The six-foot-six cricketer talks about how he evolved from a chubby kid to a death-overs specialist

Firdose Moonda09-Oct-2025If you’re interested in gaining height, Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava, who stands at 1.98 metres, is willing to let you in on his secret.”Anyone who asks me how I got tall, I tell them I only ate vegetables,” Ngarava says, the day after he helped Zimbabwe qualify for next year’s T20 World Cup. He is, of course, not being entirely serious, but his growth spurt from a “chubby and short” young teen to a lean, lanky one coincided with him deciding to take his health seriously.”I put myself on a diet, and I don’t even know why I did it,” he says. “At that time I was a batter and I bowled a bit of spin but in Grade Nine everything just changed. For close to four years, I was on a diet and I made sure I didn’t miss any gym sessions. As a young boy, I loved pizza and fried chicken but I cut those out and told myself I am going to eat fruits and vegetables, and drink water only. That’s when I became tall.”Related

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At the time, Ngarava was a student at Churchill School but playing club cricket in the area he grew up in, Harare’s Highfield, which is home to the famous Takashinga Cricket Club. Also part of the club was Blessing Muzarabani, presumably born tall and currently 2.07 metres. The pair became friends. “We went to different schools but we both played for the same Takashinga age-group team. We’ve been pushing each other since we were Under-12s,” Ngarava says.There was one important difference between the Ngarava and Muzarabani of the early 2000s and the players they are now. “Back then, Blessing was a legspinner and I was mostly a batter,” Ngarava says.Also, incidentally the first time he came to international attention it was, in fact, for something that happened when he was batting. At the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, Ngarava was run-out at the non-striker’s end by Keemo Paul of West Indies. Zimbabwe needed just two runs to win that match when Ngarava was dismissed. The run-out put West Indies in the quarter-final and sparked a debate about the spirit of cricket.”When it happened, I thought it was a ruse,” Ngarava says. “I was not really happy when I walked off the field and everyone else was not happy in the dressing room. We later understood that it was part of the game. But what I didn’t like about the situation was, there was no warning from anyone.”While bowlers are not obliged to warn batters who are backing up too far, and there is no rule against running out a batter at the non-striker’s end, in some circles it is thought of as polite to give a batter a warning. This has been at the heart of some of cricket’s culture wars in recent times.Has Ngarava ever thought of running a non-striker out while bowling? “At some point maybe. But then I figured, nah, I just want to play normal cricket. I don’t want to mess with people’s moods.”Ngarava got into fast bowling looking to hurt people but then realised he liked taking wickets more•AFP/Getty ImagesAgain, not entirely true, because Ngarava says he turned to fast bowling as a teenager because he quite enjoyed just hurting people. Slowly he started to change that outlook. Under the guidance of his school coach George Tande he discovered an ability to swing the ball. “I actually like taking wickets more than hurting people,” he realised.He made Zimbabwe’s age-group sides in his mid-teens and continued to represent Takashinga and was part of their first team. He credits them with his growth, particularly the club’s trips to Uganda, where they played that country’s national side. “We didn’t look at those as just normal games or club games, we looked at them as international games because we were playing Uganda,” he says.One day, when he was around 18, he received a call while he was in Uganda. It was his international call-up.Ngarava made his debut against Afghanistan in an ODI in 2017, and two and a half years after that, played his first T20I. Though he was always comfortable opening the bowling, he soon became interested in bowling at the end of an innings. “I wanted to be the best death bowler in the team,” he says. “But I ended up developing more skills as I played more games. I used to enjoy just bowling yorkers and short balls but I’ve now added some other skills to my game.”The appointment of Charl Langeveldt to Zimbabwe’s coaching staff in the middle of 2024 was a game changer for Ngarava. It was around then that he developed an important weapon.”The wobble seam has done so much for me,” he says. “Sometimes you don’t really know what the ball is going to do [with a wobbly seam] but I just want to target that fifth-stump line or fourth-stump line and whatever the ball is going to do there, I’m quite happy with it.”It’s different from the normal seam, where you can actually see the seam from the hand and it’s easy to pick. I’ve seen the English bowlers are doing it now more often, where they’re wobbling the ball. It’s also different from Jimmy Anderson, where he actually had to make sure that his seam is up for him to swing the ball.”Ngarava got a first hand-hand look at the English bowlers when Zimbabwe toured there earlier this year to play a first Test in that country in over two decades. He was named in the starting XI and bowled nine overs in the first innings but could play no further part in the match after suffering a back injury on day one.Ngarava is ferried off the field after he hurt his back in the Test against England earlier this year•PA Photos/Getty Images”It’s not a nice feeling to get injured and still get to hang around the ground and see the boys playing,” he says. “It was really disappointing considering it was historic. We hadn’t played England for so long and I also wanted to perform,” he says. “I felt bad for the team and I asked myself, ‘Is this the right time to get injured?’ even though I knew I couldn’t control it. I tried to hide those emotions and didn’t show them to anyone.”The issue was caused by a bulging vertebral disc and Ngarava has not played in any of Zimbabwe’s four Tests since. That has been tough because he says playing the longest format is “something that I really want to do”. Of course, Zimbabwe are not part of the World Test Championship, and for now, their focus is on the next two major white-ball tournaments: the 2026 T20 World Cup and the 2027 ODI World Cup. They will co-host the latter with South Africa and Namibia.Getting to the first of those was crucial for maintaining the relevance of Zimbabwe cricket, after they were the only Full Member to miss out on the 2024 T20 World Cup because they lost to Uganda in the qualifiers. This time, Zimbabwe beat Uganda easily, Ngarava removed their best batter Raizat Ali Shah and also finished as the joint leading bowler at the event. In the process he also became the first Zimbabwean to 100 T20I wickets.Ordinarily you would expect a team and one of their key players to celebrate under the circumstances, but Zimbabwe and Ngarava are just relieved. “It was quite nice to qualify in front of the Harare fans but everyone is not really expressing the way they feel,” he says. “Maybe guys are still not sure that we actually qualified. Everyone is just calm about it because we’ve got that understanding of us wanting to actually play for the team more than individual performances.”But there is also excitement. “I can’t wait to be on that plane to India and Sri Lanka and then also play the 50-over World Cup, and hopefully we will do something for the fans.”Ngarava already has some experience of Sri Lanka from his time in the Lanka Premier League in 2023 and on two tours there for Zimbabwe. His LPL appearance was the first of several league gigs, including the BPL and the ILT20, though he hasn’t yet played a game in those last two leagues. Most recently he picked up a deal at Sharjah Warriors in the ILT20, for whom he hopes to play in the UAE ahead of the T20 World Cup. His new-ball partner, Muzarabani, will also be there, for Gulf Giants, as the two bowlers’ journeys continue to mirror each other.”It’s funny how we’re both now seam bowlers,” Ngarava says. “I don’t really know how it happened,” But he does. They’re both very, very tall and he knows how that helps. “Before talent or before anything else, having good height as a fast bowler gives you an extra advantage.”

