Manchester United are reportedly inching towards recruiting rising Colombia star Cristian Orozco. The Red Devils have been looking to try and strengthen their midfield as Casemiro heads into the final years of his career, and academy product Kobbie Mainoo struggles to force his way into Ruben Amorim's plans. Now, they look set to sign the 17-year-old ahead of a switch next summer.
Clive Madande has replaced the batter, who was released for personal reasons
ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2025
Sean Williams has been released from Zimbabwe’s squad for personal reasons•ICC via Getty Images
Sean Williams has been released from the Zimbabwe squad that is currently playing the Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Final. The 39-year-old batter was released for personal reasons and Zimbabwe called up Clive Madande as his replacement.Related
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Zimbabwe, who are hosting the tournament, played their opening match on Friday, beating Uganda by five wickets. Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans took three wickets each and Brian Bennett scored a 44-ball 72 in their chase of 153, which they completed with 15 balls remaining. Williams did not feature in the match.Eight teams – Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe – are taking part in the tournament, from which the top two teams will qualify for the T20 World Cup that will be played in India and Sri Lanka in February-March 2026.Zimbabwe squad for T20 World Cup Africa Region FinalSikandar Raza (capt), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Brad Evans, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tashinga Musekiwa, Tinotenda Maposa, Tony Munyonga, Dion Myers, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Brendan Taylor.
Chelsea have discovered how much time Romeo Lavia will miss after losing the midfielder to yet another injury setback. Lavia was forced off after just four minutes of their Champions League draw against Qarabag, with manager Enzo Maresca subsequently admitting that the Blues are "ashamed" about the amount of time their big-money has spent on the sidelines since joining from Southampton in 2023.
There’s no denying the last few seasons have been nothing short of an embarrassment for Manchester United – especially considering the glory days achieved under Sir Alex Ferguson.
From Carabao Cup first round exits against League Two opposition, to 15th-placed Premier League finishes, it truly has been a period to forget for the fanbase on the pitch.
However, Ruben Amorim has shown glimpses of transforming the situation over the last couple of outings in the Premier League, with key results starting to arise.
A win against Sunderland saw the Red Devils keep their first clean sheet of the 2025/26 campaign, before claiming a remarkable 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
Such a performance saw Amorim’s side limit the defending league champions to limited opportunities throughout, with goalkeeper Senne Lammens producing the goods between the sticks.
However, it’s safe to say it’s not been a straightforward process for the manager, especially considering the failures his side suffered last campaign.
How bad United were defensively throughout 2024/25
If a side as big as United are finishing 15th in the Premier League table, there are evidently fundamental problems within certain areas of the pitch – many of which needed addressing.
The defensive department came under huge scrutiny throughout 2024/25 and rightly so, given the lack of quality that was on display for prolonged periods of the campaign.
When delving into their underlying figures, the Red Devils’ woes were truly something to behold, as seen by their tally of 46 goals conceded in just 38 outings.
Their average 1.42 goals conceded per 90 was the ninth-worst of any side in the division, with such a tally undoubtedly contributing to their demise in England’s top-flight throughout 2024/25.
Amorim’s men also produced an xG against of 55.1, a figure that was the 8th worst in the league – showcasing that other sides were easily able to create opportunities in front of goal at will.
Whilst Lammens has fixed the situation between the sticks, the manager will likely still want to improve the situation at the back to help his chances of success at Old Trafford.
However, one first-team player should remain crucial to any attempted efforts, especially if his recent showings in the Premier League under his guidance are anything to go by.
The United player who’s becoming Amorim’s best player
Despite £200m worth of new additions during the summer transfer window, very few of the funds were directed to the defensive unit – with the majority being invested into the forward line.
Bryan Mbuemo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha were all brought to Old Trafford, with the former of the trio already proving his worth with his strike at Anfield on Sunday.
Harry Maguire also found himself on the scoresheet in such a triumph, once again popping up with a clutch goal for the Red Devils despite his usual defensive role.
The Englishman appears to have forced himself back into the manager’s plans, but he’s not alone in doing so with the 40-year-old’s preferred three-man backline.
