Atleast 25 players are in Bengaluru to establish their baseline fitness levels before the IPL gets underway

Nagraj Gollapudi12-Mar-2022

Indian players warm up during their practice session•AFP

In a move to enhance and maintain peak fitness levels for the two World Cups in the next 20 months, the Indian team management – in coordination with the selectors and the National Cricket Academy – has asked a batch of shortlisted players to undergo a fitness camp in Bengaluru.ESPNcricinfo has learned that at least 25 players are right now at the NCA, currently midway through the camp which started on March 5 and will end on March 14 after which they will head to join their respective IPL teams. All the players will undergo a fitness test before they break out of the camp, but unlike last year when it was mandatory to clear the benchmarks, this time it is to record a baseline mark for every player.Among those who have already started with the camp include Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shardul Thakur, Harshal Patel, Venkatesh Iyer, Sanju Samson, Deepak Hooda, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, Prithvi Shaw and Umran Malik. Also joining the camp are a set of players who are doing rehabilitation for separate injuries: KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan. Several players, who featured in the league phase of the Ranji Trophy, which got over recently, also joined the camp this week.It is learned the camp was finalised recently by both the Indian team management led by head coach Rahul Dravid and had the backing of both the selection panel as well as NCA, which is headed by former India batter VVS Laxman. Both Dravid and Laxman want the NCA to function more as a high-performance centre and this camp was taking forward the initiative launched last year when a batch of white-ball only players – both contracted and otherwise – underwent fitness tests which were mandatory to be cleared. Players last year had to clear either the yo-yo test or run a 2-kilometre time trial.This year, though, the basis for the camp is to log in the fitness parameters for each player which then can be stored in a central database and can be accessed anytime by the Indian coaching staff including the physio, trainers and strength and conditioning coaches. Creating such a standardised structure, the BCCI believes, will prove vital as India prepare for the T20 World Cup (scheduled in Australia in October-November this year) as well as the ODI World Cup, which will be hosted in India in late 2023.Part of that process would be to establish a baseline fitness level for each individual which will then be monitored and updated frequently. The baseline is established by making a player undergo various fitness drills including performing standing long jump, 2 kilometre time trial, yo-yo test, Dexa body scan (to measure fat percentage and lean muscle mass) as well various other tests.While there are some markers put in place – like the 17:1 level for yo-yo tests and running the 2 kilometre time trial inside 8 minutes 30 seconds – players this time have been encouraged to push themselves if they want to without any pressure. The baseline figure will be recorded once the player takes the test before the leaves the camp. Thereafter the player’s fitness parameters would be measured against this baseline figure and how he is able to maintain under the workload.For example, someone playing in the forthcoming IPL, which will be played between March 26 and May 29, can compare his baseline figure before the tournament and at the end. That will allow the player to understand not just where he is good at in terms of fitness, but also vulnerable areas. It also helps trainers understand where the player is peaking and spot areas of improvement.

Fast bowler says one-off clash with Australia offers chance to atone for Ashes defeats

Andrew Miller04-Mar-2022Anya Shrubsole insists that her matchwinning display in the 2017 World Cup final will have “zero bearing” on how England go about defending their title in New Zealand this month, but says that her team-mates have nothing to lose as they prepare to take on Australia, the runaway favourites, in their opening match of the 2022 campaign in Hamilton on Saturday.Five years ago, on an unforgettable afternoon at Lord’s, Shrubsole claimed the outstanding figures of 6 for 46 as England battled back to defeat India by nine runs in a thrilling final. Earlier in the campaign, they had defeated Australia by three runs in Bristol as well, but Shrubsole acknowledged that they were the underdogs for this rematch, following an underwhelming display in the Ashes last month.”Australia are the form team in world cricket over the last five years, and there’s no getting away from the fact that they are favourites coming into the tournament,” Shrubsole said. “In lots of respects, we don’t have anything to lose coming out here tomorrow.”England endured a particularly bruising ODI leg of the Ashes, losing all three games by hefty margins after failing to pass 200 in any of their innings. However, after a rain-affected T20I series, and the disappointment of running Australia so close in the Test match in Canberra, Shrubsole insisted the one-off nature of their World Cup meeting offered a chance for a refreshed mindset.”There’s no getting away from the fact that it was a really difficult tour,” Shrubsole said. “At the front end of the tour we played some really good cricket and stood toe-to-toe, but in those last two ODIs we went away from what we’re about as a team and that’s one of the most disappointing things. You accept that you’re going to lose sometimes, but you at least want to lose in the way you want to play.”England have at least had an opportunity to “park” the Ashes, in the words of the captain Heather Knight, having spent a week in Queenstown following their seven-day quarantine period, before two comfortable victories over Bangladesh and South Africa in their warm-up matches last week.Related

