He came up in cricket idolising the West Indian superstar. Last year, he equalled Gayle’s record for fastest T20 fifty. Last week, he made 162 not out in a game

Sidharth Monga27-Feb-2019″Meet Hazrat,” said Rashid Khan to Chris Gayle. “He is a big fan of yours. Back home, they call him Afghanistan’s Gayle.”This was at the Afghanistan Premier League last October. The next day the 20-year-old Hazratullah Zazai smacked six sixes in an over, joining Gayle in sharing the record for the fastest T20 half-century, off 12 balls.Five years ago Hazrat was getting a hang of playing with the cricket ball for the first time. He had been a tape-tennis ball superstar in and around Kabul for a while. He had already won the title of the Afghan Gayle. Big crowds used to gather to watch him bat in ten-over tape-ball matches. The sixes used to be big. Anything overpitched or short used to disappear.Then he had to adjust to the cricket ball. Wear pads for the first time. Guards. Gloves. Helmet. Before he did so, he painted the pads and helmet in the Afghanistan colours. He had decided long ago – “”, during the 2010 World T20, when he saw Afghanistan on the international stage for the first time – that he was going to represent the country.ALSO READ: Hazratullah Zazai 162*, Afghanistan 278 – a record-breaking T20IHe played three or four cricket-ball T20 matches every week, on barren outfields, on cement pitches. He had never seen a coach or an academy or a green outfield until he was selected for the Under-19 side.”At club, we didn’t have any coaches,” Hazrat says. “I just watched TV and videos and learnt and made adjustments. We just wanted to play matches.” He played in the day and worked as a watchman at a mobile service provider’s tower in the night. He made 10,000 Afghanis a month, 300-400 of which went into the pool for each match for his club, Sulha (the name translates to “peace”). There was no money to be made by playing, not even if you won. They played for the love of it.Then one day in 2014, Hazrat played an inter-region T20 club match in Jalalabad, where all the cricket in Afghanistan was concentrated. The home team scored more than 250. Everybody was relaxed. Hazrat, though, scored a century and won not only the match but also the crowd over. The Afghan Gayle was now famous outside Kabul too. His team’s manager, a future Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman, got him off the job so he could focus just on cricket.Which one’s the big hitter? Gayle and Zazai after the match in which the latter made a 12-ball fifty•APLIn Sharjah four years later, Hazrat was on the big stage, hitting the veteran left-arm spinner Abdullah Mazari for six sixes in an over. ESPNcricinfo played him a video of it, which he looked at. “I usually like to take a look at the bowler, but the target was 245, so I had to go after every ball,” Hazrat says. “He is an experienced bowler but I had to try to hit him.”He bowled the first ball flat and full, and that is my area, so I went for it.” The ball sailed over straight midwicket even though both mid-on and midwicket were back.”He slowed the second ball down, but it was just a touch too full and I felt I could go for it.” He cleared his front leg to give himself room to swing, and put it over long-on. Mazari was bowling from round the wicket to deny him that angle into his favoured leg side, but Hazrat had found a way around it.The third ball is fired down the leg side. Wide, beating his attempt to place it past short fine. “I was looking to hit this for four, but it was a wide. So he was unlucky,” Hazrat says with a smile.Unlucky indeed in hindsight. Had Hazrat connected, there would have been no six sixes. When did he start thinking of it? “Not until I had hit five.”The third ball was flat and on a length again, and was a few feet in height from clearing the roof of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.Mazari now went over the wicket with the same field, but Hazrat went inside-out. His main aim was to clear mid-off, but he connected well enough to send the ball over the rope. Mazari was now running out of ideas. “But he was still looking to get me out instead of trying to give me a single,” Hazrat says. “That is why he went for six sixes.”Zazai (left) painted his first pads and helmet in Afghanistan colours, 2013With the fifth ball Mazari might have tried the single trick, but by now “I was looking to score big off every ball”. This was smeared into the pads, trying to york him, but Hazrat stayed in the crease, collapsed his back knee to let him get under the ball and then let his hulking forearms do the rest without much of a flourish. This one cleared the roof; a new box of balls had to come in. The six also brought up Hazrat’s fifty, but nobody noticed.Mazari tried to now go wide on the other side, but Hazrat had time to let his back foot shuffle towards the ball and then hit it over long-off for the final six. Mazari watched bemused. The players in the balcony were on their feet. Gayle watched on the field. “He later told me I should keep batting the same way, and that my game was good.”The fandom began eight years ago, when Hazrat saw Gayle score 333 in a Test in Galle – he watched all cricket – and he became a fan. “It was amazing that such a quick scorer could play such a long innings in a Test.”In the way of long innings was Hazrat’s fitness. Umesh Patwal, the former Afghanistan batting coach, and also the coach of his team in the APL, says he challenged Hazrat to work on his fitness two years ago. “He had all the shots but he was too big,” Patwal says. “He needed to lose some weight to be able to play longer innings.” Patwal is pleased Hazrat has put in the hard work. He is still big, mind, but he has gone from Inzamam-ul-Haq to Nasir Jamshed.In an official career of a little over two years, Hazrat has played 74 innings. The longest has been 161 balls; only two have gone over 100 balls. He has scored six hundreds: three in first-class cricket, two in T20, and one in 50 balls in a List A match. His highest of course is the 162 not out in a T20 international in Dehradun last week – against Boyd Rankin and George Dockrell – but it’s List A season right now. He has five ODIs against Ireland to seal a World Cup spot. “I will play my natural game,” he says, “but with some respect for the format so I can bat long.””What will you do if you happen to bat long in an ODI?””If I bat 30 overs, I will be close to 200,” Hazrat says.Like many Afghan cricketers of his age, Hazrat has taught himself off the TV and YouTube. He knows how to hit big, but now he has the best of the coaches to teach him how to bat 30 overs. Or more.

