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Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas expressed optimism about Gio Reyna’s prospects with both Borussia Mönchengladbach and the U.S. men’s national team, suggesting the midfielder could still be in the World Cup conversation. Lalas highlighted Reyna’s strong debut despite Gladbach’s rough Bundesliga start.

Getty Images SportReyna back in USMNT contention

Lalas highlighted the way Reyna has handled the move and his public comments as showing the right mentality. 

"Thank you, Gio, for a couple of things. No. 1, having the right attitude and saying the right things publicly,” Lalas said on his State of Union podcast. “That's exactly what if I'm Pochettino or any American fan out there, you want to hear in that there is a recognition that he is on the outside looking in, and there's also a recognition that he needed to do what was necessary to put himself back in contention.

“If he is playing and yes, if he is playing well, but I think because he's Gio Reyna, it's literally if he's playing. We know that he's playing for a team that is going to struggle this year, and they certainly struggled in the game [last weekend]. But that there was this American view of a positive of seeing Gio Reyna on the field, I think it shows how much faith people still have in Gio Reyna."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportReyna's intriguing skillset

Lalas expressed that the widespread faith in Reyna's abilities remains justified based on these recent performances, even as Gladbach works through early-season challenges.

“Like I said, how much leash we are willing to give him because of his talent. But that humility in those comments, I think, is going to serve him well going forward,” Reyna explained. “And again, if he is not just playing, but being recognized in general as having a good game, even in crap results for a team, that bodes well for the future because this is not a very, very good team.

“I hesitate to use the word star, but at least make an impact. And I know we're kind of myopic and what we're looking at when it comes to Gladbach. This is again a wonderful thing. And I hope that he's, again, knock on wood, stays healthy and continues to start with the score.”

Gladbach move pivotal

The 22-year-old midfielder's summer transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Mönchengladbach for approximately $7 million was designed specifically to provide the regular playing time needed to fulfill his considerable potential ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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Getty Images SportTough road ahead

Reyna faces immediate challenges with Borussia Mönchengladbach's upcoming Bundesliga fixtures as they face Bayer Leverkusen on Sept. 20 followed by Eintracht Frankfurt on Sept. 26. 

He tightened his game to get the best out of himself after being promoted up the order in Gqeberha

Firdose Moonda05-Dec-2024Ryan Rickelton doubted himself. He wondered if, after being among the top run-scorers in domestic cricket for several seasons, he could transfer that talent to the international stage. More importantly, he doubted if, on 98 in his first innings in his preferred position at No.3, he had hit the ball and been saved from an lbw decision.But he was two runs away from proving his own potential to himself and scoring a first Test century, and South Africa had all three reviews available so he decided to challenge umpire Joel Wilson’s decision despite being unsure. Someone, or something, was looking down on him and the final call went his way with replays showing his bat had made contact with the ball, despite his own uncertainty.”I didn’t think I hit it at all,” he said at the post-day press conference. “I think I might have got a little bit lucky there with some scratches on the UltraEdge. I was reviewing because I was on 98, and because I was thinking maybe it was outside the line, but I didn’t feel anything.”Related

Bavuma, Rickelton prove, in their own special ways, that they can and they will

Rickelton's maiden ton propels SA but Asitha, Kumara ensure opening day is evenly shared

