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The Mumbai support staff, including head coach Mahela Jayawardene, will oversee the progress of the players

PTI28-Jun-2022After a forgettable IPL 2022 campaign, Mumbai Indians are all set to start their preparations in earnest for the next edition, with a three-week exposure tour of England in July for their uncapped Indian players.Apart from enjoying training at various state-of-the-art facilities, the Indian youngsters of Mumbai will be playing at least ten T20 games against top club sides across multiple counties.”Tilak Varma, Kumar Kartikeya, Ramandeep Singh, Hrithik Shokeen are some of the players who will get exposure playing against top T20 club sides in trying conditions,” an IPL insider privy to the development told PTI. “Arjun Tendulkar, who is also in the UK and South African youngster Dewald Brevis are also likely to join the touring party.”The Mumbai support staff, including head coach Mahela Jayawardene, will be in England to oversee the progress of the Indian players.”Look, the Indian domestic season has come to an end,” the source said. “While the top players like skipper Rohit Sharma, premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be now on the road with the national team, our international stars will also be busy with their respective commitments. The ones who need to be monitored are our younger crop of players as they won’t be having any match practice for three and half months before the next domestic season starts.”So effectively, we can’t call it a pre-season trip as IPL is still nine months away. But it is trying to monitor the progress of our core group of youngsters going forward.”For this trip though, Mumbai don’t need any BCCI permission unless the team is playing exhibition games against other franchises or overseas T20 sides.”This trip isn’t a commercial one where there will be tickets sold or the match will be broadcast on a particular channel or streamed on some app. Since the trip isn’t a revenue generator, we don’t need to apply for any permission from BCCI.”We are only taking those players to the UK who are not associated with any national team activities, not summoned for any of the BCCI conducted camps, and not playing in any league (like TNPL).”Players likely to go for the UK trip: Tilak Varma, Kumar Kartikeya, Hrithik Shokeen, Mayank Markande, Rahul Buddhi, Ramandeep Singh, Anmolpreet Singh, Basil Thampi, Murugan Ashwin, Aryan Juyal, Akash Medhwal, Arshad Khan, Arjun Tendulkar, Dewald Brevis

It’s safe to say that Arsenal’s defence has come a long way under the stewardship of Mikel Arteta.

Flash back to the dark days of Arsene Wenger’s last few years with the Gunners and you’ll unfortunately remember some error-stricken defenders who weren’t up to the task.

The likes of Shkodran Mustafi, Sebastian Squillaci and David Luiz aren’t remembered too fondly by supporters at the Emirates Stadium and rightfully so.

Mustafi was perhaps the worst of the lot with some of his mistakes in the 2019/20 season preventing Unai Emery’s men from sealing Champions League football.

Thankfully, players like that are no more. Arteta now has one of the finest defences in European football at his disposal with the likes of Gabriel and William Saliba two colossal figures at the back.

Last term, Arsenal shipped just 29 goals in their 38 league games; the best record in the entire division.

While Saliba is the Rolls-Royce of the duo, Gabriel brings a bit more aggression and a couple more horsepower. He’s like the stylish Range Rover. A man for all occasions, for all weathers.

Gabriel's season in numbers so far

The Brazilian, signed for £27m from Lille back in 2020, has proven to be one of the very best signings of the Arteta era to date.

He is a man mountain and has already scored four goals from set-piece scenarios this term. His latest two came during the club’s last couple of matches, powering home a header at the back post against Sporting in midweek before scoring a more deft header at the near post when Arsenal thumped West Ham 5-2 on Saturday.

Gabriel, although withdrawn at half-time, was one of the stars of the show as he so often is and he’s finally stepped out of Saliba’s shadow.

He is perhaps the best defender in the Premier League, certainly when it comes to the offensive phases of play.

So, why is he so good? Well, it helps that the Gunners are the best corner-takers in the land.

Gabriel’s headed goal against the Hammers this weekend turned out to be Arsenal’s 20th from a corner in the league since the beginning of last season. For context, no team have scored more from such situations over that time. Furthermore, Gabriel’s haul of five goals from corners are more than any other Premier League defender during the same time frame.

