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While England managed only eight wickets with the two new balls, India nearly doubled that tally

Sidharth Monga06-Jul-20252:38

Aaron: Akash has been through so much turmoil

India came to Birmingham having lost a Test they had no business losing. It could have been their first win since Durban 2010-11 without any of Virat Kohli, R Ashwin and Rohit Sharma. A landmark win such as this just had to be more dramatic, hadn’t it?They went on and made it without Jasprit Bumrah, the transcendental leader of their attack. They thought about beefing up their bowling, but took what most of us thought was the conservative route of sticking with batting depth. Then they had a combination of pitch and ball that gave them 30-over windows with the new ball to take wickets with.One of the final punctuation marks was a lovely delivery from offspinner batting-depth-provider Washington Sundar, but India won this Test through spectacular results with the new ball. With the first new ball in both innings, India took ten wickets for 243 runs, and 5 for 57 with 9.3 overs of the second new ball. England bowled 93 overs with the two new balls and managed eight wickets.Related

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• Stokes' batting in focus as England count cost of Edgbaston errors

That is where the match was won and lost: 15 for 300 vs 8 for 399. We all say Test cricket is won over five days of hard work and a well-rounded attack, but this one was sealed in these three brief windows. In particular, they were lethal with the second new ball in the first innings coming on the back of a back-breaking 303-run stand. In overs 31 to 80, Jamie Smith and Harry Brook had added 244 runs without looking like they could play a false shot.India have been at the receiving end of something similar not long ago. In Bengaluru, against New Zealand last year, they were bowled out for 46 to the new ball on a green seamer, but in the second innings, they looked as invincible as Smith and Brook did here. New Zealand then struck with the second new ball to win that Test.All new balls put together, India created false shots from 20.87% of the deliveries, England only 14.88%. At the end of day four, Marcus Trescothick was asked if he saw a difference between the skills of the two bowling units. With respect, he said, not really.Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj took 17 of the 20 England wickets•Getty ImagesTrescothick wasn’t off the mark, really. Not by far anyway. India seamed the ball less, and swung the ball marginally more. In a Test where the average seam was well under 0.5 degrees, we need to look at the number of high seam deliveries. England seamed 23.6% deliveries more than 0.75 degree in the first innings, and 16% in the second. The numbers for India were 16% and 21.3%.With the first new ball, England seamed 38% and 17.9% deliveries more than 0.75 degrees in the first and second innings. The same numbers for India were 14.2% and 22.8%. India seamed the second new ball more: 27.1% high-seam deliveries as against 18.2%.The differences between the two units were subtler. Akash Deep, who came in as the target for people waiting to see how big a drop it would be from Bumrah but instead took a ten-wicket haul, used the crease better than others. When he aimed to bowl in the channel, Akash Deep went wider on the crease than anyone other than Josh Tongue, who barely bowled in the channel.Akash Deep and Mohammad Siraj took 17 of the 20 England wickets•Getty ImagesTongue himself acknowledged the angle created doubt and sometimes left the batters playing inside the line. An example was Ollie Pope. Tongue would go on to implement it himself to bowl KL Rahul out with one that angled in and seamed away. Akash Deep did him one better by knocking Joe Root over in the same fashion.India didn’t aim at the stumps more often, they weren’t quicker, but with the new ball, they bowled good length more often. Even there, England bowled just as much as India did in the 6-7 metre band: around 20% of the times. However, England bowled around 15% deliveries with the new ball in the 7-8 metre band, but India could do it around 30% of the times.Part of the reason has to be that England kept playing shots, which encouraged Akash Deep and Siraj to keep bowling a tighter cluster. England’s bowlers saw no hope from more sound India batters, and were forced to go searching full or short. They were sound but not slow by any means.Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley were true to their Bazball philosophy, but on this new-ball pitch, it paid to have wickets in hand for when the ball got softer. As much as India’s bowlers stayed on good lengths, it was England’s batting that rewarded them. Test matches are almost always won by the bowlers, but these are not ordinary Test matches. These are pitches and balls that shouldn’t be producing results, but the way England are batting is contriving results. Batting might not be able to win you Tests, but it can lose you on the odd occasion.

