While LSG have showcased batting flexibility and have backed unheralded Indian talents, CSK have stuck to a rigid template with little room for experimentation

Shashank Kishore13-Apr-20252:39

Cricinformed: CSK’s batting lagging way behind this season

Big Picture – LSG’s spinners vs CSKMentor and mentee, both struggling captains, lead teams on opposite ends of the table – LSG vs CSK is a clash of contrasts.Rishabh Pant has some cushion as LSG are riding a three-match winning streak, while CSK have slumped to five consecutive losses for the first time in their history. Any sense of excitement or elation at MS Dhoni returning to take over as captain seems to have dissipated following a crushing loss to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at home two nights ago.Where LSG have showcased batting flexibility and have backed unheralded Indian talents like Digvesh Rathi, CSK, by contrast, have stuck to a rigid template with little room for experimentation.Related

CSK head coach Fleming: 'Dhoni doesn't have a magic wand'

Outdated CSK near a point of no return

Markram turns away from Pooran model, backs his strengths to find form

LSG have played with intent from ball one and haven’t lost a wicket in the powerplay for three straight games, while CSK continue to struggle for momentum and stability at the top. They don’t have a single batter in the top 10; Rachin Ravindra tops their charts with 149 runs – the last time a team did not have a single batter score 150 runs after six games into a season was KKR in 2014.Nicholas Pooran alone has nearly hit more sixes (31) than all of CSK combined (32). His tempo at No. 3, along with Aiden Markram’s return to form and Mitchell Marsh’s aggression have made LSG among pacesetters: they score at 10.3 in the powerplay as compared to CSK’s 7.5, which is the season’s lowest. In fact, CSK’s combined strike rate of 124.23 is the worst.In their previous game at home, against KKR, CSK’s batting approach was a reflection of these struggles. They attempted to hit a boundary just 15 times in the innings as per ESPNcricinfo’s data – which is by far the lowest number of attempts by a team since IPL 2023. Overall too, their attempt to hit boundaries this season stands at 38.3% of balls faced, the second-lowest this season.In all, CSK have lost most wickets to spin this season, and LSG have two quality ones in rookie Rathi and Ravi Bishnoi, who rediscovered his form in the previous game. That’ll make getting out of the mess they’re in that much tougher on Monday, but they must or they risk elimination halfway in.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Form GuideLucknow Super Giants WWWLW (last five matches, most recent first)
Chennai Super Kings LLLLLTeam news and likely XIIsMitchell Marsh missed the previous game because his daughter was unwell, according to Pant. LSG played with just three overseas players in his absence. If available, he’ll slot back in for Himmat Singh.LSG (probable XII): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh/Himmat Singh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 David Miller, 7 Abdul Samad, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Akash Deep, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Avesh Khan, 12 Digvesh RathiMatheesha Pathirana is likely to be in contention as an Impact Player. CSK had to summon an extra batter in Deepak Hooda because of their top order collapse against KKR. Pathirana has a favourable match-up against Pooran – he has dismissed him four times in five innings, averaging just 6.3.CSK (probable XII): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Vijay Shankar, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Anshul Kamboj, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Khaleel Ahmed, 12 Matheesha PathiranaRishabh Pant hasn’t had a great season with the bat so far•BCCI

In the spotlight – Rishabh Pant and R AshwinRishabh Pant hasn’t been able to get going in IPL 2025 – he has tallied 40 runs at a strike rate of 80 in four innings. Until the previous game, he hadn’t batted long enough to read a whole lot into the strike rate aspect. But against GT, he opened – for the first time in IPL since 2016 – and struggled his way to 21 off 18 before falling to Prasidh Krishna’s slower delivery. Pant’s rough patch hasn’t been a cause for concern as yet thanks to their other batters being in form. Can he find his gears against CSK?R Ashwin’s reunion with CSK after nearly a decade hasn’t gone as planned. He’s bowled his full quota in just three of the six games, doesn’t have as many wickets as he’d like (five) to show. He’s been expensive in the powerplay and death (conceding at 15 an over). But he has a favourable match-up against Pooran, having dismissed him thrice in eight innings while conceding at a strike rate of 93. It’s in the middle overs, where he concedes at 7.7, that CSK may want to use him, even though Noor Ahmad has the most wickets by a spinner (10) in that phase this season.The Big QuestionPitch and conditionsThe average score batting first at Ekana Stadium so far this season is 184. The ground dimensions are among the bigger ones in the country, which will bring spinners into play. The team chasing has won six out of the 10 games here since IPL 2024.Stats and TriviaLSG have scored 60 or more in the powerplay in four of their six innings this season. Their run rate of 10 against spin is the second-best.Pooran’s 67 sixes are the most in the IPL since 2024. His strike rate of 215 is second-best – behind Priyansh Arya – among batters with 100 or more runs this season.Noor Ahmad has the wood over David Miller, having dismissed him thrice in six innings. Miller manages to strike at just 54.LSG’s economy of 10.8 in the powerplay is the second worst this season. But that’s the phase CSK have been poor with the bat. Maybe this is an opportunity to capitalise.Khaleel Ahmed’s 66 dot balls are the second-most in the powerplay this season.

