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Australia will also host a Test against South Africa in 2023-24 and play one away against India

Andrew McGlashan16-Aug-2022The women’s Ashes has a separate season to the men’s in the first edition of the women’s Future Tours Programme with the new schedule to begin when England visit Australia in 2024-25.Elsewhere in the inaugural version of the women’s FTP Australia will play their first Test against South Africa and their first in India since 1984, both in 2023-24. They will also face Bangladesh for the first time in a bilateral series when they tour there in early 2024.The men’s and women’s Ashes series have been played in the same season since 2009 with the most recent being in 2021-22 when both England teams toured Australia. The women’s Ashes became a multi-format series in 2013 with Australia holding them since 2015.It means that England’s women, who will host Australia in 2023 alongside the men’s Ashes, will tour down under twice in three years, but after that the series will revert to its traditional spacing.Related

ICC set to unveil first ever Women's Cricket Future Tours Programme

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BCCI earmarks window in March 2023 for inaugural women's IPL

“The multi-format Ashes has grown in stature we believe in our country every time it gets played,” Peter Roach, CA’s head of scheduling told ESPNcricinfo. “Whichever way we looked at it we thought that it must have an impact on the focus of it, and not just the women but the men as well.”Two Ashes series, crossing over each other, we thought they were such significant events in their own right to separate them. Across the four years of the FTP we’ve got two Ashes series which is a terrific result for us. So we thought it was the right time and the ECB have been really supportive of it.”The South Africa and India Tests come during a seven-month period which will see Australia play three matches in the format with an Ashes clash set for June or July 2023.South Africa played their first Test since 2014 when they faced England earlier this year, while India returned to the format after a gap of seven years in 2021.This season Australia do not host a Test with Pakistan the only visitors – having played India and England in 2021-22 – but there is one home Test in each of the next three seasons that are confirmed on the schedule released today. CA remains hopeful that another nation may have taken up the Test game in time to slot in for the yet-to-be-confirmed 2026-27 season.”We are supportive of the multi-format series,” Roach said. “There’s a question mark on 2026-27 [about] what’s going to be there. We really hope that the women’s programmes in other parts of the world, and we’re pretty confident they will, continue to grow very strongly. And come that time there’ll be other countries that are at a stage where they think they are ready and willing to engage in a multi-format series.”The women’s game is evolving so quickly…but sitting here today we’d love to think that a January-February window is a terrific opportunity for us to showcase the multi-format series. Who are the other opponents going to be? Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and West Indies, all of those making some great strides with their women’s programmes.”Roach added the women’s FTP, which is built around ICC events and the ODI Championship, had been a chance to formulate a far more ideal structure for the global game than is possible with the men. As previously reported by ESPNcricinfo, there have been windows left, which are unofficial from CA’s point of view, for the Hundred (August), WBBL (October/November) and a WIPL (likely March) which is expected to start next year, although the Commonwealth Games in March 2026 – hosted in Victoria – shapes as a potential clash for the latter.”There’s a really good feeling amongst the countries that freeing these windows up, to play in the Hundred and the WBBL and the potential woman’s IPL, makes perfect sense because they are really attractive propositions for our female athletes,” Roach said. “People are understanding that we should have the ability to be flexible to support this rapid growth of the women’s game and that flexibility is presently available to us, which in the men’s game is a little bit more complicated.”Australia Women’s FTP2022-23Jul: Ireland vs Australia/Pakistan (4 T20Is)
Jul/Aug: Commonwealth Games – Birmingham
Dec: India vs Australia (5 T20Is)
Jan: Australia vs Pakistan (3 ODIs, 3 T20Is)
Feb: T20 World Cup – South Africa2023-24Jun/Jul: England vs Australia (1 Test, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is)
Jul: Ireland vs Australia (3 ODIs)
Sep/Oct: Australia vs West Indies (3 ODIs, 3 T20Is)
Dec/Jan: India vs Australia (1 Test, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is)
Jan/Feb: Australia vs South Africa (1 Test, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is)
Mar/Apr: Bangladesh vs Australia (3 ODIs, 3 T20Is)2024-25Sep/Oct: T20 World Cup – Host TBC
Dec: Australia vs India (3 ODIs)
Dec: New Zealand v Australia (3 ODIs)
New FTP cycle – further matches to be added
Jan/Feb: Australia v England (1 Test, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is)
Mar: New Zealand vs Australia (3 T20Is)2025-26Sep/Oct: ODI World Cup – India
Jan/Feb: Australia vs India (1 Test, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is)
Mar: Commonwealth Games – Victoria

