The young fullback carries on his family's sporting legacy with a memorable first goal for Orlando City SC.
Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now
Smith, Starc, Henry and Boult have gained at the end of the Australia vs New Zealand ODI series
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-20222:05
Arthur: Hasaranga is reliable, incredible and loves playing on the big stage
Wanindu Hasaranga, Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are the big movers in the latest ICC T20I rankings for men, following strong performances at the recent Asia Cup in the UAE.Full rankings tables
Click here for the full team rankings
Click here for the full player rankings
On the bowlers’ table, Hasaranga has moved up three places to sixth after finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker, behind Bhuvneshwar, in Sri Lanka’s sixth Asia Cup triumph. Hasaranga, who was named Player of the Tournament, picked up nine wickets at an economy rate of 7.39.He also made important contributions with the bat, including a 21-ball 36 in the final, which helped Sri Lanka get to a strong total, which they defended successfully. That helped him move up seven spots to No. 4 on the allrounders’ chart – Shakib Al Hasan is at the top there.Kohli, meanwhile, has risen 14 places to slot in at No. 15 on the batters’ table. His rise came on the back of a good Asia Cup, where he scored 276 runs in five innings – at an average of 92.00 and strike rate of 147.59.Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar had a good time of it at the Asia cup•Associated PressHe also scored his first T20I century during the tournament, an unbeaten 122 against Afghanistan, which brought an end to a century drought across formats that had run for 1020 days. Kohli’s tally of runs was only behind Mohammad Rizwan’s 281, and Rizwan held on to the top spot on the batters’ table. Babar Azam, who had a forgettable Asia Cup with the bat, lost his No. 2 spot to Aiden Markram.Bhuvneshwar, the highest wicket-taker at the Asia Cup with 11 strikes, also made notable progress, moving into the top ten among bowlers, jumping from 11th to seventh.In ODIs, Steven Smith, after his starring role in Australia’s 3-0 sweep of New Zealand at home, jumped 13 places to move to tenth among batters. Mitchell Starc, after picking up six wickets in three games, broke into the top ten among bowlers, moving up three places to ninth.Matt Henry also jumped one position to take the eighth spot after picking up five wickets in two games, while Trent Boult continued to lead the list after finishing the series as the top wicket-taker, with ten strikes.
It’s been an encouraging but nonetheless up-and-down start to Premier League life for Ipswich Town this season.
Kieran McKenna’s side might still be in the relegation zone due to another defeat yesterday afternoon, but there are undoubtedly reasons to be optimistic for the Tractor Boys.
For example, they have already played four of the traditional big six, beating Tottenham Hotspur before the international break and then claiming a point at home against Manchester United in their first game back.
Moreover, several of the club’s summer signings have started to show that they can hack it in the top flight, including Omari Hutschibson, and based on reports from last month, the powers that be could be about to repeat the trick that landed them the talented 21-year-old in the first place.
Hutchinson's recent form
Now, we know that some of you may point out that Hutchinson first joined Ipswich last summer, but he didn’t put pen to paper on a permanent deal until this summer.
McKenna and Co were understandably impressed by the 21-year-old’s stellar performance on loan, which saw him rack up 11 goals and six assists in 50 appearances, and opted to splash £20m on him in June, which is starting to look like excellent business.
The Redhill-born maestro didn’t start the campaign in the same form he ended the last one in, but the previous few gameweeks have seen him return to the sort of form that convinced the Tractor Boys to sign him in the first place.
Appearances
50
13
Goals
11
1
Assists
6
1
Goal Involvements per Match
0.34
0.15
For example, while he didn’t score or provide an assist in the win over Spurs, it felt like everything the team did well flowed through him, leading to the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones awarding him a 9/10 match rating on the day.
Then, against United, in Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge, the former Blues gem opened his goalscoring account with a spectacular curling effort from outside the box.
On top of being able to make things happen on his own, the left-footer is more than capable of playing in multiple positions and doing so to a good standard.
