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The tough Chandrakant Pandit way might not be for everyone, but it worked for his old state side – and helped him exorcise some ghosts along the way

Shashank Kishore28-Jun-2022″Maybe this was God’s way of telling me that I deserve it after 23 years.”An emotional Chandrakant Pandit reflects on Madhya Pradesh’s maiden Ranji Trophy title win, the morning after. He narrowly missed out on lifting the coveted trophy as captain in 1998-99, and the feeling of winning it as coach at the same venue of that heartbreak hasn’t fully sunk in yet.But, instead of waking up at 2.36am, like he did on the fifth day of the Ranji final on Sunday, a relaxed Pandit has woken up after sunrise. A disciplinarian when it comes to keeping time, he is ready at 8.45am sharp, the time of our meeting.Entering Pandit’s hotel room feels a bit like entering the school principal’s office. If someone is summoned, even at short notice, they are expected almost immediately.”I never ask a player, ‘can you come to my room if you’re free’,” Pandit says as he sips his morning coffee. “If we’re on a mission, I expect them to be fully committed. That was a routine we had throughout the season.”Related

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The vibes post the Ranji triumph are different, though. There are no traces of notebooks, whiteboard, stationery and everything else you’d associate with Pandit’s team meetings in the drawing room of his hotel suite.The party from the previous night, where Pandit let the boys “enjoy freedom for a change”, hasn’t had a spillover effect on his schedule though. Meetings are lined up through the day with several Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) officials, even as he is continuously flooded with calls from journalists and well-wishers. In the evening there’s a flight to catch to Indore, for a grand reception.Does he really have a chance to put his feet up and rest?”We’ll first ask Chandu sir to laugh out loud,” a beaming Aditya Shrivastava had said at the post-match media conference on Sunday. “He’s at work at any given time of the day or night. If any of the boys are eager or need help, he’s always ready. Full intensity. We’ll ask him to enjoy with us today.”Much of the narrative surrounding MP’s success has revolved around Pandit, and understandably so. Dinesh Karthik called him the Alex Ferguson of the Ranji Trophy. Irfan Pathan wondered if Pandit’s sixth Ranji title as coach would translate into an IPL coaching gig. Abhinav Mukund felt he has a magic wand.Pandit has quietly soaked all of it in, knowing fully well his methods work only because his unheralded teams – that is, unheralded barring Mumbai – buy into his methods wholeheartedly, even if it isn’t easy.

“At the international level, you have players matured enough to understand things and support staff to guide you accordingly. In domestic cricket, one person [is enough to] convey his methods easily. I don’t have a bowling or batting coach.”Chandrakant Pandit

