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IPL 2025 is knocking on our doors. As we welcome the tournament’s 18th season, here is all you need to know about it

Hemant Brar20-Mar-2025When does IPL 2025 start and when is the final?IPL 2025 will start on March 22 when defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens. Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator will be played in Hyderabad on May 20 and 21, respectively. Qualifier 2, on May 23, and the final, on May 25, will be in Kolkata. In all, 74 matches will be played across 13 cities over two months. Here is the full schedule.Thirteen cities? This means some teams have more than one home venue, right?Yes, just like in 2024, Delhi Capitals will play their home matches in Delhi and Visakhapatnam, Punjab Kings in Mullanpur and Dharamsala, and Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur and Guwahati. The remaining seven teams have only one home base each.Related

Spotlight on Rahul and Pant as DC and LSG begin new season with new hope

Rahane points to rush of middle-overs wickets as 'the momentum-changer'

Shardul Thakur joins LSG as replacement for injured Mohsin Khan

An IPL soaked in soap-opera intrigue

Not having Bumrah at the start a challenge, says Jayawardene

So no changes in format?Correct. The ten teams have been divided into two virtual groups.Group A: Chennai Super Kings, KKR, RR, RCB and PBKS
Group B: MI, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans, DC and Lucknow Super GiantsEach team will play the other teams in their group twice. They will also play one team from the other group twice – that’s determined by seeding – and the other four teams once. Eventually, every team will have played 14 matches, seven at home and seven away. After that, the top four teams will qualify for the playoffs.What are the match timings?All evening games will start at 7.30pm IST. The afternoon games – there are 12 double-headers – will begin at 3.30pm IST.ESPNcricinfo LtdIs there anything new in IPL 2025?A lot, actually. To start with, as many as five teams have new captains. Shreyas Iyer, who led KKR to the title in 2024, will captain Punjab Kings this time. Ajinkya Rahane has replaced him in that role at KKR. Rishabh Pant was released by DC before the mega auction. He is now with LSG as their captain. DC, meanwhile, have handed over the reins to Axar Patel. Rajat Patidar, who is yet to play a T20I for India, will lead RCB.A couple of franchises have to cope with a temporary switch of leadership. Hardik Pandya will be unavailable for MI’s first game, against CSK, as he will be serving out an over-rate related ban from the last season. Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20I captain, will lead MI in his place. Similarly, Sanju Samson will play RR’s first three games as a batter due to a finger injury he sustained in February. Riyan Parag has been handed the armband.Among other major changes, KL Rahul has moved to DC, Yuzvendra Chahal to PBKS, R Ashwin to Chennai Super Kings and Mohammed Siraj to Gujarat Titans. You can learn more about those changes here.Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, the top two most expensive players in IPL 2025, will lead LSG and PBKS, respectively•BCCIWhat about the support staff?They, too, have undergone an overhaul. Ricky Ponting, who was DC’s head coach till last season, will don the same hat at PBKS. Hemang Badani has replaced him at DC. DC have also brought in Kevin Pietersen as mentor.Rahul Dravid, who coached India to the T20 World Cup title last year, is now the head coach of RR. Dwayne Bravo has replaced Gautam Gambhir as KKR’s mentor. Matthew Wade, who was with GT as a player till 2024, is now their assistant coach. Check our IPL Newsfile for all other changes.Who are the most expensive players at IPL 2025?Pant is the most expensive player; LSG signed him for INR 27 crore (USD 3.21 million approx.) at the mega auction. Shreyas Iyer is not too far behind, signed by PBKS for INR 26.75 crore (USD 3.18 million approx.). KKR’s Venkatesh Iyer is third on the list at INR 23.75 crore (USD 2.83 million approx.). He is followed by Henrich Klaasen, who was retained by SRH for INR 23 crore (USD 2.74 million approx.). You can check which player was signed for how much and by whom here.How could CSK retain MS Dhoni for just INR 4 crore (USD 0.48 million approx.)?Because the IPL brought back an old rule under which an Indian player can be retained as an uncapped player if his last international match was more than five years ago. Since Dhoni last played for India at the 2019 ODI World Cup, he qualified under this rule. RR also retained Sandeep Sharma under this rule.MS Dhoni will play as an uncapped player•Associated PressAny other new rules?Fielding teams during the second innings of an evening game can now get the ball changed once anytime after the tenth over*. This rule has been brought in to counter dew. In another good news for the bowlers, the ban on the use of saliva to shine the ball has also been revoked. Apart from that, Hawk-Eye will be used to judge off-side and head-high wides, in addition to waist-high no-balls.Are any big names missing from action?Jasprit Bumrah will miss the first few games for Mumbai Indians as he continues to recover from a back injury. Injuries have also ruled out AM Ghazanfar and Lizaad Williams for MI. Mujeeb Ur Rahaman and Corbin Bosch have replaced them.At LSG, Mayank Yadav is set to miss the first half of the season with a back injury, while Harry Brook has pulled out amid speculation about England’s white-ball captaincy. As per the IPL rules, Brook cannot participate in the next two seasons either. Mitchell Marsh, who missed the Champions Trophy with a back injury, has been cleared for LSG as a specialist batter.A toe injury has ruled out Brydon Carse for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He has been replaced by Wiaan Mulder.Where can I watch IPL 2025 live?Australia: Foxtel and Kayo Sports
England: Sky Sports
India: Star Sports and JioHotstar
New Zealand: Sky Sports
South Africa: SuperSport
UAE: Starz On
USA: Willow TVAnd will this be Dhoni’s last IPL?Shhh…