Last season, McKenna opted to start him more often than not off the right, whereas this season, he’s been playing in the middle and doing so with aplomb.
In all, it would be fair to describe Hutchinson’s transfer to Ipswich as a success, and if reports are to be believed, the club could be looking to repeat it in January.
Ipswich target another young talent
So, to get straight to the point, the player Ipswich could look to repeat their Hutchinson masterclass with is Carney Chukwuemeka.
The link comes from journalist Simon Phillips’ Substack late last month, where he revealed that the Tractor Boys are one of several sides interested in the young talent, who is currently earning £100k-per-week in West London following his £20m move from Aston Villa in 2022.
So then, why would a move for the midfield gem be akin to the transfer of Hutchinson? Well, there is one primary reason, and it’s a big one.
Were McKenna able to get his hands on the 21-year-old, then he’d be another young and highly thought-of talent making his way to Portman Road from Stamford Bridge in as many years, and while he’s not had a great time in West London, he is certainly highly thought of.
For example, talent scout Jacek Kulig described the Eisenstadt-born dynamo as a “top talent” as well as a “superstar in the making” in the summer of 2022 due to his incredible performance for England at the U19 European Championships.
It’s not just scouts that see a future star in the young Englishman either, as his former manager Steven Gerrard described him as possessing “big potential” and, while his time in the dugout didn’t quite go as planned, the former Liverpool legend probably knows a thing or two about midfielders.
Lastly, while he hasn’t been prolific at the senior level just yet, in part due to multiple injury issues, the former Villa prospect was sensational for the club’s junior sides.
For example, in just 26 appearances for the U18s, he scored ten goals and provided eight assists, while in 29 games for the U23s, he scored three goals and provided five assists, which isn’t too bad considering his primary position in his career so far has been central midfield.
Ultimately, it could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, and one that may even raise some eyebrows for how he’s gotten on at Chelsea.
However, there can be no mistake, Chukwuemeka is a serious talent, and based on how well Hutchinson has developed at Ipswich following his move from Chelsea, there’s no reason he couldn’t do the same.
Forget Delap: Remarkable Ipswich star must be on Tuchel's England radar
The “remarkable” talent will be vital to Ipswich’s survival this season.
ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2024
في خطوة لم تكن متوقعة قبل أيام قليلة، يستعد دافيدي أنشيلوتي للانضمام إلى الجهاز الفني لمنتخب البرازيل، كأحد مساعدي المدرب الفني للسيليساو، كارلو أنشيلوتي.
خطوة تحمل في طياتها الكثير من الإشارات، خاصة بعد أن كانت المؤشرات تسير في اتجاه مختلف تمامًا.
فمنذ إعلان كارلو أنشيلوتي رحيله عن ريال مدريد وارتباطه بتدريب منتخب البرازيل، لم يُدرج اسم دافيدي ضمن طاقمه الجديد.
اقرأ أيضًا | أنشيلوتي: تدريب البرازيل هدية.. وهذا الفارق بين النادي والمنتخب
Saiba mais:https://t.co/XCA7hYHtMi pic.twitter.com/TjAA8SNcyh — CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) June 6, 2025
بل على العكس، ظهرت تقارير تفيد برغبة المدرب الشاب في خوض تجربة تدريبية مستقلة، بعيدًا عن عباءة والده، والتي لازمته لقرابة عقد من الزمن.
لكن الواقع تغير، وها هو دافيدي، يشد الرحال إلى ساو باولو، ليكون جزءًا من مشروع البرازيل القادم، حيث أعلن الاتحاد البرازيلي لكرة القدم عن انضمامه لجهاز والده ليصبح مساعده مرة أخرى.
ويبدو أن مفاوضات دافيدي أنشيلوتي مع الأندية الراغبة في التعاقد معه قد فشلت مثل رينجرز بعد إعلانه عن مدرب جديد وكذلك ديبورتيفو لاكورونيا.
