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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been crystal clear on his desire for the club to bring in reinforcements at the top end of the pitch before the end of the summer transfer window.

Speaking earlier this month, the Hoops head coach said: “The squad will hopefully look again different come the end of the window.

“I think it’s very clear. We need to improve in the front end of the pitch. The attacking department has always, and always will be, the strengths of my teams. We’ve lost important players in that area, and we need to replace players in that area.”

There is still just over a week left to go before the summer transfer window slams shut, which means that there is still time for the board to get Rodgers the player he wants to improve the team.

The former Liverpool boss handed opportunities to some of his new signings, including Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, in the 3-0 win over Livingston in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

And it was one of the club’s summer signings who caught the eye with a brilliant performance for the Scottish giants, as Benjamin Nygren excelled.

What Benjamin Nygren offers for Celtic

The Sweden international showcased his versatility against Livingston by playing out on the right wing after featuring in central midfield in his first few outings for the Hoops.

Nygren, who was signed from Nordsjaelland in the summer, offers Rodgers the flexibility to move him between roles in-game and from game-to-game when needed, which is a useful asset to have within a squad when facing injuries or in-game situations.

The left-footed whiz also offers quality in front of goal. A return of 16 goals in 32 games for his former club last season suggested that he would provide a threat in the final third for Celtic, but you can never be too sure about how a player will adapt to Scottish football.

After an underwhelming debut against St Mirren, as he got his feet under the table at Parkhead, Nygren impresed with a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over Aberdeen in his second appearance.

Minutes

90

Sofascore rating

9.9

Shots

5

Goals

2

Key passes

3

Big chances created

1

Dribbles completed

2/5

Long passes completed

5/5

As you can see in the table above, the Celtic star was immense against Livingston in his latest outing, on the right wing, with two goals in the 3-0 win, including one thumping finish into the top corner with his ‘weak’ foot.

It is fair to say, with three goals and one assist in three league games, that Nygren has hit the ground running as an impressive offensive force for Rodgers.

Now, Celtic could find another forward who has the ability to hit the ground running at Parkhead as they reportedly close in on another attacking signing.

Celtic closing in on deal for new winger

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieiri, Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha has decided to sign for Celtic before the end of the summer transfer window.

The reporter claims that the Hoops have reached an agreement on personal terms with the Belgian forward, who is now set to complete a move to Scotland in the coming days.

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Tavolieri claims that Balikwisha had a meeting with Celtic officials this week and was convinced by the project that was laid out to him, which has led to his decision to make the move to Parkhead.

This comes after The Celtic Way recently reported that the Premiership champions had agreed a £4.5m deal with Royal Antwerp to sign the Belgian forward to bolster the squad.

The last hurdle to clear before a transfer could be completed after agreeing a fee was to convince the player to make the switch, and it appears as though the Hoops have cleared it.

Why Balikwisha could be a Nygren repeat

At the age of 24, Balikwisha is set to arrive in Glasgow as he heads into the prime years of his career as a winger. He is not a young and inexperienced forward who needs time to develop, and he is not a veteran whose best days are past him.

This means that the 24-year-old star could come in to hit the ground running as an immediate starter and star-quality operator out wide for Rodgers, much like Nygren has.

The versatile attacker, who can play on either flank or in central midfield, has scored one goal and created four chances in four games in the Pro League so far this season, per Sofascore.

This comes after an injury-disrupted 2024/25 campaign led to him registering four goals and three assists in 16 outings in the top-flight last term, which shows that he can provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

That is further backed up by his performances in the Pro League for Royal Antwerp in the 2023/24 campaign when he was fit for the majority of the campaign.

Starts

27

xG

6.46

Goals

7

Big chances created

6

Key passes per game

1.5

Assists

5

As you can see in the table above, the £4.5m-rated star caught the eye with his contributions as both a scorer and a creator, outperforming his xG and averaging 1.5 chances created per game.

Balikwisha, who was described as a “creative” talent by analyst Will Glavin, is a direct winger who wants to make things happen at the top end of the pitch, by taking shots and playing passes and crosses into the final third to create chances for his teammates.