Everything you need to know about Slovenian shot-stopper Jan Oblak's salary playing for Atletico Madrid in LaLiga

Slovenian shot-stopper Jan Oblak is often hailed as one of the best goalkeepers to have graced LaLiga, having joined Atletico Madrid over a decade ago in 2014 and becoming a vital player in Diego Simeone's defensive system over time as he has bailed out the team with individual brilliance on numerous occasions.

Having served the club for so long and contributing massively to their resurgence and success, Oblak has been rewarded generously financially.

Under his current contract at the club, Oblak stands as the top earner despite being a goalkeeper and with other big names present. Exactly how much does he earn, though?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

*

Jan Oblak's wages at Atletico Madrid in numbers

Oblak earns a whopping £334,983 ($438,516) per week at Atletico Madrid under the terms of his existing deal.

Meanwhile, his annual wages amount to £17.4 ($22.8m).

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Jan Oblak

Slovenian

  £334,983

$438,516

£17,419,136

$22,802,822

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTop earners at Atletico Madrid

Oblak stands as the highest earner in the current Atletico Madrid squad.

Second on the list is French World Cup-winning star Antoine Griezmann, with English midfielder Conor Gallagher next on the list following his move from Chelsea.

Finally, rounding off the list in fourth and fifth positions are Marcos Llorente and experienced midfielder Axel Witsel.

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Jan Oblak

Slovenian

£334,983

$438,516

£17,419,136

$22,802,822

Antoine Griezmann

French

£201,022

$263,152

£10,453,154

$13,683,882

Conor Gallagher

English

£144,736

$189,469

£7,526,271

$9,852,395

Marcos Llorente

Spanish

£133,961

$175,364

£6,965,982

$9,118,939

Axel Witsel

Belgian

£133,961

$175,364

£6,965,982

$9,118,939

Top earners in La Liga

Apart from being the highest earner at Atletico, Oblak is also the fourth highest-paid player across the league.

The top spot belongs to Barcelona's Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski.

Following him is Real Madrid's own superstar Kylian Mbappe. Taking the third and fifth spots are two more Madrid players, David Alaba and Jude Bellingham.

Nationality

Nationality

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual Wages USD

Robert Lewandowski

Polish

£536,006

$701,667

£27,872,290

$36,486,704

Kylian Mbappe

French

£502,556

$657,879

£26,132,886

$34,209,706

David Alaba

Austrian

£361,840

$473,673

£18,815,678

$24,630,988

Jan Oblak

Slovenian

£334,983

$438,516

£17,419,136

$22,802,822

Jude Bellingham

English

£334,983

$438,516

£17,419,136

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AFPHighest paid players in the world

Despite the impressive wages that are being paid in the league, none of the top LaLiga earners make it to the top-five earners list globally.

Saudi Pro League players heavily dominate the list, with former Real Madrid forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema at first and second spot, respectively.

Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez comes in at number three, followed by Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly.

Player

Club

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual wages USD

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al Nassr

£3,216,155

$4,210,425

£167,250,468

$218,942,120

Karim Benzema

Al Ittihad

£1,608,178

$2,105,213

£83,625,234

$109,471,060

Riyad Mahrez

Al Ahli

£839,469

$1,098,921

£45,652,372

$57,43,893

Sadio Mane

Al Nassr

£643,271

$842,085

£33,450,094

$43,788,424

Kalidou Koulibaly

Al Hilal

£558,038

$730,509

£29,017,956

$37,986,458

Chelsea are the "favourite" to sign one of the Champions League's most deadly strikers, ahead of Juventus and Milan this summer.

