فتح الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم “يويفا” تحقيقًا مع لاعبي ريال مدريد أنطونيو روديجر، كيليان مبابي، داني سيبايوس وفينيسيوس جونيور، بسبب احتفالهم عقب الفوز على أتلتيكو مدريد في دوري أبطال أوروبا، لاحتمال انتهاكهم لوائح الانضباط.

وتركز التحقيقات على تصرفات اللاعبين بعد المباراة، حيث قام روديجر بإشارة حول رقبته (كالذبح)، فيما أقدم مبابي على حركة غير لائقة، بينما دخل فينيسيوس في مواجهة مع الجماهير، وهو ما دفع أتلتيكو مدريد لتقديم شكوى رسمية.

وشهدت الاحتفالات تصعيدًا من جماهير أتلتيكو مدريد، حيث ألقوا زجاجات على الملعب، مما أدى إلى إصابة جود بيلينجهام بزجاجة، بينما أشار فينيسيوس إلى شعار ريال مدريد، وأدى رودريجو رقصة برازيلية لتفادي المقذوفات.

وعين “يويفا” مفتشًا من لجنة الأخلاقيات والانضباط للتحقيق في القضية، وسيقوم بجمع الأدلة ومراجعة تصرفات اللاعبين، بينما سيحاول ريال مدريد الدفاع عن لاعبيه لتجنب أي عقوبات محتملة، قد تشمل الإيقاف عن المباريات المقبلة.

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ونشر “يويفا” بيانًا رسميًا أكد فيه فتح التحقيق بشأن سلوك لاعبي ريال مدريد خلال المباراة، مشيرًا إلى أنه سيتم تقديم المزيد من المعلومات في وقت لاحق، بعد استكمال جمع الأدلة ودراسة تفاصيل الواقعة.

وتمثل هذه التحقيقات امتدادًا لقرارات “يويفا” السابقة تجاه سلوكيات اللاعبين والمدربين، حيث فرض في 2019 غرامة مالية قدرها 20 ألف يورو على كريستيانو رونالدو بسبب احتفاله المثير للجدل عقب إقصاء أتلتيكو مدريد مع يوفنتوس.

وكان احتفال رونالدو ردًا على تصرف مشابه للمدرب دييجو سيميوني، الذي قام بإشارة غير لائقة خلال مباراة الذهاب، مما دفع “يويفا” لمعاقبته بنفس الغرامة، ما يعكس سياسة الاتحاد الأوروبي في التعامل مع الاحتفالات المثيرة للجدل.

يترقب ريال مدريد القرار النهائي من اليويفا، وسط مخاوف من فرض عقوبات قد تؤثر على مشواره في دوري الأبطال، بينما يستمر الجدل حول حدود الاحتفال المشروع وردود فعل الجماهير داخل الملاعب الأوروبية.

Since earning promotion to the Premier League in the 2012/13 season, Crystal Palace are now in their 12th successive season in the English top flight.

In the 11 successive seasons the Eagles have played in the Premier League, their worst finish was 15th back in 2015/16 where they finished on 42 points, and their best finish was last term, securing tenth place with 49 points after Oliver Glasner joined in February 2024.

2013/14

45

11th

2014/15

48

10th

2015/16

42

15th

2016/17

41

14th

2017/18

44

11th

2018/19

49

12th

2019/20

43

14th

2020/21

44

14th

2021/22

48

12th

2022/23

45

11th

2023/24

49

10th

Palace now sit 18th in the league after the first eight games of the season, earning just three points, drawing three games, and losing their other five. If Glasner isn’t able to fix things fast, his job could be in trouble, with the club obviously wanting to avoid any relegation battle, something they haven’t really had to endure in their time in the top flight.

Glasner's time at Palace

The Austrian manager took charge of Crystal Palace in February 2024, taking over from Roy Hodgson after he stepped down with the Eagles sat 15th in the Premier League. Since that point, Glasner has taken charge of 23 games, having a points per match ratio of 1.43.

