da realsbet： Alex Nascimento, zagueiro titular do Santos nas últimas partidas, sofreu uma fratura no tornozelo direito durante o treino desta quinta-feira (7), no Centro de Treinamento Rei Pelé. O jogador passará por procedimento cirúrgico ainda hoje, no Hospital Albert Einstein.
da casino： Por conta disso, defensor será desfalque para a partida contra o Cruzeiro, no próximo dia 14. Não há estimativa para o tempo de recuperação do camisa 31.
+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!
Além dele, o Peixe também não poderá utilizar contra a equipe mineira o meia-atacante Soteldo, que foi expulso nos acréscimos do confronto frente ao América-MG, na última rodada do Brasileirão.
Agora, Alex integra uma lista com outros lesionados do Santos. Os afastados por conta de problemas médicos são: o lateral Felipe Jonatan, o zagueiro Leonardo Zabala, e os volantes Alison e Sandry.
MOMENTO NO SANTOS
Após reintegrar o elenco do Alvinegro Praiano depois de ter sido emprestado na temporada passada para o Famalicão, de Portugal, o jogador não teve muitas experiências em campo. Contudo, depois de começar a ser utilizado pelo ex-comandante Paulo Turra, Alex conquistou ainda mais espaço com o treinador Diego Aguirre.
Nos quatro jogos do atual técnico do Santos, o defensor foi titular em três e jogou as partidas de forma integral. Em uma de suas melhores sequências pelo manto alvinegro, o jogador sofre uma lesão e, agora, passará por acompanhamento do Departamento Médico do clube.
Celtic completed their first signing of the summer transfer window last week when they confirmed the arrival of Kieran Tierney from Arsenal on a free transfer.
The Scotland international will officially link up with his new teammates when his deal with the Premier League giants expires at the end of this month.
Tierney is not going to be the last signing to walk through the doors at Parkhead this summer, though, as the Hoops are reportedly closing in on the signing of Sweden international Benjamin Nygren.
Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph claims that the club are close to agreeing a deal worth around £2m with FC Nordsjaelland to sign the right-sided attacker.
This means that the Scottish Premiership champions are set to dip into the Danish market, having raided England, France, Germany, Scotland, Belgium, and Spain.
One country the club have not done much business in since Brendan Rodgers returned to Parkhead is Japan, which is where they snapped Daizen Maeda up from.
Celtic have hit gold with Daizen Maeda
The Hoops swooped to sign the Japanese forward from J1 League outfit Yokohama F. Marinos in January 2022 on an initial loan deal, which was then made permanent that summer.
Maeda had scored 26 goals in 70 matches for Yokohama F. Marinos before his move to Scotland, but he was unproven in European football and it was a gamble by Ange Postecoglou to bring him to Glasgow.
It is one that has paid off big time for Celtic, though, as the Japan international has developed into a star at Parkhead, and could be sold for big money this summer.
The 27-year-old is coming off the back of his best season in the Premiership for the Scottish giants, having previously offered a decent threat in front of goal in the league in his first two-and-a-half years.
Appearances
16
35
28
34
Goals
6
8
6
16
Conversion rate
18%
21%
13%
28%
Big chances created
5
6
5
10
Assists
5
5
3
10
As you can see in the table above, scored more than twice as many goals and produced twice as many assists as he did in the 2023/24 campaign.
This has led to reported interest from Liverpool, Arsenal, and Leeds United, with a £25m price tag placed on his head, which shows that Celtic have hit the jackpot with Maeda, because he is now an incredibly valuable asset and star performer.
The Scottish giants have not made a signing from Japan since they made Tomoki Iwata’s loan permanent in the summer of 2023, but they are now reportedly eyeing up a new addition from the J1 League.
Celtic eyeing deal for Japanese defender
According to Celtic Way writer Stephen McGowan, Celtic are working on a deal to sign Albirex Niigata centre-back Hayato Inamura in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Hoops are interested in signing the 23-year-old defender to bolster their options at the back, as he provides versatility with his ability to play as a centre-back or as a left-back.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
McGowan’s article adds that Nygren is ‘on the brink’ of signing for the Premiership champions, and that Fulham’s Callum Osmand and Aberdeen’s Ross Doohan are also set to join to bolster Rodgers’ options across the park.
Inamura could be another signing on top of those potential deals, in what Celtic Way journalist Ryan McGinlay described as a “surprise move” for the “versatile stopper”.
