Australia will be big challenge: Steve Smith fires warning at England before Ashes
Australia's seasoned bowling line-up, combined with challenging home pitches, is expected to push England's batting to the limit as they try to end a 14-year winless streak Down Under.'Their series against India was one of the best I've seen in years. They play aggressive cricket, but batting in Australia will be a big challenge. Our wickets have been tricky, and we've got an experienced, successful bowling attack,' Smith told Sky Sports in an interview.'Joe Root has been outstanding'Smith, who's currently playing for Welsh Fire in the Hundred, hailed Joe Root ahead of the Ashes, noting that the English batters have made his starts count, especially in the last two years.In the recent Test series against India in England, Root scored 537 runs in nine innings at an impressive average of 67.12, including three centuries and a fifty. Yet in Australia across 27 innings, he averages just 35.68 and remains without a Test century there.'He's been outstanding the past two years, turning 50s into big hundreds. He hasn't scored a Test hundred in Australia yet — I'm sure he'll be aiming for it, but hopefully he doesn't get it this summer.'We'll just let our skills do the talking. We know our conditions well and trust our game,' Smith added.The upcoming Ashes starts on November 21 with the series opener at the Optus Stadium in Perth.- EndsMust Watch
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News18
33 minutes ago
- News18
Premier League: Liverpool Beat Bournemouth In Curtain Raiser As Anfield Pays Tribute To Jota
Hugo Ekitike, Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah all found the back of the net for the Reds against the cherries in the season opener at Anfield. Holders Liverpool got their title defence off to a brilliant start as they opened the 2025/25 season of the Premier League with a 4-2 win over Bournemouth on Saturday. Hugo Ekitike, Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah all found the back of the net for the Reds against the cherries in the season opener at Anfield. Antoine Semenyo looked to have salvaged a point for Bournemouth by scoring twice after reporting an incident of racial abuse from a fan. His goals cancelled out strikes from Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo for the defending champions. On an emotional night as Anfield remembered Diogo Jota, Chiesa emerged as the unexpected hero. The injury-plagued Italian fired the home side back in front before Salah sealed the win. Liverpool's joy at celebrating a record-equalling 19th English top-flight title turned to tragedy during the off-season when forward Jota and his brother Andre Silva were killed in a car accident last month at the age of 28. During a minute's silence, fans held up a giant mosaic with the initials of Jota and Silva, who was also a footballer, and their shirt numbers in the Portuguese flag. 'The main emotion should be how moving the tribute for Diogo was," said Liverpool boss Arne Slot. 'It was all so impressive and powerful." Despite winning the title with four games to spare last season, Liverpool have undergone a significant transformation in the transfer market, spending close to £300 million ($407 million). Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong made their first competitive starts for the Reds. More signings could yet come, with Liverpool linked to a British transfer record move for Newcastle's Alexander Isak and interested in Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi. Bournemouth were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men less than 15 minutes in when Marcos Senesi clearly directed the ball out of Ekitike's path with his hand when the French striker had a clear run at goal, but VAR did not intervene. The game was briefly halted on the half-hour mark as Semenyo reported to referee Anthony Taylor that he had been subjected to racist abuse from a Liverpool supporter, who was removed from the stands by police at half-time. 'Totally unacceptable," said Bournemouth captain Adam Smith. 'Kind of in shock it happened in this day and age." Liverpool said in a statement that the incident is now the subject of an ongoing police investigation. Shortly after the resumption, Ekitike settled Liverpool's nerves by getting the break of the ball and slotting past Dorde Petrovic. Gakpo then coolly left two Bournemouth defenders on the ground and rolled into the bottom corner just after half-time. However, Slot's men have struggled to find the right balance in pre-season and in losing the Community Shield to Palace last weekend. A new-look slick attack could not compensate for wide-open defensive gaps on the counter-attack, and this was evident again. David Brooks broke the offside trap and squared for Semenyo to pull a goal back. The Ghanaian then capped his eventful evening with a remarkable equaliser. Semenyo collected possession just outside his own box, sprinted through a vacant Liverpool midfield, and fired into the bottom corner 13 minutes from time. Chiesa, rarely used by Slot in his debut season in England, became the unlikely hero when he pounced on a loose ball inside the Bournemouth box on 89 minutes. Salah then broke clear in stoppage time to score his customary goal in the opening game of the season and paid tribute to Jota by mimicking one of his goal celebrations. The Egyptian broke down in tears after full-time as a chant in Jota's name echoed from the stands. Location : United Kingdom (UK) First Published: August 16, 2025, 07:46 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Asia Cup: Does Shubman Gill warrant a spot in India's T20 setup?