Matthijs de Ligt was originally brought into the club last summer for a reported £42m, with real hope of providing key experience at the back given his time at Bayern Munich and Juventus.
However, the Dutchman endured a season to forget in England, only starting 25 league outings and coming under fire for his lack of positive displays by one well respected player in England’s top-flight.
Former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher labelled the 26-year-old as “awful” – further highlighting how disappointing he was during his debut campaign at Old Trafford.
His displays in 2025/26 have been night and day, with De Ligt now becoming a crucial member of Amorim’s squad – subsequently starting all eight league games to date.
Games played
8
Minutes played
720
Pass accuracy
88%
Duels won
5.6
Aerials won
3.3
Interceptions made
1.1
Dribble success
50%
Tackles won
1.9
The centre-back’s underlying stats are just as impressive, subsequently winning 5.6 duels per 90 – a tally that ranks him within the top 20% of all players in the Premier League.
He’s also won 3.3 aerial battles and made 1.1 interceptions per 90, with such numbers undoubtedly handing the side the defensive presence they lacked last season.
De Ligt’s 6”2 stature at the back has allowed him to be a dominant presence within the defensive third, which has led to him undoubtedly being one of the Red Devils’ star performers this season.
There’s a real hope emerging at Old Trafford that he could be a vital player in any success achieved this season – but he desperately needs to stay on his current path.
If the club are to rise up the table, the Dutch international will likely be a key component, with Amorim needing to utilise him on a regular basis throughout the months ahead.
Ruben Amorim has urged his Manchester United players to keep their feet on the ground despite the momentous 2-1 victory over Liverpool. The Red Devils are in great spirits following their long-awaited victory at Anfield, but the Portuguese has called on his squad to remain calm as they look to make it three Premier League wins in a row against Brighton on Saturday.
United's precious victory at Liverpool was their first since 2016
United put years of torment to bed following their win over Liverpool last Sunday. Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire helped the club record their first victory on their bitter rivals’ patch since 2016, when Wayne Rooney settled a tight affair under Louis van Gaal’s stewardship. United’s recent victory over Liverpool was also the first time they registered back-to-back Premier League wins under Amorim, following the 2-0 triumph over Sunderland earlier this month.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportAmorim insists United must not get carried away following the victory
However, while United are understandably in fine fettle following such an elusive win, Amorim insists it is important his players do not get carried away, reminding them that Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo – who hit the woodwork three times during the game – was desperately close to extending his side’s wait for a victory on Merseyside.
When asked about his comments after the Liverpool game, when Amorim told the media they should “carry on with their narrative” about United, and whether he and his players feed off such doubts, the former Sporting CP boss said: “No, what I mean is that we cannot change so much. I think they ask me about top four in the end of the question. So, I don't want to change so much with the difference of 20 centimetres. If [Cody] Gakpo shot 20 centimetres here, the narrative would be completely different. So, I just want to maintain some calm, some direction in what we are doing. That’s what I mean.
“There is doubts if you are a manager in this kind of club, [and] you don't win a lot of games, people are going to doubt you. And they have reasons for that, but my point of view is that we need to be clear on our path and not changing so much because we win one game, that's all.”
Portuguese full of praise for in-form Brighton ahead of Saturday's clash
United’s quest for a third straight victory under Amorim will not be easy as Brighton head to Old Trafford in fine form themselves. The Seagulls are unbeaten in their last five games in all competitions, recording league victories over Chelsea and Newcastle alongside a Carabao Cup triumph over League One side Barnsley. Fabian Hurzeler’s men have also recorded draws against Tottenham and Wolves during that run, helping the club rise to 10th in the table and just one point behind United.
“I think it's going to be like always, but it's going to be a very difficult game,” said Amorim. “I think Brighton is a team [that is] really fun to watch. They are really good on [the] build-up. They are really strong on transitions in every aspect of the game. They are doing well in set-pieces this season. So, I think they are a team that is really complete, and we need to be really smart, and to face that game with a real focus on everything that we do, because they are a very strong team.
