsea enter race to re-sign "special" £51m star

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca wasn’t hanging about when he acted swiftly to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town in a deal worth £30m.

“It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies.”

Those were the words Delap said upon arriving at Stamford Bridge, and he will have plenty of chances to lift titles next term.

The Blues are back among Europe’s elite and this could give Delap a perfect chance to continue his development.

The 22-year-old is a rising star, no doubt about that. Will Maresca be keen on signing even more young starlets throughout the duration to complement Delap?

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ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025 Chelsea enter race to sign English sensation

Indeed, Brazilian talent Estevao is set to link up with the Blues this summer. As too is Sporting CP talent Dario Essugo.

It appears as though Maresca is keen on bringing the average age of the squad down, and it might go even lower should he succeed in signing the latest player to be linked with a move.

Southampton'sTylerDiblingcelebrates scoring their third goal

According to Caught Offside, the Blues have now entered the race to sign Southampton sensation Tyler Dibling but face competition from a wealth of sides, namely Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester United.

The €60m (£51m) asking price may deter Maresca, especially considering how much the club have spent already this window.

Still only a teenager, Dibling has an extraordinarily high ceiling and may even be a bigger talent than Delap.

Why Chelsea must sign Tyler Dibling

Delap scored 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich last season in what was his maiden season in the top flight.

Considering the club was relegated, scoring only 36 goals all season, that’s not a bad tally. Such was Delap’s impact, his goal involvement accounted for 39% of the club’s total throughout the season.

Dibling’s Premier League stats for Southampton (2024/25)

Goals

2

Assists

0

Big chances created

3

Key passes per game

0.6

Successful dribbles per game

1.4

Shots per game

0.8

Via Sofascore

A move to Stamford Bridge will give him the chance in the Champions League, but a move for Dibling could see Chelsea sign an even bigger talent.

While Delap struggled to earn game time at City in his teenage years, Dibling is already a bona fide star despite his young age. He made his debut for the Saints aged just 17 in August 2023, having returned to the Saints after a brief spell with Chelsea U18s.

Southampton's TylerDiblingin action with AFC Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen

His breakthrough came last term. The teenager made 38 appearances in all competitions for the south coast side, scoring four goals and grabbing three assists.

Given how poor the club were in the top flight, Dibling was arguably the brightest spark, but it is unlikely he will want to play Championship football.

Hailed as a “special talent” by journalist Josh Bunting, Dibling put himself in the shop window with his displays last season.

Despite his tender years, the youngster is currently ranked in the top 19% when compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons (2.16) per 90 over the previous 365 days, rubberstamping his exceptional potential.

Given the talent among those divisions, this stat proves that Dibling loves getting the better of his opposite man.

The question is, will Maresca take a gamble on him this summer? If so, then a bigger talent than Delap is set to be unleashed.

A better move than Ekitike: BlueCo submit bid to sign £50m star for Chelsea

Chelsea have submitted a bid to sign a Serie A talent.

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Rodgers must now bench Idah and unleash Celtic's "difference-maker"

Brendan Rodgers has the chance to win the domestic treble this afternoon when his Celtic team takes to the field to face Aberdeen in the SFA Cup final at Hampden Park.

The Hoops have already won the Scottish Premiership title and the League Cup, which they won on penalties against Rangers, and they can clinch a third domestic trophy with a win today.

Rodgers failed to win the treble in his first season back in the dugout at Parkhead, winning the Premiership and the SFA Cup in the 2023/24 campaign, but now has the chance to make it five trophies out of six at domestic level since the summer of 2023.

The Northern Irish head coach’s team were held to a 1-1 draw at home to St. Mirren on the final day of the Premiership campaign, as James Forrest scored a stoppage-time equaliser.

Celtic winger James Forrest.

Rodgers may look to make some changes to the starting XI that took to the field against St. Mirren at Parkhead for this cup final clash, and Adam Idah is one player who could be ruthlessly ditched by the former Liverpool manager.

Why Adam Idah should be dropped

The Ireland international lined up against St. Mirren as the starting centre-forward and was withdrawn from the action after 54 minutes without a single shot on goal.

His underwhelming performance last time out, which included just six successful passes, may cost him a place in the starting XI for the cup final, particularly given his record coming off the bench for the Hoops.