He could get supporters off their seats and excited by his play at the top end of the pitch, with his form in the Pro League suggesting that he has the potential to be a Nygren repeat for Rodgers.

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Balikwisha is set to arrive in his prime, ready to perform, and could hit the ground running as an immediate star for the Scottish giants heading into the rest of the season.

كشف مصدر مسؤول داخل لجنة الحكام، موقف الكولومبي أوسكار رويز رئيس اللجنة، من الحكام الصغار حول مدى انضمامهم للقائمة الدولية.

وجاء ذلك رغبةً من أوسكار رويز في منح بعض الحكام الجدد، فرصة في إدارة مباريات من الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وقال المصدر في تصريحات لـ بطولات: “يؤمن الكولومبي أوسكار رويز رئيس لجنة الحكام المصرية، أن هناك حكام صغيرين في السن لديهم مستقبل كبير ويجب أن يتم الاعتماد عليهم سواء في المباريات الجماهيرية الكبرى كمواجهات الأهلي والزمالك أو من خلال ترشيحهم في القائمة الدولية”.

طالع أيضاً.. خاص | ملف خطير على طاولة اتحاد الكرة وتهديد بعقوبات غير مسبوقة 

وتابع: “هناك عدد من الحكام الصغار يرغب أوسكار في ترشيحهم للقائمة الدولية كـ مصطفى الشهدي ومحمود ناصف ومحمد الغازي ومحمود وفا”.

وأتم: “دائمًا ما يتعمد أوسكار رويز أن يخطر الحكام الصغار بأنه يساندهم بكل قوة، وسيعتمد عليهم في المباريات المهمة خلال الفترة المقبلة”.

Manchester United have now “presented” their offer for a “phenomenal” striker, and talks with his entourage are currently ongoing, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed.

Man Utd narrow list of striker targets

Man United’s forward options impressed Ruben Amorim in the recent 2-1 friendly victory over West Ham United, with the manager saying: “All the guys. I don’t want to talk specifically, but Rasmus did well. Matheus Cunha is the kind of player who can help us a lot because he can run with the ball, we missed that last year.”

However, widespread reports are still suggesting that Rasmus Hojlund could still exit Old Trafford this summer, which would make bringing in a new striker even more important, and the Red Devils have narrowed down their list of targets to just two names.

A deal for Benjamin Sesko will be on the expensive side, with a maximum price tag of around £78m, but United are clearly very interested in securing his signature, having now “presented” their project and financial offer.

That is according to an update from Plettenberg on X, who states that Amorim’s side are now battling Newcastle United for Sesko, with the two clubs currently locked in talks with his entourage.

Following a verbal agreement, there is an expectation that formal offers will be submitted to RB Leipzig, and the decision now rests with the centre-forward, who has to decide whether he would rather join United or make the move to St. James’ Park this summer.

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Posts 2 ByWill Miller Jul 28, 2025 Sesko could be "phenomenal" signing for Man Utd

Hailed as “phenomenal” by scout Antonio Mango, the 22-year-old was well-known to be a major target for Arsenal, before the Gunners ultimately decided to pursue Viktor Gyokeres, and for good reason, given that the Leipzig star clearly has bags of ability and potential.

The Slovenian has already amassed 41 caps for his national side, scoring 16 goals, while he has also been a reliable source of goals for RB Leipzig over the last two Bundesliga campaigns, scoring a combined 27 goals.

As mentioned, Amorim was left impressed by Hojlund’s performance against West Ham, but the Danish striker has simply not been prolific enough in his first two seasons at Old Trafford, having scored just 14 Premier League goals.

Season

PL appearances

Goals

2023-24

30

10

2024-25

32

4

Consequently, it is evident that Amorim needs to bring in an upgrade this summer, and Sesko could be exactly that, given his exploits in the Bundesliga.

Newcastle United have bid farewell to striker Callum Wilson, who departs the Magpies after five years on Tyneside.