The 50-year-old is known for his 3-4-2-1 formation, looking to be solid defensively and attack with a narrow front three, supported by the wing-backs to provide width going forward for the side.

Whilst this more defensive approach has only seen Palace concede 11 goals so far this campaign, averaging just 13.5 shots against them – the tenth fewest in the division – their attacking play has suffered, only scoring five goals, and averaging 14 shots per match.

Their attacking numbers aren’t helped after losing one of their best players this summer, as Michael Olise joined Bayern Munich for £50.8m, the 22-year-old who provided ten goals and assists for the Eagles last season in just 19 games. Eberechi Eze has also struggled to start the new campaign without his partner in crime, scoring three goals and providing one assist in ten outings.

But a change in the dugout could revitalise some of the Palace attackers, changing to a four at the back coach, allowing an extra forward on the pitch, and bringing more creativity and goal threat to the side.

Names are already starting to circulate, as Glasner’s future is at risk after his poor start to this new season.

Former Premier League boss open to Palace move

According to reports from Football Insider, David Moyes would be open to a return to management with Crystal Palace, and the report states he would “certainly” listen to offers from the South London club.

Fellow Premier League manager, Eddie Howe, has described Moyes as an “outstanding manager” in the past, and he could be a welcome change for Palace in order to steady the ship.

The Scottish coach predominantly sets up in a 4-2-3-1, which was seen from his time at West Ham, in which he took charge of 261 games in total for the Hammers, having a 1.19 points per match value in his first stint at the club between 2017/18 (31 games), and a 1.53 points per match in his second stint at the club, between 2019-2024 (230 games).

Moyes has also managed Everton (518 games in charge) and Manchester United (51 games in charge) in the past, before his West Ham stints, and his biggest achievement was winning the UEFA Conference League with West Ham in the 2022/23 season.

Having such a high level of experience in the Premier League already, Moyes could be the perfect man to steady the Palace ship, help them find their feet, and avoid being dragged into a relegation fight. The changes he would make could also benefit a few of their attack-minded players, which in turn would help their dry spell in front of goal, and allow them to start finding the net again.

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Players Moyes could unlock

The first player Moyes could really unlock for Palace, would be new summer signing, Ismaila Sarr. The 26-year-old joined from Marseille for a fee of around £12.5m, and has only managed to play 279 minutes under Glasner so far, with his only start coming against Liverpool.

Moyes could see Sarr as his new Mohammed Kudus-type dynamic winger, who can travel with the ball at speed, beat defenders 1v1, get shots off and threaten in and around the box. In Kudus’s first season at West Ham under the Scottish boss, he managed to net 14 goals and provide six assists, something Palace fans would love from their new right-winger.

Goals

0.24

0.37

Assists

0.19

0.17

xG

0.27

0.25

xAG

0.14

0.15

Progressive Carries

3.01

4.07

Progressive Passes

2.39

2.94

Shots Total

1.77

2.52

Shots on Target

0.81

0.76

Key Passes

1.20

1.18

Shot-Creating Actions

2.87

3.62

Whilst both wingers aren’t identical in play style, Moyes could certainly use Sarr similarly as a direct threat in transition and therefore add more spark and creativity into this Palace side, with an attacker that can create for himself and others.

One other player this could benefit is Eze, who, as we previously mentioned, hasn’t looked as comfortable without Olise in the side. By adding a player like Sarr, the England international would have more forward runners to pick out, giving him more passing options in attack, and also creating more space for him to operate in.

Moyes isn’t seen as the most attacking coach, but his ability to simplify the game, get players in their best positions, and provide the players with a platform to get some results on the board and gain confidence, could be exactly what Palace need.

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With under two years left on his current contract, Rangers are now reportedly the top suitors in the race to replace James Tavernier by signing a League One defender in 2025.

