Newcastle United may be active in the January transfer market, with a number of areas in need of work.

After winning the Carabao Cup last season and securing Champions League qualification for the second time in three seasons, Eddie Howe has struggled to get a tune out of his Magpie squad, who languish in 14th place in the Premier League.

Struggles on the road have been well documented in recent weeks, but Newcastle have a wider crisis of creativity that must be fixed.

Premier League 25/26 – xG Leaders

#

Club

xG Total

1.

Chelsea

20.4

2.

Man City

19.3

3.

Crystal Palace

19.0

4.

Arsenal

18.8

5.

Man United

18.2

12.

Newcastle

12.8

Data via FBref

Nick Woltemade has been the shining light at number nine, so exciting and promising in Alexander Isak’s former berth, but he can only do so much as United struggle to fashion chances with the regularity that is required to compete at the top of the table.

Latest on Newcastle's transfer search

While Newcastle have dynamic wingers and a robust and compact central midfield, there’s no question that more is needed, and with Joelinton under fire for his performances this season, there’s a vacancy emerging for a hungry new playmaker.

Newcastle did sign Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa for a fee in excess of £40m this summer, but the 24-year-old has yet to hit a rich vein of form on Tyneside. A new solution may be needed here.

Well, according to GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle could land the help that they need in the form of Kees Smit, having learned that they will have to make the 19-year-old AZ Alkmaar’s club-record sale if they wish to prise him away from the Netherlands in 2026.

The Eredivisie outfit would be looking for a £22m payment if they are to relinquish control of their prized prospect, and with Barcelona and Real Madrid lurking, Newcastle will need to act speedily.

Why Newcastle want Kees Smit

Smit might be a teenager, but he’s already welcomed a few onto the hype train, with analyst Ben Mattinson marvelling at the “duel monster” and his all-encompassing midfield qualities.

Effortlessly calm in tight spaces, Smit is fostering an exciting and creative skillset, with FBref recording that he ranks among the top 6% of similar midfielders over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for through balls, and the top 10% for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

He thrived against Crystal Palace in their recent Conference League clash, grabbing an assist, completing three dribbles and winning six duels.

There’s a maturity about this creator that suggests he could be tailor-made for a career in the Premier League, with Sofascore recording that he has averaged 3.5 duels, 1.2 tackles and six ball recoveries per Eredivisie match too. He’s the complete package.

19 years old. We might even be talking about a bigger talent here than Woltemade, a dominant athlete whose technical understanding has seen him become one of AZ’s most important cogs at this fledgling phase.

Woltemade has been one of Newcastle’s star players this season, and he will continue to improve, but Smit’s playmaking may elevate the German to another level entirely down the line.

Smit or Woltemade? Who’s the bigger talent? Perhaps we’re splitting hairs. United just need to get the deal over the line, thus combining two brilliant footballers and reenergising Howe’s attack.

Related He'd revive Gordon: Newcastle could hire Howe 2.0 in "the best coach in PL"

Recent form has made Newcastle consider the unthinkable possibility of Howe moving on at some stage.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 15, 2025

L’Equipe reports that Celtic are in advanced talks with Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy to make him their long-term successor to Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead.

The outlet claims that the French tactician could be in the dugout for the club’s Scottish Premiership clash with St Mirren on Saturday if a £2m compensation agreement can be put in place before the weekend.

Nancy will be looking to build on the success that Rodgers, as shown in the graphic above, had with the Hoops during his second spell in charge of the Scottish giants, and Johny Kenny is one star who he will surely be looking forward to working with.

How Johnny Kenny could fit into Wilfried Nancy's system

Per Transfermarkt, the French boss typically plays with a 3-4-2-1 system but has also utilised a 3-5-2, 3-4-1-2, and a 4-4-2, which means that there is the potential for Kenny to be used as part of a front two.

Chalkboard

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

The Ireland international has scored four goals in his last four appearances for the Scottish giants since Kelechi Iheanacho suffered a hamstring injury, with Martin O’Neill placing his trust in the youngster during his spell in interim charge.