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“We’ve had quarantines, we’ve had some time in Queenstown, we’ve had warm-up games, so I think that’s completely behind us,” Shrubsole said. “We’re just really excited to start our World Cup campaign.”England’s World Cup defence has already been delayed by a year due to the pandemic, which puts even more distance between this squad of players and the team that won the 2017 competition. And while Shrubsole said she was happy to embrace the happy memories of that last campaign, she also recognised there was no room to rest on past glories.”That was an amazing tournament to be a part of,” she said. “To be able to play in a World Cup in your home country is something really special, and something that all of the girls who were involved will never forget. But five years has passed, a lot has changed. That has absolutely zero bearing on what happens here. The teams and players have all evolved, and we’re obviously desperate to come here and try and defend this title.”We showed in the Ashes, if we play our best cricket, we’re really competitive, we just didn’t win those key moments,” she added. “But the beauty of a World Cup is they’re all one-off games. And we believe that if we play our best cricket on any one day, we will be really competitive.”Australia have received a setback on the eve of the contest with the news that Ashleigh Gardner has tested positive for Covid and will be forced to isolate for ten days. Shrubsole said that the development had put the England squad on “high alert”, and called on sporting authorities to learn to live with a virus “that isn’t going to go away”.”First and foremost, my thoughts go to Ash,” Shrubsole said. “No-one wants anyone in any team to get Covid and have to isolate, so I can imagine it’s pretty gutting for her and hopefully she’ll only miss a couple of games.”I’d have been amazed if it was a Covid-free tournament. You obviously have your fingers crossed and hope that, but I guess it just puts everyone on high alert. You know that it’s always a possibility.”It’s been two years now and Covid isn’t going to go away. Fingers crossed there isn’t too much of it around and we can have a really good tournament.”In anticipation of a significant number of Covid outbreaks, the ICC adapted the World Cup playing conditions to allow for nine players per side, as well as fielding substitutions from female non-playing squad members. Shrubsole, however, believes that ramping up the tournament’s measures to combat Covid would be the wrong approach.”Having been involved in some really strict Covid bubbles, my answer would be no,” she said. “They’re really, really challenging and I think to ask players to do that over and over and over again just isn’t sustainable.”We have to find a way, globally, with governing bodies or whatever when they have series, to make it work with a bit of a backdrop of Covid. I’m absolutely gutted for Ash that it’s happened to her, but I do think it’s inevitable and I don’t think the answer is really strict bio-secure bubbles because they’re just not realistic over a long period of time.”Both teams will wear black armbands on Saturday, in memory of the former Australia wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, who has died aged 74.

Newcastle United are set to make a massive move to sign a new forward in 2025, according to a former Premier League scout.

Newcastle keen for additions

It was a tough summer for Eddie Howe and Newcastle United, and that has translated into a difficult start to the 2024/25 campaign too.

A 3-3 draw against Liverpool in their most recent outing was one of their best performances of a season that has otherwise been inconsistent, with the Magpies having managed just a point more than Manchester United at this point, though the congested nature of the league means that they remain just three points outside the top five.

With a favourable run of fixtures ahead, they will be hoping that they can finally string together a run of form to push back towards the top of the Premier League, but there is concern that they will struggle to strengthen in January amid financial fair play concerns and hefty prices.

