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Sem dois de seus principais jogadores entre os titulares, o Flamengo empatou sem gols com o Palmeiras, no Allianz Parque, e perdeu o 100% de aproveitamento nesta edição do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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Questionado a respeito das ausências de Pedro, artilheiro do time na temporada, e De La Cruz, principal reforço da equipe para 2024, Tite revelou que o gramado sintético influênciou na decisão, que foi motivada pelo risco de lesão.

– Eu estava pedindo para chamar o Fábio (preparador físico do clube) porque ele tem detalhes específicos da área que são científicos, que não é da vontade do técnico. A vontade do técnico é competir. Mas tem alguns atletas com seis ou sete jogos seguidos. Aí o departamento médico diz: “A nossa posição é de cuidados”. Hoje especificamente tínhamos Pedro, Nico (De La Cruz), Ayrton, Erick Pulgar e Luiz Araújo, que estavam em sinal amarelo e vermelho porque tinham riscos importantes e você perde jogador para seis ou sete jogos. E o sintético tem uma característica diferente. A exigência articular e muscular no sintético é muito maior também – disse o treinador.

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Na sequência, o comandante elogiou o sistema defensivo de ambas as equipes, responsável por frear os setores de criação, e também aproveitou para criticar os critérios da equipe de arbitragem no confronto.

– Gramado que proporciona velocidade, a arbitragem também (poderia estar) em um nível melhor. Não é porque tomei amarelo, tem que ter um critério. Foi a supremacia das duas equipes do processo de marcação com dois modelos diferentes de contato em cima da criatividade. Nos poucos momentos em que as equipes tiveram criatividade, não houve a conclusão – finalizou.

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The Boston Red Sox are releasing veteran pitcher Walker Buehler, according to a report from Chris Cotillo of

Buehler, who signed a one-year deal worth over $21 million last offseason, struggled to a 7-7 record with a 5.45 ERA in 112.1 innings pitched. Buehler was recently demoted from the starting rotation to the bullpen due to his inconsistency from start-to-start. But his first relief appearance on Aug. 24 yielded two earned runs allowed in 2.1 innings pitched in relief.

Boston is pushing for a playoff spot, having just completed a 7-1 road trip. Entering Friday, Boston is sitting at 75-60 on the season, and 3.5 games out of first-place in the AL East.

قال أحمد عبد الرؤوف المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، إن مباراة كهرباء الإسماعيلية التي أقيمت اليوم في بطولة كأس عاصمة مصر، هي مواجهة في ظروف صعبة، خاصة في ظل غياب خط الدفاع بالكامل، والاستعانة بلاعبين صغار السن، ولاعبين لم يشاركوا لفترات طويلة مع الفريق.

وأضاف المدير الفني في المؤتمر الصحفي عقب اللقاء:”حالفنا التوفيق في بداية الشوط الثاني وسجلنا هدفين بخلاف هدف التقدم الذي سجله الفريق في الشوط الأول، واستقبلنا أهدافًا من أخطاء”.

وتابع :”الأمور ستتحسن في الفترة المقبلة في ظل مشاركة اللاعبين الصغار الذين تم تصعيدهم مع الفريق مؤخرًا بجانب اللاعبين الكبار”.

طالع|ترتيب مجموعة الزمالك في كأس الرابطة بعد التعادل مع كهرباء الإسماعيلية

 وأضاف أحمد عبد الرؤوف :”خوان بيزيرا لم يرتكب أي خطأ واللاعب خرج بعد استبداله في المباراة لتغيير ملابسه، وهناك أخطاء أتحملها وسأعمل على علاجها في الفترة المقبلة، وأنا أعمل في ظروف ضيقة جدًا ولابد أن نتعامل وفقًا للظروف التي نمر بها”.

وتابع :”دفعنا بأحمد عبد الرحيم إيشو في مركز الظهير الأيسر وأدى بصورة جيدة، وغياب خط الدفاع بالكامل يسبب مشاكل، ولكن الزمالك يخوض كل بطولة بهدف المنافسة بصرف النظر عن الظروف التي يمر بها النادي”.

وواصل أحمد عبد الرؤوف :”كنت أرغب في منح الفرصة لناصر منسي في لقاء اليوم، ولكن آدم كايد اشتكى من إصابة وقمنا باستبداله، ولكن ناصر منسي لاعب مهم وعندما تحدث البعض عن استبعاده من قائمة السوبر المحلي لم يكن قراري لأنني عندما توليت المهمة كان تم اختيار القائمة التي ستشارك في البطولة”.

وأضاف المدير الفني :”دفعت ببارون أوشينج في مركز المساك لعدم وجود بدائل، وفكرت في الاستعانة بمحمود جهاد في نفس المركز، لكن سرعات لاعبي كهرباء الإسماعيلية منعتني من الدفع بجهاد في هذا المركز، وكان يجب أن تكون هناك مغامرة”.

