Manchester United’s senior players were forced to stage an intervention to address Alejandro Garnacho’s attitude before the winger’s exile from the first team and eventual move to Chelsea. Garnacho’s self-centred behaviour, both on and off the pitch, left Ruben Amorim and Red Devils players frustrated, ultimately leading to his Old Trafford exit just months after tensions began brewing.
Man Utd leadershp group confronted Garnacho
The Sun has reported that Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, and Harry Maguire were among the leaders who confronted Garnacho over his selfish attitude. Despite repeated attempts to get him to focus more on the team, the winger refused to change his ways. His clashes with Amorim, alongside temper tantrums and outspoken behaviour on social media, pushed him closer to the exit door.
AdvertisementAFPAmorim was hoping to make Garnacho central to his plans
Amorim initially hoped Garnacho would be central to his plans after arriving in November, but their relationship soured quickly. A series of flashpoints, including his conduct in Plzen, convinced the manager that the youngster was damaging the squad’s harmony. By January, it was clear that a parting of ways was unavoidable, with Amorim confident in his decision to exile Garnacho from the first-team squad.
Garnacho's negative attitude affected Man Utd dressing room
Garnacho’s mood swings and inability to handle setbacks only deepened the rift between him and the club. Senior players felt his negative energy was beginning to influence the dressing room. His eventual move to Chelsea came as little surprise to those who had witnessed the breakdown firsthand.
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Getty Images SportGarnacho returns to Old Trafford with Chelsea
Garnacho returns to Old Trafford with Chelsea this weekend, just three weeks after leaving Manchester United. The reception he receives is expected to be frosty, given the circumstances of his departure. Amorim, meanwhile, has turned his focus to improving performances with his job now on the line.
Gary Lineker has been best known for his presenter roles over the last 25 years, however, in his playing days, he was one of England’s greatest strikers.
At club level, Lineker starred for Leicester City, Everton and Tottenham, while also heading to Barcelona in 1986, the same year he won the Golden Boot at the World Cup for the Three Lions.
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The ex-forward, who almost signed for Manchester United before heading to Spurs in 1989, never received a yellow or red card during his career.
But who does Lineker see as his greatest of all time? He answered that question and, despite honourable mentions for Johan Cruyff and Zinedine Zidane, Lineker named his four-player Mount Rushmore of all-time greats, with no room for Cristiano Ronaldo.
4 Pele Brazil
An attacking icon for more than 20 years from 1956, Pele actually holds the record for most goals scored with 1,279 in 1,363 games.
He won three World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970, and at club level, spent 18 years with Santos. Pele was the first player on Lineker’s Mount Rushmore, and following his passing in 2022, Lineker said:
“Pele’s hugely significant in not only the development of football, but also in football itself and the enjoyment of football – which is the most important thing. It’s an entertainment business, and he was one of the great entertainers – through his pure skill, talent and ability. He was also a proven goalscorer.
“Pele was an out-and-out goalscorer, and he’s played a huge part in football. The name Pele is just synonymous with football.”
3 Diego Maradona Argentina
Next on Lineker’s Mount Rushmore is someone who broke his and England’s hearts at the 1986 World Cup, Diego Maradona.
His famous Hand of God goal against England on the biggest stage has gone down in history, but he also scored one of the best individual goals in the same game to help Argentina win 2-1.
Maradona took his country to a World Cup triumph that year, and at club level, he starred for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell’s Old Boys.
Following Maradona’s passing, Lineker said: “By some distance the best player of my generation and arguably the greatest of all time. After a blessed but troubled life, hopefully he’ll finally find some comfort in the hands of God.”
2 Ronaldo Brazil
Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima, nicknamed O Fenomeno and R9, also makes Lineker’s list, with the powerful striker winning two World Cups for Brazil.
As Lineker states, Ronaldo missed large parts of his career through injury, but when he was fully fit or close to 100%, he was unstoppable on his day.
1 Lionel Messi Argentina
Rounding off Lineker’s Mount Rushmore is Lionel Messi, who tops the charts as his “favourite player of all time”.
With his ties to Barcelona, the Englishman has been vocal in his thoughts about Messi all throughout the Argentine’s career, calling him “a gift from the footballing Gods”.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, finally lifted the World Cup in 2022, with Lineker calling the magician “the best player of all time”.