Brazilian icon Hulk produced one of the goals of the season as he unleashed an outrageous long-range free-kick for Atletico Mineiro against Vasco da Gama, instantly sparking Puskas Award conversations. The veteran forward launched a trademark rocket from distance to help fire his side towards a dominant 5-0 victory and cap off their Brasileirao campaign in spectacular fashion.

Hulk turns back the years with incredible long-range free-kick

Hulk stunned the Arena MRV with an extraordinary long-range free-kick that flew past the Vasco da Gama goalkeeper and doubled Atletico Mineiro’s lead in the 32nd minute. Stepping up from about 35 yards out, he generated immense power and precision, sending a rising missile into the net that left the keeper frozen. It was a vintage strike from the 39-year-old and a crucial early blow as Galo rolled toward a commanding 5-0 victory to secure Copa Sudamericana qualification.

AdvertisementWatch Hulk's spectacular strike…

Atletico Mineiro seal Copa Sudamericano spot with 5-0 win

The goal came during a match in which Atletico Mineiro completely dominated a weakened Vasco side, piling on pressure from the opening whistle and showcasing the intensity Jorge Sampaoli demanded to close the season. Hulk himself had already struck the post twice before finally unleashing the unstoppable free-kick that was a reminder of the most iconic strikes of his long career. The moment instantly circulated across Brazilian media and global social platforms, as supporters floated the possibility of a Puskas nomination.

The Galo continued to show their superiority throughout the second half, enjoying over 70% possession and overwhelming Vasco until the final whistle as Dudu added a brace and Victor Luis scored an own goal. Hulk’s contribution came as part of a resurgent conclusion to his 2025 campaign, once again reinforcing his role as Atletico’s emotional and attacking leader despite his advancing years.

Beyond the immediate impact, the goal also re-energised discussion about Hulk’s long-term future, as he enters the final phase of a contract set to expire in 2026. Although he remains central to Atletico’s identity, increasing external interest, particularly from MLS, has introduced questions about whether 2026 or 2027 may mark the final chapter of his time in Belo Horizonte. With over 100 goals for the club and legendary status cemented, every performance he delivers now comes with added meaning as fans savour the twilight of a remarkable career.

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AFPHulk yet to make decision over Atletico Mineiro future

Atletico Mineiro will now begin preparations for their 2026 Copa Sudamericana campaign, with Hulk expected to play a major role unless his future takes a dramatic turn. The club plan internal discussions early in the year to evaluate whether they will pursue an extension or prepare for a phased transition away from their iconic No.7. For Hulk, the coming months may determine whether he continues writing history at Galo or explores what could be the final move of his storied career.

St James’ Park proved to be a fortress once more for Newcastle United on Saturday evening when Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City travelled to Tyneside.

This season so far in the Premier League, the Magpies are yet to win away from home, with three draws and defeats depressingly next to their name. At home, though, it’s a much different story, with four league wins collected with confidence, which now includes a 2-1 triumph over the Citizens.

