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The New Zealand batsman rues the team losing the series 5-0 to India but hopes they can do better in the ODIs

Deivarayan Muthu02-Feb-20203:38

New Zealand lose from a commanding position once again

Ross Taylor had made his T20I debut in December 2006 in Wellington along with the likes of Peter McGlashan, Chaminda Vaas, and Muttiah Muralitharan. Nearly 14 years later, in Mount Maunganui, Taylor became only the second New Zealander, after Suzie Bates, to feature in 100 T20Is. After receiving a special cap from his good mate Martin Guptill, the 35-year old marked the occasion with a half-century, studded by three successive signature hockey-swiped boundaries in a 34-run over off allrounder Shivam Dube. Some of those blows had his family, who were at the Bay Oval, up on their feet.ALSO READ: New Zealand cricket is in the best hands with Williamson – KohliHowever, Taylor himself was at the heart of a dramatic collapse – 6 for 25 – as New Zealand lost another game from a seemingly winning position. He admitted that the defeat indeed soured the landmark and looked back at how T20 cricket has evolved from being a bit hit-and-giggle to a “pretty serious competition”.”It’s still sinking in,” Taylor said at the post-match press conference. “Disappointing with the series [loss] and the way things have gone, but nice to be the first one [NZ men’s cricketer] to get there [100 T20Is]. Hopefully, in time, Guppy and co. will surpass me and will set the benchmark. When I first played Twenty20 cricket, we used to play one game and think it would be a bit of warm-up for the one-dayers whereas it has turned into a pretty serious competition. But, no, it was evolved greatly and it’s a honour and privilege to be the first one for New Zealand.”Ross Taylor hits powerfully through the off side•Getty Images

In 2017, after the T20 World Cup in India, where Taylor had managed just 91 runs in five innings, he had been dropped from the side. The then-coach Mike Hesson explained that the players on the fringe were putting too much pressure on Taylor.Taylor has been largely out of favour in various T20 leagues around the world since the previous T20 World Cup, but is now back in the New Zealand middle order as they search for some stability. While Taylor did hit a brace of fifties against India, he was dismissed in the last over in regulation time before both the Super-Over finishes in Hamilton and Wellington.The trend continued in Mount Maunganui. After New Zealand had lost Guptill and Colin Munro cheaply in pursuit of 164, Taylor and Tim Seifert teed up 99 together off 56 balls. When New Zealand needed 66 off 60 balls, with eight wickets in hand, the game was within their grasp. However, Saini took down both the set batsmen while Jasprit Bumrah yorked Daryl Mitchell and Tim Southee to seal a 5-0 whitewash.”It’s one of those things where we’ve been there to Bangladesh a couple of times and you lose a couple of times… Different players deal with it in different ways and in saying that it’s probably a good thing that this series is over and we move onto a different format,” Taylor said.One of the positives for New Zealand in an otherwise horror series has been Seifert’s form in front of the stumps and also behind it. After struggling to finish the innings in the early half of the series, he moved up the order in the injury-enforced absence of Kane Williamson and struck back-to-back half-centuries.On Sunday, he unveiled a variety of strokes, including the slog-sweep and his favourite scoop over the shoulder. He had also briefly looked good against Bumrah when he took a blameless back-of-a-length ball from middle stump and swatted it away, bisecting wide long-on and deep midwicket in the 12th over of the chase. Taylor was pleased with Seifert’s progress and said that he will have to learn to adapt to batting outside the top three once Williamson returns from injury.Tim Seifert scored a quick half-century•Getty Images