Pandit won the Ranji Trophy as coach with Mumbai in 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2015-16, then shepherded Vidarbha to their maiden Ranji title in 2017-18, and then incredibly helped them defend it 2018-19. He was also director of cricket at Rajasthan when they defended their title – again, only their second ever – in 2011-12.His journey as MP coach began in 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. He was mulling offers from three teams when MP joined the queue. The itch to banish the ghosts from 1998-99 – something that comes up regularly during our chat – had him sign up with his old state side.”I was at my village in March 2020 when Sanjeev Rao, the MPCA secretary, called me,” Pandit remembers. “Someone had told him I was taking a break after my stint with Vidarbha. I thought why not go back to MP. After all, I’d played six years for them. Then the thought of missing out on winning the Ranji Trophy in 1998-99 came to me. Maybe it was God’s way of telling me to accept the offer.”He signed up, with a few terms and conditions clearly laid out. Among them were being given a free hand in selection and total freedom to run the show his way.When he got down to work, he interviewed every single MP probable. “Around 150 for Ranji,” he says. These interviews would add up to days, weeks even, but it was a vital building block for Pandit. His impressions of each of the players he spoke to are all neatly tucked away in his office at the Holkar Stadium.In it are details such as his first impressions of the players, how they had progressed as cricketers, and the road map ahead. I ask him if any players have turned his early impressions of them wholly around. He cites the example of Venkatesh Iyer, whom he found hesitant to begin with.Chandrakant Pandit has now won six Ranji Trophy titles as a coach•ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Iyer used to bat at No. 6 and invariably score 20 not out, 24 not out,” he says. “I kept telling him in between he’s good enough to be an opener.”He asked, ‘if I fail what happens?’ I said while I’m around here, nothing will happen. Then he asked, ‘what happens once you go?’ I said by then you will cement your place. Now, he’s with the Indian team and it’s all his efforts.”The move up the order worked wonders for Iyer. He topped MP’s T20 run charts in the 2020-21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, with 227 runs in five innings at an average of 75.66 and a strike rate of 149.34. Then, in the one-day competition, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he hit a blistering 146-ball 198 against Punjab that helped Madhya Pradesh amass 402 for 3.Iyer is one of many such examples. There’s Yash Dubey who hadn’t opened in 28 innings prior to this season. In his first outing at the top, he made a career-best 289 against Kerala and then, three games later, another century in the final. Himanshu Mantri was also similarly pushed up to open alongside Dubey.Pacer Ishwar Pandey’s issues with injuries forced Pandit to look elsewhere. When the selection committee proposed Anubhav Agarwal, it took him few practice games to be convinced here was a ready replacement.”I asked the players their preferences when we conducted these interviews,” Pandit says. “Aditya said he was shunted up and down the order. I said, ‘you tell me what number you’d like Let’s decide now’. He said, I’d like to bat five. Then I gave the option to Shubham Sharma to open, he said ‘I’d love to bat at three’. We fixed that.Pacer Ishwar Pandey’s injury issues forced MP to look beyond him, and in came Anubhav Agarwal•PTI “Rajat Patidar used to bat three when Shubham hadn’t played a couple of games. I told him, ‘Rajat I need you at No. 4’. He said I’d love to bat three. Then I told him he’s our run-getter and if our opening stand is good, he can really do some damage in the middle order. I told him there’s security, and he won’t be dropped.”I told Himanshu Mantri I’m looking at you as an opener. I liked his technique, the temperament of leaving the ball. The idea was to fix up a number and get the fear out of the players. Akshat Raghuwanshi, the 18-year-old, I said go out and play your game. I don’t want him to lose his flair.”Pandit is clear there’s only a “little leeway” for those who don’t buy his methods but are still beneficial to the team. This isn’t because of ego, but because he wants everyone – senior or junior – to abide by the same rules.Much of his ideas are hard-taskmaster-like, and you wonder if it comes at a risk of the players not thinking for themselves. Pandit clarifies he isn’t one bit averse to players speaking up, even if he finds them hesitant.”Now they’re slowly opening up and giving their views,” he says. “Many times, during a game I keep a board and ask the players to write their observations. They’re free to write what they feel, and we talk about it later.”It’s just to educate them instead of just me passing on ideas. If a partnership is on, I ask them to write things like what they could’ve done better. It’s totally anonymous, I don’t go to that part of the dressing room. I don’t want them to write with the pressure of what I will think.

“Aditya [Shrivastava] was supposed to get married last year and asked me, ‘sir, which date should I pick?’ I told him only in June and that too only for two-three days, you will not get time to go on your honeymoon because we had started our preparations.”Chandrakant Pandit’s methods might not be for everyone

“This final was the only game where I handled the board. I didn’t want them to waste time on that. The learning process in a league phase is different, in the final I can’t have such discussions. I can’t be diverting their attention to what they should be writing on the board when there’s a game to win.”I ask him if this style could work outside the domestic system. “At the international level, you have players matured enough to understand things and support staff to guide you accordingly,” he says. “In domestic cricket, one person [is enough to] convey his methods easily. I don’t have a bowling or batting coach. Too many things can confuse a player. The grasping ability of [young] players isn’t the same at the domestic level.”As well as he has delivered over the years, Pandit’s methods aren’t for everyone. It has worked wonders at MP, like it did with Vidarbha, because they are teams that come with a tremendous hunger to topple the bigger teams like Mumbai, Karnataka and Delhi.Pandit admits success comes at the cost of several sacrifices. In a cut-throat world, he sees no other way.”I remember Aditya [Shrivastava] was supposed to get married last year and asked me, ‘sir, which date should I pick?’ I told him only in June and that too only for two-three days, you will not get time to go on your honeymoon because we had started our preparations.”Shrivastava grins cheekily in response. “It has been a year since I got married and I have still not gone on my honeymoon.”Even if this leaves him quietly disappointed, he isn’t going to let it show. He has bought into Pandit’s methods wholeheartedly. The rest of the team has followed along too, and the results are there for everyone to see.

