Thomas Tuchel brings an “aura” which can give England a major advantage in their quest to win the World Cup next summer, according to Harry Kane. The Three Lions captain has opened up about what it is like to play under the German head coach, whom he previously worked with during their period together at Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich.
Southampton interim manager Tonda Eckert will be in the dugout for the next three Championship matches before a decision is made on his future at the club.
Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas added that the German tactician is bidding to land the role on a full-time basis, which makes these next three games an important audition for him.
He has already won his first two games in charge of the club, beating QPR 2-1 and Sheffield Wednesday 3-1, after stepping in because of Will Still’s departure.
Why Southampton need an upgrade on Will Still
The Saints need to find a manager who can be an upgrade on their previous head coach, as obvious as it sounds, because his track record before coming to St. Mary’s did not suggest that he was an obvious candidate.
Of course, finishing in midtable with two different Ligue 1 clubs as a 33-year-old head coach is impressive, given that it is one of the best leagues in Europe, but each manager has different skills that suit certain environments.
Southampton, from the outside looking in, appeared to need a leader who could galvanise the club after such a dismal relegation from the Premier League, whilst also having the coaching outlook required to mount a promotion push.
25/26 (Championship)
13
12 (21st)
24/25 (Ligue 1)
34
52 (8th)
23/24 (Ligue 1)
31
40 (11th)
22/23 (Ligue 1)
28
43 (11th)
20/21 (Pro League)
13
17 (9th)
17/18 (Challenger Pro League)
9
22 (3rd)
As you can see in the table above, Still, aside from nine games as an interim years before his first major job, had never been in an environment where he was expected to win consistently and be at the top of the table.
That lack of alignment between coaching and expectation may have been a contributing factor to Southampton ending up in 21st place in the table, with the benefit of hindsight.
Now, in what may be a controversial suggestion, Sport Republic could replace Eckert and find an upgrade on Still by returning to Russell Martin to hire him as their next manager.
Why Southampton should hire Russell Martin
It was reported earlier this month that the former Rangers boss still has admirers in the boardroom at St. Mary’s and it has been claimed that some first-team players and staff are open to his return, suggesting that he could be an option in their managerial search.
Like him or loathe him, Martin is a good communicator and can lead a group when there is buy-in and potential for positive momentum with results, which may not have worked out at Premier League level, or at Rangers.
The 39-year-old tactician’s style of play was described as “successful” and a “joy to watch” by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. Whilst they may have been untrue in the Premier League, it was certainly the case in the Championship, which is where Southampton are now.
Pass accuracy
87.7%
1st
Passes into the penalty area
594
1st
Progressive passes
2556
1st
Shot-creating actions
1255
1st
xG
79.8
2nd
Points per game
1.89
4th
When the Saints were promoted under Martin in the 2023/24 campaign, his team were incredible offensively, as shown in the table, above, as they went on to win the play-offs.
This shows that the ex-Swansea boss has the relevant experience required to take on the job at hand, as Southampton look to get promoted back to the top-flight, because he has been there and done it, which was not the case for Still in the summer.
There are major question marks over his Premier League capabability, due to one win in 16 matches last season in the division, which is why it would be interesting to see if he would consider a deal until the end of the season.
Bringing Martin in on a short-term deal until the end of this season to see if he can spark a reaction out of the players and use his experience to guide the team towards the play-offs, before a longer-term appointment is made with the Premier League in mind, could be a shrewd way to go about it.
Southampton face 'complex' Tonda Eckert visa issues as permission granted
The Saints have been working behind-the-scenes.
