BCCI president Anurag Thakur has told reporters in Dharamsala that an announcement on India’s head coach will likely be made by Thursday evening

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-20160:25

Hopefully coach will be named today – Thakur

BCCI president Anurag Thakur has told reporters in Dharamsala that an announcement on India’s head coach will likely be made by Thursday evening.*”The name of the coach will be announced by 5 pm,” Thakur told the news channel , after the captains and coaches meeting in Dharamsala on Thursday. “I will be meeting [Ajay] Shirke and [Sourav] Ganguly now and [will] study their report. By 5pm today, we will name the new coach.” A BCCI press release in the afternoon stated that Thakur and board secretary Shirke would address a press conference at 5pm.The BCCI had earlier indicated that the Indian coach would be announced on Friday, after the three-member advisory committee – comprising Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman – asked for more time.On Tuesday evening, Ganguly had informed the media that they had finished interviewing the shortlisted candidates and would forward their pick to the board’s secretary Ajay Shirke on Wednesday.But Shirke said that the committee wanted to deliberate further on a few “finer points”, and hoped that the new India coach would be announced on Friday in Dharamsala, where the inaugural BCCI conclave concludes with the working committee meeting. The BCCI also issued a press release to this effect on Wednesday.It is learnt that Ganguly has been in favour of an Indian as coach and that he was appreciative of the work put in by the previous group of coaching staff led by Ravi Shastri.Shastri is one of the finalists for the position of India head coach along with former India captain Anil Kumble. The others in contention are Tom Moody, Stuart Law, Lalchand Rajput, Pravin Amre and Andy Moles.Ganguly was confident of selecting the right candidate and was thankful for the support he has received from the rest of the panel, which includes former India batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman and former BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale.”I once had an opportunity to select the coach,” Ganguly told the . “I thought I messed it up in 2005. I am given that opportunity again. To be honest, two-and-a-half years ago, I was thinking myself whether I would want this job. Now today, I am selecting one,” said Ganguly. “Hopefully, we will do it right this time. Luckily, I have got support from Sachin, VVS, the BCCI secretary and the president. Together, we will pick the right person.”There had been speculation in the media that the delay was the result of the committee being unable to contact India’s Test captain Virat Kohli for his inputs. But Shirke said the committee had not been given any instructions to talk to Kohli.* 0608 GMT, June 23. This article was amended to include the statement made by BCCI president Anurag Thakur on Thursday

Tottenham Hotspur fans, and those from other clubs, were understandably baffled when the news came to light regarding their interest in Julian Nagelsmann. Or rather, the lack of.

Many viewed the German as the outstanding option to take over their managerial vacancy, as a young out-of-work tactician already boasting fine pedigree, and all the fresh and innovative ideas to lead a struggling outfit into a brighter future.

However, as of last week, Daniel Levy reportedly boasted no intention of meeting the 35-year-old and did not consider him a contender for the job. Meanwhile, Chelsea move ever closer to appointing Spurs' former touchline hero Mauricio Pochettino, denoting a truly sad state of affairs for the long-suffering fans of the north London club.

Seeing the leading candidate revealed to be nothing more than a concept dreamt up by the media, it has left many confused as to the direction the chairman seeks to take.

Whilst journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke had revealed an alternative four-man shortlist boasting "Arne Slot, Roberto De Zerbi, Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim", fresh news has since come to light regarding a new candidate that has entered the race.

As reported by FCInternews, Spurs have reportedly already opened talks with the agent of Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi.

How does Simone Inzaghi set up?

Enjoying just his second job in senior management, the Italian coach has earned widespread success for his work first with Lazio and now the Nerazzurri.

Having already begun to fill his trophy cabinet with various pieces of Italian silverware, the 47-year-old is seeking the ultimate prize this season and is set to lead his team to an unprecedented Champions League final barring a colossal collapse in their second-leg tie with AC Milan.

He has earned such success with a brand of football shrouded in his 3-5-2 system that promotes aggressive attacking from the wing-backs. Given this was a system Antonio Conte aimed to employ, the squad should take little time to adapt to his methods.

With those similarities, it could be argued that the former striker even boasts a smarter alternative to Nagelsmann, who would likely have endured a long transitional period to uproot a squad that has solely played three-at-the-back, over various transfer windows.