In the way of a second India-Pakistan fixture stands a rivalry that comes with its own history; but it is not completely untenable yet

Sidharth Monga28-Jun-2019It might be difficult to believe for outsiders, but there are many cricket fans in India and Pakistan who find the cricket matches between the two sides unbearable. It brings with it vulgar jingoism and ill will; outside the actual cricket, it is just an ugly spectacle. Pakistan’s late surge on the back of a lifeline handed to them by Sri Lanka’s stunning win over England has made a second India-Pakistan match a distinct possibility. If India do Pakistan a favour by beating England this Sunday, they will likely top the table and Pakistan could enter the semi-final at No. 4, setting up a semi-final clash at Old Trafford.Pakistan still need a couple – even one can do – of other results to go their way, but also have to win their two remaining games. In the way of another match marred by jingoism, then, stands a match that comes with its own unpleasantness. On Saturday, Pakistan will go up against their other neighbours Afghanistan. As a cricket rivalry, it is still in its infancy. The two sides have faced each other only four times in international cricket. The truth, though, is that it would never have needed on-field action for this rivalry to generate needle.The ingredients are all there. Unlike India and Pakistan, they were not the same country, but they were never different either. The Durand Line, the border between the two countries, was drawn up in 1893 to restrict Afghanistan’s influence in British India, and Britain’s in Afghanistan. As far as borders go, it is one of the more porous. Refugees and drugs and terror and America’s influence have travelled unchecked through this border until it was tightened in 2017.Just like with the two Punjabs that the 1947 partition gave us, people either side of the Durand Line have more in common with each other than with some people within their own country. It has divided people that were Pashtun well before they were Afghans or Pakistani or Indian. When USSR invaded Afghanistan, the Pashtun people found refuge in Peshawar. Selling nuts in Pakistan and coming back with cotton fabric was a legitimate business for Afghans – and vice versa for Pakistanis – until recently. Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib’s family had been in that business even before Pakistan existed. Naib didn’t know till he was 11 that he was from Afghanistan because he grew up a refugee in Pakistan. Almost every family has relations on the other side of the border.Fans of the India and Pakistan teams flocked with flags and banners•Associated PressThe translation of all this into a sporting rivalry began when Afghan kids found cricket in Pakistan. And it happened when cricket in Pakistan was at its peak: from the late 1980s to the late 1990s. Most members of the current national team of Afghanistan learnt their cricket in Pakistan. Mohammad Nabi, Asghar Afghan and Rashid Khan all played for Wajahatullah Wasti’s club, Islamia, in Peshawar. For its part, the PCB played a big role in the development of these cricketers – including letting them play in its domestic tournaments – and also cricket in Afghanistan.The break-up began when India’s government felt the need to strengthen ties with Afghanistan to keep in check China’s influence, which comes via Pakistan. Cricket was but a vehicle for this charm diplomacy. In the mid-2010s, grants, permission to use Indian grounds as their home venue, and a Test debut against India all reached Afghanistan pretty swiftly. It helped the Indian government that the BCCI was under a ruling party member of parliament’s control now; previous board chief N Srinivasan is known to have resisted similar advances from the Afghanistan Cricket Board.This cricket co-operation from India came at an obvious cost: culling of ties with Pakistan. For many flaws of the PCB, even the ICC felt this was an ideal and organic model of how a full member could help an associate member of the ICC. Now, though, the Afghan players were asked to stop living and playing in Pakistan; they were even stopped from giving Pakistan too much credit for their development as cricketers or talking about their time in Pakistan. They don’t even speak Urdu in press conferences anymore.This has infuriated Pakistan. Every time Rashid – especially him – gives credit to India or speaks well of India, message boards and social media go abuzz. In a tense Asia Cup game last year, Rashid wagged his finger in the general direction of the dismissed Pakistan batsman Asif Ali. This was a red rag. Here was a man who wanted to be like Shahid Afridi but had now ditched his celebration and wagged a finger at a Pakistan batsman. Stories began to emerge of how he still held a house in Pakistan, and how he had a Pakistan ID. As if celebrating success against Pakistan is a sign of ingratitude. As if they were refugees in Pakistan out of their own will and Pakistan had nothing to do with the situation.No player or PCB member says it, but they feel “betrayed” palpably by the “ingrates”. There were signs of schadenfreude when ACB’s acting CEO Asadullah Khan, tongue-in-cheek, offered Pakistan help last week as they struggled for results, claiming in a TV interview that Afghanistan were both better at cricket, and had better technical resources. The CEO before him said last year that they had received more assistance from India than from Pakistan. It is a complicated situation as it is; add politics to it, and this is recipe for nastiness to attach itself with the cricket.On the field, though, just like between India and Pakistan, things don’t get ugly; or no uglier than in, say, India-Australia matches. In the match that Rashid angered so many Pakistan fans with his celebration, Afghanistan came close to beating the stronger and more-fancied team.Shoaib Malik had to dig deep to help Pakistan win in the last over, but Pakistan were quick to console the crestfallen Afghan players. In Pakistan’s pre-match press conference at this World Cup, Haris Sohail was told about the comments made by the ACB CEO, and he laughed it off. When Naib was asked if there would be extra tension in the match, he actually said he hoped cricket could be used to mend relations between the two countries. The match on Saturday is a good opportunity to prevent these contests from going down the India-Pakistan way.