Harvey Barnes was the difference maker on the day with two well-taken efforts under pressure, with this being the first time Newcastle have got the better of their opponents from Manchester since a slim 1-0 success in the EFL Cup back in 2023.

On that day, it was Alexander Isak who would break the deadlock, and while the sting of his departure to Liverpool was certainly felt in the immediate aftermath of his exit, Eddie Howe’s Toon aren’t dwelling too much on him no longer being around now, with the 47-year-old boss no doubt pleased with the attacking display on show from Barnes and many others.

How Newcastle downed Manchester City

Howe was beaming from ear to ear at the full-time whistle, as he finally got a career win over Guardiola in league action.

He would also be over the moon for the aforementioned Barnes, with the 27-year-old winger repaying his manager’s faith in him when being handed a fifth Premier League start of the season, as his first effort was stylishly placed home, before the vital second goal was somehow bundled into the back of the net.

Nick Woltemade would have felt aggrieved that he couldn’t get on the scoresheet, though, with four efforts passing him by. Still, with four Premier League efforts next to his name this season, away from drawing blanks up against Gianluigi Donnarumma, he has filled the void left behind by Isak expertly.

Both Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes also stood out during the 2-1 victory, as Guimaraes assisted Barnes’ first breakaway strike, while his Italian teammate won six duels and three tackles as a combative counterpart.

Yet, there was one star who stood out throughout who could now be labelled boldly as Howe’s next Isak, even with Woltemade at his disposal, for how influential he’s become in such a short space of time.

Howe's new Isak-esque figure

Of course, while the £125m sale is now struggling to settle at Anfield, he was a consistent top performer on Tyneside when he was still donning the famous black and white stripes.

Indeed, a deadly 62 strikes were tallied up by the lethal Scandinavian during his 102-game stay at St James’ Park, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher even hailing him as the “best striker in the Premier League” off the back of such potent form.

He immediately hit the ground running in England, too, with two goals from his first three league appearances for the Toon, with Malick Thiaw also making the transition from European football to English shores look easy, making him a strong candidate to be considered Howe’s next most influential player, much like Isak was.

With an 86% pass accuracy averaged across his eight Premier League games to date, and a commanding 4.6 duels won on average, some have even hailed the German as a “top five centre-back in the league this season”, with Isak also in the same esteemed conversations as a top five forward in the division.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

36

Accurate passes

20/25 (80%)

Tackles won

1/1

Last man tackles

1

Interceptions

1

Clearances

7

Blocked shots

1

Ball recoveries

6

Total duels won

2/4

Thiaw has only enhanced his reputation for being an influential member of Howe’s first team with his commanding showing against Guardiola’s visitors, with 14-goal hero Erling Haaland completely negated by the former AC Milan defender, who restricted him to just 23 touches of the ball and two shots on target.

NUFCBlog hailed the performance as “outstanding” against “the best striker on the planet” as Thiaw even impressively stood his ground one-on-one with the frightening Norwegian early in the second half, before a last-ditch intervention saw a chance go rarely astray for the number nine.

On top of that moment of ice-cold maturity, Thiaw would also bow out from the 2-1 win with seven clearances and six ball recoveries amassed, as City found it very difficult all night long to break down the Toon’s resilient back line.

The hope will just be that Thiaw gets better with more time in the Premier League, like Isak, who transformed into a £125m-calibre beast.

Although this time around, Howe will also pray he doesn’t have to give up the 6-foot-4 defender to the likes of Liverpool or any other suitor, as Thiaw becomes the manager’s most crucial player.

Last season, that was reserved for Isak. This season, it’s reserved for their new towering centre-half.

9/10 Newcastle duo look even more important than Bruno G & Tonali

These two players stood out in Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Man City

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 23, 2025

Pep Guardiola has not been afraid to be ruthless when it comes to selling players at Manchester City. One of the best examples would have to be Joe Hart.

The former Citizens number one left the Etihad on loan for Torino in 2016, before exiting the club on loan for West Ham United the year after and leaving on a free in 2018.

More recently, you might look at Raheem Sterling as an example of this ruthlessness. After years of exceptional service for the club, City’s Spanish boss was happy for him to join Chelsea, a move which proved to be a good decision.

It could well be the case that Jack Grealish was on the receiving end of this ruthlessness from Guardiola this summer.

