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Australia have been inconsistent in ODIs since the last World Cup and are missing some key players for this series

Tristan Lavalette18-Oct-2025Garbed in Australia’s bright new yellow ODI kit, as he leads the team on their first steps towards a title defence at the 2027 World Cup in the absence of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh could not avoid a question he has started to be increasingly asked.Given his outstanding form in white-ball cricket, and injury concerns mounting for the Australia Test team, is Marsh starting to think about the possibility of an unlikely Ashes call-up?”I’ve got tickets to day one and two. Haven’t asked the wife yet, so that’s about as much thought as I’ve given it,” a smirking Marsh said to reporters in his trademark style of completely playing down his chances of resurrecting a Test career that looked over after he was dropped last summer.Related

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While it was a humorous way to end the press conference on the eve of Australia’s three-match ODI series against India, it did underline that the Ashes is hovering over basically everything in Australian cricket right now.It has overshadowed the build-up of this series, no mean feat given India’s heft in the sport. While these ODIs and T20Is against India are widely viewed as the entrée ahead of the Ashes, they do have longer-term implications given that there are World Cups in each format over the next couple of years.We’re at the halfway mark in the ODI World Cup cycle, meaning it’s time for teams to start strategising. Australia are in transition in the 50-over format, with several unknowns over their batting order after the retirements of Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.Australia’s batting-order has been weakened further with Josh Inglis, Alex Carey and Cameron Green not playing in the first ODI in Perth. While Carey is currently on Shield duties, Inglis is on the sidelines due a nagging calf injury and Green has been pulled out of the series after suffering a side strain.The developments, of course, have Ashes implications. “He’s okay, it’s on the very, very minor end. It’s a cautious take on it but he’s all good,” Marsh said of his WA team-mate Green.This series is an important opportunity for Matt Short after a run of injuries•AFP/Getty Images

It does mean Australia have an opportunity to experiment with batter Matt Renshaw and batting allrounder Mitchell Owen set to make their ODI debuts, while Josh Philippe will take the gloves and play his first ODI in more than four years.After his recent hot run of form at the domestic level, Marnus Labuschagne has been recalled as Green’s replacement but won’t play in the first ODI even though he is making the long journey to Perth to link up with the group.”Across the board in our white-ball teams over the last 12 month, we’ve seen a lot of guys get opportunities, so it always brings excitement to those guys,” Marsh said. “We just have to be really clear on their role and they will enjoy playing cricket for Australia.”A golden opportunity is likely to be presented to Matt Short, who has been on the verge of Australia’s white-ball sides but inconsistencies and, of late, injuries have proven hurdles.Short has thrived at the top of the order in domestic white-ball cricket, but will likely have to settle at No. 3 with Marsh and Head having established such a dynamic opening partnership.”We know he opens for Victoria and Strikers and in T20 cricket around the world,” Marsh said of Short, who has opened the batting in 11 of his 13 ODI innings. “But we see no difference opening the batting and No.3. We’re comfortable with him batting there.”After missing the South Africa series with concussion, Mitch Owen will get a chance in ODIs•AFP/Getty Images

Australia’s form has been patchy since their 2023 World Cup triumph, having most recently lost to South Africa 2-1 in northern Queensland in August, a time of year where little attention is on cricket.There will be considerably more spotlight on this India series and it feels very much like Australia will now start ramping things up in cricket’s middle format.Australia will face a tough test against top-ranked India, similarly in transition under new captain Shubman Gill but still boasting Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.”Had the privilege of playing against them quite a lot over the journey,” Marsh said of Kohli and Rohit. “They’re obviously legends of the game, Virat is the greatest chaser ever in this format. I think you can see by the ticket sales that a lot of people want to come and watch them.”More than 50,000 fans are expected at Optus Stadium, a nod to the pulling power of India but also indicative of Ashes fever in the air in a city that will host the first Test in just five weeks.”To see the stadium packed out against India, it’s going to be a great experience for our group,” Marsh said. “I believe it’s going to be a high scoring affair, but getting through the first 10 overs for both teams will be a challenge and maybe where the game’s won and lost.”