Super Kings’ performance was a throwback to 2011, when they were invincible at home. Can they repeat it in 2019?

Deivarayan Muthu in Chennai09-Apr-2019The ball grips, turns, and plays more tricks. MS Dhoni is front and centre, marshalling Chennai Super Kings’ spin-heavy attack. There’s no way out for the opposition at fortress Chepauk. It’s 2011 all over again for Super Kings at home.Eight years ago, Super Kings had won eight out of eight games here, including the final against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Now, they’ve won four out of four at Chepauk by straitjacketing batsmen with spin.In 2011, R Ashwin, Shadab Jakati and Suraj Randiv did the job for Dhoni. Super Kings have a more potent spin attack this season, with Imran Tahir, Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja leading the way. They’ve been so potent that Kedar Jadhav hasn’t bowled at all this season and Suresh Raina has bowled just one over, in the first match, against Royal Challengers.Last year, Super Kings were ready to let their spinners loose at Chepauk, but the Cauvery river water dispute forced their home matches to shift to Pune, where surfaces tend to aid the faster men more. There have been no such problems this season.They have lost Lungi Ngidi and David Willey altogether and Dwayne Bravo temporarily, but their vintage spin attack has more than made up for their absence, so much so their batting coach Mike Hussey reckoned that the spinners have it in them to bowl at the death.ESPNcricinfo LtdOn a tired Chepauk pitch – the one that was used for the game against Kings XI Punjab on Saturday – Harbhajan, Tahir, and Jadeja smothered Kolkata Knight Riders. This, after Deepak Chahar had carved up the top order. He, too, took pace off the ball and asked to batsmen to manufacture it.Sunil Narine smashes spin and is less comfortable against pace, but Dhoni and Stephen Fleming aren’t big fans of match-ups. More recently, Bravo revealed that Super Kings don’t do team meetings. Dhoni backed Harbhajan with the new ball, and the offspinner delivered with a delightful cocktail of flight, dip, and turn.Harbhajan lobbed one up outside off at 79kph and got it to dip, creating distance between the bat and the pitch of the ball. The turn then drew an outside edge that was snaffled at backward point.Jadeja found bigger turn, beat Dinesh Karthik’s outside edge, and then found it, but the ball dribbled away past first slip. In all, Jadeja give away only nine runs off eight balls to Karthik. So the Knight Riders captain went searching for runs elsewhere and wound up hitting Tahir across the line to short midwicket, where Harbhajan clung on to a sharp catch.Tahir set off on a celebratory run and even whistled looking at the stands, where the fans acknowledged his wristwork as well as his footwork with tumultuous cheers.Soon, 44 for 5 became 47 for 6 when Tahir stormed through the defences of Shubman Gill with a wrong’un. Harbhajan then returned and had Chawla stumped with old-fashioned dip and turn. In the next over, Jadeja added his name in the wickets column when he had Prasidh Krishna chipping a catch to short midwicket. Krishna was the fifth Knight Riders batsmen to be out hitting across the line.All of this was down to the pressure exerted by the spinners from both ends. Tahir, Harbhajan and Jadeja bowled 15 dots each and finished with combined figures of 12-0-53-5. In fact, Tahir could have dismissed Andre Russell on 8 had Harbhajan not misjudged a skier at midwicket. Russell was seemingly troubled by cramps in his left hand, but he rallied to an unbeaten 50 off 44 balls to haul his side past 100.Despite the lapse, there wasn’t any such trouble for Super Kings’ spin trio. If the Chepauk pitch continues to turn big and the spinners continue to expertly exploit it, Super Kings will be invincible here.