If the Hoops can get a transfer for the Japanese centre-back over the line in the coming weeks, then the 23-year-old star could be a Maeda repeat for the club.
Why Inamura could be a Maeda repeat for Celtic
As aforementioned, Celtic hit the jackpot with Maeda as they snapped him up from the J1 League and provided him with a platform to develop into a £25m-rated asset thanks to his performances in recent seasons.
The Hoops could strike gold from the J1 League one again by signing Inamura this summer, because he is an exciting young defensive talent who could come in to improve the manager’s options at the back.
Celtic manager BrendanRodgersbefore the match
Inamura is a left-footed centre-back, who can also play left-back, and this means that he would arrive at Parkhead to compete with Liam Scales and Auston Trusty for a starting berth in the team next to Cameron Carter-Vickers.
His performances in the J1 League during the 2025 campaign so far suggest that he has the potential to come in as an upgrade on Celtic’s two current options in that position.
Appearances
13
26
22
Tackles + interceptions*
1.7
1.9
2.3
Ball recoveries*
5.4
3.9
3.3
Clearances*
5.1
4.8
4.0
Error led to shot/goal
1
1
5
Penalties committed
0
1
0
As you can see in the table above, Inamura could make more defensive interventions per game for the Hoops, with far more clearances and recoveries than the Hoops duo.
He could also be more reliable as a defender. The Japanese titan has only made one error that has led to a shot, goal, or penalty in 25 J1 League games in his career, whilst Trusty, for example, made five such errors in just 22 league outings in the 2024/25 campaign.
Therefore, Inamura could come in as an upgrade on Scales and Trusty in the left-sided centre-back position by offering more quality defensively, and fewer big errors, which also may be why the club are eyeing up a deal to bring him to Glasgow.
If he can translate his J1 League form over to the Premiership, the 23-year-old enforcer could be a regular starter next to Carter-Vickers and establish himself as a star for the Hoops, which would make him a Maeda repeat as another successful signing from the Japanese market.
He's for sale: Celtic feel they can seal bargain deal to sign PL player
Celtic are looking to improve their options in the middle of the park this summer.
After a rollercoaster ride with RCB, the young batsman may have found his niche batting higher up the order at his new franchise
Sruthi Ravindranath in Jaipur27-Mar-2019 (Fear? I’d left it back at the hotel before coming here).”It sounds like something straight from a Bollywood movie, but that was Sarfaraz Khan’s response when asked about an audacious scoop shot he had played during Kings XI Punjab’s season opener against Rajasthan Royals on Monday.In the 20th over of the Kings XI innings, Sarfaraz got the Sawai Mansingh Stadium roaring with an adventurous scoop off a Ben Stokes short ball that sailed over the third-man boundary. Sarfaraz later dropped that Bollywood-esque remark while speaking with team-mate KL Rahul on after Kings XI’s win.The scoop was just one of the highlights of his stroke-filled 46 not out off 29 balls. There was a sweetly-timed textbook sweep and a wristy cover drive off K Gowtham, and, to top it off, one that was powerfully dispatched over midwicket off the last ball of the innings.Amid the highly-anticipated IPL return of Steven Smith, Chris Gayle’s boisterous 47-ball 79, and R Ashwin mankading Jos Buttler later in the day, Sarfaraz had managed to stand out. Sure, he might have had the limelight taken away from him, but for a 21-year-old batsman who had endured a rough couple of years – mainly due to fitness issues – the knock proved to be an opportunity to shine again.”I’ve done a lot of hard work,” Sarfaraz told ESPNcricinfo. “I don’t think a lot about comebacks and things. I’m here to show my game and will try to do my best. If it is destined to be that way then nobody can stop me.”I hadn’t played any cricket because of my knee injury. I had a surgery and I had to take rest so I lost touch. But this year I’ve worked really hard. I’m focusing on fitness but more than that, I’m focusing on batting because of what happened last year.”Sarfaraz had been a surprising