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Newcastle United have now identified their next target after a move for Anthony Elanga is completed, according to an update from Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie.

Newcastle agree deal for Elanga

The start of the new Premier League season is edging closer all the time, with Eddie Howe and his players hoping to kick on again in 2025/26, aided by sparkly new signings. Anthony Elanga has been the leading target to come in and make the Magpies even more of an attacking force, arriving as an upgrade on the departed Miguel Almiron, and a deal has now been agreed for aorund £55m.

It also feels like a matter of time until Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford is a Newcastle player, with the young Englishman seen as the perfect long-term replacement for Nick Pope. It would be a shock if he didn’t complete a move in the near future.

A centre-back appears to be near the top of Newcastle’s list of priorities, with interest in Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi refusing to go away, and the likes of Giorgio Scalvini and Leonardo Balerdi also linked with summer moves to St James’ Park.

However, Newcastle’s focus after Elanga will be further up the pitch, with Downie revealing on Tuesday morning what’s coming next.

Newcastle set to target new striker in coming days

Now, according to Downie on X, Newcastle ‘will turn their attention to bringing in a striker’ once they wrap up a deal with Forest.

Elanga has the potential to be a real favourite at St James’ Park, possessing blistering pace and end product, bagging six goals and 11 assists in the Premier League last season for a Forest side who set up more defensively than the Magpies.

Still only 23 years of age, there is so much more to come from the Sweden international, who has even earned praise from the legendary Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the past.

He will love Elanga: Newcastle in advanced talks to sign a "top striker"

Eddie Howe could be close to signing a new striker for Newcastle.

2 ByRoss Kilvington Jul 8, 2025

A new winger is essential for Newcastle and Elanga fits the bill perfectly, but another number nine to support Isak is perhaps even more important.

The Magpies’ main man has missed games through injury in each of his campaigns with the club, and while his durability certainly improved last season, the presence of four competitions again next term is simply too much for the Swede, with only young talent William Osula available to lighten the load in the current squad.

With a new era on its way at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, The Friedkin Group and Everton are reportedly looking to sign fresh stars to match their new ground, which could yet see a £50m+ winger arrive.

Everton eyeing attacking reinforcements

It’s not the first time that the Toffees have been linked with attacking additions so far this summer and their plan of attack is clear. Looking to make a statement ahead of their first full season at the helm, Friedkin’s priority, based on recent rumours, is to add much-needed star power to David Moyes’ frontline.

That plan should come as no surprise, either. Whilst Everton improved their attacking numbers last season, they still lacked a consistent threat within their frontline even after Beto’s form picked up under Moyes. And with Dominic Calvert-Lewin still on course to leave the club as a free agent this summer, the Merseyside club must invest up front.

Premier League Seasons	Goals Scored by Everton
2024/25	42
2023/24	40
2022/23	34

The main factor behind their struggle is clear for all to see. Last season, although improved, was still not a campaign full of goals to savour and only the bottom three managed to score less than Everton.

That stat, alone, may have been enough to send Everton marching towards the transfer market with rumours coming thick and fast as to who could arrive this summer.

Already, names such as Jack Grealish have already threatened to steal the headlines in what would certainly be a statement move by Friedkin. The Premier League-winner is on his way out of Manchester City, having been left out of their Club World Cup squad, and Everton could take full advantage.

He’s not the only name on their radar, however. Reports are also indicating that those in Merseyside have also set their sights on the “king of Lisbon”.

Everton battling to sign Geny Catamo

If not Grealish, then Friedkin could spend big on a talented alternative. According to Caught Offside, Everton are now battling to sign Geny Catamo from Sporting Club this summer. They are reportedly joined by Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Aston Villa and others in a hectic race to welcome the 24-year-old in the coming months, but the deal won’t come cheap.

Everton fighting Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland for free agent signing

The Toffees are lining up a bargain transfer…

1

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jun 11, 2025

As reported, Catamo has a release clause worth as much as €60m (£51m) in Portugal and Sporting Club look likely to demand that in full if they are to sell their winger this summer. Of course, that verdict should not come as a surprise, given that the Everton target was dubbed the “King of Lisbon” by scout Jacek Kulig after he scored the winning goal against Benfica last year.