Kenny’s best performances so far, arguably, came in the 4-0 win over Falkirk at Parkhead in the Premiership, as the 22-year-old centre-forward scored half of his side’s goals.

His recent goalscoring exploits have put him in a good place ahead of Nancy’s potential arrival, and he could play as part of a front two for Celtic if the manager goes with a two-striker formation.

Celtic’s last striker to score 20 or more goals in a league season was Kyogo Furuhashi, who scored 27 goals in the 2022/23 campaign, but it is not Kenny who could be Nancy’s own version of the Japan international.

The young star who could be Celtic's next Kyogo Furuhashi

Callum Osmand broke onto the scene for Celtic in the League Cup semi-final clash with Rangers earlier this month, as he came off the bench to score his first senior goal.

The Jersey-born star then came off the bench to win a penalty against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League, but went down with a hamstring injury shortly after and is set for a spell on the sidelines.

Once he is back and available for selection, though, Nancy could unearth his own version of Kyogo and an upgrade on Kenny by playing him in the centre-forward position, either on his own or alongside the Irishman.

Reporter Mark Hendry described Osmand’s goal against Rangers as Kyogo-esque and said that the forward was “so dangerous” for the Hoops in that semi-final clash.

The former Wales international’s career statistics in comparison to Kenny’s also suggest that he is more likely to develop into a Kyogo-type goalscorer in the Premiership moving forward.

Appearances

149

82

Goals

47

49

Games per goal

3.17

1.67

Assists

11

13

Games per assist

13.55

6.31

As you can see in the table above, Osmand scores and creates goals at a greater rate than the Ireland international, with two more goals in 67 fewer matches in his career at youth and first-team level.

The former Fulham youngster’s exceptional goal return in the statistics above illustrates how exciting he is as a centre-forward prospect, which was evident in his recent cameos for the first-team before his injury.

Osmand’s form at the top end of the pitch for Fulham and Celtic suggests that he has the potential to be an even better number nine option than Kenny, as well as being Nancy’s own version of Kyogo.

Therefore, the potential Celtic manager will be hoping that the 20-year-old talent is back from his hamstring injury sooner rather than later, so he can get to working with him as quickly as possible.

Not just Ralston: Nancy must ditch Celtic dud who "unsettles defences"

Wilfried Nancy should immediately drop this Celtic forward from the starting line-up once he arrives.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

The San Francisco Giants are still fighting to sneak into the MLB postseason, currently sitting 1.5 games out of the final wild-card spot in the National League. With just 13 games remaining in the regular season, the team is dipping into its pool of minor league talent in order to help in their playoff push.

The Giants have promoted prospect Bryce Eldridge, the team announced Monday, bringing the organization's top minor leaguer to MLB for the final stretch of the year.

Eldridge, a first baseman, is ranked as the team's No. 1 prospect and the No. 13 prospect in the sport by MLB Pipeline. He stands a towering 6'7" and boasts plenty of power. The 20-year-old has recorded a .843 OPS across three minor league levels in 2025, logging 25 home runs and 84 RBIs across 102 games.

A former first-round pick in the 2023 draft, Eldridge was selected by San Francisco out of James Madison High School in Virginia.

The Giants are starting a crucial three-game series against the Diamondbacks, who are also competing for a wild-card berth, on Monday before traveling to Los Angeles for another important four-game set against the rival Dodgers later in the week.

MatériaMais Notícias

Com a presença de Wesley, Carlos Miguel e Breno Bindon entre os titulares, o Corinthians atropelou o Fluminense em Itaquera e conquistou sua primeira vitória no Campeonato Brasileiro. O trio, que iniciou a última partida no banco de reservas, ditou o ritmo do duelo e provou que está preparado para ser titular da equipe comandada pro António Oliveira.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Mais experiente dos três, Wesley fez no domingo (28) sua grande partida com a camisa do Timão. Autor de dois gols, o atacante comandou as ações ofensivas do time paulista e levou vantagem na grande maioria dos duelos contra os defensores tricolores.