واختتم أحمد عبد الرؤوف قائلًا:”أحمد حمدي أصر على التواجد في التدريبات رغم زواجه مؤخرًا، وشارك في التدريبات، وسيشارك بشكل أكبر مع الفريق في الفترة المقبلة”.

وتعادل فريق الزمالك مع كهرباء الإسماعيلية بثلاثية لكل فريق في المباراة التي أقيمت بينهما على ستاد المقاولون العرب بطولة كأس عاصمة مصر.

Rangers manager Danny Rohl has confirmed that as many as six players are currently injury doubts to square off against Livingston in the Scottish Premiership this Saturday.

It’s bad timing for the Gers, who are attempting to make it four league wins from four under their new manager. Victory over bottom side Livingston would also see those at Ibrox rise to third if Hibernian also fail to beat Dundee. It would be the result of the strong start that Rohl has made to turn things around following the disaster that was Russell Martin’s tenure.

Thelwell can upgrade on Souttar by signing £8m defender for Rangers

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The German told reporters in the build-up to Rangers’ return to action that he believes they’re “in a good way”, but still need to work on breaking old habits on the pitch.

As January approaches, the former Sheffield Wednesday boss may also be eyeing up some potential improvements to his squad amid recent links with the likes of Kilmarnock’s David Watson.

The midfielder would add the kind of depth that the Gers could do with this weekend following the latest injury news.

Rangers vs Livingston team news

As revealed by Rohl, as many as six stars could miss Rangers’ game against Livingston this weekend following a frustrating international break. Mikey Moore, John Souttar, Derek Cornelius and Bailey Rice are all certain to be absent after picking up knocks, whilst Youssef Chermiti and Liam Kelly are facing a race against time to return to full fitness.

Rohl told reporters: “I am very happy and very proud of my players during the international break. We do have a couple of injuries from players returning, such as John Souttar, Micky Moore, and Derek Cornelius, who all have muscle injuries. Bailey Rice got injured during training, and Liam Kelly is a question mark at the moment.”

It’s a particular blow for Tottenham Hotspur loanee Moore, who scored his first Rangers goal against Dundee just before the international break. The 18-year-old, who was dubbed “brave” by former manager Martin upon arriving, has now seen his recent momentum halted by an untimely injury.

With Rangers set to face Braga in the Europa League next Thursday, Rohl will hope to have a positive update on several injuries just in time for what is a crucial game.

Rangers open talks to sign "quality" attacking star ahead of Aberdeen

Manchester City are the closest challengers to Arsenal in the 2025/26 Premier League title race. We are only 11 games into the new season, with Pep Guardiola’s side four points behind that of his protege Mikel Arteta.

Last Sunday’s 3-0 thrashing of Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium was a performance which emphasised how deadly the Citizens can be at their best. It was certainly a statement to the Gunners, who might not have as much of easy a run at the title as one might think.

With the January transfer window around the corner, City might well look to add to their squad to boost their title hopes. Here is a look at their dream lineup if they manage to bring a few new faces into the club in January.

1

GK – Gianluigi Donnarumma

One of City’s marquee summer signings was Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain. Despite signing James Trafford as well, the Euro 2020 winner has been Guardiola’s first choice.

He’s played 12 times so far for the East Mancunian outfit, keeping an impressive six clean sheets and conceding just seven goals. Standing at six-foot-five, he has a large wingspan, which makes it nigh on impossible to score past him.

This save against Bryan Mbeumo’s strike in the Manchester Derby, his debut for the club, was an example of how colossal he is.

2

RB – Ben White

The first hypothetical new addition to this City side comes at right-back, and, interestingly, from their title rivals Arsenal. Journalist Graeme Bailey recently revealed that City are “keeping tabs on his situation” at the Emirates Stadium. A price was not named by Bailey.

It has not quite been the season the England international may have expected. White has struggled for regular game time under Arteta, with Jurrien Timber the first-choice at right-sided full-back.

White has only played six games across all competitions, with just one of those appearances coming in the Premier League. The 28-year-old is incredibly comfortable on the ball, averaging 5.99 progressive passes per game in the last 365 days. He seems like an archetypal Guardiola full-back and could bring plenty of quality in that position.

3

CB – Ruben Dias

One of the two first-choice centre-backs under Guardiola this season has been Ruben Dias. The Portuguese star has played 15 games across all competitions, and it is no secret the quality that he brings.

Composed on the ball, exceptional out of possession, and a brilliant leader, the 28-year-old has long been one of Guardiola’s most trusted lieutenants. City Director of Football, Hugo Viana, called him “the ultimate professional” in the summer, highlighting his importance to City.