Shubman Gill (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Before Shubman Gill took flight to England for the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, there were some doubts, rather apprehensions: whether Gill would be successful as a Test batter in English conditions or if he would prove to be a good captain. Gill answered them - perfectly. He scored 754 runs in five Tests, putting on an exhibition while also proving that he is more than capable of leading the team -- his composure during The Oval Test serves as a fitting example. With the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup the next big events, both to be played in the shortest format of the sport, there have been talks about not only bringing Gill back in the T20 side but also giving him the role of vice captain, as a precursor to succeed Suryakumar Yadav at some point. IND vs ENG: Shubman Gill on Oval thriller, Siraj's spell, and missing Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! It is argued, in favour of Gill, that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has always had a tradition of all-format captains and not the split captaincy, as is the case now. Also related is the rationale of brand value and commerce. After the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two superstars of Indian cricket over the last decade and a half, there is an urge to build the next-gen "brand" of Indian Cricket. That Gill has become a major brand and favourite for broadcasters is a fact that not many would deny. While there is no question of Gill's place in One Day Internationals (ODIs), and he could even be the heir to Rohit as the leader of the side; to bring him into the T20 side, currently, however, would appear to be a forced decision rather than a natural one. Gill can bat, but can he go bang-bang? By any measure, Shubman Gill is a decent T20 player. In 21 T20Is, Gill has scored 578 runs at an average of 30.42. He has also scored them at a strike rate of 139.27. While Gill is a generational batter with a sound technique, he is not a "hitter". A batter is someone who tries to score runs with less risk and build their innings. While the hitter is someone who tries to score as many runs on every ball as possible, playing high-risk shots. In T20s, where the value of runs scored quickly is more valuable than preserving wickets, teams across the world have been prioritising "hitters" over "batters". India's Shubman Gill (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore) The Indian team took a long time to adopt this approach, but after the 2024 T20 World Cup, they are the ones spearheading it. The role of anchors - a category appropriate for Gill - has become redundant in modern T20s. In 2021 the percentage of balls attacked by Indian batters was 28.82 per innings, it almost doubled and went up to 43.84 per innings in 2024. Moreover, the number of attacking runs per innings also increased to 138.85 in 2024 from 98.64 in 2021. Gill is in the slow lane Gill's scoring rate of 139.27 is by no means bad. However, the current Indian top-order scores sit at a much higher strike rate. Playing what coach Gautam Gambhir described as "high-risk, high-reward cricket", Abhishek Sharma scores at an unreal strike rate of 193.84, his partner-in-crime Sanju Samson strikes at 152.38. While the new number three Tilak Varma scores at 155.07, Surya thrashes opposition bowling at 167.07. After the 2024 T20 World Cup, India's top three batters have scored at a combined strike rate of 173.1. If Gill's seven innings at 129.2 are removed from that period, the figure rises to 181.3. Shubman Gill (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore) Moreover, in the eight innings where he faced 15 or more balls in all T20Is, only thrice has Shubman Gill scored the runs at or over the strike rate of 160. In comparison, Abhishek Sharma has faced more than 15 balls in six innings so far and in five of them, he has struck at 200 or above. While Tilak Varma scored at over 160 strike rate in six out of 15 innings in which he faced 15 or more balls, Suryakumar Yadav hit the ball at over 160 strike rate in 24 out of 40 such innings. Only Sanju Samson falls behind a bit in this context, but even he has scored at an above 160 strike rate in three out of five occasions where he faced 15 or more balls since the start of 2024. If it ain't broke, don't Gill it The current Indian T20 side is well settled and is reaping results, having won 14 of the 17 matches after the 2024 World Cup. Much of that success comes from an all-out attacking approach by the top-order that matches the demands of modern T20 cricket. Gill's style of play does not match this template. Since the 2024 World Cup, the new group of hitters and the team management have taken the attacking game to another level. In this short period, India have scored three of their fastest T20I hundreds. If the team management wants a backup opener for Abhishek and Sanju, the right option could be Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has scored at 170.00 in the six matches he has played after the 2024 World Cup. ALSO READ: Devil lies in action: What makes Jasprit Bumrah injury-prone - why his workload management is crucial Indian cricket took far too long to realise that T20 is a game of "hitters". It took too long to realise and implement the theory that in T20 games, a specialist T20 batter is far better than an all-format batter who plays an anchor role. That change has finally created a team that can truly represent a country with the world's most competitive T20 league. Forcing Gill into the T20 side at this moment would be less about cricketing needs and more about fitting a "star" into a system that is already firing without him. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
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First Post
6 hours ago
- First Post
Premier League 2025-26: Top five new players, title favourites, Matchday 1 schedule and live streaming