Kate Cross has revealed that she is “struggling to get [her] head around” her “savage” omission from England’s squad for the 50-over World Cup in India.Cross, 33, has been a regular in England’s ODI side since the last World Cup and took her 100th career wicket in the format earlier this summer. But she was dropped during their series against India last month and was left out of the squad altogether on Thursday as a result of England’s decision to pick an extra spinner for subcontinent conditions.”It’s hard to take, because I don’t feel like I’ve done enough to deserve not being on that plane,” Cross said on , her podcast with Alex Hartley. “Everyone that is a current player who doesn’t get selected is going to disagree with selections and going to think that they should be there.Related

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“But what I’m really struggling to get my head around is it all feels like it’s happened so quickly that I’ve just clearly fallen out of favour with Lot [England coach Charlotte Edwards]. That’s a hard bit to get my head [around]. If I’d had 14-18 months of being pretty average at cricket and not performing in an England shirt, then I think I’d understand it a bit more.”I guess to an extent I have, because I didn’t have the best summer in an England shirt and I had a really tough winter and missed out a lot through the back injury. But I think leading into that, I definitely didn’t feel like I wouldn’t be on the plane. Being in the best XI [is] a different conversation, but [not even] being on the plane… It feels savage.”Cross was first left out by Edwards for a rain-reduced game against India at Lord’s – she is not involved in England’s T20I set-up – and did not regain her place for the series finale in Durham. “There’s so much for me to get my head around, and I haven’t processed it,” she said. “It’s still really raw.”England have only picked three frontline seamers for the World Cup in Em Arlott, Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer, with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt on track to recover from injury in time to offer another option.”It’s what you sign up for,” Cross said. “You don’t get to have those amazing highs without having these real lows, but it doesn’t make the lows any easier knowing that they’re going to be there. I probably had a good indication that I wasn’t going to be in this, or it would be tough to come back from being dropped in that last game… But it doesn’t make it any easier.”

Dhoni, Pollard, Bravo, Rayudu and Malinga have starred in these matches in the past – here’s a lookback

Omkar Mankame22-Mar-2025Chennai, 2008 – CSK won by six runsThe first meeting between these sides in the IPL produced a high-scoring nail-biter. Brisk fifties from Matthew Hayden and Suresh Raina powered CSK to 208, before MI, despite losing wickets regularly, kept the chase going. Abhishek Nayar and Harbhajan Singh combined to bring the equation down to nine from the last four deliveries, but Joginder Sharma kept his nerve to take CSK over the line.Mumbai, 2012 – MI won by two wicketsAfter a few years of lopsided contests came the real humdinger. MI’s pursuit of 174 had been led by half-centuries from Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma. But a dramatic collapse – 134 for 1 became 159 for 8 – left them needing 16 from the final over and then 14 from three balls. No fear! Dwayne Smith, playing his first game of the season, hit Ben Hilfenhaus for 6, 4, 4 to set off celebrations in the MI camp.Dwayne Smith has been among those who have played starring roles for both MI as well as CSK•BCCIMumbai, 2014 – CSK won by four wicketsRelated

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Smith – now in the other camp – had anchored CSK’s chase of 158 with a fifty. But Lasith Malinga’s death overs wizardry meant CSK still needed 11 from the final over. CSK, however, had their own master of the death overs in the middle: MS Dhoni smashed a six and a four off Kieron Pollard to finish it off with three balls to spare.Mumbai, 2018 – CSK won by one wicketCSK’s first game back from a two-year ban pitted them against the defending champions. Hardik Pandya and debutant Mayank Markande took three-fors and CSK, chasing 166, looked buried at 118 for 8 in the 17th over. With 47 needed off the last three, Dwayne Bravo scored 19 and 20 off the next two overs, and a heavily hamstrung Kedar Jadhav, batting on one leg, finished the job in the last over.Hyderabad 2019 – MI won by one runA fourth IPL title was up for grabs for either side. The contest ebbed and flowed and left CSK needing nine off the last over. Shane Watson, with a bloody knee, was run-out for 80 on the fourth ball. With two needed off the final ball, Malinga – with figures of 0 for 42 in his first three overs – bowled the perfect yorker to trap Shardul Thakur in front and deliver MI the trophy.MI edged out CSK to win the IPL 2019 by one run•Mahesh Kumar A/Associated PressDelhi, 2021 – MI won by four wicketsAmbati Rayudu was rampant against his former team, and powered CSK to 218. That seemed more than enough when MI found themselves at 94 for 3 after 12 overs. But with 125 needed from the last eight overs – and 48 from the last three – Kieron Pollard smashed six fours and eight sixes and took MI home by scampering through for a double off the last ball of the game.Navi Mumbai, 2022 – CSK won by three wicketsBoth MI and CSK struggled after the mega auction before IPL 2022, so this was a bottom-of-the-table contest. Tilak Varma’s 43-ball 51 not out took MI to 155 after Mukesh Choudhary had wrecked their top order. Then Daniel Sams did the same to CSK. It came down to CSK needing 16 off the last four balls with Dhoni facing Jaydev Unadkat. In a display of vintage brilliance, Dhoni sealed the deal with a sequence of 6, 4, 2 and 4.