It was brutally showcased in their 6-1 loss at St James' Park just how hopeless this squad would be with just four defenders, which again merits distancing the 4-2-3-1 boss away from the job.

Not only this, but across the two teams he has overseen, Inzaghi has enjoyed a fine return of 258 wins from 442 matches, having scored a remarkable 906 times across this period. He will seemingly not repeat the failures of his compatriot, but instead hopefully find a balance that makes them a potent attacking threat once more.

After all, he is viewed as "one of the best coaches in Europe" by his brother Filippo Inzaghi.

Having spent time at such a prestigious club and impressed, perhaps Levy might be onto something should he prefer the Inter boss over Nagelsmann.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag appears intent on strengthening his midfield options this summer, with recent reports suggesting that a more youthful addition could be on the cards in order to provide cover and competition for the experienced duo of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.

According to Football Insider, one man who has been identified to take on that role is Everton youngster, Amadou Onana, with the former Lille ace – who only arrived at Goodison Park on a £33m deal back in August – having seemingly caught the eye of the United boss.

The report claims that Ten Hag has 'given the green light' to the move in order to add 'more power and physicality to his midfield' for the 2023/24 campaign, with a further piece from the same publication suggesting that the Toffees would sanction a sale for a fee of around £50m.

While the 21-year-old Belgian has previously been hailed by his former national team boss Roberto Martinez as "one of the most talented young players in Europe", there may be concern among the Old Trafford hierarchy at the prospect of signing a player who has been the subject of comparisons to ex-United flop, Marouane Fellaini.

Would Onana be a good signing for Man United?

In a season in which Everton have been constantly mired in a relegation battle, Onana has certainly shown flashes of his talent with one goal and two assists to his name in 31 Premier League outings, having notably been described as "superb" by reporter Richard Buxton following the shock win over Arsenal earlier this year.

For the Senegal-born star's exciting potential, his apparent likeness to compatriot Fellaini should spark alarm bells for those at the Theatre of Dreams, with the latter man having endured a mixed five-and-a-half year spell at the club.

Plucked from the Merseyside outfit by David Moyes back in the summer of 2013 on a £27.5m deal – the only signing of that window – the 6 foot 4 brute always appeared a rather bizarre signing, as his 'his playing style did not tally' with the club's 'traditions' – according to Sky Sports journalist Nick Wright.

Although the 87-cap powerhouse ultimately managed to become a valued member of the squad after scoring 22 goals in 177 games in all competitions, it was clear to see his "lack of quality" – as noted by club legend Gary Neville in 2016 – having perhaps epitomised the scattergun transfer approach of United in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

It is then of concern that young Onana has previously been described as "like Marouane Fellaini" by ex-Red Devils ace Rio Ferdinand, while the aforementioned Martinez has also noted the similarity between the pair in the past, due to their "physical presence and dynamism".

Even Belgium veteran Axel Witsel – who has played with both men – has also suggested that Onana has an "air of Fellaini", albeit while going on to state that it is his younger colleague who is "better on the ball".

Also a towering presence like Fellaini – who was moved on by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in February 2019 – the 6 foot 4 starlet would certainly provide a unique alternative for Ten Hag in the midfield ranks, although United would be wise to think again before forking out anywhere close to a £50m fee for the six-cap menace.

Ben Duckett, the Northamptonshire batsman, hit a List A career-best of 163 off 104 balls to power England Lions to a seven-wicket victory against Pakistan A in their tri-series encounter in Cheltenham

