Exactly a year after smashing the second-fastest 50-over century by an Indian, Gujarat opener Urvil Patel clattered a 28-ball century in the shortest format, which is the second-fastest overall in T20s and the fastest by an Indian. Urvil’s feat came against Tripura in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s domestic T20 tournament, in Indore.The record for the fastest T20 hundred belongs to Sahil Chauhan of Estonia, who got there in 27 balls against Cyprus in Episkopi, Cyprus, in June this year. The record for the fastest century by an Indian belonged to Rishabh Pant, who had reached three figures off 32 balls for Delhi against Himachal Pradesh, also in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, in January 2018.Chasing 156 against Tripura on Wednesday, Gujarat romped home in just 10.2 overs thanks to Urvil’s unbeaten 113 off 35 balls that was studded with seven fours and 12 sixes. Three of those sixes went over the covers, three in the ‘V’ down the ground, four over the midwicket region and one sailed over square leg. Four of those 12 sixes were struck against Tripura captain Mandeep Singh, who had moved from Punjab before the start of the ongoing season. Urvil clattered Mandeep for 24 runs off just five balls, Abhijit Sarkar for 26 off nine balls (four fours and a six), Sankar Paul for 17 off four and Manisankar Murasingh for 28 runs off 10 balls, with the help of one four and three sixes.On November 27 last year, Urvil had smashed a 41-ball century in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, just a day after being released by Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the 2024 auction. That had placed him second in the list of the fastest List-A hundreds by Indians, behind Yusuf Pathan’s achievement of 40 balls. Urvil had been released after not getting any games with GT in IPL 2023.Urvil’s name was in the list of the uncapped wicketkeepers for the IPL 2025 mega auction recently but he did not find any takers.
Leeds United have now “rejected” a loan offer for an “excellent” player, according to an update from reliable journalist Beren Cross.
Leeds closing on Paixao and eyeing more signings
It looks as though Igor Paixao is increasingly likely to be the Whites’ latest signing this summer, with a move for the Feyenoord attacker now “fully approved” by the club.
The Brazilian has the ability to be a big hit at Elland Road, providing Leeds with the additional firepower that is badly needed back in the Premier League, having bagged 16 goals and 10 assists in the Eredivisie last season.
Paixao hopefully won’t be the Whites’ only addition between now and the end of the summer transfer window, however, and Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell has emerged as an ambitious target who would bring a huge amount of experience and quality to Daniel Farke’s team.
Meanwhile, Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz is also said to be a target for Leeds, with the Brazilian keen on securing a move to Elland Road after an impressive 2024/25 campaign with the Cottagers.
Leeds reject offer for "excellent" attacker
Writing on X on Friday, The Athletic‘s Cross claimed that Leeds and 49ers Enterprises have now “rejected” a loan bid with an option to buy for forward Mateo Joseph from La Liga side Real Betis.
“Leeds United asked Getafe about Christantus Uche a few weeks ago. €25m release clause. Not advanced, but one they have checked on. Betis loan offer, with option, for Mateo Joseph has been rejected. Leeds insist he’s not for sale.”
This is good news from a Leeds perspective, with Joseph a young player with lots of potential – one who Farke has spoken of fondly in the recent past.
“I’m happy with what Mateo’s delivering. As a striker you’re only 100 per cent if you score game after game, but I don’t rate him in output of just goals. His link-up play is excellent and how he holds defenders. For example the third goal [vs Coventry], Joel Piroe, everyone is speaking about Ao Tanaka and the really good assist of Willy [Gnonto]. But I praise Mateo, under pressure keeps the ball against aggressive forward defending to keep possession and bring the midfielders into a good position.”
Granted, Joseph may struggle for regular football in the Premier League, having only started 11 Championship matches last season, so it is understandable why a fresh challenge may appeal to him.
The next Ampadu: Leeds accelerating move to sign £100k-p/w "creative force"
Leeds are still on the hunt for signings this summer
ByJoe Nuttall Jul 18, 2025
He still has so much to offer, though, and should only develop as a footballer over the next five or six years, so Leeds selling him would be a risk.
