He doesn’t turn the ball big, doesn’t have mystery deliveries, but whatever little he has is ideal for T20 and he keeps winning big moments

Sidharth Monga04-Jun-20251:27

Moody: Krunal Pandya screams character to me

Don’t look at numbers. Just close your eyes and say if you think Krunal Pandya is among the ten best bowlers in the IPL. You will, of course, say yes on the day that he became the first to win multiple Player-of-the-Match awards in IPL finals, but answer seriously: does he have any business being in the list of top-ten bowlers in the best, most competitive T20 league in the world?Now look at the numbers. He is among the top ten on every major metric in IPL 2025. He is No. 10 on most wickets, No. 7 on economy (among those who have bowled at least 25 overs), and No. 6 on ESPNcricinfo’s list of most impactful bowlers. Add to all that his 73 not out against Delhi Capitals (DC), and you have ESPNcricinfo’s second-most impactful performer of this IPL.This match was the perfect example of why Krunal sneaks into these lists, why he is valued by champion sides – this was his fourth title, after all – despite not looking like he should be. He doesn’t turn the ball big, he doesn’t have the classic action to get him alarming dip or drift, he doesn’t have mystery deliveries. But whatever he has is ideal for T20s: the right pace, the ability to pitch the ball where he wants to, the knowledge of where he should be pitching the ball, and a competitive streak.Related

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Krunal’s combination of high pace and lengths almost provides him immunity from the shot that spinners hate the most: the sweep. All through this IPL, he has conceded just 65 runs to all the varieties of the sweep shot put together. Nine spinners have gone for more. In the final, they tried sweeping him twice but couldn’t score a run. The option then for the batters is to either get a bad ball or try to manipulate the length by going deep into the crease or skipping down the track.This is where Krunal shows his smarts. When a subdued Prabhsimran Singh finally decided to step out against him, Krunal watched till the end and bowled his slowest delivery till then and also went wide because Prabhsimran looks to make room when he charges a spinner. Bowled at 81.49kph, this also turned the most till then and went out of Prabhsimran’s reach.When Josh Inglis, Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) best batter of the night, charged him, Krunal went the other route: bowling only his second 100kph-plus delivery and looking to cramp Inglis for room because he advances straight down. Both those balls created wickets, but it was as much the work around those deliveries that won Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) their first IPL final.Krunal Pandya has now won four IPL titles•Getty ImagesKrunal bowled unchanged for an analysis of 4-0-17-2 after RCB had been kept to 190, the lowest first-innings score all season in Ahmedabad. In his four overs, Krunal overpitched only once. And that was a yorker. There was nothing in the 2-4m zone that you can hit without stepping out. Only one delivery out of the 20 that he bowled to right-hand batters pitched more than a set of stumps wide.Because Krunal relies on bowling into the pitch and tries to put work on the ball with his hand more than his action, he can tend to err on the shorter side. In T20 cricket, if you must err, it is better you do so on the shorter side. Still, only five balls went shorter than 7m, only one shorter than 8m.The only boundary Krunal conceded was when he pitched shorter than 7m and also went really slow, probably his attempt to turn the ball big gone wrong. His pace ranged from 79.88 to 108.33. Krunal said it takes guts to slow the ball down in T20 even though it did seem to him going slow was the thing to do.Coach Andy Flower said that RCB wanted Krunal precisely for his temperament, his experience of having been part of big matches. He repaid them immediately with his first match in the RCB red. He was only beginning as he meant to end. Now he is one of only eight players to have won four IPL finals. Another top ten you wouldn’t have bet on him making.

“She was telling me, ‘It’s high time you get a century in T20Is, you keep getting out in the 70s, 80s and you are not doing justice to your talent’,” says Mandhana

Valkerie Baynes28-Jun-20252:22

Mandhana: The girls were really hard on me about the century

Challenge accepted, Radha Yadav. That was the message behind Smriti Mandhana’s beaming smile and pointed finger trained directly at her cheeky – but in hindsight exceptionally clever – team-mate as India’s stand-in captain raised her maiden T20I century.At the 143rd time of asking and after more than a decade waiting, Mandhana became the second India woman to reach the milestone in an innings of 112 off 62 balls, which crushed England in the opening match of India’s tour.The first was Harmanpreet Kaur, for whom Mandhana learned two hours before the start of play at Trent Bridge she would be filling in as the regular captain recovers from a head knock sustained during Wednesday’s warm-up game.Related

