Celtic are now reportedly plotting a 2026 move to sign a Manchester City ace, who Pep Guardiola called “world-class”.

Celtic targeting Premier League goalkeeper

There’s a lot of work for Wilfried Nancy to do in the transfer window and that work may well include signing a new goalkeeper next summer. As things stand, current No.1 Kasper Schmeichel is set to leave Celtic as a free agent at the end of his contract next summer, handing the Bhoys the task of finding a replacement.

The former Leicester City man has been an excellent servant since replacing Joe Hart in 2024, but looks destined to bow out of Scotland at 39 years old.

Celtic star with 'high ceiling' could be biggest winner of Nancy's arrival

This promising young Celtic talent could be the biggest winner of Wilfried Nancy’s arrival at the club.

By
Dan Emery

6 days ago

Celtic may also have no choice but to target attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window, amid reports that Daizen Maeda could leave the club. The Japan international has plenty of admirers in the Premier League and could yet deal the Bhoys an undeniable blow this winter.

Speaking about the January transfer window and potential additions after arriving, new manager Nancy told reporters: “Each organisation, the idea is to improve.

“I’m going to have to assess the team. I know them as a team because I’ve watched many games. Now it’s about knowing them as a person. After that we’ll see what is the best for the team. I like to take my time. I know that I don’t have a lot of time.

“It’s not a secret I want to play in a certain way. Proactivity, try to put [pressure] on the opposition, try to attack the ball as soon as possible and after that also be disgusting to play against when we defend – because we’re going to have moments when we’ve got to suffer.”

With that said, it could be a busy 2026 for those at Celtic Park and one that includes the arrival of Man City’s Stefan Ortega, according to reports.

Celtic plotting Ortega move

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Celtic are now plotting a move to sign Ortega when his current Man City contract expires next summer. The 33-year-old could come straight in for Schmeichel as the Bhoys turn to English football for yet another shot-stopper.

Whilst Ortega has dropped down the pecking order at the Etihad, Guardiola hasn’t held back from praising the experienced goalkeeper in the past – telling reporters just last year: “Ortega is a world-class goalkeeper. An exceptional, exceptional goalkeeper.”

For Celtic, the move makes perfect sense. Their move for Hart worked out for all involved, so too did their move for Schmeichel. Now, it looks like they’re ready to follow the blueprint by signing Ortega.

After reporting the news, O’Rourke told Football Insider: “Ortega would be a good fit, you would think, especially if he does become a free agent in the summer.

“He’s basically just fallen totally out of favour at Man City, with Gianluigi Donnarumma and James Trafford ahead of him, and Marcus Bettinelli has been travelling with the squad.

“If Celtic are looking a new goalkeeper come the summer when Schmeichel’s contract is up, Ortega could be a really good pick up on a free transfer.

Liverpool agree terms to sign "aggressive" Celtic teenager in first Nancy exit

Wolves manager target Erik ten Hag is open to Molineux talks following an approach, however, there is one ‘snag’ halting a potential move.

Latest Wolves manager rumours

The Old Gold are yet to find Vitor Pereira’s long-term replacement after his sacking at the weekend after the 3-0 Premier League defeat to Fulham.

It was Wolves’ eighth loss in their opening 10 top flight fixtures, with the club still without a league victory and eight points adrift of safety.

It looked as if Gary O’Neil would be the man to return to the Midlands tasked with the job of leading Wolves to safety, however, despite being in advanced talks, he pulled out of the race.

That has left Jeff Shi and Matt Jackson to look elsewhere, with Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas sharing the latest on Wolves’ manager search on Tuesday.

Rob Edwards and Ten Hag have both been heavily linked in the past few days, with contact even made for the latter, who is currently out of work after being sacked by Bayer Leverkusen.

Now, a new update has emerged over Ten Hag’s potential move to Wolves.

One 'snag' that could stop Wolves' move for Ten Hag

According to reports from ESPN, relayed by Sport Witness, Ten Hag is ‘eager to return’ to English football and is ‘open to discussing’ a move to Wolves after an approach.