“You can see by the way they play the game. Really intense, the quality is there. They believe a lot in what they are doing, even under pressure. So, I'm a huge fan of Fabian.”
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Getty Images SportUnited poised to lock horns with summer transfer target Baleba
United could come up against summer transfer target Carlos Baleba when they lock horns with Brighton. Amorim’s side were keen to sign the 21-year-old but walked away from discussions after learning the south coast club valued the Cameroon international at around £115 million (€132m/$153m) – the same fee they received from Chelsea for Moises Caicedo in 2023. United are also poised to face former striker Danny Welbeck, who has been in fine form for Brighton this season. A United academy graduate, the 34-year-old has scored four goals in eight league games this term.
Former England keeper stars with bat again to take control for Surrey
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay17-May-2025Ben Foakes maintained his fine form with the bat by hitting 86 to fashion a solid Surrey lead in their Rothesay County Championship encounter with Yorkshire at the Kia Oval.Foakes, who hit a career-high 174 not out against Warwickshire earlier this week, followed it up with another vital knock to guide the home side to 384 for seven at stumps on day two, 129 in front.Australian left-hander Kurtis Patterson also sparkled on his Surrey debut with 85 but after he and Dan Lawrence fell in rapid succession, they needed Foakes – aided by the lower-middle order – to cement their advantage.Medium-pacer George Hill, fresh from recording a nine-wicket match haul in Yorkshire’s previous game at Essex, was again the pick of the visitors’ bowlers with figures of four for 58.Rory Burns and Dom Sibley resumed in the morning with a deficit of 209 and shaved off just another 10 runs before the skipper departed, nudging a Jack White delivery that left him into the hands of slip.That brought Patterson to the crease for the first time in Surrey colours, taking a while to settle before he unveiled his ruthless cover drive and dispatched both White and Jordan Buckingham to the rope.Buckingham was expensive, conceding two boundaries in quick succession to Sibley – who appeared nicely set at 29 until he failed to get forward sufficiently to Hill and was trapped leg before.However, Patterson was into his stride by then and advanced to his half-century from the penultimate ball of the morning session, ably supported by some wristy leg-side strokeplay from Dan Lawrence.Yorkshire might have removed Patterson on 60 soon after lunch, when he miscued a hook off Buckingham – but James Wharton, moving in from long leg, was unable to cling onto the catch.After receiving treatment for a back problem just before the interval, Lawrence still looked uncomfortable in the middle, but he stuck around for almost two hours helping Patterson to add 112.However, Surrey’s momentum was dented when they lost both batters in the space of three deliveries, with Ben Coad returning for his second spell of the day to pin Lawrence in front of the stumps for 31.Hill’s impact was even more immediate, removing Patterson in the same manner with the first delivery of his stint from the Vauxhall End and that left Foakes and Jason Roy to regroup as they closed in on the visitors’ total.Foakes struck the ball cleanly and crisply, particularly on the leg side, while Roy employed a greater degree of brute force, punching Jordan Thompson off the back foot for four and slamming Adam Lyth into the pavilion to secure his side’s first batting bonus point.The final say went to Lyth, who had his fellow ex-England opener pouched at slip for 26 in the first over after tea, but Foakes progressed past 50 for the fifth time this season with one of his looser shots, slashing White just past the slips for two.Yorkshire captain Jonny Bairstow handed his wicketkeeper’s gloves to Jonny Tattersall for the final session, having sustained a finger injury, but continued to direct proceedings in an outfield role.It was Tattersall who snapped up an outside edge off Foakes late in the day to provide Hill with his fourth wicket, but Jordan Clark – having almost chopped on twice early in his innings – swung the bat to reach 41 not out with a clutch of boundaries.
Rory McIlroy has named an “under-appreciated” England legend as his favourite footballer growing up.
McIlroy became the sixth man to complete a Career Grand Slam earlier this year, with the Northern Irishman finally getting his hands on The Masters back in April, and he is now gearing up for the Ryder Cup, which is due to take place from September 26th – 28th in New York.
