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A calm dressing room environment is making the finisher play better

Hemant Brar18-Jun-20224:29

Steyn: Karthik will be among the first names in India’s T20 World Cup squad

Certain statistics in cricket feel straight out of , and Friday produced not one but two of those. First, England posted nearly 500 in a 50-over game in Amstelveen. Then, in Rajkot, Dinesh Karthik scored his maiden T20I half-century – more than 15 years after making his debut in the format.When Karthik made his debut, in what was also India’s first T20I outing, he was playing with a different generation of players. For instance, Graeme Smith, who was the opposition captain in that match, was one of the commentators for Friday’s game. Charl Langeveldt, who picked up 2 for 20 then, is now South Africa’s bowling coach.But Karthik got to play only 34 T20Is in the intervening years, and there was a seven-year period from 2010 to 2017 when he didn’t play a single T20I for India. That’s because he was a second-choice wicketkeeper behind MS Dhoni during this time, and wasn’t always deemed good enough to play as a pure batter.But over the years, the format has evolved so much that there are opportunities for super-specialists. And in the last few months, Karthik has emerged as one in closing a T20 innings. He has taken his finishing skills to such a level, as he showed during IPL 2022, that India’s team management had to make space for him in the playing XI.India probably plan to use him mainly in the last five overs of the innings. Therefore, in the second T20I of this series, when they lost their fourth wicket in the 13th over, Axar Patel walked in ahead of Karthik. The move, though, didn’t prove as successful, with Axar consuming 11 balls for his ten runs.In Rajkot too India’s fourth wicket fell in the 13th over. But the pitch was playing a few tricks. It was slightly on the slower side, because of which the ball was not coming onto the bat easily. Then there was uneven bounce to deal with. Anrich Nortje’s first ball in the ninth over scooted underneath Hardik Pandya’s bat; the fifth stung Rishabh Pant on the gloves.Perhaps considering all that, India decided to send Karthik, and not Axar, at No. 6. Hardik told him straightway to take his time as it was much easier to score once set. He took four balls to open his account, and was on 6 off 8 at one point. But that allowed him to assess the conditions and settle down.Dinesh Karthik infused the much-needed impetus to India’s innings•BCCIWith five overs left in the innings, Temba Bavuma brought Nortje back into the attack. By this time, the game had entered Karthik’s territory. He skipped down the track and smashed him over mid-off. Two balls later, he cut him in front of point for another four.From the other end, he swept, drove and reverse-pulled Keshav Maharaj for three more boundaries. “He scores in very unorthodox areas, which makes him difficult to bowl to,” the left-arm spinner would say later.Dwaine Pretorius had conceded only nine off his first two overs. But now he was up against a rampaging Karthik, who stood deep inside his crease and shuffled across to hit 6, 4, 4 off the seamer in successive deliveries. With another six off Pretorius on the first ball of the 20th over, Karthik raised his half-century.When Pant had got out, leaving India 81 for 4 in 12.5 overs, ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster predicted a total of 149. But Karthik’s 27-ball 55 lifted them to 169 for 6, which turned out to be almost double of what South Africa could manage.Since the start of IPL 2022, on more than one occasion Karthik has spoken about how he has worked hard with his coach behind the scenes. All that work, he says, has allowed him to assess situations better and play accordingly. But after Friday’s game, he also talked about how the atmosphere in India’s dressing room has been of great help.”I am feeling very secure in this set-up,” he said at the post-match presentation. “In the last game, things didn’t go exactly according to the plan for me [Karthik was out for 6 off 8], but the way I felt in the dressing room post the game was very comforting. Right now, the dressing room is a very safe, secure place. It feels warm, it feels fuzzy when things go well, and it feels the same when they don’t go as well. There is a certain sense of calmness.”Rahul [Dravid, India’s coach] has been very clear about how we should approach the series. I don’t think he has been saying we should beat South Africa. What he has been saying is what he expects batters and bowlers to do. I think that clarity is very, very important.”After his IPL exploits, Karthik forced his way into the Indian side. Now, he is strengthening his case for inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad as well.

