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ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2018

He’s often asked more questions about his father, the former All Black John Mitchell, than about himself, but that is all set to change for New Zealand’s newbie allrounder

Deivarayan Muthu05-Feb-2019Ever wondered how cool it would be to rub shoulders with the All Blacks as well as the Black Caps? Ask New Zealand newbie Daryl Mitchell, the son of former All Black John Mitchell, who later coached the rugby side as well. On his first day of training with the New Zealand cricket team Daryl gushed: “It’s pretty cool; something you dream of as a little kid. It’s like a kid opening up your package on Christmas and getting into it. Stoked.”Watch India v NZ live

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It must have been equally cool getting to watch the All Blacks train with his father while growing up. Mitchell senior is now with England as their defensive coach, and his son was up early in Hamilton on Sunday to watch England topple pre-tournament favourites Ireland in the Six Nations Championship. Now, with Kane Williamson hinting that New Zealand will use the three-match T20I series against India to test their bench strength, Daryl, who had a stellar season in the Super Smash T20 tournament, is on the brink of an international debut.”I woke up and watched England get up for the win,” Daryl says. “Dad was pretty happy with that performance I’d say. I messaged him, he’s excited for me to get this opportunity, and I’m happy for him. Hopefully, they win the Six Nations and put a smile on his face. “So who is Daryl supporting at the Rugby World Cup – England or the All Blacks?”That’s a tough one. If England make the final against the All Blacks, but the All Blacks beat them, maybe. Let’s go with that.”After breaking into New Zealand’s squad, Daryl has had to deal with more questions about his high-profile father than about himself. While he concedes that spending time with the All Blacks has helped him become the professional he is now, he downplays the spotlight on him and his father.”He’s always just been my dad, he’s gone to work just like every other dad does,” Daryl says.”It just happened that he went to rugby training instead of to an office or something.”It was cool growing up, I got to watch the All Blacks and the Chiefs train and be around professional sport which probably helped me create who I am and how I go about things today. At the end of the day he’s just my dad and he’s still a pain in the ass sometimes and it’s pretty normal for me anyway.”Daryl Mitchell makes a valiant attempt to stop a boundary•BCCIIn addition to being well-equipped to deal with pressure, Daryl can bank on his excellent form, especially with the bat, in the Super Smash. In the absence of several New Zealand players and allrounder Anton Devcich, who is playing for the Sydney Thunder across the Tasman Sea, Daryl led the way for table-toppers Northern Knights. He is currently the second-highest run-getter in the competition with 318 runs in nine innings at a strike-rate of 140.08. But the most telling stat is that nobody has struck more sixes this season than his 19.Daryl is among the cleanest strikers in New Zealand domestic cricket and is particularly strong hitting in the V. He also has an Australian connection, having honed his skills at Scarborough Cricket Club in Western Australia. When he was 14, Daryl moved to Perth for about six years as his father secured a deal with Western Force.He then returned to Hamilton and made his debut for Northern Districts in 2011-12. Having started his career as batsman, he has developed into an allrounder who can pitch in with handy medium-pace. In this season’s Super Smash, after Chris Jordan joined Devcich at the Thunder, Daryl was the Knights’ go-to death bowler alongside their South African recruit Kyle Abbott. He impressed with his wide yorkers and cutters, and reckons he’s ready to do the job for New Zealand as well.”My role doesn’t change a lot with what I’m doing with ND at the moment,” Mitchell says. “I’m happy to do a job with the ball if Kane needs me. Obviously, batting is my main priority. If Kane throws me the ball, I’ll do whatever job that needs to be done.”Daryl’s also a fantastic fielder to boot. Remember his tag-team effort at the edge of the boundary with Tim Southee to dismiss Asif Raza in the Champions League T20 in 2014? It even made ESPN’s Sportcenter’s top 10 plays of the day.When Mitchell Santner was playing county cricket in 2016, he joked to Daryl, his Northern Districts team-mate, that his captain at Worcestershire, the English Daryl Mitchell, was the better Daryl Mitchell. He might revise that opinion, though, when the other one makes his international debut.

A match riddled with political tension off the field was eventually won by a player who wasn’t going to be there when the Afghanistan captain’s gamble failed

Sidharth Monga at Headingley30-Jun-2019Wahab Riaz should be on a vacation. He wasn’t picked in Pakistan’s original 30. He wasn’t in the World Cup training camp. He wasn’t even in the XV originally named for this World Cup. Somebody in the camp told him to not book his holiday because you never know with Pakistan cricket. This is a mix of foresight and defeatism that makes Pakistan cricket. Anything can happen anytime; no player or no situation can be ruled out.Sometimes Wahab must wish he was on vacation. It is Taunton. Pakistan are wasting ideal new-ball conditions, but Wahab comes on and immediately draws an edge. Aaron Finch is dropped at slip. He comes back later to have David Warner edging to third man, and he is dropped, too.Wahab comes to field at long-on for the next over. He is received by a crowd that tries to tell him through an applause that they understand. Nobody can really. Sometimes fast bowlers don’t even know where they are between overs. They field on auto-pilot. This Wahab is angry. His heart-rate is up. He has had a catch dropped. Consolation won’t work. He has seen this movie before, at the last World Cup. Someone from the crowd gives him an elderly-sounding advice, “” [Don’t let this get you down]. Nothing has registered on Wahab, who keeps following the routine of moving with the shot, then stepping over the rope between balls and then stepping back in to field.How can he not let this get him down? At least four more catches are dropped off his bowling in the tournament, making it an average of one per game. His average after six games is 42.25 and economy rate 6.54. Even Mohammad Amir, for whom the wheel has turned this tournament, has dropped a catch off Wahab. That’s how union leaders must feel when one of their own sells out to the management.On the eve of their third must-win match in a row, Wahab has sustained a fracture at the base of the little finger on his right hand. He should not be playing, but the same foresight and pragmatism tells them they will make the decision at the ground. Before the morning warm-ups, he is asked if he can bear the pain. Wahab has a crazy decision to make: he wants to be brave but he also needs to be honest because you can’t be a liability at a crucial juncture.