“For him, he has taken his opportunity with Kane not going,” Taylor said of Seifert. “When Kane does come back, him batting at No.4 or wherever he ends up batting, he has got to learn that role and put pressure on the incumbents. I thought he batted well and it would’ve been nice if we had held in a little bit longer, but I’ve played 100 games and there have been what-ifs throughout my career. Not only with the bat, but with the gloves, and the way he patrols the outfield with the angles, he’s getting better and better each day.”Since the innings victory in the Mount Maunganui Test against England last November, New Zealand have been winless in nine matches across formats. Taylor, though, hoped that a switch in format to one-day cricket could switch up New Zealand’s fortunes. Taylor himself has been in stellar form in 50-overs, averaging 63.56 since the 2015 World Cup. Only India captain Virat Kohli has better figures among batsmen with more than 1000 runs in this period.New Zealand will also welcome back allrounders Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme for the three-match ODI series, which begins in Hamilton on February 5. Neesham, in particular, has been in excellent domestic form, having won the 20-over Super Smash with Wellington Firebirds and bagged career-best List A figures of 5 for 29 in the Ford Trophy.”Even though it’s a different format, it [losing] still does hurt,” Taylor said. “Winning is a habit…and losing all those tight games. We’re going into a format that’s probably one of strengths and when we do come back to play Twenty20 cricket and Test cricket, those wounds would be addressed. Now, one-day cricket, hopefully Kane’s shoulder is alright, new personnel and some world-class to come back and we look forward to have them back in the squad.”

In recent years, Everton have been successful in developing and investing in youth, with multiple players having an impact on the Toffees' first team.

The club have had to rely on youth at times this campaign, with the club's struggles with FFP and PSR rules making it difficult for the club to be active in the transfer market.

Jarrad Branthwaite has been the main beneficiary this campaign, with the 21-year-old excelling under Sean Dyche – subsequently being linked with a £75m move to Manchester United just four years after his £1m arrival at Goodison Park.

Other talents, such as Tom Davies and Ross Barkley came through Everton's academy before going on to make over 100 appearances for the Toffees, with the latter making the club £15m when he left to join Premier League rivals Chelsea.

However, a few years ago, there was a talent within the club's academy who had huge potential to become Seamus Coleman's heir. Despite this, eight years on from his debut for the Toffees, he's no longer at Goodison, and now playing second-tier football.

Jonjoe Kenny's stats for Everton

Right-back Jonjoe Kenny joined Everton at the age of nine, with the defender rapidly progressing through the ranks before signing his first professional deal back in 2014.

He was loaned out to Wigan Athletic and Oxford United in League One and League Two respectively during 2015 and 2016, before making his Premier League debut as a substitute in the 3-0 victory over Norwich City in May 2016.

However, he would have to wait until the 2017/18 campaign to make his first top-flight start, with Kenny starting in the 5-2 defeat against Arsenal after an injury to first-choice right-back Coleman.

He would go on to make 19 appearances in the Premier League that season, in a campaign which was his pinnacle in a Toffees shirt before dropping down the pecking order.

2021/22

15

2020/21

4

2018/19

10

2017/18

19

2016/17

1

He was subsequently loaned to Schalke in the Bundesliga for the 2019/20 season, where he received consistent first-team minutes but failed to do enough to earn a permanent move to Germany.

Kenny would again leave Goodison for consistent minutes, joining Scottish champions Celtic – where he only made 16 appearances over the course of the campaign.

The right-back rejected a new deal with the Toffees in 2022, leaving the club on a free transfer in order to fulfil his potential, with the youngster unable to secure a regular starting place in Everton's first-team.

Jonjoe Kenny's stats since leaving Everton

After leaving his boyhood club in 2022, he would return to Germany, this time signing for Hertha Berlin on a three-year deal. His first season saw him receive the consistent action he sought after, featuring for 2,242 minutes in the Bundesliga during the 2022/23 season.

However, his performances weren't enough to stop the club from dropping into Germany's second tier – with Hertha suffering their first relegation in over a decade.

Their relegation has seen Kenny find some form this campaign, with the former Everton defender chipping in with six goal contributions in his 21 league appearances.

However, it's sad to see the 27-year-old fall so far after his promising start to life at Everton, with the defender still yet to fulfil his potential since leaving the club.

With Kenny coming into his prime years, there's still time for the right-back to reach his potential, with the former England U21 international potentially being key in Hertha's push for an immediate return to Germany's top flight.