Mason Mount has revealed how much Manchester United players are struggling with their difficult start to the season. The Red Devils got some relief after losing three of their opening six games by beating Sunderland 2-0 on Saturday thanks to first-half goals from Mount and Benjamin Sesko. The midfielder highlighted how important the win was to the whole squad and to under-fire coach Ruben Amorim.

Mount: We hurt because we know we can do better

Mount, who gave United an eighth-minute lead against Sunderland which was the team's earliest goal since Amorim's first game in charge of the club last November, explained that the team were feeling down after their 3-1 defeat at Brentford last week.

"It's difficult sometimes when you have only one game a week as there's a lot of time to think after a game like Brentford. We hurt, you know, as a team, as a staff, because we know we can do better," he told reporters. "It really hurts us, obviously, as a club as well. And it feels like a long time going into the next game, but when that game does come around, you're prepared, you're ready to really start sharp and that was our goal from from the beginning. Because we know if we start sharp and we're on the front foot, especially at home, then it can definitely go our way."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMount on his relationship with Amorim

Mount was recalled to the starting line-up at the expense of Matheus Cunha. Amorim has previously raved about Mount and expressed regret about his unfortunate run with injuries since joining the club from Chelsea in 2023. Mount said he got on well with Amorim and feels that his previous experience of playing in a 3-4-3 under Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea explains why he has an important role in the Portuguese's side.

He explained: "I have a good relationship with the manager. I don't think that it's any better than all the other lads. I think I have the experience of playing a similar formation to what he likes as I have made it before in the past. So knowing the roles and what he wants out of the team resonates with me, because I've done it before. So I think that's something that I obviously understand. I think all the players understand it now, but I think at the beginning, especially, was something that maybe he could lean on me, because I know the positions.

"I see myself as bringing a lot of energy into the team and setting off the press, at times, being a bit of a catalyst going forward. So yeah, that's always something that I focus on helping the people around me and really bringing the energy. And yeah, to get the goal was, was obviously massive for me, getting the first goal of the season at home in the Premier League, important. So yeah, I really enjoyed that."

Getty Images SportMount: Players unaffected by outside noise

Amorim said a day before the game that his biggest fear was his players beginning to doubt his formation and methods amid the relentless media scrutiny. But Mount said there was no chance of that happening, reiterating that the team is fully behind the coach.

"No for us it is just focusing on what the manager wants, and that's in training, and then when it comes to the games, doing exactly what he asked for," he added. "And I think, as you see today, we stuck to the job in hand. everyone did their roles and responsibilities. And it was good performance. I think in the second half, it got a bit cagey, and there was at times where we had to defend, we had to put the body on the line. The defenders were amazing. So that was that was really important for everyone. I mean, say for Ben [Sesko], scoring his goal was so important. I'm absolutely over the moon for him."

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Getty Images SportBayindir & Heaton helping Lammens settle

Mount also praised new goalkeeper Senne Lammes and explained how the other goalkeepers Tom Heaton and Altay Bayindir helped him prepare for his first game. He continued: "Obviously Senne coming in as well, it was a solid performance. Any danger when Sunderland were pressing, he puts it into Ben, and we work off that. I think he kind of released the pressure a lot today, and everyone was around him. Altay was around him. Tom was around him before the game, and that shows the togetherness we have. We obviously, even in this season, we've gone through up and downs, but we're together, and we'll continue to be together with the manager, with the staff to continue moving forward."

