da spicy bet： Manchester City have three players who are out contract at the end of this season, including one of the greatest heroes in the club’s history.

da fezbet： Pep Guardiola’s side may be enduring a season to forget in the Premier League, especially by their incredible standards, but there are signs that they may have turned a corner.

It feels like the end of an era at the Etihad, in terms of some legendary figures drifting past their peak, so big changes could happen within the squad during the summer transfer window.

Related 5 potential replacements for Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester City

With Kevin De Bruyne into his 10th season at Manchester City, here are 5 possible successors if he says goodbye to the Etihad.

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There are three players whose contracts expire at City this summer – will they all be moving on?

1 Scott Carson Contract expires: 30th June 2025

It’s almost a running joke that Scott Carson is still a City player considering how little he has featured for them since arriving from Derby County back in 2021, having initially joined on loan in 2019.

The English veteran was brought in as a way of improving the Citizens’ homegrown quota, but he has only made two appearances in that time, warming the substitutes’ bench or not even being in the matchday squad most weeks.

Now 39 years of age, Carson’s time at City looks likely to come to an end once this season reaches its conclusion, having signed a one-year extension last year. He turns 40 in September, and the club will surely be able to find a stronger homegrown option between the sticks – perhaps someone who is equally happy to play a squad role.

2 Kevin De Bruyne Contract expires: 30th June 2025

When you think of the best players in City’s history, it is impossible not to think of Kevin De Bruyne, who has lit up the Etihad on so many occasions. The Belgian is not only one of the Citizens’ true greats, but one of finest players to grace the Premier League.

Now 33, cracks have started to appear with De Bruyne in terms of injuries racking up and his legs not quite having as much energy in them, meaning there is a massive decision for the club to make at the end of the season.

The midfielder is out of contract at that point, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club now that the January window is open.

It does feel increasingly as though his time as a City player is coming to an end. Kyle Walker has asked for a move to a different country and it is easy to see the same happening with De Bruyne.

Of course, there is the option for City to offer De Bruyne an extension should they feel that there is still plenty of life in him, but there is a question mark against that. Keeping him on with huge wages would be a big risk, with Guardiola potentially feeling that a younger replacement needs to be found to inject fresh blood into his starting XI.

If De Bruyne does depart in the summer, there will no doubt be a special ovation for him at some point at the Etihad, as City’s supporters hail one of the most talented footballers in their history.

3 Ilkay Gundogan Contract expires: 30th June 2025

The return of Ilkay Gundogan last summer was met with plenty of excitement by some City supporters given what an influential and legendary figure he was during his first stint at the Etihad. It was a move that made plenty of sense, allowing the German to return to the club for free after a short spell at Barcelona.

However, it hasn’t quite worked out the way Gundogan and Guardiola would have hoped, with the 34-year-old looking his age, not least after Rodri’s ACL injury saw City’s midfield lose so much of its dynamism.

As has always been the case with the German, Gundogan’s effort levels cannot be questioned, but he simply isn’t able to cover ground as effortlessly as he once did, and this has undoubtedly played a part in City’s struggles.

The former Germany international signed a one-year deal with the Citizens last year, but he also has the option to extend his stay at the Etihad by another 12 months. A recent report has claimed that Gundogan’s future is uncertain, with the likes of Galatasaray eyeing him up at the end of the season.

Like De Bruyne, it may just be the right time for City to move him on, allowing Guardiola to begin a new era at the club by signing players in their 20s instead of having ageing figures in the middle of the park.

West Ham United have been offered a potential January signing as the winter transfer window looms, and he’s a player who footballing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo rates very highly.

West Ham prepare for Southampton as Julen Lopetegui enjoys unbeaten streak

Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui – a man who’s been under heavy fire from critics since replacing David Moyes in the summer – has guided West Ham to a small, albeit slightly encouraging, unbeaten streak lately.

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The Hammers are moving early.

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West Ham haven’t lost since their abject defeat away to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City at the very start of December, and have since beaten Wolves 2-1 in the ‘El Sackico’, whilst also securing 1-1 draws against both Bournemouth and Brighton.