West Ham United are looking at signing a centre-back who silenced Kylian Mbappe recently, as technical director Tim Steidten seeks defensive upgrades.

Aguerd and Zouma attract Saudi interest

A real worry for manager David Moyes this season has been West Ham's lack of solidity in defence at times. The Hammers have been on the receiving end of some real drubbings this season, including a 5-0 at Fulham, 5-1 loss to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup and 6-0 home defeat to Arsenal.

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Concerns have surrounded the form of Nayef Aguerd, who is often prone to a fatal defensive error, with reports suggesting that both the Morocco international and central defensive partner Kurt Zouma are attracting interest from the Middle East.

Newcastle United (away)

March 30th

Tottenham (home)

April 2nd

Wolves (away)

April 6th

Fulham (home)

April 14th

Crystal Palace (away)

April 21st

Clubs in Saudi Arabia are eyeing up moves for Zouma and Aguerd, and the latter has been linked with a move away since before the new year. West Ham are said to be targeting defensive reinforcements ahead of the summer window, especially as Angelo Ogbonna's contract runs down to expiry.

Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo is an apparent target for West Ham, while Steidten also keeps tabs on other big name options from the continent.

West Ham looking at signing Jonathan Tah

According to HITC, Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah is one such option. The Germany international has been an ever-present in Xabi Alonso's starting elevens, as table-topping Leverkusen seek to make history by pipping Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title.

Tah has started 23 league matches under Alonso, even getting on the scoresheet four times, and his impressive form has earned him the nod from Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann. West Ham are apparently looking at signing Tah this summer and ran the rule over him during Germany's clash with France on Saturday. He managed to keep the likes of Mbappe at bay, as the PSG superstar could only muster a booking in a quiet display, which Germany won 2-0.

The defender's contract also expires next year as things stand, which could make him a relatively low-cost option. Tah already has a gleaming reputation from his time in the Bundesliga, with those close to him heaping praise on the player's physicality, attitude and general application.

"Jonathan has a great history here. He's an international player. He's ambitious. He is held in high regard by his teammates. We expect him to take the next step personality-wise," once said former Leverkusen boss Gerardo Seoane (via Bundesliga).

Former Germany manager Joachim Low, once drawing attention to his potential, heralded Tah's bursts of speed as a real plus point as well. Low said (via Bundesliga): "He's a young player with a lot of potential. He's physically strong and very quick. Everything is possible."

If Moyes is granted a stay beyond the end of 2023/2024, a defensive asset of Tah's calibre and experience could be just what West Ham need to take their backline to the next level.

Aside from Wednesday night, the last month of football has been a joy to watch for the Arsenal faithful.

Mikel Arteta's men have been imperious in the Premier League, and five wins in a row have seen them reaffirm their title credentials.

While it's difficult to pick a stand-out player from those games, it's hard to look past club captain Martin Odegaard, who has been masterful in midfield for the Gunners in recent weeks – he's the sort of player who doesn't come around very often.

That said, the talent factory that is Hale End might've just produced a gem who could get pretty close.

Martin Odegaard's time at Arsenal

Odegaard first joined Arsenal in a surprise loan move from European juggernauts Real Madrid in January 2021, and while he was far from poor, a return of just two goals and two assists in 20 appearances left some wondering whether it was worth signing him on a permanent in the summer.

However, Arteta and Edu were sure and opted to spend £34m on the Norwegian international in the August and to say that it was money well spent would be a vast understatement.

In his first full season as a Gunner, the mercurial midfielder scored seven goals and provided five assists in 40 appearances before being named club captain in July 2022, reflecting the impact he was having on the club outside his raw numbers.

With this renewed responsibility, the former Madrid man scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 45 games during the 2022/23 season as he came agonisingly close to ending Arsenal's two-decade title drought in his first campaign as captain.

Season

Appearances

Goals

Assists

2020/21

20

2

2

2021/22

40

7

5

2022/23

45

15

8

2023/24

32

8

7

While the "pure talent", as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, took longer to kick into gear this season than last year, he's still amassed an impressive eight goals and seven assists in 32 games.