Rangers transfer news

It’s been a season full of bad news so far for the Gers, who find themselves third and nine points adrift of both Aberdeen and Cetlic who have formed an unexpected title race in the Scottish Premiership. As the top two continue to go stride for stride, Rangers’ return to form hasn’t seen them regain their place in the top two in a campaign which already looks destined to end in failure from a league perspective.

Only adding to their woes recently was Rangers’ finance report which revealed an operating loss of £17.2m, which is set to limit Philippe Clement when searching for much-needed reinforcements in 2025. Suddenly, transfer targets such as Darius Olaru no longer seem viable in a major blow for the Scottish giants.

That’s not to say there’s not a single piece of positive news, however, with the Gers recently linked to a reinforcement who may be slightly more affordable than the European star.

According to Rangers News, Rangers are now the top suitors in the race to sign Ryan Barnett ahead of Championship sides Preston North End and Stoke City. The right-back has impressed for Wrexham in League One to earn the attention of those at Ibrox, who have been keeping tabs on the 25-year-old. Now, they could line up a move to sign an heir to Tavernier’s right-back throne in Glasgow.

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The Rangers captain is on course to leave as a free agent in 2026 and the Scottish side would be saving themselves a lot of trouble by finding a replacement in either January or the summer transfer window rather than moving with panic in 2026.

"Tremendous" Barnett is good enough to replace Tavernier

Replacing a modern-day Rangers legend would be no easy task, but Barnett’s form suggests that he’d be more than capable of stepping up at Ibrox. The Wrexham right-back has five assists and one goal to his name in 16 appearances in all competitions so far this season, which is more goal involvements than Tavernier’s five in 20 appearances in the current campaign.

It’s recent form that would not have caught Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson by suprise given his previous praise for Barnett. Speaking after his side defeated Notts County 1-0 back in February, Parkinson told the club’s official YouTube channel: “If they go to a back four, Cameron will be up against Barney (Ryan Barnett), you know centre half playing left back.

“Give the ball to Barney because he’s tremendous in those situations and he produced some real good quality first half and second half.”

Unlike some of Rangers’ recruitment last summer, meanwhile, Barnett is not a player waiting to reach his peak, he is in it at this very moment. As the Gers potentially line up a 2025 move, the right-back should be high on Clement’s shortlist of targets.

As of now, India are scheduled to start their Test series in South Africa on December 17

Sidharth Monga02-Dec-20215:11

Kohli: ‘We are not playing in normal times’

India players are confident they will have “absolute clarity” around the South Africa tour in “a day or two or pretty soon”, their captain Virat Kohli has said. Kohli was speaking at the pre-match press conference for the second and deciding Test of the series against New Zealand, which is scheduled to end on December 7. As of now, India are scheduled to start their Test series in South Africa on December 17, for which they will have to leave India pretty much immediately after the Mumbai Test ends.However, the situation in South Africa is dynamic with the new variant of Covid-19, Omicron, bringing a surge in daily positive cases and hospitalisations, especially in the Gauteng province of South Africa where India are scheduled to play the first two of the three Tests before moving south to Cape Town.Last week, the second and third ODIs of Netherlands’ tour of South Africa were called off after several countries, including many in the European Union, imposed travel restrictions on southern Africa. But the India A team has stayed back in South Africa to continue with its shadow tour before the Tests, which gives CSA hope that the senior team will make the journey.”Look, it is pretty natural [for them to wonder and worry and talk about whether the tour will go ahead and what the protocols will be],” Kohli said. “We are not playing in normal times anyway. So there is a lot of planning that is involved, a lot of preparation that is involved in terms of understanding exactly what is going to go on. There are players who are not part of the group right now who will be entering quarantine to join the team bubble to fly in a charter.Virat Kohli: “You want to have clarity and you want to be in a situation where you know exactly what is going on”•Getty Images