MatériaMais Notícias

A história do zagueiro Luan Garcia com o Palmeiras pode estar próxima do fim. Com proposta do Krasnodar, da Rússia, o camisa 13 pode estar de malas prontas para deixar o Verdão após sete temporadas e dez títulos conquistados.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

A informação trazida por Felippe Facincani, da Placar, deixou muito torcedor palmeirense feliz com a notícia, uma vez que o zagueiro não é lá muito bem visto por parte da torcida, que o culpa por eliminações e derrotas até quando a culpa não é dele (como no caso da derrota recente para o SPFC pela Copa do Brasil).

Luan não merece tamanha ingratidão e ódio que recebe de palmeirenses, tanto pelo o que já entregou ao clube e pela sua postura profissional dentro e fora dos gramados, como também por nunca ter precisado entrar em combate com a torcida em seus quase oito anos de Palmeiras, mesmo que a relação tenha sido conflituosa em boa parte desse tempo.

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O camisa 13 é visto por Abel Ferreira como um dos líderes do grupo e foi peça fundamental na adaptação de tantas crias da Academia no elenco profissional nos últimos anos.

+ Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00. Bebida gelada nos 90′ de jogo do Verdão!

Conhecendo e vendo a dificuldade da atual diretoria do Palmeiras de repor peças para o elenco, duvido muito que o clube consiga uma rápida reposição caso Luan seja negociado (lembrando que Gustavo Gómez também possui assédio do futebol árabe), e isso é mais uma péssima notícia para Abel Ferreira.

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Recentemente, em clássico no Morumbi, diante do São Paulo, pelo Brasilierão, o técnico teve que improvisar o volante Jaílson como zagueiro ao final da partida, e dentro do grupo hoje, só ficaria com o jovem Naves como opção de reserva da zaga caso Luan seja negociado.

Restando duas semanas para encarar o Atlético-MG pelas oitavas de final da Copa Libertadores, o Palmeiras vive um momento de crise, onde todos no clube estão pressionados e o técnico vê o elenco cada vez mais perdendo peças importantes. Não sei de onde Abel Ferreira vai tirar forças para tentar conquistar mais alguma taça neste ano.

A saída do Luan é boa para a diretoria que se livra de uma peça detestada por boa parte da torcida, boa para o zagueiro que vai respirar novos ares e péssima para Abel Ferreira, que pode estar perdendo uma peça fundamental de sua engrenagem atualmente no clube.

Paris Saint-Germain stars “don’t give a damn” about what opponents have to say when it comes to ‘best team in the world’ titles, with Lamine Yamal and Pedri being made to eat their words as the current holders of the prestigious Champions League crown secured another notable victory over Barcelona. A thrilling contest in Catalunya, which swung one way and then the other, ended in dramatic circumstances as PSG snatched a 90th-minute winner.

• Champions League thriller: PSG snatch points off Barcelona

  Goncalo Ramos was the man to have the final say, as he swept into the back of the net following a swift counter-attack from PSG. Luis Enrique – who was facing his former employers – had seen Barca take the lead inside 19 minutes through Ferran Torres, as Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford added another assist to his tally in 2025-26.

  Teenage forward Senny Mayulu restored parity five minutes before half-time when opening his goal account for the season. Both teams had opportunities in the second-half, but it was Ramos who stole all three points for the visitors.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What Yamal & Pedri said ahead of clash with PSG

  The Portugal international striker was among those afterwards to respond to pre-match comments made by some prominent figures in the Barca camp. Kopa Trophy-winning wonderkid Lamine Yamal posted a story on Instagram which saw him calmly sitting on a railing while wearing a Spain shirt. His message read, having nursed a knock picked up on international duty: “Pressure? I’m back and the mission is back too.”

  Yamal’s club colleague Pedri said ahead of the game: “PSG is a team that already showed last season what it was, one of the best teams in the world, and I consider us to be the best.”

  He added, having seen the Blaugrana suffer a 4-1 quarter-final defeat to the Ligue 1 giants in April 2024: “All of us Barca fans regret having been so close to qualifying. Football always has revenge, everyone wants to play these matches. Both teams are favourites and we want to win the Champions League. We have the squad to do it and it will be one of the best matches of the moment.”

• Ramos & Vitinha respond to comments from Barcelona stars

  Talk of revenge was fresh in PSG’s mind when they lined up against familiar opponents. Ramos was eager to ensure that the French giants were not knocked from the loftiest of perches. He told reporters: “We're the European champions, I can't say more than that. If you're the best, you have to show it on the pitch, not talk.”