The 25-year-old has become an essential cog in Arteta's Arsenal machine, and the Spaniard has made his feelings about the star no secret: "You notice him around the building all the time because he's doing all the right things that he needs. I think he's quite funny and a really likable person, so committed, and I'm really, really happy to have him as a captain."

Nothing guarantees success in football, but having a player like Odegaard as captain can only help the Gunners get closer to the promised land.

The rise of Ethan Nwaneri

The Hale End gem that could duke it out for Odegaard's place in the years to come is 16-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.

Now, generally, fans aren't aware of the 16-year-old prospects in their academies because, well, those prospects don't tend to warrant people knowing about them at such a young age, but Nwaneri is different.

The "special player", as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, caught the attention of the footballing world last season as he became the youngest Premier League player in history when coming on against Brentford in September 2022 at just 15 years and 181 days old.

He's since made it onto the first-team bench on multiple occasions and finally got his second run out with the team earlier this month when he came on for the last 13 minutes against West Ham United.

However, while his minor cameos with the first team have caught the attention of the media, it's his performances with the junior sides that should leave Gooners the most excited.

Ethan Nwaneri's youth record

Described as an "absolute diamond" by Kulig, Nwaneri has made 42 appearances for Arsenal's various youth sides, scoring 20 goals and providing nine assists in the process, meaning that he currently averages a goal involvement every 1.44 games, which is frankly remarkable for a 16-year-old.

Team

U21

U18

UEFA Youth League

Appearances

18

23

1

Goals

4

15

1

Assists

4

5

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.44

0.86

1

However, while his effectiveness in front of goal is a brilliant attribute for a player so young, it's not his only one.

Arteta is known to appreciate positional versatility in his players – just look at Ben White and Leandro Trossard – and this is something that the Hale End gem has in spades.

In his short time with the junior sides, Nwaneri has already played as an attacking midfielder, a right-winger, a left-winger, and a centre-forward. Data analyst Ben Mattinson has also claimed that the youngster could "play in many" different positions when he becomes a first-teamer.

However, Mattinson also claims that the 5 foot 9 dynamo's best position could mirror "where Odegaard played last season," which was as a hybrid between a second striker and a traditional ten.

He credits the prospect's "creativity, vision, finishing, spatial awareness" and "dribbling" as his strongest qualities, which, combined with his "tight turn radius", could make him the perfect understudy to the Arsenal captain.

Finally, while Nwaneri has shown his positional versatility in the academy, his ability to play in attacking midfield and right-wing is most important if he is the long-term Odegaard successor, as this is the space that the Norwegian likes to operate in, as demonstrated with heatmaps from this season and last season.

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Ultimately, the Gunners are lucky to have a captain as talented as Odegaard, and while he's irreplaceable at the moment, Hale End is set to gift them a gem who could carry the Norwegian's mantle a few years down the line.

Having enjoyed a solid, if not consistent, first season in charge, Ange Postecoglou could make his mark at Tottenham Hotspur once again this summer to welcome a La Liga star who has received plenty of attention.

Tottenham transfer news

The Lilywhites have already reportedly turned their attention towards summer reinforcements, with the likes of Pedro Neto and Kevin Denkey among those currently stealing the headline. Neto has starred for Wolverhampton Wanderers this season and the fact that he's already Premier League proven instantly makes him an ideal option for all those in North London.

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Denkey, meanwhile, would finally fill the goalscoring void left behind by Harry Kane, who left to join Bayern Munich last summer. The Cercle Brugge forward has enjoyed an outstanding campaign, making interest from Spurs little surprise. That said, however, it's not just his attacking options that Postecoglou is looking to improve.

Having already welcomed Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario and Radu Dragusin to boost their backline in the last year, Spurs have now been tipped to pursue a La Liga star who has already attracted plenty of interest ahead of a potential summer move. The Lilywhites will simply hope to stand out amongst the crowd.