While they were arguably fortunate to edge past Brighton with a point, they were minutes away from getting the better of an in-form Bournemouth side at the Vitality Stadium, so there are signs that momentum could be building in Lopetegui’s favour.

West Ham’s most recent results
Match	Date	Opponent	Competition	Result
#19	21/12/2024	Brighton (H)	Premier League	1-1 draw
#18	16/12/2024	Bournemouth (A)	Premier League	1-1 draw
#17	09/12/2024	Wolves (H)	Premier League	2-1 win
#16	03/12/2024	Leicester City (A)	Premier League	3-1 loss
#15	30/11/2024	Arsenal (H)	Premier League	5-2 loss
#14	26/11/2024	Newcastle United (A)	Premier League	2-0 win
#13	09/11/2024	Everton (H)	Premier League	0-0 draw
#12	02/11/2024	Nottingham Forest (A)	Premier League	3-0 loss
#11	27/10/2024	Man United (H)	Premier League	2-1 win
#10	19/10/2024	Tottenham (A)	Premier League	4-1 loss

West Ham players are beginning to buy into Lopetegui’s methods and slowly starting to get behind the Spaniard, according to reliable club insider ExWHUemployee, so this may well be reflected in their most recent run of results.

Lopetegui has a chance to further solidify his position in the Irons dugout when his side travel to St. Mary’s Stadium for their Premier League clash against struggling Southampton on Boxing Day, with the Saints recently appointing former Serie A boss Ivan Juric as their head coach to replace Russell Martin.

Juric’s arrival on the south coast has teed up this clash to be quite the intriguing encounter, and Lopetegui is certainly not underestimating the task at hand.

“There is no match in our mind other than Southampton,” said Lopetegui on Southampton ahead of their festive face-off.

“Despite being at the bottom of the table, I think they’ve shown lots of good things this season and we know it’s going to be another big challenge.

“It’s the same with every game in the Premier League – you have to be ready to face tough demands and situations, and you cannot start thinking about any of the games that come after this one.”

West Ham offered Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli

In the background, preparations for January are well underway across Europe, and it is now believed that West Ham have been offered the chance to strike a deal for Nicolo Fagioli.

The Juventus gem, rumoured to command a price tag of around £25 million, is said to be keen on a move to London above all – as intermediaries tout him around the Premier League in search of a new club.

That is according to GiveMeSport, who write that West Ham are one of the clubs who’ve been made aware of Fagioli’s availability, alongside both Crystal Palace and fierce cross-town rivals Tottenham.

The Italy international has played in all but three Serie A games under Thiago Motta for Juve this season, but the vast majority of his appearances have been from the bench, even though Ronaldo once endorsed Fagioli for having “great talent”.

“In the past Nicolò also clung on to the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo in the locker room, they had a wonderful bond,” said Fagioli’s brother, Alessandro, in an interview with Tuttosport.

“CR7 always confessed to him that he saw great talent in him. So he advised him to work twice as hard, to never give up.”

اتخذت إدارة النادي الأهلي، قرارًا جديدًا بشأن المهاجم الفلسطيني وسام أبو علي، بعد فترة من الجدل حول مصيره الموسم المقبل، في ظل رغبة اللاعب في الرحيل وتمسك النادي سابقًا ببقائه.

وأخطر وسام أبو علي إدارة الأهلي مؤخرًا، بعدم رغبته في السفر إلى تونس، حيث يقيم الفريق معسكره التحضيري للموسم الجديد خلال الفترة من 18 حتى 29 يوليو الجاري، وهو ما أعاد فتح ملف العروض المقدمة له.

وعلم بطولات، أن الأهلي أبدى موافقته المبدئية على بيع وسام أبو علي، وينتظر حضور وكيل أعماله لعقد جلسة رسمية لمناقشة العروض التي تلقاها اللاعب مؤخرًا، في ظل تمسكه الواضح بالرحيل عن القلعة الحمراء.