4

CB – Josko Gvardiol

The other half of City’s centre-back pairing is Josko Gvardiol. The Croatian star can also operate left-back, but this term, he has found himself alongside Dias at the heart of the Citizens’ defence.

It is a role he has excelled in, too. Gvardiol is one of the best ball-playing defenders in the league, averaging 5.62 progressive passes and 1.03 progressive carries per 90 minutes, which really highlights his on-ball quality.

5

LB – Nico O’Reilly

It has been a breakthrough campaign for the versatile Nico O’Reilly. He has cemented his place in the City side at left-back, despite being a number ten by trade, and has made 14 appearances across all competitions.

Naturally an attacking player, the City academy graduate has chipped in with one goal and four assists, so he is having a productive season going forward.

This might be one of the things that caught the eye of Thomas Tuchel. The defender has been named in the last two England squads, amid hopes of securing a World Cup place next summer.

6

DM – Nico Gonzalez

Figuring out how to cope without Rodri in the side has been a conundrum for Guardiola over the last year. However, the form of Nico Gonzalez over the past few weeks has been a huge bonus. The Spaniard is finally starting to show why City paid £50m to get him from Porto last winter.

Once the best midfielder on the planet, the last 12 months have not been easy for Rodri, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the start of last season. He’s only played 415 minutes this term as he continues to be plagued by injuries.

Gonzalez has stepped up in his countryman’s absence. Guardiola clearly sees a lot in his talent, having described him as a “mini Rodri” last season. The former Porto star has played 16 games across all competitions, and it will be hard to displace him from a side in great rhythm.

7

CM – Phil Foden

This season, one of City’s academy graduate gems, Phil Foden, is thriving in a new role. Previously operating as a winger, the England star has excelled in a deeper number eight berth, with Guardiola giving him more responsibility in build-up and from deeper areas of the pitch.

In that deeper role, BBC Sport analyst Umir Irfan said he has “been one of the best players this season.”

The stats from this season highlight how well the midfielder has played. For example, he averages 3.1 key passes and 1.5 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes.

8

CM – Aleksandar Pavlovic

Partnering Foden in this City dream lineup could be Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic, the second new signing. The 21-year-old is reportedly a key target for City, as they look to boost their midfield stocks, amidst Rodri’s injury issues and Bernardo Silva’s contract, which will expire this summer.

The midfielder, who could be worth as much as £43m, is well thought of around Europe. Journalist Manuel Veth has even suggested he can follow in the footsteps of a German legend and be “the next Toni Kroos,” which would surely appeal to City fans.

Despite being so young, he is well-trusted by City great and current Bayern coach Vincent Kompany. The Belgian has played Pavlovic 14 times this season. As for the Kroos comparison, well, that stems from his excellent passing ability. In the last year, Pavlovic has averaged 7.59 progressive passes per 90 minutes, ranking him in Europe’s top 8%.

9

RW – Rayan Cherki

The summer was a busy period for City, who looked to enhance the quality of the squad. In signing Rayan Cherki, it is fair to say they did just that. The Frenchman only cost £34m from Lyon, but has taken to life at City like a duck to water.

The France international is a versatile attacker who can play as a number 10 or off the right. Wherever he is operating, though, Cherki has shone this season despite injury issues. He already has six goals and assists in nine games, averaging a goal involvement every 535 minutes.

10

LW – Jeremy Doku

Last Sunday, against Arne Slot’s Liverpool, the Etihad Stadium witnessed one of the best performances in a long while from Jeremy Doku. He scored the third goal and completed seven dribbles, terrorising the Liverpool defence.

Already this season, the tricky Belgian winger has chalked up seven goals and assists this term. He has shone under Guardiola, with Irfan even going as far as saying he is “one of the best in the world” right now.

After two All-Star seasons with the Braves, Atlanta chose to pick up pitcher Chris Sale’s $18 million club option on Wednesday, ’s Jon Heyman reported. He will remain in Atlanta for the 2026 season.

Next offseason, when Sale is 37 years old, he will become a free agent.

The 2024 Cy Young award winner started in 20 games this past season. Sale posted a 2.58 ERA and a 1.066 WHIP—His ERA was the best amongst his fellow Braves starting pitchers this past season. He threw 165 strikeouts (a team-high) over 125.2 innings pitched, while giving up 102 hits, 36 earned runs and 11 home runs.

Atlanta is believed to be in the market for another starting pitcher this offseason, so we’ll see who the team shows interest in to possibly join Sale in the rotation in 2026.

The Braves went 76–86 this past season and missed the playoffs after going to seven consecutive postseasons.

