Former India captain concedes players are invariably “more powerful” than coaches in the modern-day game

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2017

The manner of Anil Kumble’s exit as India coach and how the entire captain-coach saga played out in public view was both “unfortunate” and unfair to the former India captain, according to his former colleague Rahul Dravid. He also conceded that players were invariably more powerful than coaches, and any power-struggle inevitably resulted in the favour of the players.Kumble stepped down immediately after the Champions Trophy in June after his partnership with Kohli became “untenable.” Ahead of that tournament, reports of Kohli telling BCCI about players being uncomfortable with Kumble’s “overbearing” ways surfaced.”At the end of the day, I don’t know the specifics of that particular issue, but it shouldn’t have got played out in the way that it did,” Dravid said at the Bangalore Literature Festival. “I think the whole thing got played out in the media which is very, very unfortunate for Anil and not fair on him at all.”So, what’s the reality of it and what happens behind closed doors is not something I’m privy to, so I can’t comment directly. But it was definitely an unfortunate episode, especially to someone like Anil who has been an absolute legend of the game, someone who has done more to win Test matches for India than anybody I know. And he had a successful year as coach as well. But the fact is that it should never have played out the way that it did, publicly.”That the coaching job came with an inherent risk of a sack wasn’t lost on Dravid. “See, coaches get sacked. The first thing you know when you stop playing and become a coach is that some day you are going to get sacked,” he said. “That’s the reality.”As an India A and Under-19 coach, I know that someday I’m going to get the boot. Some football managers get sacked after two games, so that’s the reality. Players are more powerful than coaches. We know that because we were more powerful than coaches when we played.”When there was a suggestion that players had become too powerful, Dravid said players had little say in their journey to superstardom. “A lot of cricketers come from humble, middle-class backgrounds. At the core of all this, if you remove the hype and hoopla, they are just normal guys who grew up and became heroes,” he said. “They became heroes thanks to people like you [anchors, journalists], television asking for interviews, writing books about them. It’s the game that has made them heroes.”I read that the players have become too big, but who has made them too big? It’s very easy to say that, and also a lot of other people have become rich by players becoming rich. It’s reality now. It’s the fact of the matter. At the end of the day, cricketers are simple people. But everything gets blown out of proportion for them. So they have to deal with things a certain way.”

Tottenham Hotspur have now held talks with Lyon midfielder Rayan Cherki's representatives over a potential summer move to the Premier League, but they may face competition for his signature from Chelsea, according to a report from Football Transfers.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham have already made a number of attacking signings this summer, bringing in the likes of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Manor Solomon. However, manager Ange Postecoglou is still keen to bolster his squad even further, recently saying:

“We’re working with the players we’ve got at the moment and I’m really happy with the way they are all working hard.

“But we’ve obviously still got time in the transfer window and we’re still looking to do some business.”

On Saturday night, Spurs were linked with a shock move for Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, as the French club are now considering a sale, however, that move does not seem very likely, given that he will surely be keen to play Champions League football.

Postecoglou is tasked with finding a potential replacement for Harry Kane, amid the uncertainty over the striker's future, with reports from Germany recently detailing his wife and family have been spotted in Germany inquiring about houses and schools.

The Lilywhites have therefore made an approach for Fiorentina striker Arthur Cabral, although the report also claims they have several other names on the list of potential replacements for their talisman.

Tottenham are also seemingly still keen on another attacking midfielder, with Football Transfers recently reporting they have held talks with the representatives of Cherki in London.

The 19-year-old is said to be regarded as one of French football's hottest prospects, and he has been attracting the attention of some top Premier League clubs, with Chelsea also holding talks over a summer move.

As a result of their financial problems, Lyon would be open to selling the youngster, but only for the right price, having already knocked back an offer from Chelsea. The Blues are ready to make an offer of €40m (£35m) for the Lyon star, so Tottenham may have to move swiftly if they are to win the race for his signature.

What position does Rayan Cherki play?

The Frenchman is capable of playing in several attacking positions, including on both wings, and he has occasionally played as a striker, however, he has predominantly featured in an advanced midfield role throughout his career so far.

Lauded as a "difference-maker" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the starlet ranks in the 84th percentile for assists per 90 in the past year, showcasing his creative flair, while he also places in the 97th percentile for shot-creating actions.