Except “relief” two balls later when he drove Vishwa Fernando down the ground to bring up his hundred. He could stop his self-questioning over whether he was good enough. “I’ve been in and around this team for probably about four or five years, having played a handful of games, but I’ve always believed that I can do something useful at international level,” he said. “It was always just a case of can I do it and can I prove it to myself.””So it was a relief to say to myself I’ve waited my time, but I can do it. Because there’s always those doubts. They live in everyone, they definitely live in me. After a couple of failures here and there, ‘am I actually… can I do it? Am I speaking a good game?’ It was just the relief of being able to do it, and do it for the team as well.”The individual achievement aside, Rickelton also put in a performance that rescued South Africa from a top-order wobble and was able to do so because he was batting where he is more comfortable.Ryan Rickelton stuck to his game plan even after being set•AFP/Getty ImagesIt is in the top three that Rickelton has been at his most productive domestically, where he averages over 60, but in a Test squad where he was the newest batter in 2022, he was slotted in at No. 5. At the time, Keegan Petersen occupied the No. 3 spot; most recently Test coach Shukri Conrad has given it to Tristan Stubbs but after Stubbs’ century at No. 4 in Durban and the decision to pick an extra batter in the line-up for this Test meant that Conrad offered Rickelton the No. 3 slot.Rickelton “jumped at the opportunity”, because he knows he is at his best when conditions are most challenging. “Playing against the new ball in red-ball cricket actually helps me, it tightens me up,” he said. “If I come in at No. 5 or 6, I actually get a bit too loose or maybe a bit expansive. I had my game plan, having had some relative success in the past domestically, and just tried to stick to it for long parts of the day.”That plan also worked because South Africa were on the ropes, and he knew he could not afford to slip up. “Being 44 for 3 solidified my plan. We were in a bit of trouble, so I knew that I had to probably tighten up even more. Cricket’s funny. I think the better things go, the looser individuals become. I’m one of those guys. Under pressure, I kind of made myself tighten up, and luckily for me, Temba [Bavuma] was seeing it really well and playing incredibly well. He actually took a lot of pressure off of me by scoring so freely on what actually was quite a tough morning.”Bavuma dominated their fourth-wicket stand, outscored Rickelton and was the batter who looked odds on for a hundred but played at a ball he could have left and was dismissed before tea. In the end, Rickelton also went for a delivery he didn’t have to play at and was out before the end of the day. But he believes he has left South Africa in a good position. “In PE [formerly Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha], if you’re hovering around 350, it’s a really, really good score,” he said. “We are one decent partnership away from setting a really nice score.”

Kamindu notched up his fourth Test ton and New Zealand fought back with late wickets

Madushka Balasuriya18-Sep-2024

Kamindu Mendis’ hundred lifted Sri Lanka•Associated Press

Sri Lanka 302 for 7 (Kamindu 114, Kusal 50, O’Rourke 3-54, Phillips 2-52) vs New ZealandKamindu Mendis continued his phenomenal start to Test cricket notching up a fourth Test ton, but a couple of late wickets at the end of play ensured that New Zealand were not completely out of it after an engrossing opening day’s play in Galle.That one of those wickets was that of Kamindu will have brought the visitors particular joy, though the nature of the wicket – with it spitting out of the rough outside the left-handers off stump, to catch his glove – might give New Zealand’s left-hand heavy batting line-up some pause.Kamindu’s 114 off 173 was part of two key partnerships, the first worth 72 with Angelo Mathews and the second for 103 with Kusal Mendis. Around those New Zealand did what they do best. They put their best foot forward, set up solid plans, and threw themselves at everything.It meant Sri Lanka were unable to take complete control of the game having won the toss and elected to bat first on an unusually grass-strewn surface.Will O’Rourke was the pick of the bowlers, grabbing three wickets, including that of both Sri Lanka openers within the first hour of the morning session, while Glenn Phillips was the pick of the spinners with figures of 2 for 52. Mitchell Santner was wicketless, though that was less a reflection of his efforts and more a case of bad luck.Ramesh Mendis was unbeaten on 14 off 42 at stumps, alongside him was the Prabath Jayasuriya, but this was a day that belonged to Kamindu.His best work was done alongside the other Mendis in the lineup, Kusal, whose 50 off 68 provided the ideal foil to Kamindu’s steady hand. While missteps were rare for New Zealand, one in particular – a missed chance off a Kamindu miscue when he was still on 21 – might linger a little longer in the memory. That was also a rare Kamindu misstep, as for the most part, he dealt with whatever the visitors threw at him with consummate ease.William O’Rourke got his third wicket on the stroke of tea•Associated Press

