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Which team picked up which player, and who did not receive a bid? Here’s the list

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2018Sold playersHanuma Vihari (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 2 croresShimron Hetmyer (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 4.2 croresCarlos Brathwaite (Base price INR 75 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 5 croresGurkeerat Singh Mann (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 50 lakhsMoises Henriques (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 1 croreAxar Patel (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 5 croresJonny Bairstow (Base price INR 1.5 crores) sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 2.2 croresNicholas Pooran (Base price INR 75 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 4.2 croresWriddhiman Saha (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 1.2 croresJaydev Unadkat (Base price INR 1.5 crore) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 8.4 croresIshant Sharma (Base price INR 75 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 1.1 croresLasith Malinga (Base price INR 2 crores) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 2 croresMohammed Shami (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 4.8 croresVarun Aaron (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 2.4 croresMohit Sharma (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Chennai Super Kings for INR 5 croresDevdutt Padikkal (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 20 lakhsAnmolpreet Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 80 lakhsSarfaraz Khan (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 25 lakhsShivam Dube (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 5 croresVarun Chakravarthy (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 8.4 croresAnkush Bains (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lakhsNathu Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lakhsColin Ingram (Base price INR 2 crores) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 6.40 croresSam Curran (Base price INR 2 crores) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 7.2 croresHeinrich Klaasen (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 50 lakhsBarinder Sran (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 3.4 croreLockie Ferguson (Base price 1 crore) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 1.6 croresSherfane Rutherford (Base price INR 40 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 2 croresAnrich Nortje (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lakhsOshane Thomas (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for 1.1 croresHardus Viljoen (Base price INR 75 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 75 lakhsHimmat Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 65 lakhsNikhil Naik (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lakhsArshdeep Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 20 lakhsHarry Gurney (Base price INR 75 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 75 lakhsPankaj Jaiswal (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 20 lakhsMilind Kumar (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 20 lakhsDarshan Nalkande (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 30 lakhsShashank Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 30 lakhsSimran Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 4.8 croresRasikh Salam (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 20 lakhsPrithvi Raj (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lakhsLiam Livingstone (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 50 lakhsKeemo Paul (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 50 lakhsPrayas Ray Barman (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 1.5 croreAgnivesh Ayachi (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 20 lakhsHarpreet Brar (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 20 lakhsMartin Guptill (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 1 crore – re-presented in accelerated auctionYuvraj Singh (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 1 crore – re-presented in accelerated auctionAkshdeep Nath (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 3.6 crores – re-presented in accelerated auctionJalaj Saxena (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionM Ashwin (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kings XI Punjab for INR 20 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionRuturaj Gaikwad (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Chennai Super Kings for INR 20 lakhsShubham Ranjane (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 20 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionJoe Denly (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 1 crore – re-presented in accelerated auctionB Ayyappa (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lakhsShrikant Mundhe (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionManan Vohra (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 20 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionAshton Turner (Base price INR 50 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 50 lakhs – re-presented in accelerated auctionRiyan Parag (Base price INR 20 lakhs) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 20 lakhs

Unsold playersManoj Tiwary (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Cheteshwar Pujara (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Alex Hales (Base price INR 1.5 crores)Brendon McCullum (Base price INR 2 crores)Chris Woakes (Base price INR 2 crores)Chris Jordan (Base price INR 1 crore)Naman Ojha (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Ben McDermott (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Rahul Sharma (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Adam Zampa (Base price INR 1 crore)Khary Pierre (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Fawad Ahmed (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Sachin Baby (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Ankit Bawne (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Armaan Jaffer (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Ayush Badoni (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Sheldon Jackson (Base price INR 20 lakhs)B Indrajith (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Anuj Rawat (Base price INR 20 lakhs)KS Bharat (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Arun Karthik (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Aniket Choudhary (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Ishan Porel (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Rajneesh Gurbani (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Chama Milind (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Tushar Deshpande (Base price INR 20 lakhs)J Suchith (Base price 20 lakhs)Yuvraj Chudasama (Base price 20 lakhs)Zahir Khan (Base price INR 40 lakhs)KC Cariappa (Base price INR 20 lakhs)R Sai Kishore (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Usman Khawaja (Base price INR 1 crore)Hazratullah Zazai (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Reeza Hendricks (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Shaun Marsh (Base price INR 2 crores)Saurabh Tiwary (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Hashim Amla (Base price INR 1 crore)James Neesham (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Angelo Mathews (Base price INR 2 crores)Rishi Dhawan (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Corey Anderson (Base price INR 2 crores)Parvez Rasool (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Jason Holder (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Luke Ronchi (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Mushfiqur Rahim (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Kusal Perera (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Glenn Phillips (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Vinay Kumar (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Kane Richardson (Base price INR 1 crore)Abhimanyu Mithun (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Morne Morkel (Base price INR 1.5 crores)Dale Steyn (Base price INR 1.5 crores)Praveen Dubey (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Qais Ahmad (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Satyajeet Bachhav (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Rilee Rossouw (Base price INR 1.5 crores)Daniel Christian (Base price INR 1 crore)Manpreet Gony (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Ali Khan (Base price INR 40 lakhs)James Pattinson (Base price INR 1 crore)Himanshu Rana (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Lewis Gregory (Base price INR 40 lakhs)Vishnu Vinod (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Patrick Brown (Base price INR 40 lakhs)Jaskaran Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Sandeep Warrier (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Fabian Allen (Base price INR 50 lakhs)Sikandar Raza (Base price INR 75 lakhs)Sairaj Patil (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Swapnil Singh (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Lalit Yadav (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Laurie Evans (Base price INR 40 lakhs)Jamie Overton (Base price INR 40 lakhs)Akash Parkar (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Karn Kaushal (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Mayank Dagar (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Zeeshan Ansari (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Kedar Devdhar (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Tanmay Mishra (Base price INR 20 lakhs)Aman Khan (Base price INR 20 lakhs)