It is stated that Ten Hag is aware that his time at Man Utd affected his reputation and understands that opportunities in England ‘don’t arise every week’.

However, something that could impact a move and is labelled a ‘snag’ is his age. At 55, Ten Hag is older than the likes of Michael Carrick (44) and Edwards (42), with Wolves looking to hire a younger coach.

Ten Hag, who shares the same SEG agency as Man City boss Pep Guardiola, did win the FA Cup and League Cup at Old Trafford, so his time in Manchester wasn’t a complete disaster considering how others have fared at the Red Devils.

Wins

44

Draws

14

Losses

27

Points per game

1.72

Points

146

The Dutchman’s league form is what he would be judged on at Molineux if he made the move, and should he his match his average of 1.72 points per game in the Premier League, Wolves would end on 50 points.

This is, of course, not guaranteed and the individual quality of player at Molineux compared to Old Trafford is arguably different, but by the looks of things, a move for Ten Hag is still one to watch.

Robbie Keane in talks with Wolves as Steven Gerrard gives clarity on future

One minute before the MLB's trade deadline on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET, insider Jon Heyman tweeted that the Tigers were still "working hard" to lock down a starting pitcher. For a moment, it seemed that maybe Detroit ran out of time.

That was until the news dropped that the Tigers landed starting pitcher Charlie Morton from the Orioles, as reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan. The 41-year-old is in his 18th MLB season and now will play for his eighth MLB team.

The Tigers are dominating the AL Central so far this season with a 64–46 record and nine-game lead over the Guardians in second place. Adding another starting or relieving pitcher was high on the Tigers' to-do list before the deadline.

In 23 games and 17 starts this season for the Orioles, Morton has posted a 5.42 ERA, which is his highest since his rookie season in 2008. He's in somewhat of a slump, but maybe a new environment will create a spark for his pitching game.

Morton has thrown 101.1 innings, throwing 101 strikeouts while giving up 110 hits, 61 earned runs and 16 home runs.

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have entered a high-stakes battle for Anderlecht’s 17-year-old prodigy Nathan De Cat. The Belgian youth international has risen rapidly from academy standout to first-team regular, attracting top clubs with his tactical intelligence and dominant performances. With his contract running until 2027, De Cat has become the centre of a transfer race between the two Bundesliga giants.

Bayern and Dortmund move for Nathan De Cat

Few teenagers in Europe have generated as much momentum as De Cat, and both Bayern and Dortmund see him as a midfielder worth acting early for. According to , both clubs have formally intensified their monitoring, sending scouts to multiple matches this season as the 17-year-old has grown into a permanent starter at Anderlecht. However, they are just two of a number of top teams keeping track of him.

Bayern transfer bosses Max Eberl and Christoph Freund are leading the charge. They admire De Cat’s tactical maturity, his ability to dictate tempo from deep and his imposing frame, a combination they believe could make him a long-term successor to Leon Goretzka or a future anchor in Vincent Kompany’s midfield. Bayern’s interest is not casual; they have already placed him near the top of their long-term recruitment list.

Dortmund, known for identifying elite young talent before their peak, view De Cat with equal urgency. Aware of Bayern’s push, they consider the Belgian a perfect fit for their tradition of developing high-ceiling midfielders who can thrive in a fast, transitional system. Their scouting department has followed De Cat since his Europa League debut at 16, and the club is prepared to compete aggressively for his signature.

Neither club has made a formal bid yet as Anderlecht’s stance remains strong. But both Bayern and Dortmund have moved beyond preliminary monitoring and into serious evaluation, convinced they are chasing one of Europe’s next top midfielders.

AdvertisementAFPFrom Mechelen to Anderlecht: The rise of Nathan De Cat

De Cat’s journey began at KV Mechelen, but Anderlecht quickly spotted his potential and at just 10 years old he entered one of Europe’s most respected academies.

He progressed through the system at exceptional speed. By February 2024, only 15 years old, he made his professional debut for RSCA Futures, becoming one of the youngest players ever to appear in Belgian professional football. Months earlier, in October 2023, he had already signed his first senior contract. And in February 2025, at 16 years and seven months, he stepped onto the pitch in the Europa League, displaying a calmness and maturity that belied his age.