Jogador mais criativo da equipe, ele lidera o Brasileirão em dribles certos e precisa ter liberdade para explorar os duelos individuais, principalmente pelo lado esquerdo do ataque corintiano.

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Apesar de pouco exigido, Carlos Miguel foi seguro nas duas vezes em que o Fluminense atacou com perigo. Confiante, o goleiro não demonstrou sentir a pressão de substituir Cássio, que foi barrado após sucessivas falhas.

A atuação contra o Fluminense de Diniz é mais uma prova que o camisa 22 está preparado para suceder o capitão do clube.

A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Recém promovido ao time principal, Breno Bidon fez mais uma partida sólida no meio de campo. Ativo, o jogador ajudou Raniele, que vinha sofrendo com os espaços deixadas na intermediária defensiva, a frear a troca de passes do Fluminense no setor, além de ajudar na construção de jogadas.

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Com a lesão de Maycon, fora da temporada, Bidon parece no momento estar à frente de Fausto Vera e Paulinho, concorrentes do jovem pela posição de segundo volante.

Com a vitória por 3 a 0 em Itaquera, o Corinthians chega aos quatro pontos conquistados e deixa a zona de rebaixamento do Brasileirão. No meio de semana, o Timão viaja até Natal, no Rio Grande do Norte, para encarar o América-RN, pela partida de ida da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil.

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCarlos MiguelCorinthiansFutebol NacionalWesley

The Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 1-0 on Thursday night in a game broadcast on Fox. Since the game was nationally televised, millions of people around the country were able to see Pete Crow-Armstrong come very close to sending a teammate to the hospital with a line drive.

Facing a 2-0 count in the top of the fifth, PCA smashed a pitch down the first baseline. Reds first baseman Spencer Steer dove for the ball, but could not get a glove on it. That's when it hit Cubs designated hitter Moisés Ballesteros in the head.

Ballesteros was just able to turn his face away in time for the ball to hit him in the side of the helmet. Ballesteros bent over as the ball caromed into the outfield. Once he realized he was still alive he ran towards second only to get thrown out by the center fielder.

He immediately got up grimacing and walked towards the dugout. Amazingly, he was okay and stayed in the game. Fox even caught him joking about the play in the dugout with teammates.

Ballesteros and Crow-Armstrong combined to go 0 for 6 in the game, but considering how lucky they both were on that play, who can complain?

يشهد اليوم الإثنين الموافق 1-12-2025، انطلاقة قوية ومثيرة على مستوى المنافسات الكروية، حيث تنطلق بطولة كأس العرب وسط اهتمام جماهيري كبير وترقّب عربي واسع للنسخة الجديدة التي تستضيفها قطر.

ويفتتح منتخب تونس مشواره في البطولة بمواجهة قوية أمام منتخب سوريا، في لقاء يحمل طابع الندية والإثارة داخل المجموعة الأولى، التي تضم أيضًا منتخبي قطر وفلسطين.

ويسعى “نسور قرطاج” إلى بداية مثالية في مشوارهم العربي، خاصة في ظل الطموحات الكبيرة للجماهير التونسية.

كما يستعد المنتخب القطري صاحب الأرض والجمهور لانطلاقة مرتقبة أمام منتخب فلسطين، في مواجهة ينتظر أن تشهد منافسة قوية بين الطرفين، نظرًا لرغبة كل منهما في تحقيق نتيجة إيجابية خلال الجولة الأولى، ووضع قدم في الدور المقبل منذ البداية.

وتُقام بطولة كأس العرب 2025 في العاصمة القطرية الدوحة، حيث تنطلق فعالياتها اليوم وتستمر حتى 18 ديسمبر بمشاركة 16 منتخبًا عربيًا يتنافسون على اللقب للمرة الثالثة في تاريخ المسابقة بعد نسختي 1998 و2021. وتبدو النسخة الحالية أكثر قوة وتنوعًا من حيث المشاركين والاستعدادات الفنية.