MatériaMais Notícias
da jogodeouro： Luís Castro pode contar com um importante retorno no Botafogo. Fernando Marçal treinou com o grupo na manhã desta quinta-feira no Espaço Lonier, futuro CT do clube, e trabalha para ter condições de atuar contra o Atlético-GO, no próximo sábado, pela 22ª rodada do Brasileirão.
RelacionadasBotafogoBotafogo empresta três jogadores para clube de John Textor na BélgicaBotafogo11/08/2022BotafogoBotafogo inicia venda de ingressos para jogo contra Atlético-GO ao público geralBotafogo11/08/2022BotafogoCuesta reconhece falhas do Botafogo na bola aérea: ‘Alguns detalhes para ajustar’Botafogo11/08/2022
da stake casino： +’Xodó’ de Del Piero, bom passe e destaque em título do Benfica: quem é Gabriel Pires, reforço do Botafogo
O lateral-esquerdo, vale ressaltar, ainda não está garantido contra o Dragão, mas trabalhou nas atividades tática e física no gramado. O clube trabalha para que ele tenha condições de ser, ao menos, relacionado. O jogo será às 21h de sábado no Estádio Nilton Santos.
Fernando Marçal sofreu uma lesão na derrota para o Corinthians, no dia 30 de julho. Apesar de não ter sido considerado um problema grave, o Alvinegro adota paciência quanto o retorno do defensor.
Reforço na segunda janela, o camisa 21 assumiu a titularidade na lateral do Glorioso de forma rápida. Se não tiver condições de jogo, a tendência é que Hugo inicie a partida.
Victor Sá, que já vinha sendo trabalhado para retornar justamente contra o Dragão, treinou normalmente e a tendência é que seja relacionado. O lateral-direito Rafael também participou da atividade sem limitações.
“I am a very different leader to Meg. It’s about me putting my spin on that role and doing the best I possibly can,” says Australia’s stand-in captain
S Sudarshanan08-Dec-2022
Alyssa Healy is all set for her captaincy debut in international cricket•Getty Images
Meg Lanning’s indefinite break from the game means Alyssa Healy will lead Australia Women for the first time in her career during the opening T20I against India on Friday.Lanning has been the captain since 2014, while Healy was named the vice-captain in October this year, after Rachael Haynes announced her retirement. So is Healy merely subbing in for Lanning, or will she try to leave her own stamp on the side?”The lines are very blurry,” Healy said with a laugh on the eve of the first T20I. “It’s an interesting one. I am sort of being given the freedom to make it mine. We are not 100% certain about what the future holds for Meg… She’ll make some decisions in her own time, which has afforded [me] that opportunity.Related
Healy named Australia's vice-captain
Lanning takes indefinite break from cricket for personal reasons
Harmanpreet happy to be working with 'calm' Kanitkar once again
“I am a very different leader to Meg, I am a very different personality. It’s about me putting my spin on that role and doing the best I possibly can to this group to maintain the success we have had. I am really enjoying that challenge.”Healy made her international debut in 2010, but it wasn’t until 2017, when she was made to open the innings, that she became an integral part of the side. She may not have led at the international level but is no stranger to the role, having been the captain of Sydney Sixers in the Women’s Big Bash League.Healy is known for her jovial nature on the field and quirky comments from behind the stumps, and she doesn’t think that needs changing with the extra responsibility of leading the side.”I don’t think I need to change too much personality-wise within the group,” she said. “[It is] probably about putting more thought and planning about what’s going on on the field. Otherwise, I have enjoyed support from the group of players in encouraging me to be who I am and lead the group like I normally do from within.”But there has been “a little bit of illness” around that group. “Beth Mooney and Darcie Brown haven’t been at training,” Healy said. “I am fairly certain that at least Moons is good to go for tomorrow.”A bigger challenge for Healy, though, could be doing it all – opening the batting, keeping wicket and captaining – in Mumbai, where the weather has been unusually hot and humid for this time of the year. But she isn’t worried.”I love the challenge of thriving in high-pressure situations,” she said. “But it is all about managing workload as well. I am really fortunate to have great leaders in our group that don’t necessarily have a C or VC next to their name. You only have to look around the group that has been together for a long period of time to know I can lean on them for some help.”I am really lucky in that regard, I don’t have any ego when it comes to leadership or captaincy. I am keen for it to be a collaborative affair for