The centre-forward struggled with injury throughout his spell with the club, scoring 49 goals across 130 appearances.

However, with a Carabao Cup winner’s medal around his neck, he will leave Tyneside with fond memories of the club.

The positive news concerning his departure means that it does leave room for Eddie Howe to bring in another striker this summer, especially with European football on the horizon.

James Trafford and Anthony Elanga look set to move to St James’ Park in the coming days. Will another new attacker follow after them?

Newcastle in advanced talks for English striker

Howe was keen on bringing Joao Pedro to Newcastle, but Chelsea’s offer of £60m was beyond what the Magpies were willing to spend.

Despite Champions League football to look forward to next term, Howe is going to have to be diligent in the transfer market and hunt for alternatives.

Well, according to reports, the Toon are now currently in advanced talks to sign former Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin following his departure from the Toffees.

The Englishman has been admired for a while now by Howe, but he will have to fend off interest from Manchester United to secure his man.

Transfer Focus

Even though he has scored only 11 goals since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, could he return to form at Newcastle, however?

Especially with someone like Elanga creating plenty of chances for him.

Why Calvert-Lewin could be a good signing for Newcastle

Last season, Elanga notched up 12 assists for Nottingham Forest in all competitions. Furthermore, he created nine big chances and averaged 1.3 key passes per game in the top flight.

If that wasn’t enough, the Swede ranked in the top 6% for assists and in the top 3% for crosses when compared to his positional peers in the Premier League.

Thus, should Calvert-Lewin make the move to Newcastle, he would surely shine alongside a player like Elanga.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s Everton statistics
Season	Games	Goals	Assists
2024/25	26	3	2
2023/24	38	8	3
2022/23	18	2	1
2021/22	18	5	2
2020/21	39	21	5
2019/20	41	15	1
2018/19	38	8	3
2017/18	44	8	5
2016/17	20	5	2
Via Transfermarkt

While the previous few years have been tough, the 28-year-old did score 13 league goals in 2019/20 and 16 the season after, proving that when he is fit, the striker is among one of the best in the country.

It was around this time that the player received plenty of praise from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who said:

“Calvert-Lewin, I really expected him to make big steps in the next few years and he did. He has everything you need in a top striker: size, mobility, speed, desire, technically really, really good, in the air, finishing with his head, both feet.”

Signing the former Sheffield United starlet on a free transfer could turn into a shrewd piece of business for Howe. But only if he remains fit and healthy.

Adding both Elanga and Calvert-Lewin will certainly give Newcastle more depth in their attacking department and it could well be that the Forest winger is the chance generation machine that the latter needs to revive his career.

Still only 28, the former Everton striker could shine in the northeast.

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Arsenal are now in “very advanced” talks to sign a “magnificent” player, who could be set to join alongside Viktor Gyokeres, reporter David Ornstein has revealed.

Gunners closing in on Gyokeres

The Gunners have now made major progress in their pursuit of Gyokeres, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that positive talks took place on Sunday night.

The Sweden international has been determined to seal a move to the Emirates Stadium for quite some time, with Romano revealing the striker wouldn’t entertain signing for another club, and the deal is now edging closer to completion.

It will be a major relief to finally get a new centre-forward through the door, especially considering Gyokeres’ goal-scoring statistics from the 2024-25 campaign are seriously impressive.

However, Mikel Arteta is also keen to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch, given that Gabriel’s injury issues during the 2024-25 campaign left the manager a little light on options at centre-back, although Jakub Kiwior did a stellar job in the Brazilian’s absence.

As such, according to an update from Ornstein on X, Arsenal are now “working to complete” a deal to sign Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, with reports from elsewhere revealing the deal is likely to set them back £17m.

The Gunners are in “very advanced” talks to sign Mosquera, with personal terms already done, indicating the defender is keen on making the move to the Emirates Stadium.

Arteta views the centre-back as ideal cover for Gabriel and William Saliba, and the deal now appears to be very close to completion.

