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Rathour talks up Rinku Singh: “If given an opportunity, he can develop into a Test cricketer”

PTI15-Jul-2024

Vikram Rathour: ‘Rahul is the best coach that I have worked with, who gives you lots of space to work’•PTI

Vikram Rathour, India’s batting coach till the end of the T20 World Cup 2024, isn’t “too concerned” about the period of transition the team is heading towards, but wants the team management to handle it “in a controlled manner”.India’s next series is in Sri Lanka, where they will play three T20Is and three ODIs, and the T20I team will definitely be a new one, with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja having retired after India beat South Africa to win the T20 World Cup trophy in Barbados last month.”It is never going to be easy to replace people of Rohit and Virat’s calibre,” Rathour told PTI. “The recently-concluded [T20I] series against Zimbabwe gave us some glimpse into how the T20 team will look like in future. But we still have a few years in Test and ODI cricket to get to that point.”Related

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India won that series 4-1 with Shubman Gill at the helm and only three members of the World Cup squad – Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Yashasvi Jaiswal – in the ranks, that too only for the last three games. The team was coached by VVS Laxman, who was in charge in an interim capacity, with Gautam Gambhir, the long-term replacement for Rahul Dravid, set to move into the position starting with the Sri Lanka tour. His team of coaches has not been named yet.”I won’t be too concerned about it [the transition],” Rathour said. “We have a lot of depth in Indian cricket. There are lots of very talented and skilful players who are coming through the system. The only thing we need to make sure is the transition is done in a controlled manner. It needs to be gradual.”Rathour feels that with so many young players coming through, India have the men they need to form the core of the side, across formats, for the next decade.”I am hoping that by then, players like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, to name a few, would establish themselves and will make the transition smooth,” he said. “In ODIs also, we have experienced players like Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya to take over.”There are many exciting players coming through but these two [Gill and Jaiswal] are equipped to play all three formats for a long time. They are going to be the backbone of Indian batting in years to come.”‘I can’t find any technical reasons why Rinku cannot be a successful Test batter’•Gallo Images/Getty Images

Rathour: Rinku Singh ‘can develop into a Test cricketer’One of the players to have moved up the ladder in the past two seasons is Rinku Singh, who has played two ODIs and 20 T20Is, but can’t be called a regular in the national side yet. He is a fantastic finisher in short-format cricket, but also averages 54.70 after 69 first-class innings.”When I see him bat in nets, I can’t find any technical reasons why Rinku cannot be a successful Test batter,” Rathour said. “I understand he has made his name as a terrific finisher in T20 cricket but if you look at his first-class record, he is averaging in high 50s.”He is also blessed with a very calm temperament. So all these factors indicate that if given an opportunity, he can develop into a Test cricketer.”Dravid ‘gives you lots of space to work’Rathour formed a strong partnership with Dravid in the India backroom. Their relationship, in fact, goes back to the mid-1990s, when they made their international debuts around the same time – ditto for Paras Mhambrey, the bowling coach in the Dravid-led set-up.”Rahul is the best coach that I have worked with, who gives you lots of space to work, is open to suggestions and will provide you an honest feedback,” Rathour said. “One of the first discussions we had was about changing the batting template in T20 cricket. We agreed that we needed to bring in more intent and aggression in our batting approach.”Rathour said a case in point was that of Axar Patel, who fixed their problem of a decent batting option at No. 8. “That made a massive difference and gave the batters in top order lot more freedom to bat.”

Celtic appear to be closing in on an exciting addition to their attacking arsenal as they pursue a deal for FC Nordsjaelland winger Benjamin Nygren.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph recently claimed that the Hoops are close to agreeing a fee to sign the Sweden international from the Danish outfit.

For a fee of around £2m, the 23-year-old attacker could be a very cost-effective and shrewd signing for Brendan Rodgers ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Why £2m is a bargain fee for Benjamin Nygren

The Scottish giants appear set to land a bargain deal for the left-footed winger because his contract with Nordsjaelland is due to expire at the end of December.

This means that the Danish outfit have to cash in now, for a reduced fee, because they would otherwise risk losing him for nothing in the January transfer window at the start of next year.