ByCharlie Smith Nov 21, 2025
Lauren Bell triggers 8 for 27 collapse to consign Welsh Fire to bottom of the pile
ECB Media28-Aug-2025Southern Brave 106 for 8 (Adams 30*, Matthews 2-16) beat Welsh Fire 77 for 9 (Beaumont 28, Bell 4-6) by 29 runsIn the final match before The Hundred Eliminator on Saturday – and with the teams already inked in for that game, which will decide who takes on the Southern Brave in Sunday’s final – this top versus bottom clash was a chance for the home side to maintain their unbeaten record, a feat never before achieved in The Hundred, or for the Fire to find a spark from the dying embers of their campaign.And it looked for all the world like the visitors would do just that, a disciplined bowling performance restricting an experimental Brave batting line-up to just 106 for 8. It took skipper Georgia Adams’ resolute unbeaten innings (30 off 26) to get them up to that mark, with no batter able to break the shackles imposed by Hayley Matthews and Katie Levick.The Fire, low on confidence as they doubtless were, will have gone in at the break believing they could chalk up a statement victory.For the home side, Danni Wyatt-Hodge (24 off 23) and Freya Kemp (18 off 19) were the only other batters to manage double figures, while Sophie Devine’s appearance at No.8 showed that the Brave were looking to give some other batters time at the crease before Sunday’s high-stakes final.A sprightly start by Sophia Dunkley and Tammy Beaumont (28 off 29) did nothing to dispel the Fire’s belief but slowly, surely, the Brave’s superb and well-marshalled bowling attack started to turn the screw. 50 for 1 in 56 balls became 56 for 5 in 68 and the Fire had lost four wickets for six runs in 13 deliveries as a slow and low pitch made strokeplay difficult. The Brave, brimming with confidence, took full toll.Freya Kemp’s brilliant run out of Georgia Elwiss, who had just hit the Fire’s first boundary for 40 balls, was the icing on the cake and Fire’s race was run shortly after.Lauren Bell continued an outstanding tournament by finishing with the stunning figures of 4 for 6 off her full allocation – becoming this year’s leading wicket-taker in the process – as the Fire limped to 77 for 9, having lost eight wickets for 27, to lose by 29 runs.Meerkat Match Hero Lauren Bell said: “It’s been a really good tournament and I feel in a good place. We bowled exceptionally as a unit; we talk about how dots are really important and we fielded great – we are an unbelievable fielding unit.”It’s massive to get eight from eight and we can take that momentum into the final now. We didn’t want to slip up here, and at Lord’s on Sunday we’ll keep our plans really clear, keep doing the basics and enjoy the day.”
Sitting to the side of the Bernabeu during Arsenal’s triumphant night inside the Bernabeu last season, Rio Ferdinand was left in awe of an 18-year-old strutting his stuff.
“I’m sorry, is Lewis-Skelly really 18? His date of birth is right, isn’t it?”
It’s a fair question to ask. Myles Lewis-Skelly made enormous strides during the 2024/25 campaign. At the start of he was playing U21 football. By the end of it he was nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year, was a full England international and had helped guide Mikel Arteta’s team to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Not bad at all, is it? While Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman continue to be spoken about as generational talents, the most complete Hale Ender we’ve seen in years is Lewis-Skelly.
However, is everything now starting to unravel? It’s been a difficult campaign for the teenager to date.
Why Lewis-Skelly has struggled for game time at Arsenal
Arsenal’s injury problems last term were well-documented. To the benefit of Lewis-Skelly, Oleksandr Zinchenko could barely get a game and Riccardo Calafiori spent more time on the treatment table than on the field of play.
Such a sequence of events meant that even Kieran Tierney enjoyed something of a career revival at the Emirates Stadium.
For Lewis-Skelly, however, he was the biggest winner of Arsenal’s lack of depth throughout 2024/25. He enjoyed a phenomenal season as a result, featuring on 39 occasions for the senior team, assisting two goals and scoring that strike against Manchester City.
The celebration summed up everything the Hale Ender is about. He’s a jovial, unique and confident character. He’s certainly cemented himself as one of the finest young players on the planet.
2025/26 has been more challenging. Now 19, he is yet to start in the Premier League and has enjoyed just 86 minutes of top-flight action.
While the Champions League has seen the teenager start twice, he missed out on a spot in the starting XI last week when summer arrival Piero Hincapie was selected ahead of him in Prague.
There are several reasons for his lack of action, not least Calafiori’s improved fitness but also from a tactical point of view. There is a feeling that the Italian’s defensive discipline is stronger, while Hincapie’s overlapping ability, more aligned with the inverted Leandro Trossard’s skillset, is perhaps a stronger dynamic.
While Arteta is right to manage the youngster’s minutes, it did set off alarm bells, not just among supporters but also England boss Thomas Tuchel.
Lewis-Skelly has been a regular feature in Tuchel’s squads since he was given the Three Lions gig and the full-back even scored on his international debut towards the beginning of the year.
But, the German made it abundantly clear that he needed more minutes during October’s break. “Being a good citizen isn’t enough,” he warned the teen.