Idah has only started 21 of his 42 domestic appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants so far this season, which shows that he has failed to nail down a place as a regular starter under Rodgers, despite Kyogo Furuhashi’s move to Rennes on a permanent deal in the January transfer window.

The former Norwich City marksman, who signed for Celtic on a permanent deal last summer after an initial loan spell at Parkhead, has had more joy off the bench in the Premiership for the Bhoys this term.

Adam Idah: The super sub

Premiership

Starts

Off the bench

Appearances

19

16

Minutes

1,352

357

Goals

6

7

Minutes per goal

225

51

Assists

0

1

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Idah has scored more goals and delivered more assists in just under 1,000 fewer minutes on the pitch in the top-flight off the bench in comparison to as a starter.

These statistics suggest that the Irishman is more effective as a super sub for the Scottish giants, which is also backed up by his role in the SFA Cup last year, as he came off the bench to score the winning goal against Rangers in the 90th minute at the end of his loan spell.

Therefore, the data would suggest that Rodgers could increase his team’s chances of coming away with the win and the treble by ruthlessly dropping Idah to the bench, as it could make him more effective as an option this afternoon.

This would provide Daizen Maeda, who has scored 14 goals in ten matches as a striker this season, with an opportunity to play through the middle as the main striker.

Daizen Maeda

The Japan international starting over Idah in the centre-forward position would open up a spot on the wing for another player to join him and Nicolas Kuhn in the front three. That position should be filled by club legend James Forrest.

Why James Forrest should start against Aberdeen

In order for Idah to fulfill his role as a super substitute, Rodgers will need to bring another winger into the side and his options are currently limited because Jota is missing with a knee injury, which he sustained in the win over Dundee United last month.

Forrest could be the ideal option to come in to start this match because he is coming off the back of a confidence-lifting goal against St. Mirren on the final day of the Premiership season, a goal which means that he has scored in 16 different seasons for the first-team.

As you can see in the clip above, the Scottish forward blew the roof off Parkhead with his last-gasp strike, which was pretty much the last touch he had in the Premiership season to avoid ending his streak of seasons with at least one goal.

Forrest should, now, be rewarded with a start against Aberdeen, whom he scored against in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup last season, on the left flank, with Kuhn on the right and Maeda through the middle as the number nine.

Celtic winger James Forrest.

That would then allow Idah to come on for Forrest in the second half as a super sub option, which would free up Maeda to move out wide, and that gives Rodgers tactical flexibility off the bench in the second half if things are not going Celtic’s way this afternoon.

It would be unfair, though, to suggest that the Scottish veteran would only be starting because of tactical reasons or because of Idah’s impact off the bench, because he is a quality player in his own right who could make a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

James Forrest’s Celtic career

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

SFA Cup

41

11

11

League Cup

33

12

6

Premiership

336

73

74

Champions League

30

1

3

Europa League

31

1

7

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the 33-year-old forward has a particularly impressive record in the SFA Cup in his career, with 22 goals and assists combined in 41 appearances.

Forrest was once described as a “difference-maker” by Rodgers and that is backed up by his statistics in this competition, as he has delivered goals and assists on a regular basis.

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By
Dan Emery

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He should now be given an opportunity to add to that record in the clash at Hampden Park against Aberdeen this afternoon, by being named in the starting XI ahead of Idah.

This could, therefore, win the treble for Rodgers by both giving Forrest a chance to make an impact in the final third, whilst also getting the best out of the Irish striker off the bench.

Slot has found a "monster" who's Liverpool's new Gerrard & it's not Salah

They’ve done it. Liverpool are Premier League champions once again. Arne Slot has won the title in his first season at the helm.

Words can do no justice to the sheer scale of Liverpool’s triumph, so simply drink it in, lap it up, for this brilliant bunch of Reds have achieved something incredible, levelling with Manchester United as the most successful club in the history of England’s highest division.

1.

Liverpool

20

1=

Man United

20

3.

Arsenal

13

4.

Man City

10

5.

Everton

9

At the start of the campaign, BBC Sport released their pundits’ pre-season predictions at the head of the table, and none of the 30 analysts forecast the title to end up at Anfield.

But the ribbons run red nonetheless, Liverpool having gone from strength to strength since Slot replaced Klopp and put his own style on a formidable team of immense quality.