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has responded to speculation his club could try to sign Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland.

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Article continues below

Article continues below

Kylian Mbappe expected to join Barca's rivals MadridCatalans have been linked with HaalandLaporta discusses summer transfer plansWHAT HAPPENED?

Laporta has been asked about the possibility of Barcelona making a big-name signing, such as Haaland, this summer amid speculation Kylian Mbappe is set to join rivals Real Madrid. The Barcelona president was happy to discuss his club's transfer plans and explain why the club don't need to spend big on a marquee signing this summer.

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He told : "It's just that we don't see it as necessary. There will be some tweaks."

Laporta added Barcelona could make "one or two additions" to the squad but warned a big-name signing could disrupt the current team.

"I do not see it necessary to make an investment that could distort what we are building, which is a balanced team," he added. "Next year we will have Gavi again, which gives energy. Pedri and Frenkie are world-class players like all the ones we have."

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Barcelona are also unlikely to spend big also because they continue to be plagued with financial difficulties. The Catalans need to raise €100 million (£85m/$108m) if they are to make any new signings and have no more financial levers left to pull. Barcelona must also find a new manager this summer after Xavi announced he would step down at the end of the season.

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(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND

Haaland has spoken about his future recently, insisting he's happy at Manchester City but refusing to rule out an exit. Certainly if he were ever to consider a change of scene there would be no shortage of clubs queueing up to sign the prolific Norwegian.

Middlesex seamer is “super fit” and aiming to rekindle form that led to Test success in 2017

Andrew Miller30-Mar-2021It would be easy to mope if you were Toby Roland-Jones. Four years ago, he was the toast of the English game – a broad-shouldered seamer with classical English traits, who sealed the County Championship for Middlesex with a hat-trick in 2016, then claimed eight wickets on Test debut against South Africa at The Oval the following summer.With a deck-hitting action that could trouble well-set batsmen, and a grooved ability to bang out line and length for sessions at a time, he was a shoo-in for further honours on the 2017-18 Ashes tour, until a stress fracture of his back unleashed a run of injuries that has scarcely abated since.In the summer of 2018, Roland-Jones didn’t make it past the first month of the season – his diligent recuperation that previous winter had earned him an England Lions trip to the Caribbean, but the crack in his back was shown to have widened after he limped out of his second match of the season at Derby.Related

Ollie Robinson senses Test cap is close

And though he showed signs of his best form the following year with 37 wickets at 28.21, 2020 was another write-off – a shoulder injury this time kyboshing any involvement in that season’s rejigged itinerary.But now he is back, and seemingly with a vengeance too, thanks to a rigorous off-field regime that, in the words of his Middlesex head coach, Stuart Law, has “completely changed his body shape and body composition”. At the age of 33, time is not entirely on Roland-Jones’ side if he wants to make up for the lost years of his prime. But he’s adamant that, this time, he’s given himself the best chance to succeed.”Last year did have a lot of perspective attached to it, with all the [Covid] goings on,” Roland-Jones tells ESPNcricinfo. “But given the disappointment of those recent seasons, my focus this year has been on a long-term goal, and making changes from a physical standpoint as well as a bowling standpoint, to set things up for one, two, three summers, rather than hoping to get through three games back-to-back.”Roland-Jones himself is modest about the changes he has made – and perhaps cautious too, given how much he has learned from painful experience in recent years. But when Law, a hard-bitten Aussie not given to hyperbole, states that a player has “changed the way he’s gone about doing things” and is looking “super fit”, it’s obvious that the effort is more than just a case of “training more and eating less”, as Law also (more flippantly) put it.”I’m not sure that’s the technical term for it!” Roland-Jones jokes. But either way, he hopes that this lighter load through the crease, and a reduction of strain in his action, will break the cycle of injuries that, he believes, all stem from the same initial problem.”With bowling there is a definite connective chain that goes on,” he says. “With so many pressure points, particularly in the lower back, if you’re trying to offset anything from there, it’s tricky because other areas are really going to feel that load.”In the frame that I had, for maybe the last year-and-a-half or so, my action was starting to feel a little bit jerky, and things looked like they were harder work than they needed to be.”A lot of fast bowlers can make it look effortless, no matter how much work they put in, so I’ve tried to enhance the mobility on my bowling shoulder, and lean up to create a little bit more room for the joint to regain its elasticity, which was probably getting a bit lost while I was combating so many injuries.”There’s only so much that can be read into pre-season friendlies. But Roland-Jones’ match figures of 16-6-22-2 in his first run-out against Yorkshire at Merchant Taylors’ last week hint at a bowler who is comfortable with where his game is at, without over-extending any ambitions for the sharper end of the season.