The Lyon-born attacker is still very young, but he has already established himself as a key first-team player with his current club, having made 34 Ligue 1 appearances last season, following up the 2021-22 campaign in which he made 27 outings.

As such, the indication is that Cherki would be able to push the likes of Maddison, Kulusevski and Heung-min Son for a starting spot from the get-go, and he could be a very good acquisition for Tottenham.

Honours were shared on a low-scoring opening day as Sri Lanka recovered from 61 for 3 at lunch to finish the day on a strong note

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Sep-2017Stumps Dimuth Karunaratne flicks behind square•Tom Dulat/StringerFollowing the nightmare that was the series against India, Sri Lanka’s batsmen applied themselves, saw out Yasir Shah, resisted Hasan Ali’s reverse swing, and mustered a day of unexpected competence in Abu Dhabi. Instrumental to fitting this innings with a backbone was Dimuth Karunaratne, whose 93 was the latest in a string of valuable innings this year.Sri Lanka had threatened to collapse again, going to lunch at 61 for 3, but the century stand between Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal raised them out of danger. Niroshan Dickwella then added a finishing spark to the day, hitting 42 off 63 balls, and Sri Lanka reached a comfortable – if not quite safe – 227 for 4 by stumps.The day had begun with so much promise for Pakistan – Yasir striking twice in that first session – but the bowlers could not manage a breakthrough in the second session. Hasan was intense in a seven-over burst of reverse-swing before tea, but though he drew an outside edge from Chandimal, and an inside edge from Karunaratne, a dismissal did not come. Late in the day, Chandimal was given out lbw for 58 when he shouldered arms to Mohammad Abbas, but that decision was overturned on review. Pakistan also burned their own reviews trying to get Yasir another wicket. Under the new rules, reviews are not replenished after 80 overs, so they are at the mercy of the umpires for the remainder of this innings.Karunaratne was not quite as reticent as the batsmen around him, but nevertheless, barely ventured an adventurous shot, relying instead on his favourite leg-side flick. Almost half his runs came in the arc between square leg and long on, and nearly two thirds on the legside in general. His was the only intentional boundary of the first session, and he would go on to hit only four more – three of them off short, wide balls behind square. Despite being short on boundaries, he appeared more or less at ease at the crease until he was run out seven runs short of a century.There was not a lot Pakistan’s bowlers could do, really. There was very little seam movement with the new ball. And though Yasir gleaned substantial turn towards the end of the day, the pitch was a long way from dustbowl – its green tinge persisting through the heat of a desert day. In this first post-Misbah-ul-Haq Test, they used a classic Misbah-era strategy: maintaining tight lines, and awaiting wickets.It was a partial success. Of the four blows Sri Lanka suffered, at least two were the result of the pressure Pakistan had built. Batting in his first Test since June last year, at No. 3 no less, Lahiru Thirimanne was kept scoreless for six deliveries, and on his seventh, attempted a slog sweep off Yasir Shah. He missed and was out lbw. Then, late in the day, Karunaratne was run out for 93, having faced two consecutive maidens from Yasir.The fault on that occasion, however, was Chandimal’s. Desperate to get off strike, Karunaratne had called Chandimal through as soon as he had flicked to midwicket. Chandimal was busy watching the ball, then turned his back on his partner. The single could have been comfortably taken.Chandimal’s own half-century was a long, laboured thing, though given the travails his team has experienced over the past three months, perhaps he will feel this is just the kind of knock he needed to produce. It took him 52 balls to move to double figures, and 154 to get to his half century. Where once Chandimal had been the man to inject energy into the Sri Lanka top order, he has more recently specialised in these kinds of slow-burn knocks. He finished the day on 60 not out, having faced 184 deliveries.Pakistan will not feel too disheartened by the scoreline, but will perhaps concede that Dickwella’s quick runs against the new ball perhaps mean that Sri Lanka are the slightly happier outfit at stumps. A flicked six over square leg, off Amir, was perhaps the most striking shot of the innings so far.But this is, in essence, Sri Lanka’s last specialist batting pair. They have made the unusual choice of picking five specialist bowlers for this match. But they still have some work to do with the bat before they bring their trio of spinners properly into play.

Manchester United are reportedly in talks to sign Real Madrid defender David Alaba this summer, seeing him as a strong option to come in at the back.

