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His comments come at a time when there are still doubts over his availability for IPL 2025

Sruthi Ravindranath27-Oct-20249:15

Will CSK retain Dhoni as uncapped player? What about Jadeja and Dube?

MS Dhoni has said he wants to enjoy “whatever last few years of cricket” he can play. While there are still doubts over his availability for IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan said last week he was hopeful that Dhoni will be part of the upcoming season.”I just want to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket I’m able to play,” Dhoni said at a promotional event in Goa. “Like how during our childhood we used to go out and play at 4[pm], just enjoying the game. But when you play professional sport it becomes difficult to enjoy the game just like a game. So what I want to do is, there are emotions and commitments, but I want to enjoy the game for the next few years.”October 31 is the deadline by which the ten franchises have to submit their list of retained players to the IPL ahead of the mega auction, and this year Dhoni is eligible to be retained by CSK as an uncapped player. That was made possible after the IPL brought back a rule that had been scrapped in 2021, according to which a player can be considered as uncapped if they have been retired from international cricket for five years.Related

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CSK waiting on go-ahead from Dhoni before retention deadline

Dhoni had batted lower down the order throughout IPL 2024, coming out to face only a handful of deliveries. While workload management owing to his knee surgery was one of the reasons for the move, Dhoni also revealed that it was to give game-time to India players who were then in the fray for the T20 World Cup.”My thinking was simple, if others are doing their job well why do I need to come up the order,” Dhoni said. “If you’re talking about last year (season) specifically, the T20 World Cup squad was going to be announced soon. So we have to give people who are fighting for a spot a chance. In our team (CSK) we had a few, [Ravindra] Jadeja was there, Shivam Dube was there so you give them an opportunity to prove themselves to get into the Indian team. There was nothing in it for me, no selection and other things. So I’m good behind [playing down the order] and my team was happy with what I was doing.”Dhoni: ‘Love how teams are playing Tests now’Dhoni admitted he’s a fan of Bazball. He said he “loves” how Test cricket has become more result-oriented when asked if he was a fan of this high-risk, no-fear brand of cricket.”You can give cricket any term that you want to, what we have seen is cricket has evolved,” Dhoni said. “The way people are playing cricket is very different. There was a time when in ODIs something was considered a safe score, now that score is not safe in T20s too.Will Dhoni return for another season?•AFP/Getty Images

“You give something a term, it becomes much more interesting because you start talking about it, you start relating to it but at the end of the day what is it? It’s a way to play cricket. Some people want to play aggressive cricket, some people want to play authentic cricket. A lot of that depends on the kind of team you have got – whether they can change the way they play that cricket. What is important is to realise the strength of your team and according to the strength of the team you decide which is the way you want to play cricket but it takes time. It doesn’t happen that overnight you say, ‘let’s start playing like this tomorrow’. You need to give time to individuals because they have played maybe 10-12-15 years of cricket and they have a certain way of playing cricket, so you need to give them that time to change.”Dhoni said there were a few “difficult” days back when he was playing Tests especially when he knew the match was heading towards a draw.”For me, the most difficult time during a Test match was the fifth day of a match which is the last day when you knew that 100% it is going to be a draw,” he said. “I would still need to keep for nearly 2.5 sessions and that was the most tiring part. You see there is no result happening, you are just going through the motions. Yes, bowlers would like to take wickets, batters will try to score runs, [but] there is no result in the game. You think let’s finish this and go, why do I have to be here. So I love the fact there’s change in the way teams are playing Test cricket.”Imagine telling someone who doesn’t know much cricket we play over five days and we start at 9.30 and 4.30 is the scheduled end of play, we play till 5[pm] sometimes, and after five days we don’t get a result. That’s not nice for the game. So I love how there’s more results in today’s world. Even if we are playing only four days of cricket and one day gets washed out, still you get a result – that’s the beauty of Test cricket and that’s how it should stay – you want to get a result after five days and you shouldn’t have a draw.”

Things could have been very different for Tottenham Hotspur right now, had they failed to beat Manchester United in last season’s Europa League final.

But they did, and now, new manager Thomas Frank is piecing together a new Spurs side capable of challenging at the top end of the Premier League and hunting down more silverware.

Frank has already been handed a wily new forward in Mohammed Kudus, with the fleet-footed winger signing from West Ham United for £55m.

The ambition hasn’t stopped there. Tottenham offered a release clause-triggering £60m for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White but have been accused by the Tricky Trees as having made an illegal approach.

Hope remains that a deal will cross the line in the coming weeks, but Frank and Daniel Levy are hoping to complete a few more transfers before the end of summer.

Why Spurs want Morgan Gibbs-White

Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest enjoyed a standout season in 2024/25, qualifying for Europe after spending the previous years battling against the relegation zone.

Across 34 top-flight matches, the 25-year-old scored seven goals and supplied ten assists, but it’s his tenacity and influence, on the ball and without it, that have made him such a coveted name.