Lo and behold, he was left out of the fixtures for the November break. Tuchel stated that “Myles simply needs more starts, more minutes.”
Such news sparked fear regarding the academy graduate’s future at Arsenal. Sky Sports reported this week that he was being monitored by Premier League clubs, although the Gunners are not keen on selling anyone in the January transfer window.
Lewis-Skelly is still young but there may well be another figure in the defensive ranks growing more concerned about what the future holds.
£50m signing should be worried about his Arsenal future
Cast your mind back to the beginning of Arteta’s tenure in north London. The defensive ranks were not pretty at all.
Who can forget that day in August 2021 when Manchester City beat the Gunners 5-0? Their back five that day included Cedric, Rob Holding, Calum Chambers, Sead Kolasinac and Kieran Tierney.
How far they have come since. Arsenal now boast the best defence in the league having shipped just five goals. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are easily the best centre-back partnership in the division, while they arguably have the two best full-backs in the form of Jurrien Timber and Calafiori.
All of that means that a certain Ben White has endured quite the downfall at Arsenal, not necessarily due to his own faults but the north Londoners have simply improved significantly.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
A big issue for White has been his fitness. Last season he missed a large portion due to injury which meant he only started 13 league fixtures.
This term, while he has improved his fitness and fought hard to put himself back in the reckoning, Arteta has preferred Timber. Understandably so, too.
The Dutchman has cemented his spot and in the words of the Standard’s Simon Collings, he is “the best right-back in the Premier League right now.” There is no escaping that for White, and his lack of game time proves it.
The full-back started the win over Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season but since then he has not played a single minute of Premier League football.
He has been an unused sub on eight occasions and is struggling to earn minutes in any other competition as well. The 28-year-old has just 82 minutes of Champions League football under his belt and while he has started the League Cup wins over Port Vale and Brighton, has only managed the best part of 70 minutes in both of those games.
2021/22
37
0
2022/23
46
7
2023/24
51
9
2024/25
26
2
2025/26
6
0
When White signed in a £50m deal from Brighton back in 2021, journalist Tom Barclay wrote that the Gunners had acquired “one of the best prospects in English football.”
That much was certainly true. Despite his price tag, he proved to be an inspired pick-up, perhaps one of Arteta’s best since becoming Arsenal manager.
Signed as a centre-half, he quickly became the number one choice at right-back and was an England regular for a period of time under Gareth Southgate until that alleged fallout.
He only missed one league game during his debut year at the Emirates, played 46 matches the following season and then reached over half a century of appearances in 2023/24. Indeed, in the words of one content creator, he was Arsenal’s “most reliable player.”
Not just a rock-solid defender, he had attacking quality in abundance, registering 16 goal involvements between 2022/23 and 2023/24. His link-up and combination play with star man, Bukayo Saka, was a huge weapon for Arsenal.
Now, however, he’s made to settle for a place on the bench and unlike Lewis-Skelly, he doesn’t really have time on his side.
Linked with Manchester City in recent weeks, Arsenal may not want to get rid, but it would not be a surprise if White forced Arteta’s hand next summer if he continues to be omitted from the starting lineup.