the group. The more inputs we get from senior and younger players, it’s only going to benefit our team.”Healy can also lean on fond memories of touring India in the past. It was here, in 2018, that she scored her maiden international century.”What a whirlwind it’s been!” she said. “Since 2018, think about what has happened in the world of cricket but also what happened in the world over that period… [It] has been quite a unique experience to be a part of. Personally, it has been good to be back here. India holds some special memories and some nice memories. That maiden hundred will last a lifetime. I am excited to be back here.”Talk about the Women’s IPL and Healy’s eyes light up. The BCCI is set to launch the tournament, comprising five teams, in March. Healy indicated her interest to be part of it, and at the same time, looked at the bigger picture too.”I’ve heard the whispers of the Women’s IPL and what it might look like,” she said. “I am excited, not from a personal point of view but for the game itself to really thrive and flourish over here and the fact how excited everyone is to talk about it. I am sure we all will stick our hands up and want to be a part of it. To experience what an amazing thing the IPL is and to have a women’s version of it is really great for our game.”
All is swell at Liverpool. Or is it? How curious, that Liverpool should be eight points clear at the top of the Premier League in the wake of Jurgen Klopp’s departure.
How intriguing that the Reds failed to complete the trigger-happy summer transfer window that fans demanded, and felt was so imperative to the success of the new era.
How funny, then, that Arne Slot’s side are firing freely on all cylinders, even though those contractual concerns loom over Anfield like an encroaching shadow.
How curious that Mohamed Salah should choose now to go against his own grain and speak to the matchday media.
Mohamed Salah's St. Mary's comments
Salah is a voracious chess player, and his decision to speak of his situation after Liverpool defeated Southampton felt like a calculated gambit as the clock ticks away.
36 days remain until Salah – as well as Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold – can agree to pre-contract deals with clubs from overseas. It’s concerning to say the least.
The Egypt phenomenon is Liverpool’s highest-paid player in history, earning £350k per week plus bonuses, and the fact that he turns 33 in June, compounded by the other contract quandaries, has left Richard Hughes dealing with protracted and difficult negotiations.
One thing’s for sure: Liverpool won’t succeed in replacing Salah next summer, not in terms of output. However, if that unthinkable scenario were to occur, the Reds are keen on replacing him with a brilliant Premier League player.
Liverpool in talks for Salah successor
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are weighing up a move for Mohammed Kudus of West Ham United, with the electric winger understood to have an £85m release clause in his contract.
Said to have wowed Reds scouts, Kudus isn’t a goalscoring winger but brings his qualities through other means. Liverpool simply can’t replace Salah with a pastiche; it would fall flat.
Instead, Slot could triumph in reshaping Liverpool’s frontline with such a wide forward.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
What Mohammed Kudus would bring to Liverpool
Principally fielded on the left flank with West Ham, Kudus might find that his ball-striking success enjoys an upswing with a move to Anfield, where he would occupy the right flank in Salah’s wake.
1.
Mohammed Kudus
West Ham
124
2.
Jeremy Doku
Man City
87
3.
Bruno Guimaraes
Newcastle
72
4.
Ebere Eze
Crystal Palace
69
5.
Luis Diaz
Liverpool
67
As the table above alludes to, he’s an elite brand of dribbler, ranking among the top 11% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for goals scored, the top 2% for progressive carries and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
The Ghana international’s performances have seen him likened, statistically as per FBRef, to Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, who might not be on Salah’s level but is soaring toward a similar ballpark, having posted five goals and eight assists across 16 matches in all competitions this season.
Saka, 23, ranks among the top 3% of positional peers in the league this year for goals scored, the top 1% for assists and shot-creating actions and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90. It’s clear to see the similarities between the players.
Not just athletic sensations, though, both wingers like to get stuck in. Kudus has won 6.6 duels per game this season to line up nicely against Saka, who boasts an average of six.