If you want even more numbers to marvel at, since the Brazilian arrived in England in 2020, no centre-back has scored more in Europe’s top five leagues than the 26-year-old’s 17.

He’s pretty damn good, isn’t he? Well, what if there was a defender with even more goals for Arsenal? Yes, that player does exist.

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

The only Arsenal defender with more goals than Gabriel

Back in July 2010, Arsene Wenger used the club’s chequebook to sign a Frenchman. Surprise, surprise.

On this occasion, however, it was not a player of Thierry Henry’s calibre, nor was it a player of the calibre of a certain Robert Pires.

Instead, it was a defender. Laurent Koscielny penned terms after moving from Ligue 1 side Lorient for a fee of just £8.5m. As it turned out, that was one of the biggest bargains the great Wenger secured during his time in north London.

Why? Well, it wasn’t just Koscielny’s longevity that stood out but his leadership and his ability to score some pretty important goals shone through, just as it has with Gabriel in Arsenal colours.

For a moment, we want to put aside the controversial way in which the centre-back eventually left. Club captain, he was announced as a Bordeaux player by ripping off an Arsenal shirt. It was bizarre, right?

But anyway, the France international should be remembered for what he actually brought to the pitch during a time when Wenger’s side were far from amazing defensively.

He eventually left the club with a whopping 353 appearances in all competitions and in the words of Rio Ferdinand in 2015, he was the very best the English top-flight had to offer at that time.

Fine praise indeed from a defender who wasn’t a bad player during his pomp either. So, where does the now 39-year-old rank among Arsenal defenders? Right up there.

1. Koscielny

22

11.1 games

2. Gabriel

17

8.3 games

3. Vermaelen

13

8.4 games

4. Gallas

12

8.4 games

=4 Adams

12

21.2 games

6. Toure

9

25 games

As you can see, Koscielny happens to be the highest-scoring defender in Premier League history for Arsenal.

Yes, the dominant Gabriel is currently finding the net with greater regularity but it cannot be understated just how good the former Lorient star was during his time at the Emirates.

He scored a thumping goal away at Manchester City, the winner in a comeback victory against Everton and perhaps most memorably, scored the equalising goal in the FA Cup final against Hull City.

All in all, it’s safe to say that was £8.5m well spent, don’t you think?

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Trump said he will front a White House task force for the World Cup, with idea endorsed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino

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U.S. hosting 2026 World Cup with Mexico and CanadaPresident Trump to front White House task forceFIFA's Infantino says task force will help fans “feel safe"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

President Donald Trump created a task force Friday to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, which will bring the world'd biggest soccer tournament to North America at a time in which when tariffs have increased political and economic tensions across the continent.

The task force, which Trump said he will chair, will coordinate the federal government’s security and planning for the tournament, which is expected to draw millions of tourists to the U.S, Canada and Mexico.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the task force will ensure that each of the visitors who will travel from around the world “feels safe, feels happy and feels that we are doing something special.”

“So we’re here to create and to make the best show on the planet ever,” Infantino said.

He gave Trump a personalized game ball and displayed the 2025 Club World Cup trophy.

Concerns remain over visas for fans living in different countries, with some potentially not being able to attend the tournament due to lengthy wait times.

DID YOU KNOW?

In America, 2026 World Cup matches will be played in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia and East Rutherford, New Jersey.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Before the tournament begins in June 2026, teams across the globe will be trying to qualify for this iconic competition – where Argentina are the holders.

Manchester United figureheads are reportedly ready to give up on their 2028 Premier League title goals as the club's problems are writ large.

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• Man Utd want to win PL by 2028
• Sheer scale of problems cause rethink
• Ratcliffe's plans lay in tatters

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chief executive Omar Berrada previously said that United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wanted to bring the Premier League title back to Old Trafford in 2028 to celebrate the club's 150th anniversary. But the sheer scale of the problems Ruben Amorim's side face has led some insiders to allegedly scrap that plan.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United have not won the Premier League since 2013 and at present they seem to be going backwards under head coach Amorim, months after sacking Erik ten Hag and spending hundreds of millions in recent transfer windows. They sit 14th in the division and it seems they need yet another player overhaul this summer. A league title win may not happen this decade at this rate.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  United can potentially qualify for the Champions League this season but to do so, they would need to win the Europa League. They drew 1-1 with Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 clash.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The gloom around United could deepen if they fail to beat Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

The FIFA Club World Cup, taking place in 2025, is the newest club competition that will take place in the United States next summer.