Forde returns after recovering from a shoulder injury, while Springer has been drafted in because of injuries to other seam bowlers

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2025Matthew Forde returns from injury and Gudakesh Motie has been left out for remedial work on his bowling action as West Indies announced their 15-member squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, scheduled from November 5 to 13.Forde, who hasn’t played any cricket since July, has completed rehab following a shoulder problem. His recall comes alongside the inclusion of Shamar Springer, drafted in to strengthen a seam attack depleted by injuries to Ramon Simmons and Jediah Blades, both ruled out of the tour. Springer has two wickets from two T20Is so far, the last of which took place in October 2024. Forde has 17 wickets from 13 T20Is.Related

• NZ's Williamson retires from T20Is

• United by a new world order, NZ and WI meet once more

• Gudakesh Motie looks to reinvent what it means to be a left-arm spinner

Motie, the left-arm spinner, has been omitted following what CWI described as a “recent dip in form” linked to technical issues in his action. On the tour of Bangladesh, he had figures of 0 for 44, 3 for 65 and 1 for 53 in three ODIs, while bowling just one over for 11 runs in a lone outing during the T20I series.He will work with specialists from the Royals Sports Group to address those concerns ahead of the SA20 in December, where he will represent the Paarl Royals. According to CWI’s statement, Motie is still expected to play a “key role” for them at next year’s T20 World Cup. The decision to leave him out of this tour was also related to pitches in New Zealand not being conducive to spin.A new face in the management set-up is Krisnan Hurdle, a clinical psychologist appointed as Mental Skills and Performance Coach beginning with the New Zealand tour. The role, first announced in October, was identified as a key step after an emergency board meeting earlier this year.Right-arm seamer Forde – who picked up a shoulder injury in the summer – is one of only two fast bowlers in the squad alongside Jayden Seales, but allrounders Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd and Springer add to their seam-bowling options. Shamar Joseph is sidelined after experiencing discomfort in his shoulder while training in Bangladesh last month.Led by T20I captain Shai Hope, the batters on the tour are Brandon King, Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford and Amir Jangoo.The spin department will be manned by Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein and Khary Pierre.West Indies’ five-match T20I series against New Zealand starts with back-to-back games at Auckland’s Eden Park on November 5 and 6, followed by two fixtures at Nelson’s Saxton Oval on November 9 and 10, before wrapping up at Dunedin’s University Oval on November 13. They recently completed their maiden 3-0 sweep in an away T20I series by beating Bangladesh.

West Indies T20I squad

Shai Hope (capt), Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Amir Jangoo, Brandon King, Khary Pierre, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer.

A legal settlement has been reached related to the disruptions at the 2024 Copa América final, with organizers and venue operators agreeing to pay $14 million to fans affected by access and safety issues at Hard Rock Stadium. The class action was filed after security problems prevented some ticket holders from entering the venue and created unsafe conditions for others inside.

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  Settlement provides compensation for fans

  A settlement has reportedly been reached in the class action lawsuit filed by fans following the 2024 Copa América final between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium. The lawsuit cited access and safety issues that left some ticket holders unable to enter the venue and prompted others to leave early. ESPN reported that affected fans are expected to make up the majority of claimants.

  CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, Best Security, and South Florida Stadium LLC – the owner and operator of Hard Rock Stadium – were named as defendants. Under the terms of the agreement, the defendants will collectively contribute more than $14 million to a compensation fund for eligible fans, with the final payout dependent on the number of claims submitted.

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• Chaotic scenes at Hard Rock Stadium

  The July 14, 2024, final was delayed for roughly 82 minutes after large numbers of ticketless individuals attempted to enter Hard Rock Stadium, prompting a security lockdown and the later reopening of gates to reduce crowding outside the venue. Authorities reported multiple arrests and ejections, and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to numerous medical incidents at the stadium.

  As a result of the disruptions, many paying ticket holders were unable to enter or chose to leave early, and those individuals are expected to make up the majority of claims under the settlement.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Liability, damages and more

  Under the settlement terms reviewed by reporters, eligible claimants will fall into two main categories. Fans who were denied entry may seek up to $2,000 each to cover ticket costs, with an additional allowance of up to $300 for travel expenses if the ticket value was below the cap.

  A secondary category covers patrons who were denied full access to stadium facilities or services, such as concessions and merchandise, with awards capped at $100 per person. The final total paid out will depend on the volume of claims submitted against the roughly $14 million fund.

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• Looking ahead

  The settlement outlines how fans affected by the access and safety issues at the 2024 Copa América final can seek compensation. Hard Rock Stadium is also scheduled to host matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup next year.