The Texas Rangers completed a three-game sweep of the Athletics on Wednesday with a 2-1 win. The A's have now lost five of their first six games coming out of the All-Star break, and sit in last place in the AL West with one of the worst records in all of baseball.

Anyone looking for the type of play that might be emblematic of the A's season could find it in the bottom of the 7th inning. With the score tied 1-1 with two outs and a runner on first, Texas catcher Jonah Heim hit a high pop fly to shallow left field that should have ended the inning.

Instead the Rangers took the lead.

Shortstop Jacob Wilson and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom converged on the ball with Wilson appearing to call off his teammate. With Soderstrom not slowing down, Wilson held up at the final second and ducked, thinking the outfielder was going to catch it.

The ball ended up landing behind both players as Wyatt Langford, who had started the play on first, sprinted around the bases. Langford ended up sliding safely into home to beat the throw from Soderstrom.

Heim, who slammed his bat on the ground after he hit the ball a few seconds earlier, ended up on second, credited with an RBI double. Heim's misplayed pop fly ended up producing the game-winning run.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is only a few weeks away from having the chance to make changes to his playing squad for the first time since he joined the club.

The German boss arrived after the summer transfer window, which was spearheaded by Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell, which means that he does not have any of his own signings.

Whilst the former Sheffield Wednesday boss will want to make some signings of his own to bolster the squad, Rohl may also want to move some of the current players on in the January transfer window.

The Rangers players who should be let go in January

There are several current first-team duds who should be moved on ahead of the second half of the season because they do not look like key players for the new manager.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Clinton Nsiala, for example, is yet to play a single minute of football in the 2025/26 campaign, per Transfermarkt, and has only made the matchday squad on four occasions.

With John Souttar, Derek Cornelius, Nasser Djiga, and Emmanuel Fernandez ahead of him in the pecking order when fit, an exit in January could be the best move for his career.

Rabbi Matondo, per Transfermarkt, is another player who has not played a single minute of action this season and has not made any matchday squads, which suggests that he may be free to find a new club in January if he is not part of the manager’s plans.

Finally, Kieran Dowell should also be moved on in the winter amid reported interest from English Championship side Hull City, who are looking to sign him on loan.

Why Kieran Dowell should never play a minute under Danny Rohl

The English attacking midfielder, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Birmingham, played 384 minutes across six appearances in July and August under Martin and failed to score any goals before picking up an injury.

He was even described as “non-existent” by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar in the 2-0 win over Panathinaikos in July, as he failed to create a single chance in 75 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore.

Now back fit, having played for the U19s with Dujon Sterling last month, Dowell has not been involved in a single matchday squad for Rohl, per Sofascore, which suggests that he is not in the manager’s thoughts for the first-team.

With Hull said to be interested in signing him, Rangers appear to have the opportunity to move him on from Ibrox on loan for the second half of the season, before his contract expires in the summer, per Transfermarkt.

The Light Blues would, therefore, be allowing him to leave on a free transfer after his loan spell at Hull ends, which would give the Tigers a chance to assess whether or not they want to sign him permanently ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

On top of having that option, Dowell should also not play a single minute for Rohl between now and January because Lyall Cameron would be a better player to bring in if the manager wants to change his attacking midfielder.

Appearances

12

33

Goals

0

9

Conversion rate

0%

17%

Key passes per game

0.7

1.6

Big chances created

3

6

Assists

0

5

The Scottish starlet, as shown in the table above, appears far more likely to make an impact in the Scottish Premiership as an attacking midfielder, after a return of 15 goal contributions last season.

Cameron, however, has been an unused substitute in seven of the last eight games in all competitions, and in all of the last four, per Transfermarkt, which shows how difficult it is to get a place in the team under the German head coach.

Therefore, given how far down the pecking order he is, it is hard to see a situation where Dowell ends up playing any minutes on the pitch for Rangers before he has the chance to join Hull on loan at the start of next month.

This is why the former Norwich City playmaker, who has registered zero goals and one assist in six games this season, should never play for Rohl, and why he should be allowed to leave on loan in January before being released on a free transfer next summer.

Bid already submitted: Rangers could sign a "very pacy" Gassama replacement

Rangers could replace Djeidi Gassama on the wing by signing this reported target in the January window.

ByDan Emery 6 days ago

The left-footed flop has only provided two goals and three assists in 38 appearances for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, since his move from the Canaries in 2023, which illustrates how little he has contributed as an attacking force on the pitch in his time at Ibrox.