Described as a “generational talent” by journalist Gary Al-Smith, Kudus still has much to work on before hitting the level of a top-performing Premier League forward such as Salah, but he’s still only 24 years old – younger than Salah when he joined Liverpool – and is endowed with the athleticism and technical skill to be a triumph.
Move over Salah: 8/10 Liverpool star just dropped his best game under Slot
Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points after defeating Southampton 3-2.
ByAngus Sinclair Nov 25, 2024
Coach pleased with “attacking mindset” after 8-0 sweep of ODI and T20I series in Caribbean
Alan Gardner23-Dec-2022Jon Lewis believes England’s clean sweep of their tour of the West Indies, on which they won eight internationals out of eight, showcased the team’s new “attacking mindset” – but said the real test would come when they are asked to stick to their approach in high-pressure moments, such as at the forthcoming Women’s T20 World Cup.Lewis, who took over as head coach last month, spoke before his first assignment about encouraging a more positive style of play, and was rewarded with a series of emphatic displays, as England won the ODI series 3-0 followed by a 5-0 result in the T20Is.They began with a bang, racking up 307 for 7 in the first ODI in Antigua, followed by scores of 260 and 256 – their three highest ODI totals in the Caribbean. They also made three of their four highest T20I scores in region, and finished the tour by dismissing West Indies for 43 – their lowest total in T20Is – on the way to an eight-wicket win completed inside the powerplay.Related
Lewis: 'You don't coach gender, you coach people'
Capsey suffers broken collarbone in fielding accident
Dean and Bell sparkle again as England go 4-0 up
Knight implores administrators to invest in women's internationals to counter franchise threat
West Indies slump to record T20I low as England complete 5-0 sweep
“The thing I’ve been most pleased about is the way the girls have attacked their cricket and the mindset they’ve tried to adapt to,” Lewis said. “I’ve talked to a lot of them over the course of the tour and you can hear loud and clear the way they’re thinking and the way they’re trying to go about their business. That’s the most pleasing thing for me, the shift that they’ve made in terms of how they’ve tried to approach cricket, in terms of putting bowlers under pressure and taking wickets at every opportunity and also working really hard in the field.”I think regardless of the actual results in the games, the way that we’ve been able to attack our cricket and try and play the way that we want to play as a group has been really, really pleasing.”England were rarely pushed during the tour, with victories by 16 and 17 runs in the second and third T20Is respectively the closest West Indies came to halting their momentum, and Lewis was able to rotate his players in a bid to find out more about them just six weeks out from the World Cup.”Whilst the challenge of this tour hasn’t been as great as we would have probably liked, there’s still been some pressure moments in games where people stood up and took responsibility to do the job. There’s obviously greater challenges ahead of us. There’s some really good teams out there in women’s cricket. It’ll be exciting to see how they how they cope with those pressures.”I said I was more than happy to lose games on this tour as long as we shifted the way we wanted to play. And that’s the thing I’m most pleased about, the way that we’ve approached cricket, the attacking mindset they’ve taken into the games. I feel like it’s a real shift from what I’ve watched in the past and the times I think they’ve played safe. But there’s been a real shift in the in the group in the way they’re talking and the way they’re trying to grow their game.”With England expected to name their World Cup squad next month, there were impressive performances from the likes of Charlie Dean – whose 18 wickets across formats made her the most-successful bowled on tour – and Lauren Bell. Injuries to Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp were less welcome, but Lewis suggested that Capsey could still return from a broken collarbone in time to be selected.”I’m getting some really positive noises actually, which is a bit of a surprise to me once I’d heard what she’d done,” he said. “I didn’t realise that those injuries could heal as quickly as they can. So there’s some really positive noises coming out but she’s still got quite a way to go to make sure that she’s going to be fit and available for a World Cup. I think probably the hardest thing for her will be when she starts hitting the ground again, diving. So that’s probably just building her confidence in the work that’s been done on her collarbone. But as far as I know, from all the information I’ve got from the medical staff, she’s progressing really well.”As for England’s chances of pushing Australia, winners of the last three global limited-overs tournaments in women’s cricket, in South Africa in February, Lewis suggested that the group needed to stand up in “close moments” if they were going to achieve the success that has eluded them since the 2017 World Cup.”I would say that the biggest challenge ahead of us is maintaining our confidence and belief in the way we’re going to play,” he said. “So when the pressure ramps up, when you get bigger games, you are put under more pressure by the opposition – then the ability to hold on to the belief and trust that the way that we’re trying to play our cricket will work. So that’s I think our biggest challenge, but that will only come with time, and probably wins and losses. Just opportunities to put themselves under more pressure in moments and games, and show how talented they actually are.”It’s really it’s interesting to think about how to judge this tour. Did West Indies play like they did because of how we played or were West Indies in that position prior to the tour anyway. What part did we play on the way West Indies played? You would like to think the pressure that we put on them made them worse. This team’s done stuff in the West Indies that no other England team has done, broken a lot of records while they’ve been out here. There’s [been] contributions from individuals that they haven’t done before. So it’s whether or not we can we can just maintain that belief and confidence in in how we want to go about business.”