كما تُقام مواجهتان في كأس مصر تجمعان حرس الحدود بالإسماعيلي وطلائع الجيش بالسكة الحديد، وعلى الصعيد الأوروبي، تتواصل منافسات الدوريات الكبرى، حيث يلتقي رايو فاييكانو بفالنسيا في الدوري الإسباني، وبولونيا مع كريمونيزي في الدوري الإيطالي.

طالع أيضًا | تكهنات متضاربة حول مصير ألونسو.. ومدرب ريال مدريد السابق يلوح في الأفق مواعيد مباريات اليوم الإثنين 1-12-2025 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد مباريات كأس العرب اليوم

تونس ضد سوريا، الساعة 3 عصرًا بتوقيت مصر، 4 عصرًا بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports Xtra 1”.

قطر ضد فلسطين، الساعة 5:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6:45 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports Open”. مواعيد مباريات كأس مصر اليوم

حرس الحدود ضد الإسماعيلي، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “On Sports 1”.

طلائع الجيش ضد السكة الحديد، الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8:30 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “On Sports 2”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإسباني اليوم

رايو فاييكانو ضد فالنسيا، الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 11 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports 3 HD”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإيطالي اليوم

بولونيا ضد كريمونيزي، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 10:45 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “Starz Play App”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري التركي اليوم

سامسون سبور ضد ألانيا سبور، الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports Türkiye 2”.

فنربخشة ضد جالاتا سراي، الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports 2 HD”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري البرتغالي اليوم

أروكا ضد سبورتينج براجا، الساعة 10:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 11:15 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “Sport TV1 Portugal”.

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

Tasmania chased down their target with 10 balls to spare after the home side had suffered a 7 for 70 collapse following Labuschagne’s dismissal

AAP09-Oct-2025

Marnus Labuschagne continued his prolific early-season form with another hundred•Getty Images

Marnus Labuschagne’s case for an Ashes call-up continues to grow after scoring his second century in the space of a week in Queensland’s five-wicket One-Day Cup loss to Tasmania.Labuschagne cracked 105 off 91 balls to lead Queensland to 311 of 45.3 overs at Allan Border Field on Thursday.Related

Ashes tracker: Labuschagne shines as Konstas stumbles

McAndrew's five gets defending champions South Australia up and running

In reply, Tasmania reached the victory target with 10 balls to spare courtesy of big knocks from Tim Ward, who made his first one-day century from 88 balls, Jordan Silk and Caleb Jewell.Tasmania (3-0) remain unbeaten on top of the table, while Queensland slipped to a 2-1 record.Labuschagne’s hundred came just days after he scored 160 off 206 balls in Queensland’s Sheffield Shield draw with Tasmania, following on from his 130 off 118 balls in the Bulls’ One-Day Cup opener against Victoria last month.The hot run of form comes at the perfect time for Labuschagne, who is in the midst of a huge bat-off for an Ashes spot at the top of the order.Tim Ward drives during his maiden one-day century•Getty Images

Labuschagne is competing with the likes of Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris, Nathan McSweeney, Jake Weatherald and Matt Renshaw to partner Usman Khawaja as opener for the five-Test series against England.There is also the option of Labuschagne returning to his preferred No. 3 position if selectors opt not to pick allrounder Beau Webster, who is battling an ankle injury.Labuschagne cracked eight fours and two sixes in his sparkling knock on Thursday. He was dropped on 91 when spinner Nikhil Chaudhary couldn’t hold on to a sizzling return chance.Labuschagne punched Chaudhary for four behind point to bring up his ton off 89 balls, but he was out a short time later when he edged the spinner behind.The exit of Labuschagne sparked a collapse of 7 for 70 as Queensland failed to capitalise on a strong start. Renshaw, who was called up ahead of Labuschagne for the upcoming ODI series against India, scored 38 off 35 balls.Labuschagne’s most recent Test century came against England in 2023, with his lean run of form since then resulting in his axing for the 3-0 series win over the West Indies.His ODI snub this week added further salt to the wound, but Labuschagne replied in perfect style with his ton on Thursday.