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Chelsea keen on Champions League hotshotFace competition from Juventus and MilanStriker has €70m release clauseFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Serhou Guirassy of Borussia Dortmund is the top scorer in the Champions League this season – netting 13 times, including a hat-trick against Barcelona on Tuesday – and the Blues are eyeing him up as the solution to their number nine problems ahead of next season, reports transfer journalist Maurizio Russo. They face competition from Juventus and Milan for the forward.

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Russo reports that Guirassy has a €70m release clause in his Dortmund contract, which is unlikely to be a fee that puts Chelsea off, although they should "be careful" about Juventus' interest.

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The report states that Napoli boss Antonio Conte was keen to sign Guirassy last summer. The club ended up landing Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea but the Italian would have liked to sign them both.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR GUIRASSY?

Guirassy will next be in action against Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday, as Dortmund aim to climb into the European qualification positions in the Bundesliga.

Impressive career-best century cements hosts’ dominance of opening day at Wantage Road

David Hopps12-Sep-2022Northamptonshire 249 for 4 (Gay 145, Keogh 75*) vs SurreySurrey have been one of the driving forces in trying to reverse the marked decline in black players in English professional cricket, so they will need no reminding that if Emilio Gay keeps turning in the sort of polished hundreds that he delivered at Northampton, it could have a wider significance for the game.Gay was also a player on their radar until he signed a contract extension at Northamptonshire and they opted instead for Dom Sibley’s return to south London. They recognised in Gay not just an opening batter of considerable promise but also a potential role model for budding cricketers of Afro-Caribbean heritage. Any player who can enthuse and inspire marginalised groups deserves to be championed. And this was an innings to impress all who saw it.It is just that, with a Championship at stake, Surrey saw rather more of him than they would have liked: 189 balls worth, during which time he struck a career-best 145 to leave Northants comfortably placed at 249 for 4 from 67.2 overs on a rain-affected day that would have left Surrey’s seamers hoping for a better outcome.Hampshire – and more to the point, one of the most bloody-minded, uncompromising sides in Hampshire’s history – hold an eight-point advantage at the top of the table and, if Surrey do not force victory here, the two sides will enter the last two matches of the season with little between them.The ACE programme fronted by Ebony Rainford-Brent, a former Surrey and England cricketer, began in South London and has now won charitable status, financial backing from the ECB, and has been expanded into six English cities. It seeks to bring more diversity into the game at a time when, as Rainford-Brent has said, “the elite and access to wealth dominate our game”.Admittedly, Gay does not entirely constitute a social breakthrough. He born in Bedford, rather than pilfered from the Caribbean on a scholarship by an ambitious private school. He is another private school product, though, an alumnus of Bedford School, and there are fleeting reminders of another old boy, Alastair Cook, in his tall and stately presence at the crease. Gay possesses more elegance and it is fair to say that Cook’s career has so far brought more certainty on the pull and hook.It is a surprise that Surrey did not resort to a battery of short stuff earlier. Gay took a few blows at Kia Oval earlier in the season apparently, and Gus Atkinson, who may well be quicker than he looks, struck him on the helmet with a devilish bouncer, on 138, which came in increasingly murky light and which left him with no escape route.Gay’s response was to pull and hook, as a player of his upright style must, but he soon succumbed. The ball after a change of helmet, he failed to make contact as he pulled at another Atkinson short ball. Atkinson removed him in his next over as light drizzle began to fall: this time contact was made, but not emphatically and Tom Curran collected a simple catch in from the rope at deep square leg. He left to a standing ovation. Play abruptly ended for the day. Arguably, a ball too late.Gay’s final throes also told of weariness – he was dropped on 126 when he nearly deposited a waist-high full toss from the legspinner Cameron Steel into the hands of Hashim Amla, diving to his right at mid-off.But the lasting impression was overwhelmingly of a 22-year-old of considerable potential. This was his third first-class hundred – his first two both came at Canterbury – and there was much to admire: rasping cuts and square drives, particularly against Dan Worrall, wristy flicks through midwicket, and some elegant off-drives whenever Kemar Roach overpitched.For all his last-ball dismissal, he was satisfied enough. It was an opportunity to show what I am capable of and going toe-to-toe with the best bowlers in the country,” he said. “I have shown in the last two games that I like the pressure and I like coming up against the top teams.”Surrey also gave Tom Curran his first Championship appearance since April 2019. He has returned from a stress fracture in his back this year, having missed much of 2019 with a side strain. He delivered 11 overs for 39 without reward and is clearly feeling his way back. It is nearly five years since his last Test and it will take considerable resolve for him to resurrect his career in the longer formats.It was a day of regret in Northampton in so many ways. Before play, the national anthem was played and there was a minute’s silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II. During a rain break, there was a period of applause in remembrance of Northamptonshire coach Luke Swann, a Northamptonshire junior coach, who has died at 39; the players wore black armbands.There were departures, too. Midway through the day, it was announced that Ben Curran (the least celebrated of the Curran trio), Nathan Buck, Brandon Glover and Charlie Thurston will leave the county at the end of the season. Northants are expected to recruit Ollie Sale from Somerset.Gale banished the sombre mood. He shared a 77-run first-wicket partnership with Will Young and a 155-run fourth-wicket stand with Rob Keogh. Post-lunch spells from Roach and Worrall promised much for Surrey as three wickets fell in 31 balls. Young’s obduracy was ended when his back-foot force few to second slip,Luke Procter, who has had an excellent season and who has adopted Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s crablike stance during his promotion to No.3, fell at gully off the shoulder of the bat and Worrall added Josh Cobb, a belligerent sort for a promotion to No.4, and who managed only a single before he jabbed a full outswinger to first slip.Poor seasons for the likes of Ricardo Vasconcelos and Saif Zaib have given Northants’ batting order a curious look, but they began 29 points above the relegation places and must be highly satisfied with that. Gay’s delightful day deepened that satisfaction.