It was only the second time that Starc was playing a Test without Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon, and he got 6 for 71 after day one in Brisbane

Andrew McGlashan04-Dec-20251:12

Starc: Selection not a reflection of Lyon’s skills

Even taking into account that plans often need to change, it was hard to see a world where Australia would field an attack during this Ashes with just one of the big four.Yet, against England at the Gabba, they were without 1166 Test wickets from what would be considered their first-choice attack: the tally of Pat Cummins, who was very close to playing, and Josh Hazlewood, nearly doubled by the shock omission of Nathan Lyon. But there was one of the awesome foursome left: Mitchell Starc.The wisdom of that decision will largely be judged in hindsight. At times, it appeared a change of pace would have been handy: when Zak Crawley and Joe Root were building their stand of 117 in 25 overs, then when Root and Ben Stokes took England to 210 for 4 early in the final session, and even as Root and Jofra Archer flayed away in their merry final-wicket stand.Related

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There was a bit of sameness about Michael Neser, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett and Cameron Green. The latter three went at a combined 5.02 runs an over from 41 overs.”I was surprised, to be honest,” Crawley said of Lyon’s absence. “I can’t remember the last time, other than in the West Indies recently, where they haven’t played him. So, yeah, we were surprised.”It felt odd for Starc, too. “I think I mentioned it in the warm-ups: I don’t think I’ve ever played an attack without one of the three of them playing,” he said. “So it was a little bit different in that regard with no Josh, Pat and Nath.”Starc’s memory is nearly correct: he played without any of them the only previous occasion Lyon missed a home Test – against India at the WACA in 2012. It has left him doing some heavy lifting, but he had a pink ball in hand. Following ten wickets in the first Test against England in Perth, he knocked the top of England’s order with the new ball, broke a threatening stand under twilight, and later got to work on the lower order.An outswinger to Ben Duckett produced Starc’s 26th first-over wicket in Test cricket. That was soon followed by Ollie Pope chopping on to his stumps to leave England 5 for 2, and images of Perth zooming back into view.At the Gabba, Mitchell Starc got his 26th wicket in the first over of a Test•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesBut that was the limit of the damage Starc could inflict in his first spell, although how different the game would have looked had Steven Smith been able to grab a one-handed stunner when Root was on 2. Starc bowled three more overs before the first interval (call it what you will), and was then held back by Smith until twilight started to take hold. By then, Australia had already gone to short-ball fields with a softening pink ball as they tried to manufacture wickets before looking for some assistance as the night closed in.By then, Root and Brook were starting to build, but the latter was skittish, and facing his first ball from Starc – it was the second ball of his comeback over – as Brook aimed a flat-footed drive which was edged high to Smith at second slip. It took Starc to 415 wickets, moving ahead of Wasim Akram as the most wickets for a left-arm quick in Test history. Akram had spoken of his admiration for Starc in the lead-up to the Test, and offered his praise again.”Super Starc! Proud of you, mate,” Wasim posted on X. “Your incredible hard work sets you apart, and it was only a matter of time before you crossed my tally of wickets. I am pleased to give this to you! Go well, and keep soaring to new heights in your stellar career.”After a day in the field, albeit one that only brought 74 overs, Starc’s response was self-depreciating. “Pretty tired,” he said when asked how he felt. “I’ll reflect on it later. Wasim’s still a far better bowler than I am.”There is a job ahead for Australia, and having seen England escape to 325 for 9 with an unbroken last-wicket stand of 61, it could be a tough one. But it is worth appreciating Starc’s recent form. His last four bowling innings in Test cricket read: 6 for 9, 7 for 58, 3 for 55, and now 6 for 71.Mitchell Starc bagged Harry Brook in his first over back in the attack•Getty Images”I mean, he’s a very, very good bowler, obviously, and with the pink ball, I think he gets it to swing slightly more on [than] the red ball, so he challenges both sides a bit more,” Crawley said. “I was just trying to keep it very simple, playing nicely straight. He does draw you in on that off side… he’s got a way of dragging you in, so it’s a challenge. But I feel like, all in all, we played him pretty well. I mean, he’s ended up at six. I feel like we had a good day.”One of Starc’s six came from a remarkable catch by Alex Carey as he sprinted back to take Gus Atkinson’s top edge, and was nearly taken out by Marnus Labuschagne, who was also tracking the ball from slip. “Marnus tried to tackle him, I reckon, and take it out of his hands,” Starc said.Another piece of fielding brilliance provided Australia with one of their three non-Starc wickets. Josh Inglis, a wicketkeeper by trade, and called into this match as Usman Khawaja’s replacement, moved swiftly from cover to produce a stunning direct hit which removed Stokes during a period after tea where Australia’s four frontline quicks had dried up the scoring rate.”It’s one of those ones that a bit of brilliance in the field can change a little bit of the momentum,” Starc said. “A bit like a couple of Ashes ago, where Nathan Lyon ran out James Vince here at the Gabba and changed the momentum that day. I think the one today was probably a better run-out, but don’t tell Nathan that.”After the day Lyon had endured, that was probably a wise thought. For all of Starc’s brilliance, Australia’s omission of their greatest offspinner may yet be a telling narrative from this match.

AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri has been warned that he will soon be "finished like Jose Mourinho" by Antonio Cassano, who has brutally claimed that the Serie A leaders play "dreadful" football. Although the Rossoneri have lost only once this season, on the opening weekend against Cremonese, and have since collected eight victories and four draws to rise to the top of the table, Cassano remains entirely unconvinced with their style.

Getty ImagesCassano in fierce critique of Serie A leaders

Cassano drew a stark comparison between Allegri and Mourinho, arguing that both coaches have become relics of another era. He lamented what he views as a betrayal of Milan’s traditional values, which are attacking flair, elegance, and expressive football. In his eyes, the current iteration of Allegri’s Milan stands in direct conflict with those ideals.

Speaking on the podcast, Cassano issued a blistering assessment of Milan’s approach, suggesting the club’s identity is being eroded under Allegri’s watch.

"Remember what I said about Mourinho being finished and that sooner or later he would end up being forgotten. The same will happen to Allegri," he said. 

"I can’t imagine Milan in 2025 playing dreadful football because of their coach: Milan are history, beauty, aesthetics and quality. And what do they do? Everyone sits in front of the goalkeeper; there’s no depth, then you win the ball back, counter-attack and score."

For all the criticism, Milan’s numbers are strong. They have scored 19 goals and conceded just nine in their 13 Serie A fixtures. The team boasts of a defensive solidity characteristic of Allegri’s coaching style. But Cassano contends that results alone should not shield the manager from scrutiny, especially at a club built on decades of artistic football.

AdvertisementAFPMourinho's fall from grace

Cassano’s comparison to Mourinho arrives at a time when the Portuguese manager’s recent struggles remain fresh. Mourinho left Fenerbahce earlier this year following a difficult stint lasting just 62 games, as he was dismissed after a Champions League play-off defeat to Benfica. The former Chelsea and Inter boss, who has two Champions League titles to his name, endured a testing time in Turkey was fraught with frustration, particularly with officiating, and he openly admitted upon returning to Portugal that he had chosen the wrong project.

"My career so far has been rich; I've coached the biggest clubs in the world, in different countries," he said after taking the reins at Benfica for a second time. "I made the wrong choice; sometimes I don't have the right word in Portuguese… no regrets, because regrets don't help us at all in life, but the awareness of what we did well and what we did wrong exists. I made a mistake going to Fenerbahce; it wasn't my cultural level, it wasn't my football level, it wasn't my level. Obviously, I gave everything until the last day."

Former Fenerbahce president Ali Koc later shed more light on the separation, describing it as "painful" while insisting the club needed a more expansive style to suit the Turkish side’s expectations. 

He said: "Why did we let go of Mourinho? I'm explaining it here for the first time. It was a bitter parting. Our chemistry was perfect, and his accomplishments are evident. Just being able to bring him here was a great achievement. Above all, it was difficult to part with someone I was friends with. We knew our coach was a defensive player when we brought him in. But we talked about the need to play more dominantly at the end of the season. Earning 99 goals and 99 points is our genetic code.

"Being eliminated by Benfica wasn't a problem, but the way we were eliminated was unacceptable. This made me feel like last year's football would continue. We parted ways because we believed this squad would play better football at this point. This kind of football works in Europe, but in Turkey, we have to crush them in most matches. We're struggling to get ahead after falling behind in every match."

A bitter irony in Cassano’s accusations

Cassano himself won the only Serie A title of his career under the same man he now savages. His 2010-11 Scudetto triumph came with Allegri at the Milan helm, yet that shared success did little to soften his message. Mourinho, meanwhile, appears to be steadying himself at Benfica. After a shaky start back in Lisbon, his side have climbed to third place in the Liga Portugal, six points adrift of Porto, and now look far more competitive heading into their clash with Sporting on Friday evening.

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Getty ImagesAllegri unlikely to change his methods

For all the condemnation, Allegri's Milan team remain firmly in the Serie A title race and are defensively robust. Hence, the Italian manager might just stick to his guns, ignoring Cassano's criticism as noise. The Rossoneri resume their campaign on Thursday with a Coppa Italia Round of 16 trip to Lazio. 

Australia allrounder Beau Webster has been ruled out of Tasmania’s opening Sheffield Shield match of the season against Queensland after picking up an ankle injury although it is not considered to be a major concern.Webster will be reassessed ahead of the One-Day Cup match against Queensland on Thursday. The second round of the Shield, where Tasmania will face Western Australia in Hobart, starts on October 15.Related

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Webster had earmarked playing all four of Tasmania’s Shield matches ahead of the start of the Ashes. Although he has made an excellent start to his Test career with four half-centuries in seven matches in tricky batting conditions there is talk he could be under pressure for his place when England arrive.Cameron Green is expected to be back on unrestricted bowling duty by then and, depending on which players stake a claim for top-order positions, there is a scenario where Green is moved back down the order although he has also been endorsed as a long-term candidate for No. 3.If Green is retained in that position, where he finished strongly against West Indies, there is a good chance he and Webster can continue to feature in the same XI.”It’s one thing that’s coming up a lot is obviously Greeney’s back bowling and I’ve got my chance, I suppose, through him being a batter only,” Webster told ESPNcricinfo ahead of the season. “He was an allrounder for Australia for years before that along with Mitch [Marsh] and, when I answer the question, I’d love to see both of us in the team. If you’re scoring runs in the top six batters for Australia if you can bowl it’s a bonus.”Absolutely I’d love to play in a team with Greeney. He’s a fantastic batter. I really hope he bangs it out of the park at the top of the order and I can stay at No. 6 and we can both contribute with the ball and in the field and win games for Australia.”Webster started his domestic season with five wickets in two One-Day Cup games and 81 off 95 balls in the second match against Victoria.

The all-format coach was full of praise for Pretorius and Brevis despite South Africa losing “a game of millimetres” in the final

Firdose Moonda26-Jul-2025South Africa’s all-format coach Shukri Conrad will make “no excuses” for losing “a game of millimetres” to New Zealand in the tri-series final in Harare and is “thrilled” with the way his new-look team played.Though South Africa lost all three matches they played against New Zealand in the competition, they came close to claiming the trophy and pulling off their highest successful chase against them. That they did that with a squad that includes only two players – Reeza Hendricks and Gerald Coetzee – who were part of their last T20 World Cup squad suggests to Conrad that the depth in South African cricket is strong as he builds towards the next World Cup in February-March next year.”There’s so many good things that we can take forward from here,” Conrad said at the post-match press conference. “The result is disappointing but there were so many good things that happened there today that we can be really proud of and that I am really proud of. With such a young and inexperienced side, to put up the type of performance today, that is also pleasing to see. It’s no excuse for losing and we’re still bitterly disappointed. But there were some really good things.”

Pretorius and Brevis repay the faith

Chief among them was the form shown by the two young batters Conrad has also included in next month’s white-ball squads for a tour to Australia: Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis. Pretorius, who scored 31 runs in his first three innings as a T20I opener, was moved down to No. 5 for South Africa’s last league game, where he made 1. He was brought back up to the top of the order for the final and set South Africa on their way with a 35-ball 51.Related

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“Lhuan-dre is one of the bright prospects for South Africa. We saw what he has in him with the innings he played today,” Conrad said. “He had a lean period throughout this tournament, but he’s a classy young cricketer and exciting times lie ahead for him. Young players go through tough times and very often don’t know how to deal with it. But for him to come back in the final and play the way he did gave us a really good foundation.”Brevis had played international cricket before, in 2023, when he scored five runs from two T20Is. He has enjoyed a breakthrough last six months with strong performances in the SA20 and call-ups to both Test and T20I squads in Zimbabwe and the ODI squad to Australia. After establishing himself as a finisher for MI Cape Town earlier in the year, he came within two shots of winning South Africa the final and Conrad is keen to develop his ability to close out games.”Dewald is a special talent,” Conrad said. “He’s hugely disappointed that he didn’t take us home but on another day, he would have hit that out of Harare. He’s a special talent. He’s probably one of the sweetest strikers of a cricket ball in world cricket at the moment. You’re never out of a game when you’ve still got Dewald Brevis in the shed or he’s at the wicket, and he’ll be better for this experience this week. He got us close on a few occasions and it’s a case of when he gets us over the line rather than if he will. This is all part of a journey for Dewald and part of his development. There’s certainly no doubting his ability.”

Bowling options at the death

The other improvement Conrad pointed out was South Africa’s bowling in the last five overs. Though they conceded 45 runs in that period, they only gave away three boundaries and took two wickets. Nandre Burger bowled two of the four overs, conceded 18 runs, and took a wicket, while Kwena Maphaka bowled the last over and gave away 11 runs. “Today, an area that we paid particular attention to was our bowling at the death. It’s been a bugbear for us for a long time,” Conrad said. “I think we’ve made huge strides insofar as that is concerned. Guys are clearer with their plans. In the last five overs, New Zealand only hit three boundaries, which is brilliant for us.”Gerald Coetzee was making a comeback during the tri-series•Zimbabwe Cricket

In South Africa’s first match in this series against New Zealand, they conceded 63 in the last five overs, which demonstrates the improvement Conrad spoke of. In that match, Coetzee bowled two of the five overs and gave away 32 runs. Coetzee did not play the final and has not been included in the squads for the Australia series, with Conrad saying he has moved down the pecking order.Coetzee remains very much part of South Africa’s core group, which Conrad will work with over the next WTC cycle (which will start with a two-Test tour to Pakistan in October) and in the lead-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup and 2027 ODI World Cup. Despite losing his first white-ball series in charge, Conrad is optimistic about what South Africa’s players can offer.”The bulk of them would have laid down a marker at some stage during this tournament that they belong at this level and that they want to be a part of this team,” he said. “It’s always great when you can grow your strength or your depth in certain areas, and I think we’ve managed to do that. Ideally, we want to play our best team and our strongest team whenever we can. And that’s going to be the case going forward now. But our experienced guys needed a break. So it’s going to be great integrating some of these young guys.”And, as always, Conrad would not leave without a parting shot about South Africa’s ambitions, especially as he looks to the next global event. “If today is going to be a yardstick, then it comes to the T20 World Cup, whoever wants to win the tournament is going to have to beat us,” he said. “I’m very confident going forward. I think we’ve got the makings of a really great side in every format.”

Branislav Jasurek, representative of Napoli midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, has clarified the state of the player's relationship with head coach Antonio Conte. Jasurek and Lobotka stole headlines in Italy recently after comments resurfaced of the agent suggesting that his client will leave the club if the coach stays at the helm.

• Lobotka's agent raises eyebrows in Italy

  Jasurek appeared in a podcast with Slovak website which was recorded in October but gained significant traction in Italy this week. Lobotka's agent's comments sent shockwaves in Naples, as he stated that the combative midfielder could seek pastures new next summer if Conte ended up staying.

  "Napoli have invested well in recent times and brought in new players," he said, before questioning Conte's choice to hand Lobotka very little rest amid his struggles with injuries. "That's why I don't understand why Lobotka had to play three difficult matches in eight days before the national team match. They could have given him a little rest and thus he would have been able to play for Slovakia in Northern Ireland. So I'm nervous," Jasurek expressed.

  "If Stano wins a third title in Napoli, it will certainly be easier for him to leave, but I don't like to predict these things. He now has a significantly improved contract and could stay at the club for a few more years. But he is already 30 years old and it will be almost unrealistic to physically endure it under Conte. We are still talking about whether it can be managed at all. What Conte requires is brutally demanding. The coach's running requirements in statistics are incomparable."

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  Jasurek issues clarification, praises Lobotka's dynamic with Conte

  Following how big a deal Jasurek's words became within hours of it making the rounds on the internet, the agent was contacted by Jasurek immediately issued a determined clarification, revealing that his words were taken out of context.

  "I was very surprised, because the words were taken completely out of context," he assured. "It's true that I participate in a podcast in Slovakia, where we talk about the national team and some players. In that episode I spoke about Lobotka with a lot of appreciation. At the end, I said that it's difficult to work with Antonio Conte, because he's a very demanding coach, but I added that this is positive because he's a winner. Then I joked and said that Lobo might get tired and ask me for a transfer in the summer, but it was clearly a joke.

  "Everyone on the podcast understood this, because I am his agent and every transfer is 'work' for me. Anyone who listened to the podcast in the original language would have immediately understood that it was just a joke. I can also assure everyone that Conte is like a father to Lobotka, and this relationship will never change. I am sure they will win many more trophies together."

