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Henriques takes 2 for 31 and makes 71 not out while Dwarshuis bags 4 for 39 as NSW move to the top of the One-Day Cup table after a seven-wicket bonus point win over Tasmania

AAP and ESPNCricinfo staff05-Feb-2025

Moises Henriques took 2 for 31 and made 71 not out off 83 balls•Getty Images

New South Wales secured an important One-Day Cup bonus point as Moises Henriques guided his side to a commanding seven-wicket win over Tasmania in Launceston.Chasing 206 for victory, the visitors always looked in control on Wednesday as Henriques delivered an unbeaten 71 from 83 balls. They reached 209 for 3 in just 38.3 overs, locking in the additional point that put them on top of the table with two regular-season matches left to play.Matthew Gilkes (46 off 63) and Oliver Davies (40 not out off 36) also delivered with the bat for the Blues. Davies produced a highlight when he smashed Aidan O’Connor over the UTAS Stadium roof.Josh Philippe set the tone for the NSW run chase, belting six boundaries in his 30 off 22 deliveries. He looked in fine touch before attempting to leave a rising Gabe Bell delivery that cannoned off his elbow and back down onto the stumps. Bell took 3 for 29 from 10 overs while the rest of the attack went wicketless while copping a battering from the Blues batters.Henriques’ composed knock included five fours and two sixes, and came after he earlier removed both Tasmania openers and finished with bowling figures of 2 for 31 from eight overs to help NSW bowl out Tasmania for 205 after NSW sent the hosts in to bat.Ben Dwarshuis also shone with the ball, claiming 4 for 39 from 8.1 overs including key middle-order wickets that slowed Tasmania’s progress.Caleb Jewell (37 off 42) and Jake Doran (34 off 62) were among the five batters who got starts for Tasmania, but none went on with the job.NSW quick Liam Hatcher provided a comical moment in the field when he fumbled a regulation catch at deep square-leg, stuck out a right boot to keep the ball alive and kicked it back up into his hand.The schoolyard hacky sack-style move was followed by a clumsy somersault after Hatcher had grasped the catch, which removed Raf MacMillan off Dwarshuis’ bowling, and was greeted by laughter from teammates.Both sides are back in One-Day Cup action on Thursday next week, with NSW taking on Queensland in Brisbane and Tasmania hosting Victoria in Hobart.

After welcoming veteran defender Ashley Young, Ipswich Town are now reportedly prioritising a summer swoop to sign a La Liga forward and welcome a much-needed replacement for Liam Delap.

McKenna: Young's "achievements speak for themselves"

At 39 years old, Young has made the latest move in a career that has seen him with the Premier League, Serie A, and become one of the most experienced players that English football has to offer. Dropping down to the Championship, the former Inter Milan man will be hoping to ensure that Ipswich complete an instant return to the Premier League.

Speaking to the club website after welcoming Young, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna said: “Ashley has had a fantastic career and his achievements speak for themselves. He has maintained an extremely high level of professionalism and competitiveness through his career and he is still playing at a very good level.

“We feel his leadership and experience will be valuable to the group this season and he is very hungry to contribute on and off the pitch. It’s a very strong signing for the group and the club.”

The defender himself, meanwhile, also had plenty of praise for McKenna after putting pen to paper. He said: “He’s a winner and you see that on the training pitch.

Ipswich Town now in advanced talks to sign "strong" £10m star after Kipre

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By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 11, 2025

“On the sidelines at the games, I get to see that day in, day out. He was a massive pull. Obviously, I worked with him at [Manchester] United. I knew his beliefs, I knew what he wants to do with the club, I’ve seen what he’s done with this club as well.”

After adding crucial experience to their side, however, Ipswich’s summer business looks unlikely to end there. Reports are now suggesting that they’ve set their sights on a replacement for ex-star striker Delap.

Ipswich prioritising Romero move

According to reports in Spain, Ipswich are now prioritising a deal to sign Isaac Romero, who would be arriving to replace the departed Delap this summer. Sevilla are reportedly open to the forward’s departure, which should hand those at Portman Road the chance to come swooping in at the right price.

The 25-year-old striker struggled to adapt to La Liga last season after scoring 11 goals in 15 games in Spain’s second tier in the campaign prior and could now be on his way out of the club.

If his agent’s eye for marketable talent is anything to go by he’s certainly got potential however – his AS1 group also represent £115m Chelsea star Moises Caicedo, Liverpool winger Luis Diaz and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes.

On paper, his arrival would be a risk for Ipswich but perhaps one worth taking. At his best, Romero starred in Spain’s second division and a return to a similar level may yet see him rediscover that clinical form.

Whilst Romero won’t steal the same headlines as Delap’s arrival did last summer, he could prove to be the clinical goalscorer that McKenna desperately needs in the Championship next season.

Former Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann has become the latest to join the bandwagon and criticise the national team after their loss to Slovakia.

• Hamann launches scathing attack at the Germany NT
• Believes the team showed complacency in loss to Slovakia
• Florian Wirtz and Nagelsmann also targeted

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former German international Hamann has strongly criticised the German Football Association (DFB) and the national team following recent performances in World Cup qualifying. There has been immense discourse regarding the future of Die Mannschaft following a shock 2-0 loss against Slovakia last week, with several former players providing their two cents on the tricky situation the Germans find themselves in.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Since lifting the World Cup in 2014, Germany have failed to get their hands on any major silverware. At last year's European Championship, they played enticing football and were among the favourites until they crashed out in a 2-1 defeat after extra time at the hands of Spain. For the 2026 World Cup, they have been paired with Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg. On paper, they should have strolled through this group without any hassle, but the loss to the Slovaks saw them fall three points behind. Failure to finish in the top two places in the group would mean no qualification to next year's marquee event, a damning prospect for a nation with Germany's history and football heritage.

• WHAT DIETMAR HAMANN SAID

  "I could imagine that we might encounter problems. But I didn't think we would play so badly," said Hamann in an interview with. 

  Hamann complained that last summer's European Championship, when Germany was unfortunately defeated in the quarter-finals by eventual champions Spain, had been "completely misjudged". "After the unfortunate exit in the quarter-finals against Spain, they presented themselves as the moral victors of the tournament. They gave the impression that victories in the semi-finals and finals would have been a mere formality if they had advanced," added the former Liverpool player.

  The 52-year-old is also annoyed that the DFB "extended the contracts of those responsible early." Among other things, the association extended Nagelsmann's contract by two more years until Euro 2028 back in January. "In the past, people said you didn't do that anymore," Hamann criticised. "An incredible complacency has crept in. The recent slump in form has now reached its peak."

  Hamann further explained that he "finds it difficult" to accept Nagelsmann's criticism of his players' lack of emotion after their poor performance in Slovakia and his announcement that he may have to focus less on quality and more on mentality from now on. 

  "The changes to the starting line-up would essentially mean that the players who played against Northern Ireland are not as good as the others. But unlike the first eleven against Slovakia, they would at least run and give their all. That certainly doesn't help," he stated.

  Hamann also criticised a prominent player in Florian Wirtz. The midfield magician, who moved from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool in the summer for a mega transfer fee, has had "a very bumpy start" in England, according to Hamann. "Against Arsenal, the second half was the first time he played reasonably well," the former midfielder said. "In the games before that, the game passed him by. Of course he's unsettled. He has to get out of that now. His condition certainly doesn't help the national team."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR GERMANY?

  As Slovakia also won their second match in Luxembourg 1-0, they currently lead the World Cup qualifying group with six points. Germany have three points and therefore urgently need victories against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland in October to put pressure on the group leaders. The return match against Slovakia will then take place on November 17.

Glasgow Rangers are now looking to sign a £10m star who Ibrox boss Russell Martin was in talks for just last year, according to a reliable reporter.

Rangers targeting attackers with five Ibrox signings made

The Gers and the 49ers Enterprises have been busy over the last seven days when it comes to bolstering Martin’s squad with new Ibrox signings.

Ahead of Rangers’ Champions League qualifier with Panathinaikos, Lyall Cameron, Max Aarons, Joe Rothwell, Emmanuel Fernandez and Thelo Aasgaard have all been brought in.

More could be on the way as well, with Martin recently sharing the type of profile he wants to bring in at Ibrox ahead of the 2025/26 season.

With new defenders and midfielders already signed, attention appears to be turning to adding to the final third, with the likes of Jamie Vardy mentioned as a striker target in Glasgow.

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New wingers will also be on the radar with Martin currently having just Oscar Cortes, Rabbi Matondo and Ross McCausland as options currently, and by the looks of things, a former target of the Rangers boss is wanted.

Rangers chasing deal for £10m Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

According to reliable reporter Alan Nixon of The Scottish Sun, Rangers are “chasing” a move to sign Jesurun Rak-Sakyi of Crystal Palace.

The 22-year-old has returned to Selhurst Park following a loan spell at Sheffield United last season, with Rangers looking at a temporary or permanent move.

Palace would want £10m to sell Rak-Sakyi, however, ‘Ibrox bosses could also attempt to get him on a permanent deal for a lower fee’.

Interestingly, Martin was in talks to sign the right-winger 12 months ago after taking Southampton to the Premier League, however, a move failed to go through.

Games

36

Goals

7

Assists

2

Minutes played

1,812

Rak-Sakyi would go on to contribute to nine Championship goals for the Blades as they narrowly missed out on promotion with a playoff final defeat to Sunderland.

Now, it looks as if a move to Scotland could be on the cards for the Englishman, making this one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

Everton have looked to make reinforcements in attack this summer. After it was confirmed that Dominic Calvert-Lewin would not be signing a new deal with the club, they needed to sign a new striker, so Thierno Barry signed for the Toffees from La Liga side Villarreal for a reported fee of £27m.

The Frenchman, who played at the recent under-21 European Championships, adds to the Toffees’ attacking ranks that include Iliman Ndiaye, Dwight McNeil and Beto. They will certainly be hoping to improve on the 42 goals they scored last term, which, as per Understat, was only better than the three relegated sides.

To help enhance that attacking output, the Toffees could make a move for one of the stars of those relegated teams.

Everton’s latest attacking target

There is no doubt that the Toffees’ fortunes in front of goal could be far better. Thus, after signing Barry to help with putting the ball in the back of the net, they have seemingly turned their attention to helping create chances for him.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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According to a report from talkSPORT, the Merseysiders are one of the sides showing interest in Leicester City and Morocco international Bilal El Khannouss. They have reportedly ‘made checks’ about the attacking midfielder’s situation this summer, suggesting contact has already been made.

However, this is by no means a straightforward deal, because several other sides are interested in the 21-year-old. Premier League rivals Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United are in the race, as are Ligue 1 side AS Monaco and Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen.

Everton, or indeed any interested club, will need to pay his £22.5m relegation release clause.

Why El Khannouss would be a good signing

The 2024/25 campaign was a poor one for Leicester City. Despite changing manager halfway through the campaign, they were unable to stay up. However, one positive from an ultimately grim season was the performances of El Khannouss.

The Morocco international, who is an academy product of Belgian side Genk, made 36 appearances in his first season with the Foxes. In that time, he managed to score three goals and grab five assists, playing mainly as a number ten, but at times as a left winger.

If there is one thing that the youngster will add to this Everton side, it is attacking flair in the final third. Football scout Antonio Mango described him as “technically superb”, and assists like this for Jamie Vardy last season highlight exactly that. The one-two round the corner to Luke Thomas and the perfectly weighted cross is mesmerising to watch.

Should El Kahnnouss make the move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium next season, Everton fans will be hoping he can be the second coming of Iliman Ndiaye. The Senegal star is another player with masses of technical quality, and was described as a “magician” by football analyst and writer Tactically Matt over on X.

The 25-year-old was phenomenal in his first campaign as an Everton player. He bagged 11 goals in 37 appearances, including nine in the Premier League. Arguably, the best of those strikes was this effort against Tottenham Hotspur, with quick feet and a thumping finish showing just how good he is.

The stats on FBref for 2024/25 suggest that El Khannouss has the ability to become the second coming of Ndiaye. He created more chances on average than the Toffees’ number 10, with 1.72 compared to 0.67 per 90 minutes.

The ball carrying numbers are close, too, with Leicester’s Moroccan star averaging 2.92 progressive carries compared to Ndiaye’s 3.19 each game.

El Khannouss and Ndiaye key stats compared

Stat (per 90)

El Khannouss

Ndiaye

Goals and assists

0.24

0.33

Key passes

1.72

0.67

Progressive passes

5.36

2.19

Shot-creating actions

3.16

2.41

Take-ons completed

1.36

2.52

Progressive carries

2.92

3.19

Stats from FBref

For a fee of just £22.5m, this could be one of the bargains of the summer. Ndiaye is already a handful for Premier League sides, so adding El Khannouss and his bags of technical quality to the firepower in attacking areas is hugely exciting for Toffees fans. As analyst Ben Mattinson noted, he is a “sensational prospect”.

If Everton do complete this deal, it certainly feels like a big step towards their attacking output and technical quality increasing.

Related Ndiaye 2.0: Everton pushing to sign 'the 2nd best dribbler in the world'

David Moyes wants to add some more attacking quality at Everton this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 15, 2025

Newcastle United will play football with Alexander Isak at the front next season. It’s a wonderful thought, and it’s very much set to happen, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein stating there’s “no chance” the Sweden striker leaves St. James’ Park this summer.

That’s because the Carabao Cup champions sealed their place in next year’s Champions League on the final game of the Premier League season, clinching fifth place.

However, the future of Callum Wilson is less clear, out of contract at the end of the month, but offered fresh, reduced terms.

Perhaps Newcastle should move to sign a new centre-forward instead, with talks being held for an exciting Premier League star.

Newcastle meet with Premier League striker

As per NUFC Blog, Newcastle met with Rodrigo Muniz’s camp last month to ascertain whether the Fulham forward would be interested in a move to Tyneside this summer.

He would, with the player’s representatives exploring different avenues ahead of a potential summer transfer, heading into the final year of his Cottagers deal (albeit the club have the option to extend terms by an additional 12 months).

It’s thought the prolific Brazilian could cost as much as £50m.

What Rodrigo Muniz would bring to Newcastle

Muniz signed for Fulham from Brazilian club Flamengo, aged 20, in 2021, making remarkable progress across the past two seasons in the Premier League for Marco Silva’s side, having previously completed a difficult loan spell in the Championship with Middlesbrough, scoring twice across 17 fixtures.

But having found his shooting sense with Fulham over the past two years, Silva has hailed him as a “proper quality striker”, with pundit Alan Shearer backing such effusions up by calling him “horrible to play against.”

His potential was perfectly illustrated by a rich burst of form last season in the Premier League, scoring seven goals from as many matches across spring.

This year, Muniz hasn’t been provided the same regularity of minutes, but he’s still managed to bag himself a goal when afforded a chance.

This innate clinical quality is actually something that could see him replace Wilson at St. James’ Park, with his scoring leading FBref to draw him against the Newcastle man during the 2023/24 season, given both retain their attacking fluency even if not featuring week in, week out.

Wilson, reduced to scraps this season due to injury problems, is typically an invariably deadly finisher, scoring 27 goals across 30 Premier League starts over the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns.

Matches (starts)

26 (18)

31 (8)

Goals

9

8

Assists

1

1

Shots (on target)*

2.8 (1.0)

1.3 (0.6)

Big chances missed

4

5

Pass completion

62%

66%

Key passes*

0.7

0.2

Dribbles*

0.2

0.2

Tackles + interceptions*

0.5

0.5

Duels (won)*

4.6 (39%)

3.7 (52%)

He’s a target man, and no mistake. It’s interesting, though, that Muniz has enjoyed such clinical shooting success across the past two years in the English top flight, also demonstrating a tenacious attitude in the duel, if not through his passing, his creativity.

As per FBref, he actually ranked among the top 3% of Premier League forwards this term for non-penalty goals scored per 90 (0.75), so prolific and fluent when afforded the chance to impress.

His failure to earn regular starts at Craven Cottage likely came from his overall game, which may not be kitted out with the completeness of other strikers. But that’s okay; in that way, he can be Howe’s next version of Wilson.

Muniz doesn’t need to bring a protean attacking arsenal to the fold when Isak’s staying put, but his keen-edged shooting could certainly add the perfect dimension to ensure attacking success across the whole campaign, across a variety of fronts.

Newcastle line up "magical" £59m CF who's like Cunha & Mbeumo

Newcastle are plotting to sign a few new forwards this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 5, 2025

Arsenal have moved ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign a “unique” target this summer, after sporting director Andrea Berta’s talks with his representatives.

Arsenal identify transfer targets ahead of crucial summer window

Mikel Arteta and Berta appear very likely to orchestrate a major rebuild in the off-season, and they’ve reportedly sealed their first signing of the window already.

Shades of Aubameyang: Arsenal lead race to sign "mind-blowing" goal machine

The prolific marksman could be the difference-maker for Arsenal next season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 12, 2025

After months of talks, Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi has reached an agreement to join Arsenal, and the Spaniard appears set to arrive at N5 with Fabrizio Romano even giving his famous ‘here we go’ to the deal.

With Arteta’s side set to formalise Zubimendi’s move by triggering his £51 million release clause, Berta has a key Arsenal item ticked off his agenda nice and early.

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Man City

65

5. Chelsea

63

6. Aston Villa

63

7. Nottingham Forest

62

However, there is still plenty of work to do for the Italian, as it is reliably believed the Gunners are actively scouring for new forwards. Arsenal are looking at signing a new right-winger, left-winger and striker, with Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams thought to be a top target.

The £170,000-per-week wide player is one of Europe’s most exciting talents, racking up an incredible 19 assists in all competitions last season and helping Spain to glory at Euro 2024.

Williams endured a slow start to the 24/25 campaign but picked up his form over the second half of the season, and his departure from Bilbao is highly anticipated.

In one of his “first acts” as sporting director, Berta held talks with Williams’ camp over a summer switch to Arsenal, according to The Guardian’s Ed Aarons.

Arsenal ahead of Liverpool in race to sign Nico Williams

He would arguably come as the perfect alternative to Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard on the left-hand side, and Williams’ contract includes a tantalising £49 million release clause.

As per journalist Graeme Bailey and The Boot Room, following Berta’s widely reported contact with the 22-year-old’s agents, it is believed that Arsenal remain frontrunners to sign Williams this summer, alongside Chelsea.

While Liverpool, Man City and Newcastle United have also contacted his camp, it is believed Arsenal and Enzo Maresca’s side are ahead of their Premier League rival trio as things stand.

Arteta and Berta appear to have the upper hand, but there is an aspect of caution to this transfer, as reports suggest Williams is set to demand a marquee salary to join any interested suitor – with The Mail even claiming that he wants around £400,000-per-week.

There can be no doubt in anyone’s mind over Williams’ obvious quality at this point, with legendary manager Jose Mourinho calling him a “unique” attacker, but the major obstacle could prove to be financial.

Burnley are now in a transfer battle with Leeds United as they both want to sign a “unique” Ipswich Town star, according to a recent report.

Burnley begin transfer plans as they eye midfield reinforcements

The Clarets only confirmed their promotion to the Premier League on Monday evening, but already Scott Parker and club chiefs are working on transfer business ahead of the summer transfer window opening.

Burnley want to sign Fulham ace who previously won promotion under Parker

Burnley are now looking to sign a player who has worked with their manager before.

By
Brett Worthington

Apr 24, 2025

It’s been claimed by EFL pundit Lee Hendrie that Jonjo Shelvey will likely not be at Turf Moor next season. The midfielder’s contract expires at the end of the campaign, and it is likely that he will not be offered a new deal, according to Hendrie.

That might be because Burnley already have his replacement in mind, as according to Give Me Sport, the Clarets are now interested in signing Harrison Reed from Fulham, a player who Parker knows well from his time working at Craven Cottage.

Fulham are said to be looking to strengthen their midfield this summer, and Reed could be allowed to leave should they receive the right offer. This has alerted Burnley, who are looking to strike a deal as the Clarets try to bring Premier League experience to their team.

Burnley in transfer battle for Ipswich star Hirst

But it is not just the midfield that the Clarets are looking to strengthen, as according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Burnley are interested in signing George Hirst from Ipswich this summer.

O’Rourke states that as well as the Lancashire side holding an interest in Hirst, Championship rivals Leeds are also keen on securing a deal for the striker, as the Tractor Boys look set to return to the second tier in English football.

However, while both sides can offer Premier League football, Ipswich are not willing to let Hirst just leave, as O’Rourke states that the Tractor Boys are desperately looking to tie the striker down to a new contract to ward off the interest, with Liam Delap expected to leave Portman Road this summer.

Hirst currently earns £27,500 a week at Ipswich, so the interested parties may have to stump up a significant increase to better whatever his current employers are offering.

George Hirst’s Ipswich Town stats
Apps	76
Goals	18
Assists	11

The 26-year-old, who has been dubbed “unique” by Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, has had to be very patient this season, starting just three of the 21 Premier League games he’s played. Hirst has scored two goals in the process, his latest coming in the 4-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest in March.

The Scotland international is still under contract until 2027, so Ipswich still have time on their hands, but Burnley and Leeds can both offer the forward another chance of playing in the Premier League, and this may be too hard for Hirst to turn down.

The Madhya Pradesh offspinning allrounder has impressed in domestic cricket over the last couple of years. Another good season could catapult him onto the biggest stage of them all

Rajan Raj10-Oct-2024After a superb Ranji Trophy debut in 2014, Saransh Jain, an offspinning allrounder, had flown to Australia with a club team from Madhya Pradesh to play a five-match series. Despite it being his first overseas tour, calls back home were short, with his family claiming to be “a little occupied”. This bothered Jain but not too much, because of his focus was on the series at hand, one his team would go on to win 3-0.After he returned home from that tour, though, Jain was shocked with what he saw. His father was lying on his bed, having undergone a surgery on his face. There was despair on everyone else’s face. Jain sought answers but did not get a satisfactory one, till his father asked for a paper and a pen. “I am fine now, son,” he wrote. “If you just play better, I will get well sooner.” He had been diagnosed with cancer.

****

Jain still has that note from his father, the former Madhya Pradesh Ranji player Subodh Jain. And it is essentially the secret of Jain’s success. That piece of paper pushed him in his journey to become a Ranji Trophy champion with Madhya Pradesh in 2021-22, and win the Lala Amarnath Award for the best allrounder in the Ranji Trophy in 2022-23. That season he scored 360 runs and picked up 35 wickets for MP. This earned him a call-up to the India A side to play England Lions, where he scored half-centuries in both innings of the only match he played.Related

• Aryan Juyal ready for new challenge as Uttar Pradesh captain

• How Shashank Singh stopped being hard on himself

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• Ranji Trophy: Kishan to captain Jharkhand in first two games

• All you need to know about the two-phased season

Making the most of any given opportunity is Jain’s USP. In MP’s title-winning Ranji Trophy campaign in 2021-22, he played only three matches: the quarter-final, semi-final and the final. He returned 13 wickets and also scored a half-century.Last season, he scored 432 runs and picked up 27 wickets and he wants to maintain this momentum in the upcoming season. He has started well in that quest by picking up six wickets in the Irani Cup match against Mumbai. He was also part of the Duleep Trophy and he returned 14 wickets combined from the two red-ball competitions.Knowing fully the demands of a sport that is evolving rapidly, Saransh Jain has worked a lot on his batting too•MPCA”I performed well last season, but it is important that I perform well again and try to do something good whenever I get a chance,” Jain says. “The only lesson I have learned in my career is to try to learn something new every day. Only then can something good happen in the future. I feel good with the way I have performed recently but I am not completely satisfied. I will get that satisfaction only after wearing the [India] blue jersey, for which I have to consistently work hard.”With the game always evolving, Jain, the offspinner, is aware of the importance of contributing with the bat. His recent scores show that.”According to me, a good player should try to adapt to the circumstances,” Jain says. “I am an offspinner, and my primary task to take wickets. But in our first meeting itself, [MP head coach] Chandrakant [Pandit] sir told me that I should think like a bowler when I bowl and think like a batter and try to score as many runs as possible when I bat. This is the simple strategy that I follow.”I know how much I have to work on my batting being [primarily] an offspinner. That is important, but my first task is to take wickets. I often watch R Ashwin ; I get inspired by him. I want to pursue my cricket with the same dedication as him.”Pandit – who also won the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders last season – taking over as MP coach ahead of the 2019-20 season worked wonders for Jain. “Chandrakant sir coming to our team as the coach has been one of the best events in my life,” Jain says. “Perhaps he taught me to believe in myself. His presence in the team inspires me a lot and I want to do something good with him this season. His presence in the team gives me a different kind of confidence.”Consistent performances over the past couple of years have put Jain on the national selectors’ radar. He is one of the best offspinning allrounders in the country and form is currently on his side. This season, can he show the consistency needed to complete his journey to that blue jersey?

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 IPL auction

Deivarayan Muthu22-Dec-2022When is the IPL auction 2023 taking place, and where?
It’s in Kochi on December 23 from 2.30pm IST. It’s a regular auction this time, as opposed to the mega version last held ahead of the 2022 season, when the ten franchises had to rebuild their squads virtually from scratch.Okay, who has the most money to spend this time? And who has the least?
Sunrisers Hyderabad, who released as many as ten players ahead of the auction, have the largest purse – INR 42.25 crore. Kolkata Knight Riders also made wholesale changes to their squad by letting go of ten players, but they were active during the trading window. Having traded in Shardul Thakur from Delhi Capitals, and Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans, Knight Riders now have the smallest purse to spend – only INR 7.05 crore.Follow the 2023 IPL auction LIVE

You can watch the auction live in India on Star Sports, and follow live analysis with Tom Moody, Ian Bishop, Wasim Jaffer and Stuart Binny right here on ESPNcricinfo.

How many players are in the auction?
The longlist originally included 991 players, the final list has 405: 273 from India and 132 from overseas, including four from Associate nations. A maximum of 87 players, of which 30 can be from overseas, can be bought at the auction because of the limited slots available.IPL 2023 auction – key numbers before the action begins•ESPNcricinfo LtdTell me about player availability.
The Australian and English players will be available for the entire IPL season, despite the Ashes scheduled to begin in mid-June. West Indies and New Zealand players will also be available for the entire season. However, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka players will likely miss a chunk of the tournament because of international commitments.There is plenty of buzz around Sam Curran. What are the chances of him fetching the highest bid in IPL auction history?
In 2021, South Africa allrounder Chris Morris became the most expensive player when Rajasthan Royals snapped him up for INR 16.25 crore. The chances of Curran breaking that record are fairly high.The left-hander can bat anywhere in the XI and is capable of pulling off those super-specialist roles, like disrupting a spinner’s work in the middle overs or even finishing an innings. With the ball, Curran fronts up during the tough overs in the powerplay and at the death. After having recovered from a stress fracture, Curran has transformed himself, becoming England’s designated death bowler at the 2022 T20 World Cup. He did such a good job that he won the Player-of-the-Tournament award.Fellow England allrounder Ben Stokes and Australia’s Cameron Green are also part of the high-profile Set 2 at this auction, but expect Curran to be in greater demand because he is only 24, can perform any role, and is more likely to pay off as a long-term investment.Amit Mishra is 40, had gone unsold at the last auction, but remains the fourth-highest wicket-taker in IPL history•Delhi CapitalsAny less-known Indian names I must keep an eye out for?
Well, quite a few. Punjab allrounder Sanvir Singh could be in demand, given his ability to smash big sixes and bowl handy medium-pace. Sanvir is also a good player of spin, thanks largely to his stints in Chennai’s first division league. With many franchises on the lookout for an Indian wicketkeeper-batter, Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan, who reeled off a record five successive hundreds in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, could also cause a stir.Vidarbha fast bowler Yash Thakur, Himachal Pradesh finisher Akash Vasisht, and his team-mate Vaibhav Arora, who can swing the ball both ways, are the others you should watch out for. Then there are a bunch of young quicks from Jammu & Kashmir, including Sharukh Dar and Mujtaba Yousuf.Who are the major attractions from outside the top-tier cricket-playing countries?
Well, there’s Ireland left-arm quick Josh Little, who claimed a hat-trick against New Zealand in the recent T20 World Cup. He has already had a small taste of the IPL, having been a net bowler with Chennai Super Kings during their camp in Surat in 2022. Has he done enough for Super Kings to bring him into their main squad?UAE legspinner Karthik Meiyappan, who had also bagged a hat-trick during the T20 World Cup and was more recently picked by Sharjah Warriors for the inaugural ILT20, could pique the interest of franchises. Karthik is a modern wristspinner and has the experience of having been a net bowler for CSK and Royal Challengers Bangalore.Who are the youngest and oldest players at this auction?
Fifteen-year-old Afghanistan mystery spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar is the youngest. Ghazanfar has played three T20s so far but has impressed the franchise scouts so much that he has made it to the IPL auction shortlist. Ghazanfar was also part of Australia’s BBL draft but didn’t find any takers there.Former India legspinner Amit Mishra, who turned 40 last month, is the oldest player in this auction. He was unsold at the 2022 auction, but considering the recent dearth of Indian wristspinners, he might work his way back into the IPL.Any prominent players that aren’t part of this auction?
IPL stalwarts Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard have retired from the league to become coaches at CSK and Mumbai Indians respectively. England allrounder Chris Woakes has pulled out of the IPL for a crack at the Ashes through county cricket. The Australian trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Steven Smith have decided to skip the auction as well, as has Sam Billings who withdrew from his deal with Knight Riders. West Indies opening batter Evin Lewis, who was part of Lucknow Super Giants last season, and Tim Seifert, the New Zealand and Trinbago Knight Riders wicketkeeper-batter, are also missing from the IPL auction.Some major international players have opted out of the auction•Getty ImagesWill there be any left-field picks from the SA20 player pool?
It can’t be ruled out as franchises are looking to maximise their global presence and grow players within their set-up. Titans’ wicketkeeper-batter Donovan Ferreira, who was picked up by Johannesburg Super Kings, and Dolphins’ yorker specialist Ottniel Baartman, who was among Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s first signings, might be on the wishlist of their IPL teams as well.Tell me about the accelerated process of bidding at the auction
After the first 86 names have been presented for bidding, the “accelerated process” will enable franchises to nominate a set number of players from the remaining ones. Players from the unsold list can also enter the accelerated round, subject to the franchises’ request.Will the introduction of the Impact Player impact the auction?
In the 2023 season, the IPL will introduce a tactical sub – the Impact Player – which it says will add a new dimension to tactics. Details of how the new rule will work were made public only on December 21. It’s all very new, and it remains to be seen whether franchises factor the Impact Player into their auction strategies.Is there a stipulation on squad strength?
Each franchise can have a minimum of 18 players and a maximum of 25. The number of overseas players in the squads has been capped at eight.