The 36-year-old has revealed he has knocked back the opportunity to captain Europe in the past, given the difficulties of combining that role with being a player, saying: “I’ve been asked to do that and I’ve turned it down. The idea of me being a playing captain sometime soon has come up and I’ve shot it down straight away.
That said, given that the current World No. 2 is the only European player in the top five of the rankings, he will still have a huge role to play later this month.
While McIlroy ended up going to be one of the greatest ever golfers, one of his first loves growing up was football, supporting Manchester United, and he has previously described an England legend as his favourite-ever player.
Speaking on The Overlap, McIlroy said: “I loved (Wayne) Rooney, he just worked so hard and he’d run everywhere, and you just felt exhausted after watching him for 90 minutes. To be that good, but also to have that work ethic and track back when someone loses the ball or if you lose it. To me, he just looked like he loved football and I loved watching him play.”
The Grand Slam winner also suggested the Manchester United legend is still underrated, saying: “It’s amazing to think that, all the great stuff that he’s done, you would say like under-appreciated in some way.”
It is perhaps surprising that McIlroy didn’t opt for Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi as his favourite player, given that the Manchester United and Barcelona legends have a whopping 13 Ballon d’Ors between them.
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However, Messi himself has previously made it clear just how highly he rates Rooney, saying: “Wayne Rooney is for me a once in a generation player. One of those special players, who is not comparable to any other. There are many special players, but Rooney has exceptional quality and technical ability as well as being one of the strongest players I have faced with an exceptional work rate – there is nobody like him.”
The United legend won 17 trophies during his time at Old Trafford, while also amassing 120 caps for the Three Lions, second only to Peter Shilton on the all-time list, showcasing that he is undoubtedly one of the best players England has ever produced.
The Premier League is finally back in action this weekend, and Arsenal are in action against Nottingham Forest.
Mikel Arteta’s side may have lost last time out, but Liverpool did not outplay them, and most of the team put in a good performance.
One of the standout players for the Gunners was Noni Madueke, who is likely to start again on Saturday in the absence of Bukayo Saka.
The former Chelsea ace has looked good so far this season, and if he continues his good form, he could be the player to end someone else’s Arsenal career.
Madueke's good start to the season
It was somewhat of a surprise when it was revealed that Arsenal were interested in signing Madueke this summer, and considering the petitions, it was not necessarily a welcome one for some fans.
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However, while it is still early on in the campaign, the Englishman is so far proving his doubters wrong.
He hasn’t necessarily blown anyone away in the league, but against Liverpool, for example, he was undoubtedly the club’s best attacker, taking a couple of shots, completing 100% of his dribbles, and generally being a menace.
However, it’s been on international duty where we’ve been able to see the best of him.
For example, it was his cross that resulted in an own goal to open the scoring against Andorra, and then he scored his first international goal away to Serbia on Tuesday.
More than that, though, he was a constant threat on the right, utilising his blistering pace, ball-carrying ability, and quick feet to terrorise the Serbian defenders.
In all, while it is early, Madueke is looking quite dangerous this season, and while he is great cover for Saka at the moment, he could also end someone else’s Arsenal career when the Hale Ender returns.
The Arsenal star Madueke could replace
While most of Arsenal’s squad could be compared with some of the best in the league in their respective positions, the same can no longer be said of Gabriel Martinelli.
The 24-year-old winger was undoubtedly one of the most exciting attackers in the Premier League, but that was back in the 22/23 season, when he racked up a tally of 15 goals and seven assists in 46 games.
However, that was some time ago now, and in the two and a bit campaigns since, he has only gone backwards.
For example, in the 23/24 season, he mustered up eight goals and five assists in 44 games; last season, he managed ten goals and six assists in 51 games, and then so far this year, he’s failed to score or assist a goal in his two starts.
More damming than that, though, fans no longer expect him to offer much of a threat; instead, they expect to watch a winger who can no longer beat his opposite number and often halts attacks altogether.
We saw this in the game against Liverpool when he failed to play the ball into Viktor Gyokeres’ path when the Swede would have had a chance to score, leading to podcaster Phil Costa labelling him “clunky and indecisive.”