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As such, the Spaniard could be ready to fill in for Gabriel and Saliba when required, with Arteta likely to rotate regularly next season, should he have ambitions of competing for both the Premier League and Champions League.

With Kiwior already on the books, Arsenal are starting to look very well-stocked in the centre-back department, ahead of a season in which nothing but winning a major trophy will be deemed good enough for Arteta’s side.

With Jaka Bijol officially signed and delivered, Leeds United have now reportedly turned their focus towards a second defensive addition in the form of a £38m La Liga ace.

Jaka Bijol completes Leeds move

It took some time but Bijol is finally a Leeds player. The defender has arrived from Udinese for a reported £15m and becomes the Whites’ second signing of the summer after Lukas Nmecha.

After putting pen to paper to make his move official, Bijol told Leeds’ official media channels: “This is a big day for me, for my family and I’m happy to be here. Maybe the biggest one of my career so far, but I’m ready for it.

“I work for it and that’s why I’m here, because it’s a big challenge for everyone. It’s a big challenge for me, for the club, and we’re getting ready for it together. I think the club and myself are ready for the Premier League.

“I can promise that I will give everything, that I will give everything in every training as well to be ready for the first game of the season and then just go from there.”

Bijol may be the second arrival of Leeds’ summer but he looks unlikely to be the last. The 49ers look set to back the Yorkshire club as they prepare for their return to the Premier League, with names such as Oscar Gloukh now threatening the steal the headlines. The talented attacker would instantly be one to watch in England’s top flight, there’s no doubting that.

The Red Bull Salzburg man isn’t the only one on Leeds’ radar, however. Reports are now even suggesting that they’ve turned their attention towards another defensive addition after already welcoming a central defender in the form of Bijol.

Leeds make formal approach to sign Natan

According to Estadio Deportivo, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds have now made a formal approach to sign Natan de Souza from Real Betis. The central defender has just made his loan move permanent in Spain but could already be on the move again amid interest from those at Elland Road and Lazio.

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Reports have claimed that Betis have already rejected a proposal worth as much as €27m (£23m) from an unnamed club to sell their defender and instead value Natan at a hefty €45m (£38m) this summer. Whether Leeds are willing to reach that figure will be the big question as their pursuit continues.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)	Natan	Bijol
Minutes	2,175	2,963
Progressive Passes	52	98
Tackles Won	24	25
Ball Recoveries	75	101

Keeping up with Bijol in a number of areas, albeit whilst failing to outperform the new Leeds star, Natan could yet form an impressive partnership with the former Udinese man at Elland Road.

The 24-year-old won’t come cheap but if Leeds are to stay afloat at the first time of asking back in the Premier League then the 49ers must be prepared to spend big.

Arsenal are searching for a number nine this summer and have identified a new target who may strengthen their forward line for a cheaper fee, according to a report.

The latest on Arsenal's search for a striker

Undoubtedly, the Gunners’ search for a striker has become something of a saga in the last few weeks, and it doesn’t look like there will be an end in sight anytime soon despite Mikel Arteta’s advances.

Viktor Gyokeres has emerged as Arsenal’s most talked-about summer pursuit. However, Sporting won’t let the Sweden international leave on the cheap, which has compelled the Londoners to assess potential alternatives such as Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

Of course, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko has also been courted by Arsenal over the duration, and Ben Jacobs has confirmed that they are still in the picture to land the Bundesliga sensation.

“They have discussed whether or not there is flexibility beneath the variable release clause, set at the moment around €80 million. That’s why that one’s taking time, because Arsenal want to do Sesko for €70 million, or within that ballpark.”

Saudi Arabian clubs are also believed to be at the table, creating another layer to what is turning out to be a complicated search for a goalscorer in light of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus being stricken by injury last term.

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The Premier League title is on the line and Arsenal need to make sure they get this one right if they are to unseat Liverpool at the summit, so it is only natural that time is being taken to assess all contributing factors.

However, they could now opt to move in a completely different direction from the names mentioned if reports elsewhere are to carry weight.