Australia won with 21 balls to spare as New Zealand’s early batting troubles meant their total was far too less

Andrew McGlashan01-Oct-2025A bludgeoning display from captain Mitchell Marsh powered Australia to a comprehensive victory in the opening match of the Chappell-Hadlee T20I series in Mount Maunganui after Tim Robinson had compiled a superb century to haul New Zealand out of early trouble.New Zealand slid to 6 for 3 in the second over with Ben Dwarshuis putting himself on a hat-trick. But Robinson overcame the sticky start against the new ball to compile score his maiden T20I century from 65 balls in a match where he likely wouldn’t have played had Rachin Ravindra not suffered a series-ending facial injury in training yesterday.Despite Robinson’s best efforts – and Australia offering him five lives – the home side struggled to accelerate during the second half of their innings. An opening stand of 67 in 5.3 overs between Marsh and Travis Head broke the back of the chase inside the powerplay.Even with Australia missing Cameron Green, Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell, the outcome of the chase never felt in doubt after that start, although Marsh couldn’t quite see it home himself, falling 15 runs short of a century. It was only the second time a chasing side had won a T20I at the venue.Robinson’s brilliant rebuild, with a little helping handIt was a dire start for New Zealand after Marsh continued his preferred route of bowling first, despite ground data suggesting a bat-first venue. Marsh has never batted first when winning the toss in a T20I. Josh Hazlewood struck in the first over when Tim Seifert picked out mid-off then Devon Conway’s drive was beaten by Dwarshuis’ swing. Mark Chapman next tickled one down the leg side which Australia successfully reviewed.Initially it was Daryl Mitchell who counter-punched with a combination of the edge and middle of the bat. Robinson, in contrast, laboured to 10 off 14 balls before striking a flat six off Marcus Stoinis in the final over of the powerplay. A terrific strike over the off side against Xavier Bartlett followed and he skipped to a 31-ball fifty. The fourth-wicket stand with Mitchell was worth 92 in 55 deliveries.The first of Robinson’s reprieves came on 55 when Matt Short couldn’t hold a return catch above his head and he was spilled twice by Head (at short third and backward point) on 62 and 74. Between those moments, Alex Carey missed a stumping chance when Robinson was beaten by Adam Zampa. A fifth life followed on 76 when Tim David spilled a catch at long-on in what became a ragged display from Australia.With two balls of the innings remaining, Robinson had strike on 96 when he flicked Dwarshuis to fine leg then signed off with a six over the leg side.Tim Robinson celebrates his maiden T20I century•Getty ImagesZampa defies conditions as Australia squeezeDespite their early trouble, New Zealand had reached 93 for 3 at the 10-over mark. By then, Zampa had sent down two overs for 18, which was already a fightback after his first delivery, a long hop, had been launched for six by Robinson.The cold, windy conditions were fiendishly difficult for a legspinner, with the added challenge for Zampa that he has Raynaud’s syndrome which means he loses feeling in his fingers during colder weather (and even on some warmer days).But Zampa conceded just nine off his last two overs – the 13th and 15th of the innings – which was a key part in New Zealand struggling to find lift off. He twice should have dismissed Robinson wicket on those two overs. After the first-ball six, he conceded 21 off 23 deliveries.Overall, Bevon Jacobs’ struggle was particularly notable as he made 20 off 21 balls before being brilliantly run out by teamwork. Stoinis, running around the backward-square rope, flicked the ball between his legs to Head who then provided a bullet return to Carey. The partnership for the fifth-wicket was 64 off 47 balls, but with Robinson also losing some impetus it meant Australia never really lost control.Marsh muscles itNew Zealand’s bowlers – much like West Indies and South Africa of recent months – felt the force of Australia’s top order. Four of the powerplay overs went for double figures and when Head picked out midwicket against Henry it was barely a blip. After the powerplay, Australia had struck 12 fours compared to New Zealand’s 11 overall.There had been a few questions being asked of Marsh’s returns with the bat while most of his team-mates flayed away in the recent series, but he made a half-century in the final match against South Africa which he carried into the ODIs that followed. Now across the Tasman he put on a brutal display of his power.He had four fours and a huge straight six by the end of the third over, with his driving down the ground and over the off side particularly eye-catching. He brought up a 23-ball fifty with a second consecutive six off Zak Foulkes, then in the 11th over was able to send Matt Henry over the off side for six from the back foot.There was a chance of maiden T20I hundred, but he picked out cover. Short made an encouraging return with 29 off 18 balls until missing a full toss from Kyle Jamieson before David swiftly ended the game.