“Those kinds of things you want to seek clarity as soon as possible. So we have spoken to all the senior members of the squad. Obviously, Rahul [Dravid, the coach] has initiated a conversation within the group, which is very important.”Our focus from the Test match will not shift regardless, but also you want to have clarity and you want to be in a situation where you know exactly what is going on. We have been talking to the board, and we are pretty confident that within a day or two or pretty soon we will have absolute clarity as to what is going on.”We have to be realistic as well. We cannot just ignore the things that potentially could put you in a confusing place. And no one wants to be there. I am sure everyone is working hard towards finding clarity and giving us the situation as it unfolds as soon as possible. We all are hopeful that that will happen soon. Our prime focus right now is the second Test, and the other things are simultaneously being taken care of.”The BCCI has said the tour is on as of now, but the eventual green signal will have to come from the government of India. However, the board will also have to take the players along. It is worth noting they decided to not play the series-decider at Old Trafford in England when there were positive cases in the Indian support staff. They have been playing practically non-stop and moving from bubble to bubble ever since the IPL started in 2020.CSA nervously awaits India’s decision because losing out on an India tour could really set them back financially. There were reports that India might have asked for the tour to be pushed back by a week so that they can monitor Omicron a little more and then make a decision, but CSA denied any such conversation had happened. “There hasn’t been such request or discussion with the BCCI, hence it is purely speculation unless or until they engage us on this,” CSA’s acting CEO Pholetsi Moseki said. “So as of now, CSA is not aware of this.”

Liverpool are believed to have sent scouts to watch a young player with a big future in the game, according to a fresh transfer report.

Liverpool transfer news

Life under Arne Slot couldn’t be going much better for the Reds currently, having opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League, following Saturday’s 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa. It is crucial that Liverpool don’t get too comfortable and rest on their laurels, though, and it is important that new signings come in, having had a largely quiet summer transfer window that left plenty of supporters frustrated.

Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush has emerged as arguably the Reds’ primary transfer target and Michael Edwards is reportedly now preparing a £58m offer for the Egyptian. The 25-year-old was again in devastating form over the weekend, scoring and assisting in his team’s 3-2 victory away VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga.

Thre is also a huge amount going on behind the scenes regarding new contracts for Liverpool players currently, even away from the much talked-about trio of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah. Both Luis Diaz and Ibrahima Konate could also sign extensions at Anfield, as the club look to tie down their most influential figures.

Liverpool send scouts to watch £25m teenager

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool have sent scouts to watch Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi in action for the Ligue 1 club, but other top clubs are also eyeing him up. The other teams in question are AC Milan, Juventus, Arsenal and Chelsea, with the 17-year-old considered a player with a massive future in football.

He is “highly rated across Europe”, and while he could cost as much as £25m, it is stated that FSG “could certainly afford him”, as could all the English clubs mentioned.

Bouaddi is understandably not yet a household name, given his age, but while Liverpool fans may not be overly excited about this rumour, his long-term potential makes him a hugely eye-catching option. Despite only being 17 years of age, the Frenchman has already made 30 appearances for Lille, assisting twice, with 18 of those games coming in Ligue 1, showing that he is being trusted at the highest level.

Bouaddi has been hailed as a “10/10 talent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and while he wouldn’t be arriving at Liverpool as an immediate key starter, given the depth that Slot has in his midfield, he would be one for the future.

Appearances

9

Starts

3

Minutes played

308

Goals

0

Assists

1

Pass completion rate

90.3%

Tackles per game

1.6

A midfielder more of the ilk of Martin Zubimendi is arguably needed moving forward, in terms of a No.6 who excels sitting in front of the defence and keeping possession ticking over, and Bouaddi ticks that box, not only completing 90.3% of his passes this season, but also averaging 1.6 tackles per game.