Before going away to work on the latest phase of his rehabilitation, Sachin Tendulkar spoke about the realities of aging, combating injury and coming back with desire for the game undimmed

Dileep Premachandran01-Jun-2006

Despite his best efforts, Tendulkar couldn’t be ready for a Caribbean swansong © Getty Images
Despite his best efforts, Sachin Tendulkar couldn’t make the tour of the Caribbean. The recovery from shoulder surgery has taken slightly longer than expected and Tendulkar now hopes to be in fighting trim for the start of the new season in August. Before going away to work on the latest phase of his rehabilitation, he spoke to Cricinfo Magazine about the realities of aging, combating injury and coming back with desire for the game undimmed.The last two seasons have seen gremlins creep into the machine. A tennis elbow problem and the shoulder tear haven’t helped – “It’s not like a fracture where you know it’ll heal in four weeks,” he says – and doubt, the performer’s greatest enemy, has crept in. “It’s not easy to forget the injuries,” he says. “There are times when you spend some time in the middle and the body complains. That’s when you need to hold back a bit and take it easy for a couple of practice sessions.”A rigorous training regime wasn’t enough to convince the physicians, or himself, that he was ready for the West Indies. Such disappointments have recently become commonplace, and Tendulkar is the first to admit so: “Your thought process changes. When you have a fit body, you think differently, but when you’re not 100% fit, or you’ve just overcome an injury, then your mind works differently. Thinking is everything in this game. It’s hard to express what it’s like, but there have been sleepless nights, there have been days full of frustration where you just want to get back in action but the body doesn’t cooperate even if your mind is ready to go out there and do it. You have to be sharp enough to pick up those signals.”On the matter of thinking, he has the right man by his side. “Greg Chappell was a top cricketer, one of the best to have played this game,” he says, when asked whether the coach has helped him through the lean times. “He understands the game very well. It’s important to have someone around who’s played a lot of cricket at the highest level. Technically, to a certain extent, one can progress, but mentally you can get better each time you go out into the middle. That’s where Greg chips in. It’s the thinking of someone who’s played and seen this game for over 40 years now. He understands the highs and the lows and he himself has experienced it.”Tendulkar smiles when asked how the ravages of time have changed both the man and his game. “I’ve never understood that aspect of the criticism,” he says quietly. “Change is part of our lives, and as you get older, you try to reach your destination in safer ways. “Let me give you a small example. Earlier when I used to hit the ball in the air and get out, people used to say, `Why can’t you play all along the ground? It’s simple. You don’t need to hit the ball in the air.’ Now, when I play all along the ground, people say: `Why don’t you hit the ball in the air nowadays?’ Basically, people are not satisfied with what one does.”He insists, however, that when body and mind are in perfect sync, he’s still capable of innings like the 114 in Perth [January 1992] that evoked so much awe all those years ago. “See the innings I played against Pakistan at the [2003] World Cup, and also Lahore [third one-day international, February 2006]. At Lahore, the first few overs, when the ball was doing a lot, I had to occasionally hold myself back – wait for an opportunity, or sometimes create chances. You’re obviously working on the bowler’s mind when you counter-attack. I have played a few innings like that.”It’s hard to express what it’s like, but there have been sleepless nights, there have been days full of frustration where you just want to get back in action but the body doesn’t cooperate even if your mind is ready to go out there and do itBefore injury ruled him out of the one-day series against England, he had played his part in India’s remarkable revival in the one-day game, and he has nothing but praise for the new faces, and the established ones that have taken their game to another level. “It’s a good blend,” he says. “It has worked wonderfully and the balance is just about right.”The newer crop is talented, and they’re match-winners. Even the bowlers – Munaf [Patel] has done well; Sreesanth has been quite consistent; and Irfan’s been around now for three years. He’s been delivering quite consistently with both bat and ball. When the batting hasn’t been up to expectations, the bowlers have made it a point to bowl some wonderful spells, and vice versa. We’ve got players who are fit and raring to go, with brilliant attitudes. With Chappell around, it’s a perfect combination.”And though he refuses to look too far ahead, nothing would please him more than World-Cup redemption after the disasters that were the 2003 final and the 1996 semi-final. “In retrospect, you feel that we could have done things differently,” he says. “But at that moment, you go out there to do what you feel is the right thing to do then.”I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself thinking about the next World Cup. It would be a dream come true if we can pull it off, but there are plenty of steps on the ladder and we can’t get carried away by emotion.”