That star, of course, is Miguel Gutierrez. According to reports in Spain, Spurs are eyeing a move to sign Gutierrez after his excellent season for surprise title challengers Girona. As mentioned, the Lilywhites aren't the only club interested, however. If they want to sign the 22-year-old, then they will reportedly have to fend off interest from Real Madrid, Manchester United and even North London rivals Arsenal.

Daniel Levy hasn't been afraid to back Postecoglou since the Australian's arrival last summer and could once again splash the cash in the next transfer window to finally put Spurs back on course to finish inside the Premier League's top four.

"Brilliant" Gutierrez could compete with Udogie

As good as Destiny Udogie has been this season, Spurs would be getting direct competition in Gutierrez if they managed to secure a deal for the left-back this summer. Gutierrez's stats show just how good he's been for Girona in the current campaign.

Stats (via FBref)

Miguel Gutierrez

Destiny Udogie

Goals

1

2

Assists

4

3

Progressive Carries

102

116

Progressive Passes

55

64

Interceptions

17

28

The Athletic's Thom Harris will certainly be keeping a close eye on Gutierrez this summer, whoever secures his signature, having sung the left-back's praises earlier this season. Harris posted on X:

Looking to get one over on Arsenal off the pitch, Spurs could land an impressive addition to Postecoglou's squad. As the summer transfer window arrives, Gutierrez will be one to watch out for, whether he stays at Girona or, indeed, chooses a move to the Premier League.

Sunderland are still searching for a new manager after the sacking of Michael Beale, and a "magnificent" boss is believed to be keen on taking the job.

Sunderland manager latest

The Black Cats relieved Beale of his duties last week, following a poor run of form that saw his side slipping down the Championship table. Since then, Mike Dodds has been in interim charge at Sunderland, but things didn't start under him, with another defeat coming their way against Swansea City at the Stadium of Light.

That has highlighted the need to find a long-term replacement for Beale as soon as possible, and a number of potential candidates have emerged in recent days. Paul Heckingbottom is one player who is reportedly in the mix to be Sunderland's next boss, having most recently managed Sheffield United last year, prior to losing his job at Bramall Lane. Marek Papszun is more of a left-field option who has emerged, with the 49-year-old currently without a club.

Reims ace Will Still is also a name who isn't going away, having been mooted as a managerial target for the Black Cats in the past, with his future in France up in the air.

Alex Neil keen on Sunderland job

According to reliable reporter Alan Nixon on Patreon [via Football League World, former boss Alex Neil is interested in becoming Sunderland's next manager, having been in charge at the Stadium of Light in the past in what is an eye-catching update.

The Scot's most recent job was at Stoke City, where he managed between 2022 and 2023, while his stint with the Black Cats was a short one in 2022, lasting just 24 matches. He guided them to the Championship in that time, however, sealing promotion from League One after a playoff final win over Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley.

Neil certainly represents an interesting option for Sunderland, and the fact that he already knows the club well means he could be a safer appointment than others.

Michael Beale

2023-2024

Tony Mowbray

2022-2023

Alex Neil

2022-2022

Lee Johnson

2020-2022

Phil Parkinson

2019-2020

Jack Ross

2018-2019

Chris Coleman

2017-2018

Simon Grayson

2017-2017

David Moyes

2016-2017

Sam Allardyce

2015-2016

He also generally adopts a 4-2-3-1 formation as his go-to system, which is similar to Beale, so the squad could find it easy enough to adapt to the change. Meanwhile, Peter Reid waxed lyrical over him during his time as manager, saying:

"I thought they were tremendous. They were solid at the back. I think Alex Neil has done a magnificent job, I thought Pritchard played well, Roberts played really well, but in general he’s just made them hard to beat and they always keep going and that typified it at Wembley."

Ultimately, the decision rests with Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and those high up at Sunderland, but if they have faith in Neil having unfinished business and returning, it is a decision that needs to be trusted.

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Someone like Still could arguably represent a more exciting appointment, considering he is only 31 years of age, bringing fresh ideas and long-term potential with him to the club, but Neil has been there and done it, having more experience, making this one to monitor.