Manchester United’s central midfield department has been one that has come into huge question over the last couple of months, with Ruben Amorim needing improvements in such an area.

The 40-year-old has often had to rotate the options to the heart of the side, with Bruno Fernandes often the man to start as a number eight on a regular basis.

The Portuguese international has mainly been joined by Casemiro in the two midfield roles in 2025/26, which has allowed the latter to make a name for himself in the Premier League.

However, at 33, the Brazilian is now entering the latter stages of his professional career, with the player set to leave at the end of the season upon the expiration of his contract.

As a result, the hierarchy will desperately need to target added reinforcements in the midfield department, especially with the January transfer window now approaching.

Man Utd looking to sign mega-money midfielder

Over the last couple of days, United have been named as one of the sides interested in a deal to sign RB Leipzig star Assan Ouedraogo in the January window.

The German star has endured a phenomenal start to the 2025/26 campaign, featuring in 11 Bundesliga outings and already posting a total of six goal contributions in the process.

However, it’s been reported that Ole Werner’s side are extremely reluctant to offload the 19-year-old, who is seen as a player with huge potential to explode into an elite-level talent.

He’s not the only player currently in the Red Devils’ sights at present, with Nottingham Forest sensation Elliot Anderson still firmly in their sights ahead of the winter window.

According to journalist Andy Mitten, Amorim’s men “would love” to sign the 23-year-old midfielder who has been a shining light at the heart of the Reds side in 2025/26.

It’s also been reported that such a deal could rise to around the £100m mark, which would be a club record for United, passing the figure forked out for one player in 2016.

Why Anderson could be Man Utd's new Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba joined United in a staggering £89m deal back in the summer of 2016, with such a deal becoming the most expensive in the club’s long-standing history.

The Frenchman arrived for his second spell at Old Trafford, amassing over 225 appearances and often catching the eye with various impressive moments over his six-year period.

From long-range strikes to vital efforts in Manchester derbies, he truly did capture the hearts of the supporters – that’s despite concerns over his fitness and attitude at certain times.

However, there’s little denying he’s one of the most technically gifted players to operate in the deep-lying midfield roles, as seen by his tally of 86 goals and assists for the Red Devils.

Despite Bruno operating in such a role, there’s little denying the first team have lacked a technical player of Pogba’s quality, but that could be about to change with a move for Anderson.

Like Pogba, he would be a massively expensive addition, but his underlying stats from the 2025/26 campaign showcase his incredible technical ability with and without the ball.

The Englishman, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, has completed 8.3 progressive passes per 90, with 8.2 of his efforts being made into the final third.

Elliot Anderson – PL stats (25/26)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	12
Goals & assists	2
Pass accuracy	83%
Progressive passes	8.3
Passes into final third	8.2
Take-ons completed	1.3
Ball recoveries	8.5
Tackles made	2.8
Duels won	7.2
Stats via FBref

Such numbers showcase his incredible ball-playing ability, with such talents allowing him to pick out numerous of the club’s £200m additions in attacking areas.

He’s also completed 1.5 key passes per 90 to date, with 1.3 of his passes being into the opposition’s 18-yard box, further highlighting his world-class talents in possession.

However, without the ball, Anderson has been just as impressive, as seen by his tally of 2.8 tackles made and 7.2 duels won per 90 in the Premier League this campaign.

The aforementioned figures showcase why he would be the perfect box-to-box option for Amorim’s side, which could get the best out of Bruno once again in the near future.

£100m for a player in the modern market is slowly becoming an acceptable choice, as seen by the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, who have all spent such a figure on players in years gone by.

However, if United are to do it, Anderson would be the perfect player to spend such an amount on, with the midfielder having the immediate quality to impress, whilst potentially improving tenfold in the years ahead.