da fazobetai： Wednesday night sees Everton play one of their most important games so far this season. The Toffees face Wolverhampton Wanderers who are a big relegation rival, in a six-pointer at Goodison Park. Sean Dyche’s side are currently just two points clear of the Old Gold, with 11 points compared to their nine.
da brwin： The pressure is on the Merseysiders, who are on a lean run of form, having not won in their last five games. Most recently, they suffered a 4-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Bouncing back with a win over Wolves would be a huge statement of intent.
However, they will have to stop the Midlands club’s talisman, Matheus Cunha, who has a good record against the Toffees.
Cunha’s record vs. Everton
It has been a really impressive season so far for Brazilian attacker Cunha. He has been superb over the course of the last two seasons at Molineux, with 23 goals and 12 assists in 70 games. However, he has performed particularly well this term.
In 12 Premier League games in 2023/24 so far, the Brazilian has found the back of the net on seven occasions, grabbing himself three assists along the way, too. As per FBref, he is one of only six players to be in double figures for goals and assists.
That should certainly make Everton wary of how much damage Cunha could cause them. On top of that, he has an impressive record against the Toffees. In three games against the Merseysiders, he has one goal and one assist.
Having said that, they both came in the same game, a 3-0 battering of the Toffees midway through last season. Cunha helped himself to two goal involvements in a game where he ran the show.
As per Sofascore, the 25-year-old completed two out of three dribbles, playing two key passes and creating one big chance.
Dyche’s side must certainly be careful of Cunha, who could deal them some serious damage and help propel his side ahead of the Toffees in the relegation fight. However, there is one player who could be Everton’s own answer to the Wolves ace, Iliman Ndiaye.
How Ndiaye compares to Cunha
The Toffees signed Ndiaye in the summer from French side Olympique Marseille. He cost them a reported £15m and made the move back to England just one season after leaving Sheffield United for the South of France.
The £45k-per-week attacker has sparkled this season despite the fact his goals and assist numbers are not quite up to the same levels as those Cunha is hitting.
He has played 15 times in all competitions, and has three goals to his name, with two of those strikes coming in the Premier League. He is currently on a goal drought of five games but will be aiming to change that against Gary O’Neil’s side.
Interestingly, when comparing the Senegalese attacker’s Squawka stats to Cunha’s numbers, it is clear to see that the players are similar.
Whilst in many key metrics the Wolves attacker does come out on top, the gap between the pair is not too dissimilar. It is worth noting that Ndiaye actually averages more completed take-ons per game than the Brazil international, with 3.1 compared to 2.1.
Ndiaye vs. Cunha stats compared
Stat (per 90)
Ndiaye
Cunha
Chances created
0.9
2
Forward passes
6.2
8.2
Take-ons completed
3.1
2.1
Take-on success rate
50.77%
55.81%
Touches
47.4
50.9
Stats from Squawka
There is no doubting Ndaiye’s talent, as the stats showcase. Football analyst Umir has been full of praise for the attacker in the past and explained he has “abundant quality” during his time at Bramall Lane.