Suzie Bates, Marizanne Kapp, Megan Schutt, Thirush Kamini and Danni Wyatt-Hodge look at how the women’s game has changed, and how it’s still changing

S Sudarshanan and Srinidhi Ramanujam27-Sep-20252:53

Suzie Bates: ‘Cricket in India is the pinnacle’

When the women’s ODI World Cup was last played in India, in 2013, it came and went without causing much of a stir. A few thousand fans trickled into the stadiums, most games were played largely to silence, and only a handful of the world’s best players might have been recognised beyond their immediate circles.Twelve years on, the contrast couldn’t be starker. Broadcast deals, capacity crowds, T20 leagues and globally recognised stars have transformed women’s cricket. Much of this change can be traced through the lived experiences of the players who have straddled both eras – from the quiet optimism of 2013 to the roaring anticipation of 2025.Rewind to 2013MD Thirush Kamini, who scored India’s first century in women’s World Cups, at the 2013 edition, still remembers the feeling of playing a global tournament at home – even if the scale wasn’t what it is today.”There might be so many things favouring you – home conditions, familiar grounds – but what was different was the atmosphere,” Thirush Kamini tells ESPNcricinfo. “I wasn’t anxious, but it was a new experience. Before that, I played the 2009 World Cup in Australia. There were a mix of people there, but in India, cricket is celebrated at a different level. You had your home people coming to cheer you. While people say playing is a lot of pressure, I feel it brings the best in you. It feels very special every time.”Related

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Still an active player on the domestic circuit, Thirush Kamini has had a front-row seat to the game’s transformation, not just in terms of infrastructure, but in terms of mindsets.”Even before the WPL, the BCCI had a very important rule allowing women cricketers to play the WBBL,” she points out. “Indian players had the potential and skill to match Australia or England, but mentally, you always had this thing: are they a little better because they are Australian or English? But when you play alongside them, compete, and even outperform them, it brings confidence into the Indian dressing room. That reflected in our World Cup performances.”The effects were visible. From India’s appearance in the final at Lord’s in the 2017 ODI World Cup to the 2020 T20 World Cup, where India lost to Australia in the title clash. But what excites Thirush Kamini the most is what she sees now, week in and week out. “Earlier we used to say every over is eventful. Now, every ball is starting to be eventful. That’s the kind of change I see.”Stronger, fitter, and more scientificSouth Africa allrounder Marizanne Kapp has played through almost every phase of the sport’s development in the last two decades since making her international debut in 2009. For her, the game’s upward curve can be measured easily in just the runs being scored.Since the last ODI World Cup, the eight teams competing this year have combined for 34 totals of 300 or more, with Australia and India breaching 400 once each. While the average run rate between the 2009 and 2013 World Cups was 3.94 per over, it has risen to 4.84 since the 2022 edition. India’s run rate in the years leading up to the 2017 World Cup was 4.35; since the 2022 iteration, it has been 5.57 – a rise of 1.22 per over. Similarly, Sri Lanka’s scoring rate has risen 1.23 in the same period.Australia have set the benchmarks, and are in the hunt for their eighth World Cup title•Getty ImagesA total of 203 sixes have already been hit in 2025; for context, 208 were hit across all of 2017. Centuries have never been scored more frequently [once every 35 innings as opposed to one in 52 innings in the years leading up to the 2022 World Cup], the balls-per-boundary ratio [one in every 11.6 balls compared to one every 13 balls till 2022] has never been lower – all pointing towards the giant strides the sport has taken on the field.This growth has been fuelled by the rise of T20 leagues to an extent – the WBBL, the WPL, the Hundred, the now-defunct Kia Super League, the WCPL – which have given players more exposure and experience, and pathways, to improve their skills.”It’s all thanks to the league probably,” Kapp says. “Back then, you could score 100-130 and defend it. But now teams are scoring 300-plus regularly and getting pretty close to chasing it down if not chasing it down. So, skills-wise and the fitness side of cricket, how stronger women are now. [Earlier] slower swing bowlers could be so difficult to get away and face but now the girls are so strong. You see how high-scoring the games are, and they can clear the boundary easily. That’s probably been the biggest change.”

“In comparison to New Zealand, the society in India took a little bit longer to get behind women’s cricket but now they’re all-in with the backing of finance and resources and the BCCI’s support. They have the biggest opportunity to improve from now”Suzie Bates

Thirush Kamini echoes the shift, not just in power, but in skill.”Now there is a lot more individual introspection, where they work on their variations,” Kamini says of the bowling. “When I play now, out of six balls, three are stock balls; the other three are variations. We used to see that in the men’s game when the IPL started, and now the WPL is doing that for women.”Because of T20 cricket, everyone knows and sees strike rates. Advancement in science is helping players have longer careers, too. For example, I would have not had access to a physio or nutrition some 10-12 years ago, but now there is a support system of professionals who are helping you have longer careers. You strive to be the best version of yourselves – not just meet team standards of the national team.”

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For Suzie Bates, the launch of the WPL in 2023 was the push that turned years of potential into something much, much bigger. She remembers a time when women’s cricket in India was still finding its feet – before the infrastructure development, before the investment, and before the fans.”From when I first went [to India] there’s a clear passion and love for the game,” Bates says. “The support that the women had when I first got there, it depended on where you were in terms of crowds and perhaps the resources they had at the domestic level.1:37

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“In comparison to New Zealand, the society in India took a little bit longer to get behind women’s cricket but now they’re all-in with the backing of finance and resources and the BCCI’s support. They have the biggest opportunity to improve from now. The WPL, the superstars they have, the role models they have – the likes of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues – they are going to inspire young girls.”They were probably a little bit behind Australia and England but now they’ve got that system and pathway – from what I can say, I don’t know the ins and outs – to really inspire that generation and grab hold of them and those systems. The game’s only going to get better and stronger, so I’m excited to see the superstars that India keep producing because India makes the game so exciting for the rest of us to play over there, the fans that they have, it’s a huge part of the global game.”‘We get spotted now’England’s Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who has been playing international cricket for the last 15 years, says the biggest change she’s noticed is the visibility, on and off the field.”I don’t remember there being much of a crowd at any of the games, whereas now whenever I’ve played India, you always get a really good atmosphere, even if it looks like there’s hardly anyone in the crowd, it’s still a very loud atmosphere,” she says. “Walking around the streets, even back home in England, we get spotted, which is great. Especially in India, walking down the streets in Bangalore or Mumbai, getting people coming up for selfies, which you never had before. People get recognised way more now because obviously games have shown more on TV and the skill level’s gone through the roof. That’s another massive one.”The money is visible, too. Ahead of the World Cup, the ICC announced that this edition would have a prize pool of US$13.88 million, almost a fourfold rise from the previous World Cup, in 2022, which had an overall pool of US$3.5 million.