The 17-year-old defender has been a rare bright spot in his side's grim 2023-24 campaign, leading to reports linking him with the Gunners

The most-recent January transfer window was certainly not one to remember. But, amid the tumbleweeds, some reports did surface that raised hopes that we could at least be in for a more exciting summer.

One such rumour was Arsenal being linked with a move for Ajax defender Jorrel Hato. In an ideal world, Mikel Arteta would have likely brought the 17-year-old to the Premier League last month. However, hamstrung by the club's expensive summer, the Gunners simply wouldn't have been able to make the move work.

It seems likely that Arsenal will reignite their interest in the summer, but what it is that has got Arteta so excited about the young defender? GOAL took a deep dive into Hato's recent development to find out…

Getty ImagesWhere it all began

On March 7 2006, Jose Mourinho's Chelsea were 15 points clear of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League, a Liverpool side containing Steve Finnan and Jermaine Pennant had just knocked a young Lionel Messi and Barcelona out of the Champions League and, most crucially for this profie, Jorrel Hato was born in Rotterdam.

Despite his talent, Hato somehow slipped through Feyenoord's net and instead ended up signing with the city's secondary club, Sparta Rotterdam. He did not stay there long though, switching to Ajax's youth academy in 2018.

The move required some consideration from the youngster, with the defender later reflecting: "At the time, I had to think about it for a while because I was comfortable at Sparta. [At Ajax], fortunately, I was well taken care of and could immediately be myself."

In 2022, after impressing through the age groups, he was handed his maiden professional contract – a life-changing event that kept him awake with excitement the previous night. "I knew I was going to sign my contract. My sleep was not optimal as a result, but I am super happy," he beamed.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe big break

Hato got his first-team break towards the back end of the 2022-23 season. After enjoying a few cameos off the bench earlier in the campaign, he would end up starting Ajax's final six Eredivisie games. With nothing left to play for – Feyenoord had the league title sewn up by that point – blooding the youngster made sense, but his position in the first team was far from guaranteed for the following season.

However, a hectic summer in Amsterdam changed that; chaos is a ladder after all. Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez were sold to West Ham for sizeable sums, with 12 players arriving in the other direction. The key piece of business from Hato's perspective, though, was Jurrien Timber joining Arsenal.

This freed up a starting spot in the backline, and Hato made sure he did everything he could during pre-season to secure it. When his side's Eredivisie opener against Heracles rolled around, there he was at the heart of defence. Any doubts over whether he was ready to become such a key piece for Ajax were addressed that afternoon, with Hato seriously impressing. He even chipped in with an assist – albeit only a five-yard sideways pass before Jakov Medic thumped one in from long range.

Getty ImagesHow it's going

Since then, Hato has become indispensable for Ajax in what has been a hugely testing campaign for the Dutch giants. Amid a backdrop of boardroom chaos and controversy over the signings of sporting director Sven Mislintat – who replaced the disgraced Marc Overmars – their horrendous start to the season saw them drop into the relegation zone in October.

Unsurprisingly, manager Maurice Steijn paid with his job, with John van 't Schip taking over in an interim capacity in October, following a brief caretaker stint from Hedwiges Maduro. Michael Valkanis also had two games in charge when Van 't Schip was away in Australia attending his son's wedding.

Throughout all of this turmoil at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, there's been one constant – Hato. Amazingly, the defender has not missed a single second of his side's season in all competitions, even being handed the captain's armband during an Eredivisie victory over Almere City in November. He then started a Europa League clash against Brighton as skipper the following month.

