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The 68-year-old is trying to return New South Wales to former glories while also looking to produce the next generation of Australia players

Alex Malcolm11-Sep-2025What is driving you to keep going with New South Wales at this stage of your coaching career?You have to be careful not to overstay your welcome. But I’m particularly thrilled being involved with Cricket New South Wales. It’s steeped in history, it’s got high expectations, and I like to operate within that framework. We’ve got an exciting opportunity with an emerging group of players to build a foundation that can stand the test of time like previous decades have delivered.The mind still is going at 100 miles an hour, but the body is slowing down. But I’ve got some wonderful support coaches around and the system itself, behind the Blues team that represents New South Wales in the Shield and other competitions, is first-class. There’s a nice balance of city and country involvement in that process and a vibrant premier club competition. We need to put in place that next six or seven Australian players [like those] that have been sitting in the Australian team for many years now. That’s the challenge. We’re chasing it aggressively.Related

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No one has more coaching experience than you in Australian cricket. You have coached senior teams and young teams. You have a young group in New South Wales now. What are you learning about coaching young players now compared to other times in your career?I think right now it’s probably the toughest environment for young players to be in with the continual drag and adaptation from format to format. During those really solid years I had in Victoria, T20 had just been emerging. So, the players were really consistent and focused on two formats, and were very good at those two formats. Now with the introduction of T20 cricket, it’s played in grade cricket as well, so not only the players at our level are having to adapt with that, but also players in club land are experiencing the challenges of what’s the right tempo to play at and what are my foundational skills with bat, ball, and fielding.It’s the individual challenge for the player to slip in and out of those processes. It is about getting the player to understand how to set themselves up for each of those different formats, how they control their mental skills in the game. That’s probably an area of growth for everyone in the industry, coaches as well, to learn more about how to assist our players in those transition moments from game to game.How did you assess last summer with New South Wales and what are you hoping to get out of the group moving forward for this summer?Largely similar to the first season, progress is being made. We had some real challenges in terms of the depth of our squad and our Australian player representation across the course of the year. That took away some of our next level players in Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, and Tanveer Sangha. For us to be playing off for a grand final spot in the last game of both competitions meant that we’re very, very competitive. I’m really pleased about that. The next step for us is to win those crunch games more often than we did, in particular at the back end of last year.But really pleased with Kurtis Patterson jumping back in as a real presence around our group. We had to deal with Moises Henriques retiring out of the red-ball game basically through the course of the season. But thankfully he’s not lost to us and will participate in our one-day program going forward. I think that’s a great leadership sharing opportunity between he and Jack Edwards, who showed some great signs last year, but it also wore him down across the course of the season, so that balance needs to be struck and found for this season.Liam Hatcher will likely have a greater role to play this season•Getty ImagesYou’ve lost Jackson Bird from the attack. But Jack Nisbet played for Australia A during the off season and you’ve got a group of emerging quicks. What are your hopes with the ball?For us to be playing off in those last two games that I mentioned without Chris Tremain bowling a ball for the season, Hayden Kerr being unavailable for most of the season, and Daniel Hughes not playing at all, I think it was a pretty good effort across the group and we exposed some new players. Jack Nisbet is making steady progress. Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher and Charlie Stobo will form the basis of our attack going forward. And hopefully Chris Tremain is back and able to bowl this season.So it will be a young group and we’ll be putting a lot of attention strategically and technically around them in the lead-up to what remains to be a tough challenge for all teams at the start of this season with the Australian team playing and an Australian A team playing internationally that clashes with a couple of rounds of one-day cricket and Shield matches. There is a great opportunity for young players to be exposed early in the season.You will have some Australian players dipping in and out at the start of the season as they prepare for the Ashes. How do you manage that?It’s never a burden to try and fit those players back into your team because the benefit is not only in what they deliver on the field, but it’s in preparation, it’s in dressing room moments that their experience is shared with our younger players. For example, Pat Cummins against Victoria last year playing in the side, young Charlie Anderson played in that game, and Jack Edwards and our young players, and that is priceless.What do you see as the foundation for these young guys to become international three-format players? What are the core things you are trying to help them with or does it just depend on the individual? Each individual has their own roadmap and their own strengths and weaknesses. We try, with them, to identify them and go to work. For some, it’s a technical issue. For others, it’s making good strategic decisions in the game. For others, from a mental point of view, it’s about blocking out the pressures and playing with an open mind and making good, crisp decisions. So we’re on our toes, and the players are as well, in building their foundation that is likely to work in each of those formats and to understand the moments in the game and having the capacity to adjust your game to play team first cricket.Kurtis Patterson’s comeback was one of the stories of last season•Getty ImagesHow do you feel about the Shield pitches at the moment in terms of producing batters for the next level, and giving them confidence to make big scores, given it’s very difficult for domestic batters to average more than 40 given the way the surfaces are playing?It was strongly reported and happily received by batting groups across the country…that there was a desire to tone down the pitches across the country and find that better balance between bat and ball. I think that worked for two thirds of the season until some places identified that a result is necessary, and the nature of the pitch changes quite aggressively. I think for that to be stamped out would be excellent. But it is a delicate balance between bat and ball, and also strategic decisions in games can influence whether a pitch is rated in one fashion or another.There’s perhaps not a great wider understanding of batting averages and how difficult pitches are in Shield cricket. Do you have a sense of what a realistic good marker for a young batter to achieve across one or two or three Shield seasons to develop into an international player?The highest performers are 50 or above. I think a really solid 40 plus across two or three seasons for a batter and somewhere between 25 and 30 with the ball. If you’re at 20, like Jackson Bird last year, less than that, 34 wickets [at 17.20] – he’s a legend of the competition and he had a terrific season – but that’s what the best produce, and your developing players should be, I think, chasing those numbers but also understanding the process to get there.Your skipper Jack Edwards is coming into that age bracket now where he’s going to be at his very best. What’s the next phase for him?It is for him to sort of recognise how he wants to play and approach the game and in red-ball cricket he’s moved the game forward really strongly. To have him and Ollie Davies, two of the same type together, puts a bit of counterpunch into our armoury. I’m very open-minded about Jack still playing anywhere in the list from one to six in white-ball cricket. I think he’s still got a capacity to find that rhythm, and then as he’s become more mature, to lock in a consistency around that.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has backed Paris Saint-Germain star Vitinha to win the Ballon d'Or, while praising his side's display in a 5-3 Champions League defeat to the French giants. Spurs twice led the defending champions in Paris but Luis Enrique's team stormed back with a stunning second-half display. The Danish manager tipped his hat to the north London team and also the world-class Portuguese.