Why Grealish left Man City

City spent a huge fee on Grealish back in 2021, paying his boyhood side, Aston Villa, then-British record of £100m. There is a perception that things didn’t work out for the attacker, but his Champions League medal suggests otherwise.

Nonetheless, Grealish did fall out of favour under Guardiola. He played 157 games for City, but last term only managed 32 appearances across all competitions. However, from Boxing Day and beyond, the attacker only played seven times in the top flight.

After being snubbed in the FA Cup semi-final, with Guardiola opting to bring on youngster Claudio Echeverri for his debut, it seemed like the England star’s time at City was done. Alan Shearer said on the Rest is Football podcast afterwards that he “has to leave.”

Leave, he did. Everton swooped in to sign Grealish on loan with an option to buy him for £50m. It has been a hugely successful move for the winger, too. He is thriving under David Moyes and has five goals and assists to his name in 13 games.

Unfortunately, there is a City star who finds himself in a similar predicament this season, who could be the next to face Guardiola’s ruthless nature.

Man City's next big departure

Looking at this season, it hasn’t been easy to break into the City side. They have a settled 11, especially in attack, with the likes of Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden locking down spots in the lineup and Guardiola sticking with them week in, week out.

This has meant there are fewer opportunities for some players to get into the side. This can certainly be said for Savinho, who has found there have been limited chances this season in a City side performing well on the whole.

The 21-year-old has played 62 times for City now, and did impress last term. He scored and assisted 14 goals across all competitions, but has struggled for that form in 2025/26.

He’s bagged once in the Carabao Cup against Huddersfield Town, and has only assisted twice, in 14 appearances.

Indeed, his performances in 2025/26 have received criticism from fans and pundits alike. Sports writer Amos Murphy said he has been “awful” this term and that his efforts in the 2-1 defeat away to Newcastle United last weekend were “unacceptable.”

Last season, a campaign where City failed to win a trophy, Savinho’s underlying numbers were impressive. For example, he created an average of 2.3 chances each game, down this term to 1.8 per 90 minutes.

Key passes

2.3

1.8

Dribbles completed

2.8

2

Big chances created

0.5

0.4

Expected goal involvements

0.46xG

0.28xG

Tackles and interceptions

1.4

1.3

Savinho’s performances certainly need to improve soon. As the season goes on, Guardiola will need the entirety of his squad to be at their top level in order to push for titles in the Premier League and Champions League.

However, at the rate of his performances, it is easy to see Savinho becoming another Grealish, and really falling out of favour under the Spaniard. Perhaps the Brazilian will be the next player to face the ruthless side of City’s boss.

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Manchester City need their stars to step up as Erling Haaland continues to dominate the centre stage.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 22, 2025

It has not been the start to the season that many Chelsea fans were hoping for in the summer.

Enzo Maresca’s side are not necessarily playing poorly, but as things stand, they are ninth in the Premier League and have lost three of their last five in the competition.

The good news is that they have progressed to the next round of the League Cup, and Jamie Gittens finally put in a sensational performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

His three goal involvements in that game should take some of the heat off him, although with him starting to perform, another summer signing is looking even more perplexing, a signing who could be the new Jadon Sancho.

Sancho's record at Chelsea

Contrary to what many non-Chelsea fans believe, the Blues did, at one point, intend to sign Sancho upon the completion of his loan last season.

Chalkboard

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

The deal they agreed with Manchester United the previous summer included an obligation to buy for £25m or a fee of £5m to send him back, and so initially, the club looked to keep him on a permanent basis.

However, according to reports, the reason they eventually paid to send him back to Old Trafford was because the Englishman refused to accept a pay cut to his massive weekly wage of up to £300k-per-week.

Such an astronomical salary would have been a ludicrous waste of money, as while the former Borussia Dortmund star had his moments here and there, he never blew anyone away during his time at Stamford Bridge.

For example, in 41 appearances across all competitions, the 25-year-old was only able to score five goals and provide ten assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.73 games, which is hardly the output of someone who can demand the wages he did.

Moreover, those numbers start to look even worse when you dig a little deeper.

Games

41

Goals

5

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

For example, two of his goals and five of his assists came in the Conference League, and while it was great that the club won the competition, the opposition they faced to do so were subpar at best.