George Springer's dramatic three-run home run in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night will never be forgotten by Blue Jays fans, and rightfully so. It proved to be the difference in the game and pushed Toronto into the World Series for the first time since 1993.

The Blue Jays were trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh when Springer came up to the plate with two runners on base. Tensions were off the charts at Rogers Centre, with the sold-out crowd knowing that they could be witnessing a pivotal moment in the team's season with one of their most clutch hitters at the plate.

Springer didn't disappoint as he crushed a 1-0 pitch well over the wall in left field that sent the place into hysterics.

This view of the dramatic home run with just the sound in the stadium is too good:

Here are some more awesome looks at Springer's home run

This is another great crowd-only angle of the blast:

Here is Springer's complete at-bat with just the crowd noise.

This view from right field is cinema, too:

Here's what it looked like on the Fox broadcast:

What's next for the Blue Jays

Springer's home run proved to be the difference in Toronto's 4-3 win. Now the Blue Jays will face a powerful Dodgers team in what should be a very fun World Series. Game 1 is Friday night in Toronto, which will give Blue Jays fans a few days to recover from what was an emotional Game 7 on Monday night.

The Blue Jays' last trip to the World Series ended in dramatic fashion with Joe Carter hitting a walk-off home run in Game 6 to beat the Phillies. That was their second straight title as they beat the Braves, 4-2, in 1992.

Get your popcorn ready, because it feels like this World Series should be a lot of fun.

Rivalries that defined eras and gave for unforgettable contests between bat and ball

Mohammad Isam12-Jun-2020Viv Richards v Dennis Lillee
In the 1970s and 80s, the West Indies-Australia contest was the pinnacle of cricket, and Lillee and Richards were its main protagonists. In the first series they played against each other, in 1975, Lillee, who had recovered from a career-threatening spine injury the previous year, took 27 wickets in a 5-1 home win for Australia. He dismissed the 23-year-old Richards five times, but on three of those occasions Richards had already past 50.In 1977, both players signed for Kerry Packer’s World Series of Cricket – the duel between them was marketed as one of the key plots of the rebel tournament. They had some of their best contests there, with Lillee dismissing Richards eight times.They were back playing international cricket by 1979, and Richards began to dominate the contest, scoring 386 runs at 96.50 in West Indies’ 2-1 away series victory in Australia in 1979-80, with Lillee dismissing him just twice. Lillee’s big moment against his rival came in the MCG Boxing Day Test of 1981, when he bowled Richards late on the first evening of what turned out to be a close match. Lillee got his career-best figures of 7-83 in that same innings, and the Richards dismissal was the iconic moment from it.Overall, Richards won the contest, averaging 48.73 in Tests featuring Lillee, though he was also dismissed nine times by him in Tests, more than by any other bowler. In a recent interview with ESPNcricinfo, Richards said Lillee was the one opponent who kept him up at night.Steve Waugh v Wasim Akram
In the 13 Tests he played against Akram, Waugh was dismissed four times by him. In their most thrilling battle, however, Waugh survived some of Akram’s fiercest bowling, showing his legendary toughness. In the 1994 Rawalpindi Test, Akram was presented with a green pitch and decided to test Waugh’s well-documented vulnerability against the short ball.”It was the quickest, meanest [spell] I’d ever seen,” Waugh wrote of Akram’s barrage in his autobiography, . “Wasim either didn’t like me or I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nothing was in my half of the wicket and it was all genuinely quick, the ball leaping off the pitch with spite and venom.”Waugh hopped about but, crucially, survived, and got 98 before playing on against Waqar Younis. The effort earned him Akram’s respect. “He didn’t middle a ball in my spell – I was beating him, and he was leaving a lot of balls,” Akram told the . “But he stood there and got 98 and that was very, very impressive. I just wanted to kill him, as a bowler. That was probably the quickest I’ve ever bowled.”Gotcha! Flintoff tormented Ponting in the 2005 Ashes but Australia’s captain hit back in 2006-07•Getty ImagesSachin Tendulkar v Glenn McGrath
While the much anticipated Tendulkar vs Shane Warne contest ended up being a bit one-sided, the Tendulkar v McGrath battle produced memorable moments and became the one that defined India-Australia matches of the 1990s and early 2000s.McGrath dismissed Tendulkar in their first meeting, in Sharjah in 1994, but two years later, Tendulkar hit his rival for some big shots, including a famous six over midwicket, during his 90 against Australia in the 1996 World Cup. In a must-win game at the 1999 World Cup, Tendulkar was dismissed by McGrath for a duck, which was seen as the final blow to India’s campaign.Things really heated up on India’s 1999-2000 tour of Australia. In Adelaide, umpire Daryl Harper infamously gave Tendulkar out lbw when hit on the shoulder while trying to duck under a Mcgrath bouncer that didn’t get up. In Melbourne, Tendulkar played McGrath cautiously while attacking the other bowlers on his way to 116 and 52. But in Sydney, both attacked, and in an epic over, Tendulkar took consecutive pulled boundaries off McGrath and then, when the bowler went fuller, drove him down the ground. McGrath responded by dismissing Tendulkar lbw off the last ball of the over with an inswinger.Another memorable contest ensued a year later, in Nairobi, in the first ICC KnockOut, which would later become the Champions Trophy. Tendulkar was in a belligerent mood, getting 33 runs off 30 balls from McGrath, including a six down the ground and one over midwicket. Most surprisingly, Tendulkar, apparently, sledged his opponent. He admitted as much in later interviews, saying he had done it to put McGrath off his game. “That’s one of the games I remember where I didn’t say a word at all. He was the one sledging me,” McGrath told ESPNcricinfo in an interview in 2005.McGrath had the big moments in the second half of the rivalry, dismissing Tendulkar in Test wins in Mumbai (2001) and Nagpur (2004) and in the first over of India’s chase in the 2003 World Cup final. In all, he got Tendulkar six times in Tests and seven times in ODIs.Brian Lara v Muttiah Muralitharan
Ahead of West Indies’ 2001 tour of Sri Lanka, Brian Lara’s Test average had dipped below 50. He responded by preparing harder than ever for the tour. Muralitharan had just gone past 350 wickets. He had tormented some of the world’s best batsmen, particularly on home pitches. Lara amassed 688 runs at 114.66 in the series and was dismissed just twice by Muralitharan. It was a staggering tally considering just one other West Indies batsman got more than 200 runs in the series as they were beaten 3-0. Muralitharan took 24 wickets, with two ten-wicket hauls, but could not unsettle Lara.Lara credited Sir Garry Sobers for his improved technique and said they key was avoiding cross-batted shots like the sweep and watching the ball from the spinner’s hand. Muralitharan has always maintained that Lara was the batsman who played him best.Ricky Ponting v Andrew Flintoff
Flintoff to Ponting, over number 13, fourth innings, Edgbaston, 2005 Ashes, third session on day three, Test match on the line – one of the most memorable overs in modern cricket history. With Australia chasing 282 to make it 2-0 in the series, Flintoff dismissed Justin Langer off the second ball of his first over of the innings to make it 47 for 1. Ponting walked in, and Flintoff, bowling at above 90mph, rapped him on the pads, then took a thick inside edge, before hitting the pads again. With one ball left in the over, he bowled one wide of off, and the umpire called a no-ball. The seventh ball was a fast outswinger, angling in and then straightening late. Ponting stabbed, nicked, and walked off for a duck. One of the best batsmen of his era, with a Test average of more than 58, had been worked over.That was in the second Test the two played against each other, and the rivalry continued for the next four years. Ponting fell to Flintoff again in the fifth Test in 2005 and succumbed to him twice during the ICC Super Tests later in the year. But he turned the tables when Flintoff toured Australia as captain in 2006-07. Ponting scored 576 runs at 82.28 and was out just once to Flintoff as Australia won 5-0. Two years later, in his final Test, the decider of the 2009 Ashes, Flintoff ran Ponting out with a direct hit from mid-on to seal the series for England.