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Mandhana’s score was the highest for India in women’s T20Is, eclipsing Harmanpreet’s 103 against New Zealand at the 2018 World Cup. She also became the first for her team to score centuries in all three formats, joining Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney on the list.This felt like a long time coming. In her previous 12 T20I innings, Mandhana had reached 50 seven times. Over the course of her career, she has amassed 30 half-centuries. So it seems Radha had decided now was the time to give her acting skipper a little pep talk.”Three days back, me and Radha Yadav, we were having a conversation,” Mandhana said. “These girls are really hard on me sometimes. She was telling me, ‘It’s high time you get a century in T20Is, you keep getting out in the 70s, 80s and you are not doing justice to your talent’ and all of that stuff.”I was like, ‘okay, Radha, I’ll see now, this time I’ll try and get it in one of the matches in the series’.”After Mandhana brought up the milestone, off just 51 balls with back-to-back fours off Lauren Bell, she removed her helmet, smiled broadly, and pointed towards the changeroom.Smriti Mandhana gestures towards the dressing room after her hundred•Getty Images”I did not think that it would come in the first match, but the finger was towards her, that ‘see, I got it today’,” Mandhana said. “Because it’s pretty frustrating to get out in the 70s and 80s over the last ten years and when you had that opportunity to take the team through. So I’m happy that I could stay and take the team to the 19th and the 20th over.”Mandhana’s knock led India to an imposing 210 for 5, their second-highest total in T20Is, and a thumping 97-run victory over England, bowled out for 113 as debutant spinner N Shree Charani claimed 4 for 12.Smiling back at Mandhana and applauding as she soaked in the moment was Harmanpreet, who had been in doubt when she missed the pre-match press conference. Mandhana covered for her in that instance, too, and prepared for the prospect of doing so on-field by making plans with her bowlers on the eve of the game.”Harman was getting assessed over last night and this morning and there were a few scans to be done,” Mandhana said. “We had a 50-50 idea, so I had a chat with the bowlers around what the plans are and I was pretty ready last night but the confirmation came today.”As a batter, it doesn’t change a lot. You don’t think that you are captaining and you bat differently. Whenever you have the bat in hand, you have to do the job for the team regardless of the position you are in, so I’m really happy that I could contribute today.”

“We saw what she could do in the WPL a little bit. She was always looking like a really good bowler. But today the way she actually bowled was amazing, as did all the bowlers”Smriti Mandhana on N Shree Charani

Mandhana did captain very well, using her spinners to devastating effect. She capitalised on Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s struggles against fingerspin this summer – she was bowled three times in as many matches against West Indies by left-arm spinner Zaida James – and the experienced Deepti Sharma and Radha helped reduce England to 62 for 4.Then she trusted in Charani, who came into the game with just five ODIs to her name after making her international debut during the tri-series against Sri Lanka and South Africa in April.Charani removed Alice Capsey, who spooned lamely to short third, fellow left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, who made a comeback to forget with an expensive 1 for 43 at 14.33 an over before holing out to midwicket on 1.She then claimed the big wicket of Nat Sciver-Brunt, the only England batter to stand tall with 66 off 42 balls as wickets fell all around her, and took the final wicket of tailender Bell.”The way the bowlers bowled and executed the plan, it was just amazing,” Mandhana said. “That makes our job very, very easy when they bowl like that and they all were really focused, they knew their plans.Shree Charani picked up 4 for 12 on debut•Getty Images”Especially Shree, to come in the first match and bowl. We saw what she could do in the WPL a little bit. She was always looking like a really good bowler. But today the way she actually bowled was amazing, as did all the bowlers.”After a few wickets fell and Nat was on the one end, the plan was pretty clear – to try and execute our best ball to Nat and give a single to her, which they did brilliantly throughout.”One thing that didn’t quite go India’s way was Shafali Verma’s return, where she reprised her opening role with Mandhana. Shafali struggled to get going and made 20 off 22 balls, albeit in a 77-run stand with a batting partner who could do no wrong.”I’ve seen Shafali bat in the last seven-eight days amazingly well in the nets,” Mandhana said. “So I don’t see a big knock too far because of the way she’s been hitting the ball. Sometimes coming back into the Indian team and coming into the first match, of course, there are a different kind of nerves. I’m sure this match is going to take those nerves away for her.”The way she’s playing in the nets, she’s just timing the ball really well. So the only thing which I said to her was just keep timing the ball and play the ball, don’t think about anything else. I see a big knock coming in the next four matches from her.”