In all, while it seemed like a good idea at the time, signing Sancho on loan last season was probably not worth it for Chelsea, and it looks like they made a similar mistake this summer.

Chelsea's Sancho repeat

While they haven’t all settled in just yet, it would be fair to say that Chelsea made several quite exciting signings this summer.

However, one signing that baffled fans and pundits alike at the time, and remains even more confusing, is that of Facundo Buonanotte.

The Blues signed the Argentine ace from Brighton & Hove Albion on a season-long loan with no option or obligation to buy, and while it’s not a terrible signing, there are a few reasons which make it a poor one.

For example, and this is a crucial one, he didn’t exactly light the world alight last season.

In his 35 appearances for Leicester City, the supposedly “magnificent” youngster, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored six goals and provided three assists, with seven of those goal involvements coming in the league.

Such a middling return just makes the Blues’ decision to bring him to the club on a short-term basis all the more baffling, as it’s not like he was an output machine last year.

This leads to the second problem with the move, which is that, if he’s only meant to play the less important games, why couldn’t the club give their own academy products that chance?

Surely it makes more sense to build up the experience of your own prospects over that of Brighton’s.

Finally, when he has actually played for Maresca, he’s not impressed.

In his five appearances thus far, the Pérez-born gem has scored a single goal, and that came against the mighty Lincoln City in the League Cup.

Ultimately, Buonanotte’s lack of impact last season, his underwhelming displays so far this season, and the fact that he could be blocking the pathway for a Cobham graduate just make his loan move more baffling with every passing gameweek.

Maresca can soon unleash "phenomenal" Delap upgrade at Chelsea in 2026

Delap’s place in the Chelsea side could soon be under threat.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 31, 2025

Liverpool currently have no plans to give disgruntled forward Mohamed Salah a big send-off this weekend when the Reds return to action against Brighton in the Premier League. Saturday's match is Salah's final game with Liverpool before he heads off to link up with the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. It could also potentially be his last-ever outing for the Reds as his future at the club has been plunged into doubt following his critical comments in the wake of being benched for a third straight game.

• Liverpool prepare to host Brighton but will Salah play?

  Salah was left out of the squad for Liverpool's Champions League win over Inter in Milan last time out following his explosive criticism of the club and manager Arne Slot. Currently it's not clear if he will be involved against Brighton on Saturday at Anfield. Slot has said he has "no clue" if Salah will play for the club again, with Saudi Pro League sides reportedly interested in trying to bring the forward to the Middle East in the January transfer window.

  Salah has said he feels like has been "thrown under the bus" at Liverpool and that he does not know why he has been benched in recent weeks as Slot attempts to turn around his team's poor form. The Egyptian star also stated he had "no relationship" with Slot and that he feels that "someone doesn't want me in the club."

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Why Liverpool won't give Salah big send off

  The situation means that Saturday could potentially be Salah's last-ever game for Liverpool and will certainly be his last appearance at Anfield for some time even if he does stay for the rest of the season. Yet the Merseysiders have no plans to give Salah a bid send-off ahead of his departure for AFCON, as reported by . The Reds do not want potential admirers to feel that Salah's time at the club is up as they are keen to "protect any potential future transfer fee". It's thought that giving Salah a big farewell would weaken the club's position in any transfer negotiations in January or beyond.

• Salah vows to be at Anfield for Brighton match

  Salah has vowed to be at Anfield for the Brighton game, although he does not know if he will be playing or spectating once again. He told reporters: "Yesterday I said to [my parents], 'Come to the Brighton game'. I don't know if I am going to play or not but I am going to enjoy it. In my head, I'm going to enjoy that game because I don't know what is going to happen now. I will be at Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa Cup. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there."

  Liverpool have the day off on Thursday but are due to train on Friday, at which point it may become clearer as to whether Salah will be recalled to the starting XI or not by Slot. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Saudi clubs lurk as Salah exit talk grows

  Speculation that Salah could move on this winter is growing, with Saudi Arabia a potential destination. "There is competition within the Saudi league to bring in Salah," a source told AFP. "It's not only the PIF-affiliated clubs." Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli are all reportedly interested along with Al Qadsiah. 

  Salah admitted back in May that he thought he would move to Saudi in the summer before signing a new contract with Liverpool. He told : "It was a good opportunity to me, if I hadn't renewed with Liverpool it would have happened. My relations with SPL officials are very good, we talked a lot, and the negotiations were serious."