Trusting the Duke’s ball and preparing green pitches to suit the likes of Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach has helped the team become a force in Test cricket

Sidharth Monga21-Aug-2019Just after the World Cup, there was speculation India might rest Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah for the tour of the West Indies, but the idea didn’t have much basis in reality. Not only is every Test of every series important now on account of the World Test Championship, India will need their best batsman in what has been the most difficult conditions to bat in in recent times.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe first decade of this century was a frustrating time to watch Test cricket played in the West Indies. With their legendary fast bowlers bowing out, West Indies played most of their matches on slow, low surfaces, making for boring contests. As a result, two in every five Tests were drawn, the highest ratio in world cricket. While the batting averages were not the highest in the world, the scoring rate was the lowest, which meant these were pitches where it was difficult to both score runs and get wickets, the only two currencies of the game. A region known for pace in its bowling and flair in its batting was discouraging both. Not that there was spin on offer either.Ottis Gibson is a man now known for shaking up the pitches made in South Africa. You can argue that there was probably no need for such a drastic change, but when the West Indies needed that change, Gibson facilitated a pretty significant one. In the year 2011, his first as coach of the regional team, Gibson insisted that they use Duke’s balls for home Tests. The draw percentage since the change has fallen from 40 to 18.91, almost on par with England and India, and a better rate than New Zealand and the UAE.This was a time when West Indies couldn’t afford to look away from the demand for more exciting Test cricket the world over, but while others were bringing it about with subtle changes to their pitches, West Indies needed something more drastic.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn 2017, though, West Indies consciously changed the nature of their pitches too. In Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach, with support from Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph, they had a pace attack that could make use of these harder, bouncier, seamer-friendly tracks. They went against the advice of the outgoing coaches Stuart Law and Nic Pothas when they stuck with Duke’s balls and green pitches for the series against England last year.The argument was that England were used to facing Duke’s balls, and they had a seam attack that hoped the Duke’s balls would, in the words of their coach Trevor Bayliss, play into their hands. To their credit, the current administrators didn’t want to risk boring cricket by going for the safety of the Kookaburra. Moreover, Duke’s had by now started manufacturing customised balls to suit the conditions in the Caribbean. If anything, the hosts dialled up the green on the pitches further. The results have been emphatic.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe change is deeper than just the wickets for fast bowlers: overall difficulty level in batting has risen more in the West Indies than elsewhere over the last decade.ESPNcricinfo LtdIt does help that West Indies have found a pace attack that has been fit enough and penetrative enough to do well in these conditions to keep them competitive. It means that their lack of batting riches gets neutralised to an extent.ESPNcricinfo LtdESPNcricinfo Ltd

Having got a fresh lease on his playing life, the 36-year old fast bowler wants to set an example

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Aug-2019How do you feel?I just want to thank the almighty, my family, my friends and everybody who stood by me. I have got a roadmap for the next year before I make my comeback next September. I am much more confident than ever before, now I know where to focus completely on, so I am very confident about making a comeback. First play Ranji Trophy and do well and keep knocking the door (to India selection), which is impossible, which is going to be a miracle because the team is doing so well. But I just want to use the experience and tell a good story that whatever happens in your life you should never give up as long as you live.When did you come to know about the ban being reduced?On August 7, the day the ombudsman [Justice (retd) DK Jain] released the order. They sent me an email.

The only mistake I may have made was living the life large in the worst possible way and may be that backfired