choice as one of three players retained by Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the 2018 IPL auction. The other two were Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. While Sarfaraz made an impact in his debut season in 2015, that was followed by a dismal campaign in 2016, when he was benched for most parts of the season because of his lack of fitness. In 2017, he missed the entire tournament with injury. So the retention did raise a few eyebrows.In six innings last year, Sarfaraz made just 51 runs, and his strike rate of 124.39 wasn’t very rapid either. In addition, he had fitness woes to deal with. He was eventually released by Royal Challengers ahead of the 2019 auction before finding a second home in Kings XI, who picked him up for just INR 25 lakhs – a fraction of what he had been paid (INR 1.75 crore) when retained by Royal Challengers in 2018.Amid all of this, he had troubles with his domestic side as well. Having switched from Mumbai to Uttar Pradesh in 2015 upon his father’s insistence, Sarfaraz endured an average run of form and was eventually dropped from the side on fitness grounds. After much contemplation, he returned to Mumbai last year, where he was asked to serve the mandatory one-year cooling off period.”I know it was my dad’s decision to shift me from Mumbai to UP… but there I did not get many chances as I expected because of injury issues while I was there. They thought that I was not fully fit so I was dropped from the one-day side. From then it was my decision to go back to Mumbai and play there.”When I returned to Mumbai after being in UP for two years, I had a cooling off period because of which I missed out on top-level cricket,” he said. “But even then I worked hard on my game. I played in the DY Patil tournament and in the Goa Corporate League, a lot of IPL players play there usually. It’s not like if you don’t play domestic cricket, you completely lose out on quality game time.”While the big stars usually manned Royal Challengers’ top order, Sarfaraz mostly batted at No. 5 or lower, bearing the mantle of being the finisher or providing a late flourish. At his new franchise, he is already impressed with the communication within the team and is hopeful he will get to play a new role – mainly to bat higher up the order, like he did against Royals.”I’m very happy here in KXIP. The thing about playing here is the players communicate well. They say ‘this is your problem, this is where you can improve.’ Ashwin also talks a lot and says a lot of positive stuff.”I’m playing to expand my roles. I never used to get to play in the top order for RCB. I only batted at 5 or 6. But this year, I feel if I get to bat at the top, I’ll do well.”The presence of his former Royal Challengers team-mates in the likes of KL Rahul, Gayle, and Mandeep Singh, among others, has further helped Sarfaraz settle down in the new environment.”It feels like I’m 19 again. Feels like I’m still in my old team that we are together. Off the field, we enjoy as well.”
علق حسن ناظر لاعب منتخب المغرب الأسبق، على فرص بلاده ومنتخب مصر في النسخة المقبلة من بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا، والمقرر انطلاقها في ديسمبر من العام الجاري.
وقال حسن ناظر في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة أون سبورت: “كأس أمم إفريقيا القادمة ستكون مميزة جدًا من جميع الجوانب، فالملاعب مجهزة على أعلى مستوى، وكل منتخب سيكون لديه ملعب خاص للتدريبات، وهي ميزة لم تكن متوفرة من قبل، المغرب يمتلك كل المقومات لتنظيم مثالي يليق باسم القارة”.
طالع | منتخب مصر في اختبار سهل أمام جيبوتي لحسم بطاقة التأهل إلى كأس العالم 2026
وأضاف: “منتخب المغرب عليه ضغط كبير لأنه يلعب على أرضه وأمام جماهيره، والجميع يريد أن يرى الكأس تبقى هنا في المغرب، خاصة بعد المستوى المميز الذي وصل إليه المنتخب خلال السنوات الأخيرة”.
وواصل: “عندما نتحدث عن تاريخ كأس الأمم الإفريقية، لا يمكن ألا نذكر منتخب مصر، فهو صاحب الرقم القياسي في عدد الألقاب بسبع بطولات، ودائمًا من أبرز المرشحين للفوز، حتى إن لم تكن بدايته قوية في البطولة، إلا أنه غالبًا ما يصل إلى المربع الذهبي أو النهائي، وأحيانًا يخطف اللقب”.
وأتم: “من المنطقي أن يكون منتخب المغرب المرشح الأول بحكم عاملي الأرض والجمهور، لكن منتخب مصر يبقى منافسًا قويًا لا يمكن تجاهله، الضغط موجود على المغرب، لكن لدينا الإمكانيات والطموح لتحقيق اللقب هذه المرة”.