During his time with Anderlecht's youth academy, the Belgian midfielder played 33 games in which he scored three goals and registered four assists. His defensive recovery numbers and positional discipline are unusually advanced for a teenager, underpinning his reputation as a deep-lying playmaker with exceptional tactical instincts.

His breakthrough moment arrived in May 2025, when he scored his first professional goal during the Belgian Pro League Champions’ Playoff against Royal Antwerp.

Now a full member of Anderlecht’s first team, he has already made 14 league appearances this season, adding one goal and one assist to his name. With a U-17 World Cup call-up reinforcing his upward trajectory, De Cat enters the next phase of his development with major opportunities opening around him and Europe’s top clubs watching closely.

How De Cat fits in Bayern and Dortmund squad

The 17-year-old brings a blend of qualities that both Bayern and Dortmund rarely find in one teenager which includes tactical intelligence, composure, physicality, and elite ball circulation. His profile allows him to slot naturally into either system.

At Bayern, Kompany’s philosophy revolves around dominant possession, vertical progression and structured build-up. The coach has already demonstrated his ability to elevate young talents, with Lennart Karl a recent example of a youth player transformed into a reliable contributor under his watch. For De Cat, working under Kompany, a coach proven at guiding young defenders and midfielders, would offer a clear developmental pathway.

At Dortmund, the appeal lies in their high-tempo, vertical, pressing-heavy style. De Cat’s strong ball-winning instincts, sharp passing under pressure and quick decision-making may make him an ideal fit as the tempo-controller behind Dortmund’s attacking midfielders. 

In both environments, De Cat would not just be another academy signing, he would be viewed as a long-term starting midfielder. That is precisely why Bayern and Dortmund have accelerated their pursuit.

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AFPAnderlecht’s season and De Cat’s path to prominence

Anderlecht’s 2025-26 campaign has given De Cat an ideal stage. Sitting third in the Belgian Pro League, with seven wins and four draws, the club are well-placed in the championship playoffs.

To cement his prominence this season, De Cat must continue refining the aspects that define elite midfielders: maintaining high passing accuracy, dictating tempo more consistently, and adding more verticality to his play. Anderlecht want him to evolve into a central figure capable of leading both defensive structure and offensive build-up.

The club’s long-term plan is clear with De Cat viewed as a future cornerstone of Anderlecht’s midfield. They resisted releasing him initially for the U-17 World Cup because of his importance to their domestic campaign which further points to how much responsibility they already place on his shoulders.

England are “hopeful” that Ben Stokes will be fit to bowl them to a series win on Sunday after KL Rahul and Shubman Gill exposed their reliance on his old-ball threat in Manchester. Stokes, the leading wicket-taker in the series, was deemed too “stiff and sore” to bowl during the first 63 overs of India’s second innings at Old Trafford and will be assessed overnight by England’s medical team.Rahul and Gill added an unbroken 174 for the third wicket in 62.1 overs as India recovered from a nightmare start to bat through two full sessions unscathed. Barring one drop at backward point by Liam Dawson off Brydon Carse, England’s seamers struggled to create chances once the ball went soft and missed Stokes’ ability to break the game open.Stokes prepared to face India with a gruelling rehabilitation programme following hamstring surgery in January and has bowled 129 overs in the series so far, his personal record for a Test series. He retired hurt on the third day after suffering cramp in his left leg but returned later in the evening, going on to score his first Test century in more than two years on the fourth day.Related

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“He’s a bit stiff and sore,” Marcus Trescothick, England’s assistant coach, said when asked if Stokes would bowl on Sunday. “He’s had quite a big workload in the last few weeks, and then batting in the first innings, he was getting quite a bit of cramp. We are hoping that with another night’s rest and a bit more physio work overnight, he’ll be back and doing a bit tomorrow.”Stokes was seen clutching his hamstring while chasing a ball in the outfield, but Trescothick played down the concern. “It’s just a build-up,” he said. “It’s just such a heavy workload, from where he’s been to what he’s doing. It’s just trying to monitor it, and obviously the cramp that he was getting yesterday, you have that little bit of worry… We’ll see what he’s like tomorrow.”After managing his workload carefully across the first two-and-a-half Tests, Stokes bowled 19.2 overs on the final day of their win at Lord’s last week and said he spent “four days in bed” recovering. He bowled another 24 overs across the first two days in Manchester, taking 5 for 72, but appears to have struggled to recover from such a high volume of overs.1:25