Chelsea have reportedly made a big offer to sign a new forward for Mauricio Pochettino and have already received a response.

Chelsea eyeing new striker

It seems as if a marque attacker is at the top of the wishlist for the Blues in 2024, with Todd Boehly potentially splashing the cash at Stamford Bridge once again.

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Two attackers were brought in over the summer in Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson, however, the former has struggled with injury and the latter has come in for criticism at points. Jackson appeared to be jeered by Chelsea supporters in a defeat to Wolves last month, which resulted in Pochettino defending the Senegal striker, who is now currently away on AFCON duty.

“It is always about expectation, how you manage expectation and set the expectation. If we compare Jackson to different strikers that arrive at his age to a new league, he is scoring goals when you look at his performances.

“It is not about blaming him. I think you can accept the frustration from the fans: when we don’t score, it is about the offensive players. But my advice is to blame them all together because football is a team sport, a collective sport, we cannot blame only one. But in this case, he is young, in the Premier League, the expectation is massive and we are Chelsea. At Chelsea, there is pressure to play and deliver the best job possible.”

Victor Osimhen of Napoli has emerged as a leading candidate, however, a transfer may not materialise until the summer despite the player being open to a move. The Blues have been offered up to five strikers as short-term solutions, but it looks as if they have made their move for another star striker in Viktor Gyokeres.

Chelsea make offer to sign Viktor Gyokeres

According to reports from Portugal, relayed by The Daily Mail, Chelsea have made a bid to sign Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon, offering around €85m (£73m). However, in a blow for Boehly and co, Sporting Lisbon have reportedly turned Chelsea’s proposal down and appear to be holding out for the player’s €100m (£86m) release clause. Also, Gyokeres wants to remain in Portugal until the end of the season after only joining from Coventry City last summer.

You can see why the Blues are seemingly interested in Gyokeres’ services, with the Sweden international taking his game to the next level after leaving the Sky Blues.

The 25-year-old contributed to 33 Championship goals last season as Coventry narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League and has gone from strength to strength with Sporting Lisbon.

Viktor Gyokeres stats 2023/24

Appearances

24

Minutes played

1,911

Goals

20

Assists

10

As can be seen, Gyokeres, hailed as “unplayable” by former teammate Maxime Biamou, has starred during the current campaign and is currently averaging a goal contribution every 64 minutes.

The Blues appear to be just £13m short of triggering the striker’s release clause, so a return to England in 2024 with Chelsea could be one to keep an eye on.

We've looked at the top performers in each position across the continent's 'Big Five' leagues to produce our combined XI

Another campaign is about to conclude. All that's left to play for is the Champions League, with Saturday's final at Wembley bringing together 14-time winners Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, who are bidding to lift the trophy for just the second time.

Madrid and Dortmund have undoubtedly been two of the stories of the season, with the former winning the Spanish title and the latter making light of their domestic struggles to make it all the way to London. However, Bayer Leverkusen also captured the imagination by not only winning a first Bundesliga title but also going desperately close to an undefeated campaign in all competitions. Xabi Alonso's sensational side may have gone on to win a double, but their treble bid was derailed by an awesome Atalanta.

Elsewhere, Inter ran away with the Serie A title and, despite the best efforts of Liverpool and Arsenal, Manchester City won the Premier/Farmer's League yet again, while Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 triumph was probably even more predictable.

So, who have been the players of the European season? Below, GOAL picks its top performers of 2023-24 in each position, laying out its selections in a 3-4-3 formation and basing them on performances in all competitions.

There have been some notable omissions. The likes of Florian Wirtz, Vinicius Jr, Cole Palmer, Teun Koopmeiners, Achraf Hakimi and Nico Schlotterbeck can consider themselves seriously unlucky not to have made the cut. So, as always, let us know your gripes in the comments section!

Getty ImagesGK: Yann Sommer (Inter)

Another Beppe Marotta transfer market masterstroke! Inter sold Andre Onana to Manchester United for €50 million (£42.5m/$54m) and replaced the Cameroonian with a better shot-stopper for roughly a ninth of the fee.