  He added: "The negotiations were long, I know the club's policy [in negotiations], we reached a middle ground that made us all happy. Part of the pressure on the club came from the fans, I know from the start that they wanted me to continue, and they played their role in all of this."

Kenyon replaces long-serving Lisa Pursehouse as club finalise details of Trent Rockets deal

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2025County champions Nottinghamshire have appointed Richard Kenyon, who has spent the last decade working in commercial and communications roles at Everton Football Club, as their new chief executive.Kenyon will take over from Lisa Pursehouse, who announced her intention to step down earlier this year and has now left the club after 14 seasons in the role. Her last week at the club coincided with their first Championship title since 2010, which was clinched with victory over Warwickshire at Trent Bridge in the final round of fixtures.During his 11 years at Everton, Kenyon worked in various marketing and communications roles, including three-and-a-half years as chief commercial and communications officer, and served as chief executive of the charity Everton in the Community. Notts said that he had played an “instrumental role” in the club’s move from Goodison Park to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium.Related

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Kenyon’s appointment comes at a time when Notts are preparing to assume operational control of Trent Rockets in the Hundred. An announcement in the completion of their £40 million deal with Cain International and Ares Management is imminent, with Notts retaining a 51% controlling stake in the new joint-venture.Andy Hunt, Notts’ chair, said that Kenyon’s experience at Everton made him the standout candidate: “His leadership at Everton spanned critical areas including commercial strategy, global brand development, major infrastructure projects, and multi-stakeholder consultation – all directly relevant to the current and future ambitions of our club.”Kenyon described his appointment as “a tremendous privilege”. He said: “It’s a great credit to the outgoing CEO and her team that I’ll be joining a club in such a strong position. I can’t wait to get started later this year and look forward to working closely with the general committee, the executive team, and our members to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead for this great club and all of its teams.”Michael Temple, Notts’ commercial director, will serve as interim chief executive before Kenyon takes up his new role in December.Several counties are changing their chief executives over the 2025-26 winter. Emma White, who has previously worked in rugby union and horse racing, has replaced Sean Jarvis at Leicestershire, while Kent’s chief operating officer Nimmo Reid will fill the role on an interim basis while the club search for a successor to Simon Storey. Sussex’s Pete Fitzboyden has also stepped down after two seasons for personal reasons.

Both fast bowlers will face India in the ODI series with Hazlewood then due to miss the latter part of the T20Is

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-20252:26

How is England’s attack shaping up ahead of the Ashes?

Josh Hazlewood is confident one Sheffield Shield game will be enough for him and Mitchell Starc before the Ashes, with the quick likely to skip three T20Is against India to play for New South Wales.Hazlewood and Starc were on Tuesday both named in Australia’s squad to face India in three ODIs later this month, which kicks off the main part of the home summer.Related

'He doesn't need much' – Starc says Cummins can play off limited preparation

Maxwell hopes to be fit for back-end of T20I series against India

Doubts over Cummins' fitness for first Ashes Test grow, return remains unknown

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Hazlewood: England will bring an 'unbelievable' batting line-up for the Ashes

Five T20Is then follow, and while Starc has retired from that format, Hazlewood has been listed in the squad for the first two of those games on October 29 and 31.Australian officials are keeping an open mind to Ashes preparations, ahead of the first Test in Perth beginning on November 21.But the most likely scenario remains having the duo play for NSW against Victoria in a Shield match from November 10, before a one-week preparation into the first Test.”We’ve definitely had chats about fitting in a Shield game,” Hazlewood said at a Cricket Australia sponsorship announcement with Woolworths on Monday. “I do think it’s important when there’s time for it. You don’t want to squeeze things in or rush for it.”This year I’m going to miss a couple of T20s to do that. Which I certainly don’t like doing, missing games for Australia. But in the long run it is about getting the best prep for the Ashes as well. You can’t have everything and that’s the trade off at the moment.”Josh Hazlewood will work through ODIs and T20Is during October•Getty ImagesIt creates the potential for a star-studded NSW side to take the field at the SCG. Nathan Lyon is eyeing three out of the first four Shield matches before the first Test and is expected to miss the round two fixture at Junction Oval which would leave him to face Queensland at the Gabba then Victoria in Sydney.It’s understood that Steve Smith is also in line to play while Sam Konstas will likely line up, although by then he will know his Test fate with the squad due to be named after the third round of Shield fixtures.Pat Cummins will sit out the white-ball matches against India as he fights to recover from his back issues in time for the first Test.Hazlewood said playing the ODIs would also help with preparation, with three games in the space of a week offering a reasonable workload.There is a fine balance for the 34-year-old to strike, given he is still eying off playing in the T20 World Cup in February before another ODI tournament in 2027.”That’s why I put my hand up for as many tours as I can,” Hazlewood said. “Even if I only play two out of three on a tour, it just means I am still touching base with those formats.”My game doesn’t change too much. I have been around long enough to duck and dive in each format and chop and change.”Hazlewood said it was possible for him to play all five Ashes Tests, with lengthy gaps between the first three helping bowlers manage their fitness.