Following Russell Martin’s appointment, this squad at Ibrox was always going to require a mass overhaul, and so it has proved, with six new signings arriving already, and more forecast to follow, ahead of the start of Champions League qualifying in less than a fortnight.
Southampton manager Russell Martin.
Given that his three former jobs have been south of the border, it’s little surprise that Martin is primarily shopping in the English lower leagues, so could Rangers take another highly-rated youngster on loan from a Premier League outfit?
Rangers targeting another loan signing
Already this summer, both Max Aarons and Nasser Djiga have arrived at Ibrox on loan, joining from Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively.
Meantime, Joe Rothwell, Emmanuel Fernandez and Thelo Aasgaard have come in on permanent deals following impressive campaigns in the EFL; Lyall Cameron’s move from Dundee was pre-agreed in January.
Now, a report by Alex Crook of talkSPORT claims that Rangers are ‘keen’ to sign goalkeeper Carl Rushworth on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.
They add that the Seagulls ‘have already rejected’ a bid from an EFL Championship club amongst lots of interest in the 24 year old, who wants to have a big say in his own future.
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Rushworth joined Brighton from Halifax Town as an 18-year-old and, despite being on their books for six years, is yet to make a senior appearance for the Albion.
He has been out on loan at Worthing, Walsall, Lincoln City, Swansea City and, most recently, Hull City, making just three appearances for the Tigers before being recalled by Brighton, an unused substitute in the Premier League 14 times last season.
Carl RushworthCarl Rushworth
Now, he is ready to play on a regular basis, so could Rangers offer him those highly-craved first-team opportunities?
How Carl Rushworth would improve Rangers
It will be interesting to see how Martin views his goalkeeping options, after Liam Kelly and Jack Butland both played 45 minutes each of Sunday’s pre-season friendly against Club Brugge at Ibrox.
Jack Butland
For almost two seasons, Butland had been the undisputed number one, but a string of errors saw him dropped by interim manager Barry Ferguson in April, with Kelly notably starting both legs of the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club Bilbao.
The statistics below underline that neither are perhaps the goalkeeper Martin is looking for.
Goals against per 90
1.11
3rd
1
2nd
Save %
65.5%
17th
67.9%
11th
Clean sheet %
37.5%
5th
40%
4th
Errors leading to a goal
2
4th
0
17th
Errors leading to a shot
2
2nd
1
3rd
Punches
10
10th
4
19th
Average SofaScore rating
7
9th
6.93
13th
As outlined, neither Butland nor Kelly covered themselves in glory last season, hence why a new goalkeeper should be a priority.
Rushworth, on the other hand, is highly-rated and on the up, with his performances at Swansea labelled “incredible” by his manager in South Wales, Luke Williams.
Meantime, Andy Naylor of the Athletic praises his ‘presence and performances’ as well as his ‘good range of passing’, forecasting he’ll go to the very top, so let’s assess his statistics from the last season he did enjoy regular first-team football.
Goals conceded
65
2nd
Shots on target faced
206
3rd
Saves
143
3rd
Save %
70.9%
7th
Clean sheets
10
13th
Post-shot xG – goals conceded
+5.5
2nd
Attempted passes
1,897
2nd
As the table outlines, Rushworth was not only one of the best but also one of the busiest goalkeepers in the EFL Championship in 2023/24, playing for a Swansea side who finished 14th but conceded 65 goals.
Thus, Rushworth ranked in the top three for saves and, most notably, post-shot expected goals – goals allowed, essentially saving 5.5 goals more than expected, ranked behind only Mads Hermansen, who would go on to star in the Premier League, for this metric.
Thus, Rushworth is clearly a highly talented, high-potential player, one that would fill a position of need at Rangers.
When compared to signings that have already been made, namely Thelo Aasgaard, the Norwegian international may well be a roaring success in Glasgow, but a new central midfielder was not near the top of the list of priorities, considering they already have Mohamed Diomandé, Connor Barron, new signing Lyall Cameron and last year’s player of the year Nicolas Raskin.