‘Very few cricketers in history with the ability of Stokes’

Trescothick suggested that England had never planned to bowl Stokes on the fourth afternoon in the belief that his body would benefit from a break, and said that he had gone out to field despite his stiffness to ensure that he is allowed to bowl on the fifth day. “If he was off the field [today], then he wouldn’t be able to come back and bowl tomorrow,” he explained.Stokes will skip the Hundred next month and has not played a white-ball international for nearly two years, meaning that he may not play competitively between the end of the fifth Test at The Oval next week and the start of the Ashes in November.Michael Vaughan, the ex-England captain, said that England’s hopes in Australia would rest on Stokes’ fitness. “We saw today how much he is missed,” he said on the BBC’s . “My fingers are crossed that we don’t have a moment before the Ashes or in that first Test in Perth.”I honestly look at this England side and everything they’re delivering and think, in Australia, they have a great chance if he’s fit. If Ben Stokes is injured […] and can just be the batter, it has a huge impact on the outcome of an Ashes series overseas.”

Leeds United fans have been blessed with some outrageous attackers to cheer on over recent years.

The obvious names that immediately spring to mind here are the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, and Raphinha, but Pablo Hernandez is also deserving of equal levels of adoration from the Elland Road masses for the magic he regularly conjured up during his time in West Yorkshire.

Hernandez would notch up a stunning 36 goals and 39 assists for the Whites in the Championship during Marcelo Bielsa’s heyday at the helm, with the much-loved Leeds boss even going out of his way to laud his Spanish playmaker as a “silent leader” who can “harm the opponent” at a moment’s notice.

Unfortunately, though, the silky attacking midfielder would only go on to collect a measly two assists for the West Yorkshire titans in the Premier League.

Noah Okafor has already matched that same amount of goal contributions for the newly promoted Whites in the here and now, as the electric Swiss international attempts to go down in his new club’s history books as a similarly entertaining spark.

Okafor's promising Leeds start

Much like Hernandez, too, Okafor has already been showered with plenty of lavish praise when pulling on Leeds white.

Leeds-based content creator Oscar Mario has dubbed the ex-AC Milan attacker as a “difference-maker” for Farke’s side, with the two goals that he’s already confidently put away this season, undoubtedly placing him in the same bracket as the captivating Spaniard before him.

With Okafor also constantly looking to bomb forward with pace to carve out an opening – as seen in him ridiculously completing six successful dribbles versus Wolverhampton Wanderers – it’s very clear that he could go on to be a fan favourite in the same ilk as Hernandez, only this time, with the talent to be a success in the top-flight.

Yet, with no assists next to his name as of the time of writing, he hasn’t quite hit the same creative peak as the former Leeds number 19 just yet, with an unexpected creative force elsewhere in Farke’s camp perhaps more in line to be viewed as a Hernandez-type talent, with the star in question boasting league-best numbers in this regard.

The Leeds star showing shades of Hernandez

While Hernandez was known for firing home an audacious strike or two during his five-season stint in England, he is definitely more commonly remembered as an ace who could “change the course of a game” with an “exceptional” assist, as former Leeds player Noel Whelan once put it.

His 2018/19 offering in the second tier for Bielsa’s Whites saw the quick-witted midfielder create a mammoth 16 big chances in total, with Sean Longstaff potentially heading towards the same jaw-dropping numbers in the Premier League for Farke’s men this campaign, if his early scintillating form in the tough division is anything to go by.

Longstaff’s PL numbers for Leeds (25/26)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Longstaff

Games played

9

Goals scored

1

Assists

2

Touches*

46.2

Accurate passes*

27.1 (85%)

Key passes*

2.0

Big chances created

5

Tackles*

3.0

Ball recoveries*

3.0

Total duels won*

5.0

Stats by Sofascore

Indeed, Longstaff has looked a man reborn since leaving boyhood employers Newcastle United behind this summer for a modest £12m, with five big chances already created by Leeds’ new star man, putting him at the very top of the list of the Premier League’s most effective playmakers.