The most striking feature of his innings was the ease with which he used his feat against the spinners, a concerted ploy geared towards not allowing them to settle on their lines and lengths. It meant the use of sweeps was more targeted than prolific, hounding out gaps in the field for a consistent flow of runs.His partnership with Mathews offered a much-needed period of consolidation after Sri Lanka had slumped to 106 for 4. Mathews had looked far from his best during a laboured 36 off 116, and it meant the scoreboard also wasn’t moving as swiftly as the hosts might have hoped.However once Mathews fell, edging behind off the excellent O’Rourke, it also brought up Sri Lanka’s best period of the day.With the ball softening and Kamindu already settled, Kusal’s natural aggression ran a tiring attack ragged. It took a freak dismissal to break the stand, as a hard pull off a Phillip’s long-hop saw the ball loop up off an evasive short leg and balloon to midwicket. Kusal looked on in disbelief, though by then Sri Lanka had already played themselves into a considerable position of strength.New Zealand though had started the day the better of the two sides with O’Rourke lighting up a gloomy morning session with a menacing opening burst full of pace, bounce and lateral movement. Through it he accounted for the wickets of Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka, while he also wrought some pain on Mathews, after one seamed back in sharply to strike his right forefinger. That knock forced Mathews to retire hurt, but he was able to return later on to complete his innings.New Zealand’s persistence continued to pay off after lunch, as they grabbed a further three wickets to bookend the session. Dinesh Chandimal fell right at the start, chipping to midwicket for a sharp catch, while Mathews fell on the stroke of tea. In between, Dhananjaya de Silva had a ripper from Phillips turn right through bat and pad to clip the top of off.On another day, all that might have signalled a successful day for the visitors, but Kamindu ensured that it was the hosts that would take home honours on a hard-fought opening day.

Sunderland now know who they will face in their opening set of Premier League fixtures.

It will have suddenly become very real for those with connections to the Black Cats when looking at the list of clubs Regis Le Bris’ men will soon face, with August throwing up fixtures against West Ham United, Burnley, and Brentford to kick off their daunting top-flight survival mission.

Le Bris will hope his newly promoted side can steadily adjust to their intimidating level, with plenty of signings still needed to help keep their heads above water.

Sunderland have already had success in this department when securing the permanent services of Enzo Le Fee, but another midfield talent might soon join the ranks to link up with the skilful Frenchman.

Sunderland monitoring bargain midfielder

As per a report by OnTheMinute, Sunderland are now monitoring the situation of Clermont Foot midfielder Habib Keita.

The report states that Keita has become a much sought-after talent after impressing in Ligue 2, with QPR, Stoke City and Crystal Palace all said to be keeping tabs on the promising 23-year-old.

Valued at just £1.2m via Transfermarkt, this could go down as another steal utilising the French market, much like when Le Fee joined the building initially on loan.

How Keita can be Le Bris' next Le Fee

With Jobe Bellingham also now gone, which has left a considerable hole in the midfield areas, this would be a shrewd pick-up as Sunderland attempt to acclimatise back to the challenges of the Premier League.

After all, Le Bris has presumably had the Malian on his radar for quite some time now, with the ex-Lorient boss no doubt a keen fan of the 23-year-old when still situated in the managerial dug-outs of his native France.

Much like Le Fee at Le Bris’ ex-employers, Keita would have been viewed as an exciting talent when rising through the Lyon ranks as a youngster.

But, in a similar fashion to the now Sunderland number 28, his career hasn’t been without its obstacles, resulting in the midfielder moving out to Belgium after exiting the Groupama Stadium, before returning to France reinvigorated with Clermont Foot.

Last season, even as his Ligue 2 employers struggled in 16th position in the league standings, Keita still managed to come away from the campaign with a goal and four assists to his name, meaning he might well thrive in another basement battle to follow with Sunderland.

Games played

27

15

Goals scored

1

1

Assists

4

1

Touches*

52.1

55.8

Accurate passes*

31.1 (85%)

28.5 (84%)

Key passes*

0.8

1.3

Big chances created

6

2

Ball recoveries*

5.3

3.6

Total duels won*

4.6

5.5

The table above certainly reinforces the idea that Keita could go on to be an even better talent under Le Bris’ wing, like Le Fee, with the midfield duo notching up similar numbers when comparing their statistics from last season, as seen in their similar passing numbers.