Arsenal defeated rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in the North London Derby, and there was some controversy on display during a pulsating affair, with one particular matter piquing the interest of Mark Goldbridge.

The Gunners went into the clash knowing that a victory would put them six points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table, while Spurs had the opportunity to move into the top four.

On this occasion, Mikel Arteta was able to claim a valuable triumph against Thomas Frank’s side, beginning with a deflected Leandro Trossard strike before Eberechi Eze enhanced his reputation as a Gunners’ fan favourite with a brace at the Emirates Stadium, the second of which coming just after the interval.

Spurs rallied in the second half, and Richarlison’s long-range strike caught out David Raya in stunning fashion. However, the home side had already done more than enough to secure the victory beforehand, keeping their charge for the title well and truly on track.

Eze completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, earning derby folklore status after joining Arsenal despite interest from Tottenham during the summer window to complete a 4-1 rout.

Next time out, Arsenal face the small matter of taking on Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium, pitting two of Europe’s heavyweights against each other in the capital on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Tottenham face the unenviable task of going to Paris Saint-Germain, presenting a challenge of great might against the reigning Champions League holders.

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Ben Goodwin

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Thrills and spills underpinned another pulsating affair between both sides, though it wasn’t an evening that was short of controversy, which is usually the case with both sides fighting tooth and nail for local bragging rights.

With that in mind, Goldbridge took to social media to point out something he believes VAR missed during a dramatic affair at the home of the Gunners.

Mark Goldbridge takes aim at VAR during Arsenal vs Spurs

Taking to X, Goldbridge took issue with Eze’s first goal being allowed after two Arsenal players were in the line of Guglielmlo Vicario’s sight as he struck sweetly into the bottom corner.

In theory, Goldbridge has a point, given that Virgil Van Dijk saw a goal ruled out in similar circumstances during Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat against Manchester City before the international break.

Nevertheless, there is an argument to be had as to whether either player is actually preventing Vicario from saving Eze’s strike, something that is likely to dominate headlines over the next few days after a momentous victory for the Gunners.

Either way, Arsenal appear to be in fine fettle and have taken command of their mission to claim a first Premier League title since 2004, which is becoming more likely with every passing week.

The Mets' division title hopes were all but dashed after a four-game sweep at the hands of the Phillies. And after the dust settled on the Mets' 6–4 loss to their division rivals, in which the club blew a 4–0 lead, New York clings to just a 1.5-game lead over both the Giants and the Reds for the third National League wild card.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza wouldn't go so far as to say he was worried, but he acknowledged the club's current reality.

"I'm not going to say that I'm worried, but we don't have too much time," Mendoza said. "Teams are right behind us. … The way you look at is we're still in control of the situation. We're still in control of achieving the ultimate goal but we gotta go out and do it."

As of June 12, New York had the best record in baseball and a firm 5.5-game lead on the Phillies in the NL East. Since that point, the Mets have played to the third-worst record in the majors while their pitching, both starting and a trade deadline-upgraded bullpen, has collapsed to the tune of a 5.08 ERA.

The Mets still have a 78.1% chance to make the postseason, according to . But in order for that to happen, something has to change—and fast.

"I'm responsible. I'm the manager," Mendoza said when asked if there's anything he can do to reset the team. " It's my job to get these guys going and I will. I have a lot of confidence [in] myself, my coaches and the players. It's not easy right now and we are all frustrated. But like I said, we still got an opportunity here to achieve our goal."

Mendoza's Mets will next take on two playoff-caliber opponents in the Rangers and Padres.

There has now been a new update on Manchester United’s interest in AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, with details of his release clause emerging ahead of the January transfer window.

Semenyo has been one of the breakout stars of the Premier League this season, with Bournemouth teammate Lewis Cook praising the forward for the improvements he’s made to his game, saying: “He’s got a lot better at running back and helping out the team too. He’s a powerful lad and has all the ability in the world. Hopefully he can continue to show that.”

Naturally, given the level of his performances, the 25-year-old has started to attract interest from elsewhere, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and United being named as potential suitors.

It was previously thought that it may take around £80m to prise the former Bristol City man away from Bournemouth, but there has now been a new update on his future, which suggests a deal could be done for a more reasonable price.

Man Utd line up Semenyo move amid £65m release clause

According to a report from United In Focus, Man United are now considering a January move for Semenyo, whose £65m release clause will become active in January, with transfer expert Graeme Bailey providing a further update.