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2016
ScorecardBen Duckett reached his hundred off 65 balls•Getty ImagesBen Duckett, the Northamptonshire batsman, hit a List A career-best of 163 off 104 balls to power England Lions to a seven-wicket victory against Pakistan A in their tri-series encounter in Cheltenham.Duckett, a powerful left hander, reached his hundred from 65 balls and overall struck 24 fours and four sixes as the Lions raced to their target of 245 with more than 13 overs to spare.He shared in a third-wicket stand of 117 in 17 overs with Worcestershire’s Joe Clarke before Sam Billings, one of three full internationals in the side, helped finish off the chase. Duckett hit the winning runs with a swept six off Babar Azam.Sharjeel Khan, who has played 11 ODIs and 11 T20s, had earlier led a Pakistan A recovery from 39 for 3 and 89 for 4 with 125 off 101 balls which included seven sixes.But Tom Curran and Mark Wood, the latter who was drafted into the Lions squad as he continues his return to action after ankle surgery, shared seven wickets.Curran struck twice in his fourth over and Wood removed Azam for a second-ball duck to leave Pakistan A in early trouble before Sharjeel and Saud Shakeel added fifty for fourth wicket.Sharjeel, who reached his century from 88 balls, and Mohammad Nawaz then took the total to 191 in the 35th over from where Pakistan A would have had visions of 300 only for the last six wickets to fall for 53 in 11 overs meaning they had four overs unused.Curran broke the fifth-wicket stand of 102 when he had Nawaz caught behind while Wood took two more to help run through the tail and Sussex’s George Garton claimed his first Lions wicket.

يضع مسؤولو نادي الزمالك الرتوش الأخيرة على إتمام صفقة التعاقد مع ثنائي بيراميدز عبد الله السعيد وسيف فاروق جعفر.

وكان بطولات قد كشف قبل قليل، النقاب عن استلام نادي الزمالك الاستغناء الخاص بالثنائي تمهيدًا للتعاقد معهما.

خاص.. الزمالك يتسلم استغناء عبد الله السعيد وسيف جعفر من بيراميدز

وعلم بطولات أن وفداً من نادي الزمالك يتجه إلى اتحاد الكرة الآن، من أجل قيد السعيد وسيف جعفر في قائمة الفريق

تجدر الإشارة إلى أن الأيام الماضية قد شهدت مفاوضات مكثفة بين الزمالك وبيراميدز، من أجل الوصول إلى حل يرضي جميع الأطراف.

خاص | الزمالك يُرسل عرضًا رسميًا لضم لاعب إنبي

الجدير بالذكر، أن الزمالك قد أتم رسميًا قبل ساعات، تعاقده مع اللاعب محمد عاطف قادمًا من صفوف نادي طنطا.

ويأتي ذلك بعد نجاح مجلس إدارة القلعة البيضاء برئاسة حسين لبيب، في حل أزمة إيقاف القيد، بعد سداد جميع الديون ومخاطبة الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم.

Liverpool have registered their interest in a summer deal for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, according to reports.

What's the latest on Rice to Liverpool?

The Irons captain's contract in the capital is set to expire at the end of next season meaning that the upcoming window is likely to be David Moyes' side's final big opportunity to cash in on their prized asset, and being their overall best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 7.05, he won't be short of suitors in the Premier League.

The London Stadium manager has admitted that the 24-year-old is likely to bring in a "British transfer record" should he be sold ahead of the start of the new campaign, but money aside, the Reds aren't allowing themselves to be put off by his exponential price tag.

Journalist Florian Plettenberg revealed in April that the Merseyside outfit have added the England international to their "shortlist" of midfield options, with him being just one of several candidates to have been internally "discussed" with Jurgen Klopp, and it would appear that they have now made their admiration known to all parties.

According to Sky Sports, Liverpool, alongside top-flight rivals Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, have all "shown an interest" in a summer move for Rice. West Ham will "allow" their skipper to leave should they receive an offer of £120m from a club in the Champions League, though they would also "accept" £100m in cash plus a player being sent the opposite way as part of a swap deal.

The Irons will "not stand in the way" of letting him go if a suitable proposal was to arrive as a mark of "respect" and "recognition" for everything he's done for the E20 outfit over the years.

Should Liverpool splash the cash on Rice?

Liverpool are desperately in need of central reinforcements as a result of having four of their players out of contract at the end of the season, and having been dubbed a “midfield general” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Rice would be a perfect candidate to put pen to paper.

The Irons talisman, who’s sponsored by Adidas, incredibly ranks in the 97th percentile for interceptions across Europe's top leagues and sits in the top half of midfielders for every single defensive metric. He has also tackled 78 players since the start of the term, which is higher than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef.