He’s 38 and was coming into this series without a fifty in his 13 previous Test innings, but he’s roared back with a 163 against one of his favourite oppositions
Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Jun-2025We didn’t, in truth, learn a lot about Mushfiqur Rahim across the first two days of the Galle Test. That is except to say that he’s still here. That he is not going away. That he can still do this. Which actually, when you’re 38 and by a distance the oldest member of the squad, this is more important than you might think.Mushfiqur is the last remaining Test combatant from Bangladesh’s first generation of greats, Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mahmudullah no longer appearing. There is a level of respect and space afforded to players who have given as much as Mushfiqur has, but also the threat of the companion accusation of hanging on for too long, too selfishly. Against this, there is no better antidote for a batter than runs. “You think I’m past it? Oh yeah? Say that to this 163.”Related
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Sri Lanka claw back after Mushfiqur 163, Litton 90
Galle becomes Bangladesh's happy place again as top-order finds form
Still, there was little in this innings that was not Mushfiqur treading ground he had already trod. We already knew he could make runs on Sri Lankan tracks. Before this innings, he averaged 62.63 on the island (it’s up to 71 now). In fact several of his most memorable cricketing moments came here. In 2013, he hit Bangladesh’s first-ever double ton at this venue. In 2017, he was at the crease when Bangladesh claimed their first Test win against Sri Lanka at the P Sara Oval, having made a fifty in the first innings of that match. Next year, he’d bossed a Nidahas Trophy chase, his mocking celebration becoming a crucial staging post in the Naagin rivalry.Now that they have been made, these essentially seem like unsurprising runs from an unsurprising source. Mushfiqur has rocked it against better Lankan attacks, on much harder Lankan pitches. And he has always had the game to succeed in these conditions. He sweeps well and cuts even better, tends to read the direction of spin out of the hand, and has strong wrists, which, as several flicks through and over midwicket on day two proved, remained in good condition.And yet there was the big problem of his having arrived in Sri Lanka having not made a fifty in his 13 previous Test innings. Where in younger years this kind of lean stretch may have been viewed as a dip in form, when you are a couple of hops from 40, the accusation is that this is probably a terminal decline. At this stage of his career, Mushfiqur doesn’t need to show growth. Summoning a vintage performance? That’s the stuff.Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das added a century stand•Associated PressNajmul Hossain Shanto was the first to triple figures, and later Litton Das scored his runs more rapidly, but there was no more assured innings in this mammoth Bangladesh batting performance than Mushfiqur’s. There were no early jitters, no periods of the innings in which he appeared to get stuck, no bowler against whom he laboured, and even though he said he felt he got stuck on 99 a little, he only faced four scoreless balls before taking the single that took him to the hundred. It was no big deal, which was essentially the theme of Mushfiqur’s entire innings. A flat surface, an inexperienced opposition attack – why shouldn’t he be scoring runs here?”Mushfiqur has come back strongly and shown his character,” said Mohammad Salahuddin, Bangladesh’s assistant coach after Mushfiqur hit his 163. “He can inspire the team. He has great work ethic, and he is trying to improve all the time. It’s what you want from any senior player.”With the World Test Championship now introducing a “cycle” into the Test cricket consciousness, retirements now require a little more thinking about. “Can I last two more years?” is essentially the calculation Test cricketers in their mid-to-late 30s have to make now. On the Sri Lankan side, 37-year-old Dimuth Karunaratne had quit at the end of the last cycle, and 38-year-old Angelo Mathews is retiring at the very start of this one.Mushfiqur has shown no intention to bounce during this cycle, which is why, for him, at 38, and with 13 straight underwhelmings on his record, 163 is a pretty good number, it doesn’t matter that no new ground was broken.
Arsenal are now reportedly tracking one of Europe’s leading young talents in an attempt to hijack Chelsea’s move and deal their Premier League rivals a frustrating blow.
Whilst Arsenal will have been disappointed to see their clean sheet streak go against Sunderland as well as their recent winning run in a last-gasp 2-2 draw, they have plenty of reason to be positive.
Arsenal leading race to sign "explosive" gem ahead of interest from Barcelona
He’s a man in demand.
ByTom Cunningham Nov 10, 2025
Heading into the November international break, the Gunners sit four points clear at the top of the Premier League and on course to end their wait for glory under Mikel Arteta.
They’re doing it their way, too. Arteta is no longer simply a disciple to Pep Guardiola. His Arsenal side are far more pragmatic and could have one of the best defensive records that English football has ever seen come May. Meanwhile, in what is a reflection of Premier League football in 2025, Arsenal are benefitting from their position as set piece kings.
When you’re on top, however, it’s all about staying there and it’s no surprise that Andrea Berta is already eyeing potential incomings as a result. The champions-elect are reportedly interested in signing Malick Fofana from Lyon in an attempt to strengthen their left-hand side.
Both Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have competed for the role this season but with the former becoming inconsistent and the latter now 30 years old, there’s certainly room for another option to arrive.
Reports have even claimed that Arsenal are leading the race to sign Fofana ahead of 2026 in what would be another intelligent move from new sporting director Berta.
After Fofana, he may still welcome other options too. The Gunners have also been linked with a move to sign an impressive attacking midfielder ahead of Chelsea.
Arsenal eyeing Nico Paz hijack
According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are now tracking Nico Paz in what could see them hijack Chelsea’s move in unexpected fashion. The Como attacker is one of the best young players in European football and has attracted interest from the Premier League as well as Inter Milan as a result.