“It’s been an immense privilege to try and bring the sport I love into people’s homes up and down the country,” he said

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Dec-2021David Lloyd, the former England batter and coach, has announced his retirement from Sky Sports after 22 years working as a commentator.Lloyd, 74, said that “the commentary box feels a little emptier” following the departure of three long-term colleagues in David Gower, Ian Botham and Michael Holding, and the passing of the late Bob Willis.”I’ve decided the time is now right to pass on the microphone,” Lloyd said in a statement. “It’s been an immense privilege to try and bring the sport I love into people’s homes up and down the country.”Sharing a commentary box in Australia in 2013 with my broadcasting hero Bill Lawry was a real highlight. It has been a great pleasure to work alongside Ian Bishop, Ravi Shastri, Shane Warne, Shaun Pollock, and Ian Smith amongst many others.”With the passing of Bob Willis and after the decision to move on by my good friends David Gower, Ian Botham and more recently, Michael Holding, the commentary box feels a little emptier. And so I feel it is time for me to do the same and move on to the next chapter.Related

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“I leave the Sky box now in immensely capable hands led by my pals Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Ian Ward and Rob Key. To those that follow, cherish that mic. Inform and entertain, so the next generation can fall in love with this wonderful game.”Sky said in a statement that Lloyd had been “a star of the Sky Cricket commentary box for over two decades, with an extraordinary ability to inform and entertain in equal measure” and that he had played “a huge role helping Sky launch Twenty20, taking cricket to new audiences in 2003 – a format that has changed the sport forever”.Lloyd’s retirement comes a month after he issued an apology to Azeem Rafiq over an exchange in which he had questioned Rafiq’s personal life and made disparaging comments about the UK’s Asian cricketing community.”I deeply regret my actions, and I apologise most sincerely to Azeem and to the Asian cricket community for doing this, and for any offence caused,” Lloyd had said. “I am strongly committed to making cricket a more inclusive sport.”It is very obvious now that more work needs to be done and I will do everything I can to remove discrimination from the sport I love, and the sport that has been my life for over 50 years.”Sky said at the time that it was “committed to actively championing inclusion in cricket – and in all sports – and opposing all forms of discrimination” and that it would investigate Lloyd’s comments.

Since Alex Ferguson’s retirement at the end of the 2012/13 season, Manchester United have struggled in the transfer market. Be it a lack of a clear plan under the likes of Ed Woodward in the past, or the lack of a good enough structure around the managers, they have not really had many hits on the recruitment front.

They have made some poor signings over the years, including Alexis Sanchez who joined on a free transfer but earned a reported £400k-per-week, and Antony, who was signed by Erik ten Hag and has simply not lived up to his £81.3m price tag.

However, perhaps their worst performance in the transfer market came under Louis van Gaal.

Van Gaal’s signings at United

In total, legendary Dutch manager Van Gaal, who was in charge of the club between July 2014 and May 2016, made 11 signings during his time as United boss. Some of the players signed by the 73-year-old were hits, although many did not live up to expectations.

Arguably his best signing was Anthony Martial, who signed in 2015. The silky French striker played for the club up until last summer, before leaving upon the expiration of his contract.

He cost £36m up front in a deal which could have risen as high as £58m. The former United number nine played 317 games for the club, scoring 90 times and grabbing 47 assists.

Another of the more successful signings made whilst Van Gaal was the United boss that of Sergio Romero. The Argentine goalkeeper joined the club on a free transfer after his Sampdoria contract expired in 2015, and he went on to become a superb squad player.

Despite the fact there were a couple of smart moves under the tutelage of the former Barcelona manager, the Red Devils made some poor additions, too. The signing of Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid in 2014 for a then British record of £59.7m did not work out. He played 32 times for the club, scoring four goals and grabbing 11 assists, and left after one season at Old Trafford.

Looking back, other deals also did not work out. Morgan Schneiderlin’s move from Southampton did not go to plan, as did Memphis’ move from PSV. Despite his talent, the attacker could never find his feet at the club.