Arsenal set to court Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic

According to Tutto Juve, Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has become a concrete option for Arsenal due to their ongoing frustration in the pursuit of Gyokeres.

Should their chase of the former Coventry City man fall by the wayside, the Serbia international may enter their thoughts more prominently due to the Old Lady’s willingness to listen to offers, providing they recoup a satisfactory outlay for the Serie A marksman.

Five similar players to Dusan Vlahovic (FBRef)

Ermedin Demirovic

Stuttgart

Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa

Artem Dovbyk

Roma

Patrick Cutrone

Como

Valentin Castellanos

Lazio

Labelled “lightning” and “ridiculous” by former teammate Micah Richards, Vlahovic registered 15 goals and five assists in 41 appearances across all competitions last term as Juventus scraped into the Champions League on the final day of the campaign.

Now on Club World Cup duty, the ex-Fiorentina man has only one year left on his contract in Turin and it remains to be seen whether he would fancy the prospect of a move to England, but his contract situation would make him a cheaper option than the likes of Gyokeres.

Although he isn’t the first name on Arsenal’s list, Vlahovic’s name could be one to watch out for in the Gunners’ search for a high-profile striker to lead the line in 2025/26.

Chelsea are set to have a busy summer on the pitch, even with the Premier League season almost at its conclusion.

Indeed, they are taking part in the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup in the United States of America, with the first game on the 16th of June against Mexican side Club Leon.

Thus, they might be looking to make some early transfers. The 2025 summer window opens for ten days at the start of June, to allow teams competing in the Club World Cup the chance to strengthen their squad beforehand.

It might well be in the Blues’ interest to sign someone in that short window, and they have actually been linked with one attacker who could even move at the start of June.

Chelsea looking to sign a new striker

It may not seem surprising that Chelsea want a new striker this summer, given they are the sixth biggest underachiever for expected goals in the Premier League, as per Understat.

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Well, the man who could help solve those issues is Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy.

According to recent reports from Spain this week, Chelsea are one of the sides who ‘have already initiated’ a move for Guirassy this summer. There is thought to be a ‘real possibility of leaving Germany’ for the striker in the coming months.

However, the West Londoners are surely going to face stern competition for Gurassy’s signature. Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus are also interested in signing the striker, who has a £60m release clause in his contract, should anyone want to bring him in.

Why Guirassy would be a good signing

It has been an incredible season for Guirassy in 2024/25, who has excelled leaps and bounds in a Dortmund side that has struggled overall. He has 29 goals and five assists in 41 games played so far this term.

There is certainly a case to be made that the striker has done his best work in the Champions League. He’s scored an incredible 13 goals in 14 games, notching up four assists alongside those strikes.

It is perhaps not too difficult to pinpoint the best performance from the Guinean striker in Europe’s premier club competition. He scored a hat-trick in the quarter-final against Barcelona, which proved to be in vain as his side got eliminated 5-3 on aggregate. However, it was still an mightily strong performance to grab a 3-1 home win on the night.

Perhaps Guirassy could provide the goals that Nicolas Jackson has struggled to score at times in 2024/25. The Chelsea striker is talented but perhaps a little inconsistent, with nine goals and five assists in 29 games in all competitions.

When comparing the goal-to-game ratio of Jackson and Guirassy, there is a clear difference. The Dortmund number nine is currently scoring 0.7 goals per game this term, whereas Chelsea’s main man up front averages just 0.3, a stark contrast.

Indeed, one thing the “unstoppable” Dortmund star, as scout Antonio Mango once described him, has on his side is experience.

At 29 years of age, the Dortmund sensation has plenty more years in professional football than the Chelsea number 15, who is just 23 years of age. With that being said, there is still a difference in how clinical they are in front of goal.

Interestingly, a statistical comparison via FBref can be drawn between Guirassy and former Blues striker Kai Havertz, now an Arsenal player.

He scored 32 goals for the club over three years, including a winner in the Champions League final in 2021.