So long as Real Madrid don’t trigger their bargain buy-back options worth less than £10m in the next two years then the race to sign the 21-year-old will swing wide open. And that’s when Arsenal could swoop in.
If the Gunners are looking to find out more about the Argentine, meanwhile, then all they have to do is ask Cesc Fabregas. The former Arsenal midfielder is currently the manager of Como and has benefitted more than most from Paz’s brilliance.
With four goals and four assists in 12 games this season, the former Real Madrid star is undoubtedly the standout player under Fabregas, who could now make up for his transfer antics as a player by answering Arsenal’s potential call about his midfield sensation.
Arsenal "monster" is becoming the new Xhaka and he's not even a midfielder
Tom Taylor carries Worcestershire fight until the end as visitors stumble to target of 62
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Sep-2025Sussex 350 (Simpson 129*, Coles 102, Taylor 4-106) and 63 for 7 (Taylor 4-22) beat Worcestershire 123 (Robinson 6-68, Unadkat 4-43) and 287 (Libby 72, Robinson 5-74) by three wicketsSussex survived a fourth-innings scare to secure a three-wicket win over Worcestershire on the third morning of their final Rothesay County Championship fixture of the season.The final four wickets of the Worcestershire innings fell inside 25 minutes, where the hosts could only add 16 runs to their overnight total, as Ollie Robinson took his second five wicket haul of the match. Requiring just 61 to win, Sussex made hard work of the chase, eventually knocking off the total despite Worcestershire seamer Tom Taylor finishing with 4 for 22 on his way to ending the season with 58 Division One wickets.With the fate of both sides already sealed, the visitors’ final flourish saw them secure a mid-table finish, whilst the Pear’s resilient efforts went unrewarded with relegation already confirmed.Ben Gibbon was the first wicket to fall on a troubling morning for Worcestershire, when he was pinned lbw after offering no shot to an Robinson delivery that nipped back and clipped the pad of the nightwatchman, bring an end to his stubborn knock of 13.Roderick was the next man to depart, when his innings of 27 was brought to a close by the impressive Jaydev Unadkat who claimed his seventh wicket of a match dominated by the Sussex seamers. Matthew Waite and Ben Allison were dismissed in successive balls as Robinson finished with five wickets in the innings, walking away with superb match-figures of 11 for 142.Chasing 61 to win, Sussex lost opener Tom Haines for 1 when an excellent, diving catch at slip by Rob Jones helped open the Worcestershire account.A seemingly routine chase was momentarily thrown into doubt however, as Sussex slipped to 28 for 4, losing Hughes and James Coles in consecutive overs courtesy of Taylor and Ben Allison, before Taylor struck for the 57th time this season in Division One to have Tom Alsop caught at slip.With just 16 required to win, Worcestershire refused to go down without a fight, as Matthew Waite claimed a wicket with his first ball of his spell, first-innings centurion John Simpson caught by Rehaan Edavalath after mistiming a pull shot into the deep.Taylor had time to claim his 58th wicket of the season before Waite struck for a second time with Sussex still requiring three runs, but Robinson hit his first ball through midwicket for four to ensure his side ended the season with a win.