If he can keep this unbelievable run of form going, he could give Hernandez’s Championship peak a run for its money.

The “outstanding” number eight – as Farke has also already lovingly labelled him – further has the necessary bite in his game to be a long-term success at the very pinnacle of English football, with tackles and duels also won aplenty this season, when looking at the table above, away from just offering up an incisive pass.

Ultimately, Farke will just want all of his troops to come together and battle hard to ensure relegation is staved off.

But, with Longstaff in the same conversations as Bruno Fernandes in what he offers going forward, he will hope his unbelievable start in West Yorkshire can be kept up, as he strives to be the driving force that pushes his new side way away from the relegation zone come next May.

Related Farke has found a new Dallas-type player in “unbelievable” Leeds star

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

Vote for the best individual Border-Gavaskar Trophy performance by an Indian in Australia since 2000

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2024Update: This poll has ended. Virat Kohli’s Adelaide 2014 performance goes into the semi-finals. Check the other polls here.ESPNcricinfo LtdVirat Kohli was batting on another level in Perth 2018•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Virat Kohli – 123 in Perth, 2018

India lost by 146 runs, series level 1-1Virat Kohli was already one of India’s greatest batters before 2018. He stepped up to an even more rarefied level that year, scoring 1322 runs at an average of 55.08 over 24 innings, of which 22 were played in South Africa, England and Australia.Conditions in all three tours were hard on batters, but the more challenging they became, the more Kohli seemed to relish them. When he walked in to bat in Perth, everything must have looked familiar. India had lost the toss and conceded a bigger total than they should have, bowling well but not without spells of releasing pressure. Then they lost early wickets.In similar circumstances, Kohli had scored 153 at Centurion and 149 at Edgbaston. Now, from 8 for 2, he proceeded to play an even better innings. This was a proper trampoline of a pitch, and Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins were routinely getting the ball to rear throat-high from just back of a length. Kohli negotiated the vertical threat expertly, though not without suffering blows to his arm and ribs, but the standout feature of his innings was how well he dealt with Australia’s attempts to sucker him with full balls after pushing him back.Almost every time there was an opportunity to drive, he did so pristinely, down the ground or through the covers with a decisive front-foot stride. A 20th century version of this list would have undoubtedly contained Sachin Tendulkar’s 114 in Perth in 1992. Kohli’s innings came at Perth Stadium and not the WACA, and just as the new ground seamlessly carried forward the old one’s legacy of pace and bounce, a new master had carried forward an old master’s legacy.Karthik KrishnaswamyWatch the highlights of these performances on the Star Sports network at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm IST, from November 2 onwards.Virat Kohli was only the second batter to score two centuries on Test captaincy debut•Getty Images

Virat Kohli – 115 & 141 in Adelaide, 2014

India lost by 48 runsIn a career full of milestones, Virat Kohli has a very special place in his heart for these two hundreds. He’s made that plain on every subsequent trip to Adelaide. The runs that he made, the way he made them, getting hit on the head by a Mitchell Johnson bouncer early and brushing off the Australians who came up to him to ask him if he was okay just so he wouldn’t have to break out of that bubble he needs to be in to score those big runs, and the path that he put his team on, saying they will not be going for the draw – all played a big role in helping him decide what kind of cricketer and captain he wanted to be.His 114 in the first innings on captaincy debut kept India in the game after conceding 517, and his 141 in the second gave India hope that as long as Kohli was batting, there was a chance of pulling off an outrageous chase of 364. That performance made Kohli the first visiting batter since 1961 to score two centuries in a Test in Australia, and no once has done it since.By Alagappan Muthu

Arsenal have a brimming pipeline of exciting young talent and could be set to add prodigious Montpellier gem Laciné Megnan-Pavé to their ranks if they can fight off competition for his services.