The evidence is there that Ndiaye, a silky dribbler, can be Everton’s own version of Cunha. The Brazilian was crucial in helping Wolves survive last season, and the Toffees will be hoping Ndiaye can replicate his achievements and help them fight relegation, starting with the game on Wednesday night.
Forget Beto & Tarkowski: Dyche must axe Everton's "frustrating" talent
The Everton man has struggled this season
ByJoe Nuttall Dec 4, 2024
Since India’s line-up comes with a reputation for piling it on, South Africa want everyone firing, and Faf du Plessis is the batsman who needs igniting
Firdose Moonda in Melbourne20-Feb-2015A South African, an Australian and a cricket pitch. You think you know where this is going, right? Wrong.The protagonists were eye to eye but only for as long as it took for Michael Hussey to adjust the grill of Faf du Plessis’ helmet. The South African No. 3 may not let many Australians get that close to his face but Hussey is different.For much of the tail end of a lengthy training session – South Africa’s third in as many days – Hussey gave du Plessis throwdowns. “Start on a good length and then we can do a bit more,” du Plessis instructed. After a few deliveries, Hussey noticed something. He stopped delivering the ball, approached du Plessis, rearranged the helmet and then seemed to explain something about du Plessis’ head falling away as he stepped into his stroke.Those little things are what Hussey is there for as South Africa prepare for a crunch clash with India where they expect the battle lines to be drawn on batting prowess. Since India’s line-up comes with a reputation for piling it on, South Africa want everyone firing and du Plessis is the batsman who needs igniting.He last scored a century 13 innings ago, in the triangular tournament in Zimbabwe and although he has managed three half-centuries since then, he had a particularly poor tour of Australia last November. He scored just 97 runs across the five matches and was out to short balls three times, a delivery which rose off a length once and a slower ball delivered by Pat Cummins in the final game. His struggles seem to be in shot selection and that was what Hussey appeared to be assisting him with.But there would have been other things Hussey would have been talking to du Plessis about too. The Australian media have dubbed Hussey South Africa’s “anti-choking” coach, whose calm demeanour and patience they hope will rub off on a team which has proved pliable under pressure in the past. Du Plessis is one of the men who have cracked before, notably at the 2011 World Cup where he was involved in the on-filed scuffle and run-out which saw South Africa’s quarter-final chase unravel and even though he has matured much since then, he has not been tested under similar heat.If anyone has the advice which will cool him down, it will be Hussey. The duo are IPL team-mates whose relationship developed from competition for the same spot and has blossomed into a friendship celebrated with wine, appreciative tweets and now, net sessions.When Hussey was unavailable for Chennai Super Kings for the first half of the 2012 season because of international commitments, du Plessis was asked to replace him at the top of the order. He exceeded expectations and struck three fifties in 12 innings which caught the eye of even the South African selectors who saw the sense in deploying du Plessis higher up the order. It took time before the No. 3 spot become permanently available in both Tests and ODIs but in that time, du Plessis established himself, both at the IPL and as international cricketer.He made his Test debut in Adelaide and on the eve of the match, Hussey presented him with a bottle of some of his country’s best. Du Plessis may have thought he’d have to use it for drowning sorrows after Australia posted a towering 550, of which Hussey contributed a century. Instead, du Plessis drank the wine in celebration of his own maiden century and a saved Test.Later that summer, Hussey retired from Test cricket and du Plessis posted this: “Mike Hussey = Mr Cricket. Enough said.” His respect for his IPL team-mate was obvious, especially over the past three days in Melbourne.Hussey spent a lot of the first session he had with the team at St Kilda Cricket Club chatting with du Plessis and a significant part of the third working with him. Should it to translate into a big score come Sunday, South Africa will have another reason to eye a trophy come March 29. And the jibe about the South African, the Australian and the cricket pitch may be made a lot more times.