Glamorgan 261 and 95 for 2 (Carlson 43*, Anderson 2-20) vs Lancashire A career-best 6 for 19 by Mason Crane led a superb bowling effort from Glamorgan that has put the visitors firmly in the ascendancy after two days at Emirates Old Trafford.Having been bowled out for 261 in their first innings of this Rothesay County Championship division two promotion battle, second-placed Glamorgan hit back strongly to dismiss fourth-placed Lancashire for 137 before reaching the close on 95 for 2 in their second innings to lead by 219 runs.The day turned Glamorgan’s way during a dramatic afternoon session following the introduction of Crane into the attack. The leg spinner ran through the Lancashire middle and lower order after producing an outstanding 10.3 over spell from the James Anderson End that was chiefly responsible for the hosts losing their last seven wickets for 30 runs.Anderson, on his 43rd birthday, took two early wickets in one over when Glamorgan began their second innings but a steadying partnership of 71 between Sam Northeast and Kiran Carlson has the visitors well-placed to push home their strong advantage tomorrow.Following a delay of one hour due to rain, Lancashire took just eight deliveries to wrap up the Glamorgan first innings for the addition of one run to their overnight score of 260 for 8, Tom Bailey trapping Crane lbw for 9 and Anderson having Ned Leonard caught behind for 4.In testing, seaming conditions Asitha Fernando had early reward trapping Luke Wells lbw for 2 and it took some determined and, at times, dogged batting from Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon in a partnership of 45 to prevent further damage to the Lancashire reply.It took a superb one-handed catch by Asa Tribe at bat-pad to dismiss Jennings for 28 off spinner Ben Kellaway shortly before lunch and Glamorgan made further inroads soon after the break, Fernando rewarded for a fine spell when having Bohannon lbw for 32.The introduction of Crane into the attack transformed the afternoon as the leg spinner produced a devastating burst of 5 for 12 in 41 balls on a wicket that has taken spin from the start to put the visitors firmly in charge.If the first of the five was a touch fortunate, Marcus Harris hitting a full toss to Kellaway at mid-on for 30, the rest were a result of some excellent leg spin that the Lancashire batters failed to master.Phil Salt edged behind for 8, Matty Hurst (21) top-edged a sweep that deflected off wicketkeeper Chris Cooke to Colin Ingram at slip, Chris Green drove a catch back to the bowler for 2 while Tom Hartley was lbw three balls later.That left Lancashire reeling on 132 for 8 by the tea interval and Glamorgan wrapped up the innings five overs after the break when Fernando gained a third lbw verdict against Bailey and Crane took his sixth after George Balderson chipped to Kiran Carlson at midwicket.Leading by 119 runs, Glamorgan lost Zain ul Hassan bowled for 12 shouldering arms to Anderson who then took a smart, tumbling catch off his own bowling five balls later to dismiss Tribe for 11.Northeast (26 not out) and Carlson (43 not out) steadied matters with their unbroken partnership during the final hour of the day to leave Glamorgan in a strong position going into day three.

It was his second six-wicket haul in successive Championship games

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Jack Leach’s six-for set Somerset up for a two-day victory•Getty Images