But, away from their ability to carve out an opening, the midfield pairing also excel as energetic bodies, with a high amount of duels won, which will come in handy as games become more attritional and tensely fought in the Premier League.

Much like Le Fee too, who can happily line up down the wings away from slotting in the middle of the park, Keita is also capable of being flexible with eight of his overall career appearances seeing him come into an XI as a number ten, alongside another four clashes where he’s been deployed down the right flank.

The worry will just be if the Malian can instantly hit the ground running in his new terrain. But, if Le Fee is anything to go by, Keita might well be the next sensational capture from Le Bris’ homeland.

Sunderland in advanced talks to sell "fantastic" 22 y/o in permanent deal

Would moving him on be the right decision?

ByHenry Jackson Jun 22, 2025

Bangladesh successfully defended 106, the lowest total ever defended in the men’s T20 World Cup

Abhimanyu Bose16-Jun-20242:20

Tamim: Nepal showed how good they can be

Bangladesh 106 (Shakib 17, Kami 2-10, Lamichhane 2-17, Paudel 2-20, airee 2-22) beat A fiery opening spell from Tanzim Hasan Sakib powered Bangladesh to a slightly tense win over Nepal, sealing their progress to the Super Eight stage. For the second game in a row Nepal had a Full Member side on the ropes with their bowling performance in Kingstown, but their batting order was blown away by Bangladesh’s fast bowlers.A win, let alone a comfortable one, looked like a tricky prospect for Bangladesh after they were bundled for 106. Having come within two runs of chasing down a slightly bigger target against South Africa, Nepal would have fancied their chances of bagging their first win against a Full Member team, but Tanzim scythed through their top order with stunning figures of 4-2-7-4 that reduced Nepal to 26 for 5.While the low asking rate meant Nepal could still keep their chances alive, Mustafizur Rahman put on a death bowling masterclass when Nepal needed 30 off 24 to help Bangladesh pull off the lowest successful defence in a men’s T20 World Cup.Tanzim runs through NepalNepal found themselves in big trouble early when Tanzim struck twice in his second over – the third of the innings. Kushal Bhurtel missed a low full toss that swung away late to clip the off stump before Anil Sah toe-ended his effort to mid-off.Taskin Ahmed created a couple of chances in the next over, and Tanzim reaped the rewards of the pressure built, with Rohit Paudel slapping a short and wide delivery straight to backward point. Tanzim nearly struck again in the over, but a leading edge from Sundeep Jora fell short of the bowler.Mustafizur then had Aasif Sheikh caught at cover to complete an excellent powerplay for Bangladesh.Tanzim bowled out in the seventh over, and picked up his fourth wicket when he had Jora caught at gully. He bowled a double-wicket maiden and a wicket maiden, and his 21 dot balls were the most by a bowler in a men’s T20 World Cup match.From the start of the eighth over, there was a 23-ball boundary drought, with legspinner Rishad Hossain especially getting sharp turn. Dipendra Singh Airee finally swept Rishad for four off the last ball of the 11th over that helped Nepal reach 50 in the next over.Malla and Airee consolidated for Nepal, shifting gears in the 16th over when Malla slog-swept Mahmudullah for Nepal’s first six of the innings. One ball later, he nudged him fine on the leg side for a four to bring up the fifty partnership. They were left with 30 to win off the last four.Mustafizur closes it out for BangladeshSandeep Lamichhane picked up two tickets•ICC/Getty ImagesTwo of those four overs were to be bowled by Mustafizur, and he broke the burgeoning stand with a back-of-length cutter that was skied over mid-off. Najmul Hossain Shanto did well to settle under it running back and holding on to a tricky chance. Just the one run came off the over.Nepal attacked Taskin when Airee slapped a six over point but the bowler gave away only one more run in the next five balls and also sent Gulsan Jha back. Mustafizur then bowled five dots on the trot as Airee kept swinging and failing to make contact. Airee looked to knock the last ball of the over for a single, but ended up edging behind to make the penultimate over a wicket maiden.Shakib Al Hasan, wicketless in the tournament before the game, picked the last two wickets to complete a team hat-trick. This also made it the first time Bangladesh won three games in a T20 World Cup.Bangladesh top order flops againSompal Kami struck first ball for Nepal, who opted to bowl, as Tanzid Hasan top-edged a short ball for a return catch to the fast bowler. Shanto was next to go, as Airee went through the Bangladesh captain’s defence in the next over.Given a third over on the trot, Kami then got Litton top-edging a pull off a short ball that wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh settled under. It meant a poor run of form for Bangladesh’s top order, who have only contributed 122 runs in their four group stage matches.Towhid Hridoy, Bangladesh’s best batter in the competition, hit two fours but top-edged an attempted slog sweep off Paudel to leave Bangladesh stuttering at 31 for 4 at the end of the powerplay.Nepal spinners do the restMahmudullah looked to regroup for Bangladesh along with Shakib, hitting two crisp boundaries off Sandeep Lamichhane, but was called for a run that was never there and ended up being run out at the non-striker’s end in the ninth over.Shakib and Jaker Ali tried to consolidate, but Paudel got another breakthrough by dismissing Shakib, before Lamichhane bowled Tanzim and Jake with wrong’uns to put Bangladesh under threat of being bowled out under 100.But Rishad Hossain and Taskin helped Bangladesh add 31 runs for the last two wickets that took them to 106.