This feat has been several years in the making, more, but it was sealed this afternoon as Liverpool thrashed a struggling Tottenham Hotspur side 5-1, swamped by a sea of screaming red.

Here’s how they did it…

How Liverpool won the Premier League on Sunday

Tottenham, 16th, have been more than a little fragile in the Premier League this season and entered the lion’s den on Sunday with the knowledge that they would likely be swallowed by Merseyside’s deafening red sea.

With the Europa League semi-final merely days away, Ange Postecoglou fielded eight changes and no doubt had one eye on FK Bodø/Glimt. Such variables didn’t matter though; Liverpool would not be stopped in front of their fans.

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Dominic Solanke actually threatened to spoil the party when rising highest to power home a header after just ten minutes. Liverpool had started on strong footing but the stadium was silenced by their former prospect.

However, Liverpool would not be stopped, remember, and moments later, Luis Diaz finished off a slick combination starring Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah to level the score.

Any doubts were exhumed by this point, with the Slot machine working overtime to give Anfield the occasion it has so coveted for the past three-and-a-half decades. Strikes from Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo, Salah and Djed Spence (into his own net) followed.

So many standout performances, but none were finer than that of Liverpool’s midfield general. Mac Allister has been immense for the Merseysiders since joining from Brighton for an eye-catching £35m fee in July 2023.

He’s now starting to show he has shades of one of the club’s greatest, Steven Gerrard.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

Liverpool's new Steven Gerrard

Gerrard’s force of completeness has left him recognised globally as one of the best midfielders of all time and revered in Liverpool for his peerless quality and leadership over 17 years of senior service.

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard

Salah may well be Liverpool’s definitive talisman of the modern era, but he’s not cut from the same cloth as Gerrard, instead firing his way toward unquestionable status as one of the greatest forwards in the history of the Premier League.

Instead, Mac Allister is shaping into a fitting successor, with his sweeping gamut of skills leading Liverpool reporter Asim Mahmood to hail him as a “monster of a player” after the title-clinching victory over Tottenham.

Stunning strikes have become an anticipated part of Mac Allister’s repertoire over the past several years, and his weak-footed piledriver against the Lilywhites will be up there with his most memorable, given the occasion, given the significance of putting Liverpool ahead after an early setback and pushing the team toward gold.

His ball-striking ability seemingly on par with the club legend, but Mac Allister brings so much more to the table, having dominated Tottenham for 83 minutes, picking up the Man of the Match award after winning seven duels, making six tackles, completing 88% of his passes and creating two chances, as per Sofascore.

Alexis Mac Allister celebrates winning the Premier League with Liverpool

The 25-year-old has achieved such roundedness throughout the campaign, ranking among the top 16% of Premier League midfielders this season for progressive passes, the top 13% for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for tackles won and the top 3% for blocks, as per FBref.

This perfectly illustrates his creativity and combative blend. It’s quite clear that Mac Allister brings something unique to Liverpool’s midfield and they would not be crowned at this moment without him.

The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle could offer nothing less than a 9/10 match rating for Liverpool’s star player on a momentous occasion, the South American stepping up and driving his squad toward a thumping win to properly commemorate a special day with a fitting result.

The correspondent summed it up nicely: ‘Brought composure to Liverpool’s midfield passing, always looked to move forward, thundered in some crunching tackles and smashed home a fantastic strike for the second. What a player.’

It’s the one trophy that alluded Gerrard throughout his distinguished Liverpool career, but he still hung up the boots as an immortal being on Merseyside.

The retired England international truly was “the complete midfielder,” as said in this instance by pundit Jermaine Pennant when discussing English football’s finest, and Slot has now fashioned a new version in the form of Mac Allister.

He doesn’t quite bring the same firebrand intensity that Gerrard oozed when serving as Liverpool’s captain, but Mac Allister is unquestionably a player of striking talent, so influential across defensive and forward-focused zones.

He’s Liverpool’s new version of Stevie G, all right, and he’s just been crowned a Premier League champion to solidify his status as one of the city’s greatest midfielders.