Like anyone, I have ambitions to play higher up. I was lucky enough to get a taster for that and absolutely I want to put myself back in the hat

“That first run back on grass always has a period of adjustment, of getting back to it,” he says. “But, to a man, everyone seems to have found their rhythm as it went on, so it was a really positive couple of days. The sun shone on us as well, which is always a blessing at this time of year. After spending lots of the winter in the gym and a tent, it’s so far, so good.”Roland-Jones’ upbeat demeanour isn’t solely connected to his optimism for the season ahead. In December, he and his wife Harriet had a baby boy, Rory, and so – while the rest of the country was dealing with the strictures of a winter lockdown, his main focus outside of training has been on nappies and night feeds.”It definitely offers you some good, fresh perspective,” he says. “But it’s been really enjoyable. We’ve been fortunate to have a great distraction during a tricky time for the country, and it’s enabled us to really enjoy that period of being at home and just having time together as a family. And it’s also a timely reminder of the fact that you’re a little bit older, which is always good!”Back in his day job, however, there are still a pair of ongoing reminders that Roland-Jones is not yet over the hill in sporting terms. In 2017, he was considered one of the frontrunners to take over from James Anderson and Stuart Broad, then 34 and 31 respectively, as England’s attack leader when Father Time finally caught up on their remarkable careers. Four years and several Indian summers later, they seem no closer to the ends of their respective roads, and by extension, neither need he be.”What those guys are still managing to do to further their careers is pretty inspiring,” Roland-Jones says, “and it’s a testament to all the work that goes on behind the scenes.”As for whether he might yet be able to join them in Australia this winter, and fulfil the ambition that was so cruelly denied him on the last Ashes tour, Roland-Jones is understandably coy.”I guess that’s where you’ve probably got to state the difference between goals and ambitions,” he says. “Like anyone, I have ambitions to play higher up. I was lucky enough to get a taster for that, and absolutely, I want to put myself back in the hat.”But, as someone who has been out of the fold for a little while now, you’ve got to do your grounding in the domestic game and not look too far ahead.”Because I was never dropped by England, there were certainly a few times, coming back from injury, when I felt I must be only a couple of performances away from being right back in their thoughts.”I personally didn’t find that a particularly good mindset to be in, and it possibly led to me being a little bit absent in games for Middlesex. So while the ambition is always there, that’s really not my goal for this summer – even though you know that if you put the numbers up that you think you are capable of, anything is possible.”Toby Roland-Jones races off after sealing the 2016 Championship for Middlesex•Getty ImagesIn many ways, Roland-Jones’ own career trajectory mirrors that of Middlesex as a team – the unforgettable finale at Lord’s in September 2016, when he dramatically settled a must-win encounter with Yorkshire, giving way to the misery of relegation the following summer and a succession of seasons in the doldrums.Do the glory days feel a little bit distant at times? “I guess they probably need to, to be honest,” he says. “If you’re playing any sport and crowing back to past successes, then you’re probably focusing on too many wrong pointers.”That’s not to put it in a negative light at all, but while you’re playing, you have to focus on the moment, and that’s often no further than the day’s play that you’re in.”Whether we as a team have fallen foul of that over the last few years, that’s maybe up for debate,” he adds. “But enough time has passed for the guys to look back on it as something they want to achieve again, without reflecting on it too much.”With a seam attack that features two other Test veterans in Steven Finn and Ireland’s Tim Murtagh, as well as future England prospects such as Tom Helm, Ethan Bamber and the 19-year-old Blake Cullen, Middlesex have an abundance of weapons with which to take on the new season, although Roland-Jones acknowledges that their returns haven’t always lived up to expectations in recent years.”That’s something that, as a bowling attack, we need to address,” he says. “On paper, we’ve had a great attack for a number of years and whilst many individuals have performed well over that period, I still think we can look back and say that there’s more to come from us.”And that’s not a bad thing at all, because that’s how you should be feeling going into a new season. This is a real chance for all these components to come together at the same time.”And after everything he’s been through these past few years, nobody better embodies the optimism of new beginnings.

Nicolas Jackson has been urged to avoid a move to Manchester United amid rumours of a potential Chelsea exit, with former Premier League star Jermaine Pennant suggesting Brighton would be a better fit for the Senegal striker. Despite interest from top clubs, the Blues have placed a hefty price tag on the forward and don't look too eager to part ways.