  Midfield maestro Vitinha was also among those to speak in the mixed zone, as he faced questions from the likes of . He said when asked about the comments made by Yamal and Pedri before a ball was kicked: “It happens sometimes. There are often statements made before matches, and it can happen. We don't give a damn. We don't care, we just want to play the match, we won, and we're happy about that.”

  He went on to say of downing Barca while missing a number of senior stars: “It's incredible, I'm proud of this team because it's happened several times before to turn the result around. You have five players who normally start who aren't there, you have some kids who play, others who come on very well. Other players who play less often came on and gave a great response. We were behind against one of the best teams in Europe away from home, and even then, you manage to come through in the second half and turn the game around. It's a great statement from our team. I want to thank all my team-mates.”

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• Getty
  

  What next for Barcelona & PSG? Upcoming fixtures

  Barcelona will be back in La Liga action on Sunday when taking in a trip to Sevilla – with their unbeaten record in domestic competition, which sees them sat top of the table, being put on the line there. PSG, who have suffered one defeat in Ligue 1 this term, are due to face Lille on Sunday. The latest round of fixtures will take clubs around the world into the next international break.

Newcastle United fans would surely have been glad to see 7pm on Monday, 1st of September roll around. It signalled the end of what was a torrid transfer window for the Magpies, despite late additions. Not only did they miss out on several key signings, including Hugo Ekitike and Bryan Mbuemo, but they also lost a key player.

That player, of course, was Alexander Isak. His transfer saga was the talk of the summer, and things went right until the final day of the window, when his drawn-out departure to Liverpool was finally confirmed.

Over the past couple of years, the Magpies have had to sell players to keep up with PSR regulations, meaning they have got rid of some important figures.

Newcastle’s most recent big sales

There is no doubt that losing Isak this summer will be tough for Newcastle to recover from on the pitch. He is now the player who holds the British transfer record of £125m after his deadline day move to Anfield.

For the Magpies, replacing his record of 62 goals and 11 assists in 109 appearances at St James’ Park will not be easy. In his last two seasons at the club, he’s bagged over 20 goals, with last season’s tally of 23 his best.

However, it is not just Isak who has been a major sale over the years. Losing Allan-Saint Maximin to Al-Ahli back in 2023 saw them lose attacking flair on the wing. He made 124 appearances for the club, scoring 13 goals and assisting a further 21.

Another player who recently left the club under the PIF regime, who could have become an important part of Eddie Howe’s squad, was Yankuba Minteh.

Since leaving the North East for the South Coast and Brighton, he has seven goals and five assists in 40 games.

There is one sale that really sticks out in recent seasons, however, who has gone on to do great things since leaving St James’ Park.

Elliot Anderson is Newcastle’s most frustrating sale

The summer of 2024 was one of the key time periods during which Newcastle had to make sales to comply with PSR. That was the summer Minteh departed, although looking back, he was not the most frustrating sale.

Instead, most Newcastle fans would surely agree that Whitley Bay-born midfielder Elliot Anderson was the one who got away that summer. He joined Nottingham Forest for a fee of £35m, which represented pure profit as he is an academy graduate.

The boyhood Newcastle fan made 55 appearances at St James’ Park before his departure to the East Midlands. He has gone from strength to strength across his 45 appearances in Garibaldi Red, scoring twice and assisting seven goals.

That was summed up with a sensational player of the match performance on England debut last week at Villa Park. He ran the show for Thomas Tuchel’s side, and talkSPORT pundit Max Scott later said that he plays like he’s “Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Zinedine Zidane” combined.

Based on his statistics from the last couple of seasons at Forest, it is easy to see where the praise has come from.

For example, last term, he averaged 1.2 key passes and 4 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, and in three Premier League games in 2025/26, he has already averaged 1.7 key passes and 4.3 tackles and interceptions per game.

Key passes

1.2

1.7

Dribbles completed

1.2

1

Pass accuracy

82.3%

89.1%

Tackles and interceptions

4

4.3

Aerial duels won

1.9

2.3

Newcastle fans must surely look at their academy star as one that got away. A midfield of Anderson, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali would have been a sight to behold at St James’ Park.

Even though Anderson was sold to help boost PSR, this is surely a move that PIF and Howe regret, considering how well he is performing for club and country.