Tottenham respond after Arsenal drubbing

The anti-Frank rhetoric from some Tottenham fans reached fever point on Sunday as they were thrashed 4-1 by bitter rivals Arsenal in the Premier League. The drubbing was, naturally, difficult to take but the manner of the defeat was particularly galling for some supporters, who were frustrated with Frank's defensive tactics and lack of intent. But they looked like their old selves in the French capital with a performance of grit and character. Ultimately, they shipped five goals and came away with nothing on Wednesday night but Frank saw plenty of positives from the win. He also thinks Vitinha, who scored a hat-trick and came third in this year's Ballon d'Or, is the best midfielder in the world.

AdvertisementAFP'They have one Ballon d'or winner'

He told reporters, via Football London: "I'm pleased with the performance. It was the reaction I wanted from the players, from the team. We've been working very hard on that, the players, the staff, me, to make sure that we responded well and bounced back because that's crucial after a bad performance. Today I saw more identity of the team I want to create, we want to create. Much more character, personality, aggressiveness. Three words you need to have in any team no matter how you want to do, how you want to play, whatever formation, whatever. Today we saw it, that I'm pleased with. 

"Of course, I think it was performance that was up there where we could get something out of the game, a draw or a win. So that's a little frustrating thing that we conceded some goals. Of course, one with a little bit of margin from Vitinha, not top corner but top, top corner. And then, of course, goal three and four. Those are the ones we definitely need to avoid if we want to get something out of here, but something to build on. Strikers scoring two goals. The whole team, I think, all performed well. Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, positive. When we played against a decent team where they have one Ballon d'Or winner and I think the next one is playing in midfield. Vitinha. Wow, what a player."

Frank added to TNT Sports: "Vitinha is the best midfielder in the world. He will be the next Ballon d'Or winner."

Tottenham staying positive

With this defeat, Tottenham have now conceded four or more goals in back-to-back games in all competitions for the first time since May 2003 under Glenn Hoddle. Moreover, Spurs let in five goals away from home in a major European competition for the very first time. Despite that, midfielder Archie Gray had a glass-half-full attitude.

He told TNT Sports: "We played against a top opponent tonight, they are probably the best team in Europe at the moment. There were some good moments we can take into Fulham. We scored some goals, there are things we can work on, but they are a top, top team, and there are moments you will suffer against them. They are the best team in Europe, and they are relentless in every aspect of their game, and they have that individual class. They are a top team, and there are things we can learn from."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Tottenham?

While Tottenham can take some positives out of this match, that belief and optimism will evaporate if they are unable to beat lowly Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday night. Spurs have slipped to ninth in the table but if results go their way, they could climb as high as fourth. On the flip side, if they don't win, they could drop into the bottom half of the table.

West Ham are looking at signing Fulham winger Adama Traoré in the January transfer window, but they’ve now been told to avoid a deal by someone who’s worked with the player.

Nuno Espírito Santo knows Traore very well from their time together at Molineux, and it was at Wolves where the 29-year-old made a serious name for himself.

Traore was near-unplayable in the 2019/2020 season especially, finishing the Premier League campaign as their best performer statistically, all whilst completing a truly incredible five successful dribbles on average per game (WhoScored).

By comparison, the best dribblers in the Premier League right now are far short of that number, with both ex-West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus and Man City’s Jeremy Doku averaging 3.4 and 3.1 take ons per 90 respectively.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Jurgen Klopp famously branded Traore’s speed as being ‘undefendable’ at times, but that being said, the 19/20 campaign was now over half a decade ago.

Since Nuno’s departure from Wolves, Traore hasn’t managed to re-live those heights on a consistent enough basis, even despite flashes of brilliance at Fulham last term. Traore finished 24/25 with two goals and nine assists in all competitions, making 41 appearances in total, but only managed a modest 1.3 successful take-ons per 90 in the Premier League.

Despite the forward’s best days appearing behind him, the obvious link to Nuno has prompted multiple reports that West Ham are keen on a winter move for Traore, who could also be available for a cut-price fee given his contract expires in 2026.

Following these claims, ex-Everton and Aston Villa CEO Keith Wyness has explained exactly why West Ham need to swerve a deal for Traore this January.

West Ham told exactly why they need to swerve Adama Traore deal in January

Speaking to Football Insider, after having sold the player at Villa, Wyness explains that Traore’s lack of end product really doesn’t serve West Ham in the slightest — urging David Sullivan not to do a deal for the ex-Barcelona man out of respect for the fans.

The winger would attract mixed reviews if he did move to the London Stadium in two months, but if anyone can get the best out of him, it is definitely Nuno.

West Ham’s manager is believed to be personally keen on a reunion with Traore, and given how Nuno has finally managed to steady the ship with back-to-back victories, it is imperative that the club show faith by backing him with desired signings mid-season.

As well as Traore, West Ham want a new defender, midfielder and striker, with AC Milan’s Santiago Gimenez and Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney rumoured to be on their agenda.

Hosts face a tricky path to 2027 ODI World Cup while Pakistan will bank on their returning big names to fire

Danyal Rasool07-Aug-2025So, this is the series that might not have happened. The PCB didn’t try too hard to conceal their displeasure at being dragged out to Trinidad to play out a three-match ODI series after T20Is in Florida; an additional few short-form games in the US would have suited them just fine. Their opposite number felt a tour of the West Indies ought to at least include setting foot in the West Indies, and that once Pakistan made it there, they might as well play the 50-over games the two had mutually agreed upon.And West Indies really do think it’s about time people stopped trying to keep them from playing ODI cricket. They missed out on the two most recent ICC tournaments in the format, qualification defeat in 2023 locking them out of both that year’s World Cup and this year’s Champions Trophy. Three games apiece against Ireland and England comprise the sum total of ODIs West Indies have played in 2025, with just one win to show for it.West Indies need to turn that around quickly if they’re to avoid missing a third successive 50-over ICC event. They are ranked 10th, with qualification for 2027 only guaranteed to the top eight teams aside from hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe; with Zimbabwe well outside the top eight, West Indies realistically need to finish within the top nine – one place higher than they are – to secure automatic passage at the cut-off date. A series win against Pakistan, ranked six places above them, would help significantly.Related