The fast bowler was to spearhead Bangladesh’s pace revolution before injury hobbled him. Are the stars aligning for his comeback?

Mohammad Isam24-Jun-2020Around this time five years ago, Mashrafe Mortaza took one of his most significant decisions as Bangladesh captain. A day before their first ODI against India in 2015, he took a look at the pitch while walking to the dressing room to join his team-mates. The grassy top and rough texture underneath meant he wanted to play four front-line pace bowlers, an unfamiliar formation in Bangladesh cricket. Specifically, Mortaza wanted Mustafizur Rahman to make his ODI debut.”I told [coach Chandika] Hathurusingha that Mustafiz’s cutter is unique and it has an impact,” Mortaza says. “It will trouble India. Shakib [Al Hasan] and Tamim [Iqbal] told me it’s the right decision.”Mortaza had seen how Rahman, a skinny left-arm bowler, had troubled Bangladesh’s best batsmen in the nets. He had debuted in a T20I against Pakistan earlier that year and Mortaza felt confident enough about him to give up the safety of the slow left-arm of Arafat Sunny – who had played in the 3-0 series win against Pakistan – to accommodate a bowler with a little more mystery.”I told him [Hathurusingha] that Arafat Sunny bowled well against Pakistan, so if he ended up with 2 for 45 against India, while Mustafiz had a bad day and gave away 60 runs, would the 15 runs make a lot of difference?” Hathurusingha agreed.ALSO READ: Mustafizur and the art of the cutterWithin the week, Rahman’s 13 wickets had helped Bangladesh clinch their maiden ODI series win over India, and catapulted him to stardom.He followed it up with pivotal roles in ODI series wins over South Africa and Zimbabwe. He became the first Bangladeshi cricketer to feature in the ICC’s ODI team of the year for 2015. Early the next year, he had a hand in a win in the Asia Cup T20 and a five-wicket haul in the World T20. He then bagged an IPL contract with Sunrisers Hyderabad worth almost US$200,000.Rahman played a key role in the Sunrisers’ maiden IPL trophy win and also finished with the tournament’s Emerging Player award. He developed a couple of fine yorkers during the tournament, in addition to his trusty offcutter.In an early interview he said that he understood a slower ball could be delivered like a spinner’s stock delivery, with the wrist and fingers putting action on the ball, so he copied the basic left-arm spinner’s delivery that spun the ball out, but delivered it with a bit more pace. It was simple enough thinking, but it confounded many batsmen in those first 12 months. In the only Test he played in that period, against South Africa, he took a four-wicket haul, three of those wickets coming in the space of four balls.