He can surpass Woltemade: Newcastle have one of the world's best teen stars

Why Vakhtang Salia Could Outshine Nick Woltemade as Newcastle United’s Next Star

ByWill Miller Sep 8, 2025

If Arsenal’s biggest flaw this season has been that they came undone at Anfield due to a late set-piece that unravelled plenty of good work beforehand, Mikel Arteta must be pretty chipper about his team’s chances.

And not just in the Premier League. Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon to return to winning ways, piling the pressure back on Liverpool, taking first place, albeit on goal difference, albeit having played a game more.

Forest, newly led by Ange Postecoglou, were no match for the Gunners, who won with ease at the Emirates thanks to a brace from Martin Zubimendi and a tap-in from Viktor Gyokeres after fine work from Eberechi Eze.

New recruits all, and players who look set to play pivotal roles for many years in north London, and that’s without even mentioning 21-year-old centre-back Cristhian Mosquera, who was immense against the Tricky Trees.

Mosquera's performance vs Forest

Arsenal’s transfer chief Andrea Berta signed Mosquera from Valencia in July for an initial €15m (about £13m) fee, packing in some more depth to complement the world-class surface of the club’s defensive ranks.

But the Spaniard proved against Postecoglou’s side that he’s not just here to make up numbers, hailed in fact as “one of the best signings in the PL” by pundit Leo DaSilva, who was speaking on the Gunners’ shrewd summer business.

According to Sofascore, Mosquera won both of his ground duels and matched Gabriel Magalhaes’ defensive numbers, looking commanding in the air and stepping in with some key defensive contributions.

It’s rather clear that the £13m price tag will soon look a bargain, if it is not already. Soon, Mosquera might just find himself pressing against Arsenal’s elite and demanding a regular starting berth of his own.

He’s not the only one. Bukayo Saka has been out injured for the past few weeks, and he will be unavailable for several more matches. Even so, the attacking talisman’s absence hasn’t been too keenly felt, with Noni Madueke thriving in his place.

Arsenal have hit the jackpot on Madueke

Madueke has been around in the Premier League for a while, but the 23-year-old ebbed and flowed at Chelsea and perhaps has shown signs throughout his first month at Arsenal of progression.

Certainly, he’s needed to step up, with Saka’s injury fast-tracking him into a role of significance. And he’s up to the task. Yet to get off the mark, Madueke has looked dangerous and purposeful in Saka’s stead, creating five key passes and winning nine duels against Nottingham Forest alone.

Football.london handed Madueke a staggering 9/10 match rating after the win, drawing attention to his technical skills and his tenacity across the 90 minutes.

Saka is peerless, but Madueke’s recent showings suggest he can deputise perfectly. Let’s look at how the two compare.

PL 25/26 – Madueke vs Saka

Stats (* per game)

Madueke

Saka

Matches (starts)

4 (3)

2 (2)

Goals

0

1

Assists

0

0

Touches*

34.5

33.5

Pass completion

73%

90%

Big chances created

1

0

Key passes*

2.0

1.5

Dribbles*

1.5

1.5

Ball recoveries*

2.0

3.0

Tackles*

0.8

1.5

Duels won*

4.0

3.5

Data via Sofascore

The data pool is limited, to be sure, but it still emphasises the exciting start to Madueke’s Arsenal career, so confident when carrying the ball forward and taking on opponents and looking to create openings for his teammates.

Berta might have shelled out £48.5m for Chelsea’s rising winger, but that hasn’t stopped content creator Rory Cook from remarking that Arsenal “might’ve underpaid” for the versatile forward, who has since excelled on Three Lions duty and indeed looks a star in the making at the Emirates.

In any case, Arsenal have certainly struck gold on their new winger, who has yet to tap into his full potential and who has undoubtedly proven himself worthy of a starting role in this Arsenal team.

Related Not Gyokeres: £60m Arsenal man could be a better signing than Wirtz & Isak

After Liverpool spent big on Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, an “Intelligent” Arsenal signing could prove to be the Premier League’s best recruit.

Posts ByBen Gray Sep 12, 2025

Newcastle United are keen on completing the signing of an “elite” attacking player in January, but they face competition from another Premier League club.

International boss makes demand to Eddie Howe

Nick Woltemade has come in as an exciting summer signing for the Magpies, looking to help fill the void left by the departed Alexander Isak.