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Pakistan may be favourites for this series, but you wouldn’t know it from their recent ODI form. Their win-loss record this year is worse than the hosts, their solitary win sandwiched between seven defeats. It included an ignominious tournament as hosts of the Champions Trophy, where they were knocked out within the first five days, and exited without winning a game at the bottom of their group.Even so, as the rankings reflect, this is probably Pakistan’s best format. In its current state, that’s a bit like the straightest line in a Picasso painting, but it isn’t like Pakistan are producing masterpieces anywhere else. Before they timed their horror run with devastating precision at the most important juncture of the year, Pakistan had come into 2025 on a wave off ODI optimism. Three consecutive away series wins – in Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa – made them look a formidable side with a set template that worked consistently. Saim Ayub was in the form of his life at the top and Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf each were among the top wicket-takers for fast bowlers in 2024.Saim Ayub is back to full fitness and back to the Caribbean, where he has had success in the CPL•Associated PressWhile all of that was to vaporise in the wake of Ayub’s injury in Cape Town, the core of Pakistan’s side remains similar to the that one. And Ayub is now back to full fitness, as well as nearing his best form. The bowling is led by Shaheen and Naseem Shah, while wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan captains the side.Babar Azam, No. 2 in the ICC ODI rankings, also returns. But in the wake of Fakhar Zaman’s injury, it remains to be seen if Pakistan replicate their cack-handed strategy of throwing him up to open the batting in the Champions Trophy, inspired by Aqib Javed and random hope rather than any evidence of its wisdom.West Indies’ squad is not dissimilar to the one that had toured England over the summer, though Shimron Hetmyer continues to be unavailable with a side strain. Brandon King and Evin Lewis have shaken off injuries to form part of the squad.While Trinidad & Tobago, where all three ODIs will be played, has a reputation for turn, information on conditions at the new venue in Tarouba is harder to come by. The Brian Lara Cricket Academy has only hosted one ODI, a game where India beat West Indies in by 200 runs. Barring weather playing spoilsport with Trinidad in the peak of its wet season, the three upcoming games will clarify if West Indies’ decision to go in with just one specialist spinner alongside Roston Chase was judicious.This series may not have a lot going for it commercially. It’s the wrong format, in the wrong time zone, between the wrong sides, in the wrong season. But for West Indies, it could prove the difference between the life support of an ICC World Cup berth or the financial oblivion of missing out once more.For the visitors it is a chance to show themselves as much as anyone else they still have the quality to be world-class at a time when Pakistan cricket is less marketable than it has ever been. If a measure of a series’ value is what’s at stake for it, then perhaps there’s not much wrong about the games that will unfold in Trinidad this week.

ONE MORE MONTH UNTIL PLAYOFF BASEBALL!

There is a ton at stake over the final four weeks of the regular season in MLB, and we’re here at SI Betting to analyze the latest playoff odds in both the American and National Leagues.

There are three division races — the AL East, AL West and NL West — where the first and second place teams are separated by three or fewer games, leaving a lot up in the air in the wild card picture to close the regular season.

In the American League, a seven-game winning streak helped propel the New York Yankees into first in the wild card and just three games back of Toronto in the AL East entering September.

Meanwhile, the National League wild card appears to be pretty settled, as the Cincinnati Reds (the first team out) have fallen four games back of the final wild card spot.

Is there any value in betting on a team to make the playoffs that isn’t currently in the postseason picture? 

Let’s take a look at the latest odds and a few teams that could have some value — whether it’s to make the playoffs or steal the division — as the final month of regular season baseball gets underway. 

American League Playoff OddsDivision LeadersToronto Blue Jays: N/ADetroit Tigers: N/AHouston Astros: -700

It’s interesting to see a division leader with worse odds to make the playoffs than multiple wild card teams, but that’s the case with Houston.

The Astros are just two games up on the Seattle Mariners in the AL West, and they have worse records than the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox this season. If Houston slips in the coming weeks, it could be fighting for its playoff life down the stretch. 

Oddsmakers don’t feel the same about the Blue Jays, even though they’ve seen their lead dwindle in the AL East.  

Wild Card RaceNew York Yankees: -10000Boston Red Sox: -1400Seattle Mariners: -575Texas Rangers: +290Kansas City Royals: +500:Cleveland Guardians: +1100Tampa Bay Rays: +2000

Texas has moved past the Kansas City Royals for the fourth spot in the wild card race, as it has won five games in a row and eight of its last 10. Not only are the Rangers just 2.5 games out of the third wild card, but they are just 4.5 games back in the AL West.

So, there are multiple paths for Texas to take to get into the postseason. At +290, the Rangers could be worth a sprinkle if you’re not sold on Houston or Seattle running away with the division in the final few weeks. 

The one thing working against the Rangers is that they have the fifth-hardest remaining schedule – per Tankathon – in MLB. 

National League Playoff OddsDivision LeadersPhiladelphia Phillies: N/ALos Angeles Dodgers: N/AMilwaukee Brewers: N/A

While the NL West is still up for grabs, oddsmakers believe the the Phillies, Dodgers, Brewers, Cubs and Padres will all make the postseason, as they’ve all seen their playoff odds come off the board.

The Reds – the closest chasing team in the wild card race – are seven games back of San Diego and nine games back of Chicago entering September. 

Wild Card RaceSan Diego Padres: N/AChicago Cubs: N/ANew York Mets: -600Cincinnati Reds: +700San Francisco Giants: +1200Arizona Diamondbacks: +2500St. Louis Cardinals: +3000

While the NL wild card may already be set, there has been a ton of odds movement for the Mets (the No. 3 wild card) and the chasing pack:

Mets: -350 to -600Reds: +310 to +700Giants: +2000 to +1200Diamondbacks: +3000 to +2500

New York has a four-game cushion on the Reds and at least a five-game cushion on every other team in the chase. Barring an epic collapse from a team, the six NL playoff teams appear to be pretty secure entering the final month of the regular season.

Parent company of Major League Cricket takes legal action over termination of commercial agreement

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2025There has been a power struggle at the heart of cricket in the USA for over a month now and it escalated on Tuesday, with American Cricket Enterprises (ACE), the parent company of Major League Cricket (MLC), taking USA Cricket (USAC) to court for “improper termination” of their contract.The two parties had been commercial partners since May 2019 but a few weeks ago USAC ended it saying ACE had failed to “fulfill its contractual and fiduciary obligations”, including payments due to the national team and support staff. ACE disputed this, claiming it had actually offered more than the agreed amount.An ACE press release said on Wednesday: “USAC’s handling of the ACE agreement has been chaotic and reckless. It is emblematic of USAC’s bad faith. A small group of USAC directors have chosen to prioritize politics rather than preparing teams that can build on their recent successes.”These actions have jeopardized ACE’s significant investments into U.S. cricket over the last six years, as well as the continued success of cricket in the U.S.”USAC’s wrongful conduct cannot go unanswered, so today, ACE filed legal proceedings against USAC regarding its improper termination of the ACE agreement.”