Somerset 250 (Lammonby 89, Drissell 5-59) and 89 for 5 (Banton 33*, Parkinson 4-39) beat Durham 145 (Raine 42, Overton 6-23) and 190 (Gay 42, Leach 6-63, Vaughan 4-85) by five wicketsJack Leach returned figures of 6 for 63 as Somerset wrapped up a five-wicket Rothesay County Championship Division One win over Durham inside two days at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.From an overnight 5 for 2 in their second innings, trailing by 100 runs, the visitors were bowled out for 190, left-arm spinner Leach claiming his second six-for in successive Championship games and off-spinner Archie Vaughan taking 4 for 85. Emilio Gay top-scored with 42, while Ben Raine contributed 36.That left Somerset needing just 86 to win, a target they achieved in 19.2 overs, not without alarm, at just before 4pm, Tom Banton ending unbeaten on 33 and Callum Parkinson taking 4 for 39. They took 20 points from the game to Durham’s three.Despite the turning pitch, Somerset elected to start the day with seam at both ends, skipper Lewis Gregory operating from the River End in tandem with Craig Overton.Gay and Neil Wagner were rarely troubled and had added 26 to the overnight score by the time Vaughan was introduced from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End.His first over went for 16, Gay striking fou fours and clearly intent on carrying the game to Somerset’s slow bowlers. Leach’s first over from the other end saw Wagner hit a six over long-off to bring up a half-century stand from just 57 balls.Gay struck a straight six off Vaughan and followed up next ball with a swept four as Durham’s total reached 76, just 29 runs behind, before Somerset made a much-needed breakthrough.Wagner had played well, facing 49 balls, before attempting to sweep a full delivery from Vaughan and falling lbw. It signalled a collapse as Gay quickly followed, caught by Overton, diving forward at short mid-wicket off Leach.Colin Ackermann bagged a pair when playing Leach in the air to mid-off where Banton took a similar catch to Overton’s, throwing himself forward. It was 92 for 6 when David Bedingham fell lbw to a Leach delivery that straightened from around the wicket.Durham were still 13 runs from avoiding an innings defeat. Ollie Robinson and Graham Clark ensured that indignity was avoided with a partnership of 40 before Robinson aimed a big drive at Vaughan and was bowled for 28.Vaughan almost struck again with his next delivery, Raine driving it back and the bowler just failing to hold a low catch diving full length to his right. The lunch score was 152 for 7, 147 runs having been scored in the session off 40 overs.Clark was unbeaten on 24 and Durham led by 47. Leach had figures of 4 for 50 from 17 overs and that became a five-for with 14 runs added when Clark’s 89-ball innings of 32 ended with an edged forward defensive shot to wicketkeeper James Rew.Leach struck again when George Drissell was caught and bowled off a leading edge. That left Raine with little option but to go on the attack and he cleared the ropes twice in a Vaughan over.Vaughan claimed revenge in his next over as Raine holed out to long-off and, with 46 overs remaining, a two-day finish was guaranteed. Not surprisingly, Durham gave the new ball to left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson, whose second delivery was deposited over midwicket for six by Tom Kohler-Cadmore.Drissell was greeted by a Josh Davey boundary to wide long-on as Somerset went for a quick kill. That plan suffered a setback when Davey fell leg-before to Parkinson, aiming to sweep, with the total on 13.It was 16 for 2 when Kohler-Cadmore edged Parkinson to second slip. Rew, on a pair, reverse swept his first ball for four and, on five, narrowly escaped a catch to second slip off Drissell.Tom Lammonby eased any tension with two fours off Drissell full-tosses, but was then bowled through the gate by Parkinson for 22 with Somerset halfway to their target. Rew quickly followed, caught at short mid-wicket to give Parkinson a fourth wicket.Tom Abell was bowled by Drissell on the back foot with 24 needed. But Banton used the sweep and reverse-sweep to good effect to see Somerset home.

Mohamed Salah has been left out of Liverpool's starting line-up to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, as Arne Slot has taken action following the Premier League defeat at home to Manchester United last Sunday. Hugo Ekitike has replaced the Egyptian winger in the Reds' XI after starting on the bench against the Red Devils.

Salah dropped amid poor form

Salah has finally been dropped from the Liverpool team after a series of poor performances in the 2025-26 campaign. Since the start of the new season, the Egyptian goal-machine has scored only three goals across all competitions and provided as many assists. The loss against United at Anfield after nine years last Sunday was the final straw for Slot, who took the tough call of starting Salah on the bench in the crucial Champions League fixture against Frankfurt.

Ekitike returned to the line-up, replacing Salah in the attack, while another underperforming star Florian Wirtz also made it into the team. Defenders Jeremie Frimpong and Andy Robertson have also been drafted into the 11 in Germany

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCarragher wanted Salah to be dropped after United defeat

After going seven games in the English top flight without registering a non-penalty goal – his longest barren run in that department since joining Liverpool in 2017 – Reds legend Jamie Carragher had urged Slot to drop Salah from his starting line-up.

Following the loss at Anfield at the weekend, Carragher said on : “I think we're at that stage now where Mo Salah shouldn't be a guaranteed starter every week. I do think this is a real conundrum for the manager going forward."