Frontline spinner Abrar Ahmed has been released to play for the Shaheens
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-2024Pakistan will take on Bangladesh in the first Test in Rawalpindi next week without a specialist spinner, after Abrar Ahmed was released from the Test squad to join the Shaheens squad.It means Pakistan will field an all-pace attack, with the return of Naseem Shah to the Test side after a year out bolstering an attack that also includes Shaheen Shah Afridi.Khurram Shehzad and Mir Hamza, who both impressed at times during Pakistan’s last Test assignment in Australia, and Mohammad Ali are the other fast bowlers in the squad. Aamer Jamal, though, is unlikely to be available for the first Test. Jamal was the standout performer in Australia, taking 18 wickets and scoring valuable runs. But he’s been suffering from a lower back complaint since earlier this summer, one which affected and ultimately curtailed his county stint with Warwickshire.Abrar, who missed the Australia Tests with an injury, has been released alongside Kamran Ghulam, in the interests of both playing cricket rather than sitting on the bench. Ghulam will captain the Shaheens side against Bangladesh A in a four-day game, which begins in Islamabad on August 20, one day before the Test series.Related
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Abrar’s absence means Pakistan will be without a frontline spinner for only the second time in a home Test – including their UAE Tests – since September 1995 (though they did play a couple of Tests in the early 2000s with Shahid Afridi as their sole spinner). The only other time they played an all-pace attack was also at Rawalpindi, in December 2019, in what was their first Test in Pakistan in 10 years. That was part of a strategic shift under the new leadership of Azhar Ali, who, with Yasir Shah’s form dipping drastically, wanted to rely more on pace. It didn’t last long as Yasir returned and, in subsequent seasons, pitches were prepared to assist spin.Abrar Ahmed will play for Pakistan Shaheens against Bangladesh A next week•Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
The move to release Abrar doesn’t mark a broader change in philosophy as much as it acknowledges what Pakistan hope the surface in Rawalpindi will be – one with pace and bounce. If so, that will be a significant change from recent Test surfaces at the venue: lifeless and full of runs.It is also a nod towards the relative lack of resources in Pakistan’s spin cupboard, with neither Sajid Khan nor Noman Ali really having nailed down a spot in the Test side over the last few seasons. The first Test will be the fourth instance of Pakistan not picking a spinner in their playing XI in their last 32 Tests. By contrast, only twice in 201 Tests before that did they not play a specialist spinner.It will leave Salman Ali Agha to shoulder the spin load for this Test, though increasingly that is a responsibility he has looked well-equipped for. In his last six Tests, since the start of 2023, he has bowled on average 12 overs per innings, including twice bowling 20 or more overs in Australia. He’s also made a habit of picking up useful wickets in that time, something that has not gone unnoticed.Asked on the last week whether Pakistan were short of spinning options, Test coach Jason Gillespie said: “You can look into whatever you want. But to start, I think we’ve got two special spinners. Salman Ali Agha is good enough to be classified as a specialist spinner. From what I’ve seen, he has a lot of potential with his offspin. Abrar (Ahmed), obviously, is a fine young bowler in the early stages of his career.”So, I think we’ve covered a lot of bases. We have a lot of seam-bowling options and spin-bowling options. Our batting is varied as well. I believe we have all bases covered, and it’s a very exciting time for the Pakistan Test side.”Both Abrar and Ghulam will rejoin the Test squad after the conclusion of the Shaheens four-day game and will be available for selection for the second Test in Karachi.