Former PSV full-back Matteo Dams revealed Al-Ahli’s strong push and financial incentives convinced him to make the move to Saudi Arabia.
Dams moved to Al-Ahli for €10 million in January
Al-Ahli coach and exponential salary reasons for his move
Won the 2025 AFC Champions League in his debut season
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Dams completed a €10 million (£9m/$11m) move from PSV to Al-Ahli in January, with his salary receiving a massive boost in the process. The full-back was in the final six months of his PSV contract and negotiating an extension when Al-Ahli swooped in to seal the deal.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Dams featured 15 times across all competitions for Al-Ahli last season, registering one assist and contributing to seven clean sheets. His solid displays were key in helping the club lift the prestigious 2024-25 AFC Champions League title.
The Belgian admitted that he initially said he would not move to Saudi Arabia if an offer came in, especially at just 20 years old, but the salary on offer was too high for him to turn down, with reports in Netherlands claiming he went from earning €2,500 per month to €250,000.
WHAT DAMS SAID
"It was the end of January. I was in full talks with PSV, where the plan was actually to extend my contract. One phone call changed everything," he told
"I'm not usually much of a caller, but I was in the car and saw a message from Jorik [Benoit], my agent, come in: 'Matteo, I have to call you, this is really important.' On the phone, he told me about Al-Ahli's interest. At first, I thought it was a joke. It turned out to be serious. I initially assumed it was a summer transfer, but they wanted me right away. So I barely had a week and a half to think about it.
Honestly? I was already convinced after the phone call with Jorik. Obviously, because I knew what I could earn in Saudi Arabia, but also because Al-Ahli really wanted me. I felt that immediately, and I thought that was very important. The coach was completely behind my arrival.
I was just afraid of what people, especially those around me, would say. You know the prejudices: that I'd choose the money, that I'd throw my career away, that the level here is terrible. But in the end, it was me who had to come here to play football, so I had to be completely committed to my decision. So I said yes."
Asked for his reaction after seeing the contract, he said: "I just started laughing. Because those were ridiculously high amounts for a 20-year-old. Not just for a 20-year-old. I never discuss amounts. I understand why people ask the question; I would have been curious too if one of my friends went to Saudi Arabia. But actually, the questions about that aren't that bad. It's rarely, if ever, discussed in the locker room.
Take Riyadh Mahrez, for example. Of course, all his teammates know he earns an incredible amount of money, but it's never discussed."
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WHAT NEXT FOR DAMS AND AL-AHLI?
Dams will be aiming for another successful season with Al-Ahli, chasing more trophies while also hoping his performances secure him a spot in Belgium’s 2026 World Cup squad.
He last played four-day domestic cricket in 2021 and is looking to ensure he balances his build-up with staying fresh
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-20241:38
Cummins explains why he will miss the September tour to England
Australia Test captain Pat Cummins is eyeing a brief return to the Sheffield Shield to tune up for the series against India which starts in late November.Cummins, who recently completed an MLC stint in the USA, has been rested from Australia’s white-ball tour of Scotland and England next month. He will spend the time focusing on strength and conditioning ahead of the home summer with the five Tests against India taking a little over seven weeks which will be followed shortly after by two more games in Sri Lanka.Related
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Those seven Tests will decide whether Australia will have the chance to defend their World Test Championship title at Lord’s next June. They are currently second in the table behind India.Cummins last played Sheffield Shield for New South Wales in February 2021 and has only made nine appearances in his career. There is also an ODI series against Pakistan in early November which could be used as part of the build-up to the Test matches.”Ronnie [coach Andrew McDonald] called me the other day and said we need to talk about this,” Cummins told News Corp. “I prefer to go a little bit fresher but definitely play some cricket going in.”So I’d say it’s either two or three ODIs, plus a Shield [game] or maybe just some Shield, maybe some NSW one-day stuff. I imagine kind of late October/early November will be when I start playing building up for the Tests.”Pat Cummins faces another intense period of Test cricket from late November•AFP/Getty ImagesNew South Wales have a Shield game against Victoria from October 20 then face Queensland from November 1, although the latter overlaps with the start of the ODI series against Pakistan.Cummins previously told ESPNcricinfo that missing the England tour had been long-planned and that the next few months were about ensuring his body was right for the upcoming workload which will also include the Champions Trophy next February in Pakistan.”I’ll have a good six or eight weeks off bowling where I’ll get in the gym every day, do some running, and get some strength back into my body,” he said.Mitchell Starc, who will play the ODI series against England after resting from the T20Is, and Josh Hazlewood, who will feature in the whole tour, could also be available for New South Wales ahead of the international season. Nathan Lyon is expected to play at least two matches before facing India.Most of the batters are expected to be available for the Sheffield Shield in October which features two rounds while those who aren’t part of the ODI side against Pakistan could get another outing. There are also two Australia A four-day matches against India A in Mackay and Melbourne.