Of course, the story isn’t finished yet…

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He'd be amazing with Joao Gomes: Wolves interested in £30m "top talent"

Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a strong end to the 2024/25 campaign. Although they have lost the two most recent outings, Vitor Pereira’s side have managed to get themselves up to 14th in the Premier League, after they were certain relegation candidates at one stage in the season.

Even though they were mathematically safe a while ago, they have now reached the magical 40-point tally, which is usually enough to guarantee a spot in the top flight for another year. It certainly gives the Midlands club something to build on for next season.

The upcoming summer transfer window will be key for the Old Gold, and they have been linked with one player who could enhance the quality of their midfield.

Wolves could sign new midfielder

One of the areas in their squad where Wolves are strongest is in midfield. The West Midlands outfit have plenty of options in the middle of the park, but could look to add to that this summer, if recent reports are true.

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Journalist Graeme Bailey alluded to the fact that Wolves could reignite their old interest in Chelsea midfielder Keirnan Dewsbury-Hall. He claimed that the Chelsea star, who has struggled for regular game-time this term, is someone who ‘quite possibly’ fits the profile Pereira is looking to add to his midfield.

Indeed, Bailey referenced that there is ‘historic interest’ in the player from Wolves, meaning a deal to bring him to Molineux could be on this summer. The price isn’t clear at this stage, but he cost the Blues £30m last summer from Leicester City.

Where Dewsbury-Hall would fit into Wolves' midfield

It has not really been the debut season at Stamford Bridge that Dewsbury-Hall may have hoped for. He has struggled to break into the team in the Premier League after following former Foxes manager Enzo Maresca to West London.

Chelsea's KiernanDewsbury-Hallin action with Southampton's Kamaldeen Sulemana

The 26-year-old has featured in just 29 games for the Blues across all competitions, with only 12 of those appearances coming in the Premier League. Incredibly, he has played 254 top-flight minutes, the equivalent of 2.8 full 90-minute games.

However, in Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League run, Dewsbury-Hall has had a more substantial role to play. He’s played 12 games in their run to the final, scoring four times and grabbing two assists. He bagged the only goal of the game in his side’s 1-0 home win over FC Copenhagen in the last 16 second leg.

Despite his struggles in 2024/25, Dewsbury-Hall is a “top talent” in the words of data analyst Statman Dave. He really showed just how good he is in 2023/24, the season Leicester won the Championship. That season, he managed 12 goals and 14 assists in 44 games from midfield.

Leicester midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

The 26-year-old has impressive underlying stats from that campaign, too, courtesy of FBref. For example, he averaged 2.7 key passes and 0.77 goal-creating actions per game, which ranked him in the top 2% and 1% of Championship midfielders that season.

Goals and assists

0.64

98th

Key passes

2.7

98th

Progressive passes

6.73

92nd

Shot-creating actions

5

96th

Goal-creating actions

0.77

99th

Given the attacking impact he could have on this Wolves side, it could mean Dewsbury-Hall partners well with Joao Gomes. The Brazil international has been a key player for the Old Gold this season, featuring in all but two of their Premier League games so far.

A superb ball-winner, he could be someone who sits behind the potential new Wolves midfielder and does the dirty work off the ball while allowing Dewsbury-Hall to thrive further forward.

Indeed, as per FBref, he averages 4.12 tackles and interceptions per game and 130 in total this season, which is the most in their squad.

Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes vs Arsenal

It seems like a match made in heaven. Gomes can just sit at the base of the Old Gold midfield and look to break up play. With his excellent defensive output, it certainly takes the responsibility off Dewsbury-Hall somewhat.

A price is not confirmed yet, but this seems like the dream deal for the Old Gold. He could form an excellent partnership in midfield with Gomes, and add to the quality in attacking areas that Wolves have. This could be the perfect way to kick-start their summer.