Sommer slotted seamlessly into the Inter backline and kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues, playing a pivotal role in the Nerazzurri's runaway Scudetto success.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesCB: William Saliba (Arsenal)

A Rolls Royce of a defender drawing comparisons with Virgil van Dijk, Arsenal ace Saliba just never appears ruffled on the field. He's strong, he's quick and reads the play wonderfully well.

No outfield player has been involved in as many league clean sheets this season (22), while the flawless French centre-back ranks third among his fellow defenders for completed passes (3456), and fifth for possession won (278).

GettyCB: Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)

Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic basically called Hummels a "football god" after the defender's towering display in a vital Champions League group-stage win over AC Milan at San Siro – and it's easy to understand why.

There's been no better player in the tournament this season, with Hummels topping the charts for tackles won, duels won, interceptions and clearances. In short, the 35-year-old is the main reason why a side that struggled in the Bundesliga is facing Real Madrid at Wembley this weekend.

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GettyCB: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Liverpool's defence was devastated by injuries during the 2023-24 campaign, but captain Van Dijk not only managed to stay fit, he got back to his brilliant best.

The Dutchman was utterly dominant in the air (only Nikola Milenkovic won more headers), almost unbeatable on the ground (only four opponents managed to get round him all season along) while he also scored four goals, including the dramatic late winner in the Carabao Cup final.

Which one do you pick: the Ben Stokes epic at Headingley against Australia, or the time New Zealand overturned a follow-on to trump Bazballin’ England?

ESPNcricinfo staff20-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The ENG-AUS 2019 Leeds Test moves into the quarter-finals.The Stokes show at Headingley, 2019A Test that might not have otherwise stayed for too long in the memory, it was the unbroken 76-run stand for the last wicket between Ben Stokes and Jack Leach that lifted it to where the greatest Test matches in history are clubbed together.And, of course, the fact that in those 76 runs, one batter scored 74 (in 45 balls) and the other 1 (in 17 balls)! Not to forget that the winners had scored 67 in their first innings and then hit 362 for 9 in a Test where 246 was the next-best total.Australia won the first Test and the second was drawn, so England wanted to win this one at Headingley to stay in the Ashes contest. But after Australia were bowled out for 179 in the first innings, all England could put up was 67, with Joe Denly top-scoring with 12. Back to Australia, and this time they put up 246.Was the pitch getting better for batting? It didn’t seem so when England were 15 for 2 in their chase of 359, and then 159 for 4 with Joe Root gone, and then 286 for 9. Stokes, the No. 5, was on 61 at the time. Off 174 balls.But with last-man Leach for company, Stokes switched something on. He hit four fours and seven sixes from that point, keeping Leach away from the strike as much as possible, before finishing it off with a flay through the covers off Pat Cummins. Done and dusted!New Zealand go from follow-on to victory – Wellington, 2023New Zealand became only the fourth team in Test history to win after being asked to follow-on when they beat England by one run in Wellington.With Harry Brook and Joe Root scoring hundreds, England Bazballed their way to 435 for 8 declared. In response, New Zealand slipped to 103 for 7 before folding for 209, and were asked to follow on.The second innings was completely different. Led by Kane Williamson’s 132, Tom Blundell’s 90 and Tom Latham’s 83, they set England 258 to win.With more than a day left, England would have still fancied their chances. But they collapsed to 80 for 5 within 22 overs. Ben Stokes decided to drop the anchor, while Root did the bulk of the scoring. They took England past 200 but fell soon after.It came down to the last pair with seven to get. Jack Leach got off the mark with a single, as he had during the famous Headingley Test of the 2019 Ashes. But this time it was James Anderson, and not Stokes, at the other end. Anderson did smash a four but then edged Neil Wagner down the leg side for Blundell to complete a diving catch and the win.