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Wahab says he wants to have a bowl before he decides. After bowling a few deliveries, Wahab tells Sarfaraz Ahmed he can commit a 100% to bowling but can’t promise the same with his batting and fielding. Sarfaraz asks him again if he can bowl. Wahab says he can. Sarfaraz doesn’t think twice. He is in. Wahab feels twice the player. That his captain wants him in desperately.Still you know where this will end up if Pakistan fail.Related

Imad Wasim and Wahab Riaz's heroics keep Pakistan alive

'He's come a long way' – Hamid Hassan's still got it, and he isn't giving it away

Wahab Riaz dreamed he would be picked for the World Cup. And then he was

Hamid Hassan is now a commentator. He is helping the term [Pashto for ‘six’] go mainstream with his excitable commentary. This is February in India, and time for shpageezas is over. The Test match is upon us. Every lunch break, Hamid changes out of his suit into training gear, and goes and works with the Afghanistan trainer and physio. He has not played an ODI since July 2016.It is easy to assume Hamid is retired. Take a look at what all he has gone through in life since 2012. Part of an ensemble Associates and Affiliates XI facing the No. 1 Test side England back in 2012, Hamid bowled an unbroken 11-over spell to get the wickets of Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott. Soon he chased a ball in vain so hard he left himself no choice but to jump over the picket fence. His right foot sailed over, but his left got stuck and he landed knee first on the sightscreen’s rail grill. It was such an almighty fall that witnesses feared for his life.Hamid had to then undergo surgery, which took all the strength out of his heavy muscular legs. With no one to guide him, Hamid overworked himself too soon in a bid to come back, bringing about another surgery. Offers started to come his way to join the ACB, but he wanted to be back. He was done, everyone said. Hamid would watch Rocky and Rambo movies, and train like them. He was not yet ready to trade the headband and the face paint for a suit and a tie.On June 29, as Wahab is going through his dilemma on whether to play or not, Hamid has decided this will be his last ODI. Nobody outside of the team knows. It is only after the lunch break when Afghanistan come out to defend 227 that you get to know through that guard of honour for Hamid. One of the faces of Afghanistan cricket is going out without fanfare, but he wants to win them one last match. This is a turning track, and he knows on such tracks his side has the best limited-overs spin attack in the world. He needs to support them.”I was very very keen and very happy,” Hamid says. “I was playing my last ODI and was in very good mood. I bowled a very good first over with pace. I was ready to go…”

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Gulbadin Naib can read and write Urdu. He is still learning to write his own language Pashto. He was born in Pakistan. He was 11 when he realised he was an Afghan and not a Pakistani. When in India, he did interviews for written pieces in Urdu, and spoke passionately of an Afghan identity. He said he was thankful his children were growing up in Afghanistan, at home. When in front of the cameras at this World Cup, this last-minute captain of Afghanistan has not spoken Urdu at all. Except for one couplet, which we will come back to.Hamid Hasan appears to have pulled his left hamstring as Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam take a run•Getty ImagesThis tells you a lot about the geopolitics of the region. Afghans want an identity of their own. They learnt their cricket in Pakistan, but they didn’t go there out of free will. Pakistan played a big role in their being refugees. They acknowledge their past but they don’t want to be stuck with it. Current players respect that, but former ones in the media don’t. They proclaim Pakistan will “crush” Afghanistan.Back to the couplet. This one came out because Naib must not have found a translation in Pashto. He told Bangladesh, ” [We have already sunk, darlings, but we will drag you with us.]” Irony is, Bangladesh themselves fought against the imposition of Urdu (and Punjabi) when they sought freedom from Pakistan. Those lines were perhaps better reserved for those who understand Urdu.