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Stats – Kohli goes on a six-hitting spree, Jaiswal joins all-format centurion club

All the stats highlights from the three-match ODI series between India and South Africa

Sampath Bandarupalli06-Dec-2025271 – The target India chased in the third ODI against South Africa in Visakhapatnam. It is the second-highest target which they successfully chased in ODIs by losing only one wicket. The highest is 360 against Australia in Jaipur in 2013. Overall, this is the sixth-highest target chased in ODIs for a nine- or ten-wicket win.9 – India’s nine-wicket win is their joint-biggest against South Africa. They had beaten South Africa with a similar margin in 2018 in Centurion, chasing 119. This was only the ninth instance of South Africa losing a men’s ODI by nine or more wickets, and Saturday’s target of 271 is by far the highest among them.3 – Consecutive bilateral ODI series wins for India against South Africa, the first time they have managed to do so. India won their previous two series against South Africa – at home in 2022 and away in 2023 – also by a 2-1 margin.6 – Yashasvi Jaiswal is the sixth Indian man to score a hundred in all three formats. Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill are the others. Jaiswal needed four innings to score his maiden century in ODIs. Only two Indian men scored theirs earlier: Rahul on his debut and Manish Pandey in his third innings, while Kedar Jadhav also scored a ton in his fourth outing.ESPNcricinfo Ltd7 – Hundreds by Quinton de Kock in ODIs against India, the joint-most for any batter, alongside Sanath Jayasuriya.It was also his seventh ODI century in India, the joint-most by any visiting batter, equalling AB de Villiers. Those are also the joint-most by a batter away from home – Sachin Tendulkar and Saeed Anwar in the UAE, and Rohit in England also have seven ODI centuries apiece.De Kock now has 23 hundreds in 161 innings in ODIs; only two players got there in fewer innings – Hashim Amla (132) and Kohli (157). De Kock also levelled de Villiers for most ODI hundreds by a non-Asian batter in Asia, as they both have ten.ESPNcricinfo Ltd12 – Sixes by Kohli in this ODI series, the most for him in a series or tournament. The previous most he had hit was nine sixes in a three-match series against Sri Lanka in 2023, and also in the 2023 World Cup.5013 – Runs scored by Rohit in ODIs on Indian soil. He is only the fifth batter to score 5000-plus runs in a country. Tendulkar and Kohli achieved this feat in India before him, while Ricky Ponting (in Australia) and Jacques Kallis (in South Africa) are the others.155 – The opening partnership between Jaiswal and Rohit was the second-highest for India against South Africa in men’s ODIs. The highest is 193 between Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly in Johannesburg in 2001.1261 – Runs by Rohit in bilateral ODI series deciders are the most by any batter. Kohli is second, with 1235, while de Kock stands fourth in the list, with 963. De Kock’s hundred on Saturday was his fourth in deciders, equal with Rohit, and only behind de Villiers, who has five.

2 – Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav are only the second Indian pair to claim four-plus wickets in a men’s ODI at home. Ajit Agarkar (four) and Ganguly (five) were the first to do so, against Zimbabwe in Kanpur in 2000.11 – Kuldeep’s four-plus wicket hauls in ODIs, the most for an Indian spinner in men’s ODIs, going past Anil Kumble (10). Five of those have come against South Africa, joint-most, alongside Waqar Younis and Brett Lee.9 – Bilateral ODI series in which Kohli has scored 300-plus runs, including the 302-run series against South Africa. The next best is five series apiece for Rohit and de Kock. This was the first time Kohli scored 300-plus runs in a three-match series. He is only the second Indian to score over 300 runs in a three-match series, after Shubman Gill’s 360 against New Zealand in 2023.

Shivam Dube is an elite spin-hitter, and he's improving against the short ball

The two-bouncer rule has presented a distinct challenge, but he seems to be finding a way

Deivarayan Muthu27-Mar-20242:42

Rapid Fire: Was Rachin the steal of the auction? Why so much pace at Chepauk?

Chennai boy and Tamil Nadu captain R Sai Kishore had just silenced 33,400 Chennai Super Kings fans at Chepauk, having Ajinkya Rahane stumped. He had bowled 2.1 overs without conceding a boundary, and his figures read 1 for 13.Shivam Dube, though, needed just two balls to turn up the tempo and rekindle the noise, whacking both for sixes. The decibel level zoomed up to 127. It won’t go that high even for MS Dhoni’s diving catch later in the night.The two sixes amply demonstrated Dube’s threat against spin. First, Sai Kishore darted one full and outside off stump from left-arm over, and Dube dropped down on one knee to slog-sweep him over long-on. Sai Kishore immediately switched his angle of attack and went around the wicket, and tried to slant the ball away from Dube’s hitting arc. He still used his reach, however, and crunched the left-arm fingerspinner over midwicket for an even bigger six, taking the shot on even with three fielders back on the leg-side boundary.Related

