India’s unlikely batting hero on the third morning helped add a century stand and put the visitors on track for what could be a famous win

Nagraj Gollapudi02-Aug-2025

Akash Deep went for a big one early in the day•Getty Images

Akash Deep had been asking for lots of love at The Oval.On Friday, he put an arm around the departing Ben Duckett, who was caught behind playing a reverse-scoop. Until then, the England left-hander had inflicted a lot of pain on Akash Deep, spanking him for 25 runs from 24 deliveries with five boundaries, including a reverse-scooped six. While Duckett was responsible for his own wicket, Akash Deep opted to give him a polite farewell. Bodily contact is not permissible under the ICC rules and umpire Ahsan Raza did have a word with him, probably reminding him of the dos and don’ts.The duo would soon exchange more pleasantries, as Akash Deep walked in as a nightwatcher in the last over of the second day. Akash Deep flicked a leg-side delivery from Gus Atkinson for four and took a leg-bye before the over ended. Duckett would later whisper a few things to Yashasvi Jaiswal and Akash Deep after the pair pointed out to the umpires that the light was not good to face the seamers. Stumps were called 15 minutes before the scheduled close time. So Akash Deep was well aware that England would want his wicket as soon play resumed on Saturday.Related

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But he was least bothered. He walked onto the ground about an hour before start in his blue singlet and tracksuit bottoms and among the first things he did was hug the tender giant, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel, tightly. We wouldn’t know the context, but Akash Deep certainly had a good night’s sleep and was ready to have a good time. Perhaps he was telling Morkel to show him some love after recovering from a wayward first spell on Friday and helping Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna hasten England’s downfall on a cloudy and overcast afternoon.Yashasvi Jaiswal and Akash Deep added 107 together•Getty ImagesAkash Deep’s self-confidence was on display from the first over of Saturday morning. He swept the third ball from part-time left-arm spinner Jacob Bethell for four and repeated the stroke by going down on his left knee to pick another two. India had opted for the heavy roller on Saturday to flatten the early moisture on a pitch that has been highly favourable to the seamers. You were not the only one to think that it would be Jaiswal, and not Akash Deep, who would cash in on the early advantage.Nightwatchers like Akash Deep are meant to enjoy their luck as long as it lasts and depart. So far in this Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, India’s tail had been limp: between Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh and Anshul Kamboj, they had scored 49 runs in nine innings before Saturday, with Siraj’s 8 being the highest. The only time it wagged a bit was towards the end of the Lord’s Test match when India fell short by 22 runs.Akash Deep would not forget that Test. He had walked in as a nightwatcher on the fourth evening at Lord’s and survived 11 deliveries but failed to defend a ball from England captain Ben Stokes that broke his stumps. He had just made one run.On day three at The Oval, Akash Deep decided to be bolder. Atkinson, who conducts himself as if part of the Prime Minister’s security detail – cold stare, upright, no emotion, clipped words – had been ruthless in his return to playing Test since May, picking up a five-for in the first innings. When he replaced Bethell from the Pavilion End in the third over of the morning, Shubman Gill would’ve been ready to walk out any minute. But Akash Deep had the India fan as well as some of the England ones erupt in excitement as he hacked a four through midwicket against a fuller ball from Atkinson. He would open the bat face to guide the ball past gully for another four in the next over, as Josh Tongue banged it back-of-length well outside of off stump.Akash Deep celebrates his maiden Test fifty•Getty ImagesWhile he was beating the outside edge frequently, Tongue was struggling to construct a string of consecutive deliveries to test the tailender. In his next over, he slipped in a nip-backer that had Akash Deep, on 21, caught on the back foot straight in front of the stumps. But umpire Raza remained unconvinced. Akash Deep survived as the DRS showed it was only clipping the leg stump. Next ball, Tongue’s frustration grew deeper as Zak Crawley spilled the outside edge.Thereafter, Akash Deep remained unruffled as he defended with a straight bat, judged the length quickly and reacted on the merit of the ball. Atkinson suffered for his mistakes as Akash Deep pulled him off the front foot, cut him in front of square and even played the uppercut for fours to bring up the fifty-run partnership with Jaiswal. An inside-edge would sneak behind square leg for a four and bring a loud shriek of excitement from Akash Deep as he celebrated his maiden Test fifty. It was the first time everyone in the Indian dressing room stood up to applaud an innings that was hurting England dearly.In the process, Akash Deep became only the second nightwatcher for India in this century to score a half-century after Amit Mishra, who achieved the feat twice.By the time he was eventually out, getting a leading edge off an attempted checked pull to Atkinson at point, Akash Deep had exacerbated the England seamers’ agony. They had barely got a break to relax after bowling India out in the first innings and now stared at a hard, long day’s work with India’s main batters to follow. Akash Deep had faced 92 of the 146 deliveries till his wicket. Importantly, his 107-run partnership with Jaiswal would gain weight as the day grew older and England attempted a mini-comeback in the middle session.This has already been a cathartic series for Akash Deep, who revealed during the Edgbaston Test that his sister had been diagnosed with cancer. He missed the fourth Test in Manchester with a groin niggle and was holding his bowling shoulder frequently throughout the first innings here. But Akash Deep has not allowed emotion to overwhelm him or stunt his job.As he walked back and climbed up the stairs to the dressing room on Saturday, Akash Deep got a standing ovation from his team-mates and coaches as well as the full-house crowd at The Oval. Akash Deep had asked for love and got it. In return, he did something which could be a catalyst if India go on to win.