So for nearly two weeks you have been keeping the excitement under wraps?Absolutely. Silence is a feature of the spiritual. Most of the time (in the past), I was in a hurry to tell the world the ban is over. Good it happened today, holy Tuesday, one of my lucky days. Great day. So, no regrets. No complaints about anybody. A lot of individuals have been asking me if I wanted to blame anybody. I said ‘nobody’. I have got a great opportunity here. I want to use this experience to be a much better cricketer, much better human being, play cricket for the next five years and never give up, and keep performing.Did you celebrate?Hardly. My celebrations will be when I wear those whites and play my first match. Officially, September 14, 2020 is when I will celebrate.Did you read the ombudsman’s order?Yes, I did.The ever excitable Sreesanth gives Matthew Hayden a send-off•AFPWhile trying to determine the quantum of the ban the ombudsman countered your age – late 30s – as one of the factors. He believed your “prime years”, particularly as a fast bowler, were over. Is your career indeed over?No. Never. I am a huge fan of Leander Paes to start with. For his age and fitness, he is showing the way (even) right now. So I should not give up. Even at 38, Ashish Nehra played the World T20 [2016]. I am only 36. So I still have another year to make the comeback. I don’t think age is a factor. And, unfortunately or fortunately, I haven’t played any cricket in the last six-seven years. So my body has not bowled six-seven years of good cricket. Age, yes, but when it comes cricket and bowling. I have hardly played cricket.In that way, I am only looking at this as a blessing in disguise. In one way, it is good my body is not tired of bowling fast. I have got exactly one year. I am looking at it as an Under-19 kid. In fact, right now as we speak, I am on my way to the training and I am clocking 140-plus. I am a born fast bowler, and will always be a fast bowler. I will not give up cricket for the next five years.Not sure whether you will ever admit that you might have committed an error of judgement, but what would you tell any youngster based on your experience?It has been a great learning experience for me. It takes a few seconds to change your life, take a U-turn. One thing I have learned also is: no matter how difficult things are, thanks to my parents, my wife and my kids, when you see them smile and keep encouraging you to do better and better at what you were doing, I have learned that you should never give up even if the world is against you. You should keep continuing and keep fighting.Sreesanth arrives for a training session•AFPOne message I want to share with everybody is no matter what profession you are in, whether it is arts, business, sports, if one, two, three roadblocks come, you should not give up. You should always believe. I just don’t promote giving up. In fact, I promote fighting and winning. Winning for me will be wearing those whites and playing that first match in 2020. If I can do it, anybody can do it.We went through a lot of struggle, but my family just told me one thing: it is a great experience, use it, be a better man, better person.Leaving aside the allegations, in hindsight, did you make any mistake?The only mistake I may have made was living the life large in the worst possible way and maybe that backfired. Maybe the late nights and partying, which a lot of people did too, but it was all apportioned on Sreesanth. I have no regrets. I don’t think I have done anything bad when it comes to cricket. In fact, 2015 I was supposed to be playing. Now it is 2019 and now I have had to fight all by myself against such a big association called BCCI. But I am really thankful to BCCI because it has only made me stronger and much better.Would you be happy to volunteer and help if the ICC or the BCCI were to ask you to help with the anti-corruption education programmes?I would be more than happy to help youngsters in whatever possible way I can.Fast bowling, you said, will never leave you. Is that wrist still ramrod straight?You have to see it to believe it. I am still bowling the beautiful outswingers and beautiful inswingers. I am also batting really well.

Shubman Gill talks about the best cricketer he has played against, the music he likes, and what Virat Kohli is like in the dressing room

Vishal Dikshit16-Nov-2019How do you stay cool mentally when preparing for international cricket?
You can do that only by keeping those things aside that you cannot control. And try to focus on things that you can control.You look comfortable against fast bowling. How do you prepare for that?
It’s very important to play one ball at a time, and not think too far ahead.The fastest bowler you’ve faced so far?
Billy Stanlake in the IPL.Who’s the best non-Indian cricketer you’ve played with or against so far?
AB de VilliersWhat is Virat Kohli like in the dressing room, compared to how competitive he is on the field?
He is a very fun-loving and light-hearted guy.How will he react if you offer him the Punjabi food you’ve grown up eating, like ?
I’m not even going to try.What kind of music do you listen to?
I like listening to hip-hop and rap. Bands like The Weeknd.Do you have a favourite sportsperson outside cricket?
Yeah, many. I like Neymar Jr a lot.What will you ask him if you find yourself in an elevator with him?
I’ll just ask him how he trains.One thing you don’t like about social media.
Unwanted attention.What would you want to get first, Test hundred or an IPL hundred?
Obviously Test hundred.The first match you saw at a cricket ground?
It was in 2006, an India v England Test match in Mohali.

South Africa allrounder will begin his Test goodbye at “special” ground where it all began