However, there was perhaps one transfer made by Van Gaal – and the likes of Woodward – that failed more than any. That deal was Radamel Falaco’s move to United.

Falcao’s stats at United

On deadline day of 2014, the Red Devils confirmed the loan signing of highly-rated Colombian centre-forward Falcao. He joined the club with an impressive reputation and a knack for finding the back of the net. The striker had previously scored 20 or more goals in a single league season four times.

It was an expensive deal, too. The 13-time English champions paid a hefty loan fee of £6m to his parent club, Ligue 1 side AS Monaco. United also had the option to buy him for £43.5m following his loan move.

Sadly, however, it did not quite work out how either party had imagined. Falcao struggled to make an impact in that famous Red shirt and left with a very unimpressive record. He has scored just four times and grabbed five assists in all competitions in 29 appearances.

Falcao stats for United
Stat	Premier League	FA Cup	Total
Games	26	3	29
Minutes	1288	210	1498
Full 90s	14.3	2.3	16.6
Goals	4	0	4
Assists	5	0	5
Stats from Transfermarkt

Incredibly, the former Atletico Madrid centre-forward was United’s highest earner during the season he was at the club, as per Capology. He pocketed £285k per week, which is more than that of his fellow strikers at the time, namely Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, who raked in £235k-per-week and £210k-per-week, respectively.

In total, when factoring in the loan fee and the total annual fee, it was a deal that cost United an outrageous £20.8m – working out to roughly just £5m per goal in that solitary campaign. Rooney and Van Persie, meanwhile, scored 24 goals between them that season in all competitions.

The Colombian, who now plies his trade in his native country, idolised former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy more than any of the club’s former players. He once explained that the former Red Devils ace “was a star attraction” in an interview with the club back in 2014.

Sadly, the Colombian could not replicate the Dutchman’s incredible 150 goals in just 219 games for the Old Trafford outfit. It was not a successful move in the slightest, given the money he cost and the goalscoring record, and United fans will no doubt be disappointed not to see the best version of Falcao in front of the Stretford End.

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Potentially getting one over on Old Firm rivals Rangers in the process, Celtic are now reportedly ready to test one club’s resolve over the £4m price tag of their young prospect.

Celtic transfer news

Brendan Rodgers’ side have enjoyed quite the campaign so far, sitting top of the Scottish Premiership and on course to win yet another league title, this time ahead of both Aberdeen and Rangers. What has been a welcome surprise for those in Glasgow, however, is how the Bhoys have impressed in the Champions League at times, most recently picking up an impressive victory over Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

That success could yet come at a cost though, with Nicolas Kuhn the latest name to be linked away from Celtic Park. The Scottish giants already lost one star to the Premier League last season when Matt O’Riley left for Brighton & Hove Albion last summer and will be desperate to avoid a repeat. On the incomings front, meanwhile, Rodgers could be in for some good news.

According to the Daily Mail, Celtic are now ready to test Motherwell’s £4m resolve in the race to sign Lennon Miller in 2025. The 18-year-old is one of the hottest prospects in Scotland, having started in all 11 Scottish Premiership games that his side have played so far this season. Now, both Celtic and Rangers are in pursuit of his signature.

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Alas, the teenage midfielder won’t come cheap. Motherwell are seemingly looking to take full advantage of the talent that they have in their ranks by demanding a £4m fee to open the exit door. Whilst that price may close the door on Rangers amid their financial struggles, however, it may not be enough to turn Celtic away.

"Exciting" Miller is one to watch

At just 18 years old, Miller has earned the attention of Scottish football, scoring four goals and assisting a further three in just 18 appearances in all competitions this season, and could now reap the rewards as a result. A step up to the Scottish champions certainly makes sense if Miller is to stay in his home country at all amid such a rise. If Celtic can offer him the game time that a young player needs, then he should only continue to grow through such a move.