Yorkshire were 100 for 2 chasing 167 before losing seven wickets for 42
ECB Reporters Network16-Jun-2024
Rishi Patel’s 64 proved crucial as no other batter in the match passed 40•Getty Images
Lewis Goldsworthy and Scott Currie equally shared six wickets to inspire a brilliant Leicestershire fightback against Yorkshire as they successfully defended a 167 target at Headingley to secure their fourth win from seven in this season’s Vitality Blast.The Foxes were bowled out for 166 in 19.5 overs. They looked under par on a good pitch – not a road, but true enough having elected to bat. Opener Rishi Patel top-scored with 64 off 47 balls.Yorkshire’s star-studded batting line-up then cruised to 100 for 2 in the 13th over of their chase, but Joe Root and Shan Masood both fell amidst a damaging collapse to 124 for 6 in the 17th. In the end, they finished on 146 for 9, losing by 20 runs.Left-arm spinner Goldsworthy, on loan from Somerset, had England’s Root caught at long-on on the way to 3 for 20 from three overs, while pacer Currie returned 3 for 19 from four. The Foxes jump into the North Group’s top four as a result.Yorkshire have now lost three, won three at the start of their campaign.An eventful six-over powerplay saw Leicestershire reach 60 for 3. Patel and opening partner Harry Swindells hit a six apiece, but the Foxes were pegged back as Vikings loanee fast bowler Conor McKerr had a hand in two of the three early wickets.He had Swindells caught at mid-off for 22 and helped to run out Rehan Ahmed at the striker’s end as the England man attempted a third run to deep backward point. McKerr was the fielder.From there, the Foxes lost wickets at inopportune times, with spinners Jafer Chohan and Dan Moriarty striking twice, a haul matched by seamer Matthew Revis.Patel reached his fifty off 31 balls, but the loss of wickets meant he couldn’t press the accelerator as not long after the Foxes were 100 for 5 after 11 overs.Patel fell caught at cover trying to reverse sweep against Moriarty’s left-arm spin – 146 for 7 in the 18th over – before former Viking Ben Mike hit a couple of sixes in a 28 which proved crucial in the final reckoning even if it didn’t feel like it would be at the time.In reply, Adam Lyth and Dawid Malan were by no means slow, but the openers were more controlled than Leicestershire had been early on, sharing 45 inside six overs.Both men caressed sixes over cover off Louis Kimber’s part-time off-spin as 13 came off the opening over before falling for 21 and 32 respectively as Yorkshire fell to 65 for 2 in the ninth. Lyth was bowled by Currie and Malan, who top-scored, caught at long-off against Goldsworthy.And those wickets were the early shoots of a successful Foxes fightback which was very similar to the one which saw them defend 141 to beat Durham at the Riverside last Wednesday.Root and Masood hit early sixes but fell in quick succession, leaving the Vikings 104 for four in the 14th. Root found long-on off Goldsworthy for 30 and Masood skewed Currie to backward point for 14.Wickets then tumbled at a decisive rate, quietening an expectant home crowd of 5,307.Goldsworthy had Jordan Thompson well caught at deep midwicket before Currie had last hope Donovan Ferreira caught behind for 22 – 136 for 8 with 11 balls left.Josh Hull comfortably defended 25 off the last over, removing Chohan on the way.
West Ham United are now ready to make an approach to sign a “very skilful” midfielder, who Graham Potter is a big fan of, according to a report.
Potter keen to strengthen in several areas
Potter is clearly keen to put his own stamp on his West Ham squad this summer, having set his sights on bringing in additions in several key areas, with signing a new goalkeeper now emerging as a possibility.
The Hammers have now joined the race to sign Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens, whose impressive performances this season have attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Manchester City.
A new striker is also of interest to the Irons boss, with Lille’s Jonathan David one of the most high-profile names on the shortlist, while a deal for AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham has been explored.
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In terms of potential midfield additions, Sunderland’s Chris Rigg is high on the shortlist, with Potter’s side eyeing a £10m move for the 17-year-old, while they have also been in talks over a deal for Lille’s Angel Gomes for quite some time.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, West Ham have already made an approach to sign Gomes, which was knocked back, but they are now ready to make a second attempt to lure the midfielder to the London Stadium.
England'sAngelGomesin action
The Hammers are undeterred by the initial approach being rejected, and remain interested in the 24-year-old, who is set to be available on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.
Potter is keen to bring in a midfielder capable of playing the number 8 and number 6 roles, and the England international could be an ideal option.
"Very skilful" Gomes could be the perfect addition
Not only can the maestro operate as a number 6 or 8, but former England caretaker manager Lee Carsley has praised him for his ability to play further forward, while lauding him as “very skilful”.
The Lille star’s ability to control games is also demonstrated by his passing ability, ranking in the 97th percentile for passes completed per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.
Potter is known to be a big fan of Gomes, so it is promising news that West Ham could still get a deal done this summer, despite previous reports they had pulled out of the race for his signature.
Manchester United have taken the first step toward exploring a move for Inter Milan’s Davide Frattesi, reaching out to the Serie A giants to gather information regarding a potential summer transfer, as revealed by Caught Offside. His future at the San Siro appears uncertain, with several European clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, and Atletico Madrid, also monitoring the situation closely.
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United looking to add steel in midfieldHave zeroed in on Inter star FrattesiMight have to shell out €35m for the playerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The midfielder, who joined Inter permanently last year, has yet to express a firm desire to leave Milan. However, sources suggest that Inter are open to parting ways with the Italian international should the right offer come in.