The event highlights the ever-growing nature of FIFA, with countries represented from each of the six international confederations: AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA.

In December 2022, the FIFA Council approved the expansion of the FIFA Club World Cup from its current seven-team tournament to one comprising of 32 teams. Rather than being held every December, the tournament would now be held every four years, taking place in the summer months.

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In its current guise, the FIFA Club World Cup features just seven clubs, with the champions from UEFA and CONMEBOL receiving byes into the semi-finals. Manchester City won the 2023 edition after a 4-0 victory over Copa Libertadores winners Fluminense.

FIFA is expanding the tournament to increase interest and global appeal, with more teams taking part from previously neglected African and Asian confederations such as CAF and AFC, which will help to up its popularity and reach.

Club World Cup qualified teams

The qualification format is slightly more complicated compared to the previous editions of the tournament. Previously, a club secured a place in the Club World Cup if they won their federation’s continental championship.

With the expansion to 32 teams from 2025 onwards, there are several spots up for grabs in every international federation aside from OFC, with just one team making it via the ranking pathway.

Four teams from CAF, AFC and CONCACAF will qualify. If a team has won the continental championship more than once in the preceding four years, another team will qualify via the rankings.

Europe will have 12 qualifiers – four via the champions pathway and eight from the ranking pathway, with the latter taking overall performances in the Champions League into account. South America’s CONMEBOL federation has the second-highest number of entries. Six teams – four from the champions pathway and two from the rankings pathway – will qualify for the tournament.

Finally, one club from the host nation will take part, making up the 32 teams to fight it out for the title.

Team (country)

Nation

Federation

Method of qualification

Al Ahly

Egypt

CAF

CAF Champions League winner

Wydad

Morocco

CAF

CAF Champions League winner

ES Tunis

Tunisia

CAF

CAF ranking pathway

Mamelodi Sundowns

South Africa

CAF

CAF ranking pathway

Al-Hilal

Saudi Arabia

AFC

AFC Champions League winner

Urawa Red Diamonds

Japan

AFC

AFC Champions League winner

Al Ain

UAE

AFC

AFC Champions League winner

Ulsan HD FC

South Korea

AFC

AFC ranking pathway

Chelsea

England

UEFA

UEFA Champions League winner

Real Madrid

Spain

UEFA

UEFA Champions League winner

Manchester City

England

UEFA

UEFA Champions League winner

Bayern Munich

Germany

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

PSG

France

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Inter

Italy

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Porto

Portugal

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Benfica

Portugal

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Borussia Dortmund

Germany

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Juventus

Italy

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Atlético Madrid

Spain

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

RB Salzburg

Austria

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Monterrey

Mexico

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Seattle Sounders

United States

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Club Leon

Mexico

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Pachuca

Mexico

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Auckland City

New Zealand

OFC

OFC rankings pathway

Palmeiras

Brazil

CONMEBOL

Copa Libertadores winner

Flamengo

Brazil

CONMEBOL

Copa Libertadores winner

Fluminense

Brazil

CONMEBOL

Copa Libertadores winner

River Plate

Argentina

CONMEBOL

CONMEBOL rankings pathway

Boca Juniors

Argentina

CONMEBOL

CONMEBOL rankings pathway

Inter Miami

United States

CONCACAF

Host nation slot

TBD

Brazil/Uruguay

CONMEBOL

2024 Copa Libertadores winner

Club World Cup format and draw details

The format of the Club World Cup will be the same format used in the World Cup between 1998 and 2022, with the exception of a third-place play-off.

Eight groups of four teams will compete in a round-robin phase. The top two finishers in each group will secure a place in the round of 16.

From the round of 16 to the final, a direct single-match knockout stage will take place, with there being no third-place playoff. The draw for the group stage took place in December 2024.