“We have commenced legal proceedings against USAC to prevent the irreparable harm caused by its wrongful termination of the ACE agreement and to protect the thriving cricket community that ACE has cultivated in America”Johnny Grave ACE chief executive

This situation has caused unease among the USA players. ACE runs the highest profile cricket tournament in the country – MLC – and the development league associated with it – Minor League Cricket. It also owns the ground that houses the High Performance Centre at Grand Prairie in Dallas, Texas and operates other facilities in Morrisville, Florida and California.At the time of USAC terminating its deal with ACE, on August 21, it said it was open to renegotiations. Seven days later, it even suspended the decision to cut ties. On September 16, however, “USAC then unilaterally reinstated its original termination, effective today, without holding any meaningful discussions directly with ACE”.Johnny Grave ACE chief executive, said, “We’re disappointed with the actions of USA Cricket. For the last six years, ACE has been focused on the athletes, fans, and partners who have helped develop US cricket. We have commenced legal proceedings against USAC to prevent the irreparable harm caused by its wrongful termination of the ACE agreement and to protect the thriving cricket community that ACE has cultivated in America.”This standoff is taking place two months after the successful staging of the 2025 MLC season and less than six months out from the men’s T20 World Cup. USA are due to participate in that tournament in India and Sri Lanka and ACE had planned a training camp for 35 top men’s players with trial matches – three 50-over games and three T20s – in Morrisville against West Indies A.”Is that all still taking place or not? These camps have to take place for the players to get ready for those things,” USA allrounder Corey Anderson said recently. “All of those things are very much in a big question mark at the moment, which again just creates more uncertainty around the players.”

Get ready for the start of the Rothesay County Championship with our Division One preview

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2025.Durham Last season: 5th in Division One
Director of cricket: Marcus North
Head coach: Ryan Campbell
Captain: Alex Lees
Overseas: David Bedingham, Brendan Doggett (April-May)
Ins: Emilio Gay (Northants), Will Rhodes (Warwickshire), Sam Conners (Derbyshire)
Outs: Michael Jones (Lancashire), Jonathan Bushnell, Brandon Glover, Oliver Gibson (all released)Durham were viewed in some quarters as dark horses for the title on their return to Division One. Such predictions took a dent when their first outing, following a washout in the opening round, saw Warwickshire pile up 698 for 3 declared. Scott Boland, the club’s marquee overseas signing, was ruled out after one appearance, while Matt Potts, Ben Raine and Brydon Carse couldn’t get a peep out of the Kookaburra on the way to combined figures of 0 for 334.The team’s character shone through in battling their way to a draw (Potts scoring 149 not out as nightwatcher), and although they never quite managed a sustained run of form, losing as many games as they won, a fifth-place finish showed that Ryan Campbell’s Bazball-adjacent methods were comfortably at home in the top tier.Related