Having already submitted their opening bid, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly agreed personal terms with their latest target in an attempt to boost Vitor Pereira’s options before the end of the transfer window.

Wolves transfer news

Those in the Midlands desperately needed to act this month and with that the rumours have been coming thick and fast. Even after welcoming Emmanuel Agbadou to finally provide their squad with the added central defender it certainly needed, the likes of Bright Osayi-Samuel and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have threatened to steal the headlines.

The latter would be a particularly interesting option given his experience as a Champions League and Premier League winner for Liverpool. Now reportedly keen on a return to English football, Wolves are supposedly among the clubs lining up for his signature before the deadline in just under a week.

If they are to climb out of the relegation zone, then signing such experience would certainly be an intelligent move – especially if it is to replace Mario Lemina who has been linked with a move away all month long.

Wolves racing to sign "super" £67k-p/w Lemina replacement alongside Danso

He’s a man in demand…

ByTom Cunningham Jan 29, 2025

Before Oxlade-Chamberlain, however, those at Molineux are reportedly closing in on another target. According to Ben Jacobs, Wolves have now agreed personal terms with Kevin Danso and must now meet RC Lens’ reported €30m (£25m) price tag having seen their €22m (£18m) offer turned down by the French club.

The 26-year-old would certainly be a key addition to partner Agbadou and potentially Santiago Bueno at the heart of Pereira’s back five, which could even feature three natural centre-backs if Craig Dawson returned to the side.

Of course, by the time that Gary O’Neil’s tenure came to an end it was the likes of Lemina who were forced to drop out of their natural position and into central defence in what was only the beginning of the end. Now, a successful window could finally see Wolves solve that problem.