FIFA Club World Cup Current Champions Manchester CityFounded 2000Most Championships Real Madrid (5)

DAZN

Watch all FIFA Club World Cup games free on DAZN. The biggest clubs and the best players in the world compete in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Watch Every Game Live on DAZN Club World Cup host and venues

The United States was announced as the host nation in June 2023, with the tournament being held between 15th June and 13th July, during the traditional off-season for many countries.

12 venues will host 63 matches during the tournament. The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New York, New Jersey. A full list of the venues can be seen in the table below.

Stadium

City and state

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Atlanta, Georgia

TQL Stadium

Cincinnati, Ohio

Bank of America Stadium

Charlotte, North Carolina

Rose Bowl Stadium

Los Angeles, California

Hard Rock Stadium

Miami, Florida

GEODIS Park

Nashville, Tennessee

MetLife Stadium

New York, New Jersey

Camping World Stadium

Orlando, Florida

Inter&Co Stadium

Orlando, Florida

Lincoln Financial Field

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lumen Field

Seattle, Washington

Audi Field

Washington, D.C.

Tournament controversy

While the event will give opportunities to teams who may never have had the chance to participate in the previous version of the tournament, the expansion has also garnered plenty of controversy.

One such complaint is the fact the event adds even more matches to the global footballing calendar than ever before. The recent expansion of the UEFA Champions League means the top teams are playing more continental fixtures compared to years gone by.

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) says that the expansion is placing more stress on professionals as they are being pushed too hard.

Even the players are concerned over the way the game is going. “We have too many games, and it’s putting our careers and health at risk,” said Ballon d’Or winner Rodri in September, a week before the Spaniard tore his ACL, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

The midfielder played a staggering 50 games for Manchester City last term before featuring six times for his country as they won Euro 2024. Rodri would have only taken a couple of weeks off before going again in August, heightening his chances of injury.

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Another controversy surrounds the broadcast deals for the tournament. FIFA is yet to secure any media deals for the competition with less than 12 months until it begins, although the $4bn (£3.1bn) target set by the governing body appears to have put the majority of potential broadcasters off.

Apple had reportedly made a $1bn deal for the global rights, according to The Athletic. However, FIFA reverted to a traditional media rights sale.

Club World Cup 2029

The 2029 edition will be the second event to feature 32 teams, which will feature the winners of the four previous continental championships.

In terms of hosting, Australia and New Zealand are preparing a joint bid to host the 2029 tournament.

Furthermore, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco – who are all hosting the 2030 World Cup – are looking at a bid for the second edition of the FIFA Club World Cup in order to prepare for the 100th anniversary of the World Cup.

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MatériaMais Notícias

O Avaí retorna a campo neste fim de semana e o adversário é o Próspera, no estádio da Ressacada.

– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE A DO BRASILEIRÃO

Para o duelo dentro de casa, o técnico Claudinei Oliveira não terá o zagueiro Betão, que sofreu uma concussão na última partida e fica de fora do jogo.

No último treino antes da partida, o capitão ficou de fora e vê Arthur Chaves assumir a sua posição dentro de campo.

Classificação

Até o momento, o Avaí é o 6º colocado, com 5 pontos conquistados, em quatro partidas.

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Jamie Carragher singled out one Manchester United individual for praise on Monday Night Football after his performance against Brentford at the weekend. The Red Devils got back to winning ways on Saturday, coming from behind to beat the Bees 2-1 in what was a strong second half display that will have pleased under pressure Erik ten Hag.

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Away from the pitch, the Red Devils look like they could be in for a busy January as they continue to be linked with potential new arrivals. Last week United were linked with a surprise move for Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane as he continues talks with the German side over a new contract.

PSG striker Randal Kolo Muani’s agents have also reached out to Old Trafford as they eye a potential switch. The forward has been linked with a move to United before, and it seems that the French side are ready to let the player leave after he’s struggled to make an impact.

Meanwhile, Antony, who has struggled since the very first day at United, could now be set to end his miserable stay, as the Red Devils are willing to part ways and sell him for £40 million – a move that could open the door for one of Sane or Kolo Muani to arrive.