A new league, a new routine, and a surprisingly “boring” life in Germany – John Tolkin tells GOAL he’s finding stability at Kiel just as his USMNT chance reopens.

If you’ve followed John Tolkin’s career, “boring” is just about the last word you’d use to describe him. This is a player who once said he wanted to retire to a private island so he could spearfish and play Wii Golf all day. A player who changed his hairstyle almost weekly in MLS. A player teammate Jack McGlynn once called “a different kind of human,” and who has described himself as a “simple creature” with plenty of thoughts about New Jersey car rides, American food composition and tiki bars.

So how could Tolkin ever be boring? As it turns out, he means something different. “Boring” now reflects a sense of stability – a comfort level he’s been searching for. As he pushes for a World Cup place, boring means consistency, and consistency at a high level. It means settling into a rhythm in a new league, at a still-new club that’s beginning to feel like home.

For one of American soccer’s most distinctive personalities, boring might actually be a welcome change.

"I've actually been pretty boring lately. For me, it's just going to training and playing, man. It's the easy life," Tolkin tells GOAL. "It's been about being super low-key. It'll stay like that from now until the Christmas break and that's it, man. I've been chilling. That's it: just chilling."

He hasn’t exactly been sitting still, though. In recent months, Tolkin has become one of the 2. Bundesliga’s most effective attacking outlets with Holstein Kiel, contributing one goal and two assists as he rebounds from the frustration of relegation last season to play some of the best football of his career. He’s also worked his way back into the USMNT picture, delivering his strongest senior performance in the 2025 finale against Uruguay. Taken together, there’s plenty for Tolkin to feel energized about – even as he embraces this new, low-key version of himself.

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  A home in Germany

  Much of 2025 has been a whirlwind for Tolkin. Shortly after joining the USMNT for January camp, he was whisked away to Germany to complete a big European move to Holstein Kiel from the New York Red Bulls. He wasn’t able to save the club from relegation, but he still earned a late call to the USMNT’s Gold Cup squad. Then it was straight back to Kiel for preseason, taking just four days off after the tournament.

  “It was hard,” he says, “but that’s what it is, right? … I kick a ball for a living, you know?”

  Getting back quickly also had its benefits, allowing him to begin the most important process: making Germany feel like home.

  “It’s good now,” he says. “I met a neighbor the other day – he’s a Kiel fan. He and his wife were lovely. I’ve joined a golf club, too. Me and my teammates all belong to this club, and on off days we’ll go play. I’m not gonna lie: I’m cooking these fools out there. That’s been a fun one.”