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Imad Wasim can appear to be what is called a ‘burger’ in Pakistan. A rich kid with an accent, detached from the realities of the country, that’s a working definition of a ‘burger’. Imad was born in Wales, and was set for a career in medicine when called up for the Pakistan Under-19s. He does have an accent, and uses the word “mate” to address fellow brown people. Far from being spoilt, he is the kind of honest allrounder who has to consistently keep punching above his weight to stay in the side. He is a spinner who doesn’t turn the ball. He is not a lusty hitter. He is not the most athletically built. Yet he is important in the side but also dispensable. Failure in first match, and he is the one dropped.Now back in the side, Imad has taken two big wickets and is watching a crazy old match unfold at Headingley as Pakistan look to chase 228 to keep a crazy old logic-defying run going. They have lost to West Indies and India, but they have beaten tournament favourites England, got the better of South Africa and ended the unbeaten run of New Zealand to keep their campaign alive. Afghanistan should be easy then. How I laugh.Hamid walks through the guard of honour but doesn’t join his team-mates immediately. He is getting some attention from the physio before he takes the field. It is his lower back. Hamid charges in to bowl the second over of the innings. The first ball kicks off the surface; it is quick, but the extra bounce makes it look quicker. He is feeling it. He is feeling good. He is going all out. He needs to help his spinners out. In his second over, he does his hamstring.”Suddenly I don’t know what happened, second over my hamstring was totally like gone. I felt like something was broken inside my hamstring. It wasn’t my wish to go like this,” Hamid says after the match. He is limping. He has given it all. He is done. He can break down into tears any moment. He still has two small Afghan flags painted on his cheeks. Rambo at twilight.Imad Wasim won Pakistan the game from a seemingly hopeless situation•Getty ImagesSay what you will about Naib and his sudden rise to captaincy, but he is not the one to shirk responsibility. He is a bit like Imad, always having to justify his place in the side. He doesn’t have the technique to open the batting, but he is doing it. He is not the ideal death bowler, but he is doing it. He is fronting up to the press every time even as their campaign unravels with off-field drama outdoing the number of close defeats. As soon as he sees Hamid limp during his second over, Naib starts to loosen up. It is the three spinners, though, who keep doing their job. In Samiullah Shinwari, Naib finds a fourth musketeer.It is a chaotic match. The geopolitical nastiness has made it to the stands. Already people have been evicted, but the relative calm has been disturbed with Pakistan losing two quick wickets, both against the run of play, both rocks of this batting order: Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam. The only men who bring about any certainty or predictability to Pakistan are both gone.There has been a quote going around these days that is being attributed to Ricky Ponting. That Pakistan beat whomever they want, and they lose to whomever they want. It’s not Pakistan v the opposition, but Pakistan v Pakistan. It can’t be ascertained if Ponting indeed said it, but that is exactly what Pakistan have done through those two wickets.ALSO READ: The Afghan heroism of Gulbadin NaibAll bets are off now. Every dot is waking up the Afghanistan crowd. That familiar feeling is back in the Pakistan camp. Mohammad Hafeez resists the temptation to get out to a part-timer again before cutting the first ball back from Mujeeb Ur Rahman in air. Haris Sohail gets a superb ball from Rashid Khan who is as illegible right now as Farsi, Afghanistan’s other strong language. Sarfaraz Ahmed, who anchored a similar chase against Sri Lanka in the 2017 Champions Trophy, runs himself out.Suddenly Naib’s words have come back to haunt the side that understands Urdu: We have already sunk, darlings, but we will drag you with us. Afghanistan have had a shot against all Asian sides, but have heartbreakingly fallen short. Afghanistan are the heartbreak of this tournament. They are unravelling in front of our eyes, but we – hampered by language – can’t even ascertain what is happening. There is a lot of politics, that much can be said. For the sake of Rashid, of Nabi, of Mujeeb, of fighting batsmen Rahmat and Najib, for the sake of current and former captain Naib and Asghar, for the outgoing affable coach Phil Simmons, we want them to win at least one game. But do we want the win to come at the expense of the greatest story of this World Cup?This is as good a chance as any for Afghanistan, though. They are defending a total unlike other games, which is the ideal scenario for them. Except that Imad is playing the smart game out there. He doesn’t care if he has to play out four maidens from Rashid. He doesn’t care if he keeps patting Mujeeb’s carrom balls back to him. He knows Hamid is injured, and someone quicker or a lesser spinner has to bowl his quota. He wants Afghanistan to make that choice: is it a quicker bowler or part-timer Samiullah? How long can they delay that decision?Naib makes that decision in the 46th over with 46 still to get. Out of the five remaining overs, three are locked in for Rashid and Mujeeb. Naib and Samiullah are the options for the other two. Naib knows Samiullah has bowled well, but he also knows Pakistan are going to target him now. He has had the experience of bowling at the death in this tournament. It’s not ideal, but Naib brings himself on. In his mind, Naib is doing the brave thing again.Imad picks his spot first ball and helps along a low full toss – a yorker gone wrong – into the leg side for four. Naib learns his lesson, rolls his fingers over the next one, Imad miscues the attempted shot over extra cover, Asghar runs after it, this is going to be a catch. What redemption it is for Naib. He can flex his biceps again. Sweet win at last. Except Asghar over-runs it. Asghar has been running and diving after everything, he has been helping Naib out with decision-making, but he has over-run this catch. Who else but Naib and Asghar to be at the centre of this heartbreak?Wahab Riaz connects with the defining blow of the match•Getty ImagesLater in the over, an outside edge flies away for four. Naib stands in the middle of the pitch, hands on knees, unable to believe what is happening. Eighteen runs come off the over. Now Rashid and Mujeeb have only 27 to defend in the last four. In the change rooms, Hamid is struggling to keep his emotions in check. If only he could give them two more overs at this stage, he is thinking.Naib finds a way to get back into the game again. In the 47th, he swoops in on what looks like a certain two, catches Shadab Khan unawares with a smooth quick return by the stumps to run him out. Once again, Afghanistan believe. Once again, Pakistan wonder if their belief – yakeen, if you will – is actually true.This is when Wahab Riaz gets up. He slides his right hand, finger broken and swollen, into a glove. He looks skywards and tells god it is up to him to give him [honour] or [dishonour]. He grimaces every time he grips the bat hard and taps it down.Imad is perhaps still not picking Mujeeb but he has decided he is going to bat through the innings. Hardly any risk is taken as they know they have one more weaker over to go. With 16 off 11, though, Wahab finds one in his wheelhouse. Rashid has overpitched with this wrong’un. Wahab gets on a knee and has an almighty swing. Naib at deep midwicket knows he can’t get to it. There is this almighty release of emotions. Pakistan believe they have got it, Afghanistan know they have not. Rioting breaks out in stands again. Punches, rubbish, bottles, and even a rubbish bin are thrown at each other.A chaotic finish to a chaotic match. Pakistan still believe. Afghanistan hold back tears. There is for Pakistan, but by no means it is for Afghanistan. At the press conference, Imad and Naib talk about their emotions one after the other. Both have found humour. It is slightly insensitive but that’s what keeps them going. About the pitch invasion, Naib says the people love their players, their heroes. It is very difficult to locate these heroes. They want to touch them, hug them at the only place they can see them. Let them. Imad jokes about heart attacks. Days after bowling coach Azhar Mahmood did about suicides. They both ask the fans to co-exist, to watch like brothers.In the mixed media zone, Wahab and Hamid stand a few feet apart as they talk about their day. Both are talking about their pain. Wahab can look back fondly. Hamid has only regret. Wahab promises he will bear the pain and turn out against Bangladesh too. Hamid has no other ODI to look forward to, but he will get into Rambo mode and train for another year or so of T20s. He limps off into the team bus.Now, if you excuse me, I’m going to go home and have a heart attack.

The fascinating back stories of Riyan Parag, Mahipal Lomror and Prashant Chopra – and how they’re living the dream with the best in the game

Shashank Kishore in Jaipur22-Apr-2019Mahipal Lomror comes from Nagaur, a town in Rajasthan. The highway from Nagaur to Ajmer passes Kota, a town famous for its tutorial centres, where students come from all around to prepare for exams to gain entrance to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology. Most of the ones not academically inclined turn to music or farming. Cricket is an afterthought in Nagaur.There is just one proper multi-purpose ground in the town, mostly unused because there is no real culture of kids playing, a rarity in India. Watching the IPL on TV is mostly a no-no, because it eats into study time.Lomror, now 19, knew he wouldn’t make it big from there. He had to keep batting by himself because other kids wouldn’t turn up to play, fearing a parental scolding. At the ground, there was one cricket net, where Mukesh Prajapath was the coach. Prajapath felt the youngster had to shift base to Jaipur, and that’s where Lomror carved an identity for himself.In 2016, he was part of the Indian team that finished runners-up to West Indies at the Under-19 World Cup. In age-group cricket, he was the other half of a deadly combine with Rishabh Pant, who played for Rajasthan during his Under-14 and Under-16 days. Lomror and Pant were hailed as the ‘Jai and Viru’ (a reference to , the iconic Hindi film), and did most things together before they went their own ways – Lomror stayed on in Rajasthan, Pant shifted to Delhi.

