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[ad_pod ]BBC Radio Solent journalist Adam Blackmore has reported via his official Twitter account that Ralph Hasenhuttl expects Southampton striker Danny Ings to be out of action until the clash against Tottenham Hotspur, meaning he will miss the club’s next three Premier League fixtures.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 26-year-old has suffered from his fair share of injury issues over the last few years, and it has been no difference since he arrived at St Mary’s from Liverpool last summer.

He picked up his latest hamstring issue during the 1-1 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor at the start of the month, which saw him miss the 2-1 defeat at home to Cardiff City last time out.

Blackmore now reports that the Austrian manager believes he will be without the centre-forward until the clash against Spurs on March 9, meaning he will be sidelined against Arsenal this weekend, Fulham and Manchester United.

Bad news?

It certainly is.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

Southampton need their best players on the pitch in their battle against relegation, and it is a bitter blow that they won’t have Ings available over the course of the next couple of weeks – and especially in the monumental game with the Cottagers on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old is the south coast outfit’s top scorer in the Premier League this term with seven goals, and his absence could potentially move them a step closer to the Championship with Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse the only other players looking like scoring on a semi-regular basis right now.

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Harvey Elliott has already made headlines due to his exploits at Fulham.

Aged just 15, the right winger holds the prestigious honour of being the club’s youngest ever player, as he made his debut as a second-half substitute in the 3-1 Carabao Cup win over Millwall earlier this season.

Elliott had an exam at school that same day, such are his tender years.

Indeed, Elliott was born in 2003, the same year that Wayne Rooney made his breakthrough for England.

And he appears to be something of a prodigious talent.

Colin Omogbehin, the club’s Under-18 head coach, has been impressed with the growth and maturity shown by a player who still cannot legally drink in this country.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Speaking to BBC, he said: “From an early age Harvey’s always managed to make good decisions at the right time.

“Whether that’s rolling someone in with the perfectly weighted pass or scoring himself. He’s real top end.”

He added: “When he was 14 he played in the Under 16s against top quality opposition and he stood out. He was the best player on the pitch.”

Elliott has played 13 times for Fulham’s Under-18 team and has scored three goals, while laying on three assists, and has also played twice for the Under-23s.

One of those games came against Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Trophy, playing 45 minutes in a 2-1 defeat, and he has also been capped at Under-15 and Under-16 level by England. He has scored two goals for the former.

Elliott has yet to commit himself to Fulham, however, due to FA rules. He cannot sign a professional contract until the age of 17.

The London Evening Standard, perhaps unsurprisingly, report that there is subsequently interest in his services.

Barcelona, Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea are all said to be keeping an eye on the teenager, who is regarded as one of the finest young talents in English football currently.

Fulham face a battle to keep hold of him but, such is his precociousness, he should thrive wherever he goes.

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Defender Danny Batth has had his loan spell at Middlesbrough cut short to complete a permanent move from Wolves to Stoke City, per the club’s official website, and Boro fans have been quick to react on Twitter.

Boro took Batth on loan in the summer after Wolves’ promotion and the centre-back made 13 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Indeed, he has never played in the Premier League, though he has made a total of 160 appearances in the second tier, once again according to Transfermarkt.

Batth played 90 minutes in Boro’s last three Championship games, in draws with Derby County and Millwall as well as the win over Birmingham City.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

BBC report that Stoke have paid £3million to sign the former Wolves captain and he has signed a three-and-a-half year contract.

Boro are currently fifth in the Championship, 10 points behind leaders Leeds United and seven behind second-placed Norwich City in the automatic promotion spots.

Stoke, by comparison, are 15th, and Boro fans have been left frustrated by the defender heading down the table.

Everton have been hit with a 10-point penalty for breaches of Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

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Toffees considered to have broken rulesDrop to joint-bottom of the tableMerseyside outfit to appeal decisionGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Toffees have been plunged into the English top-flight relegation zone as a result of the ruling, with Sean Dyche’s side now sitting on four points alongside rock-bottom Burnley. Time is still on their side when it comes to staging a recovery, while an appeal is being planned at Goodison Park.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Action has been taken against Everton after they posted financial losses of almost £372 million ($462m) over a three-year period, with those figures sitting more than £250m ($311m) above the threshold laid out in Premier League guidelines.

GettyWHAT THE PREMIER LEAGUE SAID

A statement from the Premier League read: “An independent Commission has imposed an immediate deduction of 10 points on Everton FC for a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs). The Premier League issued a complaint against the Club and referred the case to an independent Commission earlier this year. During the proceedings, the Club admitted it was in breach of the PSRs for the period ending Season 2021/22 but the extent of the breach remained in dispute. Following a five-day hearing last month, the Commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR Calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5million, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105million permitted under the PSRs. The Commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect.”

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HOW EVERTON RESPONDED

The Toffees’ response read: “Everton Football Club is both shocked and disappointed by the ruling of the Premier League’s Commission. The Club believes that the Commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction. The Club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League. The appeal process will now commence and the Club’s case will be heard by an Appeal Board appointed pursuant to the Premier League’s rules in due course. Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process.

"The Club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings. Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the Commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted. The Club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules. Everton cannot comment on this matter any further until the appeal process has concluded.”

How to watch Argentina vs Curacao international friendly in the US as well as kick-off time and team news.

Argentina are set to welcome Curacao for an international friendly to be played at the Unique Mother of Cities Stadium on Tuesday.

Preparing at the training centre that will now be known as 'Lionel Andres Messi', defeated Panama 2-0 in another friendly in their first game after winning the 2022 World Cup as Messi struck his 800th career goal.

The visitors arrive in Santiago del Estero having lost 2-0 to Canada to finish third in the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League.

GOAL brings you details on how to watch the game on TV in the US as well as how to stream live online.

• @Argentina
  

  Kick-off time

  Game:	Argentina vs Curacao
  Date:	March 28, 2023
  Kick-off:	7:30pm EDT
  Venue:	Unique Mother of Cities Stadium, Santiago del Estero

  The game is scheduled for March 28, 2023 at Unique Mother of Cities Stadium, located in Santiago del Estero – Argentina's oldest city.

  It will kick off at 7.30pm EDT in the US.

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  How to watch Argentina vs Curacao online – TV channels & live streams

  TV channels & streaming options

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  U.S.	N/A	Fanatiz

  In the United States (U.S.), the match is available to stream live on Fanatiz.

• Getty
  

  Team news & squads

  Argentina team news & squad

  It would be no surprise to see Lionel Scaloni name a changed XI from the Panama win, although Messi will surely start as the PSG star seeks his 100th international goal.

  The 21-year-old Thiago Almada is likely to be handed a start having scored off the bench the last time around, while Paulo Dybala, Lautaro Martinez, Leandro Paredes and Lisandro Martinez will be expecting to return to the starting XI.

  Meanwhile, Lautaro Blanco, Facundo Buonanotte, Valentin Carboni and Maximo Perrone are all aiming for their first senior appearances with Argentina.

  Argentina possible XI: Rulli; Montiel, Pezzella, Li. Martinez, Acuna; Almada, Paredes, Palacios; Messi, La. Martinez, Dybala

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Armani, Rulli, E. Martinez
  Defenders	Foyth, Montiel, Otamendi, Li. Martinez, Tgaliafico, Acuna, Blanco, Molina, Perez, Pezzella, Romero
  Midfielders	Paredes, Rodriguez, Fernandez, Buonanotte, Almada, Lo Celso, Mac Allister, Carboni, Perrone, Palacios, De Paul
  Forwards	Di Maria, Correa, Buendia, Alvarez, Garnacho, Gonzalez, Messi, Dybala, La. Martinez, Gomez

  Curacao team news & squad

  Jurien Gaari's red card against Canada will be inconsequential for the friendly, but Brandley Kuwas is a doubt after being taken off injured in the Concacaf Nations League showdown.

  Jeremy Antonisse is likely to come in place of Kuwas on the right side of the attack, with brothers Juninho and Leandro Bacuna in midfield, and ex-Everton right-back Cuco Martina as captain.

  Curacao possible XI: Room; Martina, Gaari, Van Eijma, Floranus; L. Bacuna, Anita, J. Bacuna; Antonisse, Janga, Gorre

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Room, Bodak, Doornbusch
  Defenders	Martina, Carmelia, Lachman, Gaari, Van Eijma, Ogenia, Floranus, Troupee
  Midfielders	L. Bacuna, Hooi, J. Bacuna, Kuwas, Anita, Felida, Markelo, Roemeratoe, Severina
  Forwards	Janga, Gorre, Antonisse, Zivkovic

  Head-to-head record

  Date	Result	Competition
  March 13, 1955	Argentina 2-1 Curacao	Pan American Games

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  Useful links

  • Argentina team page

  • Live soccer on TV in the U.S.

  • WATCH: Messi's FULL spat with Weghorst

The Brazilian was integral to another victory for Carlo Ancelotti's men, as Real Madrid extended their advantage atop their division.

It was a frustrating evening at times for Real Madrid but the reigning La Liga champions preserved their unbeaten record with a 3-1 win against Sevilla on Saturday.

Vinicius Junior was the inspiration with two assists to get the home team over the line.

He combined nicely with Luka Modric to get the league leaders up and running early on with a goal after just five minutes and both went on to put on fine individual displays.

Erik Lamela gave the visitors a fighting chance with a goal in the second half, but Vinicius Junior grabbed a second excellent assist to restore his team's lead.

Federico Valverde then wrapped up the win with a long-distance goal he had no right scoring as his side ensured they are still unbeaten after 11 matches in the Spanish top-flight.

The win sees Madrid move six points clear of Barcelona ahead of the latter's clash against Athletic Club on Sunday.

GettyThe Winners

Luka Modric:

Found the space inside the box to tap in the opening goal and could have scored another. The Croatia midfielder is 37 years old but plays like an energetic and determined youngster.

Gonzalo Montiel:

Picked up a yellow card for chopping down Vinicius Junior outside the box but other than that it was a solid display from the right-back. Reaped the rewards for his hard work and sharp passes when he won the ball from Vinicius Junior and played a lovely ball through to Erik Lamela for the equaliser. Minutes later he won the ball and drove forward before finding Lamela but the Argentine's effort missed the target.

Vinicius Junior:

Two assists for the Brazilian star. He was a threat from beginning to end and was always determined to carve something out for his team. He now has five goals and three assists to his name in La Liga this season.

AdvertisementGettyThe Losers

Ivan Rakitic:

The midfielder offered nothing to Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu. His passing was sloppy and his defensive work non-existent. A really tame performance from the veteran.

Yassine Bounou:

The Sevilla goalkeeper had a tough night with the likes of Vinicius Junior and Valverde coming at him. He was hopeless as Vinicius Junior squared to Lucas Vazquez for Madrid's second and should have done better, but there was nothing he could do about Valverde's stunning effort.

Dani Carvajal:

The right-back offered nothing to Madrid throughout the game until he was taken off. Definitely the weak link in the starting XI and Carlo Ancelotti was vindicated for taking him off as his replacement, Vazquez, scored just two minutes after he came on.

GettyReal Madrid Ratings: Defence

Thibaut Courtois (6/10):

Had to be on alert as Sevilla were able to push up and look like threatening the Madrid goal, but most of their shots were from distance. He will feel he could have done better to deny Lamela for the equaliser as it was a tough finish from the winger.

Dani Carvajal (5/10):

A weak performance from the right-back. He made some dodgy tackles and could have given away a penalty early on when he knocked Erik Lamela to the ground but got away with it. Offered little to Madrid's attack.

Eder Militao (7/10):

Another solid performance from the centre-back. He was instrumental in keeping Sevilla at a safe distance and ensuring they could not get into a good scoring position for most of the match.

David Alaba (6/10):

A decent performance from the Austrian, who held the line perfectly well with Militao and made some good passes throughout the match. Was eventually shifted to left-back when Antonio Rudiger came on.

Ferland Mendy (6/10):

Overall a decent performance from the left-back. He is always available in attack and even drifts inside to offer a central threat. Defensively not bad but he did put his side under pressure in the second half when he held on to the ball too long and let three Sevilla players swarm around him.

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GettyMidfield

Luka Modric (8/10):

The Croatian veteran was one of the best on the field, not only for the goal he scored. His passing was good yet again and he helped Madrid threaten the visitors throughout.

Aurelien Tchouameni (7/10):

Another fine performance from the young midfielder before he was taken off just 20 minutes into the second half.

Toni Kroos (6/10):

A quiet performance from the German. Playing quite deep in midfield, his passes were accurate but rather ineffective.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is hopeful that the funds it has expended in clearing Kusal Perera of doping charges will be covered by the ICC

Andrew Fidel Fernando12-May-2016’WADA code ineffective in safeguarding clean athletes’

Tony Irish, the executive chairman of FICA (Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations), has expressed his concerns over some of cricket’s anti-doping regulations following the ICC’s withdrawal of disciplinary proceedings against Kusal Perera.
“We are pleased that the right result has been achieved and welcome the decision, however, this case brings to light several issues in regard to anti-doping regulation in cricket” Irish said in a statement.
“The damaging impact of the error on Kusal’s career is not to be underestimated. He has been removed from the game for a significant period of time in the middle of a developing career, for reasons which have been found to be unjustifiable.
“The case highlights many of the pre-existing concerns held by FICA and athlete representatives around the world around the inflexibility and unfairness of the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) code, the requirement for sports to be compliant and its appropriateness for sophisticated team sports such as cricket. We have voiced these concerns to the ICC over the past year, and will seek to discuss this further.
“The concerns raised have included the view that the WADA programme is ineffective in safeguarding the interests of clean athletes and is open to penalties being imposed on players who are not ‘cheats’.
“FICA is supportive of fair, proportionate and appropriate measures to ensure that cricket is a clean sport. However, the game must ensure that any measures are effective and tailored to the game of cricket.”

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) could not rule out further legal action after the ICC withdrew its charges against wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera, board president Thilanga Sumathipala said. SLC is unlikely to initiate a lawsuit against the ICC, but was hopeful that the funds expended in clearing Perera will be covered by the governing body. The Qatar-based lab whose findings led to Perera’s five-month suspension will also come under scrutiny.”We have to definitely get our costs back,” Sumathipala said. “By that I mean the direct costs. The indirect costs are colossal. So we will discuss that separately.”Sumathipala said the board had spent at least 13 million rupees (approx. USD 92,000) on the case. This included the money spent on a polygraph test on Perera, a hair analysis commonly used in forensics and a separate urine test, the results of which all helped leverage Perera’s case and bought his legal team time. SLC had also paid for the consultation of UK-based Morgan Sports Law firm, during the challenge on the lab’s findings.Sumathipala said the board would discuss the matter with Perera and the nation’s sports ministry before any further action is decided upon.”We got the hard part right and now we have a definite claim, now that we have proved our player is innocent,” Sumathipala said. “I’m sure Sri Lanka Cricket will go forward and discuss with ICC. We can’t sour the relationship also. If the sports minister has a directive that is separate, we want to discuss that as well. Definitely the player has a claim.”Sumathipala also likened the results of Perera’s case to Muttiah Muralitharan’s campaign to have his action, and later his doosra, cleared by the ICC. On that occasion, Muralitharan’s action proved a catalyst for further scientific testing, which ultimately led to a landmark change in the ICC’s playing conditions – specifically, 15 degrees of flexion was deemed legal, as almost all bowlers were found to straighten their arms.In addition to consulting local and foreign legal teams, SLC and Perera’s management also approached chemical pathologists and independent lab operators for their views.”We decided to go the scientific route,” Sumathipala said. “We have seen SLC do the same thing in the past with the straightening of the arm issue. We did it after Murali was no-balled in Boxing Day 1995. Then we did it again when the doosra was banned. Once we concluded that route, we were that much stronger with the ICC.”Prompted by our scientific evidence, we have taken the ICC to a different level about how they should process this kind of situation in the future. We’re happy about that. We’ve taken an approach that we’re not sure anyone has taken in the past. We were very happy.”Sumathipala said the board believed in Kusal from the outset. His board had initially set aside five million rupees to fight the case, but that figure was repeatedly revised upwards.”We spoke about this at the board and we decided that we trusted him, and that he was telling the truth. We decided to represent him as best we can. We thought that we would be able to get him cleared, so we set aside 15 million rupees to spend on him, which is unprecedented for this board.”Perera is eligible for selection for Sri Lanka with immediate effect, but the selectors have not yet decided whether to add him to the Test squad currently in England.

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has said that he is wary about South Africa’s spin threat, and is hoping that his batsmen and spinners can step up to the challenge in the ODIs

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur09-Jul-2015

Bangladesh had to make do with shorter space for their warm-up session ahead of the first ODI against South Africa, as most of the ground was under covers amid leaden skies on Thursday.Soon, the players broke into two teams and played football before heading to the indoor nets of the Shere Bangla National Stadium. They stayed there for the next couple of hours as Dhaka experienced one heavy shower after another.More rain has been forecast for Friday, but that didn’t stop Mashrafe Mortaza from stating what he expects from his team in the first ODI against South Africa.”We have to play well by adjusting to the wicket,” Mashrafe said. “We have to be a step ahead of South Africa in every department. This is how you win against such a team. We had gone into a habit of winning matches since the World Cup. Everyone wants to win and this is our job.”But by focusing on the results too much, we forget the process with which we got the wins. We should go back to the basics, and to the mentality through which we turned things around since the World Cup.”Much of the talk ahead of the ODI series has centered around the pitch, especially after it offered considerable turn in the two T20s. While Mashrafe admitted that there was ‘confusion’ about the pitch, he said that the hosts would be better off if they don’t ponder too much about the wicket.”There is some confusion about the wicket. By that I mean, our batsmen and bowlers have been doing well on true wickets since the World Cup. But we also have think about their pace attack,” he said.”I think it is better not to think too much about the wicket. We have to keep our processes right, whoever is bowling at us. We have handled top bowlers in the recent past. Maybe we haven’t played in such wickets for a while, which is why have struggled a bit.”Bangladesh had struggled to come to terms with spin in the T20s, with left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso, offspinner JP Duminy and debutant legspinner Eddie Leie taking nine wickets between them. South Africa’s spin attack will be further bolstered by Imran Tahir, who was the leading wicket taker in the World T20 in Bangladesh last year with 12 scalps at 10.91.”Imran Tahir has been bowling well for some time now. South Africa has been using him as a wicket-taking option. We have plans to encounter him although we did struggle against spin in the last two matches,” Mashrafe said.Mashrafe, though, backed Shakib Al Hasan, Arafat Sunny and Jubair Hossain to perform better than their opposite numbers. “If you look at his record, Shakib is one of the best bowlers in the world. Imran Tahir and their other spinners are doing well, and will be confident following the T20 series but I still expect our spinners to be a step above their spinners.”Mashrafe also stressed on the importance of Mahmudullah’s return, after the batsman missed the India series due to injury. “Mahmudullah is a key player who did very well for us at the World Cup,” Mashrafe said. “Unfortunately he got injured, so his return is quite important to us. He hadn’t played in the last month or so due to injury. He will need time to give his best but I am sure he will try the hardest.”

أعلن المدير الفني لمنتخب الأرجنتين الأول، ليونيل سكالوني، عن قائمة اللاعبين الذين سيخوضون معسكر شهر نوفمبر الجاري واستكمال تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.

ويواجه منتخب الأرجنتين كلاً من أوروجواي والبرازيل يومي 17 و22 من الشهر الجاري ضمن تصفيات المونديال في قارة أمريكا الجنوبية.

وشهدت قائمة التانجو بطل كأس العالم قطر 2022 تواجد جناح إنتر ميامي، ليونيل ميسي، بجوار العديد من النجوم المعروفين في منتخب الأرجنتين.

اقرأ أيضًا | قائمة البرازيل لمواجهتي كولومبيا والأرجنتين في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.. استدعاء وجه شاب

🏆 #SelecciónMayor Lista de convocados para las próximas dos fechas de las #EliminatoriasSudamericanas 🗓️

📝 https://t.co/9DME3zk5FR pic.twitter.com/LrZVKu1WaG — 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) November 11, 2023

ميسي يقود قائمة الأرجنتين أمام البرازيل وأوروجواي في تصفيات كأس العالم

حراسة المرمى: إيمياليانو مارتينيز، فرانكو أرماني، خوان موسو، والتر بينيتيز.

الدفاع: جونزالو مونتيل، بابلو مافيو، نويل مولينا، جيرمان بيتزيا، كريستيان روميرو، لوكاس مارتينيز، نيكولاس أوتاميندي، ماركوس أكونيا، فرانسيسكو أورتيجا، نيكولاس تاجليافيكو.

الوسط: لياندرو باريديس، جويدو رودريجيز، إنزو فرنانديز، رودريجو دي بول، إزيكيل بالاسيسو، جيوفاني لو سيلسو، أليكسيس ماك أليستر.

الهجوم: باولو ديبالا، آنخل دي ماريا، ليونيل ميسي، جوليان ألفاريز، لاوتارو مارتينيز، نيكولاس جونزاليس، لوكاس أوكامبوس.

If Dinesh Chandimal is picked for Sri Lanka on Thursday, he might recall the harrowing moment that changed his nation a decade ago.Fifteen-year-old Chandimal was watching the New Zealand v Sri Lanka Boxing Day ODI at his family’s home by the sea in Amabalangoda, when his mother called out. The neighbour’s boat, she said, was quickly closing in on their house. Chandimal took a single look at the giant wave, raised the alarm, and they ran.If he was traumatised that day, he wears those scars lightly. He is firstly thankful that no one in his family was among the 38,000 Sri Lankans who lost their lives, but their troubles were hardly insubstantial.”We lost everything,” Chandimal said, “including my cricket bag. I can still remember what happened like it was yesterday, the way our home was caught up and lost. Our neighbours and our relatives, everyone was affected. I feel very sad even now, when I think about it.”Perhaps no on-field disappointment will ever match the distress of surviving a tsunami, but in 2014, Chandimal has had plenty of cricketing adversity to overcome. Having begun the year with 89 in a match-saving stand with Angelo Mathews in Abu Dhabi, his form deserted him so emphatically that he dropped himself from the World T20 side he was captaining. He was axed from the ODI team soon after. In Tests – for so long his best suit – he nosedived, falling to the hook shot thrice in three innings in June and July before the selectors packed him off to an ‘A’ team tour of England.”It’s been a struggle in the past few months,” he said. “I’m someone who’s always looking for runs, and maybe that’s why I play the hook when I see a short ball. When you are performing badly, whether you’re playing cricket, running a business, or studying, you’re always going to be under pressure. Maybe that got to me mentally as well.”More failures would follow, at home and in India, before his game finally began to click again. “There were technical issues as well, and I worked very hard on those. Maybe I won’t hook early in the innings any more, but after I’ve watched for a bit, I will go to the hook shot I’ve always played well in the past.”Mentally, I had to get myself to a good place as well. For that, I watched a lot of videos of myself batting well in the past – my hundred at Lord’s, my batting in the CB series in 2012, and in my debut Test against South Africa. I was looking at what my attitude was, and what I was thinking about. I absorbed all of that, and it’s allowed me to start doing well again.”Chandimal’s change of fortunes came at the tail-end of the series against England, when the axing of opener Kusal Perera vacated a space in the middle order. His 35 from 31 in the sixth ODI was later described as a “very special, very important innings,” by Kumar Sangakkara, whose hundred headed up the victory. A few days later in Colombo, Chandimal’s brisk 55 not out put the finishing touches on a match-winning total of 302.”The England tour was a big challenge,” he said. “I was in a good mental space for those matches, and really ready to perform for the team. That’s the attitude with which I went into those matches, and I’ve only become stronger since. I think I’ve done better in overseas matches than I have in the subcontinent, so that makes me feel confident with the season coming up.”Chandimal is unlikely to play as wicketkeeper, even if he is picked for the first Test. Unburdened by leadership, and relieved of the gloves as well, he and the selectors will hope he finds full expression at the top level again.