Stokes himself was culpable too, not only for England’s needlessly negative fields to Starc but for his obstinate refusal to change the pace of the game

Matt Roller06-Dec-20255:03

‘Neser has justified his selection ahead of Lyon’

Frankie’s Smokehouse on Stanley Street offers a pre-match barbecue before day-night Tests in Brisbane, and for three-and-a-half hours on Saturday, England’s bowlers were left to slow-cook on the Gabba grill. In 30-degree Celsius heat and 70% humidity, they were gradually charred and smoked in the second Test by Australia’s lower order and tail until ready to be served with a side of coleslaw.It was the ultimate demonstration of the hard-nosed pragmatism that has served Australia so well. Across 44.3 painstaking overs, their lower order and tail ground England down with a series of blocks, ducks and leaves that left their bowlers and fielders utterly deflated, and highlighted the stark contrast between the approaches of these two teams.Australia did not “run towards the danger”, as Brendon McCullum might have implored, but approached this third day in the knowledge that every over they spent at the crease increased the impending jeopardy that would arrive at nightfall. It was a familiar feeling for England in this country, their decision-making falling victim to long hours spent melting in the afternoon sun.Related

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The telling moment came towards the end of a ninth-wicket stand between Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland that spanned 27.2 overs, the longest partnership of the series. Pat Cummins joined Fox’s commentary with a smile so broad that it could be heard without being seen: “Really intelligent batting,” he purred, as Starc staunchly blocked his 117th ball.Cummins – who also confirmed that he “should be right” for the third Test in Adelaide after injury – revealed that Australia’s lower-order batters have often discussed in meetings with management the target of facing 30 balls as a KPI [Key Performance Indicator]. “If our four bowlers can face 30 balls [each],” Cummins said, “we thought that was a big tick.”This was a huge one: their Nos. 8 to 11 managed to soak up 275 balls between them, with Starc (141) accounting for more than half of them. It was hardly edge-of-the-seat viewing, with Australia adding 133 for 4 to their overnight score at a shade under three runs per over, but Cummins, Steven Smith and Andrew McDonald could not have cared less as they watched England toil.It begged the question of how England’s lower order would have approached the same situation. In this series, they have swung from the hip with some success: their Nos. 8-11 have cumulatively scored at a strike rate of 95.03, with Gus Atkinson (37 off 32 in Perth) and Jofra Archer (38 off 36 in Brisbane) both contributing useful cameos.But only three lower-order batters have lasted 30 balls – Australia’s target – and none have reached 40, let alone Starc’s 141. England’s management hates team meetings, which Harry Brook memorably described as “the most over-rated things ever,” earlier this year; most of their players probably think KPI is the man who used to bat in their middle order.Mitchell Starc left Ben Stokes exasperated•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesEngland struck twice in the first hour on Saturday, Neser edging the old ball behind and Alex Carey the new one. But Starc’s partnership with Boland exposed their tactics as predictable: Ben Stokes abandoned any hope of getting Starc out, spreading the field and letting him leave on length, then watched Boland get in line and defend resolutely for at most two balls per over.Starc’s 77 was his third-highest Test score, and was a classic lower-order innings. He identified two main scoring areas – down the ground and through cover – and stuck to them resolutely, passing Stuart Broad to become the most prolific No. 9 in Test history in the process. It was measured, mature, and mightily effective: this is quickly becoming Starc’s Ashes.”The message was obviously to try to keep them out as long as possible because we knew the later we went into the night session with that harder ball was going to benefit us,” Neser said. “It actually went perfectly: the way Starcy went about it, scored runs and batted time, put us in a great position to bowl under the lights with that new pink ball.”It also meant more back-breaking work for England’s fast bowlers whose inexperience has been laid bare: among their four seamers, who shared 96 of the first 97 overs between them, Stokes is the only one to have played more than 20 Tests or even 60 first-class games.”Being a Gabba local, I know how hard it is bowling under the heat,” Neser said. “It seems just to radiate through the Gabba.” As England are quickly learning, charging in to bowl 87mph/140kph in the heat one day is one thing, but doing so two days in a row is another entirely.After arriving at the Gabba clutching a pillow, Jofra Archer spent the first session looking half-asleep, to his team-mates’ obvious frustration. Archer’s failure to turn Starc’s top-edge into a catching chance at mid-off was met by double-teapots all round, and Stokes berated him for a flat-footed effort at cover which allowed Boland to take a single off the first ball of an over.But Stokes himself was culpable too, not only for England’s needlessly negative fields to Starc but for his obstinate refusal to change the pace of the game by introducing his spinner. Will Jacks’ first ball after tea turned and bounced sharply, and he regularly threatened Boland and Brendan Doggett’s outside edge during an encouraging spell: why not try him sooner?Australia had the game-awareness to realise that time, not runs, had become the most important currency – though their eventual first-innings lead of 177 meant they had plenty of both. Batting time ensured that they would have a hard, new ball to use under lights, when most of the damage has been done: 14 of the 26 wickets in this Test have fallen in the final session.It was an obvious, simple gameplan, which Australia executed to perfection, totally at odds with England’s bullheaded conviction in their singular method. England arrived with the weight of history stacked against them in this series, and it is turning into the same old story.