How old is David Alaba?

The Austrian, who is now 31 years of age, has enjoyed a glittering career, enjoying a huge amount of success along the way.

Alaba has won an incredible 10 league titles during his career, as well as three Champions League crowns, with endless silverware coming his way at both Bayern Munich and Madrid. Not only that, but he has been named Austria's Footballer of the Year an eye-catching eight times, showing just how much he has stood out as the best player in his country.

The defender is contracted to Madrid until the summer of 2026 and has continued to be a key man there in recent times, starting 21 La Liga matches last season, mainly in more of a centre-back role, as he has become accustomed to in the latter part of his career.

It could be that Alaba is allowed to leave the Santiago Bernabeu in the current transfer window, however, which is where United come into play, as they continue to eye up important summer signings.

Could Man United sign David Alaba?

The Faithful MUFC relayed an update from Spain, who claimed that Alaba could possibly seal a move to Old Trafford this summer, with Madrid saying "OK" to a move happening and the player himself potentially "accepting the offer" from the Reds.

The parties are believed to be "in talks" over the transfer, while United manager Erik ten Hag is "obsessed and wants to have him under his command."

At 31, there is an argument to say that Alaba isn't quite the force he used to be – only natural, given his age and some of the injuries he has had – but he remains a top-level footballer who could be a fascinating short-term signing by United.

His ability to play at both centre-back and left-back would be great for squad depth, with such versatility an invaluable attribute to have, and he has even turned out in various midfield roles on more than 100 occasions during his career.

The winning mentality that Alaba possesses could be invaluable, too, enhancing United's hopes of trophies moving forward, and the fact that he was hailed by Pep Guardiola during their time together at Bayern, highlighting just how highly he was thought of.

The Austrian is on a huge £370,000-a-week, but you could argue that he may not come in as a guaranteed starter for United, considering Lisandro Martinez is excelling in the left-sided centre-back role and Luke Shaw is the first-choice left-back, but he could push those individuals hard, ensuring they remain at their best level, bolstering the club's high-quality defensive options even further.

There may be some who have their concerns, due to Alaba not being a young signing with a high long-term ceiling, but additions of this ilk can be so priceless, as Casemiro has shown, having joined United at the age of 30, and by the looks of things, a move is one to keep an eye on.

West Ham United have plenty of money to play with in the remaining weeks of the transfer window after landing £105m through the sale of Declan Rice.

However, with just three weeks to go until the new Premier League season begins, it appears that the Irons may be getting desperate in their search for new recruits.

Who are West Ham United's strikers?

While a midfield replacement for Rice is a priority for Moyes, West Ham could also do with strengthening in various other positions, not least up front.

United spent £35.5m to sign Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo last summer, but the Italian striker failed to make the impact expected of him in his debut campaign at the London Stadium.

Other than Scamacca, David Moyes has just Danny Ings, Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma to call upon in attack – hardly the most prolific list of goalscorers.

A number of potential options have emerged for West Ham in the striking department, with AC Milan striker Divock Origi the latest on the list.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness, the club have held talks with the Italian side over a possible deal.

How many goals has Divock Origi scored?

Origi joined Serie A giants Milan on a free transfer last year after bringing an end to his seven-season stay at Liverpool, with whom he became a fan favourite.

The Belgium international had a knack of scoring important goals, but a return of 22 from 107 Premier League appearances was hardly much to shout about.

That has been a similar story at the San Siro, having netted only twice – while assisting another – in 27 league appearances for Milan. Origi's slow start led to him being labelled Serie A's worst signing last season by Italian journalist Alvise Cagnazzo.

A change of surroundings has not exactly led to a change of fortunes for Origi, and it begs the question of exactly why Moyes' men would want to bring him on board.

Indeed, with 0.15 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes over the past year, Origi ranks in the bottom 10% of all forwards across Europe's top five leagues, as per FBref. Scamacca does not fare much better in that regard, mind, as he is in the bottom 17% with 0.24 non-penalty goals per 90.

Moyes would surely be better off putting his faith in Scamacca, who was often unfairly left out of the side at times last season, as the former Sassuolo ace not only scores at a better rate than Origi (0.29 v 0.18 goals per 90 respectively), but he also comes out on top in various other metrics.