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Their durability was summed up by David Bedingham topping the Division One run-scoring with 1331 at 78.29, and Durham’s batting riches will present a conundrum for Campbell to solve this season, with Emilio Gay and Will Rhodes arriving to provide top-order competition. Scott Borthwick remains available for selection having moved into a player-coach role, while Ben McKinney is one of the most exciting young players around – and then there’s the potential that Ben Stokes, England’s Test captain, will want a game here or there, too, though Campbell is planning to be without.One to watch: The day after Daniel Hogg completed figures of 7 for 66 on first-class debut, the ‘s doyen of cricket coverage, Scyld Berry, tweeted that he would take “150 plus” Test wickets for England “if he stays fit”. Hogg, 20, is early in his journey, with six first-team appearances to his name, but looks to be the latest off the Durham fast-bowler production line. Alan GardnerBet365: 10/1David Bedingham was the leading run-scorer in Division One last year•Getty ImagesEssexLast season: 4th in Division One
Director of cricket: Chris Silverwood
Captain: Tom Westley
Overseas: Simon Harmer
Ins:
Outs: Ben Allison (Worcestershire), Feroze Khushi (released), Aaron Beard (retired)An air of optimism and renewal envelops Chelmsford at the start of what promises to be a hugely significant season. In 2017, Chris Silverwood delivered the club’s first Championship title in a quarter of a century, and now he is back as director of cricket. Just as he built the structure that has sustained their red-ball standards in the intervening eight years, the replenishment of those stocks is right at the top of the to-do list. In particular, a succession plan for their pre-eminent new-ball pairing of Jamie Porter and Sam Cook is a pre-requisite.To that end, the loss of allrounder Shardul Thakur to the IPL is a huge blow. It ought to have been a win-win, with Thakur using his Championship stint to vault himself back into the reckoning for India’s five-Test tour later this summer, but Essex’s loss has already been Lucknow Super Giants’ gain. Finding a replacement overseas quick will be vital, though no easy task in the current franchise market.They’ll be lacking their other overseas pro too, at least in the short term. Dean Elgar is due to return for a second season, having seamlessly filled the role of nuggety left-handed opener that was Alastair Cook’s for so many years, but for the time being he’s on indefinite paternity leave after the recent birth of his twins. Meanwhile Jordan Cox – so luckless this winter with a Test debut on the cards – needs a mountain of runs to force his way back into England’s plans. If his personal hunger translates to the squad as a whole, there’s exciting times ahead.One to watch: Essex’s reputation for homegrown players could be perpetuated if this is the season in which Jamal Richards breaks into the big time. Aged 21, he’s an alumnus of Graham Gooch’s old school in Waltham Forest, and his pace was amply displayed on his first-class debut in 2023, when he wrecked Ireland’s top-order en route to a first-innings five-for. He’s young and raw, but he’ll get his chances, and with Silverwood back in the building, rapid development is on the cards. Andrew MillerBet365: 13/2HampshireLast season: 2nd in Division One
Director of cricket: Giles White
Head coach: Adi Birrell
Captain: Ben Brown
Overseas: Kyle Abbott, Brett Hampton (April-May), Dewald Brevis (May-July)
Ins: Sonny Baker (Somerset), Mark Stoneman (Middlesex)
Outs: James Vince (red-ball retirement), Mohammad Abbas (Nottinghamshire)James Vince’s relocation to Dubai leaves a sizeable hole in the batting for Hampshire, who also released seamer Mohammad Abbas after four seasons yielding 180 wickets at 19.07. Mark Stoneman’s arrival from Middlesex goes some way towards filling the Vince void, while Sonny Baker, from Somerset, joins the pace ranks led again by the formidable Kyle Abbott, in his ninth season with the club.In Abbott and Liam Dawson, Hampshire had the No. 2 and No. 3 wicket-takers in the competition last year, lending plenty of stability despite those big-name departures. Dawson can also provide valuable runs, having contributed 956 in 2024, just 30 runs shy of club leader Vince and with a better average of 59.75.It’s a new era off the field with Hampshire entering the Championship as the first overseas-owned club in English county cricket. If they can improve on their top-three finishes of the past three seasons and go one better than last year, it would be an instant return on the investment of India’s GMR Group.One to watch: Tom Prest has just turned 22 but with three centuries from his 10 appearances last season, he heralded himself as another batter capable of covering for Vince’s absence. The stage is now set for the former England Under-19 captain to grab his own piece of the spotlight. Valkerie BaynesBet365: 10/1Liam Dawson will again be a key cog for Hampshire•Getty ImagesNottinghamshireLast season: 8th in Division One
Director of cricket: Mick Newell
Head coach: Peter Moores
Captain: Haseeb Hameed
Overseas: Kyle Verreynne, Fergus O’Neil (April), Mohammad Abbas (May & September)
Ins: Conor McKerr (Surrey)
Outs: Fateh Singh (Worcestershire), Luke Fletcher (released), Tom Loten, Toby Pettman (both retired)Last year’s dabble with relegation was inexplicable given the talent at Trent Bridge. The squad riches were typified by the fact many were in action over the winter. Even head coach Peter Moores dipped into the franchise circuit. But success closer to home will be scrutinised extra keenly, and it is reasonable to suggest that Moores’ job may depend on it.Red-ball silverware is a stretch, but there is no reason why Nottinghamshire cannot register a high finish. They boast a host of England cricketers, plenty of them in active service, many of whom reside in their bowling stocks.Olly Stone and Josh Tongue (who should finally make his Nottinghamshire debut) are on central contracts, while Dillon Pennington remains in the selectors’ thoughts after a winter with the Lions. The addition of Conor McKerr adds another tall, bouncy quick into the mix.Factor in Brett Hutton’s return to fitness after battling achilles trouble last summer, Lyndon James’ emergence and Mohammad Abbas for a couple of months, there is plenty of wiliness to supplement the speed. And with Haseeb Hameed and Joe Clarke set to build on their consistency with the bat, plus South Africa keeper-batter Kyle Verreynne on hand for the majority of the season – he averaged 248 from three appearances in 2024 – there is little reason why a top-half finish cannot be achieved.One to watch: It is probably cheating to put Farhan Ahmed in this category given he has already been seen. A debut first-class campaign might have only amounted to four games, but with 22 wickets at 23.22 – almost half of them against Surrey when, aged 16, he became the youngest to take 10 wickets in an English first-class match – everyone is on notice. The offspinner’s superstrength is his accuracy, a hell of a trait for someone so young. With left-arm twirler Liam Patterson-White and leggie Calvin Harrison also vying for playing time, his opportunities won’t be plentiful, but he’ll be sure to make them count. Vithushan EhantharajahBet365: 16/1SomersetLast season: 3rd in Division One
Director of cricket: Andy Hurry
Head coach: Jason Kerr
Captain: Lewis Gregory
Overseas: Matt Henry, Migael Pretorius, Riley Meredith
Ins:
Outs: Sonny Baker (Hampshire), Ned Leonard (Glamorgan), George Thomas (Sussex), Roelof van der Merwe (released)Three near-misses across formats in 2024 have Somerset battle-sharp and determined to avoid the late-season fade-out which cost them greatly in the Championship when Hampshire pipped them to second place in the final round, the week after a loss to Lancashire confirmed Surrey as winners.Matt Henry, the New Zealand seamer so pivotal to Somerset’s Vitality Blast success in 2023 and who took 32 wickets from six Championship games that season, is expected to arrive for his second stint at the club between rounds one and two despite missing the home series against Pakistan with shoulder and knee problems.Will Smeed offers a fascinating storyline with the bat after reversing his decision to play only white-ball cricket. A fractured foot suffered during the SA20 may delay plans for his first-class debut slightly, but, when the day does arrive, his explosive style combined with a new-found enthusiasm for the long format could be quite something to watch.With Shoaib Bashir on loan to Glamorgan for the start of the season, veteran Jack Leach spearheads the spin attack and believes a strong start will provide added insurance against any slips later on. “There’s no point in thinking about the last two weeks of the season until you’ve taken care of the first weeks of the season, so we need to get off to a really good start,” he said. “A moment in April could be the moment that allows you to go and win it.”One to watch: Archie Vaughan, the 19-year-old son of former England captain Michael, thrived in his four Championship games last season, averaging 33.71 with the bat and taking 15 wickets at 20.13. That included a match-winning 11-wicket haul against Surrey which kept Somerset’s title hopes alive. Having said he can be his “own man” at a club where “my dad’s not known”, it feels like only a matter of time before another Vaughan is famous in these parts. VBBet365: 13/2Archie Vaughan has already made a name for himself at Taunton•Harry Trump/Getty ImagesSurreyLast season: 1st in Division One
High performance cricket adviser: Alec Stewart
Head coach: Gareth Batty
Captain: Rory Burns
Overseas: Kemar Roach (April), Nathan Smith (May-Sept)
Ins: Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire)