طالع أيضًا | الغموض يُحيط بمستقبل لاعب الأهلي المحترف.. وسيناريو قندوسي قد يتكرر

ومن المنتظر أن تدرس إدارة الأهلي جميع العروض مجددًا، مع الاتجاه لقبول العرض الأعلى من حيث المقابل المالي، خاصة بعد تعثر محاولات إقناع اللاعب بالبقاء ضمن صفوف الفريق الموسم المقبل.

وكان اللاعب قد تواجد في مقر النادي أمس بملعب التتش، لكنه لم يشارك في القياسات البدنية التي خضع لها الفريق استعدادًا للموسم المقبل، وصرّح أحمد جاب الله، رئيس الجهاز الطبي، أن اللاعب سيجري آشعة رنين على العضلة الخلفية اليوم لتحديد حجم إصابته.

إلا أن مصادر خاصة لـ بطولات كشفت أن اللاعب لم يحضر في الموعد المحدد لإجراء الآشعة، يأتي ذلك في ظل توتر العلاقة بينه وبين إدارة النادي على خلفية رفضها لرحيله بعد تلقيه عروضًا خارجية.

Juventus star Alisha Lehmann has been gifted an eye-catching pair of personalised Nike Air Max trainers by team-mate Lysianne Proulx.

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Lehmann receives gift from Lysianne ProulxSwiss star shows off eye-catching new trainersJuventus currently celebrating title triumphFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Lehmann has shown off her gift from Proulx on Instagram and is clearly thrilled with the latest addition to her wardrobe. Proulx has handed over a pair of personalised Nike Air Max trainers in Swiss colours, featuring Alisha Lehmann's name and the message "Be Brave."

Alisha Lehmann InstagramAdvertisementWHAT LEHMANN SAID

Lehmann has been happy to show off her new gift and tagged her team-mate in the post along with the message: "You're the best Lysianne Proulx. Thank youu."

Instagram

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Proulx and Lehmann are currently in celebratory mood after helping the Turin side seal the Serie A title with two games to spare after victory over rivals AC Milan. The victory is the first major title of Lehmann's career and comes after she joined the club in the summer from Aston Villa. Juventus have now been crowned Serie A champions for the sixth time in eight years since being launched in 2017.

@alishalehmann7 InstagramWHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS

Lehmann and Juventus could have more reasons to celebrate before the season concludes. The newly-crowned champions have an Italian Women's Cup final to look forward to on May 17 when they take on Roma at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia in Como.

Yassine Cheuko, the Argentine's bodyguard, has reportedly had sideline access at matches tightened by the MLS club

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• Lionel Messi's bodyguard had access restricted in 2025
• Yassine Cheuko commented about the matter
• Decision reportedly made by Inter Miami
• Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023, his bodyguard, Yassine Cheuko, has been a regular presence at the MLS team's matches, clearly visible at field level as he patrolled the sidelines. However, Cheuko said in an interview this week that that his access to the pitch has been limited for the 2025 season.

  According to a report from The Athletic, Inter Miami confirmed that it was a club decision to limit Cheuko's movements on matchday. He remains an Inter Miami employee, according to the report, and is able to follow all security policies and protocols implemented by the club and league.

  In a statement issued to The Athletic, an MLS spokesperson confirmed that the league has not changed any policies regarding team security personnel, with multiple teams across the league having security guards that are stationed near team benches. Per the spokesperson, those security personnel are typically placed behind benches outside of the technical area – where the head coach is stationed during the match.

  Cheuko, who arrived in 2023 with Messi when he moved to South Beach, has been the Argentine's security personnel on the sideline of matches during his time in the league. Cheuko is known for chasing down pitch invaders during matches, while making an attempt to keep the talisman safe.

  “I was in Europe for seven years working for Ligue 1 and the Champions League, and only six people invaded the pitch,” Cheuko said in a video interview with House of Highlights, a social media channel. “I love MLS and CONCACAF, but we have to work together. I love helping. I’m not better than anyone, but I have a wealth of experience in Europe. It’s fine, I understand their decision, but I think we could do better.”

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Cheuko, who is a mixed martial artist, has expressed his disappointment in not being able to patrol the sideline as much as he did in 2025. Messi, meanwhile, has reportedly shared a similar sentiment.