Thanks to Shaheen Shah Afridi’s reverse-swing heroics, they might just have found the blueprint to win even outside spin-friendly conditions

Danyal Rasool15-Oct-2025Twenty wickets. Pakistan captain Shan Masood has concerned himself with no other number ever since England inflicted a chastening innings defeat on his side a year ago, running up the fourth highest total in Test history in the process. It was, according to Masood, the only way to win Test matches, and thereafter, Pakistan began preparing spin tracks which would just about guarantee the fall of 20 wickets.It has turned around the fortunes of Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, who took almost every one of those wickets in the past four home Tests, but Masood will take those wickets however they come. The denouement to the first Test, which Pakistan won by 93 runs, was dominated by Shaheen Afridi, who exploited the old, reversing ball, taking four in the innings – more than Pakistani pace bowlers have taken in the last four home Tests combined. It included the final three, Afridi trapping Kyle Verreynne before making a mess of the stumps for the final two.Related

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For Masood, this offered evidence that there was more than one way of breaking through on this surface. “It’s simple for me,” he said after the game. “Shaheen took four wickets [in the fourth innings]. He’s put in the effort and bowled extraordinarily well. He’s shown why he’s in the world’s best fast bowlers. On these pitches, fast bowlers don’t vanish, their role changes.”The World Test Championship will not be played in uniform conditions; they will be played in different conditions against different teams. We can’t look at one Test and extrapolate to the next two years. We have to play in England and the West Indies with the Duke ball. Bangladesh beat us in seam-friendly conditions so maybe they’ll give us seaming conditions there too. Fast bowlers’ role is not being phased out; we’re expanding the ways we can win Test matches. That’s why we played two fast bowlers, and Shaheen showed us exactly how.”On more than one occasion in the fourth innings, Masood admitted to some degree of “anxiety” after Pakistan had repeatedly failed to put the visitors away once and for all. Overnight, Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi had gutsed their way to an unbeaten overnight stand after the pair offered the most potent resistance in the first dig. Masood started the day with Afridi, who found reverse to bring the fourth ball in, hitting de Zorzi dead in front.Three hours later, South Africa had begun to sneak back into contention with another little stand for the eighth wicket, compiling 29 runs as the target neared double digits. Once more, Afridi’s introduction brought immediate relief; he would need 11 balls to take three wickets.”When we were discussing the game on the field, Shaheen said “I will turn this match around for you”. We waited for the ball to get older. Obviously not bowling him with the new ball is a big decision. We trusted him, and he demanded the ball, and then he delivered for us. The way he bowled, we’re all excited; it was a superb fast bowling display.”Masood also pointed to his team’s composition as evidence that Pakistan were not looking only to spin their way to victory. He said they had unwittingly ended up going overboard in the series against the West Indies, where prodigious turn on surfaces in Multan that broke up right from the outset ended up with the side that won the toss winning the game. Spin operated almost exclusively from start to finish that series, which ended square 1-1.In Lahore, Pakistan believed there was enough in it for the quicks to field two of them, with Hasan Ali also taking part. It is a combination Masood hinted they might stick with for the second Test in Rawalpindi, calling them “the best exponents of reverse swing in Pakistan.””We’ll collectively admit that the conditions against the West Indies were too extreme. The bowling attacks were evened out because of the conditions. Batting was difficult, and the toss and the first innings lead mattered a lot. This pitch was very similar to the Test we played in Pindi. When a batter set himself he had an opportunity to go on and get good runs here. South Africa also showed when batters are set, it looks like batting is straightforward.Shaheen Shah Afridi struck early on day four•Getty Images”When Brevis and Rickelton were batting and the target dropped below 150, that felt like a stressful situation. But the bowler’s always in the game. Our pacers also contributed. Shaheen bowled extraordinarily well. If you want to do well in the WTC and the Test team, we will need performances from all departments, and we got that this Test.”Masood knows the challenge his side has just overcome, and while much of it does come down to the toss, South Africa are coming off the best winning run in their team’s history. They had won 10 Tests on the trot, including two against Pakistan at home as well as the World Test Championship final against Australia, and gave Pakistan the biggest fright of a side losing the toss since Pakistan started preparing wickets of this nature.For the Pakistan captain, it was proof both of the strides he is convinced his side is making, as well as the notion that the toss does not decide the game. “Our focus has always been on how we’re improving as a side. Getting a result is a huge deal. We’ve taken a strong start in the WTC final, and we need to build on it.”In the last year, when we played against England in Multan, we won the toss on a used pitch. When we won the match, England said it’d be interesting what happens when Pakistan lose the toss, and then we still beat them. The toss isn’t in our hands or South Africa’s hands. It evens out in cricket long-term. In Pindi, I challenged the side to reveal their character even if we lost the toss. And we did showcase that with one of our best Test performances last cycle with Saud Shakeel playing an excellent knock and the lower order complementing him. I’ll always tell the side to show how we can play our first innings well even when we lose the toss. If we lose the toss, we’ll have a plan for how to win the next game.”Whatever that plan is, 20 opposition wickets is set to be at the heart of it.