• Lobotka wants to win the Champions League with Napoli

  Lobotka, who arrived from Celta Vigo in 2024, has a contract until 2027 with the Partenopei. There's also an option to extend his deal by another year. According to Jasurek, the Slovakia international harbors ambitions of lifting the Champions League trophy with Napoli, drawing parallels between his connection to the club and that of Marek Hamsík.

  "Stanislav has the same relationship with Napoli as Marek Hamsik. He sees the city as his second home and has bought a house there. He shows commitment every week, often twice a week, and that's what matters most," Jasurek continued.

  "He is already a two-time Italian champion with Napoli and fully believes he can win the title for the third time. He also dreams of the Champions League with this club. He is 30 years old — a time when he wants to lift trophies — and he is at the right club to achieve that."

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  How's it going for Lobotka and Napoli this season?

  The Scudetto holders have been struggling of late, dropping to fourth place after earning just seven points out of a maximum 15 from their previous five league encounters. Per reports, Conte is set to hold talks about his future at Napoli with the club's hierarchy. 

  As for Lobotka, the 30-year-old has recently returned to full fitness after spending two weeks on the sidelines due to an adductor injury. 

South Africa finish the day on 247 for 6 after opting to bat in Guwahati, the newest venue in Test cricket

Sidharth Monga22-Nov-2025Guwahati, the newest venue in Test cricket, might have turned session breaks upside down, but it also brought about some normalcy to Test cricket amid the pandemonium in Kolkata and Perth. The pitch called for watchfulness in the first hour, eased out once the moisture dried out, and then offered a bit of turn here and there on a day when 247 runs were scored for the loss of six wickets.The quality and depth in India’s bowling shone through on the flat surface, making it necessary for series leaders South Africa to take risks if they wanted to score over three an over. India were good enough to get wickets when the batters did take risks.A new captain in Rishabh Pant couldn’t prevent India from losing their eighth toss in the last nine Tests, but Kuldeep Yadav is just the bowler you need if you lose the toss on a typical Indian surface. He took three wickets to go with Jasprit Bumrah’s ever-reliable control for figures of 17-6-38-1.Related

Stubbs has 'worked a lot' on his defence and it's showing

South Africa’s batting depth made sure India had to keep working hard through the day, even after they had been reduced to 201 for 5. Tony de Zorzi and No. 7 Senuram Muthusamy, the only one in the line-up to average over 40 in Tests, added 45 for the sixth wicket, but Mohammed Siraj topped up a four-over spell with the old ball with the wicket of de Zorzi in what proved to be the dying moments of the day’s play.South Africa will be disappointed that all of their batters got starts but no one reached fifty. This is something that had happened in Kolkata as well, but that pitch broke up rapidly to make sure it didn’t hurt the visitors.This Guwahati pitch played way better for batters, but also kept the bowlers interested. Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton put on 82 for the first wicket, then the highest partnership of the series, before Bumrah removed Markram with what proved to be the last ball before the tea, the first session break of the day, taken at 11am after the early start at 9am to make up for early sunrise and sunset in the eastern-most Test venue in India.Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs added 84 together•AFP/Getty ImagesUntil then, Markram and Rickelton had looked solid even though they had been tested thoroughly. It took Markram 17 balls to get off the mark, and he was reprieved by KL Rahul at second slip on the 18th. Nitish Kumar Reddy, in as a specialist right-hand batter in a left-heavy batting line-up, was some relief with his four overs going for 21, but the spinners followed up with tight bowling.Bumrah’s first spell was another masterclass in length bowling, but when he was brought back for one over before lunch, he took a dip in the fuller waters. Markram, who had driven similar balls from Reddy well, was stuck on the crease to Bumrah and ended up playing on.Immediately after tea, Kuldeep got rid of Rickelton thanks to a slightly loose drive and a sharp catch by Pant off a thick deflection. India had managed to keep them around or below three an over until that point.Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs batted through the rest of the session, but it was hard work even though the pitch was at its best behaviour with the early moisture gone. And yet they could add only 74 in 26.4 overs when they went back for lunch.It could not be ascertained if there was some discussion around the scoring rate during this break, but Bavuma and Stubbs both came out looking more intent on scoring quicker. Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep didn’t let up and took three quick wickets as a result.Bavuma looked to clear extra cover off Jadeja, but ended up giving a catch to mid-off off the inner half of the bat. Stubbs was caught pushing hard at Kuldeep’s first ball of a new spell. Rahul, who had missed a tough chance off Markram earlier, took an equally sharp one smoothly at first slip. Wiaan Mulder got a couple of looseners from Siraj, but his lack of experience in Indian conditions showed when Kuldeep tossed one up. He wound up to hit him big, but the ball dipped on him, resulting in an easy catch to mid-off.Siraj came back from that spell to bowl three intense overs against de Zorzi and Muthusamy, but there just wasn’t enough in the pitch for the old ball. With the sun sinking rapidly, India called out for the second new ball two balls after it became available.It turned out to be a timely move as there wasn’t much time left before the umpires would take the players off for bad light. It meant India could risk the new ball even though one of their fast bowlers was exhausted. But is Siraj ever exhausted? He took the new ball and bowled a peach first ball. The seam position and the shape in the air hinted at an inswinger for the left-hand batter, but the ball nipped away after pitching, taking the edge and leaving de Zorzi frustrated. Four balls later, play was called off.