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  • Rachin, Dube and CSK's quicks dispatch the Titans

  • What India need from the Indian Premier League

Just like that, Sai Kishore, who had topped the wickets charts in the 50-overs Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Ranji Trophy, had been dumped out of the attack. And having taken down one of India’s best domestic spinners, Dube pressed on to line up Rashid Khan, one of the world’s best spinners, launching him over long-on for another six. It was the wrong’un, but it didn’t matter. Dube can also mess with spinners who take the ball away from him.He had faced only ten balls, and he was already on 24.Since snapping him up at the IPL 2022 auction, CSK have used Dube as a super-specialist against spin. His strike rate of 162.56 against spin is the best among Indian batters since IPL 2022. Among all batters, only Heinrich Klaasen (192.85) and Glenn Maxwell (176.56) have done better in this period.Dube’s tall frame, big reach and brute power have put him among the elite IPL six-hitters in recent times. Since 2022, only Jos Buttler (59) has hit more sixes than his 57, while Andre Russell and Liam Livingstone are level with him.Dube, though, has his limitations: he is vulnerable against pace and more specifically express pace. CSK have found a way to minimise those limitations by deploying him through the middle overs, where most teams tend not to bowl too many overs of out-and-out pace. However, the two-bouncer-per-over rule, which was introduced this season, has presented him with a new challenge.ESPNcricinfo LtdSoon after Dube had walked out to bat in the season-opener against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Faf du Plessis had matched Alzarri Joseph up with him. Even Cameron Green dug the ball into the pitch and got it to climb towards Dube’s throat. Around the same time, Dale Steyn posted on X ( formerly Twitter): “Short ball tactic is already showing who can and who can’t… Gana be a long IPL for some batters.”Dube just about survived that short-ball burst from Joseph and saw CSK home. On Tuesday, Spencer Johnson, the Australia quick who had floored Russell with a nasty bouncer last month, tried to rattle Dube with a similar ball. But Dube was ready for it, swivelling quickly on the back foot and hooking a shoulder-high delivery over long leg for six. At the other end, Mohit Sharma tested him with the slower short ball, but Dube coolly rode the bounce and steered it down between short fine leg and deep square leg for four more.All up, Dube scored 23 off 13 short or short-of-a-length balls from seamers on Tuesday. He finished with 51 off 23 balls at a strike rate of 221.73. Until about two years ago, Dube’s response to the bouncer was to duck out of the way or just fend it off. He has now levelled up to the extent that he now has more scoring – and defensive – options against the bouncer.”Definitely, I’ve worked in that way and it’s helping me,” Dube said after winning the Player-of-the-match award. “I know they will bowl short balls at me, [but] I’m ready for that. They [CSK team management] want me to do the same thing that I did today. They want me to go at a higher strike rate against the bowlers, so I’m trying that.”Michael Hussey, the CSK batting coach, credited Dube for understanding his weakness and taking steps to remedy it during the off-season.Shivam Dube has broadened his attacking range against the short ball•AFP/Getty Images”Well, you rewind to maybe one or two years ago, teams would come in and bowl a lot of short balls and he would either duck out of the way or defend. And that’s all he had until he got in and set and then he could maybe play some shots against it,” Hussey said at his post-match press conference.”Now the bowlers are still coming in with the same plan, but he’s been able to score off it as well and he’s been able to find boundaries, if he gets into the right position as well. So that’s a testament to the work that he’s put in behind the scenes and being ready for their plans. And now it’s, you know, back on the bowlers. What are they going to do? Now, are they going to continue with this plan, or will they go away from that? And try something else? We’ll have to wait and see, but I think a lot of credit needs to go to Dube for the amount of work that he’s put in against that particular ball.”Over the last six months or so, Dube’s levelled-up game has also brought him success in T20Is, with back-to-back half-centuries against Afghanistan in January showing what he can do on the international stage. Whether he keeps his place is a question India will need to answer as they tune up for the T20 World Cup, which kicks off on June 1 in the USA and the Caribbean.”I think it [his progress] will hold him in good stead for the [rest of the] IPL,” Hussey said. “But also if he gets opportunities for the country again in the future, I think it’ll hold him in great stead as well.”

