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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.”

Sussex edge closer to Division One safety while visitors must avoid defeat in final round

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-Sep-2025

Jonny Bairstow’s fighting fifty steered Yorkshire to safety•Getty Images

Yorkshire 194 (Lyth 47, Hudson-Prentice 3-33, Unadkat 3-36) and 109 for 3 (Bairstow 64*) drew with Sussex 250 (Simpson 66, Hill 4-43, Milnes 3-80)Skipper Jonny Bairstow and James Wharton led Yorkshire to safety as their rain-ruined Championship match with Sussex ended in a draw.Sussex sensed an unlikely triumph when left-arm spinner James Coles picked up three wickets in nine balls after taking the new ball as Yorkshire lurched to 6 for 3. But in their contrasting styles Bairstow and Wharton averted the crisis, adding 103 in 34 overs. When bad light stopped play at 4pm Bairstow was unbeaten on 64 and Wharton 23 and with no improvement in conditions the players shook hands 20 minutes later.Sussex take 12 points and Yorkshire 11. Sussex will go into their final game against Worcestershire needing five points to guarantee their first division status but Yorkshire, who are at home to Durham – one of the teams below them – will have to avoid defeat to make sure they stay up.With 199 overs across the four days lost to rain and bad light – the equivalent to more than two days’ play – there was virtually no prospect of a positive result, even more so when morning drizzle delayed the restart until 1pm.But Sussex picked up a batting point when Ollie Robinson hit two boundaries off offspinner Dom Bess before the hosts, 232 for 8 overnight, were dismissed for 250. The impressive George Hill finished with 4 for 43 from 19.2 overs after taking the final two wickets. Sean Hunt edged a beauty which pitched and left him to wicketkeeper Bairstow, and last man Jaydev Unadkat was taken high to his right at second slip by Bess.Skipper John Simpson threw the new ball to Coles with immediate results. Adam Lyth chipped his third ball to midwicket and Mayank Agarwal was drawn forward by the sixth which turned enough to take the edge. In his next over, Coles had Fin Bean well held by the diving Oli Carter at short leg, as the ball ballooned up off a combination of pad and bat handle.It was hard work at first for Wharton and Bairstow. Wharton, in particular, found left-armer Unadkat a handful bowling wide from the crease and moving the ball both ways. But he survived and there was respite when Simpson was forced to employ his other slow bowler Jack Carson with Coles as the light deteriorated. Bairstow played with increasing confidence and scoring on both sides of the wicket as he passed 50 for the seventh time this season, an innings which contained 11 fours.Bairstow needed treatment to his left leg before the players came off for the last time but he had done an important job for his side.

West Bromwich Albion are back in action in the Championship this evening as they prepare to travel to St. Mary’s to take on an in-form Southampton side.

The Saints, now led by Tonda Eckert, have won five of their last six matches in the division, beating Birmingham City 3-1 in their most recent outing.

Ryan Mason will have to make some tweaks to his side after they were beaten 3-1 by QPR at Loftus Road on Saturday, and Josh Maja is one star who could lose his place in the XI.

Why Ryan Mason should drop Josh Maja for West Brom

The Nigeria international was given a starting berth for the trip to West London after he came off the bench to provide an assist in the 3-2 comeback win over Swansea in the previous game.

Unfortunately, though, the former Sunderland centre-forward was unable to build on that assist with another strong performance, as he struggled against QPR.

Maja joined Aune Heggebo to form a front two for the Baggies in London, but was unable to provide much of a threat at the top end of the pitch in a drab loss.

Minutes

64

Shots

1

Touches

20

Possession lost

8x

Key passes

0

Duels won

2/5

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old attacker offered very little in the final third and was wasteful with his use of the ball, only retaining possession 12 times from his 20 touches.

Chalkboard

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

With this in mind, Mason should ruthlessly ditch the striker from the starting line-up to bring Isaac Price back into the starting line-up as a number ten against Southampton.

Why West Brom should unleash Isaac Price against Southampton

The Northern Ireland international should be brought back into the side for multiple reasons, and not only for the attacking quality that he can provide.

As a natural attacking midfielder, Price replacing Maja could make West Brom more difficult to play through than they were in a 4-4-2 shape against QPR, as the youngster can drop into a midfield three, making it a 4-5-1 out of possession, which Maja would not be comfortable doing.

This is why bringing the former Standard Liege talent into the team could make a lot of sense for tactical reasons, ahead of a clash with an in-form Southampton team that will be expected to be on the front foot.

Of course, Price should also come into the starting XI because he has the potential to offer more quality to the side at the top end of the pitch than Maja does.

The 22-year-old star, who was described as a “breath of fresh air” by Chris Brunt, has been more effective than the Nigerian centre-forward with his play in and out of possession in the Championship so far this season.

Appearances

17

19

xG

1.88

4.65

Goals

1

5

Key passes per game

0.4

1.4

Big chances created

0

3

Assists

1

2

Duel success rate

36%

49%

As you can see in the table above, Price has scored four more goals, outperforming his xG, and created chances for the team on a far more regular basis than Maja.

These statistics suggest that the Northern Irish talent is far more likely to be a difference-maker in the final third against Southampton this evening, which is why he should be given the nod from the start in the hope that he can make an impact at St. Mary’s.

Their respective success rate in duels also further backs up the belief that Price would be the better option out of the two for West Brom’s plan out of possession, as he is better in his physical battles against opposition players.

Given that Southampton have won five of their last six games, the Baggies will need to roll up their sleeves and put in a lot of fight to come away from Hampshire with some points, and Price seems more likely to be effective in that situation.

West Brom gem who left for £4m is now worth more than entire squad combined

This former West Brom talent is now worth more than every player in the current squad combined.

ByDan Emery Dec 4, 2025

Therefore, Mason must ruthlessly drop Maja from the starting line-up, after one match, to bring Price back into the side in an attempt to secure a positive result against Southampton this evening.

The former Rajasthan Royals spin bowling coach replaces Sunil Joshi

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2025Former India legspinner Sairaj Bahutule has joined Punjab Kings (PBKS) as their new spin bowling coach ahead of the 2026 IPL season. He replaces Sunil Joshi, who held the role from 2023 to 2025.ESPNcricinfo understands Joshi decided to leave as he is set to take over as spin coach at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.”Sairaj’s deep understanding of the game, particularly his extensive experience in grooming domestic bowlers and managing strategy, will be invaluable to our side,” PBKS CEO Satish Menon said. “His expertise aligns perfectly with our vision of building a strong and cohesive bowling unit for the season ahead.”Bahutule joins a backroom team that has Ricky Ponting as head coach, Brad Haddin as assistant coach, James Hopes as the fast bowling coach, and Trevor Gonsalves as assistant bowling coach.”I’m really excited to join Punjab Kings as a spin bowling coach for the upcoming IPL season,” Bahutule said. “This is a team that plays a different brand of cricket, and I can see the potential is massive. They have a bunch of talented players, and I’m looking forward to working with them to refine their skills and help them reach new heights.”Bahutule was the spin bowling coach at Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2025. He had also been RR’s spin bowling coach from 2018 to 2021 before joining the National Cricket Academy and serving as support staff for India A assignments.Bahutule’s exit from RR follows Dravid’s departure from the franchise as head coach. Dravid has been replaced by Kumar Sangakkara.PBKS finished runners-up in IPL 2025 after finishing top of the points table in the league phase. They lost the final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six runs.

Mikel Arteta might have a squad full to bursting with outrageous talent at Arsenal, but it’s still clear who his most important player is: Bukayo Saka.

The Hale End icon has become the club’s talisman in recent years, and when fit, has more often than not been their best attacking outlet.

For example, in 277 appearances, the incredible game-changer has scored 76 goals and provided 71 assists, which is a return made all the more impressive by the fact he started out at left-back.

In short, Saka is an irreplaceable player for Arsenal, so fans should be excited about reports linking the club to someone comparable.

Arsenal target a Saka-type star

Arsenal finally added to their attacking options in the summer, bringing in Viktor Gyokeres to rival Kai Havertz, and Noni Madueke to cover for Saka.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, in the minds of most fans, they didn’t properly reinforce the left-hand side, as while Eberechi Eze can play there, he spent almost all of last season playing in midfield, which is also where he has been playing this year.

Moreover, even though Lenadro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli are playing better this year, it wouldn’t be wise to rely on them to keep up the good form, considering how poor they both were last year.

So, with all this in mind, it’s not all that surprising to see the Gunners want to sign a new exciting left-wing option, someone who could be compared to Saka.

At least that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which claims Arsenal are interested in Kenan Yıldız.

The report has revealed that the young attacker’s representatives are ‘demanding’ a wage of around €6m, which Juventus consider to be too much, and this stand-off has opened the door to potential suitors.

According to the story, the Gunners are one of them, with Arteta said to be ‘a huge admirer’ of the Turkish talent and his ability to play outwide or down the middle, who has a price tag of around €100m, which is about £88m.

It would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Yıldız’s immense talent and potential, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be another Saka.

Why Yıldız is like Saka

So, as things stand, it’s not controversial to say that Yıldız isn’t close to being the player Saka is.

After all, the Hale End monster is four years older than the Turkish gem, and as a result has had far more time to develop into the world-class international he is today.

However, even though the Englishman is unquestionably the better player at the moment, that does not mean that the 20-year-old is not similar to him, nor does it mean he can’t reach the same level in four years.

Moreover, he already shares a lot in common with the Ealing-born ace.

For example, like the Arsenal star, he has come through at one of the biggest clubs in world football and established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet at such a young age.

More than that, though, he has practically become Juventus’ talisman over the last year, someone the fans can imagine leading the storied Turin outfit back to glory.

After all, he has already amassed 98 appearances for the Old Lady, in which he’s scored 19 goals and provided 15 assists.

Appearances

98

Starts

64

Minutes

5761′

Goals

19

Assists

15

Goal Involvements per Match

0.34

Minutes per Goal Involvement

169.44

What’s even more impressive is that 21 of those goal involvements came in 52 appearances last season.

It’s not just at club level where the positionally versatile Regensburg-born gem has been making waves, either, as he’s already won 26 senior caps for Turkey, scoring five goals and providing four assists.

When you take all of that into account, it’s not hard to see the similarities between the 20-year-old’s rapid rise and Saka’s, nor does it sound all that outrageous when one analyst describes him as “one of the best wingers in the world.”

Ultimately, while it won’t be cheap, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Yıldız, as he’s clearly a superstar in the making and someone who is undeniably Saka-like.

Arsenal can forget Eze by unleashing the "biggest talent in England"

The sensational gem could be a huge star for England and Arsenal as he replaces Eze.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 18, 2025

Leicestershire eliminated after reaching 321 for 9 in spirited chase at New Road

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 24-Aug-2025Brett D’Oliveira’s 107 gave Worcestershire Rapids the platform for a 16-run victory over Leicestershire Foxes, clinching a top-three finish while eliminating the home side, who finished 312 for nine in reply to the Rapids’ 328.D’Oliveira’s second hundred of this year’s 50-over competition came off 105 balls and contained 15 fours and two sixes. He had shared a stand of 119 for the first wicket with 19-year-old Daniel Lategan (34 off 59). Rob Jones (67 off 59) made the next biggest impression on the Foxes attack.After Leicestershire had sunk to 23 for four in reply, Shan Masood (88 off 87) hit 14 fours and Ben Cox (76 off 80) a dozen as the pair put on 163 for the fifth wicket in a determined fightback.Ben Mike, batting with a runner after sustaining a hamstring injury while bowling, defied the pain to hit five sixes in a brave unbeaten 72 off 45 balls but it proved in vain, with seamer Ben Allison taking three for 87 to keep the Rapids in with a chance of topping Group A with one match to come.Occasional spinner Rishi Patel’s five for 65 for the Foxes was his maiden five-wicket haul in senior cricket.Rapids won the toss, after which D’Oliveira and Lategan dominated the first 80 minutes of the contest.Patel eventually had Lategan lbw sweeping, the breakthrough in the 20th over quickly followed by Kashif Ali and Libby falling cheaply. The former was beaten by a Patel leg break and stumped, Libby tamely caught and bowled by Trevaskis.D’Oliveira, who had swatted both his sixes in one over off the expensive Mike before the all-rounder limped off the field, was 100 from 99 balls out of 176 for three in the 29th.He was caught at mid-off soon afterwards, after which Ethan Brookes was leg before to Trevaskis reverse sweeping. But Jones holed out to long-on as Worcestershire lost wickets in each of the last four overs.Holland bowled Cullen (32 from 27) off a bottom edge, Patel saw Allison caught at long-on and bowled Ben Gibbon to complete his five. Matthew Waite hit Tom Scriven straight to cover.Nonetheless, the Rapids had thrown down a challenge which looked enormous as the Foxes found themselves four down for 23 inside six overs, despite the visitors resting two senior bowlers.Gibbon, who missed the 2024 competition through injury, struck with his third delivery as Patel dragged on, the Foxes opener brought down to earth with a duck.Lewis Hill was caught at point as Gibbon struck again, while Allison removed Sol Budinger, caught at cover, and skipper Peter Handscomb, who edged to second slip.Yet Worcestershire’s new-ball pair then surrendered runs rather easily, Masood and Cox reeling off six consecutive fours – three apiece of each of the bowlers – and putting on 50 in just 26 balls in a confident counter-attack.Waite and Brookes slowed their progress yet, as the silky Masood (50 from 41) and the busy Cox (50 from 53) stretched their partnership into three figures, a difficult caught-and-bowled chance offered to Brookes by Cox on 48 had been their only moment of jeopardy.But when Brookes returned for a new spell, Cox tickled one on the leg side to be caught behind with Cullen standing up. Four balls later Cullen, now standing back to Allison, dived to his left to snare Masood off a thickish edge, leaving 141 needed, four wickets left, and less than 18 overs remaining.Holland, top-edging to fine leg, and Trevaskis, slicing to third man, gave 19-year-old Jack Home two wickets. Mike was in obvious discomfort but after Scriven had picked out the fielder at deep midwicket he kept clearing the rope to keep the home crowd interested but 29 off the final Allison over was too many.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot conceded Ibrahima Konate has been “a bit too much at the crime scene” this season as the defender’s struggles continued in Saturday’s dramatic 3-3 draw with Leeds United. The Reds twice threw away the lead as they dropped more Premier League points at Elland Road, with the France international at fault on two occasions.

Liverpool were in fine fettle after Ekitike netted quickfire double

Aiming to get back to winning ways after Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with in-form Sunderland, Liverpool took a two-goal lead early in the second half against Leeds when striker Hugo Ekitike netted a quickfire double. 

Having not scored in the league since bagging in September’s 2-1 victory over Everton in the Merseyside derby, the former Eintracht Frankfurt and Paris Saint-Germain forward – starting ahead of the benched Alexander Isak – scored two goals in as many minutes.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKonate struggles as Reds twice throw away lead against Leeds

However, while Liverpool looked to be in complete control of proceedings, Konate handed Leeds a route back into the match from the penalty spot after he brought down winger Wilfried Gnonto inside the area. 

Former Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted the resulting spot-kick, before Reds centre-back Konate then backed off Leeds midfielder Anton Stach as the German let fly, beating goalkeeper Alisson with a powerful drive from inside the box.

With Elland Road rocking, Liverpool showed great character to wrestle the momentum back, with Dominik Szoboszlai scoring what looked to be the all-important winner for his side following a lung-busting run from midfield.

But Konate appeared to be at fault again in the dying embers of the game, ducking from the ball as a deep corner found its way to Leeds midfielder Ao Tanaka, who scored for the second time this week in the sixth minute of injury time.

Slot admits Konate has made a number of mistakes in 2025-26

Speaking in his post-match press conference following a disappointing result, while Liverpool manager Slot defended Konate’s endeavour, he admitted the former RB Leipzig man has often been the key culprit in an incident-packed season for his side.

“Unfortunately for him [Konate] he does a lot of things well but he has been a bit too much at the crime scene,” said Slot. “Today it was a tackle that came from effort, he tried everything to block the cross.”

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AFPReds boss says dressing room in 'disbelief' following Leeds draw

And speaking to following the final whistle, the Dutchman added: “There's a sense of disbelief. I think we played quite well or very well during large parts of the game and we went 2-0 up. I don't think we had any problems and I don't think we conceded a chance until the moment we made a foul, which is not even a chance.

“It's then 2-1 and not many moments later they made it 2-2 with the first chance they had. Then we go up [again] and you think you've done enough to win the game, but then a set piece leads to the 3-3.

“It's not about me. It's about us, it's about the fans. The players have worked so hard and to concede from a set-piece again – the 10th or 11th this season. If you concede so many like this, you cannot be higher up the table than we are.

“To go away with a 3-3, I don't think that's what we deserved. We conceded without the other team even having a chance. It's so difficult to play a game of football if you don't even concede a chance and it goes in.

“We can only look at ourselves because we are the ones that are doing it. That's the situation we are in.”

Arsenal have been head and shoulders above the rest of ’em this season, but Mikel Arteta knows that the season is still young, and there are many gruelling months ahead before the Gunners might end their two-decade-long wait for the Premier League title.

Runners-up for three successive years, Arsenal have worked toward dynamising and strengthening across the park, with the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze all adding flavour to an outfit already refined and complete.

It’s just silverware that is missing. And while the Emirates side have all the tools to go the distance this term, they will need someone of Gabriel Magalhaes’ character and quality to have avoided a long-term injury while away on international duty with Brazil.

The latest on Gabriel's muscle injury

Gabriel has played every minute of Arsenal’s Premier League campaign this season, but with a north London clash against Tottenham Hotspur looming on the horizon, a muscular injury sustained out with his nation could put a spanner in the works there.

Gabriel pulled up mid-sprint during Brazil’s recent win over Senegal. It has since been revealed by The Athletic’s David Ornstein that there is a worry that he faces an extended spell on the sidelines, more than a month and thus out of action until the new year.

It cannot be understated how integral Gabriel has become. As per FBref, the £150k-per-week talent ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for goal involvements and the top 15% for shot-creating actions per 90. That aside, he has incredibly won 78% of his ground duels, keeping clean sheets in seven separate matches.

In Gabriel and William Saliba, Arsenal have two defenders looking to take their place among the pantheon of great Premier League centre-back partnerships, and if Arteta does lift that elusive trophy at the end of the season, he and his wider squad will be indebted to the composed and flawlessly organised duo at the back.

The likes of Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are able replacements, but this could be a big blow, and it’s got us thinking about the 27-year-old’s long-term successor in north London.

There is one Hale End star who might just have what it takes to complete that step up in the future.

The Hale Ender who could replace Gabriel

Under Arteta’s guidance, Arsenal have a feared outfit once again. This is a team capable of tackling and overcoming any opponent across the globe, as last season’s spectacular two-legged win over Real Madrid will tell you.

But this also needs to be a lasting project, and it’s clear that there is an emphasis on this, with Bukayo Saka the talisman and exciting prospects such as Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman filtering through to the first team.

And on the other side of the field, Callan Hamill could find himself succeeding Gabriel when the time comes, with the 16-year-old having made quite the impression at Hale End since joining from St. Johnstone in Scotland this summer.

The Scotland U19 international has swiftly established himself as the captain of Arsenal’s U18 squad, racking up 11 appearances and scoring one goal.

With such impressive performances, he has even been handed a string of outings with the U21s, and during his sole effort in the Premier League 2, Hamill kept a clean sheet across 90 minutes of action.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has remarked that the teenager has “all the tools to become a quality backline leader for club and country”, and while he’s not there yet, Arteta’s decision to throw the youngster into first-team training and guide him toward the fore suggests that it’s only a matter of time before this star emulates the better-known names in front of him and cements a place under Arteta’s wing.

Who knows, given his leadership skills, strong reading of the game and dynamism, Hamill might even have what it takes to succeed Gabriel, when the fateful day of the Brazilian’s departure comes.

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Mohammed Shami has been named in a strong Bengal squad for the start of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season. Shami will be partnered by Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar and Ishan Porel in the pace department, with the squad captained by opener Abhimanyu Easwaran.Bengal had earlier named Anustup Majumdar as captain. But the late change is understood to have been made in consultation with Sourav Ganguly, the former India captain who recently took charge as president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).Shami hasn’t played for India since featuring in the Champions Trophy in early March. Asked of his omission from the squad for the West Indies Tests, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had highlighted Shami’s lack of match time as one of the reasons.Related

• Suryavanshi, still only 14, named Bihar Ranji Trophy vice-captain

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So far, since the end of IPL 2025 in June, Shami has featured in just one first-class game, for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy. In that game, he sent down 34 overs across the two innings, picking up one wicket. In the second innings of that match, Shami didn’t bowl much on the final day in a game East Zone lost after conceding a big first-innings lead.The Ranji season is also an opportunity for Akash Deep and Mukesh to get back on the Test selection radar ahead of the South Africa series starting November 14.Akash Deep was part of the England tour in the summer, where he featured in three of the five Tests and starred with a ten-wicket haul in India’s win in Birmingham. However, since his return from England, Akash Deep has had to undergo rehab for a back injury that ruled him out of the Duleep Trophy. He has since passed a fitness test but was not picked in the squad for the ongoing series against West Indies.Mukesh was part of the India A tour of England in the summer, where he picked up three wickets in his only outing. He bowled in just one innings in the Duleep Trophy opener for East Zone before being examined for a hamstring injury. He has since cleared his fitness tests at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence.Bengal open their campaign against Uttarakhand at Eden Gardens on October 15. They are placed in Group C, with Assam, Services, Tripura, Railways, Haryana and Gujarat as the other teams.

England’s multi-talented stand-in is about to be handed a chance to seize the spotlight

Cameron Ponsonby29-Oct-2024He’s a confident lad is Jordan Cox. During training he wears his cap backwards in the way only the cool kids can. And then you remember he isn’t just the kid who’s best at school anymore but he’s playing cricket for England. And then you remember that, when he’s not playing cricket for England, he’s on the golf course playing off his better-than-scratch handicap. If anything, it makes you sick.Cox is on the cusp of becoming England’s master-of-all-trades. Although he only has two T20I appearances to his name, he will be a lock for the upcoming ODI series as a specialist batter and he is in line to keep wicket in all three Tests against New Zealand.England like Cox. He’s multi-skilled, brash, hits bombs, hits fairways and probably sinks pints too. The business world would call his elevation to the national set-up a successful culture hire.”It can come across so rude or arrogant,” Cox said of his attitude towards cricket. “Or that I don’t really care. But I do care. I really do. I care about doing well. I care about winning.”Cricket is such an up-and-down sport…I’m just trying to stay as level-headed as I can.”When I was younger, I didn’t care. I was having fun with friends. I did well then, so why would I change? Now I’m having fun with new friends.”Those new friends are the likes of Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook and Brendon McCullum, for whom he has been carrying drinks for for the best part of three months.Cox was first called up to the Test squad as batting cover for the Sri Lanka series, before playing in both the completed T20Is against Australia, being unused across the ODIs and then unused in the Tests against Pakistan.Cox made his T20I debut against Australia in September•Getty ImagesCox, along with Rehan Ahmed, will be one of only two players to be on all three tours of Pakistan, West Indies and New Zealand.”I was speaking to my old man on the golf course the other day,” Cox said. “And he asked me how I was feeling. ‘Pretty fresh,’ I said. The thing is you have to bide your time.”I think being 24 I can juggle that. I think if selected to play all three [formats] I’ll never say no.”In his own words, just being around the international set-up breeds rapid learning. Two years ago he was part of the squad that travelled to Pakistan for a seven-match T20I series, a month which, despite not playing, he says taught him “more than my five years at Kent”.”I’m learning really quickly,” he added.Related

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Part of what he’ll have to learn again is keeping. A gruesome finger injury in the 2023 Hundred has meant it is 15 months since Cox last kept wicket and, with Phil Salt set to have the gloves during this ODI series, Cox will be going in cold at Christchurch in four weeks’ time.”Keeping is something that I absolutely loved,” Cox said. “I’ve kept since the age of 11 and then obviously had that nasty injury so now it’s about building up.”I’ve probably been three, four months of keeping again, so not long. But you know, as people say it’s like riding a bike.”Cox spent much of his time in Pakistan practicing keeping with McCullum, but he also credits the absence of the gloves for contributing to his finest year with the bat as a professional. Across the 2024 season with Essex, he made four centuries and averaged 65.57.”It’s made me cherish my wicket a lot more because you’ve only got one skill to change a game,” he said.”Because of my finger, I can’t stand at slip so I can’t take good catches and change a game like that so I’m standing at mid-off falling asleep!”Cox enjoyed his best summer in first-class cricket with Essex•Getty ImagesThe conundrum with Cox is whether he’s about to take over English cricket or if this is a gap-year fling.Currently, he is not in any of the three formats’ first-choice XIs, but he is in all three formats’ first-choice squads. His opportunity in New Zealand is in effect a three-match loan deal. Look after the gloves for Jamie, who’s absent on paternity leave, and then wait your turn.But with Ollie Pope under pressure, that equation is no longer so simple. Cox is naturally a top-order batter and an avalanche of runs could force England into a change.”It’s professional sport, you never know what will happen,” Cox said. “Let’s say Popey goes and scores three hundreds, let’s say I score a hundred and win the Test match, what happens there? The media are always going to say different things but everyone’s trying to make a living and have fun.”Obviously, I don’t want someone to get injured, for me to get in their spot. But I’ve got an opportunity in New Zealand to put a stamp on potentially keeping in all three Test matches and scoring some runs.”And if anyone’s to bet on Cox to do exactly that, it will be the man himself.