Norwich City have now joined Birmingham City in the race to sign a “fantastic” Championship defender on a free transfer, according to a recent report.

Liam Manning delighted to start new era at Norwich

The Canaries have finally found a replacement for Johannes Hoff Thorup, who was sacked back in April. After assessing their options, the club announced on Monday that Liam Manning would be leaving Bristol City and taking over at Carrow Road.

Manning had been in charge of the Robins since November 2023, taking charge of 82 matches, 28 of which he won, and his final act was leading them to the Championship play-offs last season, although they were hammered by Sheffield United 6-0 on aggregate.

Manning has now put that behind him, as he reveals it is a “privilege and honour” to have the opportunity to work at Norwich.

“I’m privileged and honoured to have the opportunity to work for this fantastic football club. It’s a wonderful club with a big history and tradition.

Liam Manning’s managerial record

Games

222

Won

97

Drawn

49

Lost

76

Points per game

1.53

“It’s clear, there has already been a lot of valuable groundwork laid in recent seasons – it’s now important we build further on that and move the club forward.”

Norwich join Birmingham in race to sign Harry Darling

The Canaries are not wasting any time when it comes to helping Manning strengthen his new side, as according to The Pink Un, Norwich are now the latest team to show interest in signing defender Harry Darling.

The 25-year-old is coming to the end of his contract at Swansea City, and while the Welsh side have offered him new terms, he remains undecided about his future. The likes of Bristol City and Sheffield United are keeping an eye on his situation, while Birmingham City have been linked with a move for Darling since April.

These three teams have now been joined by the Canaries, as Manning eyes defensive reinforcements. Darling is not the only defender on Norwich’s radar, but given he will cost nothing in terms of a transfer fee, a quick deal would allow them to plan the rest of their summer spend knowing they have an experienced new addition in the bank.

Harry Darling’s Swansea City stats

Apps

112

Goals

12

Assists

6

At this stage nothing is advanced, but Manning working with Darling during their time at MK Dons may hand Norwich an advantage in a busy race for his signature.

The 24/25 season was another impressive campaign for Darling, as he scored five goals in 39 Championship games, while his defensive work was up to scratch too, as Swansea boss Luke Williams labelled him “fantastic” for his performance against West Brom as they claimed a hard-fought point.

“He is fantastic at defending the goal, competing for everything with the opposition. But he also had plenty of brilliant actions in helping us to build up to try and score. He was brilliant; he’s an excellent player.”

Tottenham want to sign a “special” Man City player who Pep Guardiola rates very highly, with the man in question thought to be keen on an exit from Eastlands when the summer transfer window reopens.

Tottenham battle Man United for Europa League after tough seasons

After cruising past Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-finals, Spurs now face Premier League rivals Man United in the Europa League final – where both sides will be battling to save their respective seasons.