As for the numerical comparison between the two, there are several areas where the pair are similar. For example, Guirassy averages 0.50 goals per shot on target compared to Havertz’s 0.43 goals per shot on target each game and they link up play in a similarly strong way, with only 0.10 difference in the number of key passes they supply per 90 minutes.

Guirassy and Havertz key stats compared
Stat (per 90)	Guirassy	Havertz
Goals per shot on target	0.5	0.43
Expected goals	0.72xG	0.46xG
Key passes	0.88	0.78
Shot-creating actions	1.84	2.01
Goal-creating actions	0.28	0.15
Stats from FBref

It is hard to see a reason why Gurassy wouldn’t succeed at Stamford Bridge. The Dortmund star is deadly in front of goal, as the numbers show, and in that sense would be an upgrade on Jackson.

Chelsea fans will surely hope he can replicate what Havertz did in that famous Blue shirt. They probably wouldn’t say no to a Champions League final winner, a competition in which he has serious pedigree already.

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1

By
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Apr 23, 2025

In less than an hour’s play on an epic 25th morning, England and India’s series touched rare heights

Vithushan Ehantharajah04-Aug-20255:16

Harmison: Siraj never looked like running out of steam

56 minutes of hell. 56 minutes of heaven.56 minutes of the wildest ride of your goddamn life. 56 minutes that will change you forever.It is enough time to move from the northern-most part of the Victoria Line to its lower reaches, brush shoulders as you walk up the escalator of Vauxhall Station and turn into the Harleyford Road to see the Kia Oval on the horizon. Enough time to find yourself a whole new world.Enough time to believe in new heroes. Enough time to laud old ones. Enough time to have your heart broken. Enough time to count yourself lucky that Test cricket, handed down by older generations more than it is ever picked up by newer ones, was handed to you.Related

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Siraj goes on and on and on, tired but undeterred

Enough time, on this rare occasion, to pick it up as a new convert. Because there would have been some in this pocket of south London who will have experienced Test cricket for the first time on Monday. Firstly, welcome. Usually, it lasts longer than this. And no, you will never see anything like this again.The very existence of List A and T20 cricket – and yes, the Hundred, which begins on Tuesday – comes from the idea that the longest format is too long, too convoluted, too inconvenient to really grab you. Who knew all it takes was a small taste of the hard stuff to grab you by the throat and stir your soul.This was 100% proof, undiluted, unhinged Test cricket. All you needed was a shot of 56 minutes. No human body, not even those reared on it, including those out there providing the action, could have dealt with much more.Day five at the Kia Oval was sold out well before this match threatened to spill over from Sunday’s longer-form chaos. The gripping finale of the third Test, on the other side of the river at Lord’s, had resulted in Surrey selling over 5000 day five tickets in 24 hours. Eventually, 17,545 punters had what, unbeknownst to them, would prove to be the most golden of tickets.At only £25 a pop for adults (20 for members) and £1 for kids, it was a sound investment given that refunds would be given if the day saw no play. Rarely has just 8.5 overs felt like a steal.The Indian team celebrates their Oval win•Associated PressSuch pricing usually brings a different kind of crowd to the first four days – especially at Lord’s – but, down at The Oval, the mix of English and Indian fans was as it had been throughout the match already. The state of the game, however, created a more feverish atmosphere, making this bowl ground feel taller and deeper, and even more self-contained. For 56 minutes, there was no outside world, for the outside world was every bit as transfixed with what was going on in here. Even the construction on the new apartment blocks in the old Gasholders ground to a halt.The clamour as the players entered the field was louder than it had been all match. The English roars when Jamie Overton pulled the first ball for four were more guttural. The Indian jubilation when victory was sealed in Mohammed Siraj’s 186th over of the series came crashing back and forth like Atlantic-sized waves in a goldfish bowl.The overnight break helped add to the tumult, even amid the fury of Sunday’s hastily called stumps, though an extra night’s sleep brought anything but. A new day’s new opportunity was now riddled with even more jeopardy.How on earth did 35 more runs turn into the impossible job when 301 of the 374 had been cleared with such ease? Since when has getting through a tail that includes a man with only one functioning arm come replete with truly eternal legacy-making rewards and, thus, incomprehensible pressure?There were simpler questions, too. Who wanted it? And the one we were all asking ourselves – who could bear it?Gus Atkinson loses his off stump as India seal their narrowest Test win•Getty ImagesA familiar trope of Test cricket is that, at its best, it is a universal force. Happening to people, beyond their control and comprehension.But that does a disservice to the protagonists. To Joe Root and Harry Brook, who dragged this fourth innings into legendary territory. And, finally, Siraj, who had bowled on 18 of the 25 days of these five Tests, sending down 50 or more balls on 12 of them. And his 1122nd delivery (including extra balls), sent down with as much vigour as the previous 1121, was his fifth-fastest of them all at 89mph/143kph. And the one that will live forever.Moments like these always give you heroes. But they also give you kindred spirits. Those you are drawn to as much for their heroics as their fallibility.Akash Deep, face down in the green beyond the boundary at midwicket, palms still stinging from Gus Atkinson’s heave to cow, wondering if he’d be to blame for an impending loss. Dhruv Jurel wanting that same turf to swallow him as Siraj and Shubman Gill berated him for missing the stumps with an underarm that would have sealed the match. His shot at immortality scuttled a yard past the striker’s stumps.1:15