Appearances
51
Minutes
3564′
Goals
10
Assists
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.31
Minutes per Goal Involvement
222.75′
The Brazilian international may still be valued at around £48m by Transfermarkt, but it’s hard to see him maintaining his place in this team for much longer, especially with Madueke in the squad.
The Englishman might be a right-winger first, but he has played off the left already for the club against Leeds United, and while it wasn’t his finest game, he offered more than the former Ituano gem has in a long time.
Ultimately, Martinelli is still a player fans have an affinity with, but he has not been good enough for a long time, and it just feels like a matter of time until Madeueke ends his Arsenal career lest he massively improve.
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The superstar would be an excellent rival for Saka at Arsenal.
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Harshit Rana and Ravindra Jadeja picked up three wickets each to restrict England to a very gettable 248
Vithushan Ehantharajah06-Feb-2025
Shreyas Iyer came out all guns blazing in India’s chase of 249•BCCI
It was both untidy and emphatic. India made light work of their 249 target, passing it with 68 deliveries to spare in Nagpur. That they only won this first ODI by four wickets was down to an unnecessarily messy finish. One that spoke more to their disorder at how simple this was than any rallying from England’s part. After a 4-1 hammering in the T20I series, Brendon McCullum’s first ODI as head coach ended in a similar shellacking.It was a mix of old and new that combined to give those in light blue a 1-0 lead in this three-match series. Ravindra Jadeja’s 3 for 26 was supplemented by Harshit Rana’s 3 for 53 on his maiden ODI appearance to roll England for 248 with 14 deliveries to spare. Jos Buttler’s 52 and Jacob Bethell’s 51 were the only scores of note after Phil Salt’s emphatic start of 43 from 26 had been wasted.With Virat Kohli ruled out with a right knee injury sustained on Wednesday evening, Shubman Gill stepped up to ice the chase with 87, helped initially by Shreyas Iyer’s 59 and Axar Patel’s outstanding 52, in stands of 94 and 108, respectively.The former came at a vital juncture, as Jofra Archer nicked off Yashasvi Jaiswal on ODI debut and Saqib Mahmood – in for the rested Mark Wood – had skipper Rohit Sharma caught at mid-on in the space of six deliveries. From 19 for 2, India did not look back.Iyer’s fifty off 30 deliveries set an emphatic tone, dealing with anything and everything short, pulling and then ramping Archer for consecutive sixes at the end of the seventh over. Four of his nine fours were carved off Brydon Carse, who opted for length deliveries more on the off side once it became apparent Iyer was relishing the chance to heave to leg.Axar’s introduction up the order proved a masterstroke, the left-hander playing with the kind of freedom that allowed Gill to calmly go about his business. Gill’s one alarm came when given out lbw on 38 to Liam Livingstone, but even that was corrected immediately as DRS showed a clear inside edge. The vice-captain’s 14th fifty was his first against England.The pair combined expertly in the 29th over against Carse, taking 17 from it with two boundaries each – the best of them a ramp from Axar over the keeper. It was then that this chase officially became a canter, with just 48 needed from the last 21 overs. Axar raised his bat for fifty for the first time on home soil, driving his 46th ball, from Carse, on the up and through the fielder at mid-off.Axar Patel and Shubman GIll put on 108 runs together•AFP/Getty Images
That he was not able to see things through – bowled by a slow leg spinner by Adil Rashid – was a disappointment to Gill at the non-striker’s end. On 81 at the time, with 28 remaining, thoughts then turned to the 25-year-old’s century, which seemed to bring about indecision, first with KL Rahul’s dismissal – a tame caught and bowled to Rashid – and then his own, as he failed to strike Mahmood over Buttler at mid on.Jadeja’s edge off Mahmood through wicketkeeper Salt for the winning runs characterised the anxiety brought on by that unnecessary cascade of three wickets for just four runs. But it also highlighted England’s shortcomings with the bat, brought about by their own three-wicket collapse at the top of the order in the space of eight deliveries.Salt had driven an opening stand of 75 with Ben Duckett, leaving India flapping in the field. The brutality of Salt’s acceleration after a watchful start was contained in Rana’s third over for 26 courtesy of three sixes – a top-edge, a slog sweep off a slower ball and a heave over midwicket to finish the over.But a miscommunication on a third run brought about his demise, the first domino to fall as 75 for 0 became 77 for 3. A cut to deep point was chased down by Iyer, who threw to the striker’s end to find Salt comfortably short of his ground, having been sent back by Duckett.Harshit Rana on ODI debut picked up three wickets•AFP/Getty Images