He overcame an accident when he was five years old and resistance to playing cricket at home to make it to the IPL

Ashish Pant and Nikhil Sharma08-Apr-20233:48

The Dhruv Jurel story: ‘If you want to be No. 1, you do things differently’

When 22-year-old Dhruv Jurel walked out to bat as an Impact Player in his debut IPL game, there would certainly have been questions over why Rajasthan Royals had sent him in ahead of a seasoned international like Jason Holder.Royals needed 74 off 30 balls at the time against Punjab Kings and he had only three T20s worth of experience . They eventually fell five runs short with Jurel unbeaten on 32 off 15 balls, an innings full of eye-catching stroke play. It was his first time in the raucous, high-pressure finish of an IPL thriller, but he wasn’t fazed by the environment.”When I went to bat, I was not nervous at all because I had seen those scenarios, having been on the bench last year. The crowd, people cheering loudly, the opposition sledging, the hype, all the things,” Jurel tells ESPNcricinfo. “It wasn’t challenging for me. This is my second year for Rajasthan, and I just wanted to get one chance.”At every step of his cricketing journey, Jurel has yearned for that chance and made it count. He racked up big runs during Uttar Pradesh’s title-winning run in the 2018-19 Cooch Behar Trophy; he led India Under-19 to victory at the 2019 Asia Cup; and he scored 249 in just his sixth first-class game.Jurel’s journey to the IPL has not been straightforward. He was five years old when his left leg came under the tyre of a bus in Agra and required plastic surgery. He wanted to join the Indian Army, much like his father Nem Singh Jurel, a Kargil war veteran, before cricket became his ambition.” [My father was in the Army and he never really supported me playing cricket.] He wanted me to get a government job, a secure job,” Jurel says. “One day, he was reading the newspaper and suddenly told me, ‘There is a cricketer that goes by the same name as you, and he has scored these many runs.’ I got scared and did not know how to tell him this cricketer was me. I was just scared that he might ask me to leave cricket.”Jurel knew cricket was his future soon enough, but when he wanted a kit at the age of 14, his father asked him to focus on his studies. His mother sold off a gold chain to fulfil her son’s wishes.”I asked my father to buy me a Kashmir willow bat, around INR 1500-2000. Even that was expensive, but my father bought the bat. But when it came to the entire kitbag, that was too expensive.”I locked myself in the bathroom and told him I would run off if he didn’t get me the cricket kit. This made my mother emotional and she gave her gold chain to my father and asked him to sell it and get me the kit. At that time, I got very excited but when I matured, I realised how big that sacrifice was on their part.”Dhruv Jurel was vice-captain of India’s Under-19 team for the 2020 World Cup in South Africa•ICC via GettyJurel made rapid strides in age-group cricket in Agra, but there was limited scope for him to improve. He decided to move to Noida on the ourskirts of Delhi and enrolled at Phoolchand Sharma’s Wonders Cricket Club. He initially shuttled between Noida and Agra, but once the travelling got hectic, Jurel shifted base with his mother.There was a time when for two years, between 2015 and 2017, Jurel did not play competitive cricket. Then came UPCA’s Vaibhav Memorial tournament in Meerut in 2017, which he says was a life-changing one. With the selectors watching, 16-year old Jurel smashed a 38-ball 87 in the final, leading his side to the title.”That was a life-changing match for me at the Vaibhav Memorial,” Jurel recalls with a smile. “I was not getting matches, but I was sent up the order in the final. From there I went to play for the state, then I made a comeback.”Jurel was vice-captain at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, where India finished runners-up. But Covid-19 struck soon after and cricket took a backseat again. Jurel did not enter the IPL 2020 auction, where his U-19 team-mates Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravi Bishnoi and Kartik Tyagi went for big money, and was unsold when he did enter the auction in 2021.Did that leave Jurel frustrated? Maybe. But he focused on getting fitter and built a home gym with the money he had earned at the U-19 World Cup. In 2022, Jurel was picked up by Royals at base price. A wicketkeeper-batter, he is a big AB de Villiers fan, and idolises MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.”It was a surreal feeling when I first met them,” Jurel says. “I haven’t spoken to them, I just got photos clicked. But that moment was