Speaking after the latter game, Van 't Schip was full of praise for Ajax's youngest-ever captain: "[He's] special in the sense that he has been able to stand his ground for so long and that he continues to reach such a high level. Of course, he is still a young player, the youngest one, who still has a lot to learn, but if you look at what he brings, the way he defends, the way he can play football forward, he has a great future ahead of him."

He also praised Hato's conduct, adding: "We don't have to do a lot because he is an exemplary professional. Of course, he has fun with the boys and that's something that needs to happen because that makes sure you train happily. But he is also a very serious guy in the sense that he trains well, he takes care of himself. Many should see him as an example, especially the players in the youth academy."

In recognition of his prodigious club form, Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman handed him a maiden senior cap against Gibraltar in November. "I was able to assess him better in the training sessions. There he had to defend Wout Weghorst and other attackers. I really liked that. He adapted very easily and plays with bravado. It’s nice that you can let those kinds of boys make their debut," Koeman said after the win.

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Getty ImagesBiggest strengths

Despite their recent fall from grace, Hato's emergence from the youth academy proves that when it comes to forging the next generation of global stars, few clubs do it better than De Godenzonen. The teenager is very much of the Ajax mould.

Technically sublime and possessing a football IQ that defies his tender years, Hato is the archetypal modern defender. He has no issue breaking the lines with his passes and relishes pushing into midfield to help his side's build-up. This is reflected in the 94 percent passing accuracy he has registered in the Eredivisie this season, while he is also averaging over five progressive passes per 90 minutes.

Hato's ability to carry the ball is even more impressive. His quick feet and coolness under pressure means just one player, Feyenoord's David Hancko, has racked up a higher progressive carrying distance in the Eredivisie this season. Hato's ability to drive his team forward from the back has been pivotal to Ajax's resurgence under Van 't Schipp, with the Amsterdam outfit not losing a league game since he took the reins.

Defensively, there is a lot to like about Hato's game too. He does not go out looking for tackles, preferring to choose his moments to dispossess attackers. The fact he has been booked just three times in the league all season while committing only five fouls – despite playing every minute – speaks well of his discipline, particularly at such an early stage of his career.

Alex Morgan's San Diego Wave were in fine form as they returned to pre-season training in the California sunshine.

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• Wave return to training with a bang
• Alex Morgan chest bumps team-mate
• USMNT legend wins gaffer Stoney's tennis ball game

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The squad burst out of the changing rooms under clear blues skies, announcing their return with a series of hilarious re-introductions including a mid-air chest bump from Morgan. Manager Casey Stoney kept the vibes going with a novelty tennis ball game in which Morgan showed all of her experience, as she held her nerve for a win.

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• WATCH THE WAVE ANNOUNCE THEIR RETURN

• WATCH ALEX MORGAN WIN THE TENNIS BALL CHALLENGE

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Morgan and her colleagues appear buoyant ahead of their third NWSL campaign. They've certainly had a blast so far with impressive showings in their first two seasons and making the finals of the playoffs twice.

Everton are making progress in their pursuit of Leeds United winger Wilfried Gnonto, and there is now a feeling that a deal could go through, according to a report from TuttoMercatoWeb.

Is Wilfried Gnonto signing for Everton?

It has recently been reported that Leeds manager Daniel Farke expects to sell Gnonto before the transfer window shuts, having already sanctioned his departure, with the Toffees in talks to snap him up.

Sean Dyche is said to be a big admirer of the winger's dynamism and versatility, having featured in several attacking roles for the Whites last season, but it has been very difficult to get a deal over the line up to this point.

Leeds have been playing hardball in negotiations, with an agreement between the two clubs yet to be struck, meaning Everton have now started to run the rule over potential alternative options.

Talks have been held over a potential loan move for Southampton's Kamaldeen Sulemana, with the Merseysiders growing frustrated in their pursuit of the Leeds ace, but they are now close to making a breakthrough in negotiations.