The World Cup participant, who is a versatile operator with his ability to play in five different positions across the field, also has the capability to contribute to his team’s efforts in the final third having posted 27 senior goal involvements for his boyhood club, so FSG would certainly be getting their money’s worth if they were to empty their pockets.

Former Madhya Pradesh cricketer Kapil Seth died on July 2 due to an illness. Seth was 36

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jul-2016Former Madhya Pradesh cricketer Kapil Seth died on July 2, aged 36. Seth was suffering from Hepatitis B, according to MPCA.Seth, who bowled medium-pace, represented Madhya Pradesh in only one first-class and List A game in the 2000-01 season. He made his sole Ranji Trophy appearance against Vidarbha in November 2000 and scored an unbeaten 125 at No. 10. His century, along with Ankit Srivastava’s 204, helped Madhya Pradesh rally from 276 for 8 to 552 for 8 declared, and the side eventually beat Vidarbha by an innings and 176 runs.He did not bat in his only List A match – also against Vidarbha, in the Ranji Trophy One Day competition – but had figures of 1 for 27 in the match.

Crystal Palace are interested in signing Colombian legend James Rodriguez during the summer transfer window, a new rumour has claimed.

Where is Rodriguez playing currently?

The 31-year-old has enjoyed a stellar career, scoring 26 goals in 90 caps for Colombia, as well as enjoying spells with the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, among numerous others. This season, he has been plying his trade at Olympiakos, but he only made two Greek Super League appearances and his contract was terminated last month.

It means that Rodriguez is now a free agent and will be on the lookout for a new club, and while his best days are arguably now behind him, he could still be a wanted man, having won the Golden Boot at the 2014 World Cup, following an exceptional tournament that saw him score six times.

Palace will be on the lookout for new signings once this season reaches its conclusion, and a fresh update suggests that they could be in the race to snap up the midfielder.

Could Palace make summer move for Rodriguez?

According to journalist Christian Martin for AS in Colombia [via Sport Witness], the "doors of the Premier League would be open" for Rodriguez to move there this summer. Palace are mentioned in the report, but there is also believed to be interest from Bournemouth and Everton. He went to add more regarding the situation, as the Eagles weigh up a potential move:

"We understand that he prioritises continuing in European football. Could it be England? We understand that yes, there is a possibility that clubs like Crystal Palace, Bournemouth or even Brighton itself, who are not used to making this type of signing, at least find out the conditions in which the Colombian could arrive.

"The English clubs have the money, the greats of Scotland too. No one would be deprived of at least evaluating the possibility of bringing James to the UK. From our sources, the inquiries have been, through intermediaries, from Crystal Palace, by Bournemouth, from Everton themselves."

Rodriguez would certainly be a high-profile signing by Palace in the summer, considering he has been hailed as "world-class" by Alvaro Arbeloa in the past, but there would clearly be a risk element to it.

As mentioned, there is a strong argument to say that he is not the player he used to be, given his age and lack of impact at Olympiakos, and injuries have also continually plagued him throughout his career. Granted, the fact that he would arrive for free would make it less of a gamble, but his wage demands could be high and Palace would be wiser to look at bringing in a younger alternative.

Luis Enrique has "not been officially ruled out of the running" to become Tottenham's next manager despite their heavy links to Feyenoord's Arne Slot.

Who could Spurs appoint as their next manager?

Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy are believed to be stepping up the hunt for Antonio Conte's permanent replacement, with the Italian departing north London over two months ago.

The Premier League side have shortlisted a number of candidates for the role with reports in the last fortnight indicating Sporting CP's Ruben Amorim, Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou, Slot and Enrique are firmly in the running.

Former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann could also apparently come back into the fold depending on developments, but recent claims also suggest that Slot is now the favourite to take over.

The Dutchman is apparently in pole position to succeed Conte at N17, coming after he sealed his first ever Eredivisie title with Feyenoord this season.

Slot's stock is high at the moment and he has been revered by members of the media, like journalist Marcel van der Kraan (via talkSPORT), for his "ultra-attacking" style of play.

However, while the 44-year-old appears to be a leading contender as things stand, alternative names are still in the frame as well.

This is where Enrique comes in, with a report from 90min sharing some news on the Champions League-winning tactician.