You see these guys on TV, and suddenly they’re your mates. You’re awestruck. Last year, Jos came up to me and broke the ice. That’s when I became more confident. This season when Smudge (Steven Smith) arrived, we took the same cab to training.PRASHANT CHOPRA

As a 14-year-old, Lomror took the bowling apart in a club match against a Mumbai side to impress Chandrakant Pandit, the former India wicketkeeper and an old-school coach who is among the most successful in the country. Lomror was called ‘Junior Gayle’ at the time. Today, still in his teens, he captains Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy. He is also the only player from the state in the Rajasthan Royals’ roster at the moment.He trains with Ben Stokes, shares bowling videos with Shane Warne, and enjoys all the facilities he didn’t have when he started out. Yet, when he returns home to Nagaur, his mother’s first question is: “It’s good you’re on TV, but when will you get a stable job?””I’m a cricketer because of my grandmother,” he tells ESPNcricinfo. “As a 12-year-old, when my father and coach decided I had to move to Jaipur to pursue cricket, she moved with me and gave me emotional support. I owe this journey to her.”The chat with Jos Buttler that changed Prashant Chopra’s attitude
Prashant Chopra grew up in Solan, a town bordering Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. His father Shiv was a coach at the Sports Authority of India and the family lived in government housing, with all facilities at their disposal. His father’s job took him to New Delhi and Chandigarh, where he continued to train at better-than-average facilities.Prashant Chopra takes Jos Buttler for a spin•Rajasthan Royals”During MS Dhoni’s early years as captain, he trained often at Delhi’s National Stadium, where I spent most of my time. That inspired me,” Chopra says. At 18, he would return from Australia as an Under-19 World Cup winner (in 2012), where he’d formed a fearsome opening combination with Unmukt Chand. When he returned to his village, it took him half a day just to oblige the stream of well-wishers. He was primed for bigger things. They haven’t come yet.But, today, he is a hero in Himachal Pradesh first-class cricket. Only one batsman – BB Nimbalkar – has scored more runs in a day in Ranji Trophy history than Chopra’s 271. His itch to be a part of the IPL ended when Royals signed him in 2018. There, though, he has largely been in the reserves, but is soaking in every bit of time and opportunity he can get to learn from Jos Buttler. At 26, Chopra’s best years are ahead of him.”Last year, when I joined the camp, I was hesitant,” Chopra says. “You see these guys on TV, and suddenly they’re your mates. You’re awestruck. Last year, Jos came up to me and broke the ice. That’s when I became more confident. This season, when Smudge (Steven Smith) arrived, we took the same cab to training. I hadn’t met him before, but I spoke all along the way to the stadium. If you can get their time, you never know what you would get out of the interaction.”Golden words from those who have played at the highest level can’t be bad, the ideas they have are different, and that could help me further in my game.”Before that, for three years following the Under-19 World Cup win in 2012, Chopra expected an IPL call, but it didn’t come. In 2017, instead of “wasting time at home and watching IPL on TV” he decided to play 50-overs cricket in Bangladesh, in the Dhaka Premier League. It taught him to be responsible.”Bangladesh has a good limited-overs set up, a number of international players were there. I was a professional there, so that gives you a sense of responsibility,” he says. “Till then, I wasn’t that responsible. It didn’t come naturally to me at Himachal because we had Robin Bist and Paras Dogra. That experience of being responsible and carrying the batting in Bangladesh helped.”

There’s a vast difference between watching from the dugout and being in the middle. When I stepped out to bat, I was under a lot of pressure. A lot was at stake. Jos, Stokesy were all trying to calm me, but you feel pressure.RIYAN PARAG