Goalkeeper as a position, on the other hand, has a ginormous question mark dangling over it, it’s anyone’s guess who will be donning the gloves against Panathinaikos a week on Tuesday, hence why Rushworth could well be a transformational signing.
He'd be a dream with Gassama: Rangers make contact to sign "unplayable" ace
Rangers have reportedly made contact to sign a star who could be amazing with Djeidi Gassama.
Despite finishing as low as 15th in the Premier League last season and missing out on every European competition, Manchester United’s exciting summer transfer window could be set to continue amid reports that one target has made a shock U-turn.
Mbeumo set to undergo Man Utd medical
After submitting an offer in excess of £60m, Manchester United have taken a vital step closer to signing Mbeumo, who is now reportedly scheduled to undergo a medical at the club as early as next week. The Brentford forward, like Cunha, is a transformative signing for Ruben Amorim’s frontline which was often found wanting last season.
Ahead of the biggest move of his career yet, Mbeumo has already received the backing of Manchester United legend Gary Neville, who spoke about the impact that both he and Cunha could make at Old Trafford.
He told Sky Sports: “[Man United] need players who are going to come in and hit the ground running. United has become a very difficult place for new signings to operate in the last ten years.
“Cunha and Mbeumo have obviously got Premier League experience. They’ve got plenty of games under their belt. [English football] is not new to them and actually they are the right type.
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“When I watch Manchester United wide players, they have to be able to get from box-to-box quickly. They have to be able to run, to travel with and without the ball. Mbeumo and, to be fair Cunha, can do that.”
Whilst the new attacking duo is no doubt impressive, INEOS may not be done there with incomings amid reports that one of their top targets has made a shock transfer U-turn.
Gyokeres now wants Man Utd move instead of Arsenal
In what could prove to be an almighty mistake, Arsenal’s increasing interest for Benjamin Sesko has re-opened the door for INEOS to make their best move yet at Old Trafford.
The Gunners have been chasing both strikers for weeks, laying groundwork and weighing their options, but according to The Mirror, INEOS and Manchester United are in contact to sign Viktor Gyokeres and the Swede now believes that a move to the Red Devils is his best option this summer.
The Swede’s departure from Sporting has become somewhat inevitable after his public spat with the Portuguese club and United should take full advantage of the forward’s desire to reunite with former boss Amorim.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokereskisses the trophy as he celebrate after winning the Taca de Portugal
The disagreement came to the fore when Sporting president Frederico Varandas accused Gyokeres’ agent of falsely claiming that there had been a gentleman’s agreement to sell the star striker for around £59m this summer. Instead, the Portuguese club have reportedly priced the Swede at as much as £86m – a price that his camp believe is too high to ensure a move in the coming months.
In today’s market though, Sporting may argue that a player who scored 54 goals in 52 games last season is worth every penny of that £86m fee. Whether Manchester United share that sentiment and sign a player who Sporting boss Rui Borges dubbed “phenomenal” remains to be seen, however.
Sunderland are on the hunt for Premier League-level reinforcements and have entered the race for a prolific striker from one of Europe’s top five leagues, according to a report.
Sunderland set out stall to consolidate in the Premier League
Beating the drop will be the immediate priority for Regis Le Bris on Wearside, who will have to plan for life without duo Tommy Watson and Jobe Bellingham following their moves to Brighton & Hove Albion and Borussia Dortmund, respectively.
Despite receiving criticism, Kristjaan Speakman has explained that playoff final hero Watson’s departure being public was to promote transparency with supporters following the club’s decision to speak openly about his move to the South Coast.
Why is this relevant? Well, it could be a sign of things to come moving forward, which will hopefully lead to news surrounding incomings sooner rather than later.
Sunderland now want "exceptional" £37k-p/w star who could cost £30 million
The Black Cats are probing on the market.
BySean Markus Clifford Jun 13, 2025
Ishe Samuels-Smith is said to be on the Black Cats’ radar following his rise to prominence in Chelsea’s youth ranks. Meanwhile, Wolverhampton Wanderers star Tommy Doyle could also pitch up in the North East, circumstances permitting.
Millwall defender Japhet Tanganga has a £1.2 million release clause Sunderland are keen to take up. Nevertheless, recent reports suggest Le Bris may be looking to add to his pool of offensive options rather than prioritising a move for a defender.
Sunderland eyeing move for Sassuolo star Armand Lauriente
According to AS Roma Live, Sunderland are in the race to sign Sassuolo striker Armand Lauriente, and it would cost around £17 million to bring the 26-year-old to Tyneside.
Roma, Bologna, Fiorentina and Marseille are also interested in the former France Under-21 international, who will find himself playing Serie A football once again next season after his side claimed the Serie B title.
Armand Lauriente in 2024/25 – Serie B (Fotmob)
Shots
81
Shots on target
43
Successful dribbles
31
Chances created
37
Touches in opposition box
152
Labelled “amazing” by Jacek Kulig, Lauriente registered 19 goals and six assists in 34 appearances across all competitions and is now regarded as a hot property across Europe.
Intriguingly, the versatile forward has previously worked with Le Bris at Lorient, which may explain why the Black Cats have come to the table despite stiff competition from elsewhere.
The Premier League is the toughest in the world to crack, especially as a newly-promoted side, so it is interesting to see Sunderland set the bar high in their search for attacking potency.
Now, it remains to be seen whether they can tempt Lauriente with the prospect of starring for a returning force in the top-flight.
Tottenham Hotspur are being told to appoint an “influential” manager by incoming chief Fabio Paratici, with current Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou still heading for an exit despite reaching the Europa League final.
Tottenham welcoming Fabio Paratici back after worldwide ban ends
Reports claim that Paratici’s return to Spurs is gaining serious traction, after talks to become AC Milan’s new sporting director reportedly fell through recently.
Paratici could sign £150k-a-week Liverpool player after Tottenham return
The ex-managing director is expected to come back after his worldwide FIFA ban ends.
By
Emilio Galantini
May 8, 2025
The 52-year-old was forced to resign from his post as Tottenham managing director in early 2023 after being found guilty of false accounting during his time at Juventus, with FIFA handing Paratici a 30-month worldwide ban from official footballing activity.
Tottenham’s final Premier League fixtures
Date
Crystal Palace (home)
May 10th
Aston Villa (away)
May 18th
Brighton (home)
May 25th
However, that ban is due to end on June 30th, and it is believed that Paratici is now very likely to make a return to Tottenham after rumoured meetings with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy – which were reported as far back as March.
A popular figure among the fan base, Paratici also played a role in appointing Antonio Conte during his time in N17, and if his comeback is made official, the Italian will likely have a major say on Tottenham’s potential replacement for Postecoglou.
While Spurs eased past Bodo/Glimt to reach their first European final since 2019, where they have a golden chance to clinch their first piece of silverware since 2008, reliable media sources have claimed that Postecoglou could still leave Tottenham regardless of their success abroad (The Telegraph).
Fabio Paratici recommends Roberto De Zerbi to Tottenham
A succession of managers have been linked with the job over the last few weeks, but Paratici has a particular name in mind – compatriot Roberto De Zerbi.
The Italian moved to Marseille after a successful period at Brighton, where he’s now on around £105,000-per-week, with De Zerbi remaining popular among those close to Spurs – specifically Paratici.
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to The Boot Room, Paratici has recommended De Zerbi to Tottenham, and the chief is believed to be a huge fan.
“I understand Roberto De Zerbi is a name that Fabio Paratici – incoming Spurs technical director – is a fan of,” said Bailey.
“He liked him during his time at Brighton and recommended him. Even during his talks with AC Milan recently, he was a name put forward. De Zerbi is understood to be on the radar of a number of Italian clubs – but Spurs do like him.”
The outlet themselves add that Postecoglou is “set to leave” this summer, and De Zerbi could be a fantastic candidate to replace him, going by the words of Man City boss Pep Guardiola, who called him “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years”.
“There is no team playing the way they play – it’s unique,” Guardiola said of De Zerbi’s Brighton in 2023.
“I had the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great – I didn’t expect him to do it in this short space of time. He creates 20 or 25 chances per game, better by far than most opponents. He monopolises the ball in a way it hasn’t been for a long time.
Fair to say it’s been an eventful season for Tottenham Hotspur supporters, but it could have the happiest of endings.
Spurs have lost 19 Premier League matches this season to date, one more would be their most in a single campaign since 1935, thereby languishing 16th in the table.
However, on Thursday night, the Lilywhites overcame Bodø/Glimt in the Arctic Circle, so will now face Manchester United in the Europa League Final at San Mamés on 21 May.
Thus, Ange Postecoglou is potentially 90 minutes away from delivering Tottenham’s first trophy since 2008 and Champions League qualification, but Sami Mokbel of BBC Sport believes the Aussie could still be sacked, even if his team triumph in Bilbao.
So, who does Daniel Levy have in mind as a potential successor, and could his dream candidate be a José Mourinho repeat?
Tottenham's top target to replace Postecoglou
According to a report by Gianluca Di Marzio, Fulham manager Marco Silva is top of Levy’s list to become the new Spurs boss this summer, adding that the 47-year-old is ‘very popular’ amongst the Tottenham hierarchy.
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As outlined by Dave Tickner of Football 365, there are numerous other candidates in the fray for this post, including Mauricio Pochettino, Kieran McKenna and Scott Parker, as well as Andoni Iraola, who, as noted by Jack Pitt-Brooke and Jay Harris of the Athletic, was the ‘leading candidate’ to get the job.
However, George Flood of the Evening Standard believes Spurs would face a ‘tough battle’ to ‘coax’ the Spaniard away from Bournemouth, hence why Silva now appears to be the front-runner.
Fulham managerMarcoSilva
So, would the Portuguese be a success in North London, or would he fare similarly to his compatriot who recently occupied the Hotspur hot seat?
Why Marco Silva would be a good fit for Tottenham
If ever a manager has burst onto the scene, Micah Richards style, it’s Marco Silva, first coming to the attention of a Premier League-watching audience in 2017 when he was appointed Hull City manager.
At the time, the Tigers were rock-bottom of the division, having won just one of the previous 18 games and, as outlined by Aaron Barton of Opta’s the Analyst, while he failed to keep Hull up, six wins from nine home games, most-notably beating Liverpool 2-0, caught the eye of others.
So, let’s assess Silva’s managerial career so far.
Estoril Praia
2011-14
116
46.55%
Segunda Divisão title
Sporting CP
2014-15
53
60.38%
Taça de Portugal
Olympiacos
2015-16
48
79.17%
Greek Super League title
Hull City
2017
22
36.36%
Resigned
Watford
2017-18
26
30.77%
Sacked
Everton
2018-19
60
40%
Sacked
Fulham
2021-present
182
45.86%
EFL Championship title
As the table outlines, after bouncing around Hull, Watford and Everton, Silva has really found a home in West London, winning the Championship title in 2022, on course to lead Fulham to a third successive mid-table finish, currently knocking on the door of European qualification.
For his work at Craven Cottage, Dean Jones of GiveMeSport has labelled Silva a “genius”, while Mak Pakhei of Total Football Analysis praises his tactical adaptability and flexibility, which allows Fulham to compete against the Premier League’s elite, doing so ‘without heavy investment’.
Fulham manager Marco Silva.
Meantime, as outlined by Nick Wright of Sky Sports, Silva and the aforementioned Mourinho are ‘old friends’, with the Fulham boss thanking his compatriot for changing how Portuguese coaches are viewed abroad.
Silva has previously been dubbed the ‘new Mourinho’, but their styles are very different, with Silva’s teams more attacking, proactive and on the front-foot.
Well, of course, lest we forget, Mourinho was Spurs manager for a period of time, but supporters would hope Silva’s potential tenure would go rather better, with Jack Pitt-Brooke of the Athletic outlining how José’s ‘defensive tactics…reactive training and repeated public criticism of the players’ in the media resulted in his downfall.
Despite the lazy, nationality-driven comparisons, Silva and Mourinho are very different coaches, and the current Fulham boss appears to have all the attributes to be a success at Spurs, potentially in charge of them for a Champions League campaign come September.
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Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways yesterday after a 3-1 victory over Southampton in North London, condemning the Saints to an immediate return back to the Championship.
A double from Brennan Johnson and a late penalty from January addition Mathys Tel secured all three points for Ange Postecoglou’s side, making amends for Thursday’s defeat against Chelsea.
The result moves the Lilywhites ahead of Everton and West Ham United, but still sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League table in an all-round season to forget.
The summer remains a huge one for Postecoglou to try and make amends in 2025/26, with funds needed to turn around their dismal run over the last couple of months.
However, numerous players will also need to be moved on, with one player nowhere near the levels he’s previously procured at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Heung-min Son’s stats against Southampton
Over the years, attacker Heung-min Son has often been the go-to man in terms of contributions in the final third, as seen by his tally of 173 goals and 94 assists in his 450 appearances.
However, the South Korean has struggled to replicate such levels in the last few months, only managing to score two league goals in the first four months of 2025.
Heung-min Son for Tottenham
His showing against the Saints yesterday was yet another disappointing one, featuring for just 57 minutes before being replaced by youngster Wilson Odebert.
The 32-year-old only managed a total of 39 touches, completing just one of his four attempted dribbles, whilst also only managing a single effort on goal.
After such a showing, it’s fair to say he’s no longer one of the first names on the teamsheet, with one other first-team member going from stride to stride with regular minutes over the past few months.
The Spurs star who’s more important than Son
Spurs have invested in young talents over the last couple of years, with their transfer strategy coming into question – especially considering the lowly league standing in 2024/25.
The decision to put funds into youth rather than players into their prime has often been a poor call, but it’s safe to say one player has been an anomaly to that trend.
Midfielder Lucas Bergvall has gone from strength to strength over the last few months, often being a regular in Postecoglou’s side – highlighting his impressive development.
The 19-year-old started the clash with the Saints yesterday, impressing massively during his 80-minute performance before being replaced by Yves Bissouma.
The Swede registered 43 touches during his display, completing 83% of the passes he attempted, being the shining light in the middle of the park despite his tender age.
He also created two chances, completing four passes into the final third, often looking to play forward at any opportunity – impressing at both ends of the pitch.
Minutes played
80
Touches
43
Passes completed
24/29 (83%)
Passes into final third
4
Tackles won
1
Interceptions made
2
Recoveries made
6
Bergvall also won one tackle, two interceptions and six recoveries, highlighting his ability as a box-to-box midfielder – undoubtedly having the potential to star at the heart of the side for many years.
As a result of his showing, he was handed a 7/10 match rating by Football London’s Rob Guest, further demonstrating how impressive he was during the triumph.
Such a showing has undoubtedly cemented his place at the heart of the side, with the position now his to lose despite his tender age – looking to be a phenomenal pickup.
As for Son, he’s entering the back end of his professional career, with age starting to become apparent, with Postecoglou having a huge call to make over his future this summer.
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The 20-year-old allrounder from a small town close to Lucknow has already made a splash in IPL 2025
Shashank Kishore and Daya Sagar04-Apr-2025Vipraj Nigam, 20, is pleasantly surprised at how much recognition he has received over the past two weeks at IPL 2025.An allrounder signed by Delhi Capitals (DC) primarily for his legspin bowling, Nigam helped his team turn the tables on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on his IPL debut when he smashed a 15-ball 39 after going out at 113 for 6 in a tall chase of 210. DC won, with Ashutosh Sharma overshadowing Nigam with an unbeaten 66 in 31 balls.”I was nervous, but also excited,” Nigam tells ESPNcricinfo. “The feeling of earning the respect of your team-mates and coaches is something I can’t express in words. It’s been amazing to come and play with the same people I’ve watched on TV.”Related
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Nigam’s batting chops were never in doubt – he broke through into the Uttar Pradesh Under-19s as a batter first, and then legspin took over. When he picked up “13 or 14 wickets in two crucial matches”, an opportunity to be part of a junior camp at the National Cricket Academy [now Centre of Excellence, in Bengaluru] opened up soon after domestic cricket resumed after Covid, sometime in 2022. It was there that he realised the need to develop his all-round abilities.”They [the coaches] told me legspinning allrounders are rare,” he says. “After that, I started working on my bowling seriously.”What he thought was a small step turned into a giant leap when he earned further recognition at the UP T20 League in 2024, where he was the second-highest wicket-taker. Blessed with a quick-arm action modelled on his hero Yasir Shah, the former Pakistan legspinner, Nigam found his way past batters with his fizz. Those performances earned him trials with DC, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS).”A few other teams had invited me, but the Ranji Trophy was on, and I wanted to prioritise that,” he says. “But I did well at the trials wherever I went – they gave me good feedback. But there were no guarantees.”At the auction last year, Nigam was signed for INR 50 lakh, “big money” for the son of a primary schoolteacher from Barabanki, a small town near Lucknow. “My father never stopped me from playing cricket,” he says. “My mother would initially tell me it was important to study, but after a point even she started encouraging me. Sports wasn’t a thing at home.”
“I didn’t move to Lucknow initially, I’d do up and down by bus. There was this excitement of going every day to play, as a youngster you don’t think ‘oh, I have to travel this far’. It’s all you want to do. Now the journey has gotten more comfortable since I’ve bought a car”Vipraj Nigam
Sports wasn’t big in his hometown either. Those who aspired to play cricket had to move to Lucknow. Nigam, however, was fortunate to be under the mentorship of Sarwar Nawab, who had just started the lone cricket academy in Barabanki.As Nigam began to develop physically, Nawab worked on his power hitting, while state senior Zeeshan Ansari, who has also broken into the IPL this year, worked on Nigam’s legspin.Ansari played for India at the Under-19 World Cup in 2016 alongside Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan, but lost his way for a few years, failing to break into the UP senior team. During this period, Ansari kept his cricket dream burning by practicing and playing A-division cricket in Lucknow, while being a big brother for young Nigam.Nawab and Ansari helped enhance Nigam’s skills, but the proof of the pudding was in being able to play and perform in competitive games. Nawab happened to know Khaleeq Khan, who ran the UP Timber Cricket Club in the A division of the city’s club circuit. Khaleeq offered Nigam an opportunity to play for the club and he has been a regular since.”I didn’t move to Lucknow initially, I’d do up and down by bus,” Nigam says. “There was this excitement of going every day to play, as a youngster you don’t think ‘oh, I have to travel this far’. It’s all you want to do. Now the journey has gotten more comfortable since I’ve bought a car. Earlier, I used to walk, then take a bus, train there for five-six hours and come back. It used to be tiring.””I learnt a lot from several of my seniors,” Vipraj Nigam says of his UP team-mates•Delhi CapitalsAt the club, Nigam enhanced his skills by playing with the cream of UP’s next in line. “I learnt a lot from several of my seniors there,” he says. “Akshdeep Nath, Upendra Yadav, Mohammad Saif – all of them had Ranji Trophy experience. Playing and training with experienced players helped me tremendously.”Nigam also got to play with many of them when he earned a senior state debut in the 2024-25 season. UP made the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarter-finals after Nigam made an impression with the bat, an unbeaten 27 off eight balls against Andhra, a prelude of sorts to his IPL fireworks.”I feel very blessed to have had the journey I’ve had,” he says. “I’m learning from the best. KL Rahul is in my team. I’ve been speaking to him every day. Kevin Pietersen [the team mentor], Axar [Patel] , Kuldeep [Yadav] – they’re all amazing players. The IPL is such a platform where you see and learn from the best. I’d like to have a chance to speak to MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav.”For now, bowling and picking up wickets and being able to “make an impact” for DC and wherever he plays is enough for Nigam.