Outs: Conor McKerr (Nottinghamshire), Ben Geddes (Middlesex), Amar Virdi (released)Boring, isn’t it? Not for Surrey, they like it. And they want more.A squad who have lost just five Championship matches across their hat-trick of title-winning campaigns have arguably been strengthened without doing all that much, and with the possibility of losing Dan Worrall to England duty.The Anglicised Aussie has 139 dismissals at 21.17 since moving to the Kia Oval in 2022, and should Rob Key give him a call, he will undoubtedly be a miss. But with Matthew Fisher now down in south London and New Zealand’s punchy bowling allrounder Nathan Smith on deck from May, there is handy cover.Factor in Dan Lawrence losing his England place, Will Jacks on the outside looking in, the desires of Jamie Overton and Sam Curran to push their cases with more red-ball work, and Ben Foakes relieved to no longer be subject to the “will they, won’t they” discourse, there are plenty of personal ambitions to fuel the whole. Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson will play some part in the first six rounds. It will business as usual for openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley.Even with Alec Stewart’s more subdued role this season – not that subdued, by all accounts – the Surrey juggernaut rolls on. Will it be four in a row? Perhaps the better question is who can stop them?One to watch: A tough one to pick given Surrey’s depth – and the fact precocious allrounder Tom Lawes already has two winner’s medals around his neck – but 20-year-old Ollie Sykes is another highly rated batter off the production line. A new-age leftie who crouches low with a high backlift, he debuted across all formats for the club last season, making his first-class bow in the final Championship game at Essex, though he made a two-ball duck in his only knock. He tuned up for this summer by hitting 32 off a James Coles over in a warm-up match down at Sussex. VEBet365: 11/10SussexLast season: 1st in Division Two
Head coach: Paul Farbrace
Captain: John Simpson
Overseas: Daniel Hughes, Jayden Seales (April-May), Nathan McAndrew (June-July), Gurinder Sandhu (June-July), Jaydev Unadkat (Sept)
Ins: George Thomas (Somerset), Nantes Oosthuizen, Troy Henry
Outs: Sussex walked the talk after Paul Farbrace challenged his players to secure a place in the top tier for the first time since 2015, winning eight of their 14 games to claim the Division Two title. John Simpson proved a revelatory appointment in his first crack at captaincy after a 15-year career, leading from the front with five hundreds and 1197 runs at 74.81, while 24-year-old offspinner Jack Carson enjoyed his best summer with 50 wickets at 22.46 (not to mention 458 runs). A balanced squad was lifted by incisive contributions from Sussex’s overseas signings, including Jayden Seales (24 wickets at 24.25), Jaydev Unadkat (22 at 14.40), Cheteshwar Pujara (501 runs at 62.62) and Daniel Hughes (340 at 56.66).The challenge is to replicate such consistency at a higher level. Paul Farbrace has rejected talk of survival and is targeting a top-four finish as a minimum; for that, Sussex will need strong performances from the core of their side, players such as Carson, Tom Haines, Tom Clark, Tom Alsop and James Coles, all of whom have yet to prove themselves in Division One. It could also be a big summer for Ollie Robinson. Last year’s return of 39 wickets at 25.53 was solid without being spectacular, but the bigger stage might galvanise attempts to remind England of his qualities.One to watch: At the end of last summer, Troy Henry was one of two cricketers in the groundbreaking African Caribbean Engagement (ACE) programme to be awarded a professional rookie contract live on Sky Sports. That will fund his first year at Sussex, after the 20-year-old was signed following open trials at the club in January. A left-arm spinner and former ACE captain, he has previously played national counties cricket with Hertfordshire. AGBet365: 16/1Ollie Robinson will lead the Sussex attack on their return to Division One•Getty ImagesWarwickshireLast season: 7th in Division One
Performance director: James Thomas
Head coach: Ian Westwood
Captain: Alex Davies
Overseas: Vishwa Fernando (April), Tom Latham, Beau Webster (May-July), Hasan Ali (May-Sept)
Ins: Ethan Bamber (Middlesex)
Outs: Will Rhodes (Durham), Chris Benjamin (Kent), Liam Norwell, Michael Burgess (both retired)An underwhelming seventh-placed finish wasn’t going to cut it for Warwickshire’s management, who responded with a restructure in which Mark Robinson left his role as head coach after four seasons and the club recruited performance director James Thomas from Manchester City. New first-team coach Ian Westwood, the former Warwickshire opener promoted from his position as Robinson’s assistant, has an early headache with the delayed arrival of New Zealand Test captain Tom Latham due to a broken hand, the club hoping he will be back in action by early May.Wicketkeeper Michael Burgess’s surprise retirement to pursue other career opportunities in London headlined a player exodus from the club. They are also without Will Rhodes, whose third century of the season sealed safety before he left for Durham. Warwickshire only recruited Middlesex seamer Ethan Bamber locally, in addition to Australian allrounder Beau Webster and Sri Lanka quick Vishwa Fernando. With only Vishwa available from their overseas contingent before May, when the returning Hasan Ali will also link up with the side, Warwickshire face a challenging start to a season where any slips could leave them vulnerable.One to watch: Hamza Shaikh, the 18-year-old academy product added three Championship appearances last season to his first-class debut for England Lions against Sri Lanka, where he scored a first-innings 91. An unbeaten 33 in a supporting role to Rhodes as Warwickshire held out for a draw – and top-flight survival – against Worcestershire, was an impressive next step after his performance as leading run-scorer in England Under-19s quadrangular series in India in 2023. VBBet365: 14/1WorcestershireLast season: 6th in Division One
Head coach: Alan Richardson
Captain: Brett D’Oliveira
Overseas: Jacob Duffy (April-June)
Ins: Ben Allison (Essex), Fateh Singh (Nottinghamshire)
Outs: Joe Leach, Josh Cobb (both retired)As press releases go, the one that landed from Worcestershire on March 25 took the biscuit: “Scheduled cricket scheduled to go ahead as scheduled …” was the gist of the message from Ashley Giles, the club’s chief executive, “… unless it doesn’t”.Such are the extraordinary climate-related pressures on Worcestershire these days. Tellingly, the ECB hadn’t scheduled a Championship match at New Road until the fourth round, starting April 25, in a bid to protect the club against the worst of the potential spring floods that have blighted their iconic home in recent years. With studies showing that 19 of the ground’s 30 worst floods since 1899 have occurred in the last 25 years, Worcestershire’s concerns about their long-term viability permeate every facet of the club, and even their share of an anticipated Hundred windfall won’t in itself be sufficient to start planning for a relocation.In the circumstances, therefore, the club’s achievements in the past two seasons have been remarkable. If 2023’s promotion from Division Two was impressive, then last summer’s calm retention of their top-flight status was even more so.It promises to be an even tougher year ahead, however – not least because of the absences in the club’s ranks, most notably their gut-busting captain Joe Leach, who retired last summer after finishing as their joint-leading wicket-taker for the campaign with 27. New Zealand’s Nathan Smith and West Indies’ Jason Holder proved to be model overseas pros too. Much rests on Jacob Duffy to provide similar impact with the ball as his compatriot.One to watch: Kashif Ali has been the breakout star of the renowned SACA program, and the consistency of his 2024 campaign – 1180 runs at 42.61, including twin hundreds against Warwickshire – underpinned their solid season-long showing. The challenge is now to carry that form into a third season, with expectations heightened and ambitions ignited for higher honours. AMBet365: 33/1Jonny Bairstow will hope to lead from the front at Yorkshire•Getty ImagesYorkshire Last season: 2nd in Division Two
Director of cricket: Gavin Hamilton
Head coach: Anthony McGrath
Captain: Jonny Bairstow
Overseas: Ben Sears, Jordan Buckingham (May), Will Sutherland (May-July)
Ins: Jack White (Northamptonshire)
Outs: Matthew Fisher (Surrey), Dom Leech (Northamptonshire), Mickey Edwards (retired)
It says much for the turbulence at Yorkshire in recent seasons that neither captain nor coach from their promotion campaign will return. Ottis Gibson signed off from three challenging years in the job by getting Yorkshire back into Division One before the club moved for one of their own, appointing Anthony McGrath after a success-filled reign at Essex. His brief is a simple one: make Yorkshire contenders once again. With Jonny Bairstow taking over the captaincy from the departed Shan Masood, there will be no shortage of pride in the White Rose this summer.Having started slowly, with five draws and two defeats in the first half of 2024, Yorkshire found their stride to win five of their last seven games – three of them by an innings – and shoulder their way past Middlesex. Adam Lyth, now in his 38th year, finished as the division’s second-leading run-scorer and is a proven performer in the top tier. With Bairstow set to benefit from the presence of Joe Root and Harry Brook for at least some of the Championship’s opening stretch – although Brook will miss the first three rounds – Yorkshire could field an intimidating top six. The bowling, led by Ben Coad, will miss Fisher but has been supplemented by a trio of Antipodean quicks. Spin could prove to be a weakness, however.One to watch: James Wharton has been around Yorkshire’s first-team squad for several seasons but 2024 proved a coming of age. His maiden first-class hundred, 188 against Derbyshire at Chesterfield, helped spark Yorkshire’s charge in the second half of the season. He then hit the runs to secure promotion on the way to a mammoth 285 in the final round. AGBet365: 16/1