Premier League legend Rory Delap has revealed that his son Liam was reduced to tears as a child as overzealous parents accused him of "ruining the game" with his long throws. The 49-year-old was the long throw-in king during his playing days, and as a result, his offspring appear to find it hard not to be tarred with that same brush. And when Liam was at primary school, one incident stung the Delap family.

Delap a throw-in legend

The 49-year-old became synonymous with long throws during his days at Stoke City, as defences quivered in fear at his javelin-like delivery into opposition boxes. While Delap senior became a cult figure for his howitzer set pieces in the 2000s, there appeared to be a negative knock-on effect for his son. Rory recalled how he agreed to stand in for Liam's coach for one game when he was at primary school – and it left a lasting impression. 

Talking to the Derbyshire FA/DerbyUniFootyJournos podcast On The Grass, Delap recalled: "The coach wasn’t able to be there and the game would have been postponed, so he asked me to take it for him. Unfortunately, in the game, the team was losing. And then there was 30 seconds left or something. Liam took two long throws, I’m talking aged seven or eight. We scored from them. Their parents are going berserk: ‘You’re ruining the game!’ So Liam was in tears even though they’ve won. That’s probably the last time he took a throw in. And that was the end of my grassroots coaching career.”

AdvertisementAFPDelap 'proud' of his son Liam

The 22-year-old has had a bright start to his career, graduating from Manchester City's academy to their first-team, securing a move to Ipswich Town, where he impressed in the Premier League, and then sealing a £30 million ($39.5m) summer move to Chelsea. Naturally, the former Southampton and Derby County man is very proud of what the striker has accomplished thus far.

"I’m immensely proud of Liam, of all three of my sons and my daughter," he said. "People think Liam’s had an easy route, and it’s anything but. He’s had his ups, his downs, but he’s always stayed focused that he could make it. He had to leave home, make a decision to leave home at 16, go to Manchester not knowing really what the situation was, but he’s always backed himself. I’ve always said, ‘if you work as hard as possible so there’s no excuse, you never know where it’s going to get you – treat people with respect, see where it takes you’. He’s not there yet. He’s had a big move in the summer to Chelsea, a big opportunity for him. Liam’s been unfortunate with the (hamstring) injury, he started well in America and then the start of the season, but he’s got a lot to do to force his way into the team now."

Success of long throws a consequence of Guardiola's style

Among many talking points this season, the return of long throw-ins has been a big one. Arsenal, Brentford, and Sunderland have utilised the tactic well as teams look to find other ways to unlock defences. And according to Delap, this trend is partly in response to Pep Guardiola's tactics being so effective in the past 15 years or so.

He added: "If you look over the last 10 years, Pep’s had a big influence on how teams, not just in the Premier League play, but across the board. Pep’s always had the best players in the world to work with, which makes things a lot easier. You can go down to the non-league divisions and see it there as well – where teams are trying to play their way out. It’s the same with academies, the majority of the teams will look to play out and they want technical players. The consequence of that is you end up with the defenders that can’t defend and head the football. That’s become prevalent, that people are putting more long balls in because the lads that have come through the academies don’t understand how to defend that type of situation. So you’re seeing the longer balls, throw-ins, set plays. There’s a correlation in a lot of teams having set play coaches, but it’s a bit disrespectful to say that’s a new thing, because it’s not. It was just that before it was the coach’s or the manager’s job to do it as part of the plan, the programme. So it’s no less or no more important today than it was. Teams are doing it because they’re getting success."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

Delap, who has just returned from a hamstring injury, is not on long throw-in duty for Chelsea. However, he will hope to be very effective for Enzo Maresca's team when they host Premier League basement side Wolves on Saturday.