Rahman is now struggling to produce his slower ball or offcutter out of the back of the wrist, which once made him a different bowler altogether

Then came a bump in the road: a shoulder injury in 2016 cut his time at England’s T20 Blast short and eventually kept him out of action for five months. There was talk within the Bangladesh set-up that he had taken on too much cricket, and in hindsight the injury now marks a clear dividing line in his career so far.In 22 white-ball internationals before the injury, he took 48 wickets at an average of 13.08 and a strike rate of 15.8; in the first games after his return, in December 2016, he took 32 wickets at double that average and strike rate. In the IPL, he took 17 wickets at 24.76 with an economy of 6.90 in his first season but for Mumbai Indians in the 2018 campaign, he managed only seven wickets at 32.85 and conceded nearly 1.5 runs more per over.Clearly something wasn’t right. Those who worked with Rahman closely could see it. He was struggling to bring out his slower ball, or the offcutter, out of the back of the wrist, the weapon that had once made him a different bowler altogether. He is far from finished, as evidenced in the 2019 World Cup, where he was among only four bowlers to take 20 wickets. But his franchise T20 career has stalled after the BCB accused him of hiding the seriousness of an injury, and he hasn’t been able to crack Test cricket.ALSO READ: All fizz, no fuss, the charming simplicity of Mustafizur RahmanMortaza still believes in Rahman, but not everyone sees him, or his unique cutter, in the same light these days.

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Back in 2015, Mortaza and Hathurusingha had begun to think about tailoring home pitches to suit fast bowling, which would have represented a cultural shift in Bangladesh’s thinking. Mortaza believed the likes of Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain and Al-Amin Hossain were long-term pace prospects after they impressed at the 2015 World Cup in Australia. For a while, and after the addition of Rahman, Mortaza was right. But ultimately problems with the fitness and form of personnel scuppered the plan, and just over a year later Mushfiqur Rahim and Hathurusingha rolled it back: to beat teams like England and Australia at home, in Tests, relying on spin seemed the best bet again.Since October 2016, Bangladesh’s fast bowlers have bowled only 15.5% of the total 1871 overs the team has bowled in Tests on home soil, and taken just 19 of 220 wickets. The combined home bowling average for fast bowlers is nearly twice that of the spinners – 46.84 to the spinners’ 24.04. The need for pace is greater in away Tests, but since Bangladesh play more at home than abroad, the quick bowlers’ lack of volume at home restricts their progress.Getty ImagesThat has had an impact on Rahman, especially as his debut Test hinted at red-ball potential. In that match he removed Hashim Amla, JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock in the space of four deliveries with a ball that was 59 overs old. All three deliveries were in the mid-130kph range; Amla poked at one that was angling away, Duminy was lbw to a cutter, and de Kock was bowled by one that kept low. There was clear potential for Rahman to be more than just a white-ball specialist.After his shoulder injury, he was initially rested for three Tests so that he could build up to bowling large volumes. Eight wickets in the 2017 series against Sri Lanka was an encouraging sign, but in the years since, a combination of lack of bowling in home Tests, minor niggles, and what was perceived as Rahman’s excessive eagerness to play in the IPL in 2018, left his red-ball future unclear, so much so that, ahead of Bangladesh’s one-off Test against Zimbabwe in February this year, coach Russell Domingo had to clarify why Rahman, who had not played Tests for nearly a year – his last Test appearance was against New Zealand in 2019 – was in the squad.ALSO READ: ‘Seeing Mustafizur against India on debut was a special surprise'”I don’t think he is ready for Tests until he does some technical work so that it allows him to swing the ball back into the right-hander,” Domingo said at that press conference in Dhaka. “Getting him back into the squad is the start of that process where he can spend some time with our new bowling coach [Ottis Gibson]. He was put back into the squad not to play but to train and get some shape back. He is going to be bowling every day, and I have told him that, to make sure that he gets into the shape that’s required, as that benefits him in Tests and white-ball cricket.”It turned out Gibson had asked Domingo to bring Rahman back, and he worked hard with him at every interval during the Test.”He started to swing the ball back in,” Gibson says. “I remember the first ODI against Zimbabwe in Sylhet, he had a really good lbw shout in the first over. The ball swung back in but he didn’t appeal with any real conviction and umpire Kumar Dharmasena said not out. But when you look back at the footage, it was out. The ball had clearly come back in, so that’s the start of it.

“Any team would love to have a left-arm fast bowler of his quality. He has the potential to learn and evolve to become a better bowler “Ottis Gibson, Bangladesh bowling coach

“I think he knows from experience what he needs to do in Test cricket. Of course, he has to do more than just get the ball across the right-handed batsman and bowl cutters. It won’t be as effective. Russell rightly suggested that he needs to swing the ball.”After becoming the Bangladesh coach last August and linking up with new Test captain, Mominul Haque, Domingo has had to focus on building Abu Jayed and Ebadot Hossain as pace options for Tests, and wondering about newer options in T20Is, just in case.But Gibson and he cannot afford to give up on Rahman, not with the current crop of fast bowlers Bangladesh have. Jayed and Rahman are the only fast bowlers to have a sub-50 average among those who have bowled in at least five innings. And Domingo has publicly said he wants to do away with Bangladesh’s spin strategy at home and move to pace.

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The impact of Rahman’s shoulder injury is difficult to downplay, especially as it was likely a result of too much cricket. What if he had been less enthusiastic about franchise T20 leagues at the start of his career? What if he had skipped the T20 Blast soon after his IPL stint in 2016, when his body was already showing signs of strain?ALSO READ: The neglected asset that is a Bangladesh fast bowlerThat cutter, so lethal, was partly what brought on the shoulder trouble in the first place, given the pressure it exerted on one particular part as he wound his delivery arm around, with the wrist cocking at the last moment before delivery. His awareness of that, according to some, is what has made him hesitant about bowling that delivery since his return.”That shoulder injury really did play a big role,” said Heath Streak, Bangladesh’s bowling coach between 2014 and 2016. “I think the mobility in his shoulder for his real big cutter has been affected. It is a huge weapon for him. I think this is the catalyst for him not going as well as he did in his initial stages. I think, also, people investigate ways to play [a bowler]. Batsmen have worked out better ways to play him, and maybe play him a bit more defensively.”The second point was first made as far back as that 2015 India series by R Ashwin, who had said then that the challenge for Rahman was only beginning, as batsmen began to decipher him.Five years after Mortaza first threw his weight behind Rahman, Bangladesh is pivoting towards pace again•AFPAjantha Mendis, the mystery bowler who left some of the world’s best batsmen dumbfounded in 2008, is a valid reference point. Mendis was seen as the next big thing to come out of Sri Lanka, especially at a time when Muttiah Muralitharan’s career was winding down.But his brand of spin required stronger fingers and drier cricket balls, and as soon as batting line-ups figured out how to deal with him, Mendis’ days were numbered. Despite a glorious start in 2008, he played his last international match in December 2015. His is the cautionary tale that should most worry Rahman.For now, Rahman has time. But coming up on five years in international cricket should serve as a reminder of the ever-growing need to reinvent and develop himself.”Fizz has had success in the shorter format but he also has to understand that having success in Test cricket requires a slightly different mindset,” Gibson said. “You need to be a lot more patient, to be able to bowl the same ball over after over.”Can you build enough pressure first and attack later? Do you have wicket-taking options with the new ball, in the middle of the game, and maybe when the ball is reversing? Those are the things that Fizz has to work out.”I still think he has a part to play for Bangladesh. Any team would love to have a left-arm fast bowler of his quality. He has the potential to learn and evolve to become a better bowler than he is right now.”Rahman will need to prove when he trains with Gibson next that he is willing and able to make that effort. And he will know well that unlike with contemporaries like Kagiso Rabada and Jasprit Bumrah, who made their debuts around the same time and have the advantage of a cricket culture conducive – or increasingly so – to fast bowling, his circumstances are the opposite. He is seen as a quick bowler in a country where, at every level, pace bowling is only a filler.Five years ago, Mortaza made room for him and Rahman didn’t disappoint. Now, with Mortaza on the periphery and a head coach leaning towards pace again, it is the perfect time for Rahman 2.0.