Back came Rana with a bang, with two wickets in the following over. Duckett mistimed a pull shot that required a spectacular catch from Jaiswal, running back from midwicket before a well-judged dive. Harry Brook was then taken well down the leg side by Rahul, who had beaten Rishabh Pant to wicketkeeping duties, after a rising length delivery caught the bottom glove.Joe Root came to the middle for his first ODI innings since the 2023 World Cup, the ideal man for such a rebuild even given his absence from 50-over cricket. What optimism there was with Buttler at the other end did not last long, with Root falling lbw to Jadeja after 51 deliveries at the crease. It was the fourth time the left-arm spinner has dismissed him in the format.At that stage, England were 111 for 4 in the 20th over. Not too dissimilar to India’s 111 for 3 at the end of the 16th, when Bethell trapped Iyer plumb in front.Bethell’s stand with Buttler for the fifth wicket looked to be trending towards an emphatic rebuild akin to what Gill and Axar achieved. But the English duo’s partnership was capped at 59 when Buttler, nine deliveries after bringing up his 38th fifty-plus ODI score from 58 balls, clipped an Axar long-hop around the corner to Hardik Pandya at short fine leg.Unlike India’s middle order, England’s fell apart, even as Bethell held his nerve through to a second ODI fifty from 62 balls. His maturity and reading of the situation was a lesson to more experienced heads around him. Those lower down owed it to him to stick around, but the return of pace ended up seeing off Liam Livingstone (caught behind for Rana’s third) and Carse (bowled for Mohammed Shami’s first).Once Bethell was given out on review after Jadeja had struck his back pad on the sweep, only a few lusty strikes from Archer (21 not out) gave England what looked a respectable total at the halfway stage. India, though, showed it no respect whatsoever.
The two teams are in transition, but there’s plenty of firepower in both sides for what should be a high-scoring series
Sreshth Shah21-Jan-20251:20
‘Gambhir will be judged on CT and England tour’
Big picture: Teams in transitionGautam Gambhir and Brendon McCullum have many things in common. They were both stellar openers, they were both captain and coach of Kolkata Knight Riders at different times, they’re both known for their “aggressive” mindsets when it comes to approaching the game from the dugout, and, now, they both find themselves trying to shepherd teams in transition.India’s has been easier, at least in this format, with three superstars calling time on their careers with T20 World Cup medals around their neck, and others fitting in smoothly over the course of wins against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South Africa. England’s has been trickier, with one of the most exciting white-ball teams in world cricket struggling in ICC tournaments since their T20 World Cup win in 2022.This has meant McCullum enters the India T20I series as England’s white-ball coach for the first time, with ambitions of maximising the team’s unfulfilled potential. And for Gambhir, the aim is to show that the T20I team remains unaffected by the poor Test results that have shaken the establishment.Related
Powerhouse line-ups clash in a series that could test T20's limits
It’s against this backdrop that India and England meet in a five-match series that could test the limits of the shortest format. And as the lines between T20Is and ODIs keep blurring, there will be opportunities for some T20I specialists to stake their claim for future ODI positions – especially after the Champions Trophy concludes.Five potentially delectable T20 batting surfaces await the two sides across the next fortnight, and the first salvo in Kolkata will give a glimpse of what to expect.Form guideIndia WWLWW
England LWWWWArshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami work together at the nets•PTI In the spotlight: Bethell and ShamiVery few youngsters right now have the aura of Jacob Bethell. He made blistering international debuts in all three formats at the back end of 2024. He has had a stint with Melbourne Renegades in the BBL, and has an IPL contract with Royal Challengers Bengaluru without playing a single game in India. The left-hand batter has developed a reputation of smacking spinners for fun, is a handy left-arm spinner himself, and is considered an electric fielder in the ring and on the boundary line. Could there be a more perfect T20 cricketer in this era? Slotted in at No. 6 for the first T20I against India, Bethell’s stocks have never been higher. England see him as one of their future superstars. Now all he has to do is ace the India challenge.On the other hand, Mohammed Shami, at age 34, is making an international comeback after an ankle surgery and a knee niggle. He hasn’t played international cricket since India’s loss in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, and despite India trying other fast bowlers in the interim, there’s a feeling that Shami remains India’s second-best seamer behind Jasprit Bumrah. India have gambled by selecting him for next month’s Champions Trophy, and the focus in the T20Is and ODIs against England will be on how his body holds up. It’s also the perfect way for him to come back, at his domestic-cricket home ground.Team news: Archer, Wood combine, but what of Bishnoi?England captain Jos Buttler said he was especially pleased at having every first-choice T20I player available for this series. They have named their XI already, with Phil Salt taking the gloves and Ben Duckett opening alongside him. Buttler himself will be at No. 3, with England also having the searing pace and fit bodies of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood to attack India. England’s deep line-up makes them one of the most dangerous batting outfits at the moment.England: 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jos Buttler (capt), 4 Harry Brook, 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jacob Bethell, 7 Jamie Overton, 8 Gus Atkinson, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark WoodIndia have two major decisions to make: how many spinners to play, and how deep their batting should look. Arshdeep Singh, Shami and Hardik Pandya should be be the seamers, while Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel could be the two spin options. That probably leaves India deciding between seam-bowling allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, spin-bowling allrounder Washington Sundar, and an outright wristspinner in Ravi Bishnoi. England are right-hander-heavy, and struggle against fingerspinners, two factors that could decide India’s eventual choice.India (probable): 1 Sanju Samson (wk), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Nitish Kumar Reddy/Washington Sundar/Ravi Bishnoi, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.Brendon McCullum and Jos Buttler oversee England’s training session•Getty ImagesPitch and conditions: Dew and runs aplentyKolkata is going to offer a hard deck with true bounce. The boundaries are small, and the ball in January will get wet very quickly. That means Eden Gardens should be a paradise for batting. Suryakumar and Buttler both felt conditions would be the same irrespective of the toss result, so expect a belter with dew around.Stats and trivia: Arshdeep closes in on Chahal Among Full Members, England have the second-worst batting average against fingerspin since the start of 2024: 26.8. Against top sides like Australia, South Africa and India, it drops to 13.88 at a run rate of only 6.74. With 95 wickets in 60 T20Is, Arshdeep is only one wicket behind Yuzvendra Chahal, who leads the pack for India in the format. If Arshdeep gets to the landmark of 100 wickets in this five-match series, he’ll become the quickest fast bowler to get there. Currently, Haris Rauf holds that record, having achieved it in 71 games. Also, since Arshdeep’s T20I debut, no bowler has taken more wickets in the powerplay (40) or in the last five overs (46). India have not lost a bilateral T20I series at home in the last six years. Their last defeat was against Australia in February 2019. In the 16 series since, India have won 14 and drawn two. Since the T20 World Cup 2024, India have scored at 9.2 runs per over in the powerplay, an astonishing 10.3 from overs 7-15 and 10.9 in the last five overs. In this period, no team has had a better run rate between overs 7-15 or a better ball-per-boundary ratio (4.7). Archer has the wood over both Suryakumar and Hardik, with both batters striking at only 116 against him while averaging 14.5 and 19 runs, respectively.Quotes”It’s a really exciting tour coming to India with what I’d say is a full line-up for us. Sometimes there’s so much cricket that certain players have to be rested or managed. But that’s certainly not the case for us at all in in this series.”
“Eden Gardens is a special feeling, because this is where I played when I started playing regularly.”