Hailed as a “leader” who is “always looking to progress the team” by pundit Glenn Murray, Gibbs-White has what it takes to add a layer to Tottenham’s team that was lacking for large patches last year.

It’s not as if he’s just a pass-focused player, either. The England international averaged 1.3 tackles and 4.5 successful duels per league game, as per Sofascore.

With Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur both potentially leaving this summer, as The Athletic have suggested, Frank may well be searching for yet another centre-midfielder to partner Gibbs-White.

Spurs line up new midfielder

According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are interested in signing Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz this summer, with the Brazilian having informed the Old Lady he wishes to return to the Premier League and is keen on a move to Spurs.

West Ham are the side pushing to complete a deal, however, while Forest and Fulham have both been credited with recent enquiries of their own. The competition is fierce.

Luiz, 27, joined Juventus from Aston Villa in a £42m deal one year ago, but he is available for a smaller £34m fee.

What Douglas Luiz would bring to Spurs

It’s been a year to forget for Luiz, who only started three Serie A matches across the entire 2024/25 campaign. However, given that he was previously described as “one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders” by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, Spurs could do a lot worse.

Looking at Luiz’s struggles on the Italian scene, it’s clear that he has flattered to deceive. But context is important: Luiz failed to settle in Turin, and his campaign was further impeded by injuries.

Looking at the level he was performing at the year before, with Aston Villa in the Premier League, you can see why Tottenham are interested in completing a deal.

Douglas Luiz – Past Two League Seasons

Stats (* per game)

Prem 23/24

Serie A 24/25

Matches (starts)

35 (35)

19 (3)

Goals

9

0

Assists

5

0

Touches*

70.1

27.3

Pass completion

89%

90%

Big chances created

10

3

Key passes*

1.5

0.8

Dribbles*

0.7

0.6

Ball recoveries*

5.5

1.6

Tackles*

1.7

0.9

Duels (won)*

4.2 (51%)

1.9 (55%)

Data via Sofascore

One thing that’s interesting across both of Luiz’s recent campaigns is that he maintains an impressive crispness on the ball, not dribbling forward unceasingly but picking his moments. This bespeaks his tactical intelligence. Former teammate John McGinn even claimed once that he is a “world-class” player.

A dynamic and well-rounded midfielder, Luiz could be the perfect partner for Gibbs-White in the middle of the park, with the Forest man operating further ahead, maximising his creative qualities while the Brazilian dictates from deep.

Gibbs-White ranked last season in the Premier League among the top 12% of positional peers for goal-creating actions and the top 9% for through balls per 90, as per FBref, so while he has an impressive completeness and bite about him, Frank will no doubt look to maximise this shining part of his skill set.

Luiz could certainly help in this regard, not only adding some tough-tackling quality to the fold but some flair and uniqueness too.

Even though the 27-year-old played a nominal part in Juventus’ season, he still finished the campaign ranked among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for passes attempted and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90.

This goes to show that the players, contrasting but in concert with their emphasis on collecting the ball and enhancing their side’s fluency, could prove a deadly duo indeed, supplying the forwards and working hard to protect the defenders behind them.

Frank’s set-up can be defined by its transitional focus. He said that “adaptability is really important to him”, and in these two midfielders, the Danish tactician would find that he has contrasting parts who could both be fielded alongside each other or indeed act as the foil for the other, stepping in when called upon.

Such a breadth of options is something that Postecoglou lacked last year, and that’s in part down to injuries, but there’s no question that Luiz and Gibbs-White would enhance a Spurs side that is starting to show signs that it can take the next steps toward something special.

If Levy manages to pull off both these exciting midfield signings, it could be exactly what Frank’s system needs to kick on and challenge at the front end of the Premier League next term while pushing to succeed in the Champions League and maybe even win a bit more silverware too.

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Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Jul 25, 2025

Manchester United’s devoted fanbase anticipates further arrivals this summer after Matheus Cunha joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a £62.5m deal over a month ago.

Such anticipation is wearing thin, though, with it also being over a month since Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo intimated his desire to join Ruben Amorim’s squad this summer. Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, demonstrating strong interest, were rejected in favour of Old Trafford.

But that one’s still dragging on, albeit with progress expected in the coming days. Of equal concern, though, is the fact that a group of players, omitted from Amorim’s training sessions, all remain on the books, having yet to find new clubs; these are: Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia.

After such an abject 2024/25 campaign, the Premier League giants are looking to return to the fore, but in order to achieve this, they will need to make several more impactful moves to ensure last year’s 15th-place finish fades away.

Man United's transfer plans

While the club’s outgoings indeed form a significant part of Amorim’s summer business, technical director Jason Wilcox will need to add some depth and, more importantly, quality to the ranks.

Bruno Fernandes’ decision to reject the riches of the Saudi Pro League in favour of continuing his talismanic journey at the Theatre of Dreams is such a galvanising factor going forward, but he needs a striker to channel his creativity and more mettle beside him.