Brentford (Away)

Leicester City (Home)

Ipswich Town (Away)

Aston Villa (Home)

Manchester United (Away)

Howe’s demands have been clear since the summer, with the Newcastle boss wanting at least another centre-back and a right-winger added to his side. So far this season, Anthony Gordon has been asked to play on the right flank this season, while Dan Burn has been repurposed in central defence, but neither are long-term solutions at St James’ Park.

There is a hope that the club can move Miguel Almiron on to raise some funds, and now they have been tipped to secure a massive deal in the summer.

Newcastle want to make statement signing

That is according to former Manchester United scout Mick Brown, who has claimed that the Magpies are looking to complete a summer deal to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.

The Bees attacker enjoyed an excellent start to the season under Thomas Frank, with eight goals to his name, leading to the Brentford boss labelling him a “top” player.

“For me, he’s a top player. I’m convinced one day he will play for a bigger club; I will definitely buy him if I was at a bigger club”, Frank explained.

Now, it is Newcastle that want to secure the Cameroon international, who they believe could be the perfect upgrade on the right-side of attack in the wake of a potential Almiron departure.

According to Brown, Mbeumo is “definitely their top target for the position”, but that it would “take a huge fee” to get him out of the G-Tech Stadium.

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“It won’t happen in January, I’m fairly certain of that, because Newcastle are restricted in what they’ll be able to spend”, he added, pointing to a summer deal being far more likely.

Brentford are not prepared to let Mbeumo leave in January unless a massive offer is tabled for him, something that Newcastle may struggle with midseason. However, the forward has just 18 months left to run on his £45,000 a week deal in London as things stand, and the summer could be the last time for the Bees to land a serious fee for the talent.

His potential summer arrival could finally provide Howe with balance in attack, and allow Gordon to return to his favoured left-wing position while providing a massive upgrade on Almiron for the Magpies.

Leeds United are not exactly where they want to be as they head into the final international break of the year, as they are outside of the automatic promotion places.

However, the Whites are within touching distance of both Sheffield United and Sunderland, in the top two, and are still in contention to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League at the second time of asking.

An impressive defence has been at the heart of their success so far this season in the Championship, as only Sheffield United and Burnley (seven) have conceded fewer goals than Leeds (nine).

Only the Blades (ten) have kept more clean sheets than Daniel Farke’s side (nine), which illustrates how impressive the West Yorkshire outfit’s defensive unit has been.

This has not been down to consistently exceptional goalkeeping from Illan Meslier, however, as the Frenchman has, actually, conceded 1.01 more goals than expected based on xG and made one error that directly led to a goal – the own goal against Sunderland.

The bulk of the credit must, therefore, go to the back four and central defender Joe Rodon has been at the heart of their defensive strength since the start of last season.

Leeds United's Joe Rodon masterclass

Farke swooped to sign the Wales international on loan from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2023, in a move that turned out to be a masterstroke.

Rodon featured in 43 of the club’s 46 regular season matches in the Championship and all three of their play-off games in the 2023/24 campaign, starting 45 of those games, which shows how important he was to the German head coach.

The Spurs loanee helped the team to keep 17 clean sheets in the regular season games, thanks – in part – to his dominant defensive work at the back.

Appearances

43

Pass accuracy

91%

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.3

Dribbled past per game

0.2

Ground duel success rate

69%

Aerial duel success rate

67%

As you can see in the table above, Rodon won the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air, whilst rarely being dribbled past by opposition players.

Leeds then wanted to make the deal permanent and reportedly paid £10m to do so during the summer transfer window, with Archie Gray moving to Tottenham going the other way.

Rodon actually endured a difficult start to the current campaign, with an error that led to a shot, an error that led to a goal, and a penalty giving away, but he has steadied himself in recent weeks.

The Welshman has started all 15 of the club’s Championship games and won 50% of his duels, helping his side to keep nine clean sheets, this term.

The 49ers could now repeat the blinder they played with Rodon, who the club had on loan before signing permanently, by securing a deal for Joe Rothwell next year.