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town02-Jan-2020It does something to you, that mountain. Maybe it’s the way the light falls behind it as the day fades away. Or the way the clouds gather on its flat top, as though preparing for a table to be laid on a pristine white cloth. But the thing it does more than anything else is provide the backdrop that makes Newlands special enough for Faf du Plessis to call it the “home of cricket”.He could have chosen Centurion, South Africa’s fortress, where they have only lost two of the 25 Tests they’ve played, or St George’s Park, the oldest and most venerable of this country’s venues. He could have picked the Bullring, where no opposition wants to be when the crowd, however big, is baying for blood. But du Plessis decided that Newlands, traditionally the best-attended Test venue, without doubt the prettiest and home to some of the history’s greats, is where cricket in South Africa come home.Jacques Kallis, Peter and Gary Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs all began their careers here, Graeme Smith ended his here and Vernon Philander enjoyed his greatest successes here. Expect it to get emotional as Philander prepares to say farewell to the place where he made his name.ALSO READ: Bavuma dropped, told to force his way back by ‘weight of runs’“This has been a special place to me,” Philander said. “It’s been good to me. From 2003 to 2020 – 17 years of playing at this pretty venue, this wonderful venue and [in front of] the Newlands faithful. You come in here and you still see the same faces from 2003, still coming to support us. There’s no better place to be playing your cricket.”Philander grew up in Ravensmead, a suburb 20km north of Cape Town, and has played all his professional cricket in this province. He made his provincial debut in the four-day domestic final towards the end of the 2003-04 summer and showed what he was about when he took 2 for 18 in 10 overs. At this ground.Though Philander went on to tear up the first-class bowling charts, his international debut came as a white-ball allrounder in a nondescript ODI triangular series in Ireland. It was only as a new era dawned under Gary Kirsten that Philander got his chance at Test level. At this ground. In that match. Philander took 5 for 15 as South Africa bowled Australia out for 47 and won by eight wickets despite being bowled out for 96 themselves.In his first 28 Test innings, Philander took nine five-fors, three of them at Newlands. He took 89 wickets in his first 16 Tests at 17.13 and then became the fastest South African to 100 Test wickets. But the years between 2013 and 2016 were tough. In 19 Tests, he managed 46 wickets at 31.69, without a single five-wicket haul.Coupled with a severe ankle injury, that period could be described as the toughest of Philander’s career. It was a time when he needed to lean on the people at home, in and around Newlands, to re-find his feet.”Test cricket teaches you to come back all the time,” Philander said. “You never have a career that goes from 0 to 10. You are always going to have a dip and then come back. Fortunately I have had a good support system over the years. When I took a bit of a knock, I could go to certain people that I really put my trust in and really refresh my mental capacity and go again. That’s the most important part of playing international cricket, to make sure you have got a strong base and trust your skill and what you are doing. Test cricket pushes you to the edge, more often than not.”In Hobart in 2016, dogged by accusations of being over reliant on home conditions, Philander took his 10th five-for in what was a series-winning performance. Since then, he has claimed 85 wickets in 26 Test at an average of 21.82, and though his numbers are not as emphatic as they were at the start of his career, he has provided timely reminders of his brilliance.Vernon Philander flays the ball towards midwicket•Getty ImagesThe latest came at Centurion, where his four wickets in the first innings set South Africa up for a series lead, as well as their first win in six Test matches. At Newlands, where Philander is capable of much more, England have rightly identified him as one of their biggest threats – but are also keen to make him work for his rewards.”He’s very accurate and very skilful,” Joe Root said. “He puts the ball in good areas and asks good questions of your defence and doesn’t give you many opportunities to score. But we showed later in the game – in the second innings – that you do get more opportunities if you take him deep. And that will be our challenge. Make sure we’re putting overs into their bowlers.”Fitness has been one of the main concerns around the later stages of Philander’s career but the one place where he will be willing to go the extra mile and bowl the extra spell is here. He will play two more Tests before signing off but Newlands is where the real goodbye will take place, as one of their own stands against the backdrop of the mountain for the final time.And it may be more than one. Du Plessis, who had earlier earmarked the T20 World Cup as his swansong, could also be making his last Test appearance at the ground, at his adopted home since moving to Cape Town a few years ago. Asked if this was farewell to Newlands, du Plessis said: “I don’t know. I said before that the T20 World Cup would be a crossroad in my career, where I will see where I am at. I think something will have to give. I don’t know what that is.”He could, however, step back from ODIs in order to give himself the chance of a farewell to South Africa, Newlands, and that mountain, in another Test match. “Over the next year, Test cricket and T20 cricket are our two main focus points. In the one-day game, we will start looking at guys that will get opportunities. It’s important that we do that more and get guys ready. There’s not a lot of Test cricket this year. I would like to finish off in South Africa but whether that will be the case, we will talk about it after the World Cup.”

If it wasn’t already evident, Saturday’s 1-1 draw away to Everton potentially proved the final nail in the coffin for Arsenal’s title hopes, with the Gunners slipping to their 11th Premier League draw of the campaign at Goodison Park.

With the gap now at 11 points – and with leaders Liverpool in action on Sunday afternoon – all hope looks to be lost for Mikel Arteta’s side. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

The north Londoners will rightly point to further controversy surrounding officiating following the bizarre decision to penalise Myles Lewis-Skelly for a foul on Jack Harrison, although the injury-hit visitors will be ruing their failure to kill the game off once again.

Indeed, as noted by Opta, the trip to Merseyside represented the seventh time this season that Arteta’s men have been drawn a game despite taking the lead – the most of any team in the division – with even the return of Bukayo Saka failing to provide the desired effect on this occasion.

