West Ham chiefs are looking to back new manager Nuno Espírito Santo with key additions in January as they attempt to stave off the looming threat of relegation.

The Hammers were gifted a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dismal start to the Premier League season just before this international break, winning back-to-back home games for the first time since October last year against Newcastle and Burnley.

While the two wins provide plenty of encouragement for Nuno after inheriting a squad bereft of confidence and form, reports suggest that the east Londoners will look to January for much-needed reinforcements to bolster their head coach’s squad.

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

According to Sky Sports, Nuno has been told that funds will be available for West Ham to spend when the window reopens, and it is believed they’d ideally like a new defender, midfielder and forward.

With Niclas Fullkrug poised to leave West Ham in January, following a lacklustre spell marred by injuries and underwhelming form when available, it is more likely than not that a striker will be arriving at Rush Green, with Fabrizio Romano confirming their intention to sign one.

Romano also said recently that West Ham are in the mix to sign Man United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo amid his links to Napoli, so a new midfielder remains on the cards, but there are now suggestions that a winger could come in too.

West Ham could strike 'cut-price' January move for Adama Traoré

Indeed, according to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, West Ham have been handed the opportunity to secure Adama Traoré on a bargain deal in January, with Fulham willing to accept a cut-price offer rather than lose the winger for free next summer.

Traore is in the final year of his contract and is not going to agree a new deal at Fulham, meaning January is their last chance to cash in if they sell him. The 29-year-old’s contract situation leaves the Cottagers vulnerable to low-ball bids, with Nuno apparently keen to reunite with a player he previously transformed at Wolves.

Before Nuno joined the Hammers, he tried to reunite with Traore at Nottingham Forest too, highlighting his long-standing admiration for the Spain international.

That being said, the forward has never quite reached the same heights he once hit under Nuno’s tutelage at Molineux, which included a failed spell at Barcelona.

During his best Premier League campaign to date, Traore bagged 13 goal contributions in 37 appearances for Wolves back in 2019/2020, finishing that campaign as their best-performing player on average whilst completing a seismic five successful take-ons per 90 (WhoScored).

Traore has enjoyed flashes of brilliant form at Craven Cottage too, with Marco Silva calling him an “almost unstoppable” player on his day.

One player still on the books at Manchester United has been told that his Old Trafford “career is over” by a former Red Devils midfielder.

Players who could leave Man Utd in 2026

2026 could be another busy year at Old Trafford in regards to incomings and outgoings, with Ruben Amorim and INEOS continuing to make their mark in Manchester.

The Red Devils have four players out of contract at the end of the season, one of which is midfielder Casemiro.

Players out of contract at Man Utd in 2026

Harry Maguire

Casemiro (option until 2027)

Tom Heaton

Tyrell Malacia

Man Utd have the option to extend that by a further 12 months, however, Amorim and INEOS seemingly clashing behind the scenes regarding the Brazilian. Amorim wants to keep Casemiro whereas INEOS want him to take a pay cut from his current £350,000-a-week wage.

There are also numerous loanees away from Man Utd who could seal permanent exits at the end of the season. Rasmus Hojlund is at Napoli, Marcus Rashford is at Barcelona, Jadon Sancho is at Aston Villa and Andre Onana is with Trabzonspor.

United could look to move the quartet out on a full-time basis, with options to buy inserted in Rashford’s move to the Nou Camp and Hojlund’s move to Napoli. Now, another one of the four has been told he has no future at the club by a pundit.

Man Utd now racing Arsenal to sign "complete" £45m Bundesliga attacker

He’s scored more goals than Sesko this season.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025 Strachan tells Onana his Man Utd “career is over”

Former Man Utd midfielder Gordon Strachan, speaking to Esports News relayed by The Manchester Evening News, feels that Andre Onana “has played his last game” for Man Utd and would be “shocked” if he played for the Red Devils again.

Onana’s Man Utd contract is worth £120,000-a-week and there is no option to buy for the Turkish side at the end of the season, with the ‘keeper’s Manchester deal not expiring until 2028.

United forked out just under £50m on Onana back in 2023, but after numerous errors at Old Trafford and Amorim now having Senne Lammens, a permanent exit could make sense for all involved next year.