However, given that United signed Joshua Zirkzee during the summer and given Rasmus Hojlund has impressed in recent weeks, so much so that Jamie Carragher is singing his praises, then signing Kolo Muani may not be needed.

Jamie Carragher wowed by Hojlund vs Brentford

Jamie Carragher told Monday Night Football that he has been “really impressed” by Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund. The Danish international has had to be patient this season, as he suffered a hamstring injury in pre-season that meant he missed the first few games of the campaign.

The 21-year-old, who is on a weekly wage of £85,000 at Old Trafford and has been described as a “monster” by now Reading manager Ruben Selles, returned from injury against Crystal Palace in September and has since scored two goals in six games in all competitions.

The Dane secured United’s 2-1 win on Saturday, and Carragher believes he is putting a “real shift in” at the top of the pitch and is now starting to “look like a player,” as he was left impressed by the young striker. Carragher said on Sky Sports: “Hojlund, I think he’s starting to look like a player. I was really impressed with him in Porto a couple of weeks ago; he put a real shift in.

Rasmus Hojlund’s Man United stats

Apps

49

Goals

18

Assists

2

“There’s real talent in the front three, but the man who gets the winning goal, I think he’s starting to look like a player.”

Cardiff City have now been without a manager for almost three weeks, having sacked Erol Bulut towards the middle of last month.

The Turkish manager was let go after a dismal start to the season that saw the Bluebirds earn just one point from their opening six games and rooted to the bottom of the Championship.

Former Leyton Orient and Watford coach Omer Riza is now in charge on an interim basis, but the board is still on the hunt for a permanent successor, with Wales Online reporting that the powers that be at The Principality have spent the past two weeks “poring over a longlist of candidates.”

Who is on Cardiff's managerial radar?

Among the names being touted to succeed Bulut as Cardiff manager are Sam Allardyce, Mark Hughes, Tony Pulis, and Neil Warnock, as well as former Plymouth Argyle duo Steven Schumacher and Ryan Lowe. Former West Bromwich Albion and West Ham manager Slaven Bilic is also a target.

It is understood that talks were held with Bilic this week, but Cardiff are not optimistic they can land the Croatian, who has been without a job since leaving Saudi Pro League side Al-Fateh back in August. One other name linked with the job is Ruben Selles, who is the current boss of League One side Reading.

Selles recently hinted that he could leave Reading amid a number of issues behind the scenes at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, including the club failing to pay its players and being issued a winding-up petition by HMRC over unpaid taxes.

“I have had enough of this situation now,” Selles told BBC Radio Berkshire a fortnight ago after a proposed club takeover by American lawyer and businessman Rob Couhig fell through.

“All the bad situations that can happen in football have happened to me in the last 16 months,” he said. “I have a fantastic group of players that have been fighting against those situations but it gets to a point where you cannot anymore, you are repeating the things in the cycle.”

Carlton Palmer thinks Selles would say yes to Cardiff

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, former England international turned pundit Carlton Palmer said he believes that Selles would say yes to an offer to become Cardiff manager if approached.

“Should Cardiff come knocking, I think he will go,” said Palmer. “Selles has done fantastic there but he will go unless new owners come in. There has been talks and talks at Reading about new owners coming in and nothing has materialized.

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“It must be disheartening for Ruben. It must be difficult for him trying to lift the players, the staff, and then being hit with a points deduction or further embargoes,” Palmer said. “It becomes very difficult to work under those circumstances, week in, week out. Cardiff are a good football club. It’s a great opportunity to make a name for himself in the Championship.

“I can see him leaving if they make an approach for him. I could see him leaving.”

Celtic return to action in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon as they prepare to take on Hearts at Parkhead in their fifth match of the season.

The Hoops have enjoyed a perfect start to the 2024/25 campaign in the top-flight, winning all four of their games without conceding a single goal.

Brendan Rodgers’ side secured a convincing 3-0 win over local rivals Rangers in the first Old Firm clash of the season last time out, before the international break.

Despite the impressive and comfortable victory at Paradise, Reo Hatate is one player who could be ruthlessly ditched from the starting XI for this clash with Steven Naismith’s side.

Reo Hatate's performance against Rangers

The Japan international was selected to start in the middle of the park alongside Callum McGregor and Paulo Bernardo and did not enjoy his best afternoon.