  Over the last few months, those simple comforts have helped Kiel start to feel like his own. It’s not a small city – about 250,000 people – but it’s a far cry from the New York and New Jersey metro area where he grew up and made his name in MLS. Now that he’s settled, Tolkin has embraced it.

  That wasn’t always a given. Transfer rumors swirled after the club’s relegation, and there were real questions about whether he would stay. But Tolkin ultimately remained, giving him the chance to continue the journey – both the club’s and his own.

  “I was freaking out the other day,” he says with a laugh. “I was on the phone and said I was going to fly back home after [USMNT] camp, and they were like, ‘You’re going to New Jersey?!’ Nope – I meant Kiel. I guess it does feel like home. Naturally, it took a few months to settle into it.”

  He said his family is flying in from New Jersey for Thanksgiving, and added that spending more time with his teammates this season – a tight locker room with “a lot of cool guys,” as he put it – has helped Kiel start to feel like home.

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  'It's like a f***ing war'

  What matters now is how that translates onto the pitch. Kiel have struggled to establish upward momentum, sitting closer to the relegation zone than the promotion race, but Tolkin’s individual performances have stood out in his first full season in Germany.

  Tolkin was thrown into the deep end last season, joining a club experiencing its first, and now only, year in the Bundesliga. Survival was always going to be difficult given the quality of the league, and Kiel eventually finished 17th.

  “I think last year, a lot of teams had more possession than us, and we would look to counter a lot,” Tolkin says. “This season, especially at home, we’ve had a lot of the ball, and I like having a lot of the ball. It’s been nice – more possession, more fluidity. Teams also respect us because we’re coming from the first division. It’s good and bad, but the possession and control have been nice.”

  Tolkin has taken advantage. He scored his first goal of the season on Aug. 17 in a DFB-Pokal win over Homburg, followed a week later by another against Greuther Fürth. He then provided an assist against Hannover and added another in late September against Karlsruher. Defensively, he has been just as effective: the 23-year-old currently ranks fifth in the 2. Bundesliga in interceptions.

  There is an asterisk – it is still a second division. But anyone familiar with the 2. Bundesliga knows it is a unique environment: one that may lack the top-to-bottom polish of the Bundesliga but matches its passion and often exceeds it in intensity.

  “It’s a grind, man. It’s like a f***ing war,” he says. “Maybe the technical ability isn’t the same as the first league, but in terms of intensity and guys laying themselves on the line? It’s a different level.”

  He points to a recent match: a 1-0 win at Schalke, one of German soccer's most famous teams.

  “When we went there, it was like, ‘Oh my God, this is the second division? This doesn’t seem right.’ The fans, the stadiums, the atmospheres – they’re as good as the first division.”

  The grind of the 2. Bundesliga also prepared Tolkin for a USMNT return. Called back into the team in November, Tolkin was handed a massive chance in one of the final pre-World Cup camps. He seized it by putting in his best USMNT shift yet.

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  Renewed USMNT aspirations

  Tolkin’s showing against Uruguay was, admittedly, easy to overlook – understandable given the nature of the match. The USMNT ran away as 5-1 winners, overwhelming Uruguay with a barrage of goals in a comprehensive team display.

  Starting as the left wingback, Tolkin played his part. He logged 75 minutes, completed 17 of 20 passes, drew two fouls, created a chance, and completed two crosses into the final third. Defensively, he stuffed the stat sheet with two interceptions, a tackle, and several clearances. Most notably, he was never dribbled past.

  Tolkin isn’t the only one coming into his own; the USMNT is, too. The growth traces back to the Gold Cup, which Mauricio Pochettino has called a turning point. Tolkin featured four times in that tournament and says the group rediscovered its competitive edge.

  “The team showed that we do care and that we want to win,” he says. “Maybe it’s not pretty all the time, but the passion is there.”

  The U.S. showed a bit of that fight against Paraguay with a late scuffle, which players pointed to as a positive sign.

  "A lot of these teams around the world use that stuff to their advantage, so when you can level it out, that's good," he says. "Now, I'm not promoting real fighting, but, hey, if you need to defend yourself? I'm all for that."