The 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season wasn’t particularly impressive for Chopra. He managed just 343 runs in 12 innings. When he joined the Royals camp, he was a low on confidence. This was when an interaction with Buttler changed his outlook, the hour spent with the Englishman “easily the most memorable interaction” he’s had as a professional cricketer.”I asked him ‘what do you do when you’re down and out, but still have to bat?’ He said: ‘When you get into the field, give the impression that you own this place’. He also said for us Indians, cricket is a big thing, we’re emotional about it, but for the overseas players it’s just a profession. He said, ‘Cricket is just a game, when you’re home, you have a family waiting for you. Be relaxed, express yourself on the field.’ He said even if he didn’t play another game of cricket, he’d walk away happy without any regrets, because there’s much more to life.”That opened my mind, to just enjoy cricket and not take it as pressure. Sometimes people have so much expectations on you, you have expectations of yourself that you stop enjoying your life. This chat really helped me. Now, when I face a bowler, I only see the ball, not his reputation.”His father played against MS Dhoni, Riyan Parag is doing it now
For Riyan Parag, cricket was an obvious career choice. His mother, Mithoo, was a national swimming champion, but he chose to follow his father, Parag Das, who represented Assam and Railways during the course of a 15-year career. As a youngster – he is still only 17 – in Guwahati, he grew up on a generous diet of throwdowns at the end of his father’s training sessions.As a 14-year-old, he could have been the youngest first-class debutant in India, but for the Assam selectors, who weren’t on the same page as the state’s then coach Sanath Kumar. Now Parag, like Chopra, is an Under-19 World Cup winner, has broken into his state’s first-class set up, and is the third youngest to feature in the IPL.Many years ago, his father and Dhoni featured in Railways’ tournaments together in Kharagpur and Guwahati. They even finished top of the run-charts for their department in the Inter-Railways competitions in Nagpur in 2004, just before his India debut. They have also played against each other in the Ranji Trophy, when Dhoni turned up for Bihar several years ago. On Parag’s IPL debut, Dhoni was keeping wicket and captaining the opposition.Riyan Parag takes on Steven Smith – the baby of the team is also one of the biggest pranksters•ESPNcricinfo LtdOff the field, Parag jokes with Steven Smith, beats him at table tennis, banters with Ish Sodhi, and teaches Hindi words to Liam Livingstone. To him, Smith is a “buddy” and Stokes a “legend”. Both have plenty of time for him and quite like being around the team’s prankster, and youngest member. Fun and games aside, he’s even shared a match-winning partnership with Smith, who has been impressed by his talent.”He’s a terrific young kid,” Smith said of Riyan after their win over Mumbai Indians in Jaipur. “He works very hard, he’s a fit and strong young kid. The way he batted, even in the first game that he played, he taught a lot of the experienced players a few lessons, including myself.”For Riyan, it’s a learning curve, and that’s all that matters. “My only motto at the IPL is to enjoy the tournament, not feel intimidated, not be afraid of asking questions, develop bonds with my team-mates and keep learning every day,” he says. “So that when you’re back home, you reflect on these learnings and get better so that the next time you’re back, you’re a better person.””Bat like you’re playing cricket”
While they haven’t been regulars in the XI, Lomror, Chopra and Riyan have utilised the IPL experience to learn and polish their skills, both at cricket and at life. One of Chopra’s biggest learnings has been moving from being a reluctant speaker to an outgoing person.As Chopra explains his mental make-up, Lomror is listening intently. At one point, he wishes to step in, but holds back. When the talk drifts to ‘there’s life outside cricket’, he pipes in: “But it’s different for those who have given up everything for cricket, including living with family and moving away from their home town.”The rise of cricketers from small towns in India, none more famous than Dhoni, has been a remarkable, and much discussed, story. And the non-urban upbringing is evident in Lomror’s approach to the game.”When you have so many challenges at every step, you think differently,” Lomror says – he is responding to a question on playing with a constant threat of everything going pear-shaped in Rajasthan cricket. He has even had to put together camps, not just take part in them – including just five days before the start of the 2018-19 domestic season. He’s had to fight for nets, training balls, training gear, caps, water bottles, ice packs. The list goes on.At Royals, he’s keen to find out the human side of the superstars, how they prepare, how to put off-field worries on the backburner. “It’s good to ask them (the stars) what I can do to get into the XI,” he says. “They’ve been helpful. To be part of any IPL team is a privilege for a domestic player. With IPL, you always learn to work through failures and success.”This you can’t get playing for your state, because the experience of spending time with the overseas players doesn’t come just like that. I’m just treating it as a learning experience.”Riyan Parag hits into the leg side•BCCIAll along, Riyan has one eye on the pool contest between Smith and Shreyas Gopal, going on right behind where we sit. He is confident, and carries himself comfortably, like he is among his class-mates in school. In fact, in his first outing on IPL debut, those were Stokes’ instructions to him: “Bat like you’re playing gully cricket, and think you’re batting with you best buddy at the other end.”Yet, the maturity in his thoughts and actions shine through. Two days after joining the Royals camp, he spoke to the team management and returned home to write two of his Class XII board exams, before flying back to Mumbai. Most others in his place would have hesitated to put in the request.His parents had considered sending him to Leicester to play academy matches hosted by his father’s friend Anshuman Bhagawati, a former Assam player, and his wife Sonia Odedra, the former England women’s international. As it turned out, he was the last player picked up at this year’s auction. The Leicester plans had to change.”I was told my role is in the middle order, as a finisher,” Riyan says. “So I’m just working on batting deep, developing my skills and handling pressure. Everyone has skills but those who execute under pressure become a good player. I’m working on that with Amol Muzumdar sir (the batting coach).”There’s a vast difference between watching from the dugout and being in the middle. You don’t feel pressure when you’re watching from the outside. When I stepped out to bat, I was under a lot of pressure. A lot was at stake. Jos, Stokesy were all trying to calm me, but you feel pressure. Just handling pressure moments, taking it like a normal match. Facing Imran Tahir first ball was something else. But thanks to him for that full toss (laughs), I got my first boundary and I calmed down after that.”The mental demands of the game aside, Riyan has also found a calling in mystery spin. At the Under-19 World Cup, a finger injury in his left hand meant he couldn’t bat. He worked on his secondary skill and developed as an offspinner, until another art caught his fancy.”The World Cup injury was heartbreaking. I missed two weeks of the tournament, but Rahul (Dravid) sir had full faith in me and said I could play if I withstood the pain. My left hand was taped, but my right hand was fine, so I worked on my bowling then. Those little bowling contributions were handy at the Under-19 World Cup. I saw Mujeeb Ur Rahman bowl it at the tournament and he was all over the batsmen.”Then I started watching more and more videos, and kept practising in my room. I talk a lot to Ish Sodhi about legbreaks, wristspin. He’s such an experienced guy, and is very happy to give me tips. One thing my dad told me: ‘make yourself free, don’t hesitate to ask questions’. I’ve asked a lot of questions. A few more days, hopefully I can ask more questions.”

And was England’s 67 at Leeds their lowest total in an Ashes Test?

Steven Lynch27-Aug-2019I’m still trying to make sense of that last day at Headingley – and wondered how many teams have won a Test after being dismissed for less than 100 in their first innings? asked William Johnson from England
Following that amazing performance at the weekend, there have now been 16 all-out totals of under 100 that were still enough to win a Test (ignoring the declarations and forfeitures in the match between South Africa and England in Centurion in 1999-2000). England had warmed up by doing the same just a month previously, beating Ireland after being skittled for 85 on the first morning at Lord’s. Only three of these totals – all more than 130 years ago – were lower than England’s 67 at Headingley. In the first Test in Sydney in 1886-87, England won despite being shot out for 45 in the first innings (they made 184 in the second; Australia were out for 119 and 97). Australia won at Lord’s in 1888 despite being rolled for 60 in their first innings (a record 27 wickets tumbled on the second day), while at The Oval in 1882, in the match that spawned the Ashes, Australia won after being shot out for 63 in their second innings.Was England’s 67 at Leeds their lowest total in an Ashes Test? asked Ibrahim Kamara from Sierra Leone
England’s catastrophic collapse to 67 all out at Headingley last week was their lowest in an Ashes Test for 71 years – they were bundled out for 52 by Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller at The Oval in 1948, on the first day of Don Bradman’s final Test match.In all, England have had 11 smaller totals than last week’s 67. Seven of the others were against Australia, including their lowest of all – 45 in Sydney in 1886-87, in a match they went on to win by 13 runs.Joe Denly was the only Englishman to reach double figures at Leeds. Was this a record? asked Michael Horton from England
England have had five previous innings in which only one batsman reached double figures, the most recent being against West Indies in Kingston in 2008-09, when Andrew Flintoff (24) made nearly half a miserable total of 51. There has only been one completed Test innings which contained 11 single-figure scores: when South Africa were skittled for 30 by England at Edgbaston in 1924, the highest score was 7, by their captain Herbie Taylor.Denly’s effort did set one record, though: 12 is the lowest score to be the highest of a completed England innings. The previous lowest came during a total of 99 against Australia in Sydney in 1901-02, when both Willie Quaife and Gilbert Jessop made 15. That was equalled against South Africa at Lord’s in 1998, when Nasser Hussain also made 15 of England’s 110 – an innings which, remarkably, contained six double-figure scores.Joe Denly’s tortured 12 was the highest individual score – and the only double-digit one – in England’s first innings at Headingley•Getty ImagesWas Don Bradman the oldest to score a hundred in an Ashes Test? asked Ian Hugo from Nigeria
Don Bradman was about a month short of his 40th birthday when he scored his 19th and last Ashes century – an unbeaten 173 – as Australia reached 404 for 3 to winon the final day at Headingley in 1948.Seven players have scored Ashes hundreds when older than Bradman; all were over 40 except Graham Gooch, who was nine days short when he made 120 for England at Trent Bridge in 1993. The oldest of all was Jack Hobbs, who made five Ashes centuries when over 42, including 142 in Melbourne in 1928-29 when he was 46. The others were Patsy Hendren (aged 45 in 1934), Warren Bardsley (43 in 1926), Warwick Armstrong (three in 1920-21, when 41), Geoff Boycott (40 in 1981) and Charles Macartney (three in 1926, aged 40).Bradman was only 20 when he made his first Test century, 112 against England in Melbourne in 1928-29. Only four others have reached three figures in the Ashes at a younger age: Archie Jackson (19, also in 1928-29), Neil Harvey (19 in 1948), Doug Walters (19 in 1965-66, and another a fortnight later after turning 20), and Denis Compton (20 in 1938).Australia had seven left-handed batsman at Headingley. Was this a record? asked T Krishna Reddy from India
Australia’s seven left-handers in last week’s third Test at Headingley equalled the national record: they also fielded seven against Sri Lanka in Sydney in 2012-13 (David Warner, Ed Cowan, Phillip Hughes, Mike Hussey, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc), and in three successive Tests in 2016-17 – Warner, Wade, Starc, Usman Khawaja, Matt Renshaw, Nic Maddinson and Josh Hazlewood against South Africa in Adelaide, then against Pakistan in Brisbane and in Melbourne.The overall record is eight left-handers in the same Test side, which was achieved by West Indies in two Tests during 2000 – against Pakistan in Georgetown in May, and against England at The Oval in August – and by England against Australia in Sydney in 2013-14.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

First win in six attempts is vindication for new regime, but that’s not the whole story for South Africa

Firdose Moonda in Centurion29-Dec-2019It’s too easy to say that this is what happens when you get successful former players involved. It’s too easy to say that this performance was engineered by Graeme Smith, Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis, too easy to believe that the stardust from the greats sprinkled over the next generation and produced self-belief, and too easy to put the five defeats that preceded this win down to a coaching staff was that was disconnected with its job, either because they were facing ultimatums like Ottis Gibson or facing the impossible like Enoch Nkwe. But there was nothing easy about this win.It came after minimal, but intense, preparation. With two debutants in the side. Under pressure from sections of the country who believed the new regime represented only a small elite. Against the backdrop of an administration in chaos and debt. It came from a herd of wounded buffaloes, some more badly injured than others. All still desperately proud. And it came to the sounds of Shosholoza – the anthem sung by the mine-workers from Zimbabwe which has become the sound of both struggle and success – a fitting combination since that is what South Africa have been through.2019 has been an annus horribilis for South African cricket, on the field and off it. The problems seemed to be bottomless until two weeks ago, when a structural overhaul promised a new dawn. Of course, that was immediately followed by fears it would be false, especially when Dean Elgar was strangled down the leg side with the first ball of the home summer.At 111 for 5, the line-up hinted that the more things change, the more they stay the same but then the lower-order rallied. A first-innings lead and a target over 350 at a venue where 251 is the highest successful chase took South Africa to the brink of safety but it was the way they bowled on a tense final day was the strongest suggestion that the team is turning. South Africa need to spend the rest of the series aiming for the full circle.It will start with selection. At SuperSport Park, South Africa got their balance right with two allrounders, which gave them five frontline bowlers and eight batsmen. The second allrounder, Dwaine Pretorius played a key role in the victory. He featured in an 87-run sixth-wicket stand with Quinton de Kock in the first innings which ensured South Africa reached a par score and then set the tone for the victory push on the final morning by ensuring South Africa kept the pressure on an England team whose memories of Headingley and miracles are still fresh.Anrich Nortje roars in celebration after dismissing Jofra Archer•Associated PressIn the morning session, South Africa conceded at a rate of two runs an over, and took two wickets thanks to Pretorius and his partner Anrich Nortje, who were instrumental in tightening the cord. Pretorius was the unlikely aggressor and used the short ball to good effect, with some help from a surface on which the bounce has become more inconsistent and unpredictable. He hit Joe Denly on the glove with a ball that kicked up, then rapped him on the front pad with a ball that was pitched up and clipping leg stump for umpire’s call. When Ben Stokes arrived, Pretorius kept him quiet with a fuller length, bowling on fourth and fifth stump and forced Stokes to defend.On the other end, Nortje turned the heat up, especially against the England captain. He struck Joe Root, first on the bottom hand with a ball that spat up, and then on the top wrist, where there is less protection. Nortje’s pace hovered around the 145kph mark consistently – and once touched 148kph – while maintaining a tight line. Between them, their 10 overs cost 23 runs. It was the “investment session” South Africa needed and it brought the afternoon’s rewards in which seven wickets fell for 64 runs, including six for 46 in 12 overs with the new ball. While Kagiso Rabada was the man with the most wickets, the supporting roles of Nortje and Pretorius cannot be underestimated. The match was won by a collective that was made up of the right kinds of players.While team composition can be credited with some aspects of this victory, attitude was responsible for the rest of it and will be crucial to the way South Africa approach the rest of the series. The ability to go for the kill was thought to have been eroded from South Africa’s cricketing DNA.After they lost a series to Sri Lanka at home and were whitewashed in India, it was difficult to see any fight in the side. They had, by Faf du Plessis own admission, lost confidence and belief. They were going through the motions, hoping, but not really knowing how they would land on their feet. And they didn’t.ALSO READ: South Africa end Test drought with 107-run winAt home, Kusal Perera played one of the two best innings of the year to make history; in India, du Plessis lost all the tosses and his batsmen were victims to India’s seamers long before the spinners had a say. South Africa were sitting ducks, allowing cricket to be played around them. There was little in the way of initiative or imagination.That changed today. Keshav Maharaj was kept on against Ben Stokes despite being hit for three fours off the second over of his spell. In his third over, Stokes played on and South Africa had broken through. That moment changed the game, and South Africa knew it. Stokes played the second of those two innings of 2019, with his match-winning century at Headingley. It was eerily aligned that then, he walked out to bat with 218 needed. Today, the situation was the same. South Africa were first-hand witnesses to Perera, they did not want to have to be on the receiving end of another effort like that.With Maharaj opening the door, the quicks burst through and the smallest crowd of the four days, only 4,844 people attended, started to celebrate something they have waited most of the year for: a Test-match win. They drowned out the travelling supporters, whose cries of “Rooooooooot” were the most audible through the day and reminded the English that, while they have the Barmy Army and Jerusalem, South Africa’s own promised land is here, at SuperSport Park.They have not lost at the ground in more than five years, since February 2014, and have lost just two Tests in 25 at this venue all told. There was nowhere else for them to take the first steps into their new era. Difficult steps. They’ll hope it gets easier from here.