Unsurprisingly, the teenager has received plenty of praise in the last year, including from Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell, who said via The National: “I have not shied away from it, because of the nature of the person and the lad that he is, he is unquestionably one of the best, if not the best, talent that I have worked with.

“But not just from how you kick a football, how you behave and everything that you do. I just think he is a really exciting talent. If he was playing at one of the other clubs I would be waxing lyrical about him as well because I do get excited when you see really good footballers in Scotland.”

There has been a flurry of public lobbying from state leaders regarding the fifth men’s Ashes Test, with Tasmania facing stiff competition in its bid for hosting rights.Cricket Australia confirmed on Monday the showpiece series finale, slated to start January 14, would not take place in Perth because of border restrictions.Every rival state has since thrown its hat in the ring for what will be a pink-ball Test, ensuring broadcasters aren’t denied the prime-time fodder they would otherwise have access to. ACT chief minister Andrew Barr has also put forward a case for Manuka Oval.CA, weighing up several factors, is expected to land on its replacement venue within a week. The obvious temptation is to bank the biggest cheque on offer, believed to be the MCG unless Tasmania premier Peter Gutwein or a rival leader tips in millions of dollars to bridge the gap.Yet the decision will be more complex than just money, coming two months after CA’s state-association shareholders forced the resignation of chair Earl Eddings.The governing body will be desperate to be as collaborative as possible, while also pleasing broadcasters and players, but finding the middle of that Venn diagram will be incredibly tricky.Logistics will form a major part of the decision, with accommodation for the series’ travelling circus to be a key challenge in Melbourne given the Test overlaps with the Australian Open.Tasmania premier Peter Gutwein urged CA to do the “right thing by the game” and lock in Hobart for its first ever Ashes Test, rather than staging two legs of the series at another ground.”We are currently finalising our proposal to Cricket Australia, which we will submit within the next 24 hours,” Gutwein said. “We are very confident we can more than meet all of their requirements to host the fifth Test in Hobart.”Hobart has only been allocated 13 Tests in the 32 years since hosting our first Test. CA should not be seduced by the larger states, they should act in the best interests of the country, make history.”Similar sound bites came from around the country on Tuesday.”Why not have it at the best cricket oval in the world?” South Australia premier Steven Marshall spruiked.Marshall may have some support in the Australian dressing room. Captain Pat Cummins didn’t offer an opinion on where the final Test should be, but noted Adelaide Oval has “really nailed” what constitutes the best possible pitch for day-night Tests.”At times in Sheffield Shield cricket [at other grounds], if the wicket is not quite right then you can see some long, slow pink-ball matches,” Cummins told reporters in Brisbane. “If it’s a pink-ball match and they get the wicket right, no stress from us [wherever it is played]. If it’s Sydney great, I can stay home, but I’m not too bothered.”

India could bring in wristspinners against a right-hander heavy West Indies batting line-up

Deivarayan Muthu05-Feb-20222:31

Should India play both Kuldeep and Chahal? Who will be key batters for West Indies?