Alongside Zirkzee: Man Utd's "waste of time" must not start again for Amorim

Ruben Amorim has a bold decision to make over the future of one Manchester United flop.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 25, 2025

Leagues in Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh have all helped nurture future IPL stars, but they need to be supported better

Abhinav Mukund23-May-2025What is easier: playing in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) or the IPL? This was one of the questions put to Priyansh Arya after his stunning hundred against five-time champions Chennai Super Kings last month. Arya responded “DPL” with a shy smile. That mention may have brought Indian state T20 leagues a bit of global prime-time attention, but these leagues have been getting plenty of regular acknowledgement from IPL teams themselves as they look for new talent.Many Indian states now have a T20 league run by the state association. These are more often than not broadcast on TV, and conducted with energy and excitement comparable to the IPL’s. I was part of the inaugural Tamil Nadu Premier League in 2016, which was one of the earliest such in the country. For a tournament that only lasted three weeks, it offered significant financial rewards to many cricketers. In the early years of that league, cinema stars were brand ambassadors, and corporates queued up to get their branding on the team uniform. It seemed like a venture destined for success.The TNPL will conduct its tenth season in 2025, but the league is barely profitable now. Its CEO, Prasanna Kannan, says the TNPL looks to unearth players from all corners of the state to ensure a streamlined supply of talent for the higher levels of cricket. “TN has produced at least seven to eight spinners at one point for the IPL,” he says. “Not everyone may get to play in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, but the IPL teams [have] an opportunity to spot [players] at the TNPL.”Related