Whether Friedkin and Everton deem Catamo a player who is worth over £50m will be the big question in their pursuit. The winger himself, meanwhile, could yet decide to rescind his crown in Portugal this summer amid several interested parties.

Where would Arsenal be without Declan Rice? During the 2024/25 campaign, if it was ever possible, he made his £105m price tag look like a bargain.

Send West Ham another £100m, the Emirates faithful cried. Quite. Rice put in some extraordinary performances throughout the back end of the campaign.

Who can forget those free-kicks against Real Madrid? The Gunners will be keen to erase their semi-final exit at the hands of PSG from their minds but no one will be forgetting his stunning displays in a hurry.

Once all was said and done, Rice ended the campaign with his best haul of goals and assists in a single season, netting nine times and registering ten assists throughout all competitions.

It was hardly a surprise, therefore, to see him crowned the Fans’ Player of the Season for his efforts.

This summer, they will hope to replicate that deal with Andrea Berta now guiding the transfer ship.

The latest on Arsenal's transfer plans

This has certainly been a busy few weeks for Berta since entering the club but he’s already getting his hands dirty, notably tying Gabriel down to a new contract.

Elsewhere, it’s all about how he can add to the current group with talks reportedly progressing well over a move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.

How Arsenal's striker targets compare in 2024/25.

However, as David Ornstein of The Athletic has reported, Arsenal could be in the market for as many as three forwards with a centre forward, a left winger and a right-winger to play second fiddle to Bukayo Saka.

On the left, it could be Real Madrid’s Rodrygo who arrives. Reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Gunners have a keen interest in the Brazilian and now they are set to ramp up their interest in the coming week.

Reports from Spain reveal that ‘Arsenal have decided to go all out’ to sign the 24-year-old and are now ‘willing to submit’ a €70m (£59m) bid in order to close a deal.

The coaching staff and Berta are both aligned on the fact that Rodrygo would be the ‘ideal’ profile to bring to north London this summer.

Why Rodrygo would be Arsenal's best signing since Rice

Two years ago, Edu and Arteta came together to seal the biggest transfer in the club’s history.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Arsenal fended off competition, largely from title rivals Manchester City, to bring Rice from east to north London in a remarkable deal totalling £105m. It took a while to get across the line, but it’s all been worth it.

Unsurprisingly, Arteta and Co haven’t gone near that fee since with their business in the transfer market leaving plenty to be desired.

Last summer was decent on the surface but it didn’t get Arsenal any closer to winning the league. In fact, they had a poorer season, certainly at domestic level.

David Raya signed permanently last summer and shone, notably sharing the Golden Glove with Mats Selz, but Riccardo Calafiori endured an injury-hit season, and Mikel Merino, bizarrely, didn’t show what he was truly capable of until becoming a makeshift striker.

Arsenal signings since Declan Rice

Player

Price

Signed from

David Raya

£27m

Brentford

Riccardo Calafiori

£42m

Bologna

Mikel Merino

£31.6m

Real Sociedad

Neto

Loan

Bournemouth

Raheem Sterling

Loan

Chelsea

The Spaniard has quickly become a fan favourite after a pretty torrid first few months back in England, but he ended the season with six goals in 12 games as a striker. Not what he was signed for, sure, but he’s coming into his own, even scoring for Spain this weekend.

So, this summer, Arsenal need to make a splash. They need that Rice-esque deal to bring them closer to the Premier League title and Rodrygo could be just that.

Sure, a centre forward is needed, but their output on the left-hand side, notably when Bukayo Saka was out injured, simply wasn’t good enough in 2024/25.

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are great players to have in your squad but their end product hasn’t reached dizzy heights yet.

Martinelli did score in the Bernabeu this season but that was just one of ten goals in 51 matches, a goal every 5.1 games. As for Trossard, he also scored ten but did so in 56 matches, meaning the Belgian found the net once every 5.6 games.

In Rodrygo, they would secure an instant upgrade, someone with the capabilities to break games open.

The Madrid star, who is in the shadow of Vini Jr and Kylian Mbappe in Spain, still found a way to score 14 times last season across 51 matches, once every 3.6 games. In 2023/24, he was even better, netting on 17 occasions and the year before that, he scored 19 times. He’s a goalscorer and a better one than Martinelli at that.