“The hype of the WPL has really shifted momentum in the Indian space towards women’s cricket. I expect big crowds, big noise… especially the game against India. That’s going to be one hell of a game”Megan Schutt

“Prize money, match fees, that money, we never got that back in 2013,” Wyatt-Hodge says. “It’s not just the ‘big four’ anymore. Teams below us are getting better, which is so good to see. It makes a difference, doesn’t it, when teams are fully contracted and professional?”Sri Lanka played so well against us in England a couple of years ago, their skill level’s gone through the roof. This World Cup’s going to be really exciting. I think there will be a couple of upsets, hopefully not with us. Pakistan are a fantastic team too. They’ve got some really good youngsters coming through. So yeah, it’s a great time to be involved in women’s cricket.”Though Wyatt-Hodge credits England’s 2017 World Cup win as a turning point that sparked growth at home, she says the Hundred has been the real game-changer. More girls are playing cricket, and local leagues have expanded drastically, something she never had growing up with just one women’s team nearby.”Everyone loves the Hundred – players, fans, everyone you speak to,” she says. “It’s fast, fun, entertaining, and as a player, it’s such a great experience. You look around and see so many young girls and boys in the crowd, and they know all our names.”A different build-up in 2025Bigger. Sharper. Louder. Thirush Kamini believes this World Cup “will be celebrated a lot more than other World Cups”.”If they would have known only two-three players earlier, now they know about 12-13 from the squad of 15,” she says of the fans. “One great thing we had in Indian cricket is, as much as we want to support our players and our team, we have always supported the sport. So I feel this World Cup will be special for women’s cricket. It could do for women’s cricket what the 1983 men’s World Cup did for Indian cricket.”Kapp agrees and says the quality of cricket and volume of competition has created a far more balanced playing field.The WPL has been a game-changer•Getty Images”We are playing a lot more international bilateral series,” she says. “Back then, it would be [maybe] three series a year. But now it is back-to-back. The more you play, you learn more about the game and your skill.”For Australia fast bowler Megan Schutt, too, this edition will be among the most evenly matched World Cups – not despite being played in India, but because of it.”The fact it’s in the subcontinent actually brings everyone closer together,” she says. “If we were in Australia on flat tracks, some teams would obviously get exposed. I just expect really good cricket. There will be really high standards… I don’t predict many blowout games.”The hype of the WPL has really shifted momentum in the Indian space towards women’s cricket. I expect big crowds, big noise… especially the game against India. That’s going to be one hell of a game. I know we’re not going to be able to hear Midge [Alyssa Healy] on the field so we’re going to have to watch her intently.”It promises to be the kind of spectacle not many of these players had imagined experiencing when they started – packed crowds, deafening noise, global attention. What was once a far-off hope is now the norm.If there’s one thing these players agree on, it’s that this growth hasn’t happened by accident. It’s the result of years of groundwork, exposure, and investment. And it’s still not the end yet.

The left hander was marked out from a young age as a player of huge talent, which brought with it pressure and expectation

Cameron Ponsonby31-Oct-2025Rachin Ravindra loves cricket.”You know CricHQ?” Ravindra asks, confirming his audience is on the same cricket tragic path that he is. “The scoring website thing. We’d get a game up from back in the day, let’s say Tendulkar, Desert Storm in Sharjah. And you’d have to get 106 or whatever, not out, to win the game.”For hours at any one time, Ravindra and friends would play out full-blown ODI run-chases or Test classics in the indoor nets at Lower Hutt in Wellington. Cones were put down to mark fielders, crash pads were lined up for men under the lid and if Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman were batting at Eden Gardens, spin mats were put down as well.”That was the most fun I’ve ever had training,” Ravindra reminisces.Related

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Ravindra grew up around cricket. At home, his dad, a handy club player, would have cricket on the telly, the radio, the PlayStation and up on YouTube. While at school, Ravindra was part of an XI that won the National Championships when he was in Year 11. Ben Sears, his now international team-mate, was his opening partner, while Otago batter Troy Johnson was his captain at No. 3.”His first 1XI game at school was as a 13-year-old,” Johnson remembers. “He told me all the bowlers were too slow and that’s why he was early on every shot.”He’s probably not the most talented player in the history of the game, but he works way, way harder than anyone I’ve ever seen.”From the age of seven, Ravindra had a training schedule synced with his calendar. He’d be up before his dad and would drag him to the indoor nets at Lower Hutt before school, as well as after.Ravindra’s game was built on imitation. Watching highlights, he’d see a shot he liked and ask his dad to clip it. Over time, Ravindra had a DVD of supercut, super highlights featuring Kumar Sangakkara cover drives, Matthew Hayden pick-ups over midwicket, Ricky Ponting pull shots and Brian Lara cut shots.”Then I’d go to the nets and practice,” Ravindra explains. “20 good ones exactly like Sangakkara did.”Two Tendulkar straight drives made the cut as well. “That little punchy thing he did,” Ravindra recalls. “I tried that heaps. But he also hit a full follow-through one as well.”Speaking to ESPNcricinfo back in 2018, his father, Ravi Krishnamurthy, concluded, “I tried to get my daughter into cricket and she didn’t. With Rachin, I didn’t try, and he did.”The 2023 ODI World Cup is where Rachin Ravindra really went global•AFP/Getty ImagesFor Ravindra, the prodigy tag has been attached to him for as long as he can remember. That school debut at 13, becoming the leading wicket taker in the school’s history by the time he was 15, the youngest member of the New Zealand Under-19 squad at 16. His first-class debut came for New Zealand A as a 19-year-old. Life for any professional athlete-to-be is unusual. Life for a prodigy is unique. And in truth, bizarre. Being told you will be the best at something before you’ve even…”Achieved that much?”, says Ravindra, cutting off the question. “I know exactly what you mean. It’s interesting. From a youngish age you sort of get labelled as whatever. But for me it comes down to why I play. Obviously, I love playing cricket because the fans get to watch me and I find that amazing.”But at the end of the day, it’s because I enjoy it. I want to get better at it. So it’s almost irrelevant about me trying to prove my ability to other people. I love playing for a team. I’m playing and I’m trying to win games for that team. So that, for me, drives me.”Ravindra’s first crack at international cricket was a failure. On the biggest stage, it was the first time he had rolled the dice and landed on a snake rather than a ladder. In six T20Is he averaged nine and in three Test matches he averaged 15 facing India and Bangladesh.