Forget Anderson: Man Utd in talks to sign "world's most underrated footballer"

Pat Cummins has officially been ruled out of the first Ashes Test in Perth due to his back injury but he will return to bowling this week in a bid to be ready for the second match in Brisbane.Steven Smith will captain Australia in the opening Test against England which begins on November 21. The second Test in Brisbane begins on December 4.Cummins’ absence had been widely expected since the news emerged earlier this month that he had not been able to return to bowling after being diagnosed with a lumbar stress injury in September having experienced discomfort after returning from the tour of West Indies.”We’ve run out of time,” head coach Andrew McDonald told reporters in Canberra. “We sort of flagged this a week or so ago that it would take sort of four plus weeks to get him up and running and we’ve run out of time, unfortunately, but really optimistic and hopeful for the second Test match.”So I suppose the next question is what’s the time frame? What does it look like for the second Test? Not really going to be able to answer that other than to say that he’ll be back bowling this week and that’s a huge step. That was the big variable that we wanted to add in and get that information. So we’re on the journey to that second Test and very hopeful that that will be a positive outcome.”How Cummins reacts to his early stages of bowling will now be critical to whether Brisbane is a realistic target or whether a return later in the series will be the aim.”[We’ll] see how he pulls up and then we’ll make decisions moving forward,” McDonald said. “I know that sounds really boring and everyone wants a time frame and what’s the risk associated with it. There’s better people than I to speculate on what that is.”With the nature of this injury, it’s never going to be a clear time frame and I think that’s what everyone here today wants is a time frame to say, this is definitely what will happen. We’re not in a position to do that and I’d never put the medical team under that sort of duress either.”Ashes race: Pat Cummins goes through a running session•Getty Images

Since the back injuries that Cummins suffered earlier in his career, leading to a five-and-a-half year gap between his first and second Tests, he has had a very impressive fitness record.Smith has captained Australia six times as Cummins’ understudy since 2021, winning five of those matches, including once in the 2021-22 Ashes when Cummins was a Covid close contact in Adelaide.Cummins’ absence from Australia’s attack for the first Test means that Scott Boland will likely keep his place from the team’s most recent outing in West Indies where he claimed a hat-trick.”Losing your captain’s not ideal, but when you talk about Scott Boland being the potential replacement, it’s not a bad position to be in,” McDonald said. “Ideally we want the captain available for stability and decision making but…Steve Smith will slide into that position.”I suppose you get excited about when he does come back, what an injection that will be to the group, a fully fit Pat Cummins returning some stage during the Ashes and that’s what we’re hopeful for.”Australia’s squad for the first Test is due to be named next week following the third round of Sheffield Shield matches which begins on Tuesday. Cummins will travel with the team even when he is unable to play.”It’ll almost be one of those things where you’ll see him in work and it’ll almost be a question of why isn’t he playing in Perth?” McDonald said. “That’s where we think he’ll be placed by that stage. So we’re excited by getting eyes on him in a bowling capacity.”

It’s one step forward and two steps back for Newcastle United, who were defeated on the road in the Champions League against Marseille, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the double.

Eddie Howe’s side responded with vim and vigour after the international break to beat Manchester City at St. James’ Park, but this served as a sobering reminder that there is much work to be done away from Tyneside, with the Toon having won only one game away from home all season.

Harvey Barnes’ fine form continued as he swept home from close range only minutes into the affair, but United failed to channel their counter-attacking approach and were ultimately overwhelmed by the French hosts.

It was a frustrating performance, epitomised by the woes of Nick Pope between the sticks.

Why Howe must consider dropping Nick Pope

Pope joined Newcastle from Burnley for about £10m in 2022, and he has since. This season, he has started all 12 of the Magpies’ Premier League fixtures, though he has failed to keep a clean sheet across five successive matches.

There have been tenuous calls to drop the 33-year-old all year, but these are rising in volume and intensity, and the veteran’s mistake in France will only fan those flames, with United losing clarity and conviction in their performance after the gaffe.

Given that Aaron Ramsdale is patiently waiting in the wings, having been signed on loan this summer, there’s justification for dropping Pope going forward, it may be that Howe needs to drop his mainstay between the sticks and start to rewire his defence, as has already started through the likes of Malick Thiaw and full-backs Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento.