The former defender then said on the : "I don't think Salah should be like a Virgil van Dijk where it's like 'first name on the team sheet'. Liverpool have got two away games – in the Champions League at Frankfurt and then they go to Brentford. I don't think Salah should start both of those games. He should always start at Anfield because Liverpool will be on top, around the edge of the box and more often than not he scores in those situations today.

"But I do think in the away games and helping your full-back, I don't think Salah should be starting every game right now, certainly away from home, with the form he's in. Would he be OK with that? Probably not. But when you get to a certain age you have to understand that, especially when you're not playing well, where's your argument? It's different if you're banging in the goals and your manager makes a tactical decision and you're frustrated. I don't think Mo Salah's in any position to complain if he was left out of one of the next two away games."

Slot isn't bothered about slump in form

After winning their first seven matches across all competitions, the reigning English champions have experienced a sudden slump in form as they have now lost four successive matches, including three in the Premier League. However, despite the poor run, Slot isn't too worried, as he insisted to "It should not matter if we win or lose a game of football for the next one. The aim is if you play for Liverpool if you wear this shirt, the aim is to win every single game. So if we win seven in a row, how we started this season, then we want to win the next three. And we didn’t, now we’ve lost the last four, so now of course we want to see Liverpool winning again. But like I said, that is not different than when you’ve lost four in a row or won four in a row."

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Getty ImagesWirtz under the scanner

After failing to make the Reds' starting line-up in their last two Premier League outings against Chelsea and United, Wirtz has finally made a comeback. The German midfielder has made a slow start to his journey in the Premier League, having just one assist across all competitions. The former Bayer Leverkusen star will be eager to start delivering for the English champions, starting with the Champions League fixture against an opposition from the Bundesliga. 

A “natural winner” could be in line to become the next Leeds United manager amid “reservations” over Daniel Farke, it has been claimed.

Farke and Leeds off to a solid start in the Premier League

There were suggestions that Leeds were looking to replace Farke in the summer, despite the German reaching the 100-point mark in the Championship last season, given that he hasn’t exactly been successful in the Premier League previously.

Both times the 48-year-old led Norwich City to promotion, his side ended up finishing 20th in the top flight, which doesn’t bode well for the Whites, but they have made a solid start to the campaign, picking up four points from their opening three games.

As such, the former Norwich boss appears to be safe for the time being, but there are still some doubts over whether he is capable of leading Leeds to safety, according to reporter Alex Crook.

Farke could make move for "relentless" £20m+ CF who's "perfect for Leeds"

The Whites launching a move for a striker is “one to keep an eye on”, with Daniel Farke personally keen.

By
Dominic Lund

Sep 10, 2025

Speaking on talkSPORT, Crook suggested that Jose Mourinho could be in line for a sensational return to the Premier League, having recently been sacked by Fenerbahçe, which could open the door for a move to West Ham United or Elland Road. Crook said:

"Natural winner" Mourinho may be past his best

Having been sacked by Fenerbahçe after failing to win a trophy, journalist Henry Winter has now suggested the Portgueuse manager’s best days may now be behind him, with his style-of-play behind the times.

The 62-year-old has been lauded as a “natural winner” by journalist Josh Bunting in the past, which is underlined by the fact he has enjoyed a remarkably successful career, winning three Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues.

However, despite once being known as ‘The Special One’, the former Chelsea boss has been on the decline for some time, failing to win a trophy during his time with Tottenham Hotspur, before also being sacked by AS Roma.

As such, it may be wise for Leeds to avoid making a move, particularly considering there is no reason to part ways with Farke at the moment.

That is despite the fact Lee Sharpe believes Mourinho could be a perfect fit at Elland Road, saying: “Jose Mourinho at Leeds United would be absolutely classic because Leeds is a little bit of a rebel team when it comes to how they do things and Mourinho would love that.

“The fans would get onboard with him, and he would have an unbelievable relationship with the fans and would be a great club for him. It would be fantastic.”