Fighting on all fronts, the Gunners have began to call on the strength of their squad in recent times, evidenced in the fact that Andre Harriman-Annous starred in their victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek.

Clearly, there is room for developing talent to feature under Mikel Arteta should youngsters impress at underage level. With his side top of the Premier League and seeking to go deep into multiple competitions, domestic matches outwith the top-flight may be the breeding ground to blood more of their academy.

However, chances for Hale End prodigies may dry up amid positive injury updates on Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz. Strength in depth is key for the Gunners, and supporters will be delighted that the Spaniard will soon have added flexibility ahead of the festive fixture list.

Adding context, he added: “I see them work every single day, how desperate they are to be part of the team, the huge boost that is going to be for the squad to have those players available again after such a long time. I’m really happy that I think it’s going to be very soon.”

His happiness may be about to multiply, given Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta already appears to have one eye on the next youngster to enter the conveyor belt of bristiling talent at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal fighting Barcelona for Montpellier sensation Laciné Megnan-Pavé

According to Sport.fr, Arsenal are looking to sign Montpellier youngster Laciné Megnan-Pavé and sporting director Berta will look to beat the might of Barcelona to land the services of the exciting goalscorer.

At just 15 years of age, he is already captain of France’s Under-16 squad and has shown a demonstrable track record of hitting the target after notching 15 goals and 12 assists in 24 games last season.

Now under observation due to his ‘explosive’ profile, murmurs insist that Montpellier will offer him a three-year professional contract once he turns 16, albeit the notion of making your name at an elite club like Arsenal may be difficult to turn down.

Physically, he stands at 6ft 1in and is more than a match for defenders despite still having plenty of years to grow, adding another layer of intrigue as the Gunners look to secure his services.

تحدث أحمد عبد الرؤوف المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، عن مواجهة كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع كايزر تشفيز، في الثالثة عصر غدًا السبت، في الجولة الثانية من عمر مواجهات دور المجموعات لبطولة الكونفدرالية.

وقال عبد الرؤوف خلال المؤتمر الصحفي: “نحن نمثل اسمًا كبيرًا في القارة، وندخل المباراة بهدف واحد وهو العودة بالنقاط الثلاث والبداية الناجحة في البطولة كانت مهمة لنا”.

وأضاف:” نأمل استمرار الانتصارات أمام كايزر تشيفز الذي نعرف جيدًا قيمته وإمكاناته، خصوصًا قبل خوض مباراتي المصري المقبلتين في القاهرة”.

طالع.. خاص | عقوبة ضد المهدي سليمان في الزمالك.. واجتماع منتظر

وأضاف:”غياب لاعبين بحجم عبد الله السعيد ودونجا بلا شك مؤثر، لكن الزمالك يضم عناصر قادرة على تعويض أي نقص، والمجموعة الحالية تمتلك الجودة الكافية لتقديم المطلوب داخل الملعب”.

وأكمل:”مررنا بظروف معقدة بعد السوبر المحلي، وفي لقاء زيسكو لم نستغل الفرص كما يجب واكتفينا بهدف، إلى جانب بعض الأخطاء التي نعمل على تصحيحها، لكن الأهم أننا خرجنا بالفوز”.

وأفاد:”كايزر تشيفز فريق منظم ولديه طريقة لعب واضحة، والجماهير تمثل عنصر قوة حقيقي لهم على ملعبهم، لذلك نتوقع مباراة كبيرة بين فريقين لديهما تاريخ وثقل”.

واستمر:”الحديث عن شكل المنافسة في المجموعة بناءً على نتيجة مباراة واحدة فقط غير منطقي، ما زالت أمامنا مواجهات مهمة، وأركز دائمًا على أن يكون أداء الفريق امتدادًا لتاريخ الزمالك وليس لمستقبلي الشخصي”.

وأتم: “أعلم أن الجماهير قد لا ترضى أحيانًا عن الأداء، لكن الانتصار غدًا سيمنح اللاعبين دفعة قوية لمواصلة المشوار بثبات”.

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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Steven Smith's Test opening stint over with middle-order return for India

Southee searching for his 'snap' as Test place hangs in the balance

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?