  “It’s been the case all year long,” a source told The Athletic. “(Lionel and Yassine) are quite upset about it – (Yassine) has always been really critical of all of the other security (across MLS) and suggested that if they were good at their jobs, he wouldn’t even be needed.”

  Cheuko now positions himself in a private box, or in the tunnel that leads to the pitch during matches.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Inter Miami are one of two undefeated MLS teams through the opening six weeks of the season. The are 4-0-1 (WLD) through five matches played, and sit atop the MLS Supporters' Shield standings heading into Matchday 7 of the regular season campaign.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MIAMI?

  Miami returns for Matchday 7 of the MLS season this weekend in another edition of "Sunday Night Soccer" on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+ when they take on Toronto FC.

The January transfer window has officially been open for business for two weeks and Ipswich Town are reportedly closing in on their second signing of the month.

Jaden Philogene is reportedly set to join from Premier League rivals Aston Villa in a deal worth at least £21m, which will make him the second addition after the arrival of Ben Godfrey on loan from Atalanta.

Bringing in new players to bolster the squad, however, could mean that Kieran McKenna will need to be ruthless with who he decides to keep as part of the group before the deadline.

One player who could be ruthlessly ditched ahead of February’s deadline is winger Wes Burns, who has struggled with the step up to the Premier League.

Wes Burns' form this season

The 30-year-old forward has started ten of his 16 appearances in the top-flight for the Tractor Boys this term, and is yet to get his name on the scoresheet.

Burns, who has been utilised as a right winger and as a right wing-back at times, has zero goals and one assist in those 16 matches, which shows that he has failed to offer consistent quality at the top end of the pitch.

The Wales international has also only completed 70% of his attempted passes and has lost 60% of his duels in the division, as he has been loose in possession and struggled to deal with the physicality of the Premier League.

Ipswich can finally move on from Burns by swooping to sign one of their reported targets, Ben Doak, to replace him, freeing up the space in the squad for McKenna to ruthlessly cash in on the experienced winger.

Why Ipswich should sign Ben Doak

The Tractor Boys are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Scotland international from Liverpool, who are said to value him at around £30m – amid interest from Crystal Palace as well.

Doak, who is currently on loan at Middlesbrough in the Championship, has been in impressive form for club and country this season and could come in as an upgrade on Burns, as well as having more long-term potential and value.

At the age of 19, the winger is 11 years younger and would, therefore, have more time on his side to be developed by McKenna and the coaching staff, which could make him an even more valuable asset in the future.

Doak has created two ‘big chances’ in four starts in the Nations League for Scotland this season and caught the eye with his form in the Championship for Boro.

Starts

18

Goals

2

Big chances created

6

Assists

6

Key passes per game

1.6

As you can see in the table above, the teenage starlet, who has been described as “explosive” by Aston Villa’s John McGinn, has been directly involved in eight goals in 18 league matches this term.

Whereas, Burns only managed six goals and four assists in 35 appearances in the Championship during Ipswich’s promotion-winning campaign last season.

This suggests that Doak, despite his age and inexperience, could immediately come in to offer more than the Welshman at the top end of the pitch, particularly as a creative threat for the Tractor Boys.

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1 ByKelan Sarson Jan 13, 2025

Therefore, McKenna could finally move on from Burns and potentially cash in on him before the end of the transfer window by signing Doak as his direct replacement this month.

That Chris Rogers’ batting and leadership will be missed to the game is beyond dispute. But it is equally easy to conclude that the lessons learned over the past 18 years will be rare gold for Rogers in coaching ranks

Daniel Brettig23-Sep-2016Perhaps it was the need to push on for runs and a fourth-innings target, perhaps it was something deeper. Either way, some uncharacteristic flourishes in Chris Rogers’ final innings for Somerset this season tended to indicate these were the parting shots of a prolific and valuable career.Most first-class hundreds by Australians

117 – Don Bradman
86 – Justin Langer
82 – Darren Lehmann
82 – Ricky Ponting
81 – Mark Waugh
79 – Matthew Hayden
79 – Steve Waugh
79 – Stuart Law
76 – Chris Rogers