It’s been another frustrating campaign for Chelsea so far this season.

One week, Enzo Maresca’s side are able to keep Premier League leaders Arsenal at bay with ten men and tear Barcelona apart 3-0 in the Champions League.

Yet, the next week they’ll lose 3-1 to Leeds United and be held to a draw away to Bournemouth.

One of the big problems this season has been a lack of goals from their strikers, and the worrying thing for Liam Delap in particular is that Chelsea may already have a forward who could end his stay at Stamford Bridge early.

Chelsea's striker situation

Chelsea did not score enough goals last season; they ended the campaign having scored 22 fewer than Liverpool, eight fewer than Manchester City, five fewer than Arsenal and even four fewer than Newcastle United.

Chalkboard

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So, on top of their other business, the Blues opted to send Nicolas Jackson out on loan and bring in Delap and Joao Pedro to compete for that nine position, with Marc Guiu then returning from loan after the Englishman suffered a hamstring injury in the third game of the season.

Now, while this looked like a reasonable plan from the outset, it would be fair to say that, so far, it has not really worked out.

The West Londoners have still scored fewer goals than the Gunners and City, and their forward options are a significant reason why.

Pedro, for example, may have been on fire in the Club World Cup and pre-season, but after the first few games of the campaign proper, he has underwhelmed.

For example, in 18 appearances, totalling 1377 minutes, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star has scored four goals and provided three assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.57 games, or every 196.71 minutes.

Moving on to Guiu, the Spaniard has barely been given a chance to play this season, but has scored and assisted a goal in 280 minutes of football across eight appearances.

That comes out to a reasonable enough average of a goal involvement every 140 minutes, or every four games.

Finally, arguably the most orthodox centre forward of the lot, and potentially the most disappointing so far, is Delap.

Games

18

8

11

Minutes

1377′

280′

453′

Goals

4

1

1

Assists

3

1

0

When not injured or suspended, the former Ipswich Town star has made 11 appearances for the West Londoners, totalling 453 minutes, in which he has scored just a solitary goal.

Unfortunately for the 22-year-old, he is now set to miss another eight weeks of action with a shoulder injury he picked up against the Cherries.

Now, there is every chance Delap could eventually come good this season, but if he does not, his stay at Stamford Bridge could be cut short by another exciting striker making his way there in the summer.

The Striker that could end Delap's Chelsea career

Following the news that Delap would be out for up to eight weeks, there was talk that Chelsea could potentially bring Emmanuel Emegha’s move forward to the winter window.

That now seems to be unlikely, but even so, the Strasbourg forward, who agreed to join the Blues in September, is the player who could be bad news for the Englishman next season.

Why is this the case, you may ask. Well, the first and by far most significant reason is the simple fact that he appears to be a reliable source of goals and assists.

For example, in 29 appearances last season, totalling 2408 minutes, the Dutchman scored 14 goals and provided three assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.70 games, or every 141.64 minutes. There’s a reason he’s been described as a “devastating” talent by scout Antonio Mango.

As if that wasn’t impressive enough for a young forward, the “simply phenomenal” goalscorer, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has gotten even better this season.

In 11 appearances, totalling 664 minutes, he has already scored seven goals and provided two assists, which comes out to a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.22 games, or every 73.77 minutes.

Season

24/25

25/26

Appearances

29

11

Minutes

2408′

664′

Goals

14

7

Assists

3

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.81

Minutes per Goal Involvement

141.64′

73.77′

On top of this incredible output, the Den Haag-born poacher is also the captain of Strasbourg, so he should not feel intimidated by stepping up a level in the Premier League.

Finally, he is also 6 foot 5 and no pushover, so on top of potentially being a better goalscorer than Delap, he should be able to hold up the ball at least as well, if not better.

Ultimately, there is still time for the former Ipswich ace to come good at Chelsea, but if he doesn’t improve this season, Emegha could be the one to end his Stamford Bridge stay as soon as next year.

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