Shades of Gilchrist’s indomitability, as England’s No.7 fulfils role that Buttler was once picked to produce
Matt Roller04-Jul-2025
Jamie Smith brought up a century inside a session•Getty Images
Jamie Smith is the Test wicketkeeper that England always hoped Jos Buttler would become but never did. As Smith muscled a slog-sweep away for four to reach an 80-ball century on Friday at Edgbaston, he equalled Buttler’s tally of two Test hundreds in 81 fewer innings; when Smith knocked Washington Sundar down to long-off, he went past Buttler’s highest score of 152.Smith has successfully harnessed the “f*** it” mindset that Buttler could never quite coax himself into during his 57-Test career, despite the prompt scrawled on his bat handle. Where Buttler seemed paralysed by indecision when faced with Test cricket’s blank canvas, Smith appears only to see the upside: he walked in on Friday to face a fired-up Mohammed Siraj, and crunched a hat-trick ball through mid-off for four.Buttler is England’s greatest-ever hitter of a white ball but his Test average of 31.94 – and, more pertinently, his strike rate of 54.18 – reflects an unfulfilled talent against the red one. But a week before his 25th birthday, Smith is the future of England’s batting across formats: a destructive white-ball opener and counter-attacking Test No. 7, while keeping wicket to boot.Related
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His innings at Edgbaston was devastating, and seemed to scramble Shubman Gill’s mind in spite of India’s huge run cushion. England often talk about identifying moments to absorb pressure, or to put it back on to their opponents. Smith seized his chance to do the latter, ransacking cheap runs against India’s change bowlers.At Headingley last week, Smith’s first-innings dismissal seemed like anathema to traditional cricketing logic, pulling Prasidh Krishna to deep square-leg three balls before a new ball was due. But he insisted that it was a “calculated” play with designs on “taking all the momentum into the new ball”, and a failure of execution rather than planning.Jos Buttler had his moments as a Test batter but never looked at home in the format•PA Images via Getty ImagesHe responded by doubling down on his attacking instincts, crunching Ravindra Jadeja for 18 runs in an over to get them across the line in their fifth-day run case, including the winning hit over mid-on for six. At Edgbaston, he assessed a hopeless situation – England 503 behind with five wickets in hand – and determined that there was little point in hanging around.Gill laid the bait for Smith with another short-ball ploy, setting a six-three leg-side field with three men out on the hook. Smith responded by showing off his repertoire of pull shots: a hard, flat slap behind square; a full-blooded hoist into the stands; a wrist-roll through midwicket; and a flat-bat through mid-on as he jumped leg side. Prasidh’s over cost him 23 runs.Smith was empowered to keep on attacking, threading the gap between short cover and mid-off to hit Washington Sundar’s first two balls for four. When Gill fell into the familiar trap of spreading his field – with five boundary-riders for Washington – Smith reverted to simply milking singles, rotating strike at will in his mammoth stand with Harry Brook.Jamie Smith and Harry Brook put on a huge stand to lift England•ECB via Getty ImagesBy the time he reached his hundred – England’s equal third-fastest in Tests, after a slight slowdown left Gilbert Jessop’s record safe – Smith had only faced 26 balls from India’s two most threatening bowlers: 12 from Siraj and 14 from Akash Deep. Gill ought to have brought them back sooner, but Smith showed his game awareness by targeting the weaker links in a struggling attack.His partnership with Brook, worth 303, was a glimpse at the future of England’s batting line-up – not only in Tests, but across formats. Perhaps the most impressive aspect was their ability to change gears: after racing along in sixth before lunch, they slipped down into fourth in the middle session when India’s plans changed, as though cruising along in the middle lane.Since bulking up significantly 18 months ago, Smith has become an imposing presence at the crease. When he reached 174, he surpassed his Surrey mentor Alec Stewart to register the highest score by an England Test wicketkeeper: it could be some time before anyone else has the opportunity to beat Smith’s record.1:42
Aaron: Smith a serious batter across formats
A lower-order collapse – England’s Nos. 8-11 contributed five runs between them – denied Smith the chance to accelerate towards a double-hundred. He reached 184, his final score, with two straight blows off Akash Deep: the first, a crunched straight six, suggested a lucrative IPL contract is waiting for him; the second, a rasping four through mid-off, nearly took the bowler’s head off.Smith’s missed stumping off Rishabh Pant last week was a reminder that his keeping is not yet perfect, and in time England may well be tempted to pick him as a specialist batter. But there should be no immediate urge to change his role: Smith was fit enough to bat for five hours after 151 overs behind the stumps at Edgbaston, and showed the value of having a genuine game-changer down at No. 7.England spent the decade after Matt Prior’s retirement shuffling between wicketkeepers: Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes all had their advocates, but none ever quite managed to make the role their own. The same charge cannot be levelled at Smith, who has made himself an automatic selection within a dozen Tests.Smith’s favourite player was Kevin Pietersen growing up, and there were shades of his idol in Birmingham: dominance against the short ball, disdain against spinners, and the innate self-assurance required to bat with such fearlessness. Whisper it, but England believe that Smith can be even better than his predecessors: this was an innings from the Adam Gilchrist playbook.