Bailey said: “Manchester United have been chasing Antoine Semenyo since the summer; they have maintained that interest since. I am told they were fully aware of the clause when he signed his new deal, after known about its validity for January and beyond.

“United like Semenyo, and whilst unlikely, he is an option that would be considered for January. Whilst Semenyo does have a clause, £65m in one hit is a big ask for any club.”

Despite being cheaper than initially expected, £65m would be a huge outlay, but it could be worth INEOS breaking the bank to sign the Ghanaian, who would become one of Man United’s top ten most expensive signings of all time.

Bournemouth’s Ryan Christie recently lauded his teammate as “scary good”, having already racked up nine goal contributions in the Premier League, although he would’ve been frustrated not to add to his tally against Aston Villa last time out, being denied from the penalty spot by Emiliano Martinez.

Still, there have been some very encouraging signs from the London-born forward, with perhaps his best performance coming in the Cherries’ 3-1 win against Fulham, picking up a brace and an assist, which resulted in a 9.5 SofaScore match rating.

Having struggled recruitment-wise in recent years, Man United may have finally found a winning formula, bringing in proven Premier League stars Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha in the summer, and Semenyo would be a similar type of signing.

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The new Ronaldo: Man Utd preparing British-record bid for £200m superstar

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Angus Sinclair

Nov 17, 2025

Allrounder admits he could miss depending on the make-up of Australia’s top six but is hopeful he can play a part in the Ashes if selected

Alex Malcolm28-Oct-2025Allrounder Beau Webster agreed that he could be squeezed out of Australia’s XI for the first Ashes Test depending on the make-up of the batting line-up, but he feels that he can contribute in the series if given the opportunity.Webster’s role in the Australia side has been a topic of discussion despite being one of the most reliable performers over the past seven Test matches. Webster had played as the sole allrounder in the XI across all of those matches since replacing Mitchell Marsh in January.But Cameron Green’s return to bowling, after playing as a batter only at No. 3 in the last four Tests, as well as Marnus Labuschagne’s return to form and questions around the need to pick another specialist opener, have created uncertainty about the make-up of the top six for Perth.Related

• Weatherald falls for 0, Webster claims a wicket on return

• Marsh has a route to the Ashes; Khawaja backs Renshaw

• What does Pat Cummins' absence mean for Australia?

• Australia's top order: What are the selectors' options?

George Bailey, the chair of selectors, guaranteed Webster would be in the squad for the first Test, saying “everyone can relax.” But there is a way Webster could be squeezed out of the XI if the selectors opted to reinstate Labuschagne at No. 3, either retain Sam Konstas or pick another opener in his place to partner Usman Khawaja, and move Green back to No.6, given he is expected to be fit to bowl again despite a slight setback in his workload progression.Webster had missed the first two Sheffield Shield games of the summer due to an ankle injury, which only added to the speculation. Speaking after day one of his return for Tasmania against Victoria at Junction Oval, where he took 1 for 26 with the ball from 12 overs, Webster hoped that “I’ll be thereabouts”.”We’ve obviously got a potential hole around the top of the order there, and see who fills that,” Webster said. “If they see me as a pure middle-order [batter], then I’m probably going to get squeezed out. That is what it is. I hope I’m still in the conversation, certainly as a batter only, and if not, if it’s just the makeup of the team I’ll plug the way back in first-class cricket. There’s a there’s a lot of Test cricket coming up in the next two years. I hope I’ll be thereabouts.”Webster, 31, has done very little wrong in his first seven Tests. He has four half-centuries from 12 innings, averaging 34.63, which does not do him justice given the difficulty of the surfaces he has played on. He also has eight wickets at 23.25 with the ball, striking at 45.1, and has taken 12 catches in the field, where he has been a huge asset, especially in the slips cordon.Beau Webster has done little wrong since his Test debut•AFP/Getty Images

He said it was nice to hear Bailey guarantee his spot in the Perth squad, but he had not been given the same guarantee about being in the XI.”That depends who you ask,” Webster said. “I’d obviously love to be in the XI. I think I’ve got a lot to contribute there, and especially this Ashes series, I feel like I’m playing the best cricket of my life at the moment. So I certainly want to be there. Sometimes it’s the make-up of the team and the balance and the overs and who bats where. It feels like this series has probably got more questions over that than any before.”Webster admitted he felt some rust on return for Tasmania. He took the new ball to front end his overs having come into the game on a 16-over limit from Cricket Australia’s [CA] medical staff. He used 12 of those on day one in four spells. He picked up the wicket of former Test opener Marcus Harris with a delivery that pitched back of a length outside leg and nipped sharply across the left-hander to scratch the outside edge. Webster later took a sharp catch at slip but dropped one he would normally take.”If I could sum my day up today, a few no-balls and a drop catch at first slip, it probably felt like I was five or 10% off what I usually am,” Webster said. “I mean, that comes when you have probably three weeks of not playing. I felt like I was probably just slightly off it. But to get out there today and bowling 12 overs and get some more time in the slips is always beneficial.”Webster said the time off was helpful to freshen up mentally and also to do some strength work in the gym, having played nearly a full winter with Australia and Warwickshire in the county championship.”I think there’s some benefits, no doubt,” Webster said. “I think looking back, I did play a lot of cricket in England, and that’s by choice. I play my best cricket when I’m constantly playing. To have a three-week gap there, it was nice to get back in the gym and do some running and probably freshen the body up physically, ready to go for a big summer.”

Barcelona defender Eric Garcia is making a huge leap in his career as he is close to finalising a long-term contract extension, reportedly snubbing an offer from the current Champions league holders Paris Saint-Germain. The 24-year-old has become a key player under coach manager Hansi Flick this season, accumulating the most minutes in the squad.

• Garcia rejects PSG approach for Barcelona stay

  According to a report from , negotiations between the club and the central defender have reached the "final stages," with an agreement in principle now in place after weeks of discussions. The 24 -year-old's current deal expires next summer, but his impressive form under Flick has prompted the club to act decisively to secure his services for the foreseeable future.

  The renewal comes amidst significant interest from PSG. The French champions, managed by former Barcelona and Spain boss Luis Enrique, reportedly had an offer on the table for the defender. Enrique knows Garcia well from their time together with the Spanish national team, appreciating his ball-playing abilities and tactical intelligence. However, Garcia has opted to stay at what he considers his "home," prioritising the project under Flick over a reunion with his former national coach in Paris.

  The intrusion of PSG into the situation reportedly caused a delay in Barcelona's established roadmap for contract renewals, which also includes figures such as Jules Kounde, Frenkie de Jong and Marc Bernal. However, the report from Spain indicates that Garcia remains steadfast in his commitment to the Blaugrana.

  Garcia feels "completely happy" with his current role in the team and comfortable within the dressing room, which features numerous fellow La Masia graduates and international teammates. His connection to the club, having returned on a free transfer from Manchester City in the summer of 2021 after initially coming through their youth ranks, plays a significant role in his decision.

  Barcelona view Garcia as a fundamental part of their squad, the report adds, and even see him as a potential future captain due to his leadership qualities and understanding of the club's philosophy. The finalisation of the new contract is now described merely as a matter of scheduling the signature.

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  Hansi Flick's crucial role in Garcia's resurgence

  Garcia's current status as an undroppable element of the Barcelona defence marks a significant turnaround from his situation just a few months ago. After spending the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Girona, where he enjoyed a successful season helping them qualify for the Champions League, Garcia reportedly harboured doubts about his role upon returning to his parent club.

  claims that Garcia considered requesting another loan move during the recent summer transfer window to ensure regular playing time. However, Flick intervened, dissuading the defender from leaving and assuring him of his importance to the squad.

  The German coach has backed up those assurances with significant playing time and has reportedly made it clear to the club hierarchy that he "absolutely does not want to lose" Garcia, valuing his consistency and adaptability highly.

• Eric Garcia's 2025-26 season statistics and versatility

  The faith shown by Flick is reflected in the statistics for the 2025-26 season so far. Garcia currently holds the distinction of having played the most minutes of any player on the Barcelona roster this campaign. He has made 17 appearances across all competitions already this season, racking up a total of 1,285 minutes on the pitch. In La Liga, he has featured 13 times, contributing one goal. He has also been a fixture in the Champions League, starting three of Barcelona's four matches in the competition thus far.

  His value to Flick lies not just in his availability but his versatility. While primarily a centre-back, Garcia is capable of operating at right-back or as a defensive midfielder. The Spanish report notes that his performance is considered a "solid seven out of 10, no matter where he plays," a trait highly prized given the demanding nature of the fixture calendar. His recent performance against Athletic Club was highlighted as "outstanding," further cementing his place in the starting lineup.

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  What next for Barcelona and Eric Garcia?

  With the agreement in principle reached, the immediate priority for Barcelona and Garcia's representatives is to officially sign the new long-term contract, ending any lingering speculation regarding his future.

  On the pitch, Barcelona are entering a congested period of fixtures leading into the winter break. Garcia's durability and ability to cover multiple defensive positions will be tested as Flick attempts to manage his squad through La Liga and Champions League commitments. Barcelona will rely heavily on Garcia's consistency as they look to maintain their challenge for domestic and European honours in the coming months.

The CPL 2025 final pits the two fiercest rivals in the competition – Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders – against each other

Deivarayan Muthu21-Sep-2025With two old rivals set to meet again, in the CPL final on Sunday at Providence, emotions have been running high among the players and supporters of Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR). Managing those emotions in the face of pressure will be key to winning the title, according to coaches Lance Klusener and Ottis Gibson.Gibson, TKR’s assistant coach, said that their team has been banking on the experience of senior players like Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, who have enjoyed success in T20 cricket around the world.”Emotions – that’s the beauty of sport, isn’t it? I guess the team that handles those emotions the best will most likely come out on top,” Gibson said on the eve of the final. “This is the CPL final – it’s a big day in the Caribbean. [These are] two of the best teams over a number of years now in the final. Guyana will have home advantage and a lot of crowd support behind them.Related

• CPL's fiercest rivalry resumes as TKR, GAW meet in final

“But we, as Trinbago, will also carry a lot of travelling support. We’ve got a lot of experienced players that have won big finals before – IPL, World Cups – and we’ve been leaning on that experience throughout the tournament. And we will be doing that tomorrow night as well.”Klusener, who is in charge of Amazon Warriors, concurred with Gibson. “It’s just [about] controlling those emotions and trying to make sure they don’t get in the way of making cricketing decisions on the move,” Klusener said. “Not really much more to add to that [from Gibson].”Trinidad has been the spiritual home of T20 cricket that keeps churning out superstars. While Pollard’s playing career is on its last legs – he has already forayed into coaching in the IPL – Pooran has emerged as the new face of the region. Pooran has evolved into a six-hitting machine, but he is yet to win the CPL despite playing 12 seasons of the tournament. The desire to win his home league has given Pooran extra motivation, Gibson said.It has also been five years since TKR last won the CPL title. In 2020, Pollard had overseen their unbeaten run, but their form has cooled off since then.”Sport is about taking those little opportunities that come along” – Lance Klusener on Quentin Sampson•CPL T20/Getty Images

“Look, Trinidad, for a number of years, saw itself as the gold standard for T20 cricket in the Caribbean,” Gibson said. “The number of world-class players that they’ve produced… [but] we haven’t won it [CPL title] since 2020. And that’s the main motivator really; we haven’t won it for so long. So the opportunity to do that is a massive driver for everybody. So, Andre especially; Nicholas Pooran has never won the CPL. So there’s a lot of reasons why everybody is really motivated for tomorrow night. We can’t wait to get started.”Amid the Caribbean stalwarts, a rookie from Guyana will be in action on Sunday. Quentin Sampson, 25, has made the step up from tape-ball cricket to the CPL this season, whacking sixes as a pinch-hitting opener. His back-to-back fifties against St Lucia Kings and Barbados Royals smoothened Amazon Warriors’ path to the final. The onus is now on him to harness his potential, and raise his game to the next level.”Sampson has taken his opportunity,” Klusener said. “Sport is about taking those little opportunities that come along. So he’s responded to that, and I’m thoroughly happy for him. The ball is in his court now as to where he goes with that talent and with those performances he’s shown.”This competition will finish, and he will go back to his country, and it’s up to him to make those changes that he needs to make and grow. As coaches you can only do so much; a lot of it comes from the person inside. So watch this space and let’s see how he goes.”

Against KKR, they relied on six batters to set the target, promoted Hasaranga to No. 5 after two quick wickets, and pushed Hetmyer to No. 8

Shashank Kishore26-Mar-20253:20

The Hetmyer question: Are Rajasthan Royals not using him properly?

One week into IPL 2025, bowlers are lamenting the lack of contest between the bat and the ball. Kagiso Rabada has suggested renaming the sport “batting”, while Shardul Thakur wants 250 vs 250 pitches to be penalised. But when a surface offered a hint of spice, like the one in Guwahati on Wednesday, Rajasthan Royals (RR) were not capable of making the most of it, and it had to do with personnel and tactics.Teams usually field seven batters when setting a target and bring in a bowler as an Impact Player when defending.On Wednesday, RR relied on six batters to set the target, a tactic that worked in three of their five games in IPL 2024, when they made the playoffs. But Sanju Samson’s finger injury restricts a few aspects of his batting, Yashasvi Jaiswal is struggling for fluency, and Riyan Parag is adjusting to a new role at No. 3. And RR were left in a pickle midway through their innings.Related

• KKR spinners stifle Royals before Quinton de Kock gets the job done

• Moeen: 'My skill as a bowler is that I think like a batter'

To lengthen their batting, RR promoted Wanindu Hasaranga to No. 5 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), ahead of Dhruv Jurel, who only three nights ago had played a blinder to spark life into a daunting chase against SRH. That afternoon, his 35-ball 70 powered RR past a top-order collapse. Here, the Hasaranga experiment was quickly ended by Varun Chakravarthy.This allowed KKR to get in a few inexpensive overs out of Moeen Ali, who wouldn’t have played had Sunil Narine not been ill. But Moeen did much more. When Nitish Rana’s attempts to reverse-sweep or get down the pitch failed, he tried to open up the off side but was out to Moeen’s classical offbreak that gripped and spun. The logic was that if he could attack Moeen or Varun and regain some momentum, KKR could be put under pressure. That didn’t happen and RR were five down after 11 overs.At this point, RR summoned their Impact Player – not a bowler, but a proper batter in Shubham Dubey – to arrest the collapse. The move meant Shimron Hetmyer, an explosive batter who RR had retained for INR 11 crore, would come in at No. 8 – as an unfathomable a move as could be.

“He [Hetmyer] is a world-class international, top-quality batter… How much of a difference is he going to make if he is pushed down the order?”Nick Knight on Hetmyer batting at No. 8

“I don’t get it,” Nick Knight, the former England opener, said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut. “If you’ve signed Shimron Hetmyer, you know what you’re going to get from him. He’s a world-class international, top-quality batter. You’ve signed him to change the game. You’ve signed him to turn a game. You’ve signed him to make a difference.”How much of a difference is he going to make if he is pushed down the order when you get in Hasaranga, who is in it to bowl legspin? I get that if you want to change the tempo of an innings, you might fly one up and say, ‘have a go’, but I don’t see why you might want to put Hetmyer back down further.”Sairaj Bahutule, RR’s spin-bowling coach, saw it differently, though. “He’s a good player of spin,” Bahutule said of Dubey. “Being an Impact Player, it was important we utilised his batting skills. [The thinking was that] if he could accelerate at that particular time knowing the fast bowlers will come later on, Hetmyer could’ve been a good match-up at that particular moment.”In IPL 2025, teams have posted 200-plus totals regularly despite losing wickets in bunches, highlighting the value of batting depth. Delhi Capitals (DC) exhibited this quite sensationally in their opening game when they had as many as seven batters and an eighth, in the form of Impact Player Ashutosh Sharma, who made a game-changing 31-ball 66 not out to clinch victory from what looked like certain defeat. On Tuesday, Punjab Kings (PBKS) had batting till No. 9; it’s a different matter they didn’t need it even with the high-risk approach that helped them set Gujarat Titans (GT) a target of 244.Riyan Parag was the only one in Rajasthan Royals’ top eight to score at a strike rate of 125-plus•Associated PressRR lack that batting depth without the Impact Player – or even with him – and that prevents risk-free cricket from the premier batters.”It’s quite confusing as well, because if you are batsman and have this batting unit, how hard do you go,” Ambati Rayudu, Knight’s co-panelist, said. “When you know you have eight batsmen, you tend to go that much harder. When the Impact Player [rule] had just started, we all [at CSK] thought, ‘Okay, we will go [hard] from ball one because we have enough batting – let’s use the whole depth of it’. That’s where [RR] might struggle to keep that intent going.”But Bahutule remained confident. “We’re a young side with a young captain. It’s a question of us getting into performance-mode, which I feel will come through.”For now, it’s back to the drawing board, and the search for that elusive depth.