'I want to come back as the Natarajan of old'

Using his time away from competitive cricket to fine-tune his skills and bowling action, the left-arm quick aims to bounce back in 2022

Deivarayan Muthu07-Feb-2022India left-arm seamer T Natarajan, who missed a substantial chunk of playing time in 2021 because of injury and Covid, aims to bounce back in 2022 as the “Natarajan of the old”. Part of that process, Natarajan told ESPNcricinfo recently, involves him working on swinging the white ball more in his opening spells in T20 cricket.As far as return to competitive cricket is concerned, Natarajan is likely to feature in the second round of the Ranji Trophy where he will turn up for Tamil Nadu later this month. However, before that, Natarajan’s first test will come during the 2022 IPL auction, which will take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. Natarajan is part of set no. 5 comprising specialist fast bowlers.That Natarajan remains confident he will get a good deal can be gauged from his base price, which the 30-year-old has listed at INR 1 crore. In 2018, at the last IPL mega auction, Natarajan was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 40 lakhs when he was working his way back from an elbow injury. That was a year after Kings XI Punjab, prompted by their then mentor Virender Sehwag, had shelled out INR 3 crore to snap up the then uncapped Natarajan. Since then Natarajan has taken big strides, including playing for India in all three formats on India’s tour of Australia in 2020-21.Related

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Natarajan is not fussed about his IPL price as long as he gets back to the field. “I’m not thinking too much about it [the auction],” Natarajan said. “IPL, another T20 World Cup – there are talks about 2022 being a big year – but I just want to focus on my strengths and keep working hard. If I do that, the rest of the things will fall in place. I’m coming back after a long break, so [nervousness will be there]. I’ll be lying if I say I’m not nervous.”I’ve done well in the IPL and for India before, so people will expect strong performances from me. Once I play one or two matches, I will hit my rhythm and will be more clear with my plans. I’m feeling refreshed now and just want to keep doing whatever has worked for me in the past – focusing on my yorkers and cutters. I want to come back as the old Natarajan.”Since his fairy-tale tour of Australia, Natarajan has spent more time on the sidelines than on the field. His knee injury flared up during the first leg of the IPL 2021, cutting his stint short, and then when he was ready to return to action for the UAE leg, he tested positive for Covid-19.More recently, Natarajan was part of the Tamil Nadu side that successfully defended the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 title, but his body struggled to cope with the match-intensity following those bouts of knee issues and Covid-19. As a result, he missed the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy in December.Natarajan underwent rehab for around five months at the NCA in Bengaluru and later trained in Chennai and his hometown Chinnappampatti, near Salem, where he is currently setting up a new cricket ground. He recalls that the rehab was monotonous but he learnt to embrace it.”It was boring to start with,” Natarajan said. “You will have to keep doing the same things again and again, but you need to do it properly to become fit again. I was in Bangalore for around five months at the NCA. During the weekends, I used to go back home to Salem and spend time with the family.”Apart from talking to my mentor Jayaprakash (brother), I used to call up Washy (Washington Sundar), Rajinikanth (trainer) and Shyam Sundar (Sunrisers Hyderabad physio) during the recovery phase. I had the confidence and motivation from my Jayaprakash. He always frees up my mind. Motivational words have always inspired me from childhood. The major learning was that cricket – and life – has both ups and downs and you’ll have to learn to accept it.”‘Looking to swing the white ball more’
Natarajan used his time away from competitive cricket to fine-tune his skills and bowling action, with help from Sreenath Aravind, the former Karnataka seamer who is now part of the state team’s coaching staff.T Natarajan made his debut in all three formats during India’s tour of Australia in 2020-21•Getty Images”I’m looking to swing the new ball more in white-ball cricket; sometimes in the past I haven’t got much swing under pressure in big matches,” Natarajan said. “I’m looking to have more control over the legcutter and have been in touch with Sreenath Aravind. He’s a superb red-ball bowler, through [R] Prasanna (Tamil Nadu assistant coach) I have spoken to him previously too.”During the last Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament, I wasn’t in a good rhythm. I realised something was wrong and I passed my videos to him. He spotted that I was falling over in my action – the loading and landing was unstable – and I have rectified it since. His inputs have been very helpful for me.”Natarajan’s protegees part of accelerated auction
That Natarajan will keenly follow this IPL auction is also because two of his protegees G Periyaswamy and V Gowtham will be up for bidding. Periyaswamy, a right-arm seamer with a sling-arm action, has been among the highest wicket-takers in the last two TNPL seasons and was a net bowler for Sunrisers in the second leg of IPL 2021 in the UAE. Gowtham, a left-arm seamer, made his TNPL debut last year and has also bowled at the Chennai Super Kings nets. Gowtham attended trials at Mumbai Indians last month and Periyaswamy at Punjab Kings.”My dream was always to start an academy in my village, nurture talent and encourage them to play on the big stage,” Natarajan said. “I’m very proud and pleased to see their progress. I’ve opened the bowling with Periyaswamy for Tamil Nadu and he has been very impressive at the TNPL. Gowtham often reminds me of myself. He has a good yorker and will definitely go to the next level in the next couple of years. You never know, they could become my opponents in the IPL in the future .”