Allrounder is back in favour after time in the wilderness and eager to become central to the team

Cameron Ponsonby19-Oct-2025In June of this year, it was the tenth anniversary of Sam Curran’s debut in professional cricket. Now 27 years old, he has played 471 professional cricket matches across his career. Stuart Broad managed 501.”I’ve played a lot of cricket,” Curran says, speaking from Christchurch. “This year I went back to Surrey [after getting dropped by England]. And I sit here now and I’m probably thankful for the reset. I’ve been non-stop since I was 17.”On that night at The Oval ten years ago, Curran’s Surrey captain was his current county coach Gareth Batty. A month later he claimed four wickets on his List A debut, and the teammate with whom he shared the new-ball duties, Jade Dernbach, is now his bowling coach in South London.”I went back to coaches that know me,” Curran explains, “I’ve obviously experienced such highs in my career and it was just about slowing down fractionally and getting back to enjoying it.”By all accounts, Curran took his omission from England’s white-ball squads earlier this year personally. Brendon McCullum had come in, and Curran had immediately gone out, as if confirming fears he’d aired a year earlier that he didn’t think his face fit in England’s Bazball era. He wasn’t six-foot-eight, and he wasn’t 90mph.”As a county player, it’s an interesting one,” he told talkSPORT at the time. “Because you’ve got to hope that you fit that mould right now.”This was the quiet part out loud – something that fans and journalists spoke about publicly, but rarely players.If the decision to drop him was hard to take, the message of how to get back in was simple. Become one of the best six white-ball batters in the country.Curran’s role as a seam-bowling allrounder has become integral to England’s tactics•Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images”I actually really enjoyed the clarity of it,” Curran reflects. “It was so simple. In the past as an all-rounder I’ve played so many roles but now it was nice and clear.”Curran returned to Surrey a man possessed. Determined to win every match whether with bat, ball or in the field. He played 24 games across the Blast and Hundred, giving him the time to impress with the bat, and also the time to develop with the ball. The super-slower moon ball has been added to his arsenal and means he is now a genuine option to Harry Brook across all phases of a T20 innings. It is a delivery that is currently unique to him in world cricket.”I’m not going to give away any secrets,” he says with a laugh. “The grip is very similar and I want it to be similar so guys can’t really pick it. The game’s moving so fast you have to be adaptable.”From being a man outside the squad, Curran has a chance to nail his role and become one of the most important players in the XI. Brook’s preference for two spinners, wherever England play, makes the presence of a seam-bowling all-rounder imperative.”He’s a very, very, very good player,” Brook said of his friend after Curran’s 49 not out in the opening T20I of the series. “To have him back in the side, he’s a very valuable player to us.”Related