That includes goals per shot (0.10 v 0.07), aerial duels won (44.7% v 30.6%) and tackles and interceptions per 90 combined (1.36 v 0.88) – an increasingly important trait for a forward – while they are pretty much identical in terms of pass-completion percentage (66.7 for Scamacca; 66.3 for Origi).

Previously described as a "terrible" player by football reporter Leigh Curtis, it is difficult to see how 28-year-old Origi – on wages of £85,000 a week, according to Capology – can improve West Ham's attack.

Instead, Moyes would be better off biding his time in search of the right man, even if that means taking his search right down to the wire.

The left-arm spinner replaces Beth Langston in only change to the squad that clinched the
Women’s World Cup in July

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2017Eighteen-year-old left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, who made her ODI debut last year, has been named in the England women squad as they attempt to regain the Ashes, which begins in Australia on October 22. Ecclestone replaced medium-pacer Beth Langston as the only change to the squad that clinched the Women’s World Cup in July this year.”Sophie Ecclestone has finished school now and has had a great summer domestically,” England coach Mark Robinson said. “Her selection will provide another option to our attack.”England leave for Brisbane on October 7 for the multi-format series that starts with three ODIs. That will be followed by a day-night Test in Sydney, before the tour concludes with three T20Is.”Ashes tours don’t come around all too often, so it’s always a special opportunity,” England captain Heather Knight said. “Australia are going to be very strong opponents on their home soil, so we’ll have to be at our best, across all three formats.”England women squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Nat Sciver, Sarah Taylor (wk), Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt

Harry Kane has already become the “face of Bayern Munich” and an English “ambassador” in Germany, says Lothar Matthaus.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Superstar striker left Spurs for BavariaMade a stunning impact in the BundesligaCould compete for prestigious awardsWHAT HAPPENED?

The England captain severed career-long ties with Premier League side Tottenham when completing a €100 million (£86m/$109m) transfer to the reigning Bundesliga champions in the summer of 2023. He has made a stunning impact at the Allianz Arena, hitting 24 goals through 21 appearances, and is expected to take his game to even greater heights once he has been joined in Bavaria by his wife Katie Goodland and their four children.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT MATTHAUS SAID ABOUT KANE

Bayern legend Matthaus has told of ‘King Kane’ taking over in Munich: “He is so well, very well – not only on the pitch, he is the face of Bayern Munich. It’s not only in Germany, he is good for the Bundesliga, to make us internationally more present, get more interest. Harry is a really good transfer, we are very happy. He has scored now in 15 games, he has scored 20 goals in the Bundesliga, top scorer. He is very close with the fans, he is good with the media – he gives the interviews. He is a great ambassador, we cannot have a better ambassador from England than Harry Kane at this moment.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Kane could come into contention for Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best recognition if his current standards are maintained, but Matthaus is not convinced that those awards are being given to the right person in 2023. He added when asked to pick out the best player over the last 12 months: “Erling Haaland? When you see 2023 – with the titles for Haaland, what he won with Manchester City and how he scored in England. For me, the best player in 2023 was not [Lionel] Messi. [Jude] Bellingham did a great job in Dortmund, in Real Madrid, but he didn’t win titles in 2023 and Haaland won everything with Man City. And the [goals], the number of [goals], how he played for City and his national team. He is a special player and I think in 2023, the best player for me was Erling Haaland.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT?

Inter Miami superstar Messi collected his eighth Golden Ball on the back of helping Argentina to World Cup glory at Qatar 2022. He is in the running for the FIFA Best prize, but that prestigious honour could still be awarded to prolific City striker Haaland or Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe – as they make up the final shortlist.

Manchester United will host Wolves on Monday 14th August as the two teams kick off their respective Premier League seasons. It's the first Monday Night Football of the season – and is a game rich with history.

This fixture should certainly be an interesting one, too. United will go into it hoping to improve on their third-placed finish last season and with an improved team. Wolves, who secured a mid-table finish, will want to make strides in their first full season under Julen Lopetegui.

So how have things gone in the past? Football FanCast takes a trip down memory lane to find everything you need to know about this fixture.

Man United vs Wolves: Who has the better head-to-head record?

These two teams first clashed in 1892, so there's a lot of history here. 111 games of it, in fact, across four different competitions. They've met at the top two tiers of the English pyramid, as well as the FA Cup and EFL Cup.