Chelsea want up to £100m for Nicolas JacksonManchester United showing interest in the strikerPennant says Brighton better fit than a top-six clubFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Chelsea have reportedly set an £80-100 million ($108m-135m) asking price for Jackson, who is attracting attention from Premier League and European sides. Manchester United are among the clubs interested, but Chelsea are under no pressure to sell despite the Senegalese striker being likely to lose his starting spot following the arrivals of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.

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Jackson has managed 30 goals and 12 assists in 81 appearances for Chelsea since arriving from Villarreal. However, with his role under threat, rumours of an exit have intensified with Manchester United being touted as a potential destination. However, Penant believes that the 24-year-old should be against a move to Old Trafford and insisted that he would be a better fit at a club like Brighton.

Getty Images SportWHAT PENNANT SAID

Speaking to Adventure Gamers, Pennant said: “I’m not sure if Nicolas Jackson is the man for a top team as we’ve seen during his time at Chelsea. It’s an interesting one to see where he goes if he leaves the club. He’s in the Darwin Nunez bracket for me – he gets loads of chances, but he isn’t prolific.

“If I were him, I’d look a little below that level – someone like Brighton. I think that could work because he’d do well there – they should be looking at him.

“Manchester United are linked but I’m not too sure that’s the right move for the club – it could be another Rasmus Hojlund situation. He obviously believes in himself and thinks he should be at a top team, but I can’t see him being the number one for a top six side.”

WHAT NEXT FOR JACKSON?

Chelsea are unlikely to let Jackson leave unless their valuation is met. Brighton are highly unlikely to show interest unless the price drops heavily, while United’s interest may cool over the next few weeks. The striker’s future will depend on both Chelsea’s squad plans and clubs' willingness to match the Blues' asking price.

Vijay Shankar is ready for whatever challenges his first World Cup may throw at him, both as batsman and bowler

Interview by Deivarayan Muthu25-May-2019Around the time of the 2015 World Cup, you posted a photo on Instagram of yourself wearing World Cup merchandise. What is it like to actually play your maiden World Cup now?
Yes, it’s my first World Cup and [to be playing in] that India jersey will be more special because the World Cup comes once in four years. Wearing the jersey itself [is a unique] feeling. Every time I wear that and step out onto the field, it’s going to be a great feeling.Are you feeling any pressure?
Pressure is always there. If you start giving too much importance to pressure, you won’t be in the present. I just want to enjoy the game and work on all aspects – batting, bowling and fielding. The more I enjoy my game, the better I can perform.In New Zealand, you were supposed to bat at No. 8 in the Wellington game, but you were promoted to No. 6 and and managed to rescue India. Did you start enjoying your game more after that knock?
I always think a lot about the game – a couple of days before a game, I plan, do some visualisation – but on the field it’s important for me to react to the ball. In Wellington, I just had to play out the new ball. I don’t know how to describe it… my mind was blank. It was a challenging wicket, we were 18 for 4, but I just reacted to the ball. I feel it’s important for anyone to adapt; you never know what kind of situation you will walk into.ALSO WATCH: ‘Vijay Shankar has changed the dynamics’ – chief selector MSK PrasadChief selector MSK Prasad hinted that you might start the World Cup at No. 4. What are the challenges of batting at that spot in England?
More than the batting position it’s the situation that’s going to matter, like I said earlier. Sometimes you might walk in at 200 or 250 for 2 and you might have to finish the innings. If you can prepare yourself to the best of your abilities and react to the situation, things will fall into place.The experience of having played in England for India A around the same time last year will also help. It was very hot when we went with the A side and it was mostly high-scoring games. But this time it might not be as hot and the conditions can be different. Whatever the situations or conditions are, I feel now I will be able to adapt to it and perform for my team.

“Power-hitting is important to clear the boundaries. But can you also keep the scorecard ticking by rotating the strike, being calculative and going over the infield?”