The Emirates outfit will point to the absence of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz amid those goalscoring woes, albeit with the stricken pair having scored just 12 league goals between them this term, it is evident that a new centre-forward remains the priority this summer.

Latest on Arsenal's search for a striker

The hope will be that signing a striker will prove the difference for the Gunners next term, albeit it is not guaranteed that such a move will help to end the lengthy wait for league glory, with Liverpool, for instance, looking set to romp to glory despite lacking a prolific, consistent number nine.

That said, having failed to add a new marksman since the signing of Jesus back in the summer of 2022, the striking berth remains the focus this summer, with rumours already rife regarding a move for Sporting CP sensation, Viktor Gyokeres.

The towering Swede isn’t the only figure on Arsenal’s shortlist, however, with Anfield Watch reporting that the north Londoners are among the clubs showing an interest in Eintracht Frankfurt starlet, Hugo Ekitike.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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As per the report, while it is Liverpool who are working on a deal for the 22-year-old, both the Gunners and Manchester United have also held talks with the Frenchman’s representatives, with those negotiations said to have been ‘positive’.

As such, the suggestion is that all three Premier League sides will be battling for the in-form striker’s signature this summer, with Frankfurt said to be willing to cash in for a fee of around £68m.

If Arsenal are to win that race over the coming months, there would certainly be shades of Nicolas Anelka about that exciting deal.

Why Arsenal could be targeting the next Anelka

It is hard to ignore Thierry Henry when discussing French strikers who ripped up in north London, yet before the club’s record scorer, there was Anelka, with the now-retired marksman arriving as a 17-year-old back in 1997, before going on to win the PFA Young Player of the Year award in that double-winning campaign.

While far younger than Ekitike currently is, Anelka mirrors his compatriot in having been schooled by Paris Saint-Germain for a time, with the ex-Chelsea man rising up through the club’s youth ranks before making his first-team debut for the Ligue 1 side in 1996.

As for Ekitike, the 6 foot 3 ace started life on the books at Reims, albeit before then moving to PSG on an initial loan deal in 2022, where he scored just four times in 33 games in all competitions.

Ekitike’s Bundesliga record – 24/25

Stat (*per game)

Record

Games

27

Goals

13

Scoring frequency

159mins

Big chances missed

12

Assists

4

Big chances created

7

Key passes*

1.4

Pass accuracy*

77%

Successful dribbles*

1.6

Stats via Sofascore

It has taken a move to Germany for the youngster to ignite his career, although on recent evidence, he is proving himself to be “one of the strikers out there”, in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, with Ekitike simply “ready to explode”.

In 56 games for the Bundesliga side, Ekitike has netted 23 goals and registered a further ten assists, mirroring Anelka in his ability to operate as an out and out centre-forward, or in a left-wing berth.

Like Anelka at the time – who Arsene Wenger described as his “biggest find” during his early years at Highbury – the Frankfurt talisman hasn’t yet reached the status of a household name, although with 19 goals to his name this season, he certainly will do soon.

Not only a clinical finisher, what also sets Ekitike apart is his silky ability in possession, as shown by the fact he ranks among the top 9% of European strikers for progressive carries, as well as in the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.

Like Anelka – who former teammate Martin Keown claimed could “destroy defences” – the former Reims man boasts that perfect blend of speed and trickery, making him a frightening prospect at the top end of the pitch.

While at £68m, Ekitike certainly won’t come cheap, he could represent the perfect, long-term investment for Arteta and co – as long as he sticks around for longer than Anelka did, that is.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 5, 2025

It’s no secret that this has been an incredibly turbulent season for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou’s job is currently hanging by a thread, and if his side don’t win the Europa League, then it’ll truly be a year to forget.

Fortunately, the transfer window is just around the corner, and with it, there is a chance to reinforce the squad with genuine quality, but even then, problems could be ahead.

For example, recent reports have claimed that one of the club’s most important stars is on the wishlist of a European giant and could leave in a move reminiscent of Kyle Walker’s all those years ago.

Spurs' potential exits

There isn’t just one first-team player who might be on the way out of Spurs in the summer, as reports from late last month revealed that the midfield could be in for a big revamp.

In particular, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur could be up for sale, with the former catching the eye of fellow Premier League side Everton and the latter simply “not part of Tottenham’s plans moving forward”, according to former scout Mick Brown.

However, while plenty of fans might be okay with their exits, they might be less so if Cristian Romero also leaves.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Argentine has been a key target for Atlético Madrid ‘for weeks’, and to make matters worse, Diego Simeone has personally contacted the player.

Moreover, the report has claimed that the interest is mutual and that the Spanish giants are ”studying an offer that can convince’ the North Londoners into selling, which, according to another story, could be around the £67m mark.

It would be a sizable sum of money for Tottenham, but losing Romero could be a massive blow, akin to losing Walker in 2017.