Big pictureAfter Ireland toppled West Indies 2-1 in the ODI series in the Caribbean, Kieron Pollard’s men rallied to beat England 3-2 in the T20I series that followed. This, despite the absence of Shimron Hetmyer, who has been left out on fitness grounds and Evin Lewis, who is yet to return to action post-Covid.Hetmyer and Lewis aren’t part of the white-ball squads for the India tour, too, so this is another chance for West Indies’ emerging players and comeback men to catch the attention of the national selectors and the IPL scouts, with the auction scheduled to be held on February 12 and 13.Among the emerging players are Odean Smith, Romario Shepherd, a Covid-19 recovered Fabian Allen, and Brandon King. After enjoying a breakout CPL 2021 with Guyana Amazon Warriors, Smith teed off in the T10 league and more recently for West Indies in white-ball cricket at home. Allen has shown sparks of brilliance in West Indies colours but is yet to fire like he has in the CPL.King, Smith’s team-mate at Amazon Warriors, is back in the ODI mix, as is Kemar Roach. Shepherd is another big-hitting allrounder that the CPL threw up, but he is still learning the ropes at the international level.Much like West Indies’ squad, India’s is in flux as well, with four players testing positive for Covid-19. KL Rahul will also miss the series opener because of family commitments; as a result, Mayank Agarwal, Ishan Kishan and Shahrukh Khan have been drafted into the main squad. India will be bolstered further by the return of a fit-again Rohit Sharma and Washington Sundar.Wristspinners Ravi Bishnoi, who is uncapped in international cricket, and Kuldeep Yadav have also been brought in to address the lack of wicket-taking threat in the middle overs, something that severely hamstrung India in South Africa. With no Chris Gayle or Lewis or Hetmyer, the wristspinners could play a substantial role against a potentially right-hander-laden West Indies line-up.There isn’t much to separate India and West Indies on the World Cup Super League points table as well. India have 49 points from nine games and West Indies have 50 points, although they’ve had the benefit of playing three more Super League ODIs.Form guideIndia LLLLW (Last five completed ODIs; most recent first)
West Indies LLWLW0:54

Aakash Chopra picks his India XI

In the spotlightIshan Kishan brings with him a no-holds-barred batting approach, a departure from India’s previous approach that prioritised safety. In the illness-enforced absence of Shikhar Dhawan and Ruturaj Gaikwad, Kishan will be looking to show his range, something that the IPL is familiar with, and stake his claim for a longer run in India’s white-ball sides.Akeal Hosein ditched wristspin, the more glamorous variety of spin, to become West Indies’ frontline fingerspinner who regularly fronts up to take the new ball. While he is largely seen as a restrictive bowler in T20s, he can give it a rip on helpful pitches. He can also tonk sixes lower down the order, as he showed in the second T20Is against England last month. He has also had a taste of the IPL, having been a net bowler with Kolkata Knight Riders last year.Team newsWith Agarwal still undergoing mandatory quarantine, India captain Rohit confirmed that Kishan would open the batting along with him on Sunday. On the bowling front, Kuldeep is likely to reunite with Yuzvendra Chahal. India might have to make a choice between Deepak Hooda and Washington for the allrounder role. On the eve of the match, Tamil Nadu batter Shahrukh was upgraded into the main squad after having been picked as a reserve player for the T20Is against West Indies.India: (probable) 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ishan Kishan, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Suryakumar Yadav, 6 Deepak Hooda/Washington Sundar, 7 Deepak Chahar, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Prasidh KrishnaKing will likely tussle with Nkrumah Bonner for a top-order slot. Darren Bravo provides a left-handed middle-order option, although he hasn’t played an ODI since July 2021. Roach is set to play his first ODI in more than two years.West Indies: (probable) 1 Shai Hope (wk), 2 Brandon King/Nkrumah Bonner, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Shamarh Brooks, 5 Darren Bravo, 6 Kieron Pollard (capt), 7 Odean Smith/Romario Shepherd, 8 Jason Holder, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Hayden Walsh Jr.Pitch and conditionsEngland and India played out a high-scoring T20I series the last time the Motera staged international cricket, around this time last year in 2021. The pitch might favour the batters once again although the bigger boundaries could challenge their power-hitting. Dew could be a factor later in the evening. The weather is expected to be fine for the duration of the game.Stats and trivia Sunday’s ODI will be India’s 1000th. They will be the first side to reach the mark in the format. Yuzvendra Chahal needs one wicket to get to 100 strikes in ODI cricket. He will be the ninth Indian spinner to reach the milestone after Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Sachin Tendulkar, R Ashwin, Ravi Shastri, Yuvraj Singh and Kuldeep. West Indies have played 58 ODIs against India in India, losing 29 and winning 28.This will be the first ODI at Motera in more than seven years.