Monga: India’s series was all about Mohammed Siraj

Atkinson crestfallen, one hit away from a tie that would have given England the series win, doubled over, smelling the earth where his off stump used to be. A lionhearted Chris Woakes, dislocated left shoulder strapped to his torso, secured by a sleeveless jumper, arm guard on his “wrong” side with a view to batting southpaw.Even umpire Ahsan Raza, assuming the role of good Samaritan, helping the infirm Woakes readjust himself after sprinting the bye Jurel failed to prevent, a moment that left his left arm loose despite all the binding.And hey, let’s hear it for the Dukes ball. Pilloried for the last seven weeks but thriving in its final 85.1 overs of the English Test summer.Was 2-2 a fair result? On balance, yes. But England’s failure to punch their card for a hat-trick of 370-plus chases against India should be regarded as a misstep from 301 for 3 and 332 for 4.That only enhances India’s feat in squaring the series, even if they will depart a long tour with issues of their own. Selection decisions remain inconsistent, and their batting needs to take cues from their bowling when it comes to getting a grip of sessions that are turning against them.1:50

Miller: Bazball’s legacy in danger without wins

With the best will in the world, who cares about any of that right now? As both sets of players reflected on how such a hard-fought series could reach such a climax, they would do well to appreciate how lucky they were, too.Test cricket has been going on for almost 150 years, and we were still treated to a one-of-a-kind finish. And perhaps more importantly, at a time when other Test-playing nations are unwelcome and unable to participate in series that allow such fairytales, both sides should count themselves lucky. Lucky to play regularly in a format that can lift you to higher plains. Lucky to afford to do it.As it happens, Monday was the 20-year anniversary of the start of the 2005 Edgbaston Test between England and Australia. A Test that, ultimately, defines an Ashes series regarded as the greatest ever.That two-run victory was England’s slimmest margin. Here in 2025, India bagged theirs, by six. Maybe the universe is up to something.Many have wondered throughout these five Tests if the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy could rival 2005’s offerings. In these 56 minutes, it did.

Heading to Manchester after similar defeats at Headingley, Australia saw a changed approach four years on

Andrew McGlashan17-Jul-2023Australia have been here before. Preparing for an Old Trafford Test on the back of a defeat at Headingley. But this time things have been done very differently to 2019.Four years ago, the team was forced by coach Justin Langer to watch back the closing stages of England’s remarkable chase. It was not well received and the looks on players’ faces can be seen in the first season of the documentary.There was then a tour match against Derbyshire which included some intense warm-ups as players took out their lingering frustrations while time off was cancelled.Related