Martinelli’s finest campaign in England saw him beat the goalkeeper on 15 occasions back in 2022/23 and while he’s still young, he is actually just a year Rodrygo’s junior.

Described as “one of the best in the world” by his former boss, Carlo Ancelotti, this would be a sublime signing. His impact on this team could certainly be akin to Rice if he finds a way to replace Martinelli and Trossard.

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Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 6, 2025

La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid are said to be targeting another Arsenal star, amid their strong links to William Saliba, coming as new contract talks with the former take a negative turn.

Real Madrid still eyeing William Saliba despite signing Dean Huijsen

Some Gunners supporters may have been optimistic at one stage that Real’s signing of defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth would spell the end of their interest in Saliba, but this is unfortunately far from the truth.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini May 27, 2025

The France international, who’s been a vital presence at the heart of Mikel Arteta’s defence since 2022/2023, having formed an indomitable partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes, will leave the Emirates for nothing in 2027 as things stand.

William Saliba’s best Premier League games for Arsenal this season

Match Rating

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal

8.07

Aston Villa 0-2 Arsenal

7.87

Arsenal 2-0 Man United

7.66

Ipswich Town 0-4 Arsenal

7.28

Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich Town

7.26

via WhoScored

Arsenal have opened talks with Saliba over a new contract in an effort to ward off Real, and while some outlets even claim an extension is all but agreed (Football Transfers), this appears to be wide of the mark for now.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Saliba remains a “dream” signing for Real, regardless of their Huijsen deal, and they remain watchful of developments regarding the 24-year-old’s contract situation.

“The dream target has always been William Saliba,” said Romano on his YouTube channel.

“My information is that Real Madrid understood at the beginning of May that Saliba this summer was impossible to reach as a target because, for Arsenal, he is a crucial player and they are discussing a new contract with William Saliba.

“So Real Madrid’s position on Saliba is clear – they will sign Dean Huijsen now, but Saliba remains a dream target for them. Arsenal will have the ball in their court to close the agreement, keep Saliba at the club and extend his contract. Otherwise, if this contract won’t be extended, Real Madrid will be there.”

Real Madrid eye Myles Lewis-Skelly as Arsenal contract talks go sour

In more concerning news for Arteta, it is now believed that Real are also keeping a very watchful eye on breakout star Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The Hale End academy graduate made the left-back spot his own this season, putting in some truly exceptional displays which have also resulted in Thomas Tuchel’s nod for the England squad.

The 18-year-old’s form is turning heads at the Bernabeu as a result, with journalist Jonathan Wilson telling The Guardian’s ‘Football Weekly’ that Arsenal’s talks over a contract extension for Lewis-Skelly have been going sour.

“They’ve got to sort out Myles Lewis-Skelly’s contract which expires next summer and I think talks have not been going well from what I hear,” said Wilson.

“Real Madrid are sort of sniffing around there. Imagine Real Madrid wanting a highly-rated Premier League fullback for free. Almost unimaginable, isn’t it?”

Losing the teenage sensation to La Liga, especially on a free, would be a truly dire situation for Arsenal, and it is little surprise Real are considering a Trent Alexander-Arnold-esque deal to bring in one of England’s brightest young defenders at no transfer cost.

Tying down Lewis-Skelly will now be even higher up Andrea Berta’s to-do list, especially considering the newly-found interest from Xabi Alonso’s side.

Glasgow Rangers have allowed the Scottish Premiership title to slip away from them once again, as their rivals are one matchday away from sealing their fourth successive league success.

The Light Blues, who are not in domestic action this weekend because they have already been knocked out of the SFA Cup, are 15 points behind their city rivals with just five games to play.

This means that Rangers would have to win all five of their games and Celtic would have to lose all five of their matches, with a goal difference swing of 43 needed, for the Gers to win the league.

Barry Ferguson is currently in interim charge until the end of the season and he has done little in the Premiership to further his cause for the job in the long term, drawing 2-2 with Aberdeen last time out in the Premiership.

In that draw, Rangers needed a last-gasp equaliser from Ianis Hagi, who scored a stunning goal to make it 2-2, to avoid a fourth defeat in six league games for Ferguson.