Newcastle still have three wins from five in the Champions League this season, and may yet find the form to seal a place in the automatically-qualifying top eight.

But Howe does need to continue to chop and change, and Pope isn’t the only one whose starting berth is at risk.

Newcastle star is now relegated to the bench

At the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Anthony Gordon was awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Year. But last year was a testing one for the England international, in contrast with United’s resurgence, and he has fallen further into the mire since the summer.

Against Marseille, Gordon’s woes continued as he proved utterly ineffectual in a makeshift centre-forward role.

Writer Firdie Idris remarked that the decision to field Gordon, a pacy left winger, as a central striker “never works”, and his display against Marseille only corroborated that claim.

In his central berth, Gordon only created one chance and hit the target with only one shot. He didn’t even attempt a dribble and won only one of five duels, as per Sofascore. He also completed just 14 passes as an isolated figure in Howe’s offensive line.

Penning their post-match thoughts, The Shields Gazette could only hand the Three Lions star a 4/10 match rating, criticising him for being on the back foot throughout the contest.

Anthony Gordon for Newcastle (25/26)
Match Stats (* per game)	PL	UCL
Matches (starts)	7 (7)	5 (5)
Goals	0	4
Assists	0	1
Touches*	35.4	39.2
Shots (on target)*	2.0 (0.7)	2.2 (1.0)
Accurate passes*	14.7 (80%)	16.4 (77%)
Chances created*	1.0	0.4
Dribbles*	1.4	1.4
Ball recoveries*	2.6	3.2
Tackles + interceptions*	0.7	1.4
Duels (won)*	4.7 (49%)	4.0 (41%)
Data via Sofascore

Truthfully, Gordon has been out of sorts all season. Prolific on the continent, he has yet to kindle any semblance of good form on the domestic front, and this was not a display to imbue within him a kind of confidence that will be needed ahead of Premier League clashes against Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.

Given that Gordon is one of Newcastle’s most profitable players, there’s reasoning behind the call to cash in down the line. Certainly, given the need for further investment over the coming transfer windows, it’s something PIF might consider as Barnes continues to go from strength to strength.

In any case, Gordon needs to raise his level. He is one of the outfit’s most talented players and is horribly underperforming. Like Pope, Howe would be wise to drop him for the forthcoming fixtures and rekindle his will to win.

PIF can fund Anderson move by selling Newcastle star who's a "nightmare"

Newcastle are proving themselves to be a team in transition this season.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 25, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Não são só os vascaínos que estão empolgados com a possível volta de Philippe Coutinho. Diego Souza, ex-jogador do Vasco, também é um dos personagens que está animado com o retorno do “Pequeno Mágico”. Confira no player acima.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasVascoNenê sobre retorno de Coutinho ao Vasco: ‘Sensacional’Vasco26/05/2024VascoVasco observa jogadores e estuda reforços para a janela de julho; veja um dos possíveis nomes!Vasco26/05/2024VascoBastidores do Vasco: saiba como foram os primeiros treinos com Álvaro PachecoVasco26/05/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

Até eu estou empolgado. Claro que a gente quer que o Coutinho jogue no Vasco. Todo mundo sabe da qualidade dele. Espero que ele venha. Espero que isso aconteça e ele eleve o patamar da equipe

---

afirmou Diego Souza.

– Muito legal reencontrar amigos. Tudo o que está acontecendo no Rio Grande do Sul é muito triste e a gente poder fazer o que a gente gosta: jogar futebol e poder ajudar as pessoas que precisam de verdade. Fico muito feliz de poder participar – disse o ex-atacante do Vasco após o “Futebol Solidário”.

Philippe Coutinho já está no Brasil. O meia-atacante antecipou as suas férias e aindamarcou presença no casamento do atacante Matheus Cunha. O jogador desembarcou no Rio de Janeiro na sexta-feira (24), no Aeroporto do Galeão.

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Tudo sobre

Diego SouzaFutebol NacionalPhilippe CoutinhoVasco

يشهد اليوم الإثنين الموافق 8-12-2025، مجموعة من المواجهات الكروية المرتقبة على مستويات مختلفة، إذ تتجه الأنظار نحو منافسات كأس العرب 2025، إلى جانب مباريات مهمة في الدوريات الأوروبية الكبرى، وعلى رأسها الدوري الإنجليزي والإسباني والإيطالي.