With Viktor Gyokeres on the cusp of signing for Arsenal, Amorim will need to look elsewhere if he wants a number nine to replace Rasmus Hojlund.

Well, according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is one to keep an eye on there, with recent contacts having been established.

Central midfield has also been a point of concern for INEOS, especially now that Christian Eriksen has departed at the end of his contract.

Names such as Wilfred Ndidi and Juventus’ Douglas Luiz have been bandied about, but there’s another who might be the perfect man to join the likes of Fernandes in the centre and complete United’s engine room.

Man Utd open talks for new midfielder

As per Caught Offside, Man United have been locked in talks with Bayern Munich for the potential transfer of their tough-tackling midfielder Joao Palhinha, who only joined from Fulham in a £42m deal one year ago.

The Portugal international, 30, is no longer in Vincent Kompany’s plans, so United might be able to secure this former Premier League star for a cut-price fee, with a €35m (£30m) figure touted.

Having made initial enquiries earlier in the summer Jason Wilcox and Co have maintained communications with the Bundesliga champions and are well placed to beat off competition from Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Tottenham and West Ham United.

Why Man Utd want Joao Palhinha

Palhinha is a seasoned midfielder with 68 Premier League appearances to his name. Many players have more, of course, but the former Fulham star was hailed as a “defensive monster” by data analyst Marcus Bring for his efforts while at Craven Cottage.

His tenacious approach is exactly what United need to complete their midfield, especially with Casemiro, 33, edging closer to the twilight years of his career.

And given that Palhinha has proven himself in England’s top flight before, he could be the right signing to bring in, so Fernandes can continue to thrive in the centre of the park, having dropped deeper than before at times last season.

That wasn’t to the skipper’s detriment: he scored eight goals and supplied seven assists across 20 outings when in a deeper-lying capacity last term, and with a range of attacking additions anticipated, this could become the new norm for the 30-year-old.

Manuel Ugarte is a part of Amorim’s squad, but his up-and-down maiden year in England calls for competition to ease his burden. Palhinha can perform this role, instilling the controlled combativeness to free up Bruno’s creative flair.

And it’s not like the United superstar wouldn’t return the favour, for he has made quite the name for himself in England for the completeness of his performances, having averaged 2.3 tackles and 4.8 successful duels per top-flight match last term, as per Sofascore.

However, imagine the added emphasis that could be placed on the true core of his skill set, his playmaking, if a reliable six in Palhinha was placed next to him, utterly relentless in winning the ball back, as we saw across his two Premier League campaigns.

Premier League 23/24 – Most Tackles

#

Player

Club

Tackles

1.

Joao Palhinha

Fulham

152

2.

Joao Gomes

Wolves

128

3.

Vinicius Souza

Sheffield Utd

125

4.

Emerson Palmieri

West Ham

106

5.

Tyrick Mitchell

Crystal Palace

105

Data via FBref

Palhinha’s 148 tackles across the 2022/23 also saw him take the top spot with that one, and there’s truly a sense that United would hit the jackpot by bringing him back to English football.

His big-money move to Bayern hasn’t gone to plan, only starting six Bundesliga fixtures over the past year, but an unfortunate muscular tear sustained in November disrupted his fluency, playing into the struggles.

Ultimately, Palhinha would be a credit to Amorim’s system, bringing a new kind of energy to the middle of the park while instilling a sense of experience alongside his compatriot Fernandes.

Whether Man United manage to win the race remains to be seen, but Palhinha would be open to the move and Bayern are looking to sell. When the protracted pursuit of Mbeumo is wrapped up, perhaps we’ll see this one swiftly enter the closing stages.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Jul 14, 2025

Still chasing potential incomings despite their PSR concerns, Aston Villa have now reportedly opened talks to sign an experienced winger who scored against Manchester United last season.

In just three days, Aston Villa will face the PSR deadline in the hope that they’ve done enough to avoid any sanctions. Whether that means player sales or even the sale of their women’s team is the big question. Already, names who could be sacrificed include young gem Louie Barry who Villa are reportedly ready to sell this week to meet PSR requirements.

Meanwhile, fresh reports have suggested that Villa could also follow Chelsea in selling their women’s team for over £100m this summer. The sale would take advantage of a PSR loophole and could save their transfer window.

Once Monday’s deadline has passed, Aston Villa should finally know where they stand on the transfer front and that could see them spring into action to get their business underway.

If they are in a position to spend, then they could do so to welcome the likes of Lucas Chevalier. The Villans have reportedly opened talks to sign the LOSC Lille goalkeeper and have tabled an offer worth £40m.

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Their pursuit of the Frenchman comes amid rumours that Emiliano Martinez could leave the club this summer. Reports have even gone as far as to suggest that the World Cup winner now wants to join Premier League rivals Manchester United.