The dejection was palpable. Emi Buendia’s arcing strike following a goalmouth scramble condemned Arsenal to only their second defeat of the season. It was the last kick of the highly charged contest against Aston Villa.

Perhaps the most frustrating part is that the Gunners’ lead at the top of the Premier League has now been slashed to just two points after Manchester City thumped Sunderland. For their part, Villa are now emerging as bona fide contenders, third in the standings and with 30 points, three fewer than Arsenal’s 33.

Mikel Arteta has done incredible things in north London over the past five years, but this is the season that Arsenal must crown their revival with a gold medal, having finished runners-up in the top flight for three successive seasons.

And, sadly, the manager got it wrong against the shrewd Unai Emery.

Why Arteta got it wrong vs Aston Villa

Credit where credit’s due, Arteta made a few changes at half-time, his side one goal down, and was rewarded for his alteration when Leandro Trossard converted following an initial strike from Bukayo Saka before the hour mark. 1-1.

But the Emirates side would ultimately come away with nothing, and Arteta will be irked by his own decision-making, having opted to play Eberechi Eze out wide and withdraw the playmaker instead of skipper Martin Odegaard, despite the England international having played some knockout stuff from a central berth in recent weeks. He was, after all, named the club’s Player of the Month for November.

Eze, however, did flatter to deceive, at fault for Matty Cash’s opening goal, and the Spanish manager will feel he was somewhat handicapped due to injuries to key defensive personnel, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera all missing out.

Viktor Gyokeres entered the fray at the interval, and though the Swedish striker toiled away, he might have enjoyed a greater impact had he been unleashed from the outset, but Arteta opted to go down a different road.

Arteta must axe 5/10 Arsenal star

Arsenal have been immense this season, a force to be reckoned with. That said, they still need to be more incisive in the danger area, and for all his strengths and clutch ability in the box, Mikel Merino is not the solution at number nine.

Merino has posted five goals and three assists across 21 matches in all competitions this term. He has split his time between the final third and the middle of the park, and seven of those eight contributions have come as a makeshift striker.

It’s remarkable, but it’s not going to work all the time, and this was painfully clear at Villa Park, whose defenders negated his threat. Gyokeres was largely ineffective after the break, having replaced the seven-pass Spaniard at half-time.

Neither impressed, but football.london did award Gyokeres a 6/10 match rating, drawing attention to his energy and the off-the-ball work that evades statistical representation. Merino, conversely, was branded with a 5/10 score, having fumbled a chance with Saka earlier on.

Minutes played

45′

45′

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

17

11

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

0 (0)

Accurate passes

7/11 (64%)

4/7 (57%)

Chances created

0

0

Dribbles

0/1

0/0

Ball recoveries

3

1

Tackles won

0/0

0/0

Duels won

1/5

0/0

Assessing which of Arsenal’s centre-forwards did better on the evening is akin to splitting hairs. The fact of the matter is that neither received enough service, and this is an issue that Arteta has to overcome, especially with Eze, Odegaard and Saka all on the field at different stages.

Though it’s perhaps telling that Gunners goalkeeper David Raya took more touches of the ball than the pair of them, and given that Arsenal enjoyed 58% of the possession before the break (compared to 49% across the second half), Merino should have had more of an influence.

Gyokeres was signed for a big fee during the off-season to provide the north London side with a solution up top, and it’s surely crucial that he is afforded more starting action going forward, having started from the bench on three successive occasions since returning from the muscle injury that ruled him out for a few weeks in November.

The 27-year-old does need to up his game to the next level, because one thing’s for certain: If Arteta has to persist with Merino at number nine throughout the duration of the campaign, getting his hands on that elusive Premier League title will prove a tall order indeed.

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