  A new fight is beginning now, one within the USMNT, and Tolkin is right in the middle of it.

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  Day by day

  With the World Cup approaching, Tolkin sits on the fringes of the USMNT picture. He hasn’t been a regular starter – three of his four Gold Cup appearances came off the bench – but his showing against Uruguay offered a timely reminder of his value. Whether a strong run with Kiel can keep him in the conversation remains to be seen.

  “It’s close, but it’s in what, six months? It’s still a lot of time, and you can’t really think about it,” he says. “Maybe it’s in the back of your mind, but you have to focus on how you perform every day. You can’t get to the end without the before.”

  For now, his focus is on helping Kiel climb the table.

  “I think the team is a little inexperienced, but we’re hungry,” he says. “There are a lot of quality players, and I think in the second half of the season you’ll see a serious push. Personally, it’s been alright, but I think we need more goals. If I can help with that, great.”

  The path is straightforward: keep his head down, train, grind, and let the results follow. It may feel a bit boring now – at least until everything takes off. For the moment, Tolkin is embracing a rare stretch of calm, even as he looks ahead to what may come next.

India captain says “If we want to win the match, then never mind the combination”

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-20254:23

Suryakumar: ‘I am in a good space, runs will come eventually’

India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav agreed that selecting a squad of 15 can sometimes gets challenging, with multiple options in the race for one slot, but said that the players understand the team’s needs and have their focus on one simple goal: to help India win matches.”It’s a good headache to have so many options, [whether] fast bowlers, [or] spinners,” Suryakumar said ahead of the first T20I against Australia in Canberra. “From the top to No. 7, everyone is flexible; anyone can bat anywhere. It is a little difficult during squad selection, but in this team, the atmosphere is such that everyone knows that the goal is to win.”If we want to win the match, then never mind the combination. So, even if someone has done well in the last two matches, but he is not fitting in the combination for the next game – for example, if we want to play an extra spinner or play an allrounder instead of a fast bowler – the player understands. We have reached that situation.”Related

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Suryakumar jokingly suggested that he maintains “a good friendship with everyone”, making it easier to tell them when they are not playing. But he has asked all 15 members of the squad to be ready at all times.”See, only 11 people can play, 15 cannot play, but according to me, anyone can get an opportunity at any time,” he said. “In the Asia Cup, Rinku Singh did not get the opportunity till the final, but he got a chance at such a time, when he needed 3-4 runs to win [the match] and he hit the boundary. I keep telling everyone to keep preparing and you never know when your opportunity can come. It can come in an important game; anything can happen.”Suryakumar was also glad to have Jasprit Bumrah back in the India squad after the fast bowler was rested for the ODI series and expected him to be the “guy who will take charge” against Australia, particularly in the powerplay.”As you saw in the Asia Cup, he took the responsibility of bowling two overs minimum in the powerplay,” Suryakumar said, “It is good that he is raising his hand. It is going to be a good challenge against the Aussie team in the powerplay.”The way he has played his cricket for the last so many years, he has kept himself right on the top, and he knows how to prepare for a good series. He knows how to come and play cricket here. I think he has visited this country the most of all the guys. So all of them have spoken to him. He is very open and very helpful in that, but yeah definitely when he takes the ground, starting from tomorrow, it will be a good thing. Good to have him in the squad, when we play in Australia.”Jasprit Bumrah will make a return to the India squad•Getty Images

India haven’t had recent success in Australia. They lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 in December-January and then went down in the ODI series 2-1 earlier this month. But Suryakumar doesn’t feel the recent losses will have any bearing on the T20I series, particularly considering India’s form, having lost just two of their last 15 T20Is.”According to me, it’s a different format,” he said. “The team is the same, but the format is almost different: Test, one-day and T20. And [as for] the brand of T20, we will continue playing the brand of cricket that we have been playing. There is no need to change anything and according to me, there are always challenging conditions, when you go to Australia, England, South Africa, [or] New Zealand. There is challenging cricket in all these countries, but at the same time, how you adapt to it and how you think about how to play shots, how to make runs.”I think it is non-negotiable at this level, you do your preparation and come. I feel it’s a good thing, good challenge to have going forward and we are playing five T20s, so I think it will be more fun.”Suryakumar Yadav has not scored a half-century in his last 14 innings•AFP/Getty Images