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In truth, Curran’s 49 in Christchurch was a poor example of his quality. There are lottery winners who would’ve blushed at the fortune he was afforded across his innings. Dropped twice, once badly and the second time atrociously, before later being reprieved on review for an LBW decision for which he’d already walked off the pitch. But, clichés exist for a reason: runs are runs and look in the book etc.The fact is, in returning to England’s white-ball squads, Curran has done the impossible. He has won back McCullum’s love. And that was achieved before his glorious (sketchy) 49 not out (for three).Across McCullum’s tenure in English cricket, no-one has made their way back in after being left out. Alex Lees got an English summer. Sam Cook got a Zimbabwean Test. And Keaton Jennings got a Pakistani net. Please call them. We don’t know where they are.Curran’s curse has always been the riches he bestows. Able to do everything and therefore expected to do anything. But to call him a jack-of-all-trades would be an insult. It is worth remembering just how prodigal Curran was and what exactly he has already accomplished.The story those at Surrey tell is of a Year 12 student arriving at the ground for T20s in his school uniform, removing his blazer and tie then walking out in front of 25,000 people to do his thing. On his first-class debut, again, as a Year 12 student, he opened the bowling and took a five-wicket haul. In his third first-class match a month later, he opened the bowling and batted at No.3.Those signs of promise translated into results as he was named as Player of the Series against India in 2018, his first summer as an international cricketer. Before he was later awarded Player of the Tournament in England’s World Cup win in 2022. He got an MBE for that.”Winning the World Cup for England’s definitely the highlight,” he says, “and there’s that drive to do it again. That’s the pinnacle and I guess on tough days you look at that as your ‘lift me up’. There’s another World Cup in 3-4 months time and it’s exciting.”It is in everyone’s interest that this time it works.

South Africa are juggling Rabada’s fitness, an unpredictable pitch, and a stack of selection dilemmas as they chase a rare series win in India

Firdose Moonda20-Nov-20253:30

Botha: New ball should play a role with early start to the Test

At least no one knows what to expect.With Guwahati playing host to its first Test, conditions are a mystery for everyone, and South Africa will hope to read them right as they go there in search of a first series win in India in 25 years. The first big decision they’ll have to make is team selection, which will depend largely on what they think the surface will do, while leaving open the possibility of being completely surprised, like they were in Kolkata.There, variable bounce from the first over set the tone for a low-scoring match. South Africa, in fact, said it actually became slightly better to bat on the third morning. In Guwahati, they anticipate run-scoring to be less hazardous but not necessarily easy. “What we heard is that it tends to be a good batting wicket up front, and it becomes a spinning wicket later on in the game,” Piet Botha, South Africa’s bowling coach said.Even if there is a bias to spin, South Africa’s first choice would be to have their premier seamer Kagiso Rabada back, if available. Rabada is still recovering from the rib injury that kept him out of the Kolkata Test and there remains uncertainty over his availability. He has not bowled since sustaining the injury in training last Tuesday in Kolkata. He did not train on Wednesday in Guwahati either, and the medical staff is expected to “make a call in the next 24 hours,” Botha said.Related

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• Ngidi added to South Africa squad for second Test against India

• Gill set to miss Guwahati Test against South Africa; Pant to stand in as captain