Read The Latest Everton Transfer News HERE…

That is according to a report from TuttoMercatoWeb, which details that the Toffees have made a €20m (£17m) offer for the 19-year-old, just shy of the Whites' asking price of €22m (£19m).

It is stated that Everton could soon hold personal talks with the Italian, who is their main target to strengthen their attack, and there is now a feeling that the deal could end up going through.

The two clubs are still some way apart in their valuation of the Italian, but the gap is closing, and it now appears as though Leeds may finally be willing to soften their stance, having previously been extremely tough in their negotiations.

How good is Wilfried Gnonto?

The starlet was praised by former manager Jesse Marsch for the impact he made at Elland Road last season, in what was a breakthrough year as he was lauded as "fantastic". However, he was unable to help Leeds retain their place in the Premier League.

In 24 top-flight appearances, the Italy international amassed two goals and four assists, which is not a bad return in a struggling side, but it casts doubt over whether he would be able to hit the ground running at Goodison Park.

Of course, the Toffees also struggled last season, avoiding relegation by the skin of their teeth on the final day of the season, and it is unclear whether the Verbania-born ace would be able to make an immediate impact to help them compete higher up the table in the upcoming campaign.

The Leeds winger is still very young, with plenty of time on his side to develop further, but he ranks in just the 24th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, and the 37th percentile for shot-creating actions.

There are indications that Sulemana could be a better addition to Dyche's squad, with the Southampton ace averaging more successful take-one and non-penalty goals per 90 in the past year.

Signing Gnonto for £19m is a real risk for Everton, given that he is inexperienced, and while Sulemana may be available on loan, the Italian did show some promising signs for Leeds last season, so could end up being an astute signing.

Everton's James Garner could play "a much bigger role in midfield this year" if the club sign a fullback this summer, and should he do that, he could "have a big season", claims journalist Paul Brown.

Everton News – what does the future hold for James Garner?

It was a tough first season at the Toffees for the Birkenhead-born prospect last year.

Having joined from Manchester United in September, he spent his first two Premier League games at the club sitting on the bench before making his debut in a 2-1 loss to his former side on the ninth of October.

He would go on to feature in the next five league games for the club before suffering a back injury that meant he wouldn't play a minute of the following 14 league matches until finally making his return against Tottenham Hotspur on the third of April this year.

The 6 foot 1 midfielder endured yet more disruption in the closing weeks of the season when he was asked to fill in as a makeshift right-back following the injuries to both Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson, something he did better than most would've expected of him, as he even played there during the club's crucial final day victory over Bournemouth – a win that secured safety.

Being moved around the pitch to a position that is not your own is something that might cause a player to down tools or moan to the press, but in Garner's case, he seems grateful just to be playing, as in May, he said:

"If I am chosen to play there, I will be more than happy. I feel comfortable switching positions. From defence to midfield, midfield to right-back. I feel ready and more than capable of doing it."

While he might be happy to play where he is told to, journalist Paul Brown believes that moving back into midfield in the event of a new fullback joining the club would be best for the youngster.

What did Paul Brown say about James Garner and Everton?

Brown was keen to praise Garner for his performances last season and pointed out that if the club sign any fullbacks over the summer, he could potentially have a big year in the middle of the park next season.

Speaking to Football Fancast, he said: "I actually think he did really well anyway towards the end of last season, but depending where he plays if they get the fullback positions sorted out, I think you could see James Garner playing a much bigger role in midfield this year. And it'd be nice, as injuries kind of hampered his momentum a little bit last year. It'd be nice if he got in and broke through.

"I think there's potential there for him to have a big season as well."

How good was James Garner last season?

As Brown points out, it was a season hampered by injury last year for Garner. The 14 games he missed between November and February made it hard for him to develop any sort of positive momentum through the season.

That said, when he did play, he was able to show glimpses of quality, even if he never quite reached levels higher than his teammates.