In the IPL, you started with a bang, but then you moved down the batting order and your form suffered a dip. Is that a concern for you heading into the World Cup?
Definitely not. If you see most of my innings, it might seem as if I had batted at No. 3 or No. 4, but more often I walked in after the 13th or 14th over. So it doesn’t matter when you have just a few overs left. When you have wickets in hand, you should have the intent of going after the bowling attack. In that sense, I might have missed a couple of innings, but other than that I was happy to show the right intent for the team. I got three or four 20-plus scores at a good pace.Even if I feel it’s just an okay season, I’ve ended up with nearly 250 runs, which is decent. Last year, I got fewer runs [for Sunrisers Hyderabad] than I did for Delhi, but I ended up with more not-outs, which helped my average. Batting-wise, I feel I did reasonably well.What was it like sharing the Sunrisers dressing room with top players like Kane Williamson and David Warner?
I don’t talk much, but I make sure I watch these top players train and get something out of that. If you have top players around you – or whoever it is – if you [imagine] yourself as a captain, start to observe everything that’s happening around you more carefully, and notice who’s doing what, and why they’re training a certain way, you can improve your game.When you and Rashid Khan played street cricket in Hyderabad, several kids were chanting your name and holding up posters of you. Have you now got used to this recognition in your brief career?
I still feel I’m the same Vijay. The responsibility comes once you start playing a higher level of cricket, but I always try to treat every game with the same intensity. So, cricket-wise, I don’t compromise on all of this. When you start doing well, the public tends to notice you – it’s part of any cricketer’s life. I need to handle it and just respect everyone.ALSO READ: ‘The Australia-New Zealand series has shown me that I can bat in any situation’ – Vijay ShankarWhat has your training been like after the IPL and in the lead-up to the World Cup?
I train one and a half hours [each] in the morning and evening. I’ve been working out at a gym in Chennai and have had sessions with [personal coach, former Railways player] S Balaji. I’ve been taking throwdowns from him both inside my house, on the terrace and outdoors. In between, I ensure I have a proper break. It has been hectic after the IPL but training is something that I can’t avoid. I’ve always given importance to it.”In the IPL I did a lot of bowling training, and the more you bowl, the better you’ll get at it”•BCCIIn training you batted with a steel rod with a grip that’s roughly of the same length of your bat. What was the idea there?
It’s just to make sure you middle the ball more often and avoid the edges. Also, if you keep middling the ball, the confidence level will be a lot higher. It’s not just the World Cup or Australia series – I’ve always used this method.You played some jaw-dropping straight-bat punches over midwicket against Australia in Nagpur. Most other batsmen tend to swat the ball away with a cross bat. How did you develop that straight-bat punch?
I actually don’t know (laughs). It just came off. It came out of instinct and it wasn’t planned as such.In New Zealand you tinkered with your stance and deployed a longer reach. What was the thinking behind it?
I’m not quite sure if my reach was longer there. Sometimes, when you’re in the middle, such things just happen on their own.How has your bowling evolved?
After the series against Australia, I’ve started to bowl more. Even in the IPL, I did a lot of bowling training, and the more you bowl, you’ll get better at it. I’ve also started to enjoy bowling more. I started out as an offspinner, then took up medium pace and worked on it. It’s important to train with purpose and not just practise for the sake of it.B Arun [India bowling coach] was helpful during the Australia series and later during the IPL. I was working on a few things. I try out variations, work on my speed, and look to be more stable while delivering the ball.The management also backed me in the Australia series and that was very important for me. I bowled four overs in the T20 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, which is one of the most difficult grounds to bowl at. My last ball went for a six, but otherwise I thought I bowled decently. I’d also done well in the Deodhar Trophy last year.

“If you put yourself in the captain’s shoes, you start to observe everything that’s happening around you more carefully, and notice who’s doing what, and why they’re training a certain way. You can improve your game that way”

After every India A tour, except for the one in New Zealand in November last year, you tended to get injured. How do you assess yourself now on the fitness front?
I’ve always been fit. Fitness has never been an issue for me. Physique-wise, speed-wise, I’ve never had any problems. Whenever I didn’t give myself enough rest and pushed my body further, that’s when I got injured. Besides domestic cricket, I kept playing league cricket [in Chennai]. I think I had those injuries because of not giving myself enough breaks. I’ve understood my body better now and know when to stop.You are known to be a technically correct batsman in domestic cricket. Have you unlocked the power-hitter in you after these IPL stints?
Power-hitting has become a part of every format now – even in Test cricket [one has to] to hit sixes. But sometimes even in T20s it’s not just power-hitting. Yes, it’s sheer power when it comes to [Andre] Russell, but most cricketers can work their way around. Power-hitting is important to clear the boundaries. If you have the full confidence, you can keep hitting sixes. But can you also keep the scorecard ticking by rotating the strike, being calculative and going over the infield? That is important for someone like me. I’ve also managed to hit sixes off my first or second ball, so it’s just a combination of both and I need to use both correctly.Have you figured out this combination of brains and brawn?
It’s very difficult to say that and it depends on the situation. It’s always important to put the team ahead of yourself. Sometimes you get carried away and throw wickets. Earlier, I tried to overhit the ball and I got out. I could have done things differently and got the team to a better position. I’ve learnt all these things in the last couple of years.Have you set yourself any targets for the World Cup?
No, no. I just want to keep my mind blank and do what the team needs me to do.

The wicketkeeper put on an astonishing display to lift Victoria from 67 for 5 on a dramatic rain-shortened day

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff28-Nov-2023Wicketkeeper Sam Harper dragged Victoria out of early trouble with an extraordinary Sheffield Shield century against South Australia.Forced to bat first after losing the toss on Tuesday, Victoria crumbled to 29 for 4 in tricky, overcast batting conditions at the Adelaide Oval.Related

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But as batting became slightly easier, Harper, who was given a life on 3 when caught at slip off a no-ball, launched an aggressive rearguard assault to help Victoria reach 187 for 5 by stumps.It was Harper’s third first-class century in his 44th game, bringing up the milestone from 64 balls with a huge six over deep midwicket in a knock that included six sixes and was the third-fastest in Sheffield Shield history.His innings included 26 off an over from Nathan McAndrew as he moved from 61 to 87 with three sixes and two fours.The 26-year-old will resume on Wednesday unbeaten on 101 after combining with Campbell Kellaway for a 120-run partnership.