Why Romero could be Walker 2.0

Spurs have made several defensive sales in the years since Walker left the club, including Cameron Carter-Vickers, Juan Foyth, and Toby Alderweireld. So, what makes this potential transfer so similar to the Englishman’s?

Well, there are a few reasons, the first being just how much money could be involved.

When the former Lilywhites star was sold to City in 2017, he went for a massive fee of up to £53m, and while that ended up being value for money, it was a world record for a defender at the time.

Granted, if the former Atalanta star does join Atlético in the coming months, it won’t be for another world-record fee, but it will be the most the North Londoners have got for a defensive player and the third-highest fee they’ve received full-stop, behind only Harry Kane and Gareth Bale.

The second similarity is that, like the multiple Premier League champion, the Córdoba-born World Cup winner would be leaving N17 as one of the club’s most important players.

Appearances

115

Goals

7

Assists

1

Yellow Cards

29

Second Yellows

3

Red Cards

1

Points per Game

1.69

For example, while he’s missed much of this season due to injury and fitness issues, the 6 foot 1 “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Charlie Eccleshare, has made 115 appearances for the club, in which he’s scored seven goals, provided one assist and been named as one of the squad’s co-vice-captains.

So, it wouldn’t be hyperbolic to suggest that losing someone Lionel Messi describes as “the best defender in the world” would be just as, if not more, devastating to the North Londoners than losing Walker was.

Ultimately, if Romero is set on going, then Spurs might just have to make peace with it and get as much money for him as possible. However, if there is a chance he wants to stay, then they should be doing all they can to tie him down to a new deal, as they might find it as hard to replace him as they did Walker.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 2, 2025

The talk around Arsenal and their needs in the transfer window has primarily focussed on signing a striker.

It’s not hard to see why, as while Mikel Arteta’s side look set to have the best defence in the Premier League for the second season running come May, they have scored 11 goals fewer than Liverpool in as many games.

Moreover, in both cup exits earlier this season, the team had numerous chances to put the ball in the back of the net but failed to do so.

However, with Martin Odegaard only producing four assists in the league this season, there is a real argument to be made that the side also need more creativity in the team, an argument the board may well agree with, as recent reports have linked them with an up-and-coming star who’s been compared to Mesut Özil.

Arsenal's transfer targets

So, as mentioned above, it would appear as if the primary area that Arsenal are looking to strengthen this summer is the striker position, and perhaps the most significant link has been to Viktor Gyokeres.

Reports from late last week claimed that the Swede’s representatives will be in attendance for the Gunners’ Champions League clash with Real Madrid tonight and that he could be available for a fee of around £58m.

While a lot of money, such a fee could be worth it as the former Coventry City star has already amassed an incredible tally of 44 goals and 11 assists in 44 appearances this season, which could make him the dream partner for another of the club’s supposed targets: Arda Güler.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are one of a few teams incredibly interested in signing the Real Madrid gem this summer.

In fact, while Los Blancos are in no rush to sell the youngster, they could be tempted by the right offer, and according to the report, the Gunners are preparing a bid in the region of €30m, which comes out to about £26m.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, but given Güler’s talent and immense potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be their new Ozil.

Why Güler could be Arsenal's new Ozil

So, before going into the other reasons why Arsenal should be looking to sign Güler, it’s worth examining this comparison to Ozil and where it comes from.

Well, the first thing to say is that it’s not just us who have noticed the similarities, as when speaking to the Turkish media, as relayed by GOAL, in 2023, İlkay Gündoğan made the link between the two midfielders.

While it might sound somewhat hyperbolic at the moment, there are some other similarities, such as the fact that both players have played for Fenerbahçe, Real, and, if he makes the move, Arsenal.

Moreover, while the 20-year-old can play off the right, he’s also more than comfortable in attacking midfield, and considering Bukayo Saka is practically undroppable, that’s likely where he would play at the Emirates.

Additionally, while the Ankara-born dynamo is yet to achieve anything close to what the World Cup winner did in his career, the expectation is that by the time he retires, he will have.

For example, respected analyst Ben Mattinson has argued that he “could become Ballon d’Or level” in time, and journalist Dean Jones has previously described him as a “generational talent.”

Appearances

33

Starts

11

Minutes

1170′

Goals

3

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.30

Minutes per Goal Involvement

117′

Furthermore, he’s already scored three goals and provided seven assists in just 1170 minutes of first-team football this term, and he has some seriously impressive underlying numbers to back up that output.

According to FBref, he sits in the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, the top 6% for passes attempted, the top 9% for progressive passes, the top 10% for non-penalty goals and shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while he’s not on the level of a peak Ozil at the moment, Güler is an undeniably promising player, and given the lack of creativity that can sometimes hinder Arsenal, he is someone they should be going all out to sign in the summer.

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