Newcastle United just can’t string together a consistent run of results in the Premier League this season.

Three wins have been collected back on home turf at St James’ Park, but Eddie Howe’s up-and-down Magpies remain winless on their travels, with back-to-back defeats in London at the hands of West Ham United and Brentford very much souring the mood on Tyneside.

Howe is under severe pressure to turn the Toon’s fortunes around four years into his position as their boss, with journalist Jordan Cronin labelling the current situation as “unacceptable”, as Newcastle now loiter just two points above the relegation zone.

Journalist Luke Edwards further weighed in by saying there are “huge problems all over the pitch”, with the sad decline of Dan Burn an indictment of this.

How Dan Burn let Newcastle down vs Brentford

While it was a collective effort that saw Newcastle slip to their third away defeat of the season, the 6-foot-7 defender did, ultimately, gift Brentford a platform to win when he was sent off late on, which then handed Igor Thiago a penalty.

When he was still on the pitch, the calamitous number 33 was all over the shop, standing in as a left-back option again as the 33-year-old only completed 20 accurate passes and successfully won just one tackle.

He has been saved, somewhat, by being the hero who gave Newcastle a 1-0 lead in the Champions League against Athletic Club.

But, that was only a temporary respite from his awful form in the Premier League, with Burn also poor at the London Stadium when winning none of his ground duels.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Even when Newcastle were victorious versus Fulham to see out October, the Blyth-born warrior looked way off the pace, with only three of his 11 duels won during the 2-1 win. Thankfully, on that occasion, it didn’t cost his team dear.

But, with two horror shows on the road now in a row, and Burn finding himself suspended, it feels like the perfect opportunity to ditch the 33-year-old for Lewis Hall to come in.

Burn isn’t alone in looking like he’s on borrowed time as a Howe mainstay, however, with another waning first-teamer needing to be replaced if the Toon want to turn around their topsy-turvy campaign.

"Petrified" Newcastle man is also on borrowed time

Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes came out after the 3-1 defeat at Brentford to deliver a rallying cry, stating that “we need to stick together” to navigate the current choppy waters at St James’ Park.

While a sense of togetherness and a strong core have helped Howe to succeed at Newcastle in the past, it’s clear that Burn and his defensive teammate in Nick Pope, aren’t at the required standard anymore, and will soon need to be shelved from his starting XI.

Games played

110

Minutes played

9845 mins

Goals conceded

107

Clean sheets

43

This will be easier said than done for the under-fire Newcastle boss, though, with Pope 110 games down now on Tyneside under the former AFC Bournemouth manager’s reign, with the 33-year-old once even branded as “one of the best shot-stoppers” he has worked alongside.

Still, much like with Burn, the 6-foot-6 ‘keeper might well have overstayed his welcome now as a key part of the first-team jigsaw, having been described as “petrified” last season by journalist Adam Clery, when injuries had frustrated his campaign.

Now, he’s looking unsure and shaky with unconvincing displays in between the sticks, with Pope unable to put his towering frame to good use when Kevin Schade scrambled home his equaliser last time out from a long throw-in.

With the England international also, arguably at fault against West Ham when failing to palm away Lucas Paqueta’s stinging effort, it’s clear that Aaron Ramsdale should be handed more first-team chances shortly, over the declining number 1, with Pope further set to miss matches for the Three Lions in the international break through injury concerns.

If he remains out of action, Ramsdale is the easy choice to replace him, with one Newcastle-based social media account going as far as to state that Pope’s constant errors are “crucifying” Howe and Co. It’s a pity for somebody who has largely been so consistent during the Howe era. Such has been his reliability that it’s not too big a stretch to suggest he’s been one of the best signings of the present day.

That said, Newcastle desperately need to turn results around when the break is over, and the aforementioned duo of Pope and Burn simply have to be discarded to try and kickstart that positive sequence.

As bad as Botman: Howe must drop Newcastle dud who lost the ball 20x v Bees

Newcastle United had another away day to forget in the Premier League when losing 3-1 versus Brentford.

2 ByKelan Sarson Nov 10, 2025

Crystal Palace are now targeting Brendan Rodgers as a long-term replacement for Oliver Glasner, whose contract is set to expire next summer.

Palace fans will still be holding out hope that Glasner will opt to extend his contract, and there was recently a positive update, with Steve Parish confirming that talks over a new deal have already taken place.

The chairman said: “We’ve had some early conversations. “We would love to keep Oliver, we’re building something. I think for Oliver it’s about the conditions being right.”

“It’s about everything being in a way that he enjoys his work and he finds the conditions favourable to achieve. Oliver wants to win things, he makes no secret of that. That’s what he’s in football for.

“So if we can align those interests then hopefully we can make something happen.”

However, having led the Eagles to their first major trophy in history and a remarkable 19-game unbeaten run, it will be no surprise if the Austrian attracts interest from some top clubs, with Manchester United being touted as a potential destination earlier this month.

With Ruben Amorim turning the corner, having won three games on the bounce, United’s interest may have cooled, but there will no doubt be other clubs keen if Glasner continues to overachieve.