Opener remains unbeaten after Ryan Higgins’ 163 looked to have given the hosts control at Lord’s
ECB Reporters Network24-Jun-2024
Luis Reece survived a sketchy start to remain unbeaten on 123•Getty Images
Derbyshire 308 for 4 (Reece 123*, Madsen 49, Higgins 1-39) trail Middlesex 433 (Higgins 163, du Plooy 57, Roland-Jones 52) by 125 runsDerbyshire opener Luis Reece posted a maiden Lord’s hundred to lead his side’s steady response with the bat in their Vitality County Championship game against Middlesex.The 33-year-old left-hander shook off a patchy start, sharing a third-wicket stand of 111 with Wayne Madsen and bringing up his century from 176 balls to reach stumps unbeaten on 123.The visitors closed at 308 for 4, trailing by 125 after Middlesex had totalled 433 in their first innings, with overnight centurion Ryan Higgins last man out for 163.Higgins, whose partnership of 71 with Ethan Bamber set a county record for the last wicket against Derbyshire, has now overtaken Northamptonshire’s Emilio Gay to become Division Two’s leading run-scorer this season.Handily placed on 342 for 7 overnight, Middlesex lost captain Toby Roland-Jones for 52 in the third over, driving to mid-on where opposite number David Lloyd sprang forward to take the catch.With Henry Brookes soon following, trapped leg before by a ball from Zak Chappell that kept low, it looked as though a fourth batting point might elude the home side – but Higgins and Bamber determined otherwise.Bamber looked accomplished at the crease, compiling an unbeaten 21 as he chopped Daryn Dupavillon to the fence and Higgins raised the tempo, lifting Sam Conners for three leg-side sixes.A rare untidy shot by Higgins, top-edging Conners over slip for four, took him beyond 150 and it was Reece who eventually wrapped up the innings as Madsen – narrowly avoiding a collision with Conners – gathered Higgins’ slog-sweep in front of the rope.That left Derbyshire six pre-lunch overs to negotiate and Lloyd started positively, punching Bamber off the back foot for two boundaries before he was caught at point trying to do it a third time.Brooke Guest looked in good touch after the interval, having just driven Roland-Jones to the cover boundary when he was undone by the next ball, which nipped back down the slope to strike middle and off.By contrast, Reece played and missed several times at the start of his innings, surviving close calls when he edged Roland-Jones and Bamber through the slips before eventually settling into his stride.The left-hander formed a solid alliance with Madsen, whose first six scoring shots all flew to the boundary and ushered the 40-year-old beyond the landmark of 14,000 first-class runs in Derbyshire colours.Although leg-spinner Luke Hollman caused Madsen problems, with one inside edge flying just past the stumps, he looked poised to emulate Reece’s half-century until Brookes broke the partnership with a fearsome rising delivery in the first over after tea.Madsen, on 49, attempted to fend the ball off and could only glove it to wicketkeeper Jack Davies – yet his dismissal did little to slow Derbyshire’s scoring rate as Reece and Matt Lamb began to accelerate.Lamb targeted the short boundary in a breezy 30 before Davies, standing up to the stumps, took a sharp catch off Higgins, but the keeper was unable to hold on to another chance soon afterwards when Bamber found Aneurin Donald’s inside edge.Donald, who had yet to get off the mark at that stage, took advantage to progress to 43 not out as Derbyshire pocketed their second batting bonus point prior to stumps.