For many a year, Rogers had been crease-bound against spin, leaning heavily on advice conveyed by Lance Klusener in their time together at Northamptonshire: build a solid defence against spinners and wait for the bad ball. But here he was, dancing down to Samit Patel and lofting over long-on.More recently, Rogers had been haunted by the threat of the short ball, his fears exacerbated by the death of Phillip Hughes then maintained by numerous head knocks over the course of his last few Test assignments for Australia. Yet the last scoring stroke with which he moved to a 76th first-class hundred – only eight Australians have more – was a hook shot.Proof, then, that Rogers always had these shots in his locker, and perhaps a flightier personality would have used them more frequently. Instead, these moments in innings No. 554 were the exceptions that prove the rule: by knowing his limitations and working within them, Rogers carved out a batting method that stood up to more examinations than most. He also earned the belated validation of a memorable stint in the Australian Test side, years after he had given up hope of getting there for longer than his earlier solitary appearance.To finish in England was fitting, for it was largely on those northern shores that Rogers sculpted his way of batting. When he first travelled to play there his technique was more or less classically Australian: back and across to cover bounce and be in position to play cross bat strokes on the hard and true expanses of the WACA Ground.But the means by which Rogers would become a consistent and heavy run scorer were to come later, via help from the likes of Paul Nixon and Klusener. A double hundred against the touring Australian Ashes team of 2005 was significant not only as the innings that put Rogers on the map back home, but also as the first sign his English lessons were starting to take root. In the simplest terms, he worked on playing in straight lines down the pitch, and covering off stump without letting the bat get outside his eyeline to adjust for lateral movement.Combined with a flinty determination at the batting crease and an agile mind eager to make adjustments for the challenges posed by different bowlers, teams and circumstances, those fundamentals led Rogers to major run-making feats. Over the past decade only twice – once through injury and once through international commitments – did Rogers fail to top 1000 runs for the English season, sharing his runs and expertise with Northants, Derbyshire, Middlesex and Somerset.These sides, plus Australia, benefited too from Rogers the thoughtful leader, and Rogers the sociable after-hours organiser. At both Derbyshire and Middlesex he did not arrive as captain but was effectively promoted to the rank in the field. By the time he signed on to play at Taunton this year there was expectation of the battling club being given the “Rogers touch”, characterised by example with the bat, sound ideas in the field, dedication in training and yarn-spinning in the dressing room.An attentive brand of leadership has found its greatest 2016 exemplar in the growth of the left-arm spinner Jack Leach, proficient in his craft but also shy and reticent in a way Rogers doubtless recognised in his younger self. The following words were spoken after Leach had bowled Somerset to victory over Yorkshire at Headingley, as blunt as they were empathetic:”I am still a big believer that you need more than one good season to play for England. With Jack, I think his game’s in order, I think emotionally he still has a bit of a way to go and I don’t think he’d be upset with me saying that. He is still a young guy, he has only ever been in Somerset and the challenges in international cricket are a lot more difficult. If they pick him then good luck to him but they’d better look after him.”Protective of his men but honest with them also, Rogers’ parting gift to Somerset was to drive them to within a day’s good fortune of the club’s first ever County Championship. That his batting and leadership will be missed to the game is beyond dispute. But it is equally easy to conclude that the lessons learned over the past 18 years will be rare gold for Rogers in coaching ranks.

The final will be played on March 26, at the Brabourne Stadium

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-20237:15

‘Alyssa Healy an absolute steal at INR 70 lakh’

Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians will kick off the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on March 4. This was confirmed as the BCCI announced the fixtures for the WPL. The final will be at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on March 26, following 20 league games and an Eliminator. As expected, the tournament will be played in and around Mumbai only, split between these two stadiums.The games will be played at 3.30pm and 7.30pm IST, with four double-headers lined up in all. Each team plays the other four twice, before the league topper goes into the final, with teams finishing second and third on the points table facing off in the Eliminator for the other spot in the final.Once the tournament begins, during the league phase there are no matches lined up only on March 17 and 19, till the phase ends on March 21 with UP Warriorz taking on Delhi Capitals. The Eliminator is three days later at the DY Patil Stadium, before a day’s break and then the final.In all, 11 matches each will be held at the DY Patil Stadium and Brabourne Stadium.Related