"Rapid" Danso would solve Wolves problem

An additional centre-back was always the option that Wolves needed to turn to even after signing Agbadou. Having at least three natural players in that role available suddenly allows Pereira to shift his side into a back four and potentially finally make his mark on the Midlands side. It’s that change or that improvement in a back five which could make all the difference in their battle for safety too.

Described as a defender with “rapid recovery pace” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Danso would instantly partner Agbadou and form a much-needed new-look Wolves backline as they fight to avoid relegation.

Bayern Munich would not stand in Harry Kane's way should the striker decide to return to the Premier League in the summer, according to a journalist.

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Kane in excellent form for BayernEngland star linked with PL returnWould not be prevented from leavingFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kane has been in sensational goalscoring form since he joined the Bundesliga side from Tottenham in 2023 and is set to win his first major trophy as they close in on the league title.

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Despite his importance to the Bayern cause, Kane has been repeatedly linked with a return to England, with Liverpool, Chelsea and Aston Villa urged to go after him. While the German giants do not want to lose the 31-year-old, there have been discussions around his future after his performance in their Champions League elimination against Inter, chief reporter Stefan Kumberger says, with many feeling he lacks a certain 'spark'. Kumberger cites "finances, charisma and sporting success" as factors in Bayern's consideration about the forward's future, with Kane's contract reportedly including a clause that would allow him to leave at the end of the 2025-26 season. The reporterL added that the club would not block Kane's path should he want to leave as a display of respect for the England star.

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Kane, who has two years left on his contract, has scored 36 goals and made 12 assists in all competitions for Vincent Kompany's team this season.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

Bayern could win the Bundesliga title this weekend if they beat Mainz and reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen fail to win against Augsburg on Saturday.

Newcastle United are now eyeing a move for a striker who drew comparisons to Brazil legend Ronaldo for some of his performances last season, according to a report.

Eddie Howe assessing striker options

Although Alexander Isak’s early goal was ruled out in the 2-0 triumph over Arsenal last night, the Sweden international once again underlined his importance to the team. Isak received praise from Alan Shearer for the way in which he tormented the Gunners’ defence, playing a big part in Newcastle booking their place at Wembley.

However, the striker’s long-term future at St. James’ Park is still in doubt, and his performance last night will only serve to attract the attention of even more of Europe’s top clubs.

As such, Eddie Howe has started to look at potential replacements for the 25-year-old, most recently identifying AFC Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert as an option, in light of his impressive campaign with the Cherries.

The Boot Room have now dropped another update on a striker the Magpies are interested in, stating they have been keeping a close eye on Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.

With Mateta yet to sign a new deal at Selhurst Park, he has started to attract the attention of a number of Premier League clubs, with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea also namechecked in the report.

Palace are still trying to convince the forward to sign a new deal, but his head could be turned, given that some top English and European clubs are considering moves, with the likes of Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen also interested.

Mateta performing very well for Palace

After the Eagles’ very strong end to the 2023-24 campaign, which saw them finish in the top half after winning their last three games, the 27-year-old finished the season on 16 league goals, drawing praise from journalist Rory Smith.

Smith lauded the impact Oliver Glasner had on the Frenchman’s game, saying: “I thought Mateta was a perfectly serviceable target man who did a lot of good stuff that wasn’t really glamorous but wasn’t particularly eye-catching. He looks extraordinary, like original Ronaldo, under Glasner.”

Newcastle and PIF expected to pursue summer move for "incredible" £75m star

The Magpies are planning to spend big when the transfer market reopens.

ByDominic Lund Feb 5, 2025

The £50k-per-week forward has continued to impress this season, having now reached double figures for goals in the Premier League, putting himself in a good position to eclipse his goal tally from the previous campaign.

Newcastle’s interest appears to be tentative at this stage, and Howe’s main goal will no doubt be to keep hold of Isak, given the instrumental role the striker has played in his side’s solid Premier League campaign and run to the EFL Cup final.

However, while he is not at Isak’s level, Mateta’s performances since the arrival of Glasner indicate he could be a solid addition to the squad.