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Ange Postecoglou has led the Lilywhites to a dismal 19 league defeats this campaign, equalling the club’s record for most Premier League losses in a single season, with United suffering from a similar run of form.

Crystal Palace (home)

May 11th

Aston Villa (away)

May 16th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

The Red Devils are 15th in the league and winless in their last five encounters, but their fortunes are drastically different in Europe, having just impressively knocked Athletic Bilbao out in the semis with a 7-1 aggregate win over the La Liga side.

Now, either team could end their regrettable 2024/25 campaigns on a major high with silverware on a spot in next season’s Champions League group draw on the line.

“Who cares if we’re struggling in the league? Why is that important? If it’s so easy to get to a final, then why doesn’t everyone who finishes in the top three do it?” said Postecoglou on Tottenham and United’s critics ahead of the final in Bilbao later this month.

“It’s a separate thing. It’s got nothing to do with league form. We understand our league form hasn’t been great.

“We understand the struggles we’ve had. A lot of them are because of the situation we’ve been in. But how that diminishes the achievement of getting to a final.

“Like I said, this club and others have finished in first, second or third in the Premier League, and haven’t made finals. Why should that be diminished? I couldn’t care less who’s struggling and who’s not. I think both us and Manchester United have earned the right to be there.”

Tottenham eyeing move for Man City attacker James McAtee

Winning the competition and confirming their place in the Champions League next term will also play a key role in attracting desired transfer targets, and one of them is believed to be Man City playmaker James McAtee.

McAtee has attracted interest from Nottingham Forest and other sides ahead of the summer, with The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey reporting that Spurs are also in the mix for his signature.

Overall, the Englishman has struggled to stake his claim as a regular in Guardiola’s starting elevens, which is hard to do, but McAtee has still impressed when given the opportunity – scoring seven goals in all competitions.

Bailey reports that Tottenham are keen on signing McAtee this summer, and the 22-year-old is eager to pursue more game time away from the Etihad.

While Guardiola hasn’t quite found enough room for the ex-Sheffield United star, he’s still lavished McAtee with praise when it comes to ability.

“I am so happy for him, he is a special player. A hat-trick is not easy,” said Guardiola about McAtee earlier this term, after a hat-trick against Salford City in the FA Cup.

“He has an incredible sense in front of goal, he has the right tempo, he changed the rhythm to score, and I am very happy for him.”

Ipswich Town have their eyes on a “fast” new forward to replace Liam Delap, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Ipswich Town could lose Delap for £30m if relegated

The Tractor Boys suffered a damaging Premier League defeat last time out to relegation rivals Wolves at Portman Road, a result that leaves them 12 points from safety.

Delap was once again on the scoresheet, netting his 12th top-flight goal of the campaign, and he has been a real shining light under Kieran McKenna after signing from Manchester City last summer.

Chelsea vs Ipswich

April 13

Ipswich vs Arsenal

April 20

Newcastle vs Ipswich

April 26

Everton vs Ipswich

May 3

Ipswich vs Brentford

May 10

Leicester vs Ipswich

May 18

Ipswich vs West Ham

May 25

However, with Ipswich on course for an immediate return to the Championship, Delap could remain in the Premier League with a number of clubs keen on his services.

He has a release clause of £40m in his current Ipswich contract, however, that will drop to just £30m should the Tractor Boys go down.

Therefore, Ipswich may soon be on the search for an attacking addition to replace Delap, and there have been claims that Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland could be that man. Now, Romano has named a new potential target ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Ipswich Town eyeing move for Sheffield United forward Ryan One

According to Romano, Ipswich Town have been keeping an eye on Sheffield United forward Ryan One this season, with the teenager on the club’s shortlist to replace Delap.

“Understand Ipswich Town have been monitoring Ryan One’s performances at Sheffield United. He’s one of the names on the shortlist if Liam Delap leaves the club in the summer.”