I was just thinking, this…is…ridiculous. It’s the moments you dream of as a kid. I guess I’m lucky my name’s closeRachin Ravindra on hearing his name chanted during the 2023 World Cup

“You get given an opportunity at a young age, potentially in a role you’re not necessarily ready for,” he says, “And you want to impress and think this is my journey and this is how it’s supposed to go. And then it doesn’t work out and you sit back and think, ‘wow’.”Eighteen months on the sidelines followed where he returned to Wellington and averaged a good-but-not-great 37. Despite the so-so returns, Ravindra describes the time as a “eureka moment” where he learned to ride the waves of failure.”I’d been trying so hard to be this player that I’m not,” he says. “And, the classic, I’d been putting myself under too much pressure and not realising that failure teaches us so many things. And if you don’t realise that early enough you get surrounded by it and it eats you up.”Ultimately, his concluding thoughts towards cricket were the same as the rest of ours.”It sucks,” Ravindra says. “But it’s also – like – great.”Rachin Ravindra on India test series: “I think about that India tour, and every day we were like ‘oh my god, what is going on here? We can win this thing.'”•AFP/Getty ImagesIt was chance, rather than planning, that led him to the 2023 World Cup where his star rose and his reputation was made. Initially not picked in the squad, he was a late call-up after Michael Bracewell was injured. And the day before the England match, even with Kane Williamson out injured, he was not scheduled to be in the XI. Only when Lockie Ferguson pulled out late with a hamstring issue was Ravindra given the nod. Not, as had been the case so far in his career, in the middle-order, but at No. 3.”I knew I was a better player,” Ravindra recalls of whether the nerves were greater the second time around. “I had a better mindset, I’d done more research and worked on a few things I felt like I needed. I guess I was lucky that the timing worked out to be leading up to the World Cup.”123 unbeaten runs later and Ravindra’s potential was realised. That was further confirmed with another century against Australia in Dharamsala, where the Indian crowd took to him and chants of “Rachin, Rachin” echoed around the ground.”I almost did,” Ravindra laughs when asked if a tear or two rolled down his cheek. “I was just thinking, this…is…ridiculous. It’s the moments you dream of as a kid. I guess I’m lucky my name’s close.”From imitating Tendulkar as a child to having an imitation of the legend’s chant delivered to him. Disney movies would scrap such an ending for being too on the nose.It was the start of what’s become a love affair with playing on the subcontinent. Six of his eight international centuries have come either in India or Pakistan. He scored a Test hundred in Bengaluru, the hometown of his parents, during New Zealand’s miraculous whitewash of India in 2024, before putting together a prolific Champions Trophy run in 2025 to take New Zealand to the final.Rachin Ravindra alongside Kane Williamson, one of his idols•ICC/Getty Images”I’ve had special moments around the world,” Ravindra recalls of his highlights reel. “But I think the most special have been in Test cricket. I think about that India tour, and every day we were like ‘oh my god, what is going on here? We can win this thing.'”Ravindra’s reward has been to be elevated to the next level of prodigy status. That of the generational player. Michael Atherton said it a year ago, Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler said it a few weeks ago.”It’s a pinch yourself moment when people say that,” Ravindra explains. “And knowing I’ve played with Jos at Manchester Originals and seeing the way he bats. To hear that, it’s really cool.”It’s relevant that in the story of a child prodigy who’s now earning millions of dollars a year, that Ravindra is known for being, well, really nice. “One of the all-time greats,” was one message I received ahead of the interview. Multiple people spoke of how lightly he wears his reputation and international standing in the game.In an off-the-record conversation with a player a year ago, unprompted, they announced Ravindra to be one of their favourite people they’ve met in the game. But not because he was nice. That would be weird. But because he was a kind, down-to-earth person, with the edge required to make it at the top.”I was obsessed with it,” Ravindra said of his early experiences in cricket. “Obviously Dad got me into it first, but then it was ‘I want to go do this. I want to go do that.’ I’d cry when I got out in the nets.”The relationship was led by Ravindra Jnr, and facilitated by Ravindra Snr.Rachin Ravindra will be a key part of New Zealand’s batting for years to come•ICC/Getty Images”It always can be quite tough having your dad as coach,” Ravindra says. “There were some serious times where we bickered. It’s not his fault. I cared about it so much and I wanted to do well. But because of everything we did when I was young, he’s one of my best mates. And mum was also around the whole time too. She’d wake me up, have everything ready for the day.”Ravindra is the fan who made it to the top. In a modern environment where coffee and golf leave cricket a distant third in professionals’ favourite hobbies, it is refreshing to hear a player talk so openly about their love of the game compared to how often the sport seems to drive players to distraction, and sometimes bitterness, when it becomes a job.For Ravindra though, the novelty of rubbing shoulders with his heroes is yet to wear off, even if those he once counted as idols are now his peers.”I remember Michael Hussey was our batting coach at CSK,” Ravindra recalls, “and I was talking to him about his books and he was like, ‘….mate.'”Batting with Kane Williamson remains top of the pile in his catalogue of fan-to-player experiences, with Virat Kohli giving him a bit of a spray the first time he played against him making the shortlist as well.His dad remains heavily involved in the sport, too. When Ravindra was a kid, his father created a local club known as the Hutt Hawks that played extra matches around the country and even went on annual tours to India. It is hard not to connect Ravindra’s success on the subcontinent with such early exposure to conditions in the country. The club is still going, and thriving.”They’ve got four or five teams in each age-group now,” Ravindra says with a smile. “It obviously helped me, but countless other cricketers as well. You look down the Wellington Firebirds list and even across the country, how many people have done that trip and there’s been so many.”New Zealand’s Test whitewash of India 2024. Masterminded by the Hutt Hawks – sort of. Tom Blundell was the other member of the national team who went on a tour as well.”I guess there’s no secret, right?” Ravindra concludes of his route to success. “You look at guys like Steve Smith, Kohli, Kane, Root and they hit a number of balls. It’s got to be purposeful, and you can feel like it can drag on, but that’s the thing that you pride yourself on.”Ahead of Christmas, there’s a new cricket game coming out on the PlayStation. As a child, Ravindra grew up watching his dad play Cricket ’04 in the living room. This time, he’ll be in the game himself. Sometimes the presents choose themselves.

Australia have been crying out for an all-format allrounder who can bowl left-arm orthodox, and Connolly can be their man

Daya Sagar23-Sep-2025The past year has been like a dream for Cooper Connolly. The 22-year-old only made his first-class debut for Western Australia in March of 2024. Since then, he has toured the UK, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the UAE and the Caribbean with Australia, making his international debuts in all three forms.Having made his Test debut in Sri Lanka in February, he is now getting a taste of first-class cricket in India, coming off 70 and a wicket for Australia A in the first unofficial Test against India A in Lucknow last week.”As a kid you dream of playing for Australia, you dream of playing one game but I guess to get the opportunity to play more, it has been nice,” Connolly told ESPNcricinfo. “Hopefully I can play a few more but I think it’s just about learning from the experience, being around those world-class players and then if I get my opportunity, just make the most of it.”Related

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Part of Connolly’s rise to prominence has been the rare skill set that he possesses. Australia have been crying out for an all-format allrounder who can bowl left-arm orthodox.After making his T20I and ODI debut on the UK tour in September 2024, where he spent time working on his spin craft with Australia’s bowling coach and former New Zealand left-arm orthodox Daniel Vettori, Connolly was called up for a surprise Test debut earlier this year in February against Sri Lanka, a tour that was invaluable for him.”I learned a lot with some world-class players around me,” Connolly said. “I sat next to Travis Head a little bit and tried to understand how he goes about it. I am trying to model my game a little bit on him and how he plays. He’s a pretty aggressive player. So I was just trying to learn as much from him as I could. And then with my bowling, I was just getting stuck into Nathan Lyon and even Murph [Todd Murphy], just trying to understand how they go about it.”Cooper Connolly and Todd Murphy in conversation•Tanuj/UPCAHis bowling is raw but the improvements have been evident. In his last ODI against South Africa last month, he claimed his first five-wicket haul in professional cricket. In Lucknow, he felt he bowled well on a surface that provided very little assistance for the spinners, picking up the wicket of India’s incumbent Test No. 3 in B Sai Sudharsan.”I felt like in the first game, my bowling was nice on a pretty flat wicket,” Connolly said. “I felt like I tried to get some wickets out of the rough and tried to be aggressive with my bowling.”And then with my batting, I was just trying to be free-flowing, take the game on, looking to score. I think that’s the best way to bat in Indian conditions.”Connolly has scored six half-centuries in just ten first-class innings at a brisk strike rate of 64.36. The likes of Head and former Australia left-hander Shaun Marsh have been clear influences on Connolly already in his short career, as well as Western Australia’s batting coach and former Australia Test spinner Beau Casson.”I’ve sort of been leaning on Travis Head but to be honest, you don’t really lean on players,” Connolly said. “You just ask for advice, you ask for information, how they go about it. You speak to them, you speak to the team, trying to get the best communication from everyone.”Back home my batting coach Beau Casson has been very good for me, just ticking the right boxes and communicating with me, which has always been nice. And then Shaun Marsh has always been my idol growing up. I was lucky enough to be a part of the Western Australian squad when he was still playing. I think it’s just about getting as much information as you can and trying to understand how much information you can take and be a good player.”Connolly’s skill with both bat and ball makes him an attractive prospect for Australia as they look ahead to a five-Test tour of India in 2027. He is aware that the Australia A tour is the perfect time to work on improving his game in the subcontinent, because he knows that as a spin-bowling allrounder, he will likely get more opportunities to play in this part of the world.”I am just trying to add to my game in the subcontinent,” Connolly said. “Trying to work out how I can play spin better. And then also with my bowling, how I can create opportunities, how I can spin the ball, how I can change the game with the ball. I feel like I am trying to be a game changer. So I am just trying to work out where I can chip in best for the team.”

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank will have been left delighted by the creativity and bravery that his team showed in their 4-0 win over Copenhagen on Tuesday night.

The Lilywhites were down to ten men for most of the second half after Brennan Johnson was sent off, but managed to score another two goals after that.

They should have had a fifth goal late on when Richarlison stepped up from the penalty spot, only for the Brazil international’s effort to come crashing back off the woodwork.

Tottenham created more ‘big chances’ (eight) than they have in any other match in any competition in the 2025/26 campaign against the Danish side, which is why Frank should be incredibly pleased with his team’s display.

The former Brentford head coach will also be delighted with the continued form of central defender Micky van de Ven, who stepped up to score yet again.

No Spurs player has scored more goals than the former Wolfsburg star in all competitions this season (six) per Transfermarkt, which may draw some comparisons to a player from another team in North London.

How Micky van de Ven is becoming Tottenham's most important player

The Netherlands international is quickly becoming Tottenham’s most important player because of how crucial he is to the team both defensively and offensively.

Of course, as a centre-back, Van de Ven’s primary objective is to prevent the opposition from scoring. Spurs have only conceded eight goals in ten Premier League matches, with the Dutchman starting all ten games.

Per Sofascore, the left-footed defender has won 61% of his ground duels in the division, which speaks to his physical dominance on the deck, and that has played a part in the team’s impressive defensive record.

It would be impossible to speak about Van de Ven without mentioning his incredible goalscoring exploits, though, including his stunning goal in the win over Copenhagen.

As aforementioned, the Dutch star is the club’s top goalscorer in all competitions, which could draw comparison to Arsenal centre-back Gabriel, who has scored 22 goals for the Gunners in 226 matches, per Transfermarkt.

Top scoring CBs in the 25/26 Premier League

Player

Goals

Micky van de Ven

3

Joe Rodon

2

Trevoh Chalobah

2

Gabriel

1

Nordi Mukiele

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Van de Ven is the top-scoring central defender in the Premier League so far this season, with two more goals than Gabriel.

These statistics show that he has been influential at both ends of the pitch for Spurs, which is why he is becoming Frank’s most important player.

However, whilst Van de Ven does share some similarities with Gabriel, there is another Tottenham central defender who could be Frank’s own version of the Arsenal star.

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18-year-old defender Luka Vuskovic is currently out on loan at Hamburg in the Bundesliga, and his performances this season suggest that he has the potential to be Tottenham’s own Gabriel in the future.

Why Luka Vuskovic can be Tottenham's own Gabriel

Like both Gabriel and Van de Ven, the Croatian youngster has shown that he can provide a threat as a goalscorer, with seven goals at club level in all competitions since the start of last season, per Sofascore.

On top of those competitive goals, the teenage starlet also scored for Spurs in pre-season against Reading earlier this year before his move to Hamburg on loan.

Vuskovic, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed is “turning into a Goal Machine”, has the potential to provide a regular threat at the top end of the pitch, as much as a centre-back can, for Tottenham in the future after his loan spell in Germany.

However, it is in his defensive work that he could be most like Gabriel for the Lilywhites, because he has been in phenomenal form as a defensive force for Hamburg in the Bundesliga so far this term.

Vuskovic’s performance against Union Berlin at the end of September was particularly eye-catching, as he set a Bundesliga record for aerial duels won in a game over the past decade.

For all of Van de Ven’s positive attributes, the Dutchman has lost 54% of his aerial duels and only won 1.3 aerial duels per game in the Premier League this season.

Meanwhile, Gabriel has won 60% of his aerial duels and won 3.3 per game, as a dominant player in the air, for Arsenal, per Sofascore, which suggests that the Brazilian has the beating of him in that area of the game.

25/26 season

Vuskovic (Bundesliga)

Van de Ven (Premier League)

Appearances

7

10

Sofascore rating

7.49

7.08

Clearances per game

9.7

3.4

Blocks per game

1.6

0.3

Ground duels won per game

2.4

1.9

Aerial duels won per game

6.9

1.3

Aerial duel success rate

86%

46%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Vuskovic has been unbelievably dominant aerially in the Bundesliga in the 2025/26 campaign, and has outperformed Van de Ven in a host of defensive metrics.

This suggests that the Croatian defender has the potential to come in and offer even more to Spurs than the Dutchman as a centre-back, as he can carry as much of a threat offensively whilst being more effective defensively, particularly in the air.

Given how important Van de Ven currently is to Tottenham and Frank, this speaks to just how exciting Vuskovic is as a prospect for the club moving forward, as he has the potential to be their own version of Gabriel.

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Posts ByDan Emery Nov 5, 2025

That was about as perfect a return from the international break Arsenal could have hoped for.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon and, following losses for Liverpool and Manchester City, had a chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Fortunately, and unlike last season, the Gunners made the most of the opportunity, bulldozing their bitter rivals 4-1.

4

Goals

1

57%

Possession

43%

3

Big Chances

0

17

Total Shots

3

8

Shots on Target

2

1

Saves

4

4

Corners

1

448

Passes

330

There were exceptional performances across the entire pitch for Arsenal, but one player really stood out, a player who could be on his way to becoming the new Ian Wright.

Arsenal's standout performers against Spurs

While every single player performed brilliantly for Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, Lenadro Trossard was once again one of the clear standouts.

The in-form Belgian was a huge attacking threat from the first minute to the 78th, when Noni Madueke replaced him, and it was his brilliant touch and strike that saw the Gunners take the lead.

He then provided an assist for the final goal of the game and made it abundantly clear that he should remain the starting left-winger for the foreseeable future.

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Likewise, even if Viktor Gyokeres is fit to face Chelsea next week, there is a strong argument, made even more so by his display on Sunday, that Mikel Merino should keep his place leading the line.

The Spaniard didn’t score against Spurs, but it was his incredible pass over the top of their backline that led to the opening strike.

Moreover, his constant dropping back into the midfield constantly gave Arteta’s side a numerical advantage there and allowed his attacking teammates to find space further up the pitch.

Finally, he didn’t get on the scoresheet either, but Declan Rice was utterly superb in the middle of the park and looked every bit the £105m monster the Emirates faithful hoped he’d be when they signed him.

The former West Ham United captain was here, there and everywhere. One minute he was winning the ball off a Tottenham player, and the next he was marauding through the middle of the park before laying it off for one of his teammates.

In fact, he provided the assist for the Gunners’ second, and with three key passes on the night, could have easily picked up another.

With all that said, while every Arsenal player impressed against Spurs, one stood out above the rest, a player who could become the club’s new Wright.

Arsenal's new Ian Wright

When it comes to the best player on the pitch against Spurs, it’s impossible to ignore Eberechi Eze.

Thomas Frank might’ve been jokingly asking who he was before the game, but by full-time, he was well aware.

The Gunners’ “unpredictable” summer signing, as dubbed by Rio Ferdinand, etched his name in North London Derby history with the first hat-trick in the game since Alan Sunderland in December 1978.

All three goals were excellent as well, with the first requiring some tidy footwork, the second coming off his weaker foot, and the third coming from the edge of the penalty area.

It was the sort of display that could truly kickstart his career at the club, and one that shows he can be just as effective as he is entertaining.

This is just one of the traits he shares with Gunners legend Wright, who not only became the club’s top goalscorer during his playing days, but was also one of the most thrilling strikers to watch.

Moreover, like the North Londoners’ new number ten, he played with a smile on his face and was clearly as in love with the club as the supporters were in love with him – just look at the reaction to his hat-trick.

On top of that, there is the Crystal Palace connection, with both players representing the South London club before making their move to N5 later in their careers than most.

Finally, both have played for England, and so long as he keeps his form up, the Gunners’ new mercurial midfielder should play a key role for the Three Lions at the World Cup next year.

Ultimately, Arsenal have signed an exceptional game-winning player in Eze, and thanks to his personality, playstyle and love of the club, he could become a modern-day Wright.

"Worst I've seen" – Gary Neville not entirely happy with Arsenal's Tottenham rout

The Gunners prevailed 4-1 in the North London derby on Sunday afternoon.

ByDominic Lund Nov 24, 2025

Liverpool meet Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend, two teams clinging to the old way of things.

The age of corners and long throws is upon us, and here are two sides championing the slick and stylish passing play that was shaped and defined by Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp across so many exciting years at the top of the English game.

This is just a bit of humour, but the truth remains that the Premier League’s tactical culture has shifted in recent months, with table-topping Arsenal masterfully secure in defence and with an incredible knack at scoring from set-pieces.

Arne Slot has tried to adapt by changing things this season, but there the Dutchman’s progress has unravelled after a summer of sweeping change.

Recent wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid have sparked a red revival, but this could be the toughest test of the lot, with the Etihad anything but a happy hunting ground for Liverpool in recent years.

Having reverted to type, Slot may fancy dropping Florian Wirtz for this one, even after the German’s show-stopping performance in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

Why Slot could bench Florian Wirtz

There’s no denying that it’s been a tough ride for Wirtz since he completed a record-breaking £116m transfer from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool this summer.

The 22-year-old is regarded as one of the most exciting creative talents in the world, and having achieved staggering things in his German homeland, had been expected to hit the ground running.

Instead, Wirtz has struggled to settle into Slot’s Liverpool squad, and after ten matches and 610 minutes of action in the Premier League, he still searches for his first goal contribution.

However, there have been undeniable improvements in recent weeks, and against Real Madrid, he came alive.

The attacking midfielder’s time will come, but Slot may opt against recalling him to the starting line-up in the top flight here, instead entrusting a proven formula to get the job done against Guardiola’s title-challenging outfit.

Of course, Wirtz could always make his presence known from the bench, boasting an array of technical qualities simply out of reach for the lion’s share of positional peers across Europe.

Should Wirtz be dropped, there is another Redman who could take his place.

Slot must unleash the new Mo Salah

While it might seem like Cody Gakpo would be the perfect candidate to return to the left wing, Slot has intimated on several occasions that Hugo Ekitike has the athleticism and awareness to play off the wing.

Ultimately, that decision lies with Slot. But, without question, Liverpool must unleash Alexander Isak at number nine if the 26-year-old is given the green light.

The precondition to this indeed being an assessment of the Sweden international’s fitness, of course. Isak has missed Liverpool’s past four matches in all competitions as he recovers from a groin injury picked up against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League last month.

There’s nothing quite like Liverpool vs Manchester City in the Premier League. Some of the greatest games in the division’s history have been contested between these two heavyweights over the past decade.

Isak has struggled since completing his British-record £125m move to Anfield from Newcastle on transfer deadline day, only playing eight times and scoring just once.

GK

Giorgi Mamardashvili

RB

Conor Bradley

CB

Ibrahima Konate

CB

Virgil van Dijk

LB

Andy Robertson

DM

Ryan Gravenberch

CM

Dominik Szoboszlai

CM

Alexis Mac Allister

RW

Mohamed Salah

LW

Hugo Ekitike

CF

Alexander Isak

However, injuries and Liverpool’s wider imbalances have inhibited him, and this could be the perfect opponent for him to announce himself as the club’s new talisman, taking the baton from the great Mohamed Salah as he begins to wind down.

Isak hasn’t hit his stride on Merseyside yet, but we all know what he is capable of. Last season, he scored 27 goals for the Magpies, including a strike against Liverpool at Wembley to clinch the Carabao Cup. Jamie Carragher was in awe, hailing him as “the best striker in the Premier League” back in January.

Isak typically operates higher than his counterpart, Ekitike. He is fast and intelligent, and his skill at playing off a defender and peeling away down the lane and into the danger area is almost matchless across Europe.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

Such data signifies not only his ball-carrying ability but his ability to drop deep and funnel play forward before blistering ahead himself and join the attack that he sparked off in the first place.

Wirtz and Isak have a partnership in the making, but fielding both here might not be the best course of action. City will look to dominate on the ball and overwhelm a Liverpool backline that has shown itself to be shaky across multiple matches this season.

It had been nine years since Liverpool last beat Man City away from home in the Premier League. That was before Slot came along.

Things are different for both clubs since that springtime showdown last year, but with Isak up front for the Reds, they will have their answer to the wrecking ball that is Erling Haaland, and maybe it will be enough to steer the champions over the line.

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Liverpool need to sign a new centre-back in 2026.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 7, 2025

The atmosphere around West Ham United at the moment is starting to feel rather toxic.

Nuno Espírito Santo was able to earn a point and inspire an impressive fightback in his opening game away to Everton, but since then, things have gone from bad to worse.

A loss away to Arsenal is understandable, but the defeats to Brentford and Leeds United were diabolical, and some major changes are needed to inspire the side to Premier League survival this term.

Therefore, while it’s risky, Nuno should look to play a few of the club’s promising academy talents, including one who could develop into a future Mark Nobel-type figure for them.

The West Ham youngsters Nuno should give a chance

Now, it should be said that if West Ham were playing even remotely well this season, then bringing in a few youngsters would probably be a bad idea.

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However, as things stand, the East Londoners are the second-worst team in the league, so it’s probably worth throwing in some promising prospects, as at least they would give it everything and help address the side’s dire lack of athleticism.

One of those who should be given a go is 20-year-old Mohamadou Kanté, who just signed a new deal with the club.

The “colossal” French midfielder, as dubbed by one analyst, is a particularly promising talent and has even been compared to former Hammer “Mo Diame” for his “intelligent composed passing” and “long-ranging legs that eat up ground.”

On top of having that pace and power, which is severely lacking in Nuno’s squad, the youngster is also proving to be something of a goal threat for the junior sides.

For example, despite playing in central and defensive midfield, he has already scored and assisted two goals in nine appearances for the U21s this season.

Speaking of goalscoring prospects, with Niclas Füllkrug out and Callum Wilson simply not good enough, it might be time to give Josh Landers a go in the first team.

Landers’ 25/26

Appearances

6

Minutes

359′

Goals

5

Assists

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.83

Minutes per Goal Involvement

71.8′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

So far this season, the 18-year-old Scotsman has scored five goals in six appearances for the U21s, totalling just 359 minutes.

Finally, it might be time to give Preston Fearon a proper runout with the senior side.

The 18-year-old gem made an appearance during pre-season and has been described as a “special player” by Jarrod Bowen, who added that he’s “never seen someone nutmeg so many people in training.”

With all that said, there is another, slightly older academy graduate who has played for the first team, but should now be getting even more minutes, someone who could be a future Noble.

West Ham's future Noble

Now, while someone like Fearon could go on to emulate some of the best qualities of a Noble, he’s still only 18, and so it’s difficult to predict what sort of player he’ll become.

The same is not necessarily true of Freddie Potts.

There is still a long way to go in the 22-year-old’s career, but even so, there are already some key similarities between him and the West Ham legend.

Firstly, he is very much one of the Hammers’ own, as he spent his entire youth career with the East Londoners and has only played for other teams while out on loan.

Moreover, he is a fan of the club, and so when the supporters sang “Freddie Potts, he’s one of our own” away to Everton earlier this season, it was one of those rare occasions when that phrase is entirely true.

This is also why journalist Dan Woffenden said that, unlike some of the other players in the squad today, he “at least understands what it means to wear the shirt.”

On top of all this, the Barking-born ace is also positionally similar to the Irons legend, with his best position being in the middle of the park.

Furthermore, while he isn’t likely to go on any mazy runs or score wonder goals like some other midfielders, he looks to be a reliable, no-nonsense throwback of a footballer.

That’s not to say he cannot help out with attacking phases of play, though, as respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described the 22-year-old as someone blessed with an impressive “passing range and powerful carrying” ability.

Ultimately, Noble is a legend, and while West Ham aren’t going to find someone just like him, Potts looks like he could develop into the modern version of him for Nuno this season.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 27, 2025

Manchester United has been the home to countless elite-level players over the years, with the majority of whom coming during the Sir Alex Ferguson reign.