If Rabada is fit, the question facing South Africa is whether he would be a straight swap for Corbin Bosch, who replaced Rabada in the first Test. Or, given how well Bosch batted, if they would look to tinker with the makeup of the team. One option would be to leave Wiaan Mulder out, given he only bowled five overs at Eden Gardens, and move Tony de Zorzi to No.3. de Zorzi was initially picked in that position but hasn’t batted at No. 3 since the Cape Town Test in January 2024. He has spent most of his short Test career as an opener, but most recently batted at No. 5.The more interesting question is what South Africa will do if Rabada is not available, because the options are many, starting with the simplest: change nothing. There’s logic to sticking with a winning XI, especially one that came back from the brink of a big defeat to pull off a win like South Africa did last weekend. But if conditions are going to be different, an unchanged eleven would also go against Shukri Conrad’s horses-for-courses approach.Botha feels the early start will bring “a little bit moisture” to the red soil surface, which generally means more bounce on offer. Albeit still two days out from matchday, the pitch also has healthy grass covering, which makes Lungi Ngidi an obvious contender. Ngidi has not played a Test since the World Test Championship final at Lord’s, where he was picked specifically because he offered more pace than South Africa’s other choice, Dane Paterson, and for his ability to generate extra bounce. Though Ngidi had an expensive first innings, he returned to take 3 for 38 in the second. In the end, it was not bounce but seam movement that he exploited for his returns.It won’t worry South Africa that Ngidi’s last ball red-ball match was five months ago, because they put faith in Ngidi against Australia when he hadn’t played a Test for 10 months and it paid off. He has also been in action in other formats recently, and played in South Africa’s white-ball matches in Australia, England and Pakistan, alongside a domestic match at home. Should he be picked, Ngidi is likely to replace Bosch, though that would leave South Africa a batter short.Wiaan Mulder might be dropped if South Africa can do without his bowling services•Getty ImagesAnother choice, especially if there is significantly less grass by the time the match starts – paired with an expectation of bounce early, and then a crumbling surface later – would be to include an extra spinner. South Africa have left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy, who was player of the series in Pakistan, in the squad. Muthusamy could either replace Bosch or another of the batters, potentially Tristan Stubbs, who continues to struggle for form. With nine first-class hundreds to his name and a career-best of 89* in his last Test, Muthusamy is a solid lower-order batting option. Unlike Ngidi, he also would not shorten the line-up.The challenge with including Muthusamy is that South Africa may be wary of more of the same, with Keshav Maharaj already providing left-arm spin. India’s slew of left-handers would make another offspinner handy, so they may use Aiden Markram more – with Simon Harmer also in hand – and leave Muthusamy out.All that said, there is also no harm in South Africa considering a tinker to the batting line-up, which was heavily reliant on Temba Bavuma and the lower order in the first Test. The jury is still out on the best No.3 option. Mulder currently occupies the spot, and while he is technically solid, he is perhaps too defensive, and his bowling may not be required anyway. Stubbs was initially given the spot and played five successive Tests at No. 3 last year. He could move up or out of the side altogether.South Africa have a reserve batter in Zubayr Hamza, who Conrad said was “close to” playing in Pakistan but just missed out. Hamza comes off a good run of form for South Africa A, against India A in a pre-Test tour in Bengaluru, where he scored two half-centuries in two matches. He has batted at No.3 in Tests in four matches between 2019 and 2020, including the 2019 tour of India, where he scored a half-century in Ranchi.A top six made up of Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Hamza, Bavuma, de Zorzi and then either Stubbs or Mulder is one option. Otherwise, South Africa might look at a specialist top five, with Kyle Verreynne at No.6, and a lower order that can simultaneously score runs and provide plenty of bowling options.

Alisha Lehmann has seen her house in Italy burgled, with the Como Women star sharing a video on social media of her ransacked bedroom. The Switzerland international was not in at the time of the incident, but is being forced to clean up the mess left behind. Lehmann had been embracing a new challenge with Como, but will now be asking questions of her living arrangements.

Italian job: Lehmann won Serie A title with Juventus

The 26-year-old forward took on an Italian job in the summer of 2024. At that point, she bid farewell to English football and the WSL following stints with West Ham, Everton and Aston Villa. A fresh start was made with Turin-based giants Juventus.

Lehmann savoured Serie A title success during her debut campaign with the Bianconere, allowing wild celebrations to be taken in. She was, however, never a guaranteed starter for the most ambitious of outfits.

With that in mind, an offer from Como Women was accepted in 2025. That transfer allowed Lehmann to take up residence in picturesque surroundings on the banks of an iconic lake. It did not take her long to get among the goals for new employers.

AdvertisementLehmann shares video of ransacked apartment

In October, having previously posted snaps of her soaking up the sun in Como, Lehmann shared how she gets to take in stunning views on a daily basis – with a huge expanse of water just outside her door. She stated online: “It's great to wake up every morning to a beautiful view. You wake up much happier.”

Lehmann’s mood has now been soured. She has shared another video with her 16 million followers on Instagram. In that, she captures the state of her bedroom after seeing intruders rifle through her belongings – with the contents of wardrobes and cabinets being flung everywhere.

Lehmann is trying to stay upbeat, as she accompanied said video with the message: “Next time people rob my house, can you please clean up after, cause I’ve got OCD.” As someone that likes organisation and cleanliness, the Swiss now faces confusion and mess.