Leeds United's stance on Joe Rothwell

Speaking to Leeds United News recently, journalist Graeme Bailey claimed that the club “would like to keep” the central midfielder beyond his current loan.

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The Englishman is currently on a season-long loan from Premier League side Bournemouth and there is no option to make the move permanent in next summer’s transfer window.

When asked about the possibility of a permanent move for the midfielder, Bailey said: “It would depend on Leeds’ ambition when they get promoted. A very good squad player, he can play a plethora of positions as well. He’d be one they would like to keep, but they’d need to get promoted.”

The reporter added that it would be “difficult” for the Whites to bring him back to Elland Road if they fail to secure promotion back to the Premier League this season.

Rothwell’s contract with the Cherries does not expire until the summer of 2026 and this means that they can still demand a fee for his services next summer, and will not be forced into a deal.

The 29-year-old midfielder, whose skill in pre-season was hailed as “pretty special” by LUTV pundit Tony Dorigo, has stepped up for Leeds this season, amid injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev, and has shown enough to suggest that he would be a fantastic permanent addition.

Joe Rothwell could be Joe Rodon 2.0

The English maestro could follow in Rodon’s footsteps by enjoying a brilliant time on loan with the club before joining permanently the following summer.

Rothwell has been starting regularly alongside Ao Tanaka, in the absence of Ampadu and Gruev, and caught the eye with his impressive performances in the middle of the park.

He has started seven of his 15 appearances in the division for the Whites and provided a calming and creative presence in midfield for Farke’s side.

Appearances

15

Starts

7

Pass accuracy

90%

Key passes

21

Dribble success rate

75%

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has been reliable in possession, with his 90% pass accuracy, and offered incisive play in the final third, with a whopping 21 chances created in seven starts.

Captain Ampadu is currently due to be out until January with a knee injury and the Wales international could form a strong partnership with the Englishman, when both players are fit.

Ampadu is more of a defensive presence in midfield, rather than offering a lot of creativity, and he could be the holding player of the two, which would allow the Bournemouth loanee to push on and make things happen in the final third.

In the Championship this season, the ex-Chelsea man has averaged 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game and a duel success rate of 69%, whilst only making 0.7 key passes per game.

Whereas, Rothwell has only made 1.2 tackles and interceptions per game, winning 50% of his duels, and this suggests that they would complement each other well, with a good blend of defensive and progressive qualities.

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The 49ers must, then, ensure that they can strike a permanent deal, whether that is in January or next summer, for the midfielder to make him Rodon 2.0 for Leeds.

Belgium's No.1 goalkeeper Koen Casteels has quit the national team in frustration over the decision to bring Thibaut Courtois back into the fold.

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Courtois clashed with previous Belgium boss TedescoNew manager keen to reintroduce himCasteels fuming over decisionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

Having previously clashed repeatedly with former manager Dominic Tedesco – with Courtois reportedly angered by the decision to make Romelu Lukaku Belgium's captain instead of him – the Real Madrid shot-stopper has not played for his national team since June 2023. However, the appointment of Rudi Garcia has opened a pathway to an international return for Courtois, and Koen Casteels, the man who has filled in as No.1, is not happy about the decision to "roll out the red carpet" for him.

AdvertisementWHAT CASTEELS SAID

Casteels, who plays his club football for Saudi outfit Al-Qadsiah, told the Belgian podcast : "It's strange that the football association has turned 180 degrees and is rolling out the red carpet and welcoming him back with open arms… I think it's a bit strange that Courtois can decide for himself whether he can come back. It is not so much towards Thibaut, but mainly towards the football association. That does not fit in with the standards and values that I have about what a team sport or a sporting organisation should have. As of today, I am no longer available [for the national team]."

AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Casteels' decision to rule himself out of selection due to Courtois' return may come as a shock to new Belgium boss Garcia, although he'll be relieved about his recent conversations with the Madrid keeper, which reportedly went well. Having Courtois between the sticks is a huge boost; the two-time Champions League winner is considered one of the best goalkeepers on the planet and at the age of 31 he still has a key role to play during a transitional period for Belgium.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR BELGIUM?