Suryakumar’s own form has been under scrutiny. He had a lukewarm Asia Cup 2025, managing just 72 runs in seven innings at an average of 18.00. The 35-year-old, however, isn’t fussed about his form as long as India keep winning.”I feel I have been working really hard,” he said. “I have had good few sessions back home, good two to three sessions here, so I am in a good space. I think that is really important… runs, it will come eventually but I think working hard towards the team goal, it’s more important what team wants from you in different situations. I take one game at a time and if it starts then I think it will be a good thing.”The one area where India have struggled in recent times has been their fielding. They were guilty of dropping many chances in the Asia Cup, and while Suryakumar reckons that fielding lapses are a part of the game, he wants the team to give the fielding department special attention.”See, catches do get dropped,” he said. “As a fielder, when you attempt a catch, sometimes you spill it. A batter gets dismissed, a bowler at times doesn’t get wickets. This is a part of the game. But, according to me, what you do after that is important. It was an optional session today, but everyone came to work on their fielding.”That means the team is working towards something really special. This is a department which I have told them we have to work really hard if we want to be the best fielding unit in the world. You have seen teams taking good catches, saving runs… they win matches through their fielding.”Sometimes the batting and bowling go awry, but you can also win matches through fielding. We are working hard. But there is no guarantee that if you take 25 catches today, then you won’t drop one tomorrow. You can drop, it’s part of the game but how much you want the ball to come to you, how much intent and opportunity you create, that is important for me. If someone drops a catch, it’s not a problem. There is disappointment, but at the same time, if you put in the effort, then there’s no problem.”

Arne Slot has intimated multiple times this season his belief that Liverpool are conceding a disproportionate number of goals while failing to finish their chances off up top.

To a degree, this is true. Expected Goals Against (xGA) tell of the Anfield side’s struggles at the back, having conceded 20 times in the Premier League this season despite only conceding an xGA total of 15.5.

But that is only one dimension of a many-angled crisis for the Merseysiders, who have been sapped of strength and style and confidence after dispatching their rivals to storm to the Premier League title last season.

Liverpool are also joint-fifth for big chances created this season (35), while Chelsea are first with 39 created. Not exactly a world away, and when you consider that no team have had more possession than Liverpool this term (61.5%), you’d perhaps argue that Slot has all the ingredients to get his squad playing to his tune.

Football works in weird ways, though, and Liverpool have been shambolic. Something needs to give, and while defence and attack both share issues, it is a tough, physical presence in midfield that the Reds are lacking this season.

Liverpool need to sign a holding midfielder

Last season, Slot bounced back from the frustration of being rejected by Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi by converting Ryan Gravenberch into a robust, deep-lying midfielder. It paid dividends, with Liverpool lifting the Premier League title for the second time in five years.

Liverpool are such a far cry from the robust level of last year it almost beggars belief, with Gravenberch lacking the physicality and strength to give the Anfield side what they need to turn things around.

With Alexis Mac Allister also struggling, it could be that a robust new presence in the middle could turn the tide at Anfield, and sources from overseas suggest that that is what sporting director Richard Highes is focusing on right now.

Well, according to reports in Spain, Liverpool have made a staggering British record bid for Real Madrid star Federico Valverde, worth something in the region of €150m (equating to £132m).

Dissent is rife at the Santiago Bernabeu, with suggestions of breakdowns in the relationship between head coach Xabi Alonso and star players such as Vinicius Junior.

Liverpool are looking to capitalise, adding Uruguay international Valverde to their ranks and reinforcing their midfield with a combative presence and a leader of men.

What Valverde would offer Liverpool

Valverde, 27, has been at Real Madrid for the lion’s share of his senior career, having joined the Spaniard from Penarol in his homeland way back in 2015.