It also looks to be a bargain because of the quality that he could provide at the top end of the pitch, after the flanker scored 15 goals in 30 league matches this season.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

The £2m fee also means that Nygren is set to be worth less than the majority of the Celtic squad, including centre-back Liam Scales, who the club have hit gold on.

Celtic have hit the jackpot on Liam Scales

The Hoops swooped to sign the Ireland international from Shamrock Rovers in the summer of 2021 for a reported fee of £500k, which has turned out to be a bargain fee for the defender.

Scales has scored six goals in 97 appearances for the Scottish giants in all competitions to date, and has been a regular starter at the back under Rodgers in the past two seasons.

The left-footed titan even made the PFA Team of the Year, alongside defensive partner Cameron Carter-Vickers, at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, thanks to his impressive showings in the Scottish Premiership.

Scales’ emergence as a regular starter, and excellent performer, for the Hoops in the last two seasons has caused his market value to soar way beyond the £500k they initially paid for him, and beyond the fee they are set to pay for Nygren.

July 2021

£500k

December 2022

£600k

December 2023

£1.7m

May 2024

£2.1m

October 2024

£3m

December 2024

£3.4m

March 2025

£3m

June 2025

£3.4m

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old defender’s value is now at a whopping £3.4m, which is significantly more than the £500k they invested in him four years ago.

It also means that Scales, who was dubbed “underrated” by Neil Lennon, is worth £1.4m more than a winger who scored 15 league goals this season, Nygren, which is still impressive in spite of the forward’s contractual situation.

His market value shows that Celtic hit the jackpot by snapping him up from Shamrock Rovers for a modest fee, as he has developed into a regular starter and a very valuable asset who could make the club a healthy profit in the future if they decide to cash in on him.

As exciting as Nygren: £7m star is now a target for Celtic this summer

Celtic are eyeing up another forward alongside the signing of Benjamin Nygren.

ByDan Emery Jun 17, 2025

Hopefully, Scales will continue to be a dependable figure at the back for the Scottish giants next season, which could lead to his value soaring even higher.

Manchester United had problems aplenty last season, but one of the most damning issues was the inability to produce the kind of slick attacking performances that would have merited a European-qualifying finish or indeed a trophy.

Bruno Fernandes did all he could, posting 19 goals and assists apiece across all competitions, but it wasn’t enough to stop Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, nor did it amount to silverware, or a respectable Premier League finish.

But the Red Devils can now look forward to a pre-season of preparation under the wing of Ruben Amorim, and despite all the issues, optimism remains that a corner can be turned, especially with the prestigious club’s pull still firmly intact.

Perhaps the greatest British outfit of all time, United fell by the wayside last term, but Old Trafford remains one of the most attractive destinations for high-quality players, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha rejecting offers from teams like Arsenal to complete a “dream” £62.5m move to Manchester this week.

The Brazilian forward has been hailed as “one of the most coveted players in the league” by content creator Dev Bajwa.

However, he’s not the only top Premier League forward INEOS have pushed to reel in this summer, with Bryan Mbeumo in talks to move to the Theatre of Dreams.

The latest on Bryan Mbeumo to Man Utd

Man United’s reputation as one of Europe’s big boys was underscored when Brentford’s Mbeumo intimated his preference to join Old Trafford this summer, even though Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur, all of whom have Champions League football to look forward to, have been firmly in the race.

After scoring 20 goals across 38 league outings, the intrigue is understandable, and also points toward a revised United strategy to strengthen by securing Premier League-proven players.

However, Mbeumo’s stock is high, and while he is hoping to make the move to Old Trafford, Spurs’ appointment of Thomas Frank has thrown something of a spanner in the works, with the former Bees boss’ arrival giving the Londoners renewed optimism that they could strike a deal for the Cameroon international.

United will remain confident that they can complete a statement signing, but if not, why not turn to an alternative who has also enjoyed success on English soil over the past couple of years?

Man United join race for PL star

As per Caught Offside, Manchester United have joined the race for Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert, who’s coming off the back of a prolific campaign in the Premier League.