Rohit and Kohli did not bat although they fielded during WA XI’s innings

Tristan Lavalette13-Oct-2022
KL Rahul made a patient 74, but India struggled on a fast WACA pitch against a strong WA XI attack in a 36-run defeat ahead of the T20 World Cup.After a tight 13-run win in their first warm-up on Monday, India’s batters other than stand-in captain Rahul were thwarted in their chase. Hardik Pandya was India’s second-highest scorer with 17. Regular captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli did not bat although they fielded during WA XI’s innings.Chasing 169, India’s openers Rahul and RIshabh Pant started slowly against effectively BBL champions Perth Scorchers’ pace attack. Pant struggled for fluency once again as he swung and missed at several attempted slogs against the accurate left-arm pace of Jason Behrendorff.Pant finally made contact but miscued to the deep, as India’s top order looked uncomfortable on the bouncy pitch. After being held back, in-form speedster Lance Morris came into the attack in the seventh over and showed why he might be the quickest bowler in Australia.Coming off a Player-of-the-Match performance for WA against New South Wales last week, Morris bowled sharply from the get-go and it proved too much for Deepak Hooda who holed out.After a brief counterattack, Pandya fell to the left-arm spin of youngster Hamish McKenzie to leave India at 58 for 3 with Rahul particularly sluggish. India’s required run rate grew out of hand with Rahul lacking support as his team-mates threw away their wickets.Rahul was the exception as he batted cautiously before opening up with a couple of sixes in the 18th over off Behrendorff to give India a sniff of an unlikely victory. But his dismissal in the next over effectively snuffed out the contest as India split their warm-up games in Perth.WA XI controlled the game throughout after electing to bat in sunny conditions. Their batting was strengthened by the inclusion of BBL star Josh Philippe, but the opener holed out to Arshdeep Singh in the third over.Much like in the first game, quicks Arshdeep and Bhuvneshwar Kumar conjured sharp bounce on a quick deck but wickets were harder to come by after that.Veteran spinner R Ashwin, who didn’t play on Monday, came into the attack in the sixth over and was promptly smashed by D’Arcy Short who combined with Nick Hobson in a blistering 110-run partnership.Hobson, who plays for Perth Scorchers and is an accountant in his day job, was particularly belligerent against the spinners and hit four sixes in his 41-ball knock.But his dismissal triggered a WA collapse with Ashwin getting into good rhythm after a tough start with wickets in consecutive balls to remove captain Ashton Turner and Sam Fanning, who starred in game one with a half-century but the 21-year-old unwisely tried to reverse sweep on his first ball.India were sharp in the field, marked by two direct-hit run outs, and well marshalled by Rahul although captain Rohit was still giving instructions.Kohli did not play in the two warm-up matches in Perth, much to the disappointment of locals, but did field and spent time at first slip and the deep. He also jogged laps before play.A strong crowd of 2500 fans attended with the AUD 5 entry fee going towards the WA Cricket Foundation.

Current India A coach VVS Laxman – as well as Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Sairaj Bahutule – are with senior side in New Zealand

Shashank Kishore28-Nov-2022Sitanshu Kotak, the former Saurashtra captain and one of the batting coaches at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), will continue to helm the India A squad, which is currently on tour in Bangladesh for two four-day fixtures. Kotak will be assisted by Troy Cooley, the Australian bowling coach at the NCA, and T Dilip, the national team’s fielding coach.Dilip had been given a short break following India’s T20 World Cup campaign, and will now travel with the India A team and then join the national side for the Tests in Bangladesh; the shadow ‘A’ tour overlaps with the three-ODI series beginning on December 4. Rahul Dravid and the rested senior players are all set to return after being given a break for the limited-overs series in New Zealand.Related