Newcastle United have made contact with the agents of a teenage talent in France who is also wanted by Liverpool, according to a new report.
Newcastle trying to address defensive issues ahead of the new season
After a season out of European football, the Magpies can now look forward to the 2025/26 campaign knowing they are back in the Champions League. Strengthening in the forward areas seems to be a high priority for Eddie Howe and co. this summer, but addressing their defence will also be on their list of jobs.
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Jamaal Lascelles is out of contract at the end of this month and looks set to leave, while their remaining defensive options are all in their 30s, excluding the seemingly injury-stricken Sven Botman.
Fabian Schar and Dan Burn are both 33, and given the Magpies are going to be dealing with Champions League football now, Howe is going to want more fresh legs, as the games will come thick and fast next season.
Nottingham Forest'sOlaAinain action with Newcastle United's Dan Burn
Newcastle have already been linked with one defender in the past week, as they have joined Aston Villa in the race to sign Amir Murillo from Marseille. The Magpies hope the fact they are in Europe’s biggest competition and Villa are not will help them sign Murillo, who is said to be valued at around £21 million. Meanwhile, last month it was reported that Newcastle had made contact with AC Milan over a move to sign centre-back Malick Thaw.
Newcastle contact agents of teenage defender
The options for a new centre-back don’t stop there for the Magpies, as according to Moroccan outlet Le360 Sport, via Sport Witness, Newcastle have met with Stade Rennais defender Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal over a move to St James’ Park.
The report states that the Magpies and Liverpool are both interested in signing the 19-year-old defender this summer. That despite the fact that Aït Boudlal has yet to play a senior game for Stade Rennais and played just nine times for Amiens while on loan there for the last six months of the season.
The centre-back, who can also play left-back, has already met with Newcastle, but he has an offer on the table, and it’s not from the Magpies. Liverpool are said to have made a concrete offer to sign Aït Boudlal, but it is unclear how much that offer is. The 19-year-old’s options don’t stop in England either, as OGC Nice as well as two teams from La Liga are also keeping a close eye on his situation.
Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal’s 24/25 Ligue 2 stats
Apps
9
Starts
8
Assists
1
Big chances created
1
Interceptions per game
0.7
Tackles per game
1.6
Balls recovered per game
3.6
Clearances per game
7.9
Duels won per game (success)
4.4 (58%)
It’s unclear how much Stade Rennais would want for their defender, but according to Transfermarkt, Aït Boudlal is valued at around £420,000, which is a fee that both Newcastle and Liverpool would have no problem paying. Newcastle may not see Aït Boudlal as a player who will instantly become a regular in their team, but he is someone who could learn on the fringes, with the hope of becoming a top defender in the next couple of years as Howe’s current options decline.
Will Manchester City end this season by hoisting aloft silverware?
On Saturday, the Sky Blues will compete in a third successive FA Cup Final, this time facing Crystal Palace, firm favourites to win the competition for the eighth time.
Ilkay Gundogan with the FA Cup.
However, Erling Haaland was insistent this week that victory at Wembley would not constitute a successful season, simply echoing the message given by manager Pep Guardiola following the semi-final victory over Nottingham Forest.
So, regardless of the result this weekend, a mass-squad overhaul is required at the Etihad this summer, but could the recently dethroned Premier League champions land not one but two top-class midfielders?
Manchester City is targeting a new midfielder
It’s evident that City are hot on the trail of a crop of new central players with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze linked in recent weeks.
Yet, it’s not all about the England internationals as far as Pep and Co are concerned, with a bid now potentially set to be launched for one of the best midfielders in Italy.
Indeed, according to a report by Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City will “submit a formal opening bid” as they attempt to sign midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan.
The 26-year-old joined Milan from AZ Alkmaar for a reported €20m (around £17m) two summers ago, and his impressive performances mean that, according to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, he is now valued at £50m.
Matt Santangelo from That Milan Podcast described the Dutchman as “fantastic”, adding that he’s been “Milan’s best midfielder this season”, while Luca Bianchin of Gazzetta dello Sport believes he is ‘one of the most beautiful players to watch in the world’.
With I Rossoneri down in eighth in Serie A and, following Wednesday night’s Coppa Italia defeat to Bologna, it’s looking very likely that Milan will not qualify for any European competition at all, so they’ll surely be under pressure to sell some key assets, merely adding to the speculation that Reijnders could be on his way to Manchester.