A dynamic and multi-functional player, Valverde has chalked up 339 senior appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 32 goals and supplying 35 assists. He was once described as a “monster in the making” with “world-class potential” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and it’s fair to say Valverde has lived up to the hype on that account.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 11% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 17% for progressive passes, the top 20% for progressive carries, the top 17% for interceptions and the top 1% for switches (rekindling something of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s passing range, perhaps).

The data-led platform reveal Arsenal’s Declan Rice to be among his most statistically comparable players, to give a flavour of his style (though Liverpool fans are already well-acquainted with Valverde’s talent).

Moreover, Valverde’s steely defensive qualities could be the perfect way to reinforce Liverpool’s midfield while maintaining a kind of broadness of style that Slot is known to covet from his engine room workers.

Central midfield

282

19 + 27

Right-back

56

2 + 8

Right wing

33

11 + 4

Defensive midfield

15

1 + 0

Attacking midfield

14

1 + 0

Left-back

7

0 + 0

Centre-back

1

0 + 0

Given Valverde’s Real Madrid connection and his steeliness in the centre of the field – he has won 58% of his duels and averaged 1.7 tackles per game in La Liga, as per Sofascore – the South American could even be Liverpool’s next version of Fabinho, who cut his teeth in the Spanish capital before finding his footing in France with Monaco.

Fabinho, Jurgen Klopp’s all-inspiring midfield anchor for so many years, was also more than capable as a right-back, emphasising the athleticism and tactical intelligence that he shares with Valverde.

The Brazilian differed from Gravenberch in that he was more resilient in his play, less technically gifted, but more suited to a natural role in the six berth.

Valverde could be the perfect addition in this regard, still getting forward when the need arises but bringing a more focused defensive skillset from which Slot’s tactics could bloom once again.

You could argue that Liverpool have missed Fabinho’s presence ever since he left for Saudi Arabia in 2023. With the pendulum swinging within English football once again, and low blocks and more direct play back in fashion, Valverde could be a significant upgrade and a worthwhile addition in spite of the exorbitant cost.

Joe Cole waxed lyrical after one glittering Champions League performance, remarking that Valverde “is every bit as good as Jude Bellingham”.

Quite the praise, that. But Liverpool don’t need Bellingham. They need someone even grittier and more grounded. Fabinho-esque. They need Valverde.

Liverpool teenager who's 'like Pogba' could end Mac Allister's Anfield stay

Liverpool must start handing this prodigious academy talent more chances to impress.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 25, 2025

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Andre Cury, the agent of Chelsea wonderkid Willian Estevao, has hinted at a future transfer to Barcelona for the Brazilian forward less than 24 hours after the 18-year-old scored in a brilliant win over Hansi Flick's side in the Champions League. The Blues crushed the Catalan giants 3-0 at Stamford Bridge, with Estevao playing a starring role and outshining Lamine Yamal on the night.

Estevao stars as Chelsea crush Barca

Estevao has been loving life in the Champions League with Chelsea in his debut campaign in England. The teenager scored a brilliant goal to help crush Barcelona on Tuesday night, becoming the second-youngest player, after Kylian Mbappe, to score in each of his first three Champions League starts in the process. Speaking after the game, Estevao admitted it had been a special night. 

He told the club's media: "I don’t really have the words to sum up how I’m feeling right now. It was the perfect night and I’m grateful to God for making everything happen for me. The goal was all very quick; it happened before I knew it. I saw the space, wiggled my way through and scored. It was definitely the most special moment in my career and I hope I keep scoring more in the years ahead. I’m so happy, also because my family were here watching as well.

"From the moment I arrived at Chelsea, I have felt a connection with the fans. I’m just so happy I can score for them and I hope there are many more. I am enjoying things very much because football is the thing I love to do the most. Playing football will never be a burden for me because it makes me happy."