From homegrown talents to big-money additions, the Red Devils faithful truly have been blessed with a conveyor belt of talents who can get the fans off their seats.

The success of the football club as a result simply can’t be understated, with their tally of 13 Premier League titles the most of any side since the division’s formation in 1992.

However, the Red Devils are without a top-flight title since 2013, with current boss Ruben Amorim the next manager in a long list to try and end such a drought.

Whilst he was only able to guide the club to a 15th-placed finish last time around, there’s a completely different feel at the Theatre of Dreams – one of optimism after years of struggles on the pitch.

Man Utd’s current crop of world-class talents

World-class has become such a loosely used term in the modern game, with countless players undeserving of such a title compared to players in years before them.

Bruno Fernandes is a player more than deserving of such praise, especially given his performances last season, which certainly prevented United from a potential relegation battle.

The Portuguese international ended 2024/25 on a staggering 37 combined goals and assists – truly leading from the front and highlighting why he’s been handed the captain’s armband.

However, some of the pressure will no doubt have been lifted from his shoulders this season, after the £71m addition of Bryan Mbeumo from Premier League rivals Brentford.

The Cameroonian may have cost a pretty penny, but he’s already hit the ground running in Manchester, as seen by his tally of five goals and one assist in all competitions.

His tally of four Premier League goals sees him sit top of the Red Devils’ top scorer charts, but also joint-fourth in the entire division – further showcasing how impressive he’s been since his big-money transfer.

The 26-year-old wasn’t alone in joining the club for huge money during the off-season, with attacking midfielder Matheus Cunha joining Amorim’s men for a reported £62.5m.

The Brazilian has since operated alongside Mbeumo in the number ten role at Old Trafford, subsequently deserving of the world-class label alongside the Cameroonian.

Cunha may have only scored his first goal for the club last Saturday, but it’s been a long time coming, with his underlying stats showcasing the threat he’s carried in forward areas.

He currently has the highest average number of shots on target per 90 at United, whilst also completing the most dribbles per 90 – already looking well worth the money paid for his signature.

The United player who’s becoming one of the world’s best

United haven’t been alien to spending huge funds on new talents over the years, as seen by their total of around £800m spent since the summer of 2022 alone.

Many players in that time had high expectations to deliver at Old Trafford, but ultimately fell way below them, as seen by Brazilian winger Antony – who cost a staggering £86m.

He arrived at the club from Ajax alongside then-boss Erik ten Hag, but only managed a measly tally of 12 goals in 96 appearances – subsequently leaving for just £21m to join Real Betis this summer.

However, not all of their huge investments have been a disaster, with centre-back Leny Yoro already proving to be a worthwhile investment 12 months on from his arrival.

The Frenchman was only 18 at the time of his transfer from Lille, but it didn’t stop the United hierarchy from spending a reported £52m for his services.

Many raised eyebrows given the nature of the transfer fee, but the teenage sensation has wasted no time in cementing his place as a regular starter within the first-team ranks.

He’s already racked up 42 senior appearances for the Red Devils – even scoring a decisive goal in their Europa League quarter-final clash with Lyon last campaign.

Amorim is certainly a huge fan of the 19-year-old, with Yoro featuring in every single Premier League game in 2025/26 to date – often partnering Luke Shaw and Matthijs de Ligt.

Podcaster Matt Spiro has spoken about his admiration for the youngster earlier this season, subsequently labelling the teenager as one of the “best in the world”.

His comments are certainly bold, but Yoro’s stats from 2025/26 back up his claim, with the centre-back ranking in the top 20% of all players in the Premier League for aerial duels won.

He’s also made 1.8 interceptions and 1.3 tackles per 90 to date, undoubtedly playing a key role in United’s ability to win five of their last matches under Amorim.

Games played

9

Minutes played

548

Pass accuracy

87%

Tackles won

1.3

Aerials won

70%

Long ball accuracy

44%

Recoveries made

3.5

Interceptions made

1.8

The French sensation is also extremely comfortable in possession, as reflected in his 87% pass completion rate and tally of 2.3 long balls completed per 90.

It’s evident that Yoro has all of the tools that a centre-back needs to flourish in the modern game, but it truly is a scary thought given the fact he’s still just getting started in the professional game.

He easily has another decade to grow into the men’s game and develop further – which could see United’s investment of £52m become one of the best deals in recent history.

Should he continue on such a trajectory, there’s little doubt that Yoro will be in that world-class bracket – potentially having a huge bearing on any future success at Old Trafford.

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ByEthan Lamb Oct 29, 2025

Thomas Frank’s position as Tottenham Hotspur manager is under scrutiny following the 4-1 North London derby defeat against Arsenal.

Tottenham’s humiliating defeat at the Emirates Stadium was arguably the low point of the Frank era so far, hardly laying a glove on their bitter rivals, with their only goal coming from a piece of Richarlison magic and just 0.07 expected goals (xG) recorded by the visitors.

Spurs have fallen to ninth in the Premier League table, but they are still within touching distance of the Champions League places, despite picking up just one point in their last three games.

It is the manner of the loss that will be particularly concerning, however, with Frank’s side once again looking extremely poor going forward, having also struggled to create any opportunities in the 1-0 home defeat against Chelsea.

As such, the manager is undoubtedly under pressure, and there has now been a new update on his future in north London.

Tottenham players concerned by Frank's tactics and lineups

In a report for The Telegraph, journalist Matt Law has revealed the Tottenham hierarchy are determined to give the Dane time to put things right, despite the disappointing loss against the Gunners, but some players have two very worrying concerns.

Indeed, some members of the squad believe the 52-year-old has been focusing on the opposition too much, instead of concentrating on the strengths of his own players, with sources around Spurs also of the belief he has chopped and changed his forward line too much.

Only Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea have rotated their starting XI more often than the Lilywhites this season, which is named as one of the reasons for the inconsistent results, but Frank seemingly remains safe in his job for the time being.

Thomas Frank’s Tottenham record
Games	19
Wins	8
Draws	5
Losses	6
Points per game	1.53

It would be a little early to relieve the manager from his duties, given that Spurs are within touching distance of the play-offs, but the negative approach has to be called into question.

When asked whether he was surprised by Tottenham’s defensive approach, Leandro Trossard said: “Yeah, maybe a bit. Because as I said, it’s still Spurs. But we have been facing a back five a lot of times this season, so we’re kind of used to it.”

It is understandable not to play an extremely high line away against Arsenal, given that they have the joint-best attacking record in the Premier League, but the lack of attacking threat is inexcusable.

It is a short turnaround for Tottenham, who face another tough test away against reigning Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.

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Nov 8, 2025