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The schedule means the WPL kicks off following a five-day gap after the Women’s T20 World Cup concludes in Cape Town in South Africa on February 26 – it could be a gap of only four days, should the T20 World Cup final go into a reserve day. As ESPNcricinfo had reported earlier, it is understood that the first season has been limited to Mumbai to reduce the logistical challenges for players and coaches travelling from South Africa to India.The schedule was announced a day after the inaugural WPL auction, which was also held in Mumbai. In all 87 players were bought at the auction by the five teams, with INR 59.5 crore (USD 7.25 million approx.) spent. The biggest earners on the night were Smriti Mandhana (INR 3.4 crore or USD 415,000 approx to Royal Challengers Bangalore), Ashleigh Gardner (INR 3.2 crore or USD 390,000 approx to Giants) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (INR 3.2 crore or USD 390,000 approx to Mumbai).

Stand-in captain Alyssa Healy admitted it’s been ‘a rough couple of days’ amid mixed emotions

Alex Malcolm and Andrew McGlashan29-May-20231:39

Alyssa Healy: ‘Grappling with being excited and nervous about captaining in Ashes’

Australia were left rattled by the news of Meg Lanning’s sudden withdrawal from the Ashes tour, and stand-in captain Alyssa Healy admitted it had been an emotional few days, but there is a determination to ensure they do not let it derail their hopes of success in England.The squad gathered in Brisbane on Monday for their latest training camp ahead of their departure but will travel without captain Lanning, who has withdrawn from the series to remain at home to manage an undisclosed medical issue.”I’ve finally probably come to terms with it, it’s been a rough couple of days,” Healy told ESPNcricinfo. “Everyone is a little bit emotional about the whole Meg situation but at the same time I’m grappling with being really excited and nervous about the challenge of captaining an Ashes series.”Australia head coach Shelley Nitschke could not shed any light on what Lanning was dealing with – although it’s understood not to be related to her break from the game last year – but admitted her sudden absence from the tour had rocked the squad as they gathered together for the first time since the announcement was made on Saturday.”I’m sure they were a little bit rattled by the news,” Nitschke said. “But I think Meg is in our thoughts. We also know that she wants us to go over there and get the job done.”We’ve had some time to sort of get our head around it now and having the girls up here this week, it’s really nice to get them together.”Australia have dealt with Lanning’s absence previously during the successful T20I tour of India late last year when Lanning took a break from the game with Healy standing in as captain and vice-captain Tahlia McGrath taking one game when she was injured. Nitschke believes that Healy and the group will be able to handle Lanning’s absence again.Related

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“[Healy] had a big couple of days herself, to find out that she’s captaining for an Ashes series,” Nitschke said. “But I think the fact that she captained the team in India last year and did a fantastic job, the girls got around her, played some really good cricket, so I think she should take a lot of confidence out of that and I think she enjoyed it.”I think we’ve got some really good leaders in the group. We’ve got a lot of experience in the group. I think one thing that we’ve been really good at over the years is just being able to adapt and take some knocks as they come. I’ve got the utmost confidence in our group to head across and hopefully get the job done.”The India tour is an experience Healy is now even more grateful for as she embarks on the pressure and expectation of an Ashes.”I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and I’m kind of glad that happened over in India, that I was thrown amongst it and got to do it the way we wanted to,” she said. “It was new for Shell as well so we were both going there and leaving our mark on the group. Grateful to have that experience and hopefully we can carry on from where that left off and get amongst England.”Alyssa Healy is considering not opening in Tests•Getty Images