Pujara, Umesh in India A squad for Bangladesh

The ‘A’ squad, led by Abhimanyu Easwaran, touched down in Dhaka on Saturday, and underwent their first training session in the beach town of Cox’s Bazar, which will host the first four-day fixture from November 29. The second four-dayer will be played from December 6-9 in Sylhet.The tour has been scheduled in such a manner that most of the India A players, barring those selected to stay back for the two-match Test series, would return home in time to be part of their state teams’ preparations for the Ranji Trophy beginning on December 13.Saurabh Kumar is a candidate to be called up for the Bangladesh Tests if Ravindra Jadeja doesn’t make it•Manoj Bookanakere/KSCAAmong those who have been sounded out for a potential call-up for the Bangladesh Tests is left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar, who could fill in if Ravindra Jadeja is deemed unfit for the Test leg too. Jadeja is recovering from a knee surgery, and had been included in the tour party only subject to fitness.Last week, he was withdrawn from the ODI squad and replaced by allrounder Shahbaz Ahmed after the NCA medical staff felt Jadeja needed more time to recover.Saurabh has been on the fringes of the national team since February last year, following excellent returns since the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy. He was more recently part of the India A squad against New Zealand, where he picked up nine wickets in the series to help the Indians to a 1-0 win.Prior to that, he played a key part in Uttar Pradesh’s run to the Ranji Trophy semi-final. In all, across 12 Ranji Trophy games from two completed seasons, Saurabh has an impressive tally of 58 wickets.

Leeds United have been handed a blow as it has emerged that one member of their squad will miss the next seven games as they battle for the Championship title under Daniel Farke.

Leeds in pole position for Championship title

Despite their FA Cup defeat to Millwall, Leeds United are still on for a successful season after play-off heartbreak last time around.

Farke’s side are sitting pretty atop the Championship, two points clear of Sheffield United in second and a further three ahead of Burnley, meaning that they sit in pole position to be promoted back to the Premier League come the end of the campaign.

They have been the best side in England’s second tier when it comes to finding the back of the net, while they also unsurprisingly have a strong defence which has helped them keep 19 clean sheets already this campaign, the second most in the division.

Bigger talent than Chambers: Leeds have another teen set for the first team

Leeds United have a player in their academy who could be an even bigger talent than Sam Chambers.

2 ByDan Emery Feb 9, 2025

With 15 games of the season left, the Yorkshire outfit are firm favourites to be promoted, but they will be wary of previous slips and their terrible record in the play-offs, with the memory of their 1-0 defeat to Southampton last season still fresh.

Now, they have been dealt a blow on the injury front as they hunt for the title.

Farke confirms Leeds injury blow

Now though, Farke has confirmed a serious injury to one member of his Leeds squad.

That comes in the shape of defender Max Wober, who is now expected to spend a significant period on the sidelines. The defender was not part of the squad that fell to defeat in the FA Cup against Millwall and has had a setback.

And quizzed on the fitness of his squad, Farke confirmed that the Austrian international was now set to be sidelined until the next international break, missing seven games in the process.

“He has an ongoing knee problem and will need surgery as quickly as possible and will be out until after the next international break”, the Leeds boss explained. “He will have surgery and be out for six weeks.”

It leaves Leeds short in defence, with Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Pascal Struijk Farke’s only senior centre-back options for the foreseeable future, which could mean that bowing out of the FA Cup could prove to be a blessing in disguise.

Watford (Away)

Sunderland (Home)

Sheffield United (Away)

West Brom (Home)

Portsmouth (Away)

Millwall (Home)

QPR (Away)

Though he had only featured six times this season, Wober earned high praise from the Leeds boss in December after filling in at left-back in their win over Derby County.

“Many compliments to Max. Not the easiest start to the season for him with many injuries. He’s normally a centre-back and not naturally made for the left-back role, but he put a shift in and was rock solid defensively,” Farke eulogised after the victory.

Though he was not allowed to leave the club in the summer window, his future is likely to be revisited this summer as he enters the final two years of his £35,000 a week deal at Elland Road.

For now though, his injury means that added pressure will be put on the remaining defensive options to stay fit in order to avoid the season derailing in the late stages and barring Leeds’ return to the Premier League.