وتتصدر قمة المغرب والسعودية المشهد في ختام دور المجموعات بكأس العرب، حيث يدخل المنتخبان اللقاء بمعنويات مرتفعة وطموحات كبيرة، في مواجهة تحمل الكثير من الندية نظرًا لقيمة المنتخبين الفنية ومشوارهما المميز في البطولة حتى الآن.

كما تشهد المجموعة ذاتها مواجهة لا تقل أهمية بين عُمان وجزر القمر، حيث يسعى المنتخب العماني للحفاظ على حظوظه في المنافسة، بينما يطمح جزر القمر لتحقيق أولى نقاطه رغم صعوبة المهمة بعد خسارته في الجولة الماضية.

وعلى صعيد الدوريات الأوروبية، تتجه الأنظار في الدوري الإنجليزي إلى مواجهة قوية تجمع بين وولفرهامبتون ومانشستر يونايتد، في لقاء يسعى فيه اليونايتد لتعزيز موقعه قبل فترة الأعياد، فيما سيحاول وولفرهامبتون استغلال عامل الأرض لتحقيق نتيجة إيجابية.

كما تُستكمل الإثارة بمواجهات مهمة في الدوريين الإسباني والإيطالي، أبرزها لقاء أوساسونا ضد ليفانتي في الليجا، وعدة مباريات قوية في الكالتشيو، من بينها صدام تورينو مع ميلان.

طالع أيضًا | الحكم يوضح سبب طرد ثلاثي ريال مدريد أمام سيلتا فيجو.. وتصرف غريب من كارفاخال مواعيد مباريات اليوم الإثنين 8-12-2025 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد مباريات كأس العرب اليوم

المغرب ضد السعودية، الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “بي إن سبورتس المفتوحة”.

عُمان ضد جزر القمر، الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “بي إن سبورت إكسترا 1”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإنجليزي اليوم

وولفرهامبتون ضد مانشستر يونايتد، الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 11 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “بي إن سبورتس 1 HD”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإسباني اليوم

أوساسونا ضد ليفانتي، الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 11 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “بي إن سبورتس 3 HD”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإيطالي اليوم

بيزا كالتشيو ضد بارما، الساعة 4 عصرًا بتوقيت مصر، 5 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر تطبيق “Starz Play”.

أودينيزي ضد جنوى، الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر تطبيق “Starz Play”.

تورينو ضد ميلان، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 10:45 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر تطبيق “Starz Play”.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

The Phillies saw their postseason run end in truly horrific fashion on Thursday night when relief pitcher Orion Kerkering misplayed a grounder and decided to throw home rather than to first base in the bottom of the 11th inning, resulting in a walk-off error that sent the Dodgers to the National League Championship Series.

Not only did the loss end this year’s run, but it very well may have ended this current iteration of the Phillies, as several key players are set for free agency in the coming offseason.

Headlining that set of potential stars on the outs in Philadelphia is slugger Kyle Schwarber. After the devastating loss, Schwarber was clearly emotional while discussing the year coming to a close, knowing it was very possible he had played his last game as a Phillie.

“Doesn’t feel good. You just make a lot of different relationships in the clubhouse, and you never know how it’s going to work out," Schwarber said. "You make so many personal relationships with guys, you spend how much time with these guys throughout the course of the year. They become family.”

Schwarber went on to note that the Phillies were a team that was trying to win every year, with a fan base and ownership that cared about the team, which is something not every team in the majors can say for themselves.

The Phillies signed Schwarber in March 2022, and he has been a key part of the team’s lineup since his first day at the plate. In four seasons in Philly, Schwarber has averaged more than 44 home runs and 108 RBIs a year, including career highs of 56 dingers and 132 RBIs this past year.

With those numbers, Schwarber, 32, has undoubtedly earned a massive deal in the coming offseason, but with the Phillies already on the books with mega-contracts out to Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and several other stars, it’s fair to wonder whether or not the team will be willing to keep writing monster checks that can match what offers Schwarber is going to rightfully command on the open market.