The Dutchman, 26, is highly regarded at the Vitality Stadium, who are under no pressure to cash in. However, if suitors were to make an offer worth roughly €55m (£47m), they might just be tempted.

A host of rivals, such as Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham, are also keen, but the Red Devils registered their interest some time ago and could use their peerless pull once more to bring him in.

Why Man Utd want Justin Kluivert

Kluivert has truly stepped out of his famous father’s shadow to become his own player, joining Bournemouth from Roma two years ago in a deal just shy of £10m.

Across his two campaigns at the club, the Netherlands international has scored 22 goals and supplied ten assists, though it’s been his “red-hot” 2024/25 season that has taken him into another sphere, as has been noted by journalist Ryan Taylor.

If Man United do miss out on Mbeumo, Kluivert could prove the perfect alternative. As per Sofascore, he only missed six big chances in the league, putting away 12 more chances. Moreover, he averaged 1.4 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per game while completing 81% of his passes, bespeaking technical control and indeed the right application of his abilities.

This offers shades of Mbeumo, in a way. The Brentford sensation, 25, supported his prolific success through a base range of talents, averaging 1.8 key passes, 1.4 dribbles, and 4.7 successful duels per game.

Kluivert was utilised across a range of attacking areas by Andoni Iraola last season, and that is in keeping with his career at large, suggesting he could perform across different berths for Amorim, whose three-pronged attacking set-up could see him dovetail right in.

Justin Kluivert – Career Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Left winger

136

35

25

Right winger

85

20

21

Attacking midfield

57

15

8

Centre-forward

7

2

1

Data via Transfermarkt

He’s proven his capacity to impress across the frontline, which speaks of dynamism in a similar vein to Mbeumo, a right-sided forward by trade but not without his strengths as a focal frontman, actually playing seven times as Frank’s striker over the past year, scoring four goals and laying on one assist.

Kluivert’s demonstrable Premier League success, so clinical and composed, could see him become a star in Amorim’s system. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 6% of forwards in the division for goals and assists per 90, leading the data-driven site to rank Mbeumo up as one of his most comparable players.

United need more goals, and by injecting Amorim’s fold with talents such as Cunha and Kluivert (or indeed Mbeumo), they would take a confident step toward a lifting resurgence.

Furthermore, they’re hardly one-trick ponies. All are physical and multi-faceted players, capable of creating chances and using their athleticism to serve the fluency of the wider team.

Amorim has weathered a storm, all right, but there might just be light at the end of the tunnel. United have been here before, roused by ostensibly effective transfer windows, but there’s a certain astuteness about INEOS’ dealings right now which suggests brighter fortunes may lie around the corner.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Jun 14, 2025

Leeds United have an incredibly difficult task ahead of them following their 100-point Championship season that earned them promotion to the Premier League.

The last six teams that have been promoted to the top-flight have been instantly relegated back down to the second tier, including Southampton, Leicester City, Ipswich Town, Luton Town, Sheffield United, and Burnley.

Daniel Farke has first-hand experience of how hard it is to keep a team in the Premier League after promotion. He suffered relegation with Norwich City after his first title at Carrow Road, before being sacked during the Canaries’ second relegation straight after promotion.

The German head coach has to be backed by the 49ers in the summer transfer window to ensure that he has a squad that is capable of competing week-in-week-out in the top-flight.

There are some players in the current squad who may not be able to make the step up in quality, which is evidenced by the last six teams failing to stay up, and Dan James is one of those whose suitability for next season is up for debate.

Why Leeds have a Dan James dilemma this summer

The Wales international played a pivotal role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League with his attacking contributions from the right wing, and was nominated for the Championship Player of the Season award.

James also caught the eye with his performances in the second tier during the 2023/24 campaign, only for Leeds to fall short in the play-off final against Southampton.

The former Manchester United forward scored 12 goals and provided nine assists in the Championship this term, after a return of 13 goals and seven assists last term, which shows that he provided a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

There is, therefore, no doubt that James is a star at that level because he has proven himself in a Leeds shirt over the past two seasons, but that does not mean that he is guaranteed to be a key figure in the Premier League for the Whites.