The 2025-26 season of the Premier League gets underway with defending champions Liverpool facing Bournemouth at Anfield on Friday. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming season. Liverpool's Florian Wirtz and Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres are two new signings to keep an eye on in the 2025-26 Premier League season. Reuters The 2025-26 Premier League season gets underway with defending champions Liverpool facing Bournemouth in an emotional season-opener at The Anfield, the English top-flight strengthened by a remarkable £2 billion ($2.7 billion) spending splurge, a sizeable chunk of it spent by the Reds. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming season, from the key signings to watch out for and title favourites to Matchday 1 schedule and information on live streaming: STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Top five new signings to watch out this season Florian Wirtz, Liverpool: The biggest signing of the summer so far, ($157 million) from Bayer Leverkusen, the spotlight will firmly be on the German attacking midfielder and whether he can live up to his price tag or not. He did, however, impress in the at the Wembley, providing an assist to fellow new signing Hugo Ekitike early in the game. Hugo Ekitike made an instant impression after joining Liverpool on a £79 million deal from Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring the opening goal in the fourth minute of the contest. AP Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool: It took under four minutes for Hugo Ekitike, who had joined the defending champions from Eintracht Frankfurt for £79 million ($107 million), to make an impact on Liverpool debut as he put the Reds in the lead with a superb strike. Like Wirtz, Ekitike too will have the spotlight on him this season, being the second-most expensive signing of the summer transfer window so far. More from Football Benjamin Sesko, Manchester United: Ruben Amorim's side have opted for a complete overhaul in their attack as they desperately seek to return to European competition this season after their horrendous 15th-place finish in May. And the Portuguese manager will be hoping that Slovenian striker Sesko, who (approximately $100 million) provides a towering presence at 6'5, makes a formidable trio with Bryan Mbuemo and Matheus Cunha up front. Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal: The Gunners have had their eyes on the Swedish centre-forward, who is among the deadliest finishers in the world and has played a key role in each of Sporting CP's title-winning campaigns in the last two Primeira Liga seasons. And after weeks of suspense, Mikel Arteta's side ($86.05 million) on a five-year contract on 27 July. Arteta will be hoping Gyokeres is able to carry that red-hot goal-scoring form over to England and help his side finally lift their first Premier League title since 2004. Rayan Cherki (Manchester City): Cherki, who joins Man City for £34 million ($46 million), had created as many as 125 chances across competitions for Lyon last season, with only Barcelona's Raphina and city rivals United's Bruno Fernandes having bettered that tally. That alone should make the Frenchman among the new signings to keep an eye on this season. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Who are the title favourites in the 2025-26 Premier League? Liverpool had clinched the Premier League last season with four matches to spare in Arne Slot's maiden season in charge, and with their ambitious shopping in the summer transfer window, there's no reason to believe that the Reds cannot win back-to-back titles for the first time in the Premier League era. Then again, one cannot leave Arsenal and Manchester City out of the conversation while discussing Premier League title favourites. With their ambitious purchases in the transfer window, Liverpool certainly will back themselves to win back-to-back Premier League titles. AP City have been the most dominant team in the English top-flight since legendary manager Alex Ferguson bid United goodbye in the summer of 2013, missing out on the title once twice since the 2017-18 season – getting thwarted by Liverpool on both occasions. A key reason why they looked relatively off-colour last season was injury to key players, including and especially Ballon d'Or winner Rodri. And there's no reason to believe Guardiola's men can't bounce back and win their 11th top-flight title this season. As for the Gunners, Arteta certainly has transformed them into a formidable and consistent side with the 13-time English top-flight champions finishing runners-up in each of the last three seasons – twice to City and to Liverpool last season. With a goal-scoring machine in striker Gyokeres in their ranks along with an elite holding midfielder in Martin Zubimendi – who joins from Real Sociedad for £60 million ($81 million), who's to say Arteta cannot deliver his fans their first league title since the Invincibles' triumph in 2003-04. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Matchday 1 Full schedule Here's the full schedule for Matchday 1 (timings in IST; home team mentioned first): – Liverpool vs Bournemouth (Saturday, 16 August at 12.30 am) – Aston Villa vs Newcastle (Saturday, 16 August at 5 pm) – Brighton vs Fulham (Saturday, 16 August at 7.30 pm) – Sunderland vs West Ham (Saturday, 16 August at 7.30 pm) – Tottenham vs Burnley (Saturday, 16 August at 7.30 pm) – Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City (Saturday, 16 August at 10 pm) – Chelsea vs Crystal Palace (Sunday, 17 August at 6.30 pm) – Nottingham Forest vs Brentford (Sunday, 17 August at 6.30 pm) – Manchester United vs Arsenal (Sunday, 17 August at 9 pm) – Leeds United vs Everton (Tuesday, 19 August at 12.30 am) Where to watch Premier League on TV and online in India? The Premier League will continue to be telecast on the Star Sports Network on television and will be streamed live on the JioHotstar website and mobile application.