It's United who boast the best overall record, though, with 54 wins in those 11 games. Wolves aren't too far behind, having triumphed on 37 occasions. That leaves 20 times that the spoils have been split.

Man United vs Wolves: What's the top-flight record?

As we say, there's about 130 years of top-flight history here – or at least, that's when the two clubs first met. It means that of their 111 meetings, 92 of them came in England's top flight.

The respective records in this fixture are a little closer than some may have thought. Wolves, after all, have had periods where they were the outright best team in England – and that's shown here.

United still come out on top – being an elite club for 30 years will do that – winning 43 of the 92 games. Wolves sit ten behind on 33, with 16 draws.

Man United vs Wolves: What's their Premier League record?

There's a tendency these days to boil things down to just the Premier League era, such is the dramatic change in football over the last 30 years. When we look at this fixture in those terms, you see just how far things have swung in that time.

United and Wolves have met 18 times in the Premier League since the Old Gold's first appearance in 2003/04, with the former winning 11 and the latter just four. Only three of those games ended in a draw. This has been a very happy fixture for the Red Devils, then.

Man United vs Wolves: Who has the better cup record?

These two teams first met in a cup competition back in 1948, with Wolves winning an FA Cup semi-final replay against United. The Manchester side have fought back to boast the superior cup record since, however.

In total, there have been 13 meetings across the FA Cup and EFL Cup. United have won seven of those, with the majority coming away from home, interestingly enough. Wolves have won a further three, while another three went to FA Cup replays.

Man United vs Wolves: Who has the record at Old Trafford?

This upcoming fixture will be at Old Trafford, of course, so perhaps that record counts for a little more historically.

54 of the 111 games have been in Manchester, and United, as you could have guessed, dominate the results. They've won 35 of the 54, losing just ten. That leaves nine as draws, for those keeping count.

But what about just in the top flight? Well, that's seen 46 fixtures at Old Trafford and United won 29 of them – a far superior record to their away results against Wolves.

Man United vs Wolves: What team has the most goals in this fixture?

Both teams have historically scored well in this fixture. Remember, there have been 111 meetings in their histories so Wolves' tally of 151 is quite fantastic. United do have that beat, though, with 184. That also translates to the league record, unsurprisingly, as United have 154 to Wolves' 127.

As for Old Trafford, United look good there. They have 101 goals to Wolves' 52 when playing at home, which becomes 87 to 46 in the league.

What is Marcus Rashford's record against Wolves?

Who might get the goals this time around, then? Marcus Rashford seems like the most likely player, given he scored 30 in all competitions last season. United rewarded him with a five-year contract – he's their star man going forward.

And his record against Wolves is pretty decent. The forward has come up against them seven times, which is a fairly small number given only four of those meetings have been league clashes.

Indeed, Rashford has missed three Premier League fixtures with Wolves because of injuries, while he missed both encounters in the 2018/19 season.

Rashford has three goals across his seven games against Wolves, with two of them coming in the Premier League. The other was an FA Cup strike in 2019.

What is Man United's record win vs Wolves?

United's record win wasn't technically by Manchester United. It came in the very first meeting between the two teams, back in 1892.

They were Newton Heath back then, and demolished Wolves 10-1 at home (to Wolves' credit, they did manage to win the reverse fixture 2-0). This actually remains United's biggest-ever win in the league.

As for a more recent result, their record Premier League win came in 2011/12 as United won 5-0 at Wolves. The best they've ever managed at home was a 4-1 win that same season.

What is Wolves' record win vs Man United?

Wolves thrashed United 7-0 in 1932 for what remains their biggest-ever win against the Red Devils. It came with both sides competing in the second tier of English football.

In the Premier League, their record home win against United is 2-1 and their record win at Old Trafford is 1-0 – that came in early 2022. So if Wolves do manage to win this one, don't expect a thrilling scoreline.

Man United vs Wolves: What are the recent results?

United took the spoils in both games last season, winning 1-0 at Wolves before seeing them off 2-0 at Old Trafford. It was a much more stable season for the club and the scores reflect that. We can't say the same for the season prior.

Both games finished 1-0 to the away sides in 2021/22. That was Wolves' first win against United since 2019 and their first at Old Trafford since 1980. A historic win, then.