Dan James (Premier League)

19/20

20/21

21/22

22/23

Appearances

33

15

34

24

Goals

3

3

4

2

Conversion rate

7%

18%

7%

12%

Key passes per game

0.8

0.7

0.8

0.4

Big chances created

6

2

5

3

Assists

6

1

4

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old attacker has already played four seasons of Premier League football in his career, for Manchester United, Leeds, and Fulham, and is yet to score more than four goals in one campaign.

He also failed to create at least one chance per game for his teammates in any of those four seasons, which shows that he did not provide regular quality as a scorer or a creator.

This is why Leeds have a dilemma with James this summer because it remains to be seen if he can finally be a success in the top-flight, but the 49ers could improve his chances of being a success by landing the club’s latest reported target.

Leeds eyeing bargain swoop for Premier League ace

According to talkSPORT, Leeds United are interested in a deal to sign West Ham United right-back Vladimir Coufal in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that the 49ers are looking for more top-flight experience in their squad and have identified the Czechia international as a target ahead of their Premier League campaign.

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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It also reveals that Coufal, who wants to stay in the Premier League, was told by the Hammers that they would not be extending his current contract at the London Stadium, which means that he will become a free agent, and a bargain signing for his next club, at the end of June.

TalkSPORT adds that David Moyes, who managed the right-back during his tenure at West Ham, is also interested in signing the experienced defender for Everton.

The 49ers must push to win the race to sign the 32-year-old full-back because he could be the perfect addition to help Dan James thrive in the top-flight.

Why Vladimir Coufal could be perfect for Dan James

Whilst current Leeds right-back Jayden Bogle enjoyed a fine season in the Championship, scoring six goals and providing four assists, there are still question marks over his defensive abilities in the Premier League.

He started 32 matches for a Sheffield United team that conceded a record 104 goals in 38 games last term, and started 12 times in the Blades team that finished bottom on 23 points with 63 goals conceded in the 2020/21 campaign.

Whereas West Ham have conceded fewer than 60 goals in four of Coufal’s five Premier League seasons with the Hammers, since his move from Sparta Prague in the summer of 2020.

The 32-year-old star has played a key role in many of those seasons, thanks to the defensive stability that he provides at right-back as a solid operator in a back four.

Vladimir Coufal (Premier League)

24/25

23/24

22/23

21/22

20/21

Appearances

20

36

27

28

34

Dribbled past per game

0.6x

1.0x

0.5x

0.6x

1.1x

Ground duel success rate

47%

50%

54%

52%

57%

Aerial duel success rate

60%

52%

65%

49%

56%

Error led to shot

1

0

0

1

1

Error led to goal

0

0

0

0

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Coufal has not made a single error that has directly led to a goal in his Premier League career, and he has only been dribbled past more than once per match on average in one of those five seasons.

Bogle was dribbled past 53 times in 46 top-flight games for Sheffield United, which suggests that attacking players find it easier to get past the English defender, and that is why Leeds signing Coufal could be perfect for Dan James.

Having a right-back who has proven that he can be defensive solid at Premier League level could allow Farke to keep the Welsh forward high and wide on the right flank, giving the team an outlet to hit on the counter attack by using his pace to push teams back and get in behind in counter-attacking situations.

Coufal, once dubbed “outstanding” by Declan Rice, may not need as much support as the defensively susceptible Bogle, on the right, which would free up James to stay further up the pitch when Leeds are defending.

As shown by his famous goal for Swansea in the clip above, the Wales international has electric pace on the counter attack and the Whites could utilise that effectively by ensuring that they have a defensively solid right-back who does not need constant support out of possession.

This is why Coufal, particularly on a free transfer, could be a perfect signing to come in and compete with Bogle for a spot in the team next season.

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Posts ByDan Emery May 12, 2025

Valkerie Baynes and Firdose Moonda are joined by Vishal Dikshit, who was on the ground in Indore and caught up exclusively with the centurion as Australia opened their title defence

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2025Australia allrounder Ashleigh Gardner joins Vishal Dikshit to talk about her sensational century against New Zealand in the Women’s World Cup, the thrill of playing in front of loud crowds in India, and much more. Also joining the conversation are Firdose Moonda and Valkerie Baynes.