The striker is expected to be a key man for Newcastle alongside fellow new signing Yoane Wissa, and speaking to the media during the international break, Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann has asked for Eddie Howe to use Woltemade regularly, in order to aid his development.

“I’m happy when they play a lot of games and get a lot of minutes, that’s the most important thing for me. It’s not ideal for the German Bundesliga that the best German players are moving to England. But that’s how it is. It’s kind of normal at this period of time.

“Flo is already one of the most important players for us. Nick is, too and will be in the future. I hope Nick will play regularly at Newcastle so he can develop in the right way. If they do, then they will play a big role for us.”

While Woltemade and Wissa have added a huge amount of quality to Newcastle’s attack, it looks as though another exciting player could be a target in the near future, potentially adding to the competition for minutes.

Newcastle eyeing "elite" attacker in January

According to a new report from LaRoma24, Newcastle are interested in signing Roma attacker Artem Dovbyk in the January window. The 28-year-old is also wanted by fellow Premier League side Leeds United, however, in what could become an auction for the target man’s signature.

Dovbyk could come in as a proven player at a high level, with the Ukrainian in his peak years, having scored 11 goals for the Ukraine national side and earning a nomination in the top 30 of the Ballon d’Or rankings last year.

That international tally is more than Woltemade and Wissa have netted for Germany and DR Congo combined, with the Roma ace being lauded as both “elite” and “fantastic” by Zach Lowy.

Dovbyk is primarily a centre forward, so there is an argument to say that he isn’t needed because of Woltemade and Wissa already joining Newcastle this summer, but more depth can never be a bad thing, and the former is still a young player learning his trade.

Newcastle now plot January bid to sign £40m striker who Alan Shearer loves

He averaged a goal involvement every other game last season.

ByCallum Kemp Sep 8, 2025

The Roma striker could come straight in as a proven top-level player for the Magpies, looking to make his mark in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

Put in on a slightly tricky surface, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) displayed impressive intent as seven of their batters got into double figures, and they ended up with 196 for 7 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), whom they are aiming to beat for the first time in Chennai since 2008. Captain Rajat Patidar was the standout batter for RCB, enjoying a life on 17, then surviving three half-chances, and eventually hitting three sixes in his 51 off 32 balls.Left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad raced away to the Purple Cap with three wickets to go after his four in the first match. Khaleel Ahmed was CSK’s most economical bowler, drawing seam movement early in the powerplay, then slowing the batters down with one over in the middle, and closing out with a wicket in the 18th over.Matheesha Pathirana, replacing Nathan Ellis who had a good outing in the last game, pushed RCB back with an excellent 19th over, taking out Patidar and then conceding just one run, that too a wide.However, Tim David took toll of Sam Curran, bowling only his third over in two matches, in the 20th over, hitting him for three sixes. Had the pitch turned as much as it did in the first game in Chennai, CSK might not even have needed Curran to bowl that last over. R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja managed only five overs between them for 59 runs as RCB seemed intent on not letting them get into the game. Ashwin, though, had his own back with the wicket of Devdutt Padikkal, who surprised CSK a little with his early assault at No. 3.Noor still managed to draw something out of the pitch, taking the wickets of Phil Salt, Virat Kohli and Liam Livingstone. He and MS Dhoni added to the highlight reel with another brilliant stumping as Noor beat another right-hand batter on the outside edge, and Dhoni cashed in on a brief moment of the dragging of the back foot.

England batter will take over from Jos Buttler across both T20I and ODI formats

Andrew Miller07-Apr-2025Harry Brook has been confirmed as England’s new white-ball captain, across both T20I and ODI formats, after Jos Buttler’s decision to stand down following his team’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy in March.Brook, 26, has been England’s vice-captain in white-ball cricket for the past year, and led the side in Buttler’s absence for five ODIs against Australia last September. His first outing as the official captain will come in three home T20Is and three ODIs against West Indies at the end of May.”It’s a real honour to be named England’s white-ball captain,” Brook said. “Ever since I was a kid playing cricket at Burley in Wharfedale, I dreamed of representing Yorkshire, playing for England, and maybe one day leading the team. To now be given that chance means a great deal to me.”Brook had been the outstanding candidate for the role after emerging as a key player across formats since his debut in 2022, including Test cricket, for which he is currently ranked as the No.2 batter behind his England team-mate Joe Root, having made a career-best 317 against Pakistan in Multan last year.Speculation had mounted about Brook’s impending appointment when, on the eve of this year’s IPL, he pulled out of his deal with Delhi Capitals for the second year running, citing the need for England to remain his “priority and focus” ahead of a busy 12 months across formats, including key Test series against India and Australia, and the next T20 World Cup in February 2026.”I want to thank my family and coaches who’ve supported me every step of the way,” Brook said. “Their belief in me has made all the difference and I wouldn’t be in this position without them.Related