IPL 2025 showed the might of the uncapped Indian batter

Tamil Nadu currently has R Ashwin, Sai Kishore, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy and M Siddharth in various teams in the IPL. M Ashwin from the state too has been part of IPL teams in the recent past. Only two or three spinners can play for Tamil Nadu at any given point, but the TNPL, with eight teams, provides more players exposure – and thus more of an opportunity for IPL teams to take notice of them. The TNPL is played across four venues, and it was the pioneer in introducing DRS for all games.Aniket Verma was picked for Sunrisers Hyderabad on the back of some stellar performances in the Madhya Pradesh Premier League (MPL). An innings of 123 off 41 balls with 13 sixes for Bhopal Leopards was enough to not only convince SRH to pick him at the last auction but also to start him in all 12 of their games so far. He has had decent returns in the IPL and has turned out to be one of the smarter picks in the auction.SRH are one of those teams who don’t have scouts in every league in the country. Teams like this benefit from the broadcast of the state leagues. They were able to assess Aniket’s talent remotely and ensured he was given a run from the first game after he excelled at the trials and the practice games that followed. Interestingly, even after he was picked by SRH, his state gave him just one chance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he got a zero on debut and did not play again.Digvesh Rathi played just two games for Delhi after being picked up by Lucknow Super Giants at the IPL auction. He too has more IPL games than SMAT ones, and is the highest wicket-taker for LSG this season.Scouting is often regarded only as the ability to unearth a gem from some nook of our country. I see so many social media posts where people credit teams for giving caps to players from local leagues. Yes, that is one part of it, but sometimes scouting is also about making sure you get the best version of a player who is already in your ranks.Ayush Badoni (left) and Priyansh Arya, both of whom have impressed in the IPL, starred in a Delhi Premier League game in its first season, last year•Delhi Premier League T20Rajat Patidar has been on the circuit since 2015. Why would you need to scout him? Royal Challengers Bengaluru did – by way of having their scouts interview opposition coaches and captains, and match officials, to get a better sense of his captaincy credentials, which have been on show in the MPL and in games for his state, Madhya Pradesh. Wasim Jaffer pointed this out on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. It felt like it was the result of intense scouting enabling a well-informed decision that led to Patidar being handed the RCB captaincy.Rathi, Ashwani Kumar, Vipraj Nigam and Zeeshan Ansari are all products of state-run leagues. Ansari, having played for India Under-19 in 2016 alongside the likes of Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan, found himself in the wilderness after turning out in just one T20 for Uttar Pradesh in 2019. He got his second wind when the UPT20 league came along and topped the wicket charts for the title-winning Meerut Mavericks in the tournament last year. (Nigam was the second-highest wicket-taker.)The seasoned Karun Nair had a stellar Maharaja Trophy (formerly the Karnataka Premier League) campaign for title winners Mysuru Warriors, and finished as the leading run-getter. His resurgence began from there, and since then he has been splendid for his adopted state, Vidarbha, who went on to win the Ranji Trophy, and reach the Vijay Hazare Trophy final and the quarter-final of the SMAT.Let’s go back to the TNPL. A completely unknown player called Hunny Saini was bought for Rs 11.7 lakh (about US$ 14,000) at the auction earlier this year by Dindigul Dragons, the defending champions, who are captained by R Ashwin. Saini was the sixth-highest-paid player, ahead of Swapnil Singh, who has played multiple seasons of the IPL for three franchises.Saini, who plays fourth-division cricket in Tamil Nadu, hails from Haryana and played all his junior cricket for that state before relocating to Chennai to pursue his cricketing career. TNPL scouts began to take notice of his talent and multiple teams in the league called him for trials, which led to a bit of a bidding war.The TNPL teams also have a scouting network, where Ashwin, for one, has a free hand to hold trials based on the information he receives from his scouts at inter-district competitions and club games. He says all of these players have been in a camp for almost three months now, preparing for this year’s TNPL, starting June 5, all at the cost of the franchise. This requires a serious financial allocation by the franchise.Karun Nair was the leading run-scorer in the Maharaja Premier League in 2024 and his good form ran into the Indian domestic season and this year’s IPL•Maharaja T20That brings us to the financial aspect. Many top T20 leagues internationally run on the IPL’s revenue model, where there is a common revenue pool, which is divided between the national board and the franchises. This will not work in a state T20 league. The broadcast rights will never be sold at a high price, and that makes the revenue pool small.The only reason most leagues are broadcast is fantasy cricket, and the attention the fantasy cricket community directs their way. A TNPL or a Maharaja Trophy will secure more attention from broadcasters because they feature multiple international and IPL players, but, say, a Kerala Premier league will not warrant that kind of attention. (And yet, it has produced a Vignesh Puthur.)The TNPL was among the first leagues to realise that, and they have done away with the IPL-based model: no franchise fee is collected every year from the franchises, and there is no revenue sharing from the collective pool. Instead, the money the franchise makes from jersey sponsorship and other sponsors is theirs to keep.The DPL in its inaugural year set a reserve price of Rs 8 crores (close to $100,000) per year for the purchase of a franchise for a five-year term. This means shelling out a minimum of Rs 40 crores (about $4.8m) for a five-year term. Add to that the salaries of players and support staff, training expenses, transport and hotel costs, and other miscellaneous costs.The current business model makes it difficult for a franchise to break even, which is why most leagues around the country are stop-start and changes of franchise ownership are frequent. If I were to take a punt, I’d say we are going to see some such changes in the DPL very soon. It is unsustainable to operate the way the state leagues are operating currently. The Mumbai Cricket Association, which outsourced the running of its T20 Mumbai League to a third-party event management company last time around, is now mulling taking back the running of the league.State-run leagues have proved to be efficient talent pools for multiple IPL teams, but these leagues’ future is not exactly rosy. Most franchise owners aren’t recovering their money, and this can sometimes create potential for malpractice, by way of various forms of betting and fixing – since the games are broadcast. To protect against that, the BCCI has set guidelines for state associations to follow, an anti-corruption official is appointed for each league, and there are supposed to be secure PMOAs (player and match officials areas) at venues.One and done: Zeeshan Ansari went from playing one domestic T20 for UP to taking three wickets in his first IPL game, for Sunrisers Hyderabad•BCCIThe fact remains that there is only so much money a state-run league can make. This needs to change or the ecosystem will likely collapse. Franchise owners need to be compensated for investing in and grooming young talent. For a tournament that runs for three weeks or less, which is the usual duration of a typical state-run league, they scout, recruit and provide opportunities for young players across the state, in the hope those cricketers become superstars. But the leagues have no monetary gain for doing this.The emergence of state-run leagues as feeders for the IPL must be taken seriously. IPL franchises have enough money to buy teams in leagues around the world – in South Africa, the UAE, the CPL, MLC, and now the Hundred. True, these are attractive investment options compared to state leagues in India. But bear in mind that the demand for Indian players in the IPL has risen since the Impact Player rule was introduced in 2023: 1219 caps were handed out to Indian players in IPL 2024, up from 1178 in 2023. The percentage of Indian players used in IPL playing XIs rose from 64.7% in 2023 to 66.6% in 2024, and it was 67.7% in 2025 (at the time the tournament was interrupted in May).The BCCI shares 70% of IPL broadcast revenue with state associations. This ought to give the associations enough money to develop infrastructure, set up academies, and ensure the smooth conduct of various senior and junior men’s and women’s tournaments. The state ecosystem at large is profitable, thanks to the money that comes in from the central board. But not the state T20 leagues – where the franchises have no real incentive to continue providing growth and opportunities for players while making losses. It makes sense for IPL franchises to invest in a few state-run leagues to ensure a steady supply of homegrown cricketers.State-run leagues now form an integral part of the ecosystem that breathes life into the IPL, and we need to protect them. None of these leagues will grow exponentially, like the way IPL has. It’s more about finding ways to run them sustainably in a smooth and efficient manner, providing opportunities for players in the state.Arya was given a platform and so was Rathi. No one had heard of Puthur when he took three wickets against CSK on IPL debut. If it weren’t for these leagues, it’s likely these players would not have made it to the IPL. Add to them cricketers who were lost in the domestic structure, like Karun Nair and Zeeshan Ansari, who got a new lease of life thanks to these tournaments.The well streamlined production line for Indian cricket’s talent pool has a glitch in it that must be sorted out soon. The state T20 leagues need to be nurtured; they are a vital part of the supply chain for India’s T20 structure.