It’s not just in the defensive third that Aston Villa could make changes, though. A fresh name who knows all about scoring against Premier League opposition is now threatening to steal the headlines.

Aston Villa hold talks to sign Pepe

As reported by ESPN Brazil, Aston Villa have now held talks to sign Pepe from FC Porto this summer. The 28-year-old winger has already got his name on the scoresheet at the Club World Cup – netting in a 4-4 draw with Al-Ahly and could now be on the move for over €15m (£12m+) in the coming months.

At the peak of his powers, Pepe proved that he has the quality to perform against Premier League sides when he scored in a dramatic 3-3 draw against Manchester United in the Europa League’s table phase last season.

Just one of the six goals that he managed alongside his four assists in all competitions last season, Pepe would offer Unai Emery some much-needed attacking depth following the end of Marco Asensio’s and Marcus Rashford’s loan spells.

As the Spaniard looks to enjoy more success in the Europa League next season, having that depth will be more important than ever for Aston Villa.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has a few intriguing players on his extensive shortlist of targets for the north Londoners, and one of them is now believed to be a marquee Premier League star.

Arsenal pursuit of new winger suggests dressing room shake-up

Bukayo Saka’s three-month lay-off midway through 2024/2025, combined with Leandro Trossard’s contract expiring in 2026, has reportedly prompted Berta to enter the market for a quality new wide player.

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New names are being linked regularly, with £86 million Juventus star Kenan Yildiz among the wingers attracting interest from Arsenal, according to reports in Turkey.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

While there’s no outright plan to sell Gabriel Martinelli, a recent piece from The Athletic suggested that Berta and Mikel Arteta would entertain substantial offers, with the Brazilian valued at around £50 million.

Given Arsenal already have an abundance of proven wide-players, including the emergence of highly-rated starlet Ethan Nwaneri, ex-Gunners defender Mikael Silvestre is convinced the club’s interest in signing another winger could indicate a dressing room shake-up.

“I’d be wary of bringing in too many wingers like Nico Williams through the door,” Silvestre told Esports Insider.

“You need to give Ethan Nwaneri some game time; they have Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli already.

“I don’t see why they’d want to bring another winger unless one of those players wants to leave or if the club are planning to break the bank on a world-class wide player. It would surprise me if the club spent heavily on a striker and a winger in the same window.”

Given the high-profile names eyed by Berta, it is very reasonable to assume that Arsenal could indeed splash the cash on a world-class winger.

Andrea Berta identifies Morgan Rogers as a top Arsenal target

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, writing in a piece for the broadcast giant, claims Aston Villa sensation Morgan Rogers is on the club’s agenda – alongside the heavily-linked Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich) and Athletic Bilbao’s Williams.

The Englishman is fresh off the back of an excellent campaign under Unai Emery, racking up 14 goals and 15 assists in all competitions after becoming a very important player for Villa.

Rogers finished 2024/2025 as Villa’s second-best performer in the Premier League by average match rating per 90, according to WhoScored, all while completing more successful take-ons than all of his teammates.

His rise to the top has even prompted NSWE to slap a £100 million valuation on the 22-year-old’s head to deter suitors, but according to Sky’s Thomas, Berta has identified Rogers as one of his top Arsenal targets for the wide area regardless.

There is little denying that, if Arsenal were to formalise their interest in Rogers, they’d be looking to bring down his mammoth reported price tag. However, the former Middlesbrough man could certainly be worth that effort.

“I think he’s going to be a player,” said pundit Tony Cascarino.

“He really looks, there’s something about, he reminds me a little bit of Jamal Musiala. He’s that guy that picks up the ball, and he’ll just make runs, and he’ll create problems for others. He’s got a lot about him.”

When Liverpool beat West Ham United, responding after losing against Fulham one week earlier, it felt like a corner had been turned. Perhaps that defeat at Craven Cottage was the final twist in the overtures of a certain Premier League triumph.

The ribbons will turn red this season. Later this afternoon, Liverpool have the chance to win the top-flight title against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, should they return to winning ways on the road and second-placed Arsenal fall at Ipswich Town earlier in the day.

Though Mikel Arteta’s attention is almost solely focused on the continental stage, this feels improbable, if not out of the question. In any case, it’s a matter of when, not if, Arne Slot will join an exclusive list of managers to lift the Premier League trophy on their first attempt.

Managers Who Won Premier League in 1st Season
Season	Manager	Club
2004/05	Jose Mourinho	Chelsea
2009/10	Carlo Ancelotti	Chelsea
2013/14	Manuel Pellegrini	Man City
2016/17	Antonio Conte	Chelsea
Sourced via GIVEMESPORT

Leicester might be doomed but they still have quality in attack and will look to capitalise on any Liverpool complacency.

Liverpool team news

Trent Alexander-Arnold is back in first-team training after his ankle injury suffered against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield last month.