Instagram

Why Lehmann joined the project at Como Women

Lehmann told when joining Como Women and forming part of a project that is about more than just results on the field: “It’s an independent club, fully focused on women’s football – and that really matters to me. From the start, I could see this wasn’t just another team; it’s a project with real purpose and vision. [So] signing with FC Como Women just felt right.

“We’re in a moment where women’s football can define itself on its own terms, and independent clubs like Como Women have the opportunity in leading the movement. [It] isn’t just about winning matches. It’s about building something that lasts. This is the first time I’ve joined an independent club. That was a big part of my decision. It shows there is a different way of doing things.”

She added: “I came here to play football and hope to earn my place by working hard. I came here to compete and to grow as an athlete. The rest will come if I stay true to that. For me, it’s simple: I want to play as much as possible, help the team, and enjoy football. What I love is that they [Como] take the game seriously, but also create space for players to be themselves.

“There’s so much potential here. Italy’s performances have shown the quality and spirit in the game here, and now people are paying attention. I think the league is ready to take a big step forward. With more visibility, investment, and commitment to the players, Serie A Women can become a real force in Europe. Being part of that journey is something I’m really excited about.”

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InstagramAway games & Baller League: Lehmann often on the road

Lehmann is regularly away from home as she takes in games on the road with Como Women and the Switzerland national team. She has also been heading back to England after linking up with Love Island presenter and partner of Manchester City defender Ruben Dias, Maya Jama, to become coach of MVPs United in the UK version of Baller League.

Southampton decided to part ways with head coach Will Still after the former Lens boss only won two of his 13 matches in charge of the club in the Championship.

Interim manager Tonda Eckert has won both of his league games in the dugout so far, including a 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday last time out, but it remains to be seen what the future holds for him.

Irrespective of what happens now, Eckert has delivered back-to-back wins that were much-needed after a dismal start to the campaign, which led to Still’s dismissal.

Why Will Still was unfortunate to be sacked by Southampton

The Belgian-born tactician won two of his 13 league matches and averaged 0.92 points per game, per Transfermarkt, which is why it was not a surprise to see him lose his job.

However, per FotMob, Southampton rank sixth in the table for xPTS and are currently 11 places lower in the division than they would be if every game was decided by who created the higher-quality chances.

Of course, football is not played on paper and it is, ultimately, a results-based business, but these statistics suggest that performances from individuals let him down, as the Saints have underperformed their xG and conceded more than their xGA suggests that they should have.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Whilst it is hard to know what goes on behind the scenes, perhaps Still was unable to motivate a team to win consistently, as he finished between 11th and 8th in his three seasons as a manager in France, which means that he is not used to competing at the very top of a league.

This is why Southampton could find a major upgrade on the former Lens boss by hiring reported target Brendan Rodgers as their new manager during the break.

Why Southampton should hire Brendan Rodgers

The Northern Irish manager resigned from the Celtic job last month and he could be the dream appointment for the Saints if they can convince him to drop down to the Championship.

Rodgers, who was once dubbed “world-class” by Gabriel Agbonlahor, may have the perfect track record for the situation that Southampton find themselves in, because he has experience in the Championship, the Premier League, and the Premiership.

The 52-year-old coach won promotion via the play-offs with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign, which is relevant for where the club is now, and helped them to stay up with an 11th-placed finish in the Premier League the following season, which should be Southampton’s long-term goal.

As you can see in the table above, Rodgers is a proven Premier League manager who has excelled at Swansea, Liverpool, and Leicester City in the top-flight, which is why he would be the perfect appointment for now and in the future.

On top of that, the Northern Irishman is also a proven winner. Per Transfermarkt, he won four Scottish Premiership titles, four Scottish League Cups, and four SFA Cups with Celtic, along with an FA Cup and a Community Shield with Leicester.

This means that Rodgers has won a whopping 13 trophies in his career as a manager, whilst Southampton have not won a major trophy since the FA Cup success in 1976.

Overall, the former Celtic manager would be a major upgrade on Still, who has only managed midtable success and has no trophies under his belt, because of his career record, his history in the Championship and the Premier League, and his proven track record of winning trophies.

Dream O'Neil alternative: Southampton considering "insanely talented coach"

Southampton are still considering a head coach who would be a dream alternative to Gary O’Neil.

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If they can convince him to take the job, Rodgers could be the ideal candidate to get the Saints out of the Championship, as well as to establish them in the Premier League.