With Courtois back in goal, Belgium will now prepare for an important international break coming up later this month. Garcia's side is scheduled to face Ukraine twice in back-to-back UEFA Nations League games, one on Thursday 20 March and the other on Sunday 23 March. Their new manager will be desperate to make a strong start to his tenure.

Chelsea’s academy has consistently been one of the very best in England over the years, producing endless stars who have gone on and made themselves a living playing the beautiful game.

Despite the huge investment from owner Todd Boehly, centre-back Levi Colwill has been able to force himself into the plans of boss Enzo Maresca, starting every single Premier League outing as of yet.

As a result of his impressive form at Stamford Bridge, he’s been called up to Lee Carsley’s England squad for two of the last three squads; showcasing his continued development with his boyhood side.

Given his tender age of just 21, he has the time to develop into one of the best defenders in Europe, potentially spending his entire career in West London.

However, if he were to depart the Bridge, it would take an enormous amount of money, potentially surpassing the highest fee they’ve received for an academy graduate.

Chelsea’s most expensive academy graduate departures

Attacking midfielder Mason Mount has certainly made a few enemies after departing the Blues back in the summer of 2023, joining fellow English side Manchester United.

The 25-year-old came through the academy, enjoying various loans with Vitesse and Derby County before making his mark on the club’s first-team squad.

He would accumulate nearly 200 appearances, scoring 33 times, before opting for a new challenge, leaving for United in a £60m deal – the highest fee received for a Chelsea academy star.

Left-back Ian Maatsen only managed 16 games for Chelsea, spending the majority of his time at the club out on loan.

The Dutchman has enjoyed various spells with the likes of Coventry City, Burnley and Borussia Dortmund, before bringing his Blues career to an end over the summer, leaving for Aston Villa in a whopping £37.5m deal – slotting into second for their biggest academy graduate departure fee.

However, boss Maresca has the opportunity to add to that list in the coming months, desperately needing to cash in on an ace who’s simply been unable to demonstrate his undeniable ability.

The Chelsea player who Maresca needs to offload

Full-back Reece James has developed into one of Europe’s best talents in recent years, making over 150 appearances for the Blues since his debut at the end of 2018/19.

However, over the last couple of years, injuries have massively prevented the former England international from kicking on and achieving his full potential with his boyhood side.

James, who was previously dubbed “phenomenal” by former boss Frank Lampard, has been restricted to less than 25 appearances per season over the last two years, only making three starts to date in 2024/25 after an injury during the opening weeks.

The 24-year-old featured in his first game of the campaign in the 2-1 defeat against Liverpool at the end of October but is set for yet another spell on the sideline.

Reece James’ injury history since the start of the 2022/23 campaign

Season

Injury

Days missed

Games missed

2022/23

Knee

60

9

2022/23

Knee

35

7

2022/23

Hamstring

4

1

2022/23

Illness

6

1

2022/23

Hamstring

36

7

2023/24

Hamstring

54

9

2023/24

Surgery

151

29

2024/25

Hamstring

66

11

2024/25

Hamstring

11

2

Total:

9

423

76

Stats via Transfermarkt

He sustained a hamstring issue ahead of the last Premier League clash with Leicester City, thus missing the fixture, with the right-back set to be out until January 2025, which could see him miss another nine matches in all competitions.

His talent is unquestionable, but given his huge £250k-per-week wages, the highest of any player in the side, along with his injury record, he needs to be sold at the next opportunity, with journalist Graeme Bailey claiming an exit could be on the cards.

It’s a real shame to see such a star-studded graduate hampered through no fault of his own, but given his £13m yearly incoming, they cannot afford to carry passengers who could put their financial situation at risk.

Many fans may disagree, but ultimately, he’s spent more time out of the side than in it because of his fitness issues, needing to cash in on him before his value plummets any further than it will have in recent times.

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