Earlier in the year, Schwarber hinted that playing for the Reds, the team he grew up rooting for, would undoubtedly be appealing if he weren’t to stay in Philadelphia. Cincinnati is in the bottom third of the league when it comes to payroll on the books for 2026 at just over $60 million. The Phillies, meanwhile, are already down for more than $192 million in 2026 payroll, and that’s before whatever massive contract Schwarber would potentially land.

If it is the last time Schwarber is with the Phillies, it will have been a remarkable run for him. In just four seasons, Schwarber put himself at 12th on the team’s all-time home run list, and would have almost certainly hopped into the top eight with one more year. He also became just the 21st player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a game with an astounding show of power earlier this year.

While the emotions of the loss are still too fresh, the Phillies and Schwarber both have big decisions to make in the coming months.

His efforts handed India their biggest defeat in men’s Tests, and their second whitewash at home in three series

Sidharth Monga26-Nov-20256:06

Karim: ‘Harmer’s variations upset India batters’

In front of empty stands in India’s newest Test venue, South Africa competed their utter domination of the hosts with a whitewash and their heaviest Test defeat in terms of runs. More than just the order of session breaks was turned upside down in India’s eastern-most Test ground where South Africa sealed their first series win in India in 25 years and India’s second series defeat in 12 months after 12 years of spotless record.Simon Harmer out-bowled by miles the home spinners in a country, whose ordinary tour in 2015 resulted in a seven-year hiatus for him in Test cricket. No one has now taken more wickets at a better average in a series in India than his 17 wickets at 8.94. Marco Jansen was a little behind with 12 at 10.08, but he ended the series with yet another thing about which we can say: “only Marco could have done that”. A sensational catch over the shoulder, running back, diving and taking it one-handed. Just the kind of wicket Harmer won’t mind being denied a maiden 10-for by.This was the farthest result on India’s minds when Shubman Gill joked after losing yet another toss in Kolkata that it seems he will win only in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Since then, India lost Gill to injury three balls into his work, and then both the Tests to leave themselves a hill to climb if they want to entertain thoughts of the WTC final. They now have 48.15% points halfway into their league matches. Historically at least 60% has been needed to get through to the final.Related

• South Africa prove again they can win the hard way, and anywhere

• Gambhir: 'This is exactly what transition is'

• Harmer flips Test cricket in India upside down

• 'Can't take anything for granted' – Pant rues missed chances after 2-0 clean sweep

The defending champions, who had to deal with some elitist sniggering about their schedule in the last cycle, now have 75% of their points. Temba Bavuma, the captain who brought home the mace, was still undefeated in Tests after 12 matches at the helm.That Bavuma wouldn’t lose this one had been clear halfway into this Test. Since then, South Africa played India out ruthlessly and started the fifth day needing eight wickets to take the full 12 WTC points from this match. This classic Indian Test pitch was now offering consistent turn and natural variation.Simon Harmer picked up his second Test five-for•BCCI

So a combination of Harmer and Jansen, who took a five-for and a 93 in the first innings, was always going to test India’s resolve to bat the day out. The overnight batters, B Sai Sudharsan and nightwatch Kuldeep Yadav, enjoyed some luck with one wicket denied by a no-ball and another by a drop at slip by Aiden Markram, who took five catches in the first innings.The luck ended around half an hour into the day. It had always looked a matter of time against Harmer’s guile and persistence. Kuldeep was the first one to go, bowled by an offbreak that didn’t turn. You can’t quite make an offbreak not turn, but you can give it every chance to do so by changing the seam orientation, which Harmer did.In the same over, Harmer completed the brace of dream dismissals for an offspinner. He had bowled KL Rahul through the gate on the fourth evening; now he took Dhruv Jurel’s outside edge with drift and less turn than expected.Rishabh Pant is often criticised for taking too many risks, but this innings provided a counterpoint. Against a really slow offbreak from Harmer, Pant was a sitting duck the moment he decided to offer a forward-defensive. The extra bounce took the catch to Markram at slip, who was now moving rapidly towards the world record for most catches in a match.Sai Sudharsan enjoyed another dropped catch as he and Ravindra Jadeja took India into tea. Sai Sudharsan’s luck ran out in the first over after the break with Harmer getting a rest having bowled through the entire first session. He defended a Senuram Muthusamy half-volley. It didn’t turn, and Markram took another catch.South Africa registered their first Test series win in India in 25 years•BCCI