The Light Blues did, however, do well to earn a 2-2 draw after they found themselves 2-0 down and down to ten men after Ross McCausland’s red card.

Why Ross McCausland was sent off against Aberdeen

It should be acknowledged that the Northern Ireland international was not put into an ideal situation by Ferguson as he started the match as a right wing-back.

The young forward, who had only started three league games this season prior to that match, is a winger by trade and is, therefore, not used to defending one-on-one situations or covering the space behind him.

There was no right-back to help him out in the wide areas, as there would be when he plays on the wing in front of a back four, and this left him completely exposed defensively.

This meant that he was consistently finding himself in positions – chasing back after wingers with no support – that he was not used to, which led to several poor challenges trying to correct his positional mistakes.

Irrespective of his lack of experience in those areas of the pitch, McCausland has made 66 appearances for the first-team and should know better than to make a challenge like the one in the clip above whilst on a yellow card, as you run a risk of a red card no matter what part of the pitch you are in.

This means that his red card was as much his own fault as it was Ferguson’s for putting him in that position to begin with, and the Gers now have a decision to make over his future.

Why Rangers should move on from Ross McCausland

The Scottish giants must ruthlessly cash in on the 21-year-old forward in the upcoming summer transfer window because he has failed to prove himself to be a valuable member of the squad.

McCausland, as aforementioned, has played 66 times for Rangers and is yet to establish himself as a regular in the team, with just four Premiership starts this term.

The Northern Irish attacker, who came up through the academy system in Glasgow, has failed to kick on since emerging as a first-team option under Philippe Clement last season, and is now surplus to requirements.

Appearances

29

13

Starts

15

4

Goals

3

0

Key passes per game

1.4

0.6

Big chances created

3

0

Assists

4

1

As you can see in the table above, McCausland was an average performer at the top end of the pitch last term, and has offered very little to the team in the current campaign – with as many red cards as goal contributions (one).

The Light Blues need better quality in the wide areas moving forward, which is why they should sell the youngster this summer, and that is why they should regret cashing in on Fashion Sakala during Michael Beale’s time at Ibrox.

Why Rangers messed up with Fashion Sakala

Back in the summer of 2023, the former Gers head coach decided to revamp his attack and opted to sell Antonio Colak and Sakala, who was sold to Al-Fayha for a reported fee of £4m.

The versatile attacker, who can play through the middle as a centre-forward or on either flank as a winger, was ruthlessly ditched by Beale despite a return of 12 goals and eight assists in all competitions for the Gers in the 2022/23 campaign.

Appearances

29

Starts

22

Goals

12

Big chances created

7

Assists

7

Dribbles completed per game

1.9

Dribble success rate

51%

As you can see in the table above, Sakala was a constant threat at the top end of the pitch in the Premiership with 19 goal contributions in 22 starts, which made the decision to move him on that summer a strange one.

The Zambia international was not a perfect player, as he was erratic in his use of the ball at times, but he could always provide a spark in matches, hence why Alan Hutton once described him as a “firework” for Rangers.

Sakala was miles better than McCausland at the time, shown by his output in the Premiership, and that has not changed since his move to Saudi Arabia.

The 28-year-old dynamo has scored 29 goals and provided 15 assists in 68 appearances in all competitions for Al-Fayha since his exit from Ibrox, including seven goals and four assists in 24 league matches this term.

These statistics show that Sakala has continued to provide a constant threat at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals during his time in Saudi Arabia, having also done so in Scotland.

This means that the Zambian speedster continues to be miles better than McCausland, who has failed to deliver consistent quality in his senior career to date, and is showing why Rangers messed up by selling him to Al-Fayha in 2023.

Not just McCausland: £3.4m flop must never start for Rangers again

Rangers will need to move a few players on this summer to raise funds.

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 14, 2025

The Gers lost a quality and versatile attacking option when they decided to move on from Sakala in 2023, and now they have struggled to find similar quality in that position in the present day.

There is just a month left of the season, and as such, transfer rumours have started swirling around clubs in the Premier League, although for Tottenham Hotspur, those rumours concern the manager’s position.

Ange Postecoglou might be two games away from a Europa League final, but as things stand, he’s overseen 18 league defeats and has a real chance of leading the North Londoners to a 17th-place finish.

So it’s not surprising that the last week or so has seen a number of top coaches in England and abroad linked with taking over his job in the summer.

One of the most prominent candidates at the moment seems to be Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, although based on recent reports, the club might have just identified an even better option.

Tottenham's manager search

Before we get to the manager in question, it is worth looking at some of the other potential candidates who have been linked with the jobs over the last week or so, such as Marco Silva.

Manager Focus

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The Fulham boss has done an incredible job in West London since being appointed in 2021, leading the Cottagers to promotion and turning them into a solid mid-table side who have beaten Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United this season.

Another impressive coach linked with the job in recent days has been Brentford’s Thomas Frank.

According to the Telegraph’s Matt Law, Lilywhites technical director Johan Lange is a big fan of the 51-year-old, and it’s not hard to see why, as, like Silva, he’s led his side up to the top-flight and turned them into a solid team that can give anyone a game, despite losing star striker Ivan Toney in the summer.

However, another name has also popped up as a potential replacement for Postecoglou, a manager who could also be a better option than Iraola: Roberto De Zerbi.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, the former Brighton & Hove Albion boss is a ‘name that some at Tottenham appreciate.’

Known for being something of a passionate character, it could be the perfect match to get Spurs firing again in the summer and a better hire than the Bournemouth man.

How De Zerbi compares to Iraola

So, if Spurs are looking at De Zerbi and Iraola as potential replacements for Postecoglou, how do they compare to one another?

Well, from a basic stylistic point, both managers prefer to use a 4-2-3-1 formation when possible, which may be ideal for the North Londoners, as that could see the backline receive more protection and allow James Maddison or Dejan Kulusevski to flourish as the most attacking midfielder with pacey widemen on either side and Dominic Solanke leading the line.

Moreover, while the Italian likes to play a high line, he prefers to play two holding midfielders, per the football analyst, which could help stop said line from being exploited as often as it has under Ange.

With that said, how do the manager’s recent records look when compared?

Well, during his time with Brighton, the “genius” tactician, as dubbed by analyst Statman Dave, won 38 games, drew 20 and lost 31, which resulted in him averaging 1.51 points per game, whereas the Cherries boss has won 33 games, drawn 19 and lost 30 on the south coast, resulting in an average of 1.44 points per game.

De Zerbi vs Iraola in England

Manager

De Zerbi

Iraola

Games (All Comps)

89

82

Wins

38

33

Draws

20

19

Losses

31

30

Points per Game

1.51

1.44

All Stats via Sofascore

However, something to consider is that on top of securing the Seagulls European football in the 22/23 season, the Brescia-born boss is now managing one of the two biggest clubs in France, Olympique de Marseille.

He’s averaging 1.81 points per game on the French Riviera, so, unlike the former Rayo Vallecano man, he knows what it is like to take charge of a massive institution and all the intense pressure and scrutiny that comes with it.

Ultimately, De Zerbi and Iraola would almost certainly improve the football and results at Spurs next season, but the former has the experience of leading a ‘big club’, which might just make him the better candidate for the North Londoners.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 24, 2025

A late-career promotion has provided a fresh challenge for Chandimal, while also giving a boost to new star on the block, Kamindu Mendis

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Dec-2024Thirteen years and more than 80 Tests into his international career, Dinesh Chandimal is in the throes of something brand new, in the same country he had debuted in.At his best, Chandimal is a free spirit – the kind of batter who goes out looking for run-scoring opportunities, then throws his entire body behind the aggressive shots.The lofted hits down the ground struck so vigorously his helmet shifts on his head, the back arched as he spanks a ball through the covers, the big slog sweeps in which he almost loses his balance – these are all hallmarks of his greatest innings.Related