According to WhoScored, across the 16 league games he did play, he averaged a rating of 6.43, picking up one assist and maintaining a pass accuracy of 80.9%.

While those statistics aren't anything to write home about, it's essential to look at them with the added context of a highly dysfunctional Everton side and that he was playing a lot of those final games in an unfamiliar position.

His underlying numbers are, again, fairly average, but within the context of a new position, they're decent enough.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the "highly rated" 22-year-old sits in the top 22% for aerial duals won, the top 24% for clearances, the top 26% for interceptions, the top 34% for assists, and the top 37% for non-penalty expected goals, all per 90.

Ultimately, while he did a good job as a temporary fullback for the team, should Everton bring in proper reinforcements in that area, Garner should be doing everything he can to stake a claim back in the midfield, and then we might see him reach the potential he has.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as a potential replacement for talisman Harry Kane if the England international chooses to leave N17 this summer, according to journalist Christian Falk.

What's the latest transfer news involving Victor Osimhen?

Sky Sports journalist Massimo Marianella claimed last month on Sky Sport 24 quoted via Tuttonapoli that Osimhen was a target for Tottenham this summer as well as several other elite clubs, stating: "They say that even Chelsea are about to make a phone call to Napoli for Osimhen. It seems that one door is closed, which is that of Real Madrid, the two most open to catch a striker remain Manchester United and PSG. At that point, a place would also open up at Tottenham."

As per The Manchester Evening News, Napoli manager Rudi Garcia has recently spoken to media indicating that £89k-a-week earner Osimhen is keen to stay at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, saying: "Of course, I have spoken to him. I can assure you that he wants to stay, he is happy to be with us and still wants to do great things."

Osimhen, who has been hailed as a "monster", was in brilliant form for Napoli during the 2022/23 season and notched 31 goals alongside five assists in 39 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

In other news, Tottenham hitman Harry Kane faces an uncertain future at the club amid interest from Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain in his services, as per Telegraph Sport.

Kane would likely turn down any approach from the latter, leaving Spurs and Bayern Munich in a straight fight for him. Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness has suggested that the England international is open to a move to the Bundesliga, saying: "Harry Kane has clearly signalled in all conversations that his decision stands – and if he keeps to his word, then we’ll get him, because then Tottenham will have to buckle."

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Falk has signalled that Osimhen is someone Spurs would be keen on bringing to N17; however, he doubts whether the Nigeria international would be keen on a potential switch.

Falk stated: "Everybody's trying [to sign him] and he's also in the ideas of Tottenham as an alternative if Harry Kane is leaving. But I heard Osimhen is not so interested in going to Tottenham."

Who else does Ange Postecoglou want to sign at Tottenham Hotspur?

Postecoglou has already made several additions to his squad this summer, including James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario, Manor Solomon and tying Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro to permanent deals following initial loan spells, as per Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, the Australian boss will be keen to land more signings to help build his vision of success at Hotspur Way and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has emerged as a target for the Lilywhites, with Chelsea, Newcastle United and West Ham United also keen on securing his signature, as per The Sun.

Defence looks like a key area that Postecoglou will look to bolster and Wolfsburg central defender Micky van de Ven is said to have agreed terms with Tottenham over a prospective move to north London. However, no transfer fee has been shook on between both parties, according to Football Insider.

In the striking department, Brentford forward Ivan Toney has become a surprise candidate to replace Kane and Spurs potentially would be willing to wait until the January window to try and sign him, as per FootballTransfers.

The Kylian Mbappe transfer saga would rival the Kardashians for reality TV in another life, such are the number of twists and turns that occur every time the transfer window swings open.

As things stand, the Paris Saint-Germain star is set to leave the club on a free next summer upon the expiration of his contract. The Ligue 1 champions are keen to avoid that scenario, however, standing firm on their decision that either Mbappe signs a new deal or he leaves this summer, club President Nasser Al-Khelaifi recently reiterated.

The issue seems to be that the Frenchman wants to stay at the club for another season, and with the knowledge that he will be a free agent this time next year, the likes of Real Madrid are reportedly willing to wait 12 months to get a deal done.