AdvertisementAFPHow Barcelona missed out on Estevao

Estevao's agent has now spoken out about the youngster's fondness for Barca, revealing that his client held many rounds of talks with the Catalan giants about a move before he signed for Chelsea. Cury told : "We talked to Barca about Estevao in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. We went to the offices to offer the player because I believed that he would have a great future in world football. Barca is not financially healthy and of course it is not possible to carry out an operation. It's sad, but football is like that. The people in Barca's technical staff always approved the signing of Estevao, but Deco was tied up because the club's finances didn’t allow it."

The Brazilian youngster has previously admitted that his biggest dream in football is to play for Barcelona after growing up watching the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in action. Cury went on to add that even though Estevao had missed out on his dream move to Barcelona, he is still very fond of the club: "Estevao has a five-year contract and is enjoying his time at Chelsea. But he has a special affection for Barcelona."

Estevao and Yamal tipped to be the new Messi and Ronaldo

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca had some huge praise for Estevao after the match. He told : "As Raphinha said, probably in the next 10, 15 years, Estevao and Lamine Yamal are probably going to be the next Messi and Ronaldo. But for both, they are 18. They need to enjoy, try to improve every day. This the most important thing for them.

"The goal Estevao scored reminded me of the one he scored against us in the Club World Cup. It's very similar, the same action. He needs to relax. He needs to enjoy his football, he needs to play football. Him and Lamine [Yamal] are such young boys at 18, if you start to talk about Ronaldo and Messi, that's too much pressure for young boys like them. They need to arrive at the training ground happy for sessions, but when you start to compare them with those two, it's too much for them."

Estevao's agent also feels that Estevao and Yamal could feature together in the same team, despite both players preferring to play off the right flank. He added: "Think about the duo Neymar and Messi, it's better than just having Messi or just having Neymar."

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Getty Images SportChelsea face another huge clash next

Chelsea now head into another huge clash as they face Arsenal in a top-of-the-table Premier League showdown on Sunday at Stamford Bridge. The Blues will go into the game in great spirits after a thumping win over Flick's side and know that victory over the Gunners will cut the gap to the league leaders to just three points.

Manav Suthar took three wickets and Akash Deep two on the opening day of the Irani Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025Vidarbha opener Atharva Taide scored an unbeaten 118 on the first day of the Irani Cup in Nagpur, putting his team on course for a strong first-innings total against Rest of India. He wasHe began the day alongside Aman Mokhade, who hit four boundaries during his 27-ball 19, before nicking an Akash Deep delivery in the eighth over of the match. Akash Deep – returning to competitive cricket for the first time since his Test tour of England – found success at either end of the day’s play. He was the most economical bowler for Rest of India, going at just 2.50 across his 14 overs.Akash Deep capped off the day by having Vidarbha captain Akshay Wadkar caught behind for 5 in the 82nd over. Vidarbha were reduced to 275 for 5, and Taide batted out the remaining overs alongside Yash Thakur to take Vidarbha to stumps on 280 for 5.Earlier in the day, Rajasthan allrounder Manav Suthar had threatened to roll them over for much less. Fresh off an eight-for against Australia A in Lucknow, he took back-to-back wickets in his first over – the 23rd of the innings. First, he cleaned up Dhruv Shorey (18) while the batter was playing down the wrong line, before he had Danish Malewar caught behind just three balls later. The latter was the second of three catches Ishan Kishan completed behind the stumps.Akash Deep impressed on his return to competitive cricket•PTI At 80 for 3, 25-year-old Yash Rathod walked in. He stopped the slide and continued his good form from the Duleep Trophy, where he had scored 374 runs in five innings at 124.67. Rathod and Taide batted through the second session, and looked all set to bat till stumps.However, after having hit Suthar for a six just the previous ball in the 74th over, Rathod skipped down the track for the second time in a row and holed out to mid-off on 91 against the run of play. The dismissal ended a 184-run partnership for the fourth wicket.While Akash Deep snared the fifth wicket before the close of play, Taide’s presence in the middle will be essential to Vidarbha’s hopes on the second day. In case an outright result cannot be achieved over five days, the team with the first-innings lead will be declared the winner.Vidarbha will thus be looking to bat deep in their first Irani Cup outing since the 2018-19 edition, which they won through a first-innings lead as well.