Out of possession, Hatate left a lot to be desired from his defensive work. The central midfielder lost three of his five duels on the ground and his only aerial contest, which shows that the opposition got the better of him more often than not.

Despite having 60 touches of the ball in a dominant win for Celtic, the 26-year-old whiz only created one chance for his teammates in 77 minutes on the pitch.

The Japanese ace also had a glorious chance to get himself on the scoresheet when the ball came to him, unmarked, at the back post in the first half but he blazed his shot well wide of the target, which represented a ‘big chance’ missed.

Luke McCowan, who joined from Dundee on deadline day, came on for Hatate for the final 13 minutes to make his debut against Rangers and should now be brought into the starting XI.

Why Luke McCowan should start

The Scottish maestro should be unleashed from the start after the Japan international struggled in the 3-0 win over Rangers, as he is a proven Premiership performer who should be ready to play straight away.

He does not need time to settle in and adapt to the league or country, due to his time with Dundee, and his performances over the last 13 months or so suggest that the midfielder could make an instant impact.

McCowan started this season with a return of two goals and one assist in three league matches before Celtic swooped in to sign him on a permanent deal.

Appearances

37

Goals

10

Assists

5

Big chances created

9

Key passes per game

1.6

As you can see in the table above, the left-footed attacking midfielder also enjoyed a superb 2023/24 campaign for Dundee, with 15 direct goal contributions from a midfield position.

The 26-year-old wizard, who was described as a “game winner” by Marvin Bartley last month, has proven that he can make a big impact at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the Premiership.

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This means that Rodgers should be able to rely upon him to come in and slot straight into the side as an excellent option to call upon, which is why he should get the nod after Hatate’s struggles last time out.

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Ranji Trophy returns as BCCI announces full 2021-22 domestic season

Ojha reveals hardships in 'toughest year'

Venkataramana hoped to maintain those standards in white-ball cricket, but his top priority is to revive the side in the Ranji Trophy. Tamil Nadu have not qualified for the Ranji knockouts since 2016-17, when they lost to Mumbai in the semi-finals.”Ranji Trophy will be the goal,” Venkataramana told ESPNcricinfo. “We’ve been doing well in white-ball cricket for the last two years and now we have to do well in the red-ball duration games. We start off with T20 and one-dayers and by then we will know who are the players in form – so that will help us to form a formidable side for the duration games.”Even though it’s not the best choice to pick [for the Ranji Trophy] from the one-day side, at least you can see how the guys are in shape after one-and-half years. Already, they’ve done a good job under previous coach D Vasu in the shorter versions. We have to continue the good work that Vasu has done and I’m looking forward to it [the challenge].”Tamil Nadu’s players are currently involved in the 20-overs Tamil Nadu Premier League in Chennai, which, according to Venkataramana, will help tune up the players for the long season after the Covid-enforced lockdown in the state.”TNPL will help the boys to get in shape,” Venkataramana said. “Somewhere they have game-time and it will help. A smart cricketer can adapt to any format. If you’re good enough to play T20 and one-day, you can also play the longer format.”Venkataramana brings with him TNPL coaching experience, having been in charge of the Dindigul Dragons from 2016 to 2019. During his tenure, the Dragons reached the knockouts three times in four seasons before S Badrinath took over as the franchise’s coach for the ongoing season. In addition to stints at the NCA [National Cricket Academy] in Bengaluru, Venkataramana has also worked at the ICC-accredited bowling-action testing facility in Chennai. Along with his former spin-bowling colleague Vasu, Venkataramana helped correct former India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha’s action at that facility.Venkataramana played 75 first-class matches and 30 List A games, taking 247 and 36 wickets respectively. In his debut Ranji season, in 1987-88, he emerged as the joint-highest wicket-taker, with 35 strikes in eight matches at an average of 20.45. Eight of those wickets came in the final against Railways at Chepauk, where Tamil Nadu secured the title with an innings victory.That season’s performance earned Venkataramana an India call-up, but he only got to play one Test and one ODI.The Indian domestic season will begin on October 20 with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which will be followed by the Ranji Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy.