The rest of the tournament will be played at six venues

ESPNcricinfo staff12-May-20254:40

What happened to home advantage in IPL 2025?

IPL 2025 will resume on May 17 and end on June 3, as per the revised schedule announced by the BCCI on Monday night.The remainder of the tournament, which was suspended on May 9 for a week due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, will be played at six venues: Bengaluru, Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.The venues for the playoffs will be announced later, but the matches will be played on the following dates: Qualifier 1 on May 29, the Eliminator on May 30, Qualifier 2 on June 1 and the final on June 3. A total of 17 matches will be played after the resumption, with two double-headers, both of which will be played on Sundays.The revised schedule features 13 league games and the four playoff matches. This means that the Punjab Kings (PBKS) vs Delhi Capitals (DC) game, which was called off midway through the first innings on May 8 in Dharamsala, will be played again, on May 24 in Jaipur, which will be the temporary home base for PBKS.ESPNcricinfo LtdTwo days later, PBKS will play against Mumbai Indians (MI), a match they were originally meant to play in their second home base of Dharamsala on May 11. The match that will restart the tournament on May 17 will be played between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Bengaluru.On the first of the two double-header days, Rajasthan Royals (RR) will meet PBKS in the day game (3.30pm IST) on May 18 and DC will take on Gujarat Titans (GT) in the evening (7.30pm IST). The next Sunday – May 25 – will see GT take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the day game in Ahmedabad and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) meet KKR in Delhi at 7.30pm IST. The last league game will be between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and RCB on May 27 in Lucknow.The change in venues also means that three teams – PBKS, CSK and SRH – won’t get to play on their original home grounds anymore. With CSK and SRH out of the playoffs race, PBKS will count themselves unlucky to be playing two of their home matches at a neutral venue. With 15 points from 11 matches, PBKS were third on the points table before the tournament was suspended.The official release said the BCCI held “extensive consultations with government and security agencies, and with all the key stakeholders” before finalising the resumption of the tournament.The delayed finish of the IPL, which was originally scheduled to end on May 25 in Kolkata, means it will now coincide with the entire ODI series between England and West Indies starting on May 29 in Birmingham and ending on June 3 at The Oval. It will lead to a clash for Romario Shepherd (RCB), Shamar Joseph (LSG) and Sherfane Rutherford (GT), who have all been picked in the West Indies ODI squad. England have not named their squad yet but the players likely to be affected are Jos Buttler (GT), Phil Salt (RCB), Jacob Bethell (RCB), Liam Livingstone (RCB), Will Jacks (MI) and Reece Topley (MI), depending on which teams make the playoffs.6:21

Has Pant been LSG’s biggest letdown?

The revised IPL schedule also squeezes the gap between the IPL final and the WTC final to just seven days, with Australia and South Africa set to contest the Test world title from June 11 at Lord’s. Both Australia and South Africa are scheduled to announce their squads on Tuesday. The players who are currently part of the IPL teams and are likely to be picked for the WTC final are Australia captain Pat Cummins and Travis Head (both SRH), Mitchell Starc and Tristan Stubbs (both DC), Josh Hazlewood (RCB), Marco Jansen and Josh Inglis (both PBKS), Aiden Markram (LSG), Kagiso Rabada (GT), Ryan Rickelton (MI) and Kwena Mphaka (RR).The revised schedule will also potentially impact the India A tour of England, which is scheduled to begin from May 30, for two unofficial Tests in Canterbury and Northampton. Several fringe India players, some of whom are likely to be part of the India squad for the five-Test series starting on June 20 in England, will now be part of the IPL when the A matches begin.For now, the biggest challenge for the 10 IPL franchises will be to re-assemble their squads and bring back overseas players and support-staff members who had begun flying back home over the weekend. The team that could find it easiest to get back together will be GT, currently on top of the table, who had seen only two of their overseas players fly back: Buttler and Gerald Coetzee. The rest of their squad was continuing to train in Ahmedabad. MI could also benefit from the revised schedule, as their first game is on May 21, four days after the tournament resumes.

Tom Moody singles out Sai Kishore for his steady performances, says that the absence of effective bowling partnerships has left GT vulnerable

ESPNcricinfo staff26-May-20251:30

Moody: ‘A number of GT bowlers are losing form at the wrong time’

Despite a sparkling run in IPL 2025, which made them the first team to qualify for the playoffs, Gujarat Titans (GT) find themselves grappling with an untimely dip in bowling form, a concern that could prove costly at the business end of the tournament. Known for their disciplined attack, GT’s bowling unit has appeared unsettled after the mini-break. They have lost two of their three games after the IPL’s resumption – after winning eight of 11 before the interruption – and in those, their bowlers have conceded 664 runs and picked up just ten wickets.After their latest loss – by 83 runs to bottom-placed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday – Tom Moody singled out R Sai Kishore – the only one to have taken at least a wicket in each of those three matches – for his consistency, but noted that the absence of effective bowling partnerships have left GT vulnerable. While Prasidh Krishna – who has 23 wickets and is in second place on the Purple Cap table – and Mohammed Siraj have contributed, their recent performances have been a bit up and down.”It is a concern that a number of their bowlers are losing form at the wrong time,” Moody said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “Coming into the finals, one area of your game you want to be absolutely confident with is your bowling attack and everyone not looking over their shoulder but looking to take the responsibility themselves. And I look at their attack and really there’s only one bowler that’s bowling well and the rest are trying to find form.Related

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“And that’s probably being a little bit harsh on Sai Kishore because I think he’s been quite consistent, but it’s nearly like his bowling has been swept away along with many other bowlers purely because they haven’t been able to build the most important thing, and that’s those partnerships with the ball.”Anil Kumble echoed Moody’s thoughts, and highlighted GT’s struggles during the bowling powerplays, which have increased the pressure on the bowling unit, which has had perhaps its biggest name – Rashid Khan – in possibly the poorest T20 form of his career.”When things have not started off well for GT in those first six overs, the pressure on the bowling attack has been pretty obvious,” Kumble said. “That’s where the Rashid wicket-taking ability is sort of missing now, and that’s why they’re probably struggling.To counter this problem, Moody suggested that GT might need to think differently and even open with Sai Kishore.3:07

Moody on GT: Not the time to press the panic button

“I just wonder, just sowing a seed for moving forward, whether they need to actually rearrange their bowling attack,” Moody said. “Maybe do something out of the box, like open with Sai Kishore, you know, have an over or two of them. He’s well-equipped to be able to do that, and it just gives them that little bit of a point of difference as a bowling unit.”Moody: ‘Not the time to press that panic button’Moody and Kumble emphasised the importance of staying calm and focused as GT approach the final stages of the tournament. In Moody’s opinion, it was essential not to panic but to reflect on the strengths while working on small improvements quietly, away from the public eye.”For all the teams, at this time, it’s not the time to press that panic button,” Moody said. “It’s the time to reflect on what are we really doing well and focusing on those areas and highlighting them and celebrating those areas and just quietly going about trying to patch up a couple of gaps without it being sort of seen in a public domain, whether it be through the press or whether it be in the dressing room in front of the whole squad – ‘we must be improving here and here and these are the gaps we’re missing out on’, you know, just quietly going around on a one-to-one basis and reassuring players but also just reminding them of a couple of areas that just might need a little bit of sharpening.4:42

‘The zip has been missing in Rashid’s bowling’

“Players need to have that sort of free mind and not sort of worrying about the consequences of what’s happened in the past or what may happen if we fall down that same track as what we did in our last two games. So, again, it’s preserving confidence, preserving the culture that you’ve built within that playing group. So you’re celebrating that and you’re trying to keep everyone upbeat and positive, because at the end of the day, there’s a lot of tired bodies, there’s a lot of mental fatigue there as well. So you need to be mindful of all those things to make sure that everyone’s feeling really positive about what’s ahead of them.”Kumble said that teams needed to recognise and celebrate the good work that got them to this stage of the tournament.”I think what was important was also to look at all the good things that they’ve done to be here,” Kumble said. “There were ten teams, all of them equally good. Yes, the points table says that Chennai [CSK] is No. 10, and then you have Rajasthan [RR] at nine, and the rest of them. But generally, if you look at it on paper, all of those teams are really, really good. It’s just that one match here, there, things could have been different.”So, you need to celebrate that and then look at whether it is Qualifier or Eliminator, whatever it is, one game at a time. Focus on that and then look at how well the team did in those important moments and try and win those key moments.”

كشف المدير الفني السابق، ستيف بروس، موقفًا طريفًا وقع له عندما كان مدربًا لفريق ويجان، ويتعلق بالنجم المصري السابق، عمرو زكي، الذي احترف في صفوف النادي الإنجليزي.

وانضم عمرو زكي إلى ويجان، قادمًا من الزمالك، وذلك على سبيل الإعارة لمدة موسم واحد فقط، وهو موسم 2008/09.

وتواجد ستيف بروس في بودكاست مع بول سكولز، حيث تطرق للحديث عن العديد من الأمور، من بينها موقف طريف كان بسبب عمرو زكي، خلال فترة تواجده في ويجان.

وقال ستيف بروس: “كان لدينا لاعب يُدعى زكي في الفريق (عمرو زكي)، لاعب مصري، تتذكرونه؟ كان مثل الحصان، كان لدينا مباراة أمام ليفربول، وتأخر في الحضور، كان عليه التواجد يوم الثلاثاء ولكنه جاء يوم الجمعة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. شقيق عمرو زكي يوضح حقيقة تدهور حالته الصحية.. وموعد ظهوره

وأضاف: “قلت له (أين كنت؟!)، أخبرني (أوه، زكي يحتاج إلى عطلة!)، قررت ألا يلعب المباراة (كنوع من معاقبته)، خرج من الغرفة، ولكنني فكرت مع نفسي (أوه، نحن لا نمتلك لاعبين كافيين، يبدو أنني سأغير موقفي)”.

وواصل: “جاء يوم المباراة واخترت التشكيل، ودفعت بـ عمرو زكي، بعد دقيقتين قطع الكرة من جيمي كاراجر وسجل هدفًا في الأنفيلد! ثم سجل هدفًا بركلة خلفية مزدوجة”.

واختتم ستيف بروس ضاحكًا:”لقد جاء لي بين الشوطين وقال لي (ألم أخبرك؟ زكي يحتاج إلى عطلة!)”.

Atletico Madrid's Marcos Llorente has found himself at the centre of controversy after defending his use of tinted glasses. His detailed Instagram post about light exposure, melatonin, and “protecting biology” sparked online debate. However, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has surprisingly come to his defence, showing support for his views.

Llorente’s defence of his tinted glasses sparks debate

The Spaniard took to Instagram to clarify why he wears tinted yellow and red glasses, but what began as a simple explanation has quickly turned into a viral talking point. Responding to public confusion and mockery, Llorente wrote that his glasses are not a fashion statement but a biological safeguard. He further explained that blue light exposure emitting from phones, screens, and artificial lighting can disrupt natural melatonin production and affects mitochondrial function. 

“If you don’t care about your health, you can keep scrolling,” he asserted, insisting that his choices are rooted in science and are not just vague opinions.

Llorente elaborated on the biological role of melatonin, calling it “the most powerful antioxidant in the body” that helps regulate inflammation, immunity, and cellular processes. He insisted that modern environments “trap people away from the sun and surround them with harmful LED lights.”

AdvertisementHaaland steps in to defend Llorente

Amid the criticism, Haaland’s public show of support came as a surprise. The City star commented “Well done” under Llorente’s post, signalling his approval of the Spanish midfielder’s perspective. 

Llorente on chem trails conspiracy

Beyond his views on light and melatonin, Llorente has also voiced skepticism about airplane contrails, often referred to in conspiracy circles as chemtrails. 

He previously commented on a post saying: “Disinfection on channel 2,” implying that the skies are being intentionally sprayed. In another message, he wrote: “These skies I have never seen before. Normal, to me, it is not,” accompanied by footage of plane trails captioned “Enough now.”

This ties into the chemtrail theory which is a long-standing internet conspiracy that claims governments or corporations release chemical or biological agents from aircraft for secret programs like weather control, population influence, or geoengineering.

His wife, sharing his outlook, stated that those who believe the trails are harmless “choose not to look at the sky, or at the BOE/AEMET, or the WMO.” Together, the couple have hinted that these trails may involve bioengineering or disinfection activities, though no credible scientific evidence supports such claims.

In reality, scientists have repeatedly debunked the theory. The visible streaks behind planes are contrails which are condensation trails formed when hot exhaust meets cold, humid air, creating ice crystals.

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AFPAtleti star blurs wellness and conspiracy

From diet control to light therapy, Llorente long experimented with methods to enhance performance. But his latest statements blur the boundary between wellness advocacy and fringe science. While his arguments on melatonin and light exposure draw from real biological research, his endorsement of chemtrail theories has pushed him into a different spotlight. Still, Llorente remains unapologetic, adding in his Instagram post: “Nothing I share I make up. It’s not a personal opinion. It’s biology.”

Mason Greenwood has been given a harsh reality check after putting in a four-goal performance for Marseille in their 6-2 mauling of Le Havre. The former Manchester United forward put in a talismanic display for his Ligue 1 employers, but has still been informed that he “can do more” by demanding coach Roberto De Zerbi – who has explained how Greenwood can “become one of the best players in the world”.

• Greenwood's goal record: Output for Marseille

  The 24-year-old has become an integral part of Marseille’s plans since moving to France in the summer of 2024. He claimed a share of the Ligue 1 Golden Boot alongside Paris Saint-Germain frontman Ousmane Dembele last season – netting 21 times in the French top-flight.

  He has found the target on seven occasions through 10 appearances in the current campaign, taking him to 29 efforts in total for Marseille from 46 games. Few arguments can be offered against his output, but De Zerbi still believes that there is more to come.

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• Matched Ballon d'Or winner: Greenwood versus Le Havre

  Greenwood emulated Ballon d’Or winner Jean-Pierre Papin against Le Havre, becoming the first player to net four times in a single league fixture for Marseille since their legendary former France international striker in 1991.

  It is being suggested that Greenwood can form part of the global elite if current standards are maintained. When that claim was put to De Zerbi, he told reporters: “It's true that Mason can do more, not just in terms of goals scored because in that area he doesn't need to do better. He's already a top player in front of goal, but he can become one of the best players in the world, because he has the ability.

  “He can improve in helping the team when it needs it, when it's necessary. But I want to protect Mason from criticism, he's always scored a lot of goals and never missed a training session. But he still has room for improvement.”

• Greenwood told how to join global elite

  De Zerbi has previously said of Greenwood’s efforts to unlock full potential, with some tough love being passed in the winger’s direction at times: “All the credit goes to his mother and father. And I'm here to help him become more complete. When he needs a hug, a word of support, I gladly give it. And when I need to push him to give more, I have to do that too because that's my job.

  “I would especially like to help him be remembered, in this stadium and by these supporters, as one of the greatest players to have played here at the Velodrome. There have been so many great players here, but I think Greenwood has the qualities to be remembered that way. And I'm trying to help him progress.”

  Greenwood has shown that he can match Dembele’s numbers on the goal front, with the PSG superstar savouring a historic Ballon d’Or triumph in 2025. He is considered to boast similar qualities to World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe, who is now a ‘Galactico’ at Real Madrid.

  De Zerbi has said of Greenwood rubbing shoulders with the best in the business: “If he wants to become a great player, he must run off the ball. I saw Mbappe, I saw Dembele pressing without the ball, and Greenwood has to do it too. He has worked on pressing, but not always. When he wants to, he does it, and he must understand that this effort is what separates the greats.”

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• Getty
  

  Ligue 1 title bid & Jamaica switch: Greenwood's future

  Greenwood will be gracing the grandest of stages again on Wednesday when heading to Lisbon for a Champions League clash with Sporting. He has already faced Mbappe and Real at Santiago Bernabeu, while Marseille are now top of the Ligue 1 table – one point clear of dominant title holders PSG.

  It remains to be seen what his future holds at international level, with the one-cap England international yet to be drafted into the Jamaica fold by ex-Manchester United boss Steve McClaren despite receiving clearance that allows him to switch allegiance to the Reggae Boyz.

Thomas Frank has made an impressive start to life as Tottenham Hotspur manager, suffering only one defeat within his first nine matches since his appointment in the summer.

The Dane’s only defeat came against Bournemouth in the Premier League on gameweek three and are now currently enjoying a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

However, it’s not all been straight-forward for the 51-year-old, with the Lilywhites having to come from two goals down to draw with Bodo Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

His side have scored 17 goals across all competitions in 2025/26, averaging nearly two goals a game to date, highlighting the impressive form of the side in the final third.

Such a record could’ve certainly been bolstered further had the hierarchy kept hold of one player who was sold during Frank’s first window in charge this summer.

Heung-min Son’s successful spell at Spurs

Back in the summer of 2015, few Spurs fans would’ve predicted the superb spell forward Heung-min Son would have at the club after joining from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

The South Korean spent a decade in North London, often being a first-team regular, subsequently racking up incredible figures which made him a huge fan favourite.

The winger racked up over 450 appearances between 2015 and 2025, scoring 173 times, which ranks him fourth in the club’s all-time goalscoring charts.

Despite not starting the Europa League final, he lifted the trophy as captain and helped end the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy in his final outing for the football club.

Son would leave the side this summer in a £20m deal, subsequently joining MLS outfit LAFC, leaving new boss Frank with the near-impossible task of landing a replacement.

Mohammed Kudus was brought into the club during the off-season, but his addition was undoubtedly made to strengthen the options on the opposite flank.

However, the Dane may already have his own version of Son in the near future, with such a talent already on their books in North London – potentially saving the club millions in the process.

The Spurs star who could be Frank’s heir to Son

Spurs have a number of impressive young talents within their ranks at present, highlighting the impressive work of their academy and their recruitment team over recent days.

Graduate Mikey Moore is just one of the players who has made the rise through the youth levels, making 19 senior appearances for the Lilywhites last season despite being just 17.

The injury crisis last season gave him the chance to stake his claim, but he’s been sent on a season-long loan to Scottish side Rangers in an attempt to gain consistent game time to aid his progression.

However, he’s only featured for a total of 215 minutes across all competitions for Russell Martin’s side, with just three of his appearances coming from a starting position.

He’s not alone in being sent out on loan to try and gain valuable experience, with South Korean forward Min-hyeok Yang also spending the 2025/26 out on loan.

The 19-year-old joined the Lilywhites from Gangwon FC back in January, undoubtedly being brought into the club for the future years rather than the present.

Such a deal was undoubtedly an exciting one, with the youngster scoring 12 times in his 38 appearances for his homeland club, prior to his switch to England earlier this year.

Yang would spend the second half of last season on loan at QPR, scoring twice and registering one assist in his 14 Championship outings at Loftus Road.

However, he was once again shipped out to England’s second tier, this time joining Portsmouth on a season-long loan, even netting his first goal for the club against Watford on Wednesday night.

Given his recent spells away from North London, he’s yet to make a single senior appearance for the club, but that could certainly change in the years ahead, given his tender age.

Games played

3

Goals & assists

1

Pass accuracy

75%

Touches in opposition box

5.6

Fouls won

2.8

Recoveries made

4.5

Shots on target

1.7

Chances created

1.1

At just 19, Yang has plenty of time to live up to the potential he’s arrived with, potentially being the perfect option for the first-team off the left-hand side for many years to come.

Should he get anywhere near the levels produced by his compatriot at Spurs, it would be yet another phenomenal piece of business and one that could save them millions if he turns into a potential world-beater.

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Hollywood is quietly littered with a number of football and, more specifically, Premier League fans. Ryan Reynolds – Wrexham co-owner – is the best example alongside Rob McElhenney, whilst Daniel Craig has never made his adoration for Liverpool a secret in between playing 007. Now, Matthew McConaughey can be added to the list.

The A-lister, who has starred in films such as Interstellar and The Gentleman, is even the co-owner of MLS side Austin FC. It’s there that he is hoping to see his side achieve a play-off place and perhaps even eventually square off against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami side.

McConaughey has played characters who have travelled space and portrayed leading roles in Guy Ritchie films, yet even he has been blown away by Messi. He even previously jokingly invited the Argentine to come and play for Austin.

The Oscar winner is no stranger to the Premier League, either. He’s been spotted watching Chelsea in the Champions League, has family links in Liverpool and even name-dropped an unexpected side that he has no choice but to support.

McConaughey reveals shock Crystal Palace support

Having appeared holding a Chelsea shirt and admitted family links to Liverpool, McConaughey’s football journey is arguably tougher to follow than space and time film Interstellar. And now, he’s complicated things further by revealing that he’s also a “fan” of Crystal Palace. He told reporters:

The actor, who was on the red carpet for The Lost Bus, was even seen in conversation with Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner. The Austrian was likely invited by Paul Greengrass – a well-known fan of the South London club and director of The Lost Bus.

As far as unexpected crossovers go, it will be hard to beat McConaughey and the Eagles boss.

As Rangers’ search for a manager continues, a TalkSPORT pundit has shared what he’s heard from one candidate’s camp that reflects badly on Kevin Thelwell and the Ibrox higher ups.

Latest on Rangers' search for a manager

After confirming that Steven Smith, Brian Gilmour, Rhys Owen and Sal Bibbo will lead Rangers against Dundee United this weekend, it’s clear that the 49ers are still finalising their next manager.

It’s no real surprise that they’ve shown plenty of patience when deciding the next man for the job, however. After all, Russell Martin lasted just 123 days and represents the dire start that the 49ers have endured at Ibrox. Simply put, after that failure, they must get their next appointment right.

With their patience has come several candidates, ranging from the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all the way to current favourite Kevin Muscat. The latter has emerged as an option for the second time in his career, having been linked with the job before Philippe Clement arrived in 2023.

Unlike 2023, however, the job could now be Muscat’s to take. The 52-year-old has enjoyed an excellent spell at Shanghai Port and is on course to win the Chinese Super League with just four games to go. But that hands Rangers quite the dilemma.

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If they want to hire Muscat, then they may be forced to wait until November 22 before he officially arrives. That means that they’d have to find a temporary solution for the next seven games in a decision that would certainly do Thelwell no favours.

The sporting director is already under pressure and one talkSPORT pundit has now shared news that may only compile his misery at Ibrox.

Tanner shares "rumbles" in Gerrard camp

Speaking about the Liverpool legend’s recent decision to reject a return to Ibrox, talkSPORT pundit David Tanner shared what he’s heard from Steven Gerrard’s camp about Rangers, the 49ers and Thelwell.

Given how things have started for Thelwell, from appointing Martin to signing a group of players that are yet to make their mark, more criticism is the last thing that he needs.

In the end, however, the 49ers were seemingly not ready to compromise their sporting director’s role to welcome Gerrard back to Ibrox. Whether they live to regret that decision will certainly be interesting to watch in the coming months.

Sachin Tendulkar wants new India Test captain Shubman Gill to “shut the doors” to the external noise surrounding his approach to captaincy during the England tour. Tendulkar believes Gill will do “something special” on the tour and India will win the five-Test series 3-1.”My advice to him [Gill] would be that he should not worry about what x, y, z is saying,” Tendulkar told ESPNcricinfo. “His captaincy, whether Shubman is being aggressive, or defensive, or attacking enough, or not a proactive captain, or active captain – whatever that opinion is, it’s only an opinion and it’s from outside. I think what he needs to think about is what was discussed in the dressing room – when they are planning something, are they going according to that plan and whether the decision being made is in the interests of the team – that is what he needs to think about and not about the outside world.”The outside world can only give opinions. These guys can go out and play as well, and only the dressing room will have that honour. No one else will have that. I would say, just go out, it’s a huge honour, enjoy the moment and give your best for the country and do what is in the interest of the country. Other than that, I would say shut the doors to everything. I think that should be his thought process.”Related

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Gill, 25, having taken over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma last month, will not only be leading a young India side following the retirements of senior batters Rohit and Virat Kohli, but will also be batting at No. 4 – a spot occupied by Tendulkar and Kohli for the last 30 years. Tendulkar, who batted in that position 275 times from 1992 till his retirement in 2013 and scored 13,492 runs, said Gill has earned that spot because “people have faith in him”.”Playing for India itself is a responsibility,” Tendulkar said. “And it could be batting at any number, even if you go out to bat at 6 or 7, those runs are invaluable. No. 11 is also fulfilling the responsibility in a different capacity. It is good that people believe that he is capable of fulfilling that [No. 4] responsibility. The expectations that people have of him is a positive sign, because people have faith in him. He has to just go out and be himself, be determined and put his best foot forward with all his commitment. I’m sure he’ll do something special.”Shubman Gill was in a cheerful mood during the practice session•PA Images via Getty Images

Tendulkar, who averaged 54.31 with four centuries in England, also had some advice for the young Indian batters on tour, mainly on how they should play England’s fast bowlers.”There are three things which one needs to respect: overhead conditions, the wind, and the pitch,” he said. “I feel something that all batters should think about and consider is a good, solid front-foot defence to a fast bowler. If you can defend well on the front foot to a fast bowler, then the rest of the things will fall into place. It is important to keep your hands close to your body, have a solid front-foot defence. The balls which are meant to be hit are, anyway, going to go ahead because they all are attacking players. But the balls which are not meant to be hit, that is when the hands will go away from the body, and a dismissal could cost the game. So a good, solid defence on the front foot is going to be a key factor.”

Tendulkar: ‘Pant should back his instincts most of the time’

Among the senior batters in the India side will be 27-year-old Rishabh Pant, whose audacious approach during India’s tour of Australia late last year came under scrutiny. Tendulkar wants Pant to find a balance between playing his natural game and playing to the match situation.”He [Pant] should back his instincts most of the time,” Tendulkar said. “But there’ll be situations where he’ll have to curb his game in the interests of the team. I know that whatever he does the rest of the time will also be in the interest of the team, but the approach might have to be different. He has to have that flexibility in his mind. If there are times when you’re looking to save the game, then he may have to adapt that defensive approach, for let’s say an hour or 45 minutes or sometimes two hours, where he’ll have to just take those risky shots out of the game and not be as aggressive. He could be positive, but the shot selection will come into play.2:41

Pant doesn’t want to ‘focus on the senior part too much’

“Otherwise, nine out of ten times, if I’m the captain, I’ll say, ‘Just go out and play your game, why worry about anything.’ If you’re looking to save the game, that is when the approach changes a bit, but otherwise I would tell him that you go out and be yourself and do what you feel is in the best interest of the team.”Tendulkar was part of the Indian side that last won a Test series in England. In 2007, India beat the hosts 1-0 after winning the second Test in Nottingham – where Tendulkar top-scored with 91 in the first innings – and drawing the other two. While Tendulkar backed the current Indian team to take on the England challenge, he is keenly awaiting the battle between India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and England’s senior batter Joe Root.”Winning the series was a fabulous, fabulous moment – that is what we strive for,” he said, looking back at the 2007 series. “There were multiple good performances by individuals… Zaheer [Khan] played a role. I think everyone coming together and then chipping in at the right time makes a big difference. I still remember we were in the dressing room, celebrating at The Oval, the last Test. These kinds of moments stay with you forever. We’re still talking about it 18 years down the line. I hope we’re able to do something this series too, so 20 years down the line we can still talk about it.”When asked about his prediction for the series scoreline, Tendulkar said: “I have settled for 3-1 to India.”

Micah Richards criticised two Manchester United players for the role they played against Brentford as the Red Devils were put to the sword once again at the Gtech Community Stadium by Brentford.

Brentford heap more misery on Amorim

Fresh from defeating Chelsea last weekend, Man United had the task of handing Ruben Amorim back-to-back wins for the first time in the Premier League almost nine months on from arriving. With 20 minutes on the clock, however, it was an all too familiar story for the Manchester club, as Igor Thiago struck not once but twice.

The opening goal saw Harry Maguire fall culrpit to a tight offside call, as Thiago took full advantage to sprint in behind and fire home a tremendous finish.

As for the second, the forward had a far simpler task after getting the best out of Matthijs de Ligt and then on the end of Altay Bayindir’s spilled save straight into his path. In 20 minutes, the Brentford star had his brace gift-wrapped.

Benjamin Sesko’s first Man United goal then gave the Red Devils plenty of hope when he slammed home at the third time of asking midway through the first period and a comeback certainly looked on the cards.

Alas, it almost summed up United’s afternoon, their season and arguably Amorim’s tenure when Bruno Fernandes missed his second penalty of the season to deny United their equaliser late in the second-half. The Portugal international, often so reliable, has fallen short of his standards so far this season.

Caoimhin Kelleher’s save put the writing on the wall for the Red Devils, who had their misery compilled by a stunning late strike from substitute Mathias Jensen to make it 3-1.

Richards slams "shambolic" Maguire & De Ligt

Among those critical of Man United following yet another defeat, former Man City defender Richards slammed Maguire and De Ligt as “shambolic” for their actions in Brentford’s two goals.

There will now be questions asked of Amorim’s position once again, but whether defeat at Brentford is INEOS’ final straw remains to be seen. There’s work to be done, that cannot be denied.

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Up next for United is the visit of Sunderland next Saturday. Defeat against newly-promoted opposition would be yet another low for Amorim, who simply has to change things if he is to turn his tenure around at Old Trafford.