According to their information, the former Spain boss has "not been officially ruled out of the running" to become Tottenham's next manager, meaning he could still get the job over Slot.

Enrique is described by the report as a "high-profile" option for the role and he could potentially come as both an exciting alternative to Slot – especially when factoring in his attacking style of play.

Who is Luis Enrique?

The 53-year-old has won nine major honours in total, including a European Cup and two La Liga titles at Barcelona, making him a prestigious option.

Enrique's achievements arguably make him stand out as one of the more decorated managerial free agents who are readily-available for hire – a notion which surely won't be lost on Levy.

The former Celta Vigo manager favours a 4-3-3 attacking formation with Man City boss Pep Guardiola also holding Enrique in very high esteem.

Speaking back in 2017 when his counterpart announced he was leaving Barca, Guardiola heralded Enrique's "unbelievable" brand of football and explained how the La Liga giants would undoubtedly miss him.

"We are going to miss the perfect trainer for Barcelona," said the Blues boss (via The Independent)"His personality, his character. He has had two or three years and played some unbelievable football with unbelievable players."As an FC Barcelona fan, it is sad because there are few managers in the world better than Luis Enrique."

Guardiola also called Enrique a "master" tactician, coming as really high praise from one of the most successful managers in world football.

The ability to adapt quickly to unfamiliar conditions was crucial to New Zealand’s victory in the first Test over Zimbabwe, according to coach Mike Hesson. He praised Neil Wagner and BJ Watling for assessing the Bulawayo surface, which did not offer much pace or bounce but grew abrasive as the game went on, and working out how to succeed on it.Wagner’s career-best 6 for 41 was headlined by his short-ball barrage, an unusual sight at Queens, where most seamers stick to simple plans and wait for a mistake. But Wagner bent his back and attacked Zimbabwe’s line-up in the first innings and the early parts of the second, before adjusting his strategy and searching for reverse-swing as the ball aged.Although his second-innings returns were a third of his first innings, it showed his dual use as a wicket-taker, with both new and old ball, something that has come with being more certain of his game.”When he came up three or four years ago he was excited and keen to make an impression. He probably didn’t stick to his gameplan for too long but he’s a lot more experienced now and he’s certainly got the confidence of the captain,” Hesson said. “He’s able to change his game, as we saw. He can swing the new ball if he’s given it. He can certainly reverse the old one and we know he can bowl bumpers. Especially on unresponsive surfaces, he’s a good bowler.”Equally good but less celebrated was Watling, whose century did not get the same attention as Tom Latham’s or Ross Taylor’s, perhaps because it came after theirs. Watling’s was the fastest of the three hundreds and ensured the game did not drift at a time when Zimbabwe’s wearing bowlers were focused on containing. Watling tired them out even more, pierced the gaps and rotated strike with intent.”He is incredibly perceptive. He is one of the few players that can adapt technique mid-game,” Hesson said. “He makes subtle changes to his grip. He is a very talented and very hard-working cricketer.”Some conversations around the match spoke of Watling being the best wicket-keeper batsman in Test cricket at the moment, a label Hesson would not mind endorsing. “His keeping in very tough conditions, in the subcontinent, in England, has been exceptional for us. He often bats with the tail and he has an ability to eke out as many runs as possible. We’re not going to trade him for anyone,” Hesson said.Overall, Hesson assessed New Zealand’s performance as “very thorough,” with both batsmen and bowlers executing the patience plan as intended. “We talked about playing the long game. We did that. We also showed how important the new ball was. We can be a little bit impatient with the ball at times but I am clutching to find some work-ons. Before hand, we said 20 wickets would be tough to take so we’re pleased that we did it.”New Zealand will have Monday off before spending a night at Heath Streak’s farm outside Bulawayo and will then return to training on Thursday in preparation for the second Test which starts on Saturday. Doubtless, they will be eyeing a clean sweep in Zimbabwe before moving on to South Africa, where they will face a tougher challenge in their bid to keep climbing the rankings.”These two series are a chance for us as a group to gain some of the ground that we lost a few months ago against Australia,” Hesson said. “We had gone eight series without a loss before we faced them at home and away. Before that, we had gained a lot of ground and then we lost some.”