One, who stands at 6ft 2, made the move to the Blades from Scottish side Hamilton back in 2023. The 18-year-old can play as a striker or as a winger and has represented Scotland at youth level. He’s made 11 appearances in the Championship and scored his first senior goal against Bristol City last year.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder praised the club for bringing One to Bramall Lane, saying earlier in the campaign: “It’s a great spot by (then-head of recruitment) Paul Mitchell and the board needs appreciating for spending a couple of quid on a real unknown player.

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“It’s important we nurture players through our academy. That’s something I’ve been delighted with, the young players coming in, the way we’ve changed our style as well.”

One has also previously been dubbed as “fast” and a “craftsman” by scout and academy coach Ioannis Kyrapoglou, and by the looks of things, a move to Portman Road could be one to keep an eye on.

He has come in to bat in tough situations and played some eye-catching shots. Now he needs to build on it.

Alagappan Muthu10-Dec-20241:01

Manjrekar: Reddy is an exceptional batting talent

Fifteen yards out from the boundary line in Canberra, Dhruv Jurel had rocked onto his back foot, opening up his hips to get power into the shot. He found it and the ball was hurtling away in front of square… exactly where Nitish Kumar Reddy was taking his throwdowns.Someone cried out in warning. They needn’t have. Reddy shifted seamlessly from checking what he could do better with India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate to whack this ball away too. He has got himself a nice little highlight reel in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy.It began in Perth when he was alert to the possibility of some quick runs. Nathan Lyon had come on and after sussing up that there was no real turn on offer, in addition to knowing that facing the fast bowlers had been really hard work, Reddy reeled off three fours in eight balls. One went down the ground, the next over cover, hit inside out, and the last was a reverse sweep. Shots seem to be his thing.Related

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India need a first-innings fix, and quickly

Siraj fined, Head reprimanded for Adelaide Test altercation

According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, Travis Head, that phenom who has left Ricky Ponting in awe of how hard he hits the ball, is on top of the list for most runs made in this series through aggressive shots, or attempts made to find the boundary: 156 in 54 balls. Picking the ball early and committing to shots fully are hallmarks of Head’s batting and it helps that he has such great hands too. Reddy shares that strength. He is No. 2 on the list: 114 in 36 balls.In the second Test, when Mitchell Starc presented him with just the slightest bit of width – the length was still fine – there was an opportunity to free the arms and the young India allrounder took it with glee. The host broadcast had calculated that ball had come to him at 116kph (after pitching) and was sent away at 116kph too. Reddy hit Scott Boland for a reverse swept six as well and since that shot is a little more unorthodox it tends to stick out. But the square boundaries are shorter at the Adelaide Oval. To hit Starc – who is deadly almost every time he pitches the ball up – over cover – so no slogging – and have enough on it to go sailing into the crowd is a pretty special effort. His bat speed on that lofted drive was recorded to be 60kph. Whirlwind hands.”[Reddy] has done everything a young player could do in a very short space of time and we think he has a very high ceiling,” ten Doeschate said on Friday.At the time he was picked to play in Australia, he had played only 21 first-class matches, and his better discipline, batting, had fetched him one century and two fifties. Obviously, as an allrounder he plays down the order so he doesn’t always have the chance to score big runs but those numbers are still not the break-the-door-down type that the selectors often ask for. Reddy struggled in the early part of the tour, playing for India A. In four innings, he made 0, 17, 16 and 38 and picked up only one wicket.Nitish Kumar Reddy made 42 runs in each innings in Adelaide•Getty ImagesPlayers with raw talent like Reddy need this kind of exposure. Back when he was making his way up the Andhra age-group system, he was scoring double and triple-centuries for fun. So when he levelled up and had a poor season, he thought it was nothing. Then he had another blip and that’s when he realised where he stood.India have taken a big punt on him. He wasn’t dominating the Ranji Trophy. He only began playing professional cricket four years ago. His rise is a little bit out of nowhere, helped by his exploits in the IPL, and a little bit out of necessity. India need a seam-bowling allrounder. There is another big Test tour of England coming up next year. Someone like Shardul Thakur has done well in this role in the past but at 33 he might not be a good fit for the future. Reddy could. He has top-scored for India in three out of four innings in Australia. But given those scores were 41, 42 and 42, there is clear understanding that he is very much a work in progress.Take his singular strength once again, the one with which he has caught the eye and come up through the ranks – his attacking shots. When Head has played them this series, he averages 156, which means he has got out to them only once, which means he is choosing his moments to be aggressive quite carefully. Reddy’s average when playing attacking shots is 38. They have got him out in three of his four innings.”From the prep week in Perth, where he looked like he still needed to figure things out,” ten Doeschate said, “the way it worked in Perth and the game plans he implemented in Perth to get crucial runs there, I think to get us to 150 in that first game was amazing.”Still a little bit of work to do, he’s very raw. But for a young kid, a 21-year-old to come out like that and play three innings and the quality he has, it is super exciting.”In places like Australia, where the new ball poses immense threat, there is every chance a visiting team finds itself at 100 for 5 over and over. Runs thereon from people down the order can be the difference between winning and losing, and runs are possible from there because the ball goes soft and does considerably less. In that regard, Reddy, at No. 7, is a crucial piece of India’s puzzle and considering he is the team’s second highest run-scorer, he is coping pretty well. He had grown up watching the stars in this team. Now he is holding his own with them.