THE INNINGS OF A LIFETIME

Sam Harper hits the third fastest #SheffieldShield hundred ever!#vicsdoitbetter #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/a8gfIHLfCf

— Victorian Cricket Team (@VicStateCricket) November 28, 2023

Just 43 overs on Tuesday were bowled as rain and a wet outfield delayed play significantly.The most controversial moment of the match, and possibly the season, came when star Victoria batter Peter Handscomb refused to leave the crease after being caught by Redbacks captain Jake Lehmann in the slips.Handscomb edged a ball off Brendan Doggett’s bowling but the 32-year-old seemed uncertain Lehmann had correctly held the catch. After a discussion with the umpires he finally walked off, dismissed for 7.Peter Handscomb disputed the slip catch which dismissed him•Getty ImagesDoggett claimed 2 for 45 but it was Wes Agar who did the bulk of the damage by ripping through openers Travis Dean and Test aspirant Marcus Harris to have Victoria reeling at 4 for 2.The teams are ranked third and fourth on the ladder, making it a crunch final match before the Shield pauses for a long break until February during the Big Bash League window.

Arsenal, led by new sporting director Andrea Berta, are set to move for an “underrated” marquee player this summer, according to reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Andrea Berta's rumoured transfer plans for Arsenal

Berta signed as Arsenal’s director three weeks ago, and since the Italian’s appointment to replace Edu Gaspar, Mikel Arteta’s side have been tipped for an exciting summer transfer window.

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Berta could apparently have a £300 million transfer warchest to spend on up to seven new signings at the Emirates Stadium, according to GiveMeSport, with Arsenal potentially planning to bring in a new backup ‘keeper, a full-back, two central midfielders, a left-winger, an alternative to Bukayo Saka and a striker.

Fulham (home)

April 1st

Everton (away)

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Brentford (home)

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Ipswich Town (away)

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Crystal Palace (home)

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A fresh centre-forward will be particularly crucial, as Arsenal have long yearned for a prolific vocal point up front as the last missing piece of Arteta’s jigsaw. Long-term injuries to Gabriel Jesus, who could even be out until 2026, and Kai Havertz have also further highlighted the need for a number nine.

According to some media sources, Berta is even gaining a head start on the summer window, with Arsenal opening preliminary talks over Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitiké, but the Frenchman isn’t their only attacking target.

Arteta’s “dream” striker target, as per various reports, is Newcastle United star Alexander Isak.

The Swede has been in sensational form under Eddie Howe yet again this season with 23 goals from 33 appearances in all competitions, but Newcastle are not planning to let him go easily despite the rumoured interest from elite sides.

£125 million is actually one of the cheaper figures to have been mooted by some sections of the press, but even that would require Arsenal to smash their transfer record.

Arsenal will make "important proposal" to sign Alexander Isak

As per Romano, his marquee valuation hasn’t deterred Berta.

Indeed, the respected reporter claims that Arsenal will make an “important proposal” to sign Isak this summer, with Romano sharing an update on his situation for GiveMeSport’s Market Madness podcast.

“We have to see what happens when Arsenal and Liverpool, because I expect these two clubs to arrive with important proposals in the summer,” Romano said.

“And at that stage, we have to see what the player decides to do and also what kind of conversation he will have with Newcastle. But on club side, they keep saying that they will try till the end to extend this contract, to keep the player and to make the face of their project also for the future. So I think it’s going to be a big fight in the summer for this fantastic striker.”

Both Isak and Anthony Gordon have been labelled the Premier League’s “most exciting” and perhaps “most underrated” forward duo by ex-Nigeria international Sunday Oliseh, but it is clear that Arsenal are fully aware of the former’s star quality after repeated links.

The 25-year-old is set to be one of the biggest stories of this summer transfer window, and there is no doubt he’d be a truly transformative signing for Arteta’s side.

Arne Slot believes Chelsea will be a top contender who can challenge Liverpool in the Premier League title race. The Dutchman, who stunned England last term by strolling to the championship ahead of Arsenal, now insists the west London giants have the weapons to push his Reds all the way.

Slot tips Chelsea as major threatMaresca refuses to take baitReds & Blues on summer spending spreesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Anfield outfit have flexed their financial muscle like never before, splashing around £300 million ($407m) in the summer window. Among the arrivals, Florian Wirtz stands out as a blockbuster signing, with the £116 million ($157m) record-breaking recruit billed as one of the brightest talents on the planet. The spending spree strengthens Liverpool’s case for back-to-back titles, but Slot knows that money isn’t the only factor in the fight.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT SLOT SAID

When asked about Chelsea’s prospects during an interview with Slot didn’t mince his words: "I expected them to win last season already. The amount of quality they have and they were there at the start of the season. They were in [the title race] after ten games. They were still there [in December 2024].