Jarren Duran Trade Destinations: Top Potential Landing Spots for Red Sox All-Star

Jarren Duran is one of the best players on the Red Sox, but that doesn’t mean they won’t trade him.

For the past two seasons, the All-Star outfielder’s name has come up repeatedly in trade talks. Given Boston’s young core and glut of outfielders, something has to give. Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu appear to be the future of the team. Duran looks to be the odd man out.

The 29-year-old blew up in 2024, slashing .285/.342/.492, with a wRC+ of 131, 21 home runs, and 34 stolen bases, while leading MLB in doubles (48) and triples (21), and producing 6.8 fWAR. He fell off a bit in 2025, slashing .256/.332/.442, with a wRC+ of 111 and 3.9 fWAR. Still, he had 16 home runs, 41 doubles, 13 triples and stole 24 bases. He has the kind of extra-base pop and speed every team values.

Duran would not be a rental. He’s under team control through 2028, which makes him even more attractive. What follows is a look at his four best fits as a trade target this winter.

1. Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies could potentially lose Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto on top of already needing to add multiple bats. Their biggest hole comes in the outfield, where Brandon Marsh is the only useful returning player. Nick Castellanos is awful in the field and posted an fWAR of -0.6 in 2025. Harrison Bader is a free agent Philadelphia could look to bring back, but the team will need to look outside the org to find a starting caliber corner outfielder.

Duran works really well here. His lefty bat near the top of the lineup with his extra base pop and outstanding speed would be a perfect fit for the Phillies. He’s exactly what they’re missing in the outfield.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

This may seem crazy, but the Dodgers are a mess in the outfield. Andy Pages had a breakout season in center but collapsed in the playoffs. Teoscar Hernández signed a big contract, then posted the worst full-season OPS of his career (.738). We won’t even talk about the disaster that was the Michael Conforto signing. There’s a reason L.A. is the favorite to land Kyle Tucker in free agency. But if that doesn’t happen, Duran would be a nice consolation prize.

The Dodgers would have an unfair lineup with some combination of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Duran at the top. L.A. has the prospects to win a bidding war with pretty much anyone on the trade market. It could add him and barely blink.

3. Kansas City Royals

The Royals desperately need outfield help. As a group, the team’s outfielders ranked last in MLB in fWAR (-1.4), wRC+ (70), on-base percentage (.283), and slugging (.334), while finishing 29th in batting average (.219) during the 2025 season. Those are some horrific numbers. Jac Caglianone should round into form with experience, but no one else on the roster profiles as even a replacement-level bat in the outfield.

Duran would represent a huge upgrade in Kansas City’s outfield, and the team has the rotation depth to entice a Red Sox team desperate for arms. Additionally, catching prospect Blake Mitchell could help sweeten a deal.

4. Baltimore Orioles

While Kansas City was awful in the outfield, the Orioles weren’t far off. Their outfielders collectively combined to rank 25th in fWAR (2.6), 22nd in wRC+ (94), 25th in OBP (.296), 20th in slugging, and 28th in batting average (.222). Tyler O’Neill will be back after opting in to his contract, as will Colton Cowser and Dylan Beavers. All three struggled in 2025.

Duran would provide a veteran presence to the outfield and another good bat for a lineup that really needs it after a disappointing 2025 season. Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Samuel Basallo, and Duran would be an outstanding nice group to build around.

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