Liverpool are on their way to becoming Premier League champions and could soon have more positive news to share with their supporters as they hold an advantage in the race for an exciting midfielder, per reports.

Liverpool gear up for summer window after Salah announcement

Liverpool fans were treated to the news on Friday that Mohamed Salah has signed a new two-year extension at Anfield following months of speculation over his future.

The Egypt international has become an iconic figure among supporters and a talisman under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot, who will now hope to convince Virgil Van Dijk that he should follow his counterpart’s path.

In essence, rectifying internal issues is the first step towards squad planning for next season. Looking towards the market, Liverpool are reportedly in pole position to sign Nicolo Barella from Inter Milan for a fee in the region of £87 million.

Defensively, Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo is on the Reds’ wishlist as Slot aims to bolster his side to fight on all fronts. With the Premier League title on the way, showing ambition in pursuing premium stars will be the main priority once the off-season comes around.

Liam Delap is another player that Liverpool want to sign as Ipswich Town veer closer to relegation. Nevertheless, Chelsea are also pursuing a deal that could amount to £30 million.

Scouts wowed: Liverpool now stepping up push to sign 14-goal Feyenoord star

He could replace Luis Diaz.

ByTom Cunningham Apr 10, 2025

Undoubtedly, competition is set to be fierce this summer among the Premier League elite. Manchester City, Arsenal and others will want to rebuild to provide a sustained title charge, so Slot and FSG will have their work cut out in pushing agreements over the line.

Having said that, Liverpool may have a key advantage over Pep Guardiola’s men as both sides fight tooth and nail to sign one of Europe’s brightest midfielders.

Liverpool confident of winning Xavi Simons race

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool feel they can beat Manchester City to sign RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons due to the strong Dutch contingent they already have present at Anfield.

Slot, Van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch are part of the Reds’ fabric, which they feel can entice the Netherlands international to opt for Merseyside over other destinations.

Xavi Simons’ key Bundesliga statistics in 2024/25

Goals

7

Assists

5

Chances created

42

Touches in opposition box

67

Completed dribbles

25

Duels won

107

Valued at just over £60 million, Simons could potentially come in as a replacement for Luis Diaz, while Manchester City are eyeing the 21-year-old as a long-term successor to Kevin De Bruyne.

Labelled “amazing” by ex-teammate Dani Olmo, the Amsterdam-born man has registered eight goals and six assists across all competitions, featuring either in attacking midfield or off the left flank.

Now, the onus is on Liverpool to push a deal over the line. Fresh blood is needed to maintain the hunger for silverware in years to come, and Simons would be a statement signing to bolster the ranks.

While there remains a slither of hope that this season ends in Europa League triumph for Tottenham Hotspur, there is no escaping from the fact that, at least domestically, it’s been diabolical.

Ange Postecologu’s side have lost 19 games in the Premier League, and it feels like a certainty that they’ll finish the season with 20 to their name.

However, for all the doom and gloom – of which there is plenty – there remains a reason to be hopeful about the club’s future: their youngsters.

The likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Mikey Moore look like superstars in the making, and if recent reports are to be believed, the club are looking to add another name to that list, someone who’d be a massive upgrade on Brennan Johnson, and has been tipped for Ballon d’Or glory.

Tottenham's transfer targets

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other youngsters who’ve been linked with Spurs in recent weeks, such as Dean Huijsen.

Transfer Focus

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

The Spanish international reportedly has a release clause worth £50m in his current Bournemouth deal, and while that is a lot to spend on a youngster, it could well be worth it, as he’s already made 32 appearances for the Cherries this term.

Another youngster from the South Coast who has been heavily linked with the Lilywhites this year is Tyler Dibling.

The Southampton star has racked up a reasonable tally of four goals and three assists in 35 games so far this season and will be available for reportedly £35m.

Finally, the most exciting player, and the one who’d be a significant upgrade on Johnson, is Rayan Cherki.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Spurs and Manchester United are now leading the race to sign the highly-rated Lyon youngster.

The report claims that the 21-year-old could be available for around €35m, which comes out to £30m.

It might be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Cherki’s immense ability and potential, it’s worth fighting tooth and nail for, especially as he’d be a big upgrade on Johnson.

How Cherki compares to Johnson

So, as Cherki’s primary position is off the right, his main competition for game time at Spurs would be Johnson, but who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, when it comes down to their raw output, it’s the Frenchman who comes out on top, and by quite some way at that.