"Squad depth, quality, they have a very good manager as well, and I think they've shown this by winning the trophies they won last season. It was good for us that they also had a period last season where they struggled and that's why they couldn't compete till the end for the league title. But now they're strengthening the team again, so a team that's, in my opinion, one of the ones that are going to challenge for a league title."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

But Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca wasn’t about to get swept up in the praise. His response was cool, clipped, and utterly dismissive.

"I don’t pay attention to what other people say about us," Maresca shot back. “It’s easy to say more clubs are involved – I’m not into that game. My focus is on the players, on improving, and people can say whatever they want.”

Pressed on whether Chelsea are better placed to go toe-to-toe with Liverpool this time, the Italian allowed himself a rare nod of approval.

"We are a better team for sure, compared to a year ago," he admitted. "We’ve worked together every day for a season. What we achieved last year was top – fantastic. Champions League, Conference League, the competitions we were in, we did the job. Beyond that, it was difficult to do more. Now it’s a new season, we’ll see."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL & CHELSEA?

Chelsea open their campaign at Stamford Bridge on Sunday against Crystal Palace, a fixture they’ll expect to win. Liverpool, meanwhile, will raise the curtain on the Premier League season at Anfield against Bournemouth on Friday night.

Australia’s bowlers were carted all over Lord’s, before England’s dominated under the floodlights

Andrew McGlashan27-Sep-2024England produced an electric all-round display to set up a series decider at Bristol on Sunday, as they thrashed Australia by 186 runs at Lord’s. Harry Brook’s sublime 87 formed the backbone of the innings which was capped off by the thunderous hitting of Liam Livingstone in a ground-record 25-ball half-century. Jofra Archer then briefly rekindled memories of 2019 with the best spell of his latest comeback, while Matthew Potts bagged a career-best 4 for 38 in an overwhelming performance.Harking back to last year’s dramatic Ashes Test, there was also, briefly, a moment with an Australian wicketkeeper in the spotlight. On 17, Brook glanced Mitchell Starc down the leg side and was given out but queried whether the catch had carried to Josh Inglis, who had been recalled to the side after injury. The replays showed the ball pitching just before his gloves. The crowd booed as the pictures came on the big screen, accompanied by a few chants of ‘same old Aussies, always cheating’, but it was a tame interlude compared to 2023.Following his maiden ODI hundred in Durham, Brook cruised to a 37-ball fifty, adding 79 in 53 balls for the third wicket with Ben Duckett and 75 in 47 with Jamie Smith for the fourth, as England went through the gears in a game cut to 39 overs by heavy morning rain. Livingstone produced a grandstand finish to the innings with a mighty display of striking, including four sixes off the last over bowled by Starc, whose 28 runs conceded amounted to the most expensive over by an Australian bowler in men’s ODIs. England amassed 156 off their last 15 overs.Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh gave the daunting chase a promising start – Head launching a gigantic pull out of the ground over the Tavern Stand – and after the eight-over powerplay Australia were 66 without loss compared to England’s 34 without loss. Overall, the 16 sixes hit in the match was a record for a Lord’s ODI. However, sustaining the tempo was a tall order. Head swung across the line at Brydon Carse and Steven Smith edged an ugly charge at Potts.Then Archer produced something special. An off-cutter at 88.2mph initially shaped in at Marsh before straightening to beat the edge and clatter off stump. It was a gem of a delivery to give Archer his first Lord’s wicket since 2019 and he rightly wheeled away in celebration. When his next ball clattered into the forearm of Marnus Labuschagne, the 2019 flashbacks were in full flow, albeit in coloured clothes, and Archer also added Glenn Maxwell during Australia’s collapseBefore long, however, his ball to Marsh had a contender for delivery of the game (or series) when Carse found an unplayable offering to flatten Labuschagne’s off stump. It was a collective effort from England’s quicks who shared nine wickets – Potts taking three wickets in four balls to rush through the lower order – before Adil Rashid finished things off.Matthew Potts starred with four wickets•Getty ImagesUnder heavy cloud, the ball nipped around early after England had been put into bat. Phil Salt fell shortly after the powerplay, skewing the excellent Josh Hazlewood to backward point, and Will Jacks picked out the same fielder to give Marsh a wicket in his second over – the first he had bowled since April 3. On a day when Cameron Green was revealed to have a back injury, it was not insignificant that Marsh was back with the ball.Brook initially appeared to be playing a different game to the other batters, as he skipped out of the blocks with three leg-side boundaries prior to his near-dismissal, and England’s momentum built around him. Sean Abbott’s expensive series continued – by the end of the innings his combined figures for three outings were 19.4-0-165-0 – while both Brook and Duckett took on Adam Zampa as well as the other overs of spin from Maxwell and Labuschagne.Duckett, who had offered a tough return catch to Starc before scoring, sent Zampa over long-on for six before moving to a hard-working 51-ball half-century one ball later, before top-edging the legspinner to deep backward square. Smith continued the aggressive approach against Zampa, sending him over wide long-on, and Brook added a second six in the same over to deep midwicket. The 12 overs of spin went for 106.A moment of absent-mindedness nearly did for Smith when he only just avoided being run out when he didn’t run his bat in at the non-striker’s end, although the ball ended up costing Australia six runs as the deflection went to the rope. By then, Brook was challenging for England’s fastest ODI hundred at Lord’s – 61 balls by Jos Buttler – but picked out long-on as Zampa ended his stay from his 58th.Smith fell in the next over, slicing Maxwell to short third, but any concerns the innings may limp to a finish vanished as Livingstone provided stunning late power. A huge blow over midwicket off Hazlewood was followed by the dismantling of Starc’s figures, including two sixes into the pavilion, to the increasingly joyous roars of a large crowd. Unlike last summer, an England-Australia series goes to the final game 2-2, although the weather in Bristol may yet have the final say.