Manchester City's new-look midfield
It’s not just Reijnders because, according to a report by Christian Falk and Phillip Arens of Bild, Manchester City have met with Bayer Leverkusen representatives as they aim to sign Florian Wirtz.
This, though, certainly won’t be an easy deal to get over the line given that, as reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic, Liverpool and Bayern Munich have also ‘made contact’ with Wirtz’s entourage, while TEAMtalk notes that incoming Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso would love to bring him from the BayArena to the Bernabéu too.
Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz
Patrick Scherer from Kölner Stadt Anzeiger claims that Wirtz is valued at around €100m (around £84m), reflective of the fact that, as noted by Michael Cox of the Athletic, he is ‘one of the most sought-after talents in world football’, adding that he is a top-class creator and ‘brilliant at finding space’.
What is clear is that Wirtz is a world-class talent and, whoever does manage to sign him this summer, will be getting their hands on a genuine difference maker.
What Man City's midfield and attack could look like in 2025/26
But how would Wirtz, Reijnders and the soon-to-be-returning from injury Rodri all fit together?
Well, let’s assess their respective statistics to help answer this question.
Appearances
44
52
50
Minutes
3,302
4,411
4,327
Goals
16
15
9
Assists
15
5
15
Shots
118
123
84
Shots on target %
44.9%
41.5%
32.1%
Attempted passes
2,170
1,848
4,588
Pass completion %
80%
87.9%
91.9%
Progressive passes
229
267
495
Attempted take-ons
205
92
78
Tackles
38
32
84
Blocks
38
24
32
Interceptions
21
49
34
Ball recoveries
141
143
287
Touches per 90
64
40
107
As outlined by the table, these three players as a midfield trio would work really well together, complementing each other’s strengths.
Rodri is pretty much exceptional at everything, no wonder Man City have missed him so much this season, with the Spaniard’s 107 touches per 90 and 4,588 attempted passes particularly eye-catching.
Wirtz meantime, is the creator in chief, one of only six players across Europe’s big five leagues to reach double-figures for both goals and assists this season, alongside Mohamed Salah, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, Romelu Lukaku and Gaëtan Perrin.
Meantime, the German’s 205 attempted take-ons is also pretty noteworthy, ranked second in the Bundesliga this season for this metric.
Lastly, we come to Reijnders, who is something of an all-rounder, scoring a very impressive 15 goals across all competitions this season, actually taking the most shots of the trio, while his 49 interceptions stands out too, suggesting he’d been an excellent Rodri partner.
The Dutchman has racked up over 4,400 minutes for Milan during this campaign, sitting out just one of their 53 matches, and this was due to a suspension, and his availability is certainly a valuable asset so, if Man City are able to assemble these three as a midfield trio, they might just become unstoppable once again.
Florian Wirtz now has representatives in Manchester as Guardiola pushes deal
Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing an “outstanding” Premier League defender, and there is now a possibility he could join on a free transfer in 2026, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Spurs eyeing new centre-back
Tottenham have conceded 51 goals in the Premier League this season, and while the poor defensive record can partly be attributed to Ange Postecoglou’s attacking philosophy, the numbers are concerning.
With Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero regularly being linked with moves elsewhere, the need to bring in a new centre-back this summer has been exacerbated, and a number of potential targets have been identified.
AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is one of the options, having held talks over a deal for the Spain international earlier this month, while they have also expressed an interest in Barcelona defender Eric Garcia, who could be sold for just £17m this summer.
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Huijsen is not the only Premier League defender Tottenham admire, however, as they are well-known to have made a £70m bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi in the January transfer window, and there has now been an update on the 24-year-old’s future.
Taking to X, Romano has now stated that Spurs “remain keen” on signing Guehi this summer, having been on their shortlist “for months”, but there could be competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Chelsea.
This summer could be Palace’s last chance to cash-in for a sizeable fee, with the defender’s contract set to expire in 2026, but there is also a possibility he could leave Selhurst Park on a free transfer next year, if a suitable offer is not received.