Al-Khelaifi recently spoke on the situation, saying: "I was really shocked to learn that Mbappé intended to leave for free.

"Kylian is a fantastic boy, a gentleman… and leaving for free, when we're the biggest French club, it's not at his level. I was shocked and disappointed."

And six of his teammates are also pretty angry about Mbappe's antics, if reports are to be believed too.

The news of the winger's stance has not gone down well with former PSG director Leonardo Araujo, either, who did not hold back when asked about the transfer saga.

What did Leonardo say about Mbappe?

Speaking to L'equipe, Leonardo said: “PSG existed before Kylian Mbappe and it will exist after him. He has been in Paris for six years and in those six seasons, five different clubs have won the Champions League.

"This means that it is entirely possible to win this competition without him. With his behaviour over the past two years, Mbappe shows that he is not yet a player capable of really guiding a team.

"He is a great player, not a leader. He is a great scorer, not a creative. It's hard to build a team around him. For the good of PSG, I think the time has come for Mbappe to leave, no matter how.”

What is Kylian Mbappe's transfer value?

Mbappe's price tag will reportedly become clear once a decision is made on his future, according to Romano. As per Transfermarkt, though, the star striker is currently worth €180m (£153.43m), which is about how much PSG initially paid AS Monaco to secure his signature back in 2018.

Given the fact that he will be a free agent in 12 months, however, the Ligue 1 giants could be forced to settle for a cut-price sale of their star man if they want to secure a transfer fee this summer.

Clubs will be well aware of Mbappe's situation, and perhaps PSG's desperation to make some money back on the initial deal they made with Monaco. Their worst-case scenario will be seeing the 24-year-old walk away for free next summer.

As the transfer saga continues, it will certainly be interesting to keep an eye on the relationship between the club and the player. Things already look like they're heading for a downward spiral, and as both parties remain stubborn with their stance, even more drama could unfold over the coming weeks and months.

An increase in the hitting ability of the Sri Lanka women players should help them pose a greater threat in the upcoming Women’s World Cup, said their coach Hemantha Devapriya.”Since I took over six months ago, I’ve found out that our run-rate has not been that great and our batters’ strike-rate was not so efficient,” Devapriya said. “Other than Eshani Lokusuriyage and Chamari Atapattu who had strike-rates of a little over 60, others were below that, some under 40, which indicated that if Atapattu and Lokusuriyage scored we managed over 200 runs.”What they were lacking was creative shots and use of the feet. They were averaging only 41 singles per match. We worked on it and they improved it to 100 singles. We increased their shot range also, like using the pace of the ball. They were very negative on back-of-the-length balls and not creating a shot off that delivery. We practised with hard plastic balls on granite surfaces to overcome that issue. We also played a lot of practice games with Under-17 boys and in the last two games we managed to get over 200 runs.”It was also identified that improving skills alone will not be enough to stay competitive in the world of modern-day cricket. “Fitness was a big problem I had, especially with ageing players,” Devapriya said. “When you are not fit, it affects the fielding. Gradually, we increased their fitness workload coupled with fielding. At gym sessions, we introduced new exercises to develop the technique to generate power when batting. Overall, I had only six months and I never expected them to reach this standard. They developed very fast and their confidence has gone up.”Another thing in Sri Lanka’s favour is former captain Shashikala Siriwardene coming back from injury. “Her return has strengthened the team a lot,” Devapriya said. “She will make a big impact because she is an allrounder and she has the experience also. Her experience will be very useful in the middle.”Our aim is to try and finish in the top four [and] we have a fair chance of doing that. When you compare us with other teams, they are well ahead of us, but you never know in a tournament of this nature.”That left Sri Lanka’s traditional strength, their spin bowling. Devapriya was wary that conditions in England might not offer much turn, but given warm weather and a dry pitch, he backed his team to pull off a surprise or two.”At the moment, its cold 17 degrees hopefully if the Sun comes out it will be helpful. Those are things we can’t control. Our success will depend on getting a good score on the board and our key is spin. We select batters up to No. 6 and we have two spinners coming in Ama Kanchana and Shashikala,” said Devapriya.”You can swing the ball in the first 10 overs or so and once the swing goes our bowlers are not going to be that effective to get the batsmen out. We have two left-arm spinners as well and sometimes if the fast bowlers fail we may have to go with spin. We are going with a positive frame of mind to score runs and get wickets.”Sri Lanka will play three practice games against India, England and a county side before their first World Cup match against New Zealand on June 24.