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Rob Key: England would be 'stupid' not to consider Ben Stokes as ODI captain

Harry Brook pulls out of IPL for second year running

'It's not harsh' – Moeen on Brook's potential two-year IPL ban

“There’s so much talent in this country, and I’m looking forward to getting started, moving us forward, and working towards winning series, World Cups and major events. I’m excited to get going and give it everything I’ve got.”Though still relatively inexperienced as a leader, Brook impressed with his tactical nous in the 3-2 series loss to Australia in September, having also led the Under-19 team at the 2018 World Cup. He has also captained Northern Superchargers in the Men’s Hundred, when available.Though there were no realistic alternatives to Brook as T20I captain, there had been some thought as to whether Ben Stokes should take on the role in ODI cricket, given his existing relationship with Brendon McCullum, and the extent to which the 50-over and Test squads have overlapped in recent months.Speaking in March, Rob Key, England men’s managing director, acknowledged it would be “stupid” not to consider Stokes’ credentials. However, with Stokes still recuperating from hamstring surgery, and given that he had previously retired from the format in 2022 citing his workload, this option was not pursued.Key said: “I’m delighted that Harry Brook has accepted the role as England’s white-ball captain across both formats. He’s been part of our succession planning for some time, albeit this opportunity has come slightly earlier than expected.”Harry is not only an outstanding cricketer, but also has an excellent cricketing brain and a clear vision for both teams that will help drive us towards winning more series, World Cups and major global tournaments.”To date, Brook has played 26 ODIs for England, scoring 816 runs at 34.00, including a match-winning century as captain against Australia last summer. In T20Is, he has played 44 games, averaging 28.50 with a top score of 81 not out, and was part of the team that won the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022.

Leeds United are now showing the strongest interest in signing an “incredible” midfielder, following the recent Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka injury blows.

Leeds pursuing new midfielder with Ampadu and Tanaka sidelined

Leeds got off to the perfect start to the new Premier League campaign, securing a 1-0 victory at home to Everton, but things have since taken a turn for the worse, most recently being knocked out of the EFL Cup by a youthful Sheffield Wednesday side.

To make matters worse, Daniel Farke has now confirmed that two of his midfielders are set for spells on the sidelines in the coming weeks.

When asked about the nature of Tanaka’s issue, Farke said: “MCL injury, he will also be out for a few weeks. It’s difficult at the moment to say exactly when he can return but also definitely not before the international break so it’s quite a similar injury to Ethan Ampadu’s.”

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Having two players in the same position ruled out at such an early stage of the season is a blow for Farke, but there is still time to get another central midfielder through the door before the deadline, and that is exactly what the manager plans to do.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Leeds are now showing the strongest interest in signing Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who is open to leaving the Red Devils before the end of the transfer window.

In fact, having fallen down the pecking order under Ruben Amorim, one Caught Offside source has stated Mainoo could “formally request a transfer” in the coming days, with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur known to be long-term admirers.

Given that a £70m price tag has previously been touted, the Whites are planning to sign the midfielder on a loan deal, but it remains to be seen whether he would be interested in the move, given that a relegation battle is likely to be on the cards.

Mainoo could be "incredible" coup for Leeds

When the 20-year-old first burst onto the scene, he received extremely high praise from numerous Sky Sports pundits, with Michael Dawson lauding the youngster’s calmness in possession of the ball as “incredible”.

Since then, the Stockport-born youngster hasn’t really managed to kick on, failing to feature in United’s first two Premier League games this season, but he could still be a real coup for Leeds.

Amassing 10 England caps at just 20-years-old is no mean feat, and suggests the central midfielder has a great deal of potential, with Leeds perhaps in need of more depth in central midfield, given that Ampadu and Tanaka have been sidelined.

However, it would be a real surprise if Mainoo were willing to move to Elland Road, given the rivalry with his current club, and the move seems a little far-fetched.