ESPNcricinfo picks out seven players for whom this season could mean a big deal

Deivarayan Muthu16-Aug-20201:24

Will be strange to play without crowds – Ross Taylor

.Sunil Narine (Trinbago Knight Riders)”You can’t let a guy with a broken finger win games.” That was the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots coach Robin Singh talking about Narine after the offspinner claimed 2 for 10 in his four overs to help Trinbago Knight Riders secure a home qualifier in the last CPL.That was in October. Since then Narine hasn’t played top-flight cricket, thanks to that finger injury. The Knight Riders went down to eventual champions Barbados Tridents in the second qualifier and subsequently Narine missed West Indies’ tour of the subcontinent.Narine has warmed himself up by playing the Central Super League (CSL) – a T10 tournament – but is he fit and ready for the CPL, and then the IPL? Can he also rattle off quick runs at the top? If Narine is indeed back to top form, he could play a key role for Knight Riders on the usually spin-friendly tracks at home in Trinidad and carry that form into the other Knight Riders franchise in the IPL.Carlos Brathwaite (Jamaica Tallawahs)He just turned 32, but Brathwaite must know his career is at crossroads. In 2019, he not only lost the T20I captaincy but also his spot in the West Indies team across formats. Then the Patriots, where he had played from the team’s inception four seasons ago, did not retain him despite his leading them to play-offs in 2019 CPL.Luckily, the Tallawahs have picked him for this CPL, allowing him another opportunity to prove his worth and regain his position in West Indies squads. The T20 World Cup will now be played in October 2021, but Brathwaite knows he will face stiff competition from not just Kieron Pollard, West Indies’ white-ball captain, but the two other senior allrounders in Dwayne Bravo, who came out of T20I retirement earlier this year and Andre Russell.Sunil Narine celebrates a wicket•CPL T20/ Getty ImagesShimron Hetmyer (Guyana Amazon Warriors)The 23-year old is among the most exciting batsmen in the Caribbean, so much so that Andy Roberts recently picked him out as one for the future. However, Hetmyer probably hasn’t had enough game-time in the lead-up to the CPL, having pulled out of the England tour, citing concerns around the Covid-19 situation. Earlier, in IPL 2019, he got only five games at Royal Challengers Bangalore and managed only 90 runs at an underwhelming strike rate of 123.28. A productive stint on the spin-friendly tracks in Trinidad & Tobago may not be a bad way to tune up for the IPL, which will be played on fairly similar pitches out in the UAE.Chris Lynn (St Kitts & Nevis Patriots)The hard-hitting Australian opening batsman missed last CPL after he signed for the Euro T20 Slam which has failed to take off. Subsequently, Lynn lost his place in Australia’s T20I side, which led to his taking a swipe at the selectors.But Lynn did bounce back, blasting 113 not out off 55 balls in PSL 2020. He will now reunite with his Lahore Qalandars team-mate and fellow Australian Ben Dunk at Patriots. Can Lynn regain his big-hitting form and then make a seamless switch to Mumbai Indians in the IPL later this year?Chris Green (Guyana Amazon Warriors)The 26-year old offspinner has taken over the captaincy of Amazon Warriors from Shoaib Malik, who has pulled out of the league, but their rivals Knight Riders may keep an even closer eye on him. Green was suspended from bowling due to an illegal action in January earlier this year after Kolkata Knight Riders had snapped him up for his base price of INR 20 lakh in the IPL auction. Brendon McCullum, who is head coach both Knight Riders’ teams, had also backed Green to overcome the setback.After undergoing remedial work, Green’s action was cleared in June, but with the Covid-19 pandemic disrupting the cricket calendar, he’s yet to test it out in a high-profile game.Rovman Powell (Jamaica Tallawahs)Another allrounder, who is in West Indies’ mix, Powell will have to juggle batting, bowling, and captaincy this CPL. After shellacking a 38-ball century in the Super50 Cup in 2019, Powell was back in West Indies’ T20I side for the Sri Lanka tour. However, he did miss a major chunk of the CPL that year due to injury, and Tallawahs finished at the bottom, with just two wins from ten games. The Chris Gayle-Ramnaresh Sarwan controversy has soured Tallawahs’ build-up, and the onus is now on Powell to rouse the team.Asif Ali (Jamaica Tallawahs)After a hot streak in PSL in 2018, when he helped Islamabad United win, Ali became a T20 globetrotter, earning gigs in the Mzansi Super League, Bangladesh Premier League, and Global T20 Canada. This, however, will be his first taste of the Caribbean Premier League. Ali doesn’t quite have recent form on his side: he scored a mere 81 runs in seven innings in PSL 2020 at an average of 16.20 and strike rate of 150. Having also been jettisoned from Pakistan’s white-ball sides, can Ali serve a reminder of his power-hitting?