Adequately rested, Harmer came back from the other end than the one that had been giving him wickets and took out Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy in quick succession. With a softer ball now, he started to bowl quicker and took the edge from Washington with a 90kmph offbreak. Markram took a sharp catch to go past Ajinkya Rahane’s world record of eight in a match.The right-hand batters were always going to struggle more now with three dismissals in play: bowled through the gate, outside edge and bat-pad catches. Reddy introduced the glove on the reverse sweep to give Harmer his best match figures, making him South Africa’s most successful bowler in India and the most prolific South Africa bowler after 14 Tests.Jadeja was the one India batter who swept well from the length that had other batters in trouble. He scored a consolatory half-century, read the room and shelved his sword celebrations, and was stumped when trying to take Keshav Maharaj on.The final moment, fittingly, belonged to Jansen. He scored quick runs when India were in control of South Africa’s scoring in the first innings, when it seemed no one could dominate the bowling. His long levers, which made this possible, also created the wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first innings, then India’s only half-centurion. Then he unleashed bouncers when the pitch was still flat, taking more wickets with bouncers than anyone has taken in an innings in India.By the time South Africa bowled the second time around, the pitch offered consistent turn and didn’t call out for a superhuman effort from Jansen. Then again, why deny us when you can nonchalantly take an impossible catch to end the match and the series? Lest we forget.

South Africa coach says, “the only context I ever intended it to be was that we wanted India to spend a lot of time in the field”

Firdose Moonda06-Dec-2025

Shukri Conrad: “On reflection, it was never my intention to cause any malice or not be humble about anything”•Themba Hadebe/Associated Press

South Africa coach Shukri Conrad has clarified that he did not intend “to cause any malice,” when he said his team wanted to make India “grovel” during the Guwahati Test.Speaking to the media for the first time since he made that statement, Conrad stopped short of an apology but indicated he regretted his choice of words as South Africa worked their way to a 2-0 Test sweep.”On reflection, it was never my intention to cause any malice or not be humble about anything. I could have chosen a better word because it left it open for people to put their own context to it,” Conrad said after South Africa’s 2-1 ODI series loss in Visakhapatnam. “The only context I ever intended it to be was that we wanted India to spend a lot of time in the field and make it really tough for them. I’ve got to be careful what word I use here now because context could be attached to that as well.”Related

'Wanted them to really grovel' – SA coach Shukri Conrad on keeping India on the field

Jaiswal, Rohit, Kohli lead India to 2-1 series win

Conrad had made the comment after the fourth day’s play of the second Test, when South Africa batted deep into their second innings and set India a target of 549. When asked why they didn’t declare earlier, Conrad had said: “We wanted the Indians to spend as much time on their feet out in the field, we wanted them to really grovel, to steal a phrase, bat them completely out the game, and then say to them, ‘come and survive on the last day and an hour this evening.'”South Africa won the match on day five to hand India their heaviest home defeat and complete a first series win in India in 25 years. But Conrad’s use of the word “grovel,” which was heavily loaded because it was used by Tony Greig when referring to the West Indies team in 1976, spoilt some of South Africa’s victory. Conrad was criticised by former Indian and South African players, including Sunil Gavaskar and visiting commentator Dale Steyn.Conrad made no public comment since then but Test and ODI captain Temba Bavuma twice fielded questions about the use of the word. On both occasions, Bavuma said it was an issue for Conrad to address. Meanwhile, Conrad was in communication with a “network of people that I trust, family back home, and people on our staff,” and concluded he had done some damage, which he needed to repair.”It’s really a pity. Maybe what it did do was spice up the ODI series, and especially with India winning that now, the T20 series becomes even more so,” Conrad said. “The unfortunate thing is, with all the noise that that word caused, I still think it’s a perfectly good English word, but I just left it open to too many interpretations. What it did was take away the gloss of what was a really special win for our Test team. It’s unfortunate, but there was definitely no malice intended.”In his nearly three years as Test coach and almost six months as all-format coach, Conrad has emerged as a popular, witty figure who does not mince his words. Notably, he asked his team to “show-off more” a few months ago as they put out strong performances on the world stage, but has based his philosophy on the opposite of that and expects humility from everyone including himself.”Being humble is a cornerstone of our Test team and all our teams for that matter,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that the noise and the talk became around the coach. People shouldn’t really even know who the coach is. It should be about the players. That’s the unfortunate bit, and I’d like to think that it’s going to be put to bed now.”ESPNcricinfo understands Cricket South Africa was not amused by Conrad’s use of the word “grovel,” not least because they maintain a strong relationship with Indian cricket, but left it up to him to decide if or when he wanted to address the issue. CSA has made no comment or statement about the coach’s choice of language.