That brought to an end a period of dominance from United, who had avoided defeat to Wolves in seven attempts. They'd won both games in 2020/21, after all, with 1-0 and 2-1 results.

The 2019/20 season saw the teams face off four times, with them not only playing in the FA Cup for the second consecutive season, but the fixture also going to a replay. United did win that replay 1-0, but the other three fixtures finished in draws.

And the 2018/19 season, which saw Wolves return to the Premier League for the first time in six years, was a good one for the Midlands club. They drew their first fixture with United before beating them at home in both the league and the FA Cup.

Man United vs Wolves: Classic meetings

2nd April 2019: Wolves 2-1 Man United (Premier League) – The two clubs made something of a habit of playing against each other during this time, with the Old Gold getting the better of United just weeks prior in the FA Cup.

The Red Devils' following trip to Molineux was just as fruitless despite an absorbing tie that saw them take the lead through Scott McTominay, before a dogged Wolves comeback saw Nuno Espirito Santo's side battle back for victory.

5th February 2011: Wolves 2-1 Man United (Premier League) – Another comeback in the Black Country saw bottom-placed Wolves overcome Sir Alex Ferguson's unbeaten United side, who were top of the table heading into the clash.

And it looked as though they'd extend their lead at the top when Nani gave the visitors the lead after just three minutes, before goals from George Elokobi and Kevin Doyle turned the match – and the table – on its head as Wolves charged towards safety.

When is Man United vs Wolves?

Man United will host Wolves on Monday, August 14th at 8pm UK time. It'll be the first Monday Night Football of the Premier League season – and a big one for both sides.

United hope to build on their improvements last season and have made several important moves in the transfer market. David de Gea is out in goal, with André Onana joining from Inter. Mason Mount will feature in midfield, too, having arrived from Chelsea.

Wolves have made moves, too, but the most notable may be their outgoings. Ruben Neves, for so long the lynchpin of their midfield, has left for Saudi Arabia, while Raul Jimenez – albeit perhaps past his best – is now a Fulham player.

The main arrivals at Molineux have been loans officially turning permanent, including Boubacar Traore and Matheus Cunha – they'll hope the Brazilian can fix their goalscoring issues after really struggling last time out.

Both teams are looking forward, then – especially with this being Wolves' first full season under Lopetegui. A win could generate serious early momentum for either side in what's sure to be an exciting Premier League season.

Ben Foakes has been described as “the best wicketkeeper in the world” but will travel to Australia as Jonny Bairstow’s deputy

Alan Gardner29-Oct-2017If Alec Stewart is correct, England have packed the best wicketkeeper in the world among their Ashes luggage, almost as you would take a spare toothbrush on holiday.Ben Foakes, uncapped and on his first senior tour, travels to Australia as Jonny Bairstow’s deputy, though such is the nature of England expeditions Down Under, it would not be entirely surprising if he somehow ended the series batting in the middle order: as well as his ability with the gloves, Foakes is a batsman good enough to average more than 40 in first-class cricket.His rise has perhaps taken longer than some expected, having been selected for England Lions as a 19-year-old, but two seasons of immaculate glovework and crisp run-scoring at Surrey have pushed him into the role of Test understudy ahead of Jos Buttler, who keeps in the white-ball formats.”It has taken a couple of weeks to sink in,” Foakes said, speaking in the Long Room at Lord’s, undaunted at being first into the fray for England’s departure press conference. “Jonny is obviously world class, I can’t go out there expecting to replace him. I am just trying to prepare to play the first game if needed.”When I first came to Surrey I wasn’t keeping regularly and at Essex I was behind James Foster – I had to make a decision to move to Surrey and the last couple of years I have been able to keep regularly, and my main focus was on red-ball cricket. To be able to be here now shows the progress I’ve made.”While Bairstow has bristled at the idea of relinquishing the gloves, England may eventually conclude that Foakes is wasted as a luxury item. If the top five continues to misfire, and with Ben Stokes currently out of consideration for his usual role at No. 6, the temptation to bat Bairstow higher and bring in Foakes will grow.It is an area in which England can contrast themselves favourably with Australia, who have several names in the frame to push the incumbent, Matthew Wade, but little certainty as to who will take the gloves in Brisbane and beyond.Foakes is a quietly assured operator, happy to let his game do the talking. His father, former Premier League referee Peter, died of a heart attack when he was 13 – he has the date tattooed on his wrist – but Ben emerged from that “difficult time” to break into Essex’s first team while still a teenager. Foster’s excellence blocked his path at Chelmsford but he saw off the competition at Surrey, who at one stage could choose between Foakes, Steven Davies, Gary Wilson and Kumar Sangakkara.He was likened to an “artist” for his keeping with the Lions in Sri Lanka earlier this year, by former England coach and Zimbabwe wicketkeeper Andy Flower. Stewart’s praise then took things up a notch. “I saw it on Facebook and obviously had a few Indian fans jibing and bringing up MS Dhoni,” Foakes said. “I think to hear that is lovely.”He has plenty of experience of Australia, having played there in an Under-19 World Cup and on the 2012-13 Lions tour – from which, coincidentally, Stokes was sent home for one too many nights out – as well as spending some time with Adelaide University.Given the England team that finished the 2013-14 Ashes featured five changes from the one that started the series, it’s a reasonable bet that Australia could also be the place where Foakes makes his international debut.”I think it is an amazing place to play cricket, the whole package out there is the best experience of cricket I have had,” Foakes said. “You get a bit of grief that is quite a natural sort of mentality – I don’t look at that stuff too much, it’s about trying to represent my country and do everything I can for England.”I think our chances are very good – we have world-class performers with a lot of experience, which obviously makes a real difference to any side, and I think it is about how the less-experienced guys are able to support them and lift our games and learn off them.”The wisdom of Foakes’ inclusion may soon become apparent. As the Chris Evans TV show of the 90s once instructed: don’t forget your toothbrush.