Kuldeep Yadav has said bowling to MS Dhoni was challenging but he was not scared to be hit for a boundary

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Apr-20171:20

‘Wasn’t afraid of bowling to Dhoni’ – Kuldeep

Kuldeep Yadav could feel the pressure of bowling to MS Dhoni on Wednesday evening. Despite being a spinner, Kuldeep was picked by Gautam Gambhir to bowl the 18th over of Rising Pune Supergiant’s innings with Dhoni and Steven Smith in a partnership of 35 runs from 21 balls. One batsman had regained his touch of smashing sixes in the end overs and the other has not gone out of form since landing in India for the Test series.”If you are a spinner there’s always pressure on you,” Kuldeep said after the match. “As a spinner, I believe that you can put the opposition under pressure by picking wickets. Like in the last over I took two wickets and they were under pressure. Bowling the 18th over is always tough; the captain needs to believe in you for that.”Kuldeep’s first ball to Dhoni in the match, in the 16th over, had been pulled for a flat six over midwicket. In the 18th over, Kuldeep deceived Dhoni with a googly. Dhoni stepped out to get to the pitch of the ball, but it turned away, beat his bat and was stumped.”Bowling to Dhoni is always challenging and I could feel the pressure,” Kuldeep recalled. “But I wasn’t scared that he would hit me for a six or a four. I flighted the ball and I was focused on getting him out.”Three balls later, Kuldeep had Manoj Tiwary on strike, Rising Pune’s best batsman this season in terms of strike rate (with at least five innings). Kuldeep had conceded only three runs in four balls until then in the over and he had Tiwary stumped even though the batsman did not step out to hit him. Kuldeep bowled another googly, Tiwary leaned forward to tuck the ball to the leg side with the spin but the ball went the other way and Tiwary’s back foot was outside the crease.Kuldeep, however, said the conventional legspinner was still his stock delivery as he used the wrong’un and the flipper mainly to get wickets.”It (googly) is only a variation and you can use it in T20s to confuse a batsman when he is attacking,” he said. “But I really believe in my chinaman bowling rather than the wrong’un and flipper. I back my stock ball more and I’m mainly a chinaman bowler; the wrong’un is a variation you use to pick wickets or stop the runs. But my main delivery is chinaman delivery. Obviously, the wrong’un gets you wickets and the batsmen keep wondering if the ball will come in or go out, they find it difficult to pick, especially the overseas batsmen. So if you dismiss Indian batsmen like that, it’s a big boost for confidence.”Kuldeep has so far gone wicketless in just one match this IPL and has collected eight wickets, joint with team-mates Nathan Coulter-Nile and Umesh Yadav, who have had the advantage of a pacer-friendly relaid pitch at Eden Gardens.Kuldeep has had an impressive run since the beginning of the domestic season. He was the highest wicket-taker and the leading run-scorer for Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy; he topped the wicket-takers charts in the Duleep Trophy too, with 17 wickets in three matches, and he shone on his Test debut with 4 for 68 against Australia in Dharamsala.”If you play the entire season and you’re highest run-getter or the highest wicket-taker, it becomes easier to play on the next level because of the momentum you are carrying,” Kuldeep said. “If you aren’t playing domestic cricket you might lack in some places. I’ve played Duleep Trophy, one-dayers, T20s, India A, so this season has been really helpful for me which is why I have a lot of confidence.”Knight Riders will play their next match against Delhi Daredevils on Friday.