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But now there is need for him to be a different sort of player entirely. The rocket-fuelled arrival of Kamindu Mendis means someone had to move up the order to No. 3. Chandimal was thriving at No. 5, a position in which he averages 50.29 and from where he had scored seven of his 15 centuries, and a double-century.But Sri Lanka needed Kamindu to move up, and Chandimal made way.”When the selectors and coach asked me to move up to No. 3, it was a new thing for me as well, because I’d only ever batted one innings at No. 3,” Chandimal told ESPNcricinfo. “I told them to give me a day to think about it. So I thought, well, I’m nearing the end of my career, and we need to groom youngsters. No. 3 is a big challenge, and that you face the new ball and fresh bowlers.”Batting No. 3 is notoriously difficult in a place such as South Africa. The first Test of this series was a case in point: Sri Lanka were guilty of playing too many aggressive strokes in their nosedive to 42 all out. “Batting at No. 3, you have to leave a lot of balls, and your forward defence has to be solid. Those are the things to tighten, and those are the biggest challenges for me.”Beyond this, on this particular tour, Sri Lanka are facing an exceptionally tall seam attack. Marco Jansen is a little taller than two metres. Kagiso Rabada stands a shade higher than 1.9 metres. Sri Lanka were perhaps guilty of not leaving as many balls on length as they could have, but they are also dealing with unusual trajectories.

“They gave me a lot of confidence that as long as they’re around, they will back me, whether or not the runs were coming at No. 3. It’s when there’s trust inside the team like that, that we are able to take decisions without being afraid”Dinesh Chandimal on the team management

“In Sri Lanka, we don’t have fast bowlers like that – with this kind of height,” Chandimal said. “So there’s no way to train against those kinds of release points. They get a foot or a foot-and-a-half of extra bounce. That is why it’s tough for us to judge.”It’s on length that you have to leave the ball, often. With a normal bowler, the ball has to pitch a little shorter for us to be able to leave on length. But with these bowlers, even if they pitch a couple of feet fuller than that, you can probably leave it based on length. If we get better at judging that length, we will be able to handle these bowlers much better.”Of Sri Lanka’s batters in Durban, Chandimal was the best at negotiating that bounce. Though he was out for a duck to a spectacular inseaming delivery from Jansen in the first innings, Chandimal was Sri Lanka’s best batter in the second dig. Arriving at the crease in the fifth over, he struck 83 off 174 deliveries.”When you play here, it’s not good to be tentative,” Chandimal said. “If you play a forward defence, you have to commit to it. If you play a shot you have to commit. And if you leave it, it’s the same. It’s that tentativeness that can get you.Dinesh Chandimal, who scored 83, was Sri Lanka’s best batter in the second innings in Durban•Associated Press”In the second innings, I just had it in my mind to be positive with every shot. If you’re in that mindset, you’re in a better place to pounce on the loose balls when they come also.”Part of that commitment will have flowed down from the management. When they asked him to bat No. 3, Sri Lanka coach Sanath Jayasuriya, the selectors, and captain Dhananjaya de Silva had assured him they would not abandon him if the experiment went badly.”They gave me a lot of confidence that as long as they’re around, they will back me, whether or not the runs were coming at No. 3,” Chandimal said. “It’s when there’s trust inside the team like that, that we are able to take decisions without being afraid.”In any case, If there is some spice in the Gqeberha pitch, as there is likely to be, Sri Lanka will be desperate for more such innings from their new No. 3. “There are some things you have to do for the team and for the future of Sri Lankan cricket, rather than thinking of yourself. I think I’ve always thought about Sri Lankan cricket first. I won’t complain about batting at No. 3. I’ll just take it as a challenge.”

The last time Australia had won a Test in India despite losing the toss had come in Bangalore way back in 1998

Sampath Bandarupalli03-Mar-20231135 Balls bowled across the four innings in Indore, the fourth-shortest completed Test hosted by India. The shortest completed Test in India was 842 balls when the hosts faced England in 2021 in Ahmedabad, followed by 968 balls during the India-Bangladesh Test in Kolkata in 2019 – both being day-night games. Afghanistan’s debut Test in 2018 against India lasted 1028 balls, the shortest red-ball Test in India.2012 The last instance of India losing a Test at home when they won the toss – against England at Eden Gardens. India won the toss in 22 matches at home since that defeat before the Indore Test, winning 19 games and drawing three.9 Wickets for spinners in Indore when batters played on the back foot. In the first two matches of the series, the spinners got only four wickets each when the batters were playing on the back foot.