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Inter have revised their valuation of Frattesi, reducing their asking price from €50 million (£43m/$59m) to approximately €35 million (£30m/$41m). This shift has reignited interest from several Premier League clubs, with United and Spurs now reportedly leading the chase.
DID YOU KNOW?
Frattesi is among the midfielders being evaluated, as United consider him a potential improvement over underwhelming recent performers like Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte. The club’s recruitment team is also keeping tabs on Joao Palhinha and Crystal Palace’s rising star Adam Wharton, both of whom have been linked with summer moves to Old Trafford.
AFPWHAT NEXT?
With his value now more affordable and several top clubs circling, Frattesi faces a pivotal decision in the weeks ahead. With Tottenham also circling and Atletico stepping up their own interest, United may need to move swiftly if they are to win the race for the 25-year-old Italian’s signature.
Following news that Kevin de Bruyne is set to leave Manchester City at the end of the season, reports have indicated that another player could yet be on his way out of the Etihad.
De Bruyne confirms Man City departure
After 10 incredible years full of every achievement imaginable, De Bruyne took to social media to confirm that he is, indeed, set to move on from Manchester City this summer. One of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history, the Belgian will bow out as a free agent when his current deal comes to an end in the coming months.
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Saying his goodbyes, De Bruyne released a statement which read: “Seeing this, you probably realise where this is heading. So I’ll get straight to it and let you all know that these will be my final months as a Manchester City player.
“Nothing about this is easy to write, but as football players, we all know this day eventually comes. That day is here – and you deserve to hear it from me first. Football led me to all of you – and to this city. Chasing my dream, not knowing this period would change my life. This City. This club. These people… gave me EVERYTHING. I had no choice but to give EVERYTHING back! And guess what – we won everything.
“Whether we like it or not, it’s time to say goodbye. Suri, Rome, Mason, Michele, and I are beyond grateful for what this place has meant to our family. “Manchester” will forever be on our kids’ passports – and more importantly, in each of our hearts. This will always be our HOME. We cannot thank the city, club, staff, teammates, friends, and family enough for this 10-year ride.
“Every story comes to an end, but this has definitely been the best chapter. Let’s enjoy these last moments together! Much love, KDB.”
Ortega could follow De Bruyne out Man City exit door
Whilst De Bruyne’s exit is bound to be emotional, he’s unlikely to be the only one saying goodbye. According to reports in Germany as relayed by Sports Witness, Bayer Leverkusen have now made contact to sign Stefan Ortega, who will be allowed to leave Manchester City for around €8m (£7m) this summer.
The second-choice goalkeeper will go under the radar compared to the legendary De Bruyne if he leaves this summer, but that doesn’t mean he has been without his own moments to remember at the club.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola consolesStefanOrtega
Pep Guardiola has been among those at the Etihad to praise the 32-year-old, telling reporters after Manchester City defeated Tottenham Hotspur last season: “He make incredible, incredible saves many, many times.”
With the exit door seemingly swinging open nonetheless, Ortega could yet be on his way to Bayer Leverkusen this summer.
Hardik Pandya’s calculated aggression against Australia on Sunday proved his adaptability and maturity. In the long run, it could give an already formidable India an extra bowler without compromising on the batting
Arun Venugopal in Chennai18-Sep-20172:43
Gambhir: A long way to go before comparing Pandya and Stokes
The crowd at the MA Chidambaram Stadium had finally sputtered to life. Forty-eight legal deliveries had not yielded a single boundary, making voice-boxes somewhat redundant. But Hardik Pandya was up to something, smashing a second successive six off Adam Zampa to bring up his half-century in the 37th over. The fans instinctively lapsed into the chant they are most familiar with: “Dhoni…Dhoni…Dhoni.”The man they were invoking, however, was at the non-striker’s end, and walked up towards Pandya. MS Dhoni is Pandya’s first international captain, senior statesman, and the original badass finisher – a role Pandya is currently auditioning for. And when Dhoni speaks, you listen. Typically, Dhoni’s (advice) appeared to the point, accompanied with minimal animation.Whatever Pandya may have gleaned from the conversation seemed to have little bearing on the next ball. He got his front leg out of the way and swatted one wide of long-on. That shot helped him record a unique achievement: it was the fourth time this year that he had hit three consecutive sixes in international cricket. He had done it twice against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy and against Sri Lanka in a Test in July.The manner in which Pandya struck those sixes – creating a strong base and not losing shape – was breathtaking to watch. But it was the grunt work that he did on either side of the glamour shots that ultimately stood out. A calculated method that married mad rush.