The mood around the game in Dubai is sombre given the current geopolitical climate since the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent military skirmish

Shashank Kishore13-Sep-20251:54

Will we finally have an India-Pakistan Asia Cup final?

It’s been an uneasy build-up to round one of India vs Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday. The mood around the match seems more complicated than it appears, and everyone, including the players, can sense that.Each of the first four press conferences so far in the Asia Cup 2025, barring the one with India bowling coach Morne Morkel, has invariably circled back to this match, with a rider – “sentiment back home” – keeping the current geopolitical climate in mind.One of the most natural responses for players, or support staff, has been to say that they’re not on social media. But can it really be possible to zone out completely, especially when there are calls for a boycott from certain quarters in India?Related

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All the while, the BCCI has simply reiterated the Indian government’s stance on the issue: bilateral cricket is off the table, but multi-nation tournaments can proceed as usual. This is despite sections of the country believing the sporting rivalry shouldn’t exist as long as geopolitical relations remain as strained as they are currently.And that anger often finds itself turning into torrents of online hate and vitriol, like it is now. And it’s perhaps knowing all this, that players have walked a tightrope while preparing for the biggest game of the tournament.They’ve had to ensure there is no room for words or gestures to be magnified, perhaps even more so, after a handshake between Suryakumar Yadav and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi at the captains’ press conference was clipped, replayed and debated. Similarly, there’s no telling how a simple moment could be scrutinised next. Like a laugh shared by the captains at the toss, for instance, could be replayed, slowed down and analysed frame by frame on social media, and perhaps even on news TV.Both Salman Agha and Suryakumar Yadav are first-time captains at the Asia Cup•Asian Cricket CouncilThis kind of scrutiny has already had an impact. Barely two months ago, a group of recently-retired Indian stars withdrew from a legends’ game in England on the very morning they were scheduled to face Shahid Afridi’s Pakistan team. It’s hard to imagine they would have been unaware of the participation of the Pakistani team when they had originally signed up for the tournament.India vs Pakistan is usually the heartbeat of a tournament. The contests are still half-jokingly being called a two-match series, maybe even three, at the Asia Cup. It’s a match-up that is supposed to bring everything else to a grind for the passion it sparks among fans. Yet it feels very different this time.As such, bilateral cricket has been frozen for 13 years, and so the rare meetings at ICC tournaments and Asia Cups should feel festive. But this time it feels empty, because when you have to work to sell an India-Pakistan Sunday showdown in Dubai – a fixture that sells itself most times – you know something has shifted.Tickets for the India-Pakistan Asia Cup fixture aren’t selling like hot cakes•Getty ImagesDespite all this, the organisers remain optimistic. They’re trying to pull out all their trump cards – bundling, unbundling of tickets, ramping up digital and social media campaigns, and pushing the premium seats that usually sell like hot cakes. There’s still a quiet confidence that Sunday will still see a respectable crowd. ‘Respectable’ being the buzz word.When Sachin Tendulkar says he couldn’t sleep the night before the famous World Cup game at Centurion in 2003, you could almost imagine him replaying Wasim Akram’s left-arm angle, Waqar Younis’ yorkers and Shoaib Akhtar’s bouncers.Similarly, on the day of the 2011 World Cup semi-final in Mohali, the team was running purely on adrenaline, with Tendulkar having to make an impassioned speech on how delayed catering resulting in no lunch should make them hungrier on the field.Whether that kind of electricity courses through Suryakumar & co is known only to them. But one thing you can be certain of: the atmosphere will be filtered through a magnifying lens – every handshake, laugh, glance, celebration, send-off having the potential to become a story.Despite all this there’s still an inkling of hope that the old magic and excitement will be back for those four hours, and cricket becomes the story when they take the field on Sunday. Only time will tell if that’s indeed the case.