Crystal Palace targeting Rodgers as Glasner replacement

As such, according to a report from The Boot Room, Crystal Palace have now started to make contingency plans for life after Glasner, having identified Rodgers as a target for next summer.

Journalist Graeme Bailey reveals Palace are doing their “due diligence” by identifying potential replacements for their manager at the end of the season, and Rodgers is on their “long list” of targets.

Returning to England is regarded as the Northern Irishman’s “number one priority”, having recently resigned from his post as Celtic manager, amid a poor relationship with the club’s hierarchy.

In an ideal world, Glasner will put pen to paper on a new contract before too long, but if the 51-year-old chooses to seek pastures new, the ex-Celtic boss could be a fantastic replacement, having received high praise from former footballer David Meyler in the past.

The 52-year-old has won 13 trophies across his managerial career, two of which came at Leicester City, guiding the Foxes to an FA Cup triumph in the 2020-21 season, before going on to lift the Community Shield months later.

In his last five managerial roles, the Carnlough-born manager has maintained a solid point per match record, guiding Swansea City to Premier League promotion, with his three-year stint at Liverpool his only unsuccessful period.

Club

Matches

Points per match

Swansea City

96

1.55

Liverpool

166

1.77

Celtic

169

2.24

Leicester City

204

1.59

Celtic

123

2.19

As such, should Glasner depart, Rodgers could be an ideal replacement, but there is a good chance a manager of his quality gets snapped up before next summer.

Oliver Glasner threatened to leave Crystal Palace amid Marc Guehi stand-off Glasner handed Crystal Palace exit route after tense deadline day stand off

A concern for the Eagles.

ByTom Cunningham Sep 2, 2025

Like Kanpur, Bengaluru is expected to have a black soil pitch, which will support the spinners over the course of the Test

Ashish Pant14-Oct-2024Three fast bowlers or three spinners? Play Akash Deep over Mohammed Siraj or go for a three-pronged pace attack with both along with Jasprit Bumrah? Pick one of Kuldeep Yadav or Axar Patel or stay with the tried and tested duo of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.India have a problem of plenty and will have a number of things to ponder upon when they finalise their playing XI for the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru starting October 16.In home Tests, at least in the current World Test Championship [WTC] cycle, India have mostly gone with three spinners and two fast bowlers. The two Tests out of seven at home in which they played a third seamer was during the recently-concluded series against Bangladesh where they went with Deep, Siraj and Bumrah in the playing XI both times.Related

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They were faced with a similar situation ahead of the second Bangladesh Test in Kanpur, which was a black soil pitch. There they went with all three pacers in the XI, with Ashwin and Jadeja as the two spinners.In an ideal scenario, India would want to go with three spinners in their unit against New Zealand, especially with the kind of pitch on offer in Bengaluru. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the playing strip for the opening Test against New Zealand is like Kanpur, a black soil pitch. It is understood that the pitch is likely to be a slow turner along with low bounce where shot-making will not be as easy. While it won’t be a rank turner, the surface is likely to support spinners as the Test match goes by.India wouldn’t mind that clearly considering New Zealand possess enough good quality seamers in Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears and Tim Southee, who can use any moisture in the surface to their advantage. In addition, New Zealand’s spin game of late has been rather weak. In 12 innings this year, New Zealand have lost 67 of 104 wickets to spin – their most in five years.Add to that the threat posed by the Indian spinners. Ashwin has the most wickets in this WTC cycle – 53 in ten games at 21.18. Jadeja has 35 in nine, Kuldeep has 19 in four while Axar has five in two Tests. A three-spin attack then you’d think would seem a no-brainer.But the prevailing overcast and damp conditions could play a key role in forcing India to work out whether to pack their bowling unit with three seamers or three spinners.There has been consistent rain in Bengaluru over the last week or so and the forecast for the next few days is of rain and plenty of cloud cover. On Monday – two days before the Test – the pitch was under covers for most of the morning because of a consistent drizzle. Around 1.45pm, when the covers were removed, India captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Gautam Gambhir and Rishabh Pant all had a close look at the surface while also having a lengthy discussion with the pitch curator.The surface looked devoid of much grass, but being under covers and with the overhead conditions expected to be cloudy, there is a chance there could be some early assistance for the fast bowlers come Wednesday.If that is indeed the case, India could well go with Deep, Siraj and Bumrah in the XI. While the Indian spinners have done the bulk of the damage in the WTC cycle, the quicks have not been far behind. Bumrah has 42 wickets in eight Tests in the WTC cycle, 30 of which have come in India at an average of 15.40. The last time Bumrah played a Test in Bengaluru back in 2022, he picked up eight wickets on a turning track.Deep, on the other hand, has played all his three Tests in India and looked excellent while Siraj has 26 wickets in ten WTC Tests in this cycle. Both bowlers also know the M Chinnaswamy surface well having played for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL.If India do end up playing three spinners, there could also be a selection quandary as to which fast bowler to pick – the experienced Siraj or newbie Deep who has looked the part. Even with the spin unit, while Ashwin and Jadeja look set to start, do they play Kuldeep or Axar?Jasprit Bumrah has 42 wickets from eight Tests in the current WTC cycle•BCCI”Look, it [final playing XI] depends on the conditions, depends on the wicket, depends on the opposition as well. And the best part about this dressing room is that we’ve got so many high-quality players in there. We can select any of them and we know they can do the job for us,” Gambhir said when asked about whether the overhead conditions could dictate India’s playing XI.”And that is what is called the depth. We’ll have a look at the wicket tomorrow. Me and Rohit will have a chat and see what is the best combination to do the job at Chinnaswamy Stadium.”There has been only one Test played in Bengaluru in the last five years – a day-night Test in 2022 between India and Sri Lanka which the hosts won inside three days. The news point there was the ICC match referee Javagal Srinath rating that Bengaluru pitch “below average”. Of the 39 wickets in the match, the spinners accounted for 26 of which 16 fell on the first day itself.In a scathing assessment, Srinath, a former India and Karnataka fast bowler and also a former office bearer at the Karnataka State Cricket Association [KSCA], said the pitch “offered a lot of turn on the first day itself and though it improved with every session, in my view, it was not an even contest between bat and ball.”India went with three fast bowlers in the last two Tests that they won against Bangladesh. With rain in the air, and the weather damp and cloudy, they could stick to their guns and go with a similar attack. In any case, with the next two Tests scheduled for Pune and Mumbai, where the pitch is likely to take much more turn, it is likely India will switch back to a three-spin plan. But what would that attack look like?