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Natural gameDuring India A’s tour of Australia last year, Pandya broke free from the clutches of a cliché that has had plenty of airtime in cricketing discourses over the years. He learned something that changed the way he approached batting. That Pandya did it on a tour he wasn’t originally meant to be a part of – he was picked after an injury to Tamil Nadu allrounder Vijay Shankar – only made it more fascinating. A poor IPL – he averaged 6.28 with the bat and took only three wickets – resulted in his exclusion from the India side for the Zimbabwe tour. The high-profile A tour was a chance to make himself relevant again.Heading into the second unofficial Test in Brisbane – the last game of the tour – Pandya had produced an average performance with the ball. He hadn’t made too many runs either, but knew a crucial performance in the final game wouldn’t go unnoticed.Meanwhile, Rahul Dravid, the India A coach, had debunked the “natural game” theory in his conversations with the team, making it clear that players can’t hold up natural game as an excuse for rash cricket. The message was simple: play according to the situation and the needs of the team. Pandya could probably identify with it given his struggles adapting to a different role at Mumbai Indians, where he was slotted in at No. 3 in the 2016 season.In Brisbane, when Pandya walked out to bat with the score at 46 for 6 in the first innings, he decided to put the lessons into practice. The pink ball was swerving around, but Pandya gritted out the first day and returned the next day to finish with 79 off 116 balls and steer the team to a respectable, even if ultimately inadequate, 169.Associated PressThe game ended in a draw. It was, however, a long-term victory for Pandya even if he hadn’t recognised it then. With Dravid’s mentorship to tap into, the crinkles in his regimen were smoothed over. There was greater emphasis on fitness, eating right and sleeping on time, which is now an indispensable part of his routine. His flamboyant
“West Indian-from-Baroda” persona mellowed down, too, without the loss of competitive zing.
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This was quickly turning into a forgettable Sunday for the Chepauk faithful, who had turned up in thousands. The dismissal of a set Kedhar Jadhav left India half their side down for 87, with nearly 30 overs remaining after opting to bat on a tricky surface. In came Pandya at No. 7, but you couldn’t tell which Pandya was walking out. Was it the late-game slugger from Birmingham or the lone ranger from The Oval. Regardless of how long he lasted, his modus operandi, you felt, was going to be slam-bang. Pandya, however, activated a slightly different mode: controlled explosion.One of his early acts was more restraint and less offence. Marcus Stoinis bowled a bouncer and Pandya shaped up for a cute ramp but bailed out in the end. Not for the last time, substance had trumped style. From there on, there were backfoot punches, nurdles, clips and dinks, and in general, percentage cricket. His strike-rate, though, consistently hovered around the 80s and 90s. There were barely any twitchy fingers waiting to pull the trigger. The Delhi game against New Zealand last year, where Pandya came close but couldn’t go the distance, must have served as a timely reminder.Dhoni’s presence at the other end must have helped, too. He knows how the long game is played and imparted some crucial on-the-job training to Pandya. Lesson one: don’t overreach. By Pandya’s own admission, they would have been happy with a total of 230. Together, the pair lay in prowl for a bowler who could provide them with the release they sought.Once Pandya identified Zampa as the target, he went after him the way Dhoni often did in his prime. India blasted 50 runs between overs 36 and 40, Pandya going from 35 to 77 and Dhoni quietly trudging from 28 to 35. When Pandya eventually fell to Zampa, he was out trying to do what he did all innings: pick a target and tear him down. By that time, he had added 118 runs with Dhoni, and finished with 83 off 66 balls, including five fours and five sixes. To rub it in, Pandya claimed two wickets, including that of Smith, and fractured Australia’s pursuit.The victory will be sweet for Virat Kohli. More important, though, is the larger implication of Pandya’s all-round punch. In the past, Kohli has backed Pandya to play the role Ben Stokes does for England. Now, there is more evidence that he can live up to the billing. Not only could Pandya take over the finisher’s mantle from Dhoni at No. 6, he could also give India the luxury of playing five bowlers, a strategy Kohli has aggressively pursued in Tests. As Pandya matures, Kohli can afford to go the way other top teams have and ensure India don’t go one bowler light without compromising on the batting core. With less than two years to go for the World Cup, Pandya’s rise has given an already formidable India side much-needed all-round ballast.