Shanto, who has led Bangladesh in 14 Tests, had stepped down from captaincy in June but will now continue

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-2025Najmul Hossain Shanto will continue as Bangladesh Test captain until the conclusion of the ongoing 2025-2027 World Test Championship [WTC] cycle.Shanto, 27, had stepped down from Test captaincy following Bangladesh’s 1-0 series defeat to Sri Lanka in June, suggesting that “three separate captains will be difficult for the team to deal with.” He had been Bangladesh’s all-format captain but, earlier this year, quit the T20I role, which is now with Litton Das, and was then removed from ODI captaincy, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz given the role.The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), however, has reinstated Shanto into his old position ahead of the two-match Test series against Ireland, starting November 11 in Sylhet.Related

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“I feel truly honoured to continue leading the Bangladesh Test team and I am very grateful to the Board for the faith and trust they have shown in my captaincy,” Shanto was quoted via a BCB press release. “Captaining my country in Test cricket is the greatest pride of my life. I will do my utmost to repay the responsibility that has been entrusted to me.”It is a joy to lead a team that has so much talent and potential, and I believe we have an exciting and positive season ahead. We are looking forward to the upcoming series against Ireland later this month, which marks the start of a busy and important period for Bangladesh Test cricket.”Shanto, who first took over captaincy in 2023, has led Bangladesh in 14 Tests, out of which they have won four, lost nine and drawn one Test. The high point of Shanto’s captaincy came in August 2024, when Bangladesh registered a 2-0 series sweep in Pakistan.”Shanto has shown composure, commitment and a deep understanding of Test cricket,” BCB president Aminul Islam said. “Under his leadership, we have seen growth and belief in the team. The Board feels that continuity in leadership will serve us well as we move forward in this new Test Championship cycle.”Bangladesh are yet to register a win in the current WTC cycle, losing one and drawing one Test so far against Sri Lanka. They are seventh on the points table, with four points after two games. The Tests against Ireland are not part of the WTC.