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In 2023, Australia have not been forced to watch back Harry Brook, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood. When Mitchell Starc was asked if they expected a dressing down from the coach this time, he replied with a wry smile: “Wouldn’t have thought so.””Much to the chagrin of most of the players, the next morning we sat in the hotel boardroom and watched the entire Stokes and Jack Leach partnership on video. You could cut the air with a knife,” Langer wrote in his most recent column.”The objective from my point of view was to tackle the disappointment head on, take lessons from the experience and then let it go and move forward. Who knows if it had an effect, but I am certain it galvanised the group.”From the boardroom the entire squad travelled together to Derbyshire for a practice game…it wasn’t popular, leadership rarely is, but the learnings were invaluable. The reason it was unpopular with some, was that some of the players had promised to take a few days off and retreat from the pressures of the game with their families.”Stokes’ miracle of 2019 was a more galling defeat for the Australians to take than the 2023 version. After dismissing England for 67 they had a stranglehold on the game. Then they had the home side 15 for 2 in the chase of 359 and 73 were still needed when Jack Leach joined Stokes.This year, although Australia had stages when they were in control at Headingley, not least when England were 142 for 7 at lunch on the second day, it was a closer-fought affair throughout where advantage often swung session to session.Mark Wood and Chris Woakes sealed victory for England in Headingley 2023•Getty Images”It wasn’t one big partnership,” Pat Cummins said after this year’s Headingley loss. “This game ebbed and flowed the whole way through, whereas I think that one and 2019 we were probably ahead for most of it.”In 2019 they would go on to win in Manchester and retain the Ashes before losing the final Test to share the series.This time many didn’t touch a cricket bat for the best part of a week. Most of the players scattered for time off, heading to among other places Paris, Scotland and Spain. Steven Smith indulged another passion – tennis – with a trip to Wimbledon. Starc went to Bristol to support Alyssa Healy in the Women’s Ashes.A few went straight to Manchester and a handful trained on Friday, but there will be just one full session before the fourth Test. Of the squad, only Michael Neser has played cricket having returned to Glamorgan where he hit a career-best 176.The gap was long enough to have a tour match, but the intense nature of six Tests in two months, along with a view in the Australia camp of their declining value, meant they did not take that option.”The training we can do now with how big the squad is as a collective, during the games is as good, if not better, than playing a game of cricket,” Marcus Harris, who declined the opportunity to play a county match, said. “I know last tour it felt very encompassing all the cricket all the time, we didn’t get any time off at all. As a group we are going to benefit from having a week or 10 days off. It’s nice to be able to get away from it, I’ve been here since the start of April. I have played plenty of cricket.”More broadly, this approach reflects the evolution of how the men’s team has operated under Cummins and Andrew McDonald. The intensity Langer brought to the job was a big part of what ultimately proved his downfall, not helped by life in Covid bubbles during the 2020-21 season. The team were ready to do things differently.After the crushing loss to India in Delhi earlier this year, which ended their hopes of a series win, the players were given a break with some heading to Dubai, although there were also more days of full training than this Ashes break. They responded with a famous victory in Indore.Speaking earlier in the tour, after the victory at Edgbaston, Usman Khawaja talked about how players are now trusted to know what they need.”It’s hard to quantify it, but I think everything that is being done with the team, with Pat and Andrew McDonald, [is] in terms of just cutting out the fluff,” he said. “Cutting out the box-ticking stuff. Really stripping down the game, saying what’s important, what do we think is important?”People joke about it all the time…but even warm-ups every morning now are optional, do whatever you need to. Think that kind of stuff empowers players. It’s empowered us. We take onus on ourselves.”Who wants the train today? Okay, you don’t want to train, fine. At the end of the day you are responsible for your own performance because that in itself impacts the team. If you are letting the team down in any way, that’s on you. We are all professionals and adults here and think it’s the first time for a long time that we’ve really been treated like adults and think that’s made a big difference.”It’s a method that has served them well over the last 18 months, with a World Test Championship title to show for their efforts. But many in this squad need an away Ashes series to secure their legacy. They won’t want to leave it to The Oval.