Having knocked back the Lilywhites’ £70m bid in the winter window, it is clear Palace value their captain very highly, although reports from elsewhere have stated his price tag could now stand at between £50m – £60m.
Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming fixtures
Date
Bodo/Glimt (h)
May 1st
West Ham United (a)
May 4th
Bodo/Glimt (a)
May 8th
Crystal Palace (h)
May 11th
Aston Villa (a)
May 18th
"Outstanding" Guehi could be ideal Romero replacement
Romero has been pushing for a summer exit, with Daniel Levy cancelling talks over a new contract, so it is clear a replacement may be required this summer, and the Palace centre-back has proven he could be up to the task.
The England international was particularly impressive en-route to the Euro 2024 final, with his performances being lauded as “outstanding” by members of the media, while he has also caught the eye in a Palace shirt.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehicelebrates after the match
The former Chelsea man has averaged a 7.07 SofaScore rating in the Premier League this season, ranking him as the third-most consistent performer in the Palace squad, and he has been a key component of the side, making 32 appearances.
Having also been lauded as a “leader” by members of the media, there are clear signs Guehi could be capable of organising Tottenham’s shaky backline, so it is promising news that the north Londoners remain keen on a deal this summer.
Travis Head’s remarkable century in Perth, and his comments that it’s a role he has talked about doing, is posing a tough call for selectors
Andrew McGlashan28-Nov-20252:24
Head innings should not give England an ‘out’
Khawaja – the argument forIf Khawaja was one of the best two opening options before the first Test, then, if he has overcome the back problems, surely he still is a few days later. It was unfortunate timing to get a bad back, but he’s not the first player to suffer that. He got a very good ball from Brydon Carse in the first innings in Perth, which he could only feather to the wicketkeeper.Related
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Could this be a case of being careful what you wish for? There was a clamour to move David Warner aside before he left the Test stage in early 2024, and since then, Australia have been on a merry-go-round of openers. Clearly, Khawaja does not have masses of time left as a Test cricketer, but you need to be sure before jettisoning his experience: 6055 Test runs at an average of 43.56.Since the 2023 Ashes, it has been more of a struggle for Khawaja. He averages 31.84 in this period, but he’s doing the toughest role in Test cricket. While the runs may not have flowed freely – and let’s not erase that 232 against Sri Lanka from his record, otherwise a lot of players’ performances need to be questioned – he has still been able to soak up valuable time in the middle.For example, in the West Indies earlier this year, he faced over 300 balls – and only two batters survived more in the series. If part of the aim of the top order is to take the sting out of the new ball, start to tire England’s bowlers, and lay a base for the likes of Travis Head to flourish, there’s a role Khawaja can still play.Usman Khawaja averages 50.08 in first-class cricket at the Gabba•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesIt wasn’t as though he had come into the series in poor domestic form: his scores for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield were 69, 46, 0 and 87. Another factor to consider is Khawaja has an excellent record at the Gabba, where he averages 50.08 in first-class cricket at his home ground, and, significantly, 50.20 against the pink ball.It’s also one thing playing the way Head did when there’s a final target to focus on, rather than setting up a Test on the first day or in the first innings. There is also no doubt about Head’s destructive and match-winning abilities at No. 5.There is a middle ground to this. Head could move up to open, and Khawaja could slot in at No. 5, the spot where he returned to Test cricket with twin hundreds against England at the SCG in early 2022. There is also the notion of the flexible batting order, where, for example, Khawaja could open in the first innings but perhaps not in the second, depending on the game situation.Khawaja – the argument againstSometimes there is a course of events that makes an irresistible case. You could easily say that happened with Head’s innings in Perth, especially when the man himself said he had been offering to take up the role since Warner’s retirement.While Head’s innings finished in a flurry of shots, some verging on outrageous, it was the early stages that set things up for him, and suggested he has the game to do it for the longer term. Head was on 3 off 14 balls at one stage, before whipping Gus Atkinson through midwicket for the first of his 16 fours; his first really adventurous shot came when he ramped Carse over the slips in the eighth over. He hadn’t just come out swinging from ball one.Travis Head flourished with a century as opener in the Perth Test•Getty ImagesThere are currently more viable candidates for middle-order roles in the Australia Test side than there are for opening. Two of them, Beau Webster and Josh Inglis, are in this squad – one who was very unlucky to lose his place in the first place, and another who has just scored a rapid century against England Lions. You can throw Mitchell Marsh into the mix as well, even before delving deeper into the Sheffield Shield.So moving Head up to the top does not have to be a case of weakening a strength to strengthen a weakness. Arguably, it is creating an opening where there are stronger options to choose from. Khawaja’s form has left the door ajar, too: one century in 45 Test innings, even when it is a double hundred, is a questionable record.The notion of Khawaja moving to the middle order? That could be seen as kicking the can down the road. Only a few weeks ago, Steve Waugh had criticised selection chair George Bailey for not taking the tough decisions.Khawaja himself knows how sliding-door moments can play out. His window to return to the Test side came when Head caught Covid-19 before the SCG Test in the 2021-22 Ashes. On that occasion, Khawaja made such a compelling case that Australia found a way to keep him in the side. Marcus Harris, who opened at the SCG and made 76 on a tough MCG pitch the game before, has not played a Test since.