However, Conor Bradley looks set to reprise his role at right-back, with the under-fire Andy Robertson pushing for a recall after his cameo last week, skewing into his own net off the bench following a mix-up with the skipper.

Joe Gomez remains absent due to an ankle injury, but Darwin Nunez could feature after missing out on Merseyside one week ago.

Nunez might be destined for departure this summer, but his return does boost a Liverpool frontline looking to return to its best.

That’s not to say the Reds have been poor in attack lately, but Mohamed Salah hasn’t scored in five games, Diogo Jota and Nunez are out of sorts and Cody Gakpo hasn’t got going again since recovering from injury.

How Slot can respark Liverpool's frontline

Liverpool looked somewhat back to normal last weekend as they secured victory over West Ham, all but sealing the already overwhelming odds in the title race following Arsenal’s draw at Brentford.

Salah, after renewing his contract, produced a stunning trivela assist for Luis Diaz, the one man in Slot’s attack who is very much on form right now.

However, the Egyptian, 32, will be desperate to return his name to the scoresheet as he looks to build on his haul of 32 goals across all competitions

For whatever reason, it’s not quite clicking for Salah in front of goal. But it will again. With Trent not fit enough to start from the outset, Slot might be inclined to unleash Harvey Elliott in midfield, perhaps replacing Dominik Szoboszlai.

Liverpool enjoy the Hungarian’s tireless running but a more fixed creative point could be the perfect solvent of unfluent play in and around the final third.

Having featured prominently under Jurgen Klopp last year during Liverpool’s injury-hit spell, Elliott has played a reduced part since the spinning of the managerial wheel, yet to even start in the Premier League this year. Still he’s got six goal involvements across the different competitions.

And it’s not as if he hasn’t demonstrated his capacities when given a shot. As per FBref, Elliott ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for all of goals, assists and shot-creating actions, the top 3% for progressive passes and the top 5% for progressive carries per 90.

This perfectly illustrates his ball-playing game and skill in driving into dangerous positions, but most importantly, it underlines his ability to maximise his output when reaching such junctures, something Salah will be eyeing hungrily.

Harvey Elliott in the Premier League (LFC)
Season	Apps (starts)	Goals	Assists
24/25	12 (0)	0	1
23/24	34 (11)	3	6
22/23	32 (18)	1	2
21/22	6 (4)	0	0
20/21*	0 (0)	0	0
19/20	2 (0)	0	0
*Spent season on loan at Blackburn
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see, Elliott’s playing a bit part for the first time since his debut campaign, having only featured six times in 2021/22 but starting on four of those occasions before suffering a season-ending injury at Elland Road.

Elliott, described as a “special talent” by Sky Sports’ Neil Mellor, hasn’t played all that much this season, but he has showcased his vast playmaking skills on numerous occasions. For example, Liverpool might have been abject in their Carabao Cup final defeat against Newcastle United, but subs combined to score a late consolation, the young midfielder expertly playing Federico Chiesa through.

Ultimately, claiming that Liverpool are out of sorts simply isn’t true, having won five of their past six Premier League matches, but fans have been frustrated by the lack of spark in the centre at times this term and Elliott surely deserves a starting berth having been limited to full appearances in the cup competitions.

He’s come up trumps on several occasions, notably scoring the winner in the first leg against PSG, but now the £40k-per-week talent needs a chance to show he can pull strings in the Premier League and bring Salah back into goalscoring form.

Salah doesn’t dribble as much as he used to but he’s hardly averse to an electric burst, and with Elliott’s crisp timing, it could be the perfect tonic for his recent struggles to break the net.

Elliott has acknowledged Salah for “teaching him” over the past several years at Liverpool, and now he has the chance to repay his tutor on what could be a momentous day for the Merseysiders.

Leicester won’t want to repeat some of their dismal displays of late, but if Elliott gets into a creative flow and connects with Salah, the Foxes simply won’t have a say in the matter.

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Liverpool hope to employ this star for many years to come.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 18, 2025

Celtic will look to tie up loose ends from a domestic standpoint ahead of next season before looking to strike while the iron is hot on the transfer market.

Celtic in hunt for domestic treble to reflect progress under Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has led Celtic to within touching distance of another treble and will hope his side can push a fourth successive Scottish Premiership title over the line this weekend should permutations fall their way.

The Bhoys need to defeat Kilmarnock on Saturday to move within a point of the league crown, which could be handed to them the following day if Rangers lose out at Aberdeen.

Despite the promise of a fantastic end to the campaign, Rodgers has warned against Celtic complacency following a surprise 1-0 defeat for his side against St Johnstone last Sunday.

He stated: “It’s happened too many times. I’ve seen a trend now with us, and it will be interesting between now and the end of the season in terms of mentality.”

Losing three of his last seven Scottish Premiership encounters, the Irishman has possibly been given food for thought as the summer window approaches.

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Reports have suggested Celtic want to sign Augsburg midfielder Elvis Rexhbecaj to shore up their options in the engine room, which may go some way to indicating where he sees the most pressing need for reinforcements.