However, the void Lanning leaves in Australia’s top order might not be as easily covered in the Test match, given there are already holes to fill. Lanning and Healy have occupied a spot in the top three in two of the last three Tests Australia have played dating back to the 2019 Ashes. Healy opened in all three games while the recently retired Rachael Haynes opened in Australia’s last two Tests. Lanning batted at No. 5 in the last women’s Ashes Test in early 2022 in Canberra and made 93 in the first innings, her highest Test score.In Lanning’s absence, Healy is highly likely to step away from the opening role given the captaincy has been added to her wicketkeeping duties.”It’s a lot on her plate,” Nitschke said. “I think it’s a definite conversation that we’ll be having pretty soon to see how that might look for her in the batting order.”Australia did pair Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield together with great success in the ODI series against Pakistan earlier this year when Healy was injured. Mooney has opened in three of her seven Test innings and batted at No.3 in the last Test against England in 2022 and looks set to replace Haynes, while Litchfield made 78 not out and 67 not out in her first two ODIs opening the batting and is well and truly in the frame to make her Test debut in Nottingham.”Phoebe is so talented…so she’s certainly got the attributes,” Nitschke said. “I think when we get over there in the English conditions, we’ve been training here with red balls and we had some overcast conditions in the first camp, but it’s just different again over there.”I think there’s a little bit to play out before we sort of work out who our best XI is for that Test match. But Phoebs is certainly putting her hand up. We’ll see where it lands.”Australia, who have been training with the red Dukes ball in Brisbane ahead of the Test, will play a two day intrasquad game this week involving players from the Australia A squad.

He also hoped Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran would get called up to the Test squad in the future

PTI29-Jun-2023Sourav Ganguly cannot understand the process behind Ajinkya Rahane getting the Test vice-captaincy after spending nearly 18 months on the sidelines. The former India captain has called for “consistency and continuity” in the selection process.Rahane, 35, was out of favour for one-and-a-half years but was India’s best batter in the World Test Championship final against Australia earlier this month, with scores of 89 and 46 at The Oval.Related

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Just one Test after he had made a comeback – he played his previous Test in January 2022 – the national selection committee headed by interim chief Shiv Sunder Das re-appointed Rahane as Rohit Sharma’s deputy for the West Indies Test series.So was it not ideal to groom someone like Shubman Gill for the role?”Yeah I think so,” Ganguly told during an exclusive interaction from London.Ganguly suggested that the allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, a certainty in India’s Test XI both home and away, could have been considered for the role.”I won’t say it’s a step backward,” Ganguly said. “You have been out for 18 months, then you play a Test and you become a vice-captain. I don’t understand the thought process behind it. There is Ravindra Jadeja, who has been there for a long time and a certainty in Test matches, he is a candidate.”… but to just come back and straightway become vice-captain after 18 months, I don’t understand. My only thing is that selection shouldn’t be hot and cold. There has to be continuity and consistency in selection.”The Indian selectors have hit the transition button by excluding Cheteshwar Pujara from the squad for the West Indies tour. Ganguly wants the selectors to have clear communication with Pujara, who has played 103 Tests for India, about his future.”Selectors should have a clear idea about him [Pujara],” Ganguly said. “Do they need him to play Test cricket anymore or do they want to continue with youngsters, and communicate it to him. Somebody like Pujara can’t be dropped, then picked, dropped again and then picked. Same with Ajinkya Rahane also.”Ganguly feels Yashasvi Jaiswal has proven himself not just in the IPL but in first-class cricket as well•Bangladesh Cricket Board

‘I feel for Sarfaraz Khan’

The selections of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad for the West Indies tour suggests the selectors have emphasised IPL performances over those in domestic cricket, but Ganguly doesn’t believe this is the case. He hopes, however that Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran, who have been prolific in the Ranji Trophy over recent seasons, will get their chance too.”I think Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored tons of runs in Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy. I think that’s why he is in the squad,” Ganguly said. “I feel for Sarfaraz Khan. At some point he should get an opportunity for the amount of runs that he has scored in past three years.”And same thing for Abhimanyu Easwaran for the tons of runs he has scored in last five to six years. I am surprised that both of them have been omitted but they should get a chance in future. But Yashasvi Jasiwal is a good selection.”Ganguly has observed Sarfaraz from close quarters as director of cricket at Delhi Capitals. He rubbished the idea that Sarfaraz has a weakness against fast bowling.”If you don’t play him against fast bowling, how do you know?” he asked. “If he had problems he wouldn’t have scored so many runs all around [India]. I personally feel he has no problems against fast bowling and he should be given an opportunity.”