They also look thin in the spin department, but in Jasprit Bumrah and a power-packed Indian batting core they have a lot going for them
Hemant Brar20-Mar-2024
Where Mumbai Indians finished last season
With eight wins from 14 games, they finished fourth in the league stage. In the Eliminator, they beat Lucknow Super Giants but lost to Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2.
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Suryakumar Yadav might not be fit in time for Mumbai’s first game. He had surgeries for an ankle issue and sports hernia in the last three months and is currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.Related
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Jason Behrendorff has been ruled out of the tournament after breaking his leg in the nets. England left-arm seamer Luke Wood has replaced him. Dilshan Madushanka also had to be replaced by 17-year-old South African fast bowler Kwena Maphaka. Gerald Coetzee has joined the squad, but he is still recovering from a groin injury and is unlikely to be available for the first few games.
What’s new with MI this year?
The captain. Hardik Pandya is back at Mumbai, and as captain, having taken over the role from Rohit Sharma. This is the first time that a current India T20I captain will play under someone else at the IPL. It will also be interesting to see how Rohit fares without the extra responsibility.There are six new overseas players: Coetzee, Maphaka, Wood, Nuwan Thushara, Romario Shepherd and Mohammad Nabi. Thushara, who bowls with a slingy action like Lasith Malinga, recently picked up a five-for, including a hat-trick, in a T20I against Bangladesh. Among uncapped Indians, Shreyas Gopal has been added as a back-up for Piyush Chawla.
The good – Batting and Bumrah
A strong Indian core. Once Suryakumar is available, Mumbai can have an all-Indian top five: Rohit, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar, Hardik and Tilak Varma. With Tim David at No. 6, it is a batting unit that can consistently post, or chase down, totals in excess of 200, as they showed last season. Kishan and Tilak also help with the left-right combination.Hardik said at the pre-season press conference that he is fit to bowl, which lends the side great balance. In Shepherd and Nabi, Mumbai have two more quality allrounders but, as Mark Boucher hinted at, they may field only three overseas players at times.In Jasprit Bumrah, Mumbai have a fast bowler who can bowl across phases. After standout performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the recent Test series against England, he is expected to lead the way once again.Jasprit Bumrah: a world-class bowler that can plug many holes•BCCI
The not-so-good – Injuries and spin stocks
Mumbai will be hoping Suryakumar does not miss too many games, while Kishan has not played top-flight cricket since November. The biggest blow perhaps is Behrendorff’s absence as he was supposed to be the powerplay specialist. Coetzee’s unavailability early on further robs them of flexibility.Mumbai are thin on spin resources as well. Chawla was a point of difference for them last season; his 22 wickets from 16 games were the fourth-highest in the tournament. But his returns in the latest Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy were not as good: four wickets from seven games at an economy of 8.40. At 35, can he lead Mumbai’s spin attack once again?Kumar Kartikeya has age and form on his side but has not been effective in the IPL. Last season, he picked up five wickets from eight games at an economy of 8.73. Shreyas has played just four matches in the last three IPL seasons.
Schedule insights
In the schedule released so far (March 22-April 7), Mumbai are to play four games. The first two away, against Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad, and the next two at home, against Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals. After the third match, they have a break of five days.