Australia seamer pleased with how he bounced back after wayward start to first Test
Andrew McGlashan02-Dec-20250:54
Clarke: Australia going to a venue where they play well
Even when Mitchell Starc blew England away with seven wickets during the first innings in Perth it did not go unnoticed that, in an attack missing Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, the visitors had taken Scott Boland for more than six an over.It came following pre-series debate about how they would look to take on Boland after largely dominating him in the two matches he played in the 2023 Ashes. However, the second day was a different story. Boland’s three-wicket burst after lunch – removing Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook in the space of 11 balls – turned the match on its head when England had been 105 runs ahead with nine wickets in hand.”It probably just proves to me that my good stuff, it doesn’t matter who it’s to, I think it feels like when I’m getting in the right areas it’s good enough to anyone,” Boland said ahead of the second Test at the Gabba. “I think that gives me a little bit of confidence that if I’m nailing my game… I’m good enough to compete with anyone.”Related
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Having overpitched too often in the first innings, Boland adjusted both his line and length in the second, hanging the ball wider, drawing Pope and Brook into drives away from their body. After the match, Andrew McDonald said the initial plans were partly to blame for the tactics Boland used with the new ball on the opening day.”I think Ronnie’s pretty nice to me there,” Boland said. “I just had one of those days where I just felt like I was over-pitching too much. Obviously, I wanted to start a little bit fuller than normal with the new ball, but I probably bowled seven or eight half-volleys and they all went for four. Some days half of them don’t and you think it’s [going] a little bit better.”I was pretty happy with how I bounced back in the second innings. I sort of went back to my natural length. Stuff that I know I’m really good at. I was obviously really disappointed with how I bowled in the first innings because generally I don’t bowl too many half-volleys.”On a pitch at the Gabba likely to have good pace and carry, if not perhaps to quite the level of Perth Stadium, Boland expects similar tactics to come into play. “I think we’ll get some good bounce here at the Gabba, which we usually do,” he said. “We went through what worked in Perth and what’s going to work here. It feels like a lot of the stuff is very similar.”Pope, who was tied down before losing patience and edging to Alex Carey, accepted there were things to learn but continued to see opportunity if Australia’s bowlers kept targeting a wider line.Scott Boland’s burst on day two in Perth helped swing the first Test•Getty Images
“It’s trying to learn the lessons, and take some positives,” he said. “I think it is just about being really precise with how you go about it. They can hang it out wide but as soon as they do miss their lengths it is about trying to put them under pressure there as well.”I look back on that [second] innings and the dismissal, [and] it’s just being that bit more precise, going about it in the same way but having that little bit more [precision] in my game.”Boland, who averages 13.16 from four day-night Tests, also sees the short ball being a threat again with England unlikely to back down from a challenge despite the bigger boundaries on most Australian grounds. However, he did note that their lower order had briefly rallied in the second innings, with Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse added 50 in 36 balls, when the quicks banged in the ball in.”Definitely the ground size plays a big part in that,” Boland said. “Perth Stadium is really wide, really big pockets. And the ground is quite similar here. Same as the MCG and SCG. Adelaide’s probably the only one that’s a little bit different. I think that worked in our favour.”They [England] tried some bouncer plans which worked well at different times. I think sometimes when you do go to that bouncer plan, you can leak runs pretty quickly. I think we had them 6 for 80 [88] and then we sort of went into some full-on bouncer plans and leaked [runs] a little bit [but] we got some wickets. First innings, it worked really quick and then second things, they played a little bit better. So I think we’ll just be adjusting on the fly.”There has been intrigue this week around whether Cummins could make a late entrance for the Brisbane Test, as he ramps up his return to bowling, despite not being named in the squad although a return in Adelaide remains the likely outcome. “He looked in red-hot form the other night, as good as you’ll see [from] a fast bowler charging in in the nets,” Boland said.Meanwhile, Hazlewood is due to join the squad on Thursday to continue his return to bowling after being ruled out of the first two Tests with a hamstring injury. He is considered unlikely to be in contention until either Melbourne or Sydney.