Punjab were on course for their second win of the season after Anmolpreet Singh’s career-best 267 and Gurkeerat Singh’s 111 helped set up a declaration on 653 for 9 in Raipur. Having a deficit of 415 to wipe out to avoid an innings defeat, Chhattisgarh were tottering at 128 for 4 in the second innings at stumps on day three, with Sandeep Sharma and Barinder Sran, the new ball pair, picking two wickets. Punjab, currently placed third in Group D, are primed for full points.Anmolpreet, resuming on 171, added 96. Along the way, he found support from the last five batsmen, who put together 150 to help Punjab swell their lead. Of these, No. 9 batsmanVinay Choudhary contributed 49 while Sran, the last man, blasted three sixes and a four in his unbeaten 14-ball 27. Prateek Sinha, Sumit Ruikar and Shourabh Karwar picked up three wickets each for Chhattisgarh.Chhattisgarh, faced with the realistic option of batting for a draw to garner one point, slipped to 92 for 4, before an unbroken 79-run stand between half-centurion Ashutosh Singh and Siddharth Chandrakar frustrated Punjab towards close of play.Half-centuries from openers Priyanshu Khanduri and Prashant Chopra helped Himachal wipe out their 213-run deficit against Bengal after being made to follow-on and nudge ahead by two, with eight second-innings wickets still intact, after three days of play in Kolkata. A draw here could mean both sides would be tied on points in the top half of the standings.Himachal wobbled briefly when Chopra and Sumeet Verma, the captain, fell within the space of four overs. But they were driven forward by Nikhil Gangta, who is coming off two centuries in his previous two matches. Gangta was unbeaten on 43 alongside rookie Khanduri, who was 67 not out. Earlier in the day, Himachal, resuming on 163 for 5, were bowled out for 206 with Ashok Dinda finishing with 5 for 61.Offspinner Akshay Wakhare’s 5 for 87 dismissed Services for 317 and handed Vidarbha a 68-run first-innings lead in Nagpur . The hosts then extended it to 179 by stumps on the third day.Resuming on 141 for 4, Services lost Rahul Singh (63) early in the day. Vikas Yadav and wicketkeeper-batsman Nakul Verma then propped their side up with a 108-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Muzzaffaruddin Khalid contributed 21 to push the score beyond 300. Umesh Yadav and Karn Sharma assisted Wakhare by bagging two wickets each.Vidarbha then lost Wasim Jaffer for 25 in their second dig, but captain Faiz Fazal and Sanjay Ramaswamy put on 67 for the second wicket to steady the side. Fazal fell for 46 just before stumps, but Ramaswamy and nightwatchman Karn Sharma saw off the day without any further damage.