Victoria allrounder Flintoff is uncapped at international level but has regularly featured for Australia A

Andrew McGlashan16-Apr-2025

Tess Flintoff has joined Australia’s contract list•Getty Images

Georgia Voll and allrounder Tess Flintoff have been awarded their first Cricket Australia central contracts but the chances of Jess Jonassen making a comeback have receded further after she was omitted from the 18-player list.Voll’s deal was largely a formality after a breakout season where she debuted across all three formats and scored a maiden ODI century against India followed by a brace of T20I half-centuries against New Zealand, stepping into the shoes of the injured Alyssa Healy at the top of the order.Flintoff, though, remains uncapped at international level although was called up for 2023 tour of Ireland has long been marked as a player for the future and has featured for Australia A including in the recent series against England A where she claimed five wickets in the four-day game.However, her elevation comes after a 2024-25 season where she had a poor WBBL for Melbourne Stars with 59 runs in seven innings and just three wickets. Her batting returns in the WNCL for Victoria were much stronger with 330 runs at 33.00 although her eight wickets came at 59.25.Back in 2022, as a 19-year-old, Flintoff struck the fastest WBBL half-century from just 16 balls against Adelaide Strikers.”Tess is an exciting young player who we can see having a long future in the green and gold,” national selector Shawn Flegler said. “Having overcome injury we’re looking forward to seeing her fit and firing throughout summer which adds further depth to our pace-bowling stocks.”Georgia has made a sensational start to her international career, showing her immense talent from the onset and playing a pivotal role for the team in the absence of Alyssa Healy at the top of the order.Georgia Voll has made an impressive start to her international career•Getty Images

“Her ability to adapt to the various formats has been impressive and will come into play with an ODI World Cup later this year and a multi-format series against India in the new year.”Meanwhile, left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Jonassen has not played for Australia since December 2023 although has remained a consistent performer in domestic cricket and T20 leagues, most recently in the WPL for Delhi Capitals.Alana King, Georgia Wareham and Sophie Molineux, the latter who missed the Ashes and New Zealand tour with a knee injury, are now ahead of her in the spin-bowling pecking order.”While Jess Jonassen has not been included on this year’s list, we’re always keeping an eye on players outside of the squad and she is no exception,” Flegler said.Fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck retains her place on the list as she continues her recovery from the shoulder injury she suffered early in last year’s T20 World Cup.Players not awarded contracts as part of the initial squad of 18 can earn upgrades throughout the year by accruing 12 upgrade points. Players receive five points for a Test match, two for an ODI and two for a T20I.Australia do not play again until an away series against India ahead of the ODI World Cup which is expected to start in late September. The home season features a multiformat series against India which will be followed by a tour of West Indies in late March and April which will also feature a Test match.Australia Women contracts list 2025-26Darcie Brown, Tess Flintoff, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

India Women will play a day-night Test against Australia at the WACA in Perth next March in what is expected to be the first international at the fully redeveloped venue.The Test, from March 6 to 9, forms part of a tour that also includes three T20Is and three ODIs which begins in mid-February following the WPL. India previously played a day-night Test on the Gold Coast in 2021. The MCG, which hosted the Ashes Test this season, was not an option due to work that is due to be taking place at the ground.Related

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The WACA hosted a Test against South Africa in February 2024, which was a day game, where Australia won by innings and 284 runs with Annabel Sutherland making a double century. The ground has been undergoing extensive building work in recent seasons which is hoped to be completed by next year’s Test.With the WPL moving to a new window in January, Cricket Australia has been forced to adjust when they play their major women’s series which means it now falls outside of the school holiday period although the schedule has been worked to have as many games as possible around weekends.T20Is will again be hosted at major venues with the SCG staging the first game (February 15), Canberra the second (February 19) and Adelaide Oval the third (February 21). The third ODI at Junction Oval in Melbourne on March 1 is planned to be the first day-night international at the venue which is due to have lights installed over the winter although there is currently opposition from local residents to plans.When the India tour starts it will have been more than a year since Australia played at home following this season’s Ashes.The ODI World Cup, which will be staged in India from late September, means there are no early-season internationals. Australia and India are set to meet in a one-day series in India ahead of that tournament.The World Cup, which could finish on November 2, will also have a knock-on effect to the WBBL, the dates for which will be announced later in the year, with that competition starting later than usual and running into early December, very close to the start of the BBL.India A are also due to tour Australia for a second consecutive season, before the senior side, with those fixtures to be confirmed at a later date.

Australia Women 2025-26 home schedule vs India

February 15: 1st T20I, SCG (N)
February 19: 2nd T20I, Canberra (N)
February 21: 3rd T20I, Adelaide (N)
February 24: 1st ODI, Allan Border Field (D/N)
February 27: 2nd ODI, Hobart, (D/N)
March 1: 3rd ODI, Junction Oval, (D/N)
March 6-9: Test match, WACA, (D/N)