For example, in just 41 appearances, totalling 2894 minutes, he’s scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.32 games, or every 93.35 minutes.

In contrast, the Welshman has scored 16 goals and provided seven assists in 46 appearances, totalling 2987 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every other game, or every 129.86 minutes.

Unfortunately for the former Nottingham Forest ace, the comparison remains just as one-sided when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.71

0.52

Non-Penalty G+As

0.88

0.60

Progressive Passes

9.31

3.03

Progressive Carries

4.17

2.47

Key Passes

3.33

0.82

Passes into the Final Third

4.46

1.08

Passes into the Penalty Area

3.33

1.52

Live Passes

52.7

26.2

Shot-Creating Actions

6.23

1.99

Goal-Creating Actions

0.93

0.30

Successful Take-Ons

2.11

0.82

For example, Lyon’s “future Ballon d’Or winner,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, comes out ahead in almost all relevant metrics, such as actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Johnson has been a useful player, it’s clear that Cherki would be a massive upgrade and, therefore, Spurs should do all they can to sign him this summer.

Dream Poch alternative: Spurs eyeing "one of the best coaches in Europe"

The impressive manager could be just what Spurs are after.

3 ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 29, 2025

Celtic have the chance to win the domestic treble for the second time in the last three seasons when they face Aberdeen in the final of the SFA Cup.

Brendan Rodgers clinched his second Scottish Premiership title in as many seasons last weekend when his side swept Dundee United away with a 5-0 win.

The Hoops will want to continue their dominance for seasons to come, and have already swooped to make one high-profile signing in the form of Kieran Tierney.

Why Kieran Tierney is an impressive signing

The Scotland international will officially join Celtic on a free transfer when his contract at Arsenal expires at the end of June, returning to the club after six years in England.

As you can see in the graphic above, the academy graduate enjoyed a phenomenal first spell in Glasgow, winning five league titles and making 170 first-team appearances.

At the time of writing (01/05/2025), Transfermarkt currently values Tierney at £8.5m, which is a drop from the £25m he was sold for, but that still means that the club are signing an £8.5m-rated asset for £0. He is an impressive addition for the Hoops because he is a proven Premiership star and a valuable asset.

Celtic do, however, have numerous valuable assets at the club, in what is a very talented squad, and one of those who is worth even more than Tierney is Daizen Maeda.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with Daizen Maeda

The Hoops swooped to sign the Japan international, who was described as a “snip” by pundit Chris Sutton, for a fee of just £1.6m, in the summer of 2022 from Yokohama F. Marinos.

Maeda, who was recently hailed as “brilliant” by Rodgers, has soared in value over the past three years in Glasgow, and is currently enjoying his best season at the club.

The 27-year-old forward has plundered 33 goals and provided 11 assists in 47 appearances in all competitions, which is a tally of 44 goal contributions that beats his return of 14 and 18 in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, respectively.

March 2025-present

£9.3m

December 2024

£6.8m

October 2024

£6.3m

May 2024

£5.9m

December 2023

£5.5m

June 2023

£5.1m

December 2022

£4.2m

June 2022

£2.9m

As you can see in the table above, Maeda’s value has skyrocketed as a result of his improved output at the top end of the pitch in the current season, going from £5.9m last summer to £9.3m at the time of writing.

His current market valuation of £9.3m also means that his value has soared by 481% from the £1.6m that Celtic paid for his services back in 2022, and that he is now worth even more than Tierney, who was once sold for £25m.

This shows that the Scottish giants have hit the jackpot with Maeda because he has provided sensational performances on the pitch this term, and the Japan international is now an incredibly valuable asset who is worth even more than a big summer signing.

Worth less than Nawrocki: Celtic must axe flop who "wants to be at the club"

Celtic must ruthlessly bin this player who is now worth even less than Maik Nawrocki.

ByDan Emery Apr 29, 2025

Wasting no time feeling sorry for themselves after missing out on the Premier League title, Arsenal are now reportedly ready to jump ahead of their rivals and match the price-tag to sign one particular gem.

Arsenal's summer transfer plans

Arriving with plenty to do, there’s no doubt that new sporting director Andrea Berta will be looking to make quite the statement at Arsenal this summer. Whilst injury issues have far from helped Mikel Arteta’s side this season, there is no denying that their squad simply hasn’t been strong enough – especially going forward. And that must change next season.

Bukayo Saka

1,454

6

10

Gabriel Martinelli

1,956

7

4

Kai Havertz

1,839

9

3

Leandro Trossard

2,264

8

5

Involved in 52 Premier League goals between the four of them this season, Arsenal’s struggles have far from been helped by a frontline which has been hit with injuries and disappointing form – making Berta’s first task in the job clearer than ever.

On that front the transfer rumours have already been coming thick and fast too, with names such as Hugo Ekitike and Ollie Watkins just two options who have found themselves among the headlines in recent weeks.

Their own Bruno Fernandes: Arsenal holding talks over "exciting" £66.5m ace

The creative maverick could be Arsenal’s missing piece.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 2, 2025

Of course, Watkins is not a new name on Arsenal’s radar either. The Aston Villa striker found himself at the centre of their interest in the January transfer window, only for the Gunners to opt out of a move worth £60m.

Now, months on, it will certainly be interesting to see whether Berta decides to perform an Arsenal U-turn as his first act as sporting director. Watkins undoubtedly has the ability to transform Arteta’s frontline and may yet be the first of a number of new names arriving at The Emirates in the coming months.

Arsenal ready to match Wesley's price-tag

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are now ready to match Wesley’s €35m (£30m) price-tag in order to jump the queue ahead of the likes of Chelsea and secure the right-back’s signature. Having already reportedly made contact with the Flamengo gem, the Gunners must now make their official move when the transfer window swings open.

Dubbed “immense” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Wesley is certainly one to watch. At just 21 years old, he’s impressed enough for Flamengo’s senior team to earn the attention of the Premier League.

With a decision to make, the defender must assess his options and pick his next club. The big question will be whether he’d receive much-needed game time at Arsenal amid competition from Ben White and Jurrien Timber. Both players have the experience that Wesley lacks, as the youngster would become Arteta’s fifth full-back signing as Gunners boss.

As the summer transfer window approaches, the Flamengo gem looks likely to steal more and more headlines in the coming months.