After an IPL to forget in 2022, he has a new franchise, a fit-again elbow and – having given up captaincy – a freed-up mind to help him find his best form again

Shashank Kishore29-Mar-2023As you enter the lounge area of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) inside the Motera complex in Ahmedabad, you see plenty of cricket photographs adorning the walls on all four sides. Kane Williamson is seen in the background of one of them, in which India’s prime minister and then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is seen shaking hands with Jeetan Patel.That picture is from 13 years ago, from the same Ahmedabad Test where Williamson became New Zealand’s youngest debutant centurion. That day, as he removed his helmet to acknowledge the applause of his team-mates, all Williamson managed was a shy smile along with his raised bat. In fact, Daniel Vettori, his captain, was the more animated of the two as he ran over to put his arm around the youngster’s shoulder, embraced him in a big hug and handed out a few pats on his back.That baby-faced, fresh-out-of-teens kid who didn’t even have stubble back then now returns to Ahmedabad for the first time since that hundred. Still, he’s as calm as a sage, but now he comes with a with a full-fledged beard that he often tends to as he speaks at a media interaction organised by Gujarat Titans, the reigning IPL champions. One second, he’s reminiscing about his debut in the city, the next he’s speaking of being part of two thrilling Tests within a month and hopping onto the next flight to India.Related

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He’s also asked about his prospects of being in Titans’ starting XI, and the hurt of not being retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad. Williamson is focused and unhurried. When there’s chatter in the foreground, he stops and waits patiently before he continues. And, as he speaks, as always, there’s an air of calm around him.”My cricketing brain certainly hasn’t been switched off,” he warms up with a laugh, when asked about how life has been since he decided to give up Test captaincy in December. “When you’re out on the field, you’re trying to do as much as you can for the team. Whether that’s assisting where you can when you’re called upon for your ideas or otherwise.”It’s quite a natural thing to be engaged in the game but having said that it [the decision to step down as Test captain] has taken a little bit off my plate, which was a large part of the reason for making that decision. Often, it’s the parts around it [captaincy], where you get a little bit more time back. I’ve always thought it was never a ‘forever job’, it requires a lot of energy, and I really enjoyed my time in that specific role. I do enjoy being involved in leadership, which is basically helping where I can.”Kane Williamson has handed the New Zealand captaincy reins over to Tim Southee•Getty Images”Less commitments off the field” has come as a relief. “It’s been a really enjoyable thing in terms of playing under Tim Southee, who is captaining the Test team and doing a great job,” Williamson says. “Having said that, there’s transition involved [of going from captain to just a player] without a doubt, there’s perhaps less commitments off the field.”It’s still a change, something that I’m experiencing at the moment and working through. I’m fortunate to have a number of leaders in the New Zealand environment. And then to come here and have Hardik [Pandya] captaining the side, it’s something I’m excited about as well.”Williamson isn’t just reinvigorated in mind, but he’s also no longer worried about his “niggling elbow”, which for so long had forced him to manage his workloads and sometimes even curbed certain shots or long throws at training.That elbow certainly appeared to have an effect on his batting. At IPL 2022, Williamson scored just 216 runs in 13 innings. His strike rate of 93.50 was the slowest among batters who faced at least 100 balls in the season. This time around, Williamson believes he’s in as good a physical state as he’s been before.

“My cricketing brain certainly hasn’t been switched off. When you’re out on the field, you’re trying to do as much as you can for the team. Whether that’s assisting where you can when you’re called upon for your ideas or otherwise.”Just because he’s not captain anymore doesn’t mean Kane Williamson switches off in the field

“Yeah, it was something that was improving slowly all the time, it was requiring management,” he explains. “It’s a lot better now and it’s not something that is restricting me in terms of training loads, playing and all those things. Although no injury is ideal and often injuries require time to heal, working through this was no different. It’s nice to be back playing, training and not be burdened by it.”Think Williamson and the IPL, and it’s hard to not imagine him in the orange uniform of Sunrisers Hyderabad, whom he had played for since 2015 and captained since 2018 before being let go after the 2022 season. But a change of teams and perspective, and being unshackled by leadership duties, could just free him up to play a key role, possibly at the top of the order with Shubman Gill.If Williamson pulls it off, helping Titans extend their debut-season success, chances are he’ll find himself in another big photo frame in the GCA lounge, with himself more front and centre, when he potentially returns to the Motera later this year for the ODI World Cup.