Riyan Parag is set to lead Rajasthan Royals at 23, but there have been three younger captains in the IPL
Harigovind S22-Mar-2025Virat KohliIPL captaincy debut: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals, Jaipur, 2011
Age: 22 years 187 daysKohli was appointed full-time RCB skipper only in 2013, but he got his first taste of leadership two years earlier when Daniel Vettori sat out of RCB’s game against Rajasthan Royals with a knee problem. Kohli, already a regular in the Indian team, was the natural successor. He kickstarted his captaincy career with back-to-back wins but then endured a 111-run trouncing at the hands of Kings XI Punjab. In all, he captained RCB in 143 games in the IPL.Steven SmithIPL captaincy debut: Pune Warriors vs RCB, Pune, 2012
Age: 22 years 344 daysLong before he established himself as a great batter, Smith served as Pune Warriors captain for one match towards the end of IPL 2012. Smith had gone unsold in the auction that year, but Warriors, who boycotted the auction over disagreements with the BCCI, signed him before the season began. At the fag end of a poor season for Warriors, in which they finished bottom of the league, the misfiring Sourav Ganguly stepped down, and Smith, who had captained Sydney Sixers in the previous Big Bash League season, took over. A few years later, Smith went on to captain Royals and Rising Pune Supergiant.Suresh RainaIPL captaincy debut: Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Daredevils, Delhi, 2010
Age: 23 years 112 daysMS Dhoni was hit on the arm by a rising Shane Bond delivery and sidelined for a few days during the 2010 season, and Raina, Chennai’s leading batter in the previous two editions, stepped in for three games. In his first game as the CSK captain, he scored a vital 49 not out in a tall chase against DD, but CSK lost their next two games under him. Raina’s services were needed just twice more for CSK, in 2019, but he did captain Gujarat Lions for their two seasons, in 2016 and 2017.Riyan Parag will become the fifth-youngest captain in the IPL•BCCIRiyan ParagIPL captaincy debut: Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2025
Age: 23 years 133 daysParag has been in the IPL for six years, but he is still only 23 and is set to captain Rajasthan Royals in their first three games of IPL 2025 as Sanju Samson, recovering from finger surgery, will play purely as a batter. Parag, who has captained his domestic side Assam in 23 matches across formats, had a breakthrough 2024 – he scored 573 runs in the IPL and made his India debut. Leading Royals in Samson’s absence seems like a just reward.Shreyas IyerIPL captaincy debut: DD vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi, 2018
Age: 23 years 142 daysDelhi Daredevils, as the Delhi franchise was known then, had lost five of their first six games in IPL 2018 when their out-of-form captain Gautam Gambhir stepped down. Iyer, who had captained India A and Mumbai by then, was one of the few bright spots for Daredevils and replaced Gambhir. While Daredevils could not avoid the wooden spoon, they went out on a high with back-to-back wins against Mumbai Indians and CSK. Iyer went on to captain the Delhi franchise till 2021 before becoming captain of KKR. His new gig as Punjab Kings captain makes him the second Indian, after Ajinkya Rahane, to captain three different IPL franchises.
A 61-run third-wicket stand held the Hong Kong innings together
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2025
Nizakat Khan was comfortable against spin•Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images
Hong Kong clambered to a respectable 149 for 4, as Nizakat Khan drove them through the middle and back end of the innings, after Anshy Rath had held down the fort in the early overs. The two combined in the middle for a partnership worth 61 off 43 balls – Nizakat contributing 33 off 22, while Rath went at a slower pace.Nizakat was not out at the crease on 52 off 38 balls at the end. It was his 12th T20I half-century, and his first against a Full Member (ICC or ACC), plus Hong Kong’s second ever fifty at this event. He’d been reprieved twice in the 17th over, bowled by Nuwan Thushara, but with so many wicket left, he was perhaps right to try low-percentage shots. Rath had fallen two runs short of 50, and struck at 104.34. He scored almost exclusively in front of square.Sri Lanka may have hoped to blow Hong Kong away when they asked them to bat first, but they didn’t have a lot of luck in the early overs. Zeeshan Ali scored boundaries off the outside and inside edge, and Dushmantha Chameera dropped off Thushara’s bowling.Chameera would go on to put in another strong performance, however, eventually dismissing Zeeshan, and later, Rath. He took the innings’ best figures of 2 for 29, but the spinners also delivered some economical overs. Maheesh Theekshana conceded only 22 off his four overs, while Wanindu Hasaranga took 1 for 27.