Delivering domestic trophies is deemed as the bread and butter in Scotland, but there is an ever-blooming expectation that the Hoops’ rude financial health should translate to regular impressive showings in Europe, with recent claims suggesting Rodgers has demanded a summer warchest to stay at Celtic.

Tapping into that theme, the manager could now be granted several new arrivals at Parkhead to help his cause, according to former Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness.

Wyness: Celtic boss Rodgers could line up five summer signings

Speaking to Football Insider, Wyness claimed Celtic could make up to five summer signings in what is set to be an “aggressive” window for all involved at Parkhead, citing their desire to grow in the Champions League as a critical factor.

He stated: “Brendan will definitely want to be aggressive this summer, every manager wants that. I’ve never had a manager work for me who isn’t two players short of what he wants. No matter what you give them, they always want at least two more.

Where are Celtic most likely to strengthen this summer?

Left-back – almost certain to happen

Greg Taylor likely to leave for free, cover needed for Kieran Tierney

Defensive midfield – possible but not at top of priority list

Callum McGregor is 32 in June and may need his minutes managed

Central midfield – if departures occur

Reo Hatate may be at the end of his cycle, so another body is likely

On the flanks – high likelihood

Daizen Maeda’s move to central striking role has created a void

Striker – almost certain to happen

Maeda and Adam Idah could use competition through the middle

“Brendan will, in this case, want another three, four, or even five – given the Champions League and the levels they want to be at. So it will be that usual battle.”

Although there is unlikely to be a sea change at Celtic this summer, a squad refresh may be needed to instill the hunger needed to claim a fifth Scottish Premiership title in a row alongside staking a claim in the Champions League.

Now, the onus remains on Parkhead recruitment chiefs to ensure the Bhoys are prepared by the time qualifiers come around, which won’t be an easy test so early into the new campaign.

Phil Salt was crucial to KKR winning the IPL title in 2024, and he’s been crucial to RCB’s run to the final this season

Sidharth Monga02-Jun-20252:02

Aaron: Kohli-Salt ‘the backbone of RCB batting’

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have always had openers who score big runs. This year’s opening partnership, though, has been their fastest in IPL history while also scoring their third-highest aggregate in any season.RCB’s opening partnership is also the third-quickest among all teams in IPL 2025, ahead of even Punjab Kings (PBKS), who have looked more aggressive to the naked eye.Virat Kohli has been the constant and he’s improved his intent over the last two years, but the point of difference that’s helped RCB’s opening stand race along at 10.29 per over is his partner Phil Salt, who has 387 runs at a strike-rate of 175.9 this season.Related

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That strike rate is the fourth-highest for any RCB batter who has faced 200 balls in a season. Salt is doing for RCB what Glenn Maxwell did in 2023 – 400 runs at 183.48 – and what Rajat Patidar did last year – 395 runs at 177.13. Among those who have opened in at least eight matches this season, only Abhishek Sharma and Priyansh Arya have scored faster than Salt.Salt gives the other RCB batters time to catch their breath. He’s attempted to hit boundaries off 124 of the 220 balls he has faced this season, a rate bettered only by the finisher Tim David among RCB’s batters. Among openers, who have faced at least 200 balls, only Abhishek and Travis Head have shown more intent.Salt’s approach and ability has allowed Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal – who is indisposed now – to bat without taking undue risks. Together they have made up for Patidar and Jitesh Sharma’s middling seasons.A major part of Salt’s effectiveness is that you can’t shut him down with spin. He’s scored quicker against spin than against pace this season. Even against legspin, his strike rate is 200, though he has got out twice in 23 balls to that sort of bowling. He’s been slowest against left-arm pace (strike rate 155.38). Arshdeep Singh has got him out cheaply twice in three matches this year with balls pitched short of a length and either angling or seaming away. In the third, Salt scored a scintillating half-century on a brutish pitch to help RCB win Qualifier 1. The contest between Salt and Arshdeep could play a major role in Tuesday’s final in Ahmedabad.2:03

De Villiers: I hope Virat lifts the trophy

This is a happy time for Salt; he and his partner are expecting a child soon. RCB’s head coach Andy Flower doesn’t like to reveal possible player absences to the opposition before the match. He’s even been known to make injured players warm up until minutes before the game just to keep the opposition guessing.Salt was not at the ground when RCB trained on the eve of the final, but that isn’t unusual. Quite a few players choose to prepare by themselves instead of having one more net. If Salt is not in Ahmedabad and has dashed home to be with his family, RCB won’t let it be known until match day. Not with a player so important.The average opener in all IPL matches involving Salt has a strike rate of 157.38 while averaging 35. Salt’s numbers are 176.8 and 35.92, which puts him among the elite openers of his time in the IPL. Yet he was let go by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who won the title last year.As KKR have faltered this season, the debate has centred on whether their former mentor Gautam Gambhir or ex-captain Shreyas Iyer was the magic ingredient. If he helps RCB win their maiden IPL title, the dasher Salt might be the answer.