And when have bowlers dominated? Over 2500 Tests have been played so far – we analyse the numbers

S Rajesh02-Jun-2023The Wellington Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka earlier this year – which the home team won by an innings and 58 runs – was the 2500th Test match in men’s cricket. It wasn’t a particularly memorable contest, but the landmark was a reminder of how long the format has been around.The very nature of the five-day game means only a limited number of them can be fitted into an annual calendar. In 2022 only 43 Tests were played, compared to 161 ODIs and a whopping 531 T20Is (that last number is also a function of the huge number of teams that play the shortest format). While it has taken 146 years for Test cricket to reach 2500 matches, the other two formats have been rapidly adding to their numbers: in 52 years of the 50-over ODI, 4578 matches have taken place, while 2076 T20Is have been played in only 18 years.That by itself means milestone matches come far less frequently in Tests. The 2000th Test was played almost 12 years ago, in July 2011, and the 1500th about 11 years before that. And that is super quick compared to the first 500, which took 83 years. (Even accounting for the 11 years lost to the two world wars, that’s a long time.)So how has Test cricket changed in this period, and which teams and players have been the most dominant in each of the five non-overlapping 500-Test blocks? Let the numbers tell the story.

Overall numbers in Test cricket, 1877 to 2023

For a format that has been played for more than 145 years, it is remarkable how similar the batting averages are in the five blocks. The early part of the first block featured lower averages due to uncovered pitches, but since then the number has hovered around the early 30s. The averages in the third and fifth blocks vary from each other by a minuscule 0.01, while in the second block (1960-1984), it was only about half a run higher.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn the first decade of the 2000s, the overall batting average jumped to almost 35. That was clearly the batting era, characterised by relatively flat pitches, several batters who averaged above 50, and bowlers who struggled to achieve sub-30 averages. That is the only block of 500 Tests in which more than 1000 centuries were scored – 1042, compared to 766, 854, 791 and 951 in the four other blocks (in chronological order). Since then, bowlers have fought back to re-establish equilibrium, and in the last five years, they have even turned the tables on the batters.What changed, though, are scoring rates, and the number of non-draw results. From a dour 2.54 runs per over in the first block, the run rate has gone well past three now, which seems to be the influence of the 50- and 20-over formats. That’s the one data point where the number has consistently gone up in every period, apart from the last decade, when it dipped marginally in comparison to the previous one, largely due to the more bowler-friendly conditions on offer. The percentage of draws has drastically decreased too, from around one in every two games in the second block of 500 Tests, to one every five games in the last decade.

Team-wise trends in each 500-match block of Test cricket

To start with, England and Australia were the dominant teams. Of the first 500 Tests, in 178 those two teams were pitted against each other, while 310 involved at least one of them. South Africa were the only other team to play more than 100 Tests in this period. However, while Australia and England won many more Tests than they lost, South Africa largely struggled in this period, winning only 27 against 72 defeats.