For the first time in 4691 ODIs, a team lost four of their top five to run-outs, and it cost Netherlands dearly

Hemant Brar03-Nov-2023In the fifth over of the Netherlands innings, Max O’Dowd pushed towards mid-off and scampered a single. Rashid Khan was quick to the ball but missed the direct hit. Despite his dive, O’Dowd would have been out had Rashid been on target.O’Dowd’s escape was the warning Netherlands ignored. What followed had catastrophic consequences for their chances of making the semi-finals of this World Cup and damaged their prospects of qualifying for the 2025 Champions Trophy. A campaign that had soared with wins against South Africa and Bangladesh had suffered a frenetic crash landing.”Definitely not ideal,” Netherlands captain Scott Edwards said after the defeat to Afghanistan. “Sort of beat yourself a little bit in that sense. Four run-outs in our top five or six batters – hard to come back from that. I think we started well and set up ourselves for a good total there. Yeah, gave a few wickets away. They have obviously got quality spinners through the middle and we didn’t have our top-order batters in there to face them.”Related

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After opting to bat in Lucknow, Netherlands lost Wesley Barresi in the first over, but their recovery was so good that their score of 66 for 1 in ten overs was not just their best powerplay performance this World Cup, it was also the best in nine ODIs at this venue.Afghanistan went into an emergency huddle and Rashid, who hurt himself while attempting the aforementioned run-out, returned to lead the talk. The huddle took so long that umpire Nitin Menon had to nudge the players twice to get on with it. Mohammad Nabi said later the gist of the conversation was “bowl in the right areas and they will make mistakes”.The first of those mistakes came in the 12th over when O’Dowd paddled the ball towards fine leg and tried to come back for the second run. Azmatullah Omarzai, who was at deep-backward square leg, sprinted to his right, cut down the angle, picked up cleanly, and nailed the direct hit. O’Dowd’s dive did not save him this time.A direct hit from the deep was just the inspiration Afghanistan needed. A combination of a new batter, relaxed fielding restrictions, and disciplined bowling resulted in Netherlands scoring only 19 off the next 41 balls.Sybrand Engelbrecht was the one really struggling, having scored only 12 off 31. In the 19th over, he stepped out to Nabi and drilled the ball towards mid-off. He took off immediately for a single but Colin Ackermann was ball-watching for a second at the non-striker’s end. Even if Ackermann had responded instantly, he would have still been out. That’s how poor Engelbrecht’s judgment was, and as Ackermann walked off shaking his head, he did not make eye contact with his partner.Afghanistan were back in the game but Netherlands, at 92 for 3, were not out of it either. Their middle and lower order had bailed them out more than once in the World Cup and the architect of some of those rescues, Edwards, had just come to the crease.Edwards is the best player of spin in his team. Before Friday, he had played three ODIs against Afghanistan and scored a half-century in all of them. Today, in Netherlands’ most important ODI against Afghanistan to date, he was dismissed first ball. Run-out.Edwards had no one to blame. Trying to sweep Nabi, he under-edged the ball and instinctively took off for a single, without realising it had rolled towards the wicketkeeper. Ikram Alikhil did to Edwards what Romesh Kaluwitharana had done to Sachin Tendulkar in the semi-final of the 1996 World Cup: he picked up the ball in a flash and broke the stumps before the batter could hurry back.Colin Ackermann put in a dive in vain•ICC via Getty ImagesBas de Leede ensured there was no hat-trick of run-outs but there was more to come. Netherlands were trying to resuscitate their innings when Roelof van der Merwe flicked one to midwicket in the 35th over. He and Engelbrecht froze mid-pitch for a moment and that was enough to catch Engelbrecht short at the striker’s end. For the first time in 4691 ODIs, a team had lost four of their top five to run-outs.Was this a freak occurrence, or an extreme consequence of a risk in Netherlands’ gameplan? Only once in seven matches this World Cup have Netherlands not had a batter run out. They have lost nine wickets to run-outs in this tournament; India are second with four.Netherlands are proud of their running between the wickets. To make up for shortfalls in other disciplines, they push fielders hard. Against Sri Lanka at this venue, they ran 27 twos.”We do pride ourselves on running between the wickets,” Netherlands’ head coach Ryan Cook said after the game. “Our turning technique and our running between the wickets in terms of the speed and stuff, we do a lot of training on that. Obviously, today, four run-outs – and not just any run-outs, No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 in your batting order getting run out – is not ideal.”So yeah, we’ll have to go back and have a look at that, but it won’t stop us, it is part of the DNA of our team and we’ll keep trying to run between the wickets and value every run as we do.”A fielding team cannot plan a run-out, but Afghanistan had done their homework and were on high alert. “Before the game, we said, ‘We definitely know they’re going to try to run well between wickets, but also it might present us with opportunities,'” their head coach Jonathan Trott said. “And that’s exactly what happened.”

And what is the biggest lead in a Test in which a follow-on was not enforced?

Steven Lynch22-Mar-2022Was Babar Azam’s 196 in Karachi a record for the fourth innings of a Test? asked Khaled Ahmed from Pakistan

There have been six higher fourth-innings scores than Babar Azam’s epic 196 against Australia in Karachi last week. All of them were over 200, the highest being George Headley’s 223 for West Indies against England in Kingston in 1929-30 (that match was also drawn).Babar’s 196 was the highest in the fourth innings for Pakistan, previously Younis Khan’s unbeaten 171 in a victory over Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2015.Babar batted for 603 minutes in all; the only longer knock in the fourth innings of a Test was Mike Atherton’s unbeaten 643-minute 185 for England against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1995-96. Babar lasted 425 balls, behind only Atherton (492) and Sunil Gavaskar, who faced 443 during his 221 for India vs England at The Oval in 1979. (That’s according to ESPNcricinfo’s database; there may be one or two longer innings in matches for which we do not have the details.)Australia led by 408 in Karachi, but did not enforce the follow-on. Was this the biggest lead in a Test where the follow-on was spurned? asked Mahesh Singhia from India

Pat Cummins declined make Pakistan bat again despite Australia’s lead of 408 in Karachi last week. The highest lead of all which did not result in the follow-on being enforced remains 563, by England (849) against West Indies (286) in Kingston in 1929-30; England’s captain Freddie Calthorpe eventually set West Indies 836 to win. There was some excuse for this, as it was a timeless match – although it was left drawn in the end after nine days (the last two were rained off) since England had to catch the boat home!The only other match with a higher lead but no follow-on – and the highest in a time-limited game – was in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane in 2006-07. Australia declared at 602 for 9 then bowled England out for 157, so led by 445 – but Ricky Ponting batted again, going on to win by 277 runs.In the first Test in Mohali, every one of India’s top eight scored 27 or more. Was this the highest score to be achieved by every member of the top eight in a Test? asked Patrick Moran from Australia

India’s consistent effort in their innings of 574 for 8 in Mohali – when the lowest score from the top eight was Shreyas Iyer’s 27 – comes in third on this particular list. When Australia made 695 against England at The Oval in 1930, the lowest score among the top eight was Alan Kippax’s 28. But when India amassed 664 against England at The Oval in 2007, the lowest was Wasim Jaffer’s 35 (No. 8 Anil Kumble made 110 not out – his only century, in his 118th Test).The highest score made by all of the top nine in a Test innings is 25, by West Indies against India in Delhi in 1958-59; the best by all of the top ten is 23, by West Indies against Australia in Adelaide in 1968-69. And there are three instances of all 11 batters scoring at least 12: by India against New Zealand in Dunedin in 1967-68, South Africa vs England in Johannesburg in 2015-16 (no one reached 50, and the total was only 313), and Bangladesh vs West Indies in Mirpur in 2018-19.Jharkhand’s Kumar Kushagra contributed 266 and 89 to Jharkhand’s 880 and 417•PTI In a recent Ranji Trophy match, Jharkhand ended up 1008 runs in front of Nagaland. Have there been any bigger leads in first-class cricket? asked KV Venkatesh from India, among others

In that strange run-soaked match in Kolkata last week, Jharkhand made 880 in their first innings – when the biggest partnership was 191 for the tenth wicket – and, after dismissing Nagaland for 289, batted again and had reached 417 for 6 by the end of the match. That meant they were leading by 1008 – and they were the first team to lead by a four-figure amount in any first-class match. The previous record was 958, by Bombay (651 and 714 for 8 declared) in their Ranji semi-final against Maharashtra (407 and 604) in Poona (now Pune) in 1948-49.In both instances of a team making a total of over 1000, it was the second innings of the match at the MCG: Victoria made 1059 against Tasmania (217) in 1922-23, and 1107 against New South Wales (221) in 1926-27. Bill Ponsford made 429 in the first match, and 352 in the second.Only seven batsmen reached 1000 first-class runs in the 2021 English season. What’s the most runs scored since the number of Championship matches was reduced? asked Phillip Johnson from England

You’re right that only seven men reached four figures in first-class matches last year in England: Tom Haines of Sussex led the way with 1176 (and Derbyshire’s Matt Critchley scored exactly 1000). Two of the others, Jake Libby (1104 runs) and Rory Burns (1038) played 15 matches: in 2006, Mark Ramprakash played 15 first-class games and piled up 2278 runs at an average of 103.54. In 1990, Graham Gooch scored 2746 runs in 18 first-class matches, averaging 101.70. The most in a season overall since 1968 – when the number of County Championship games began to be reduced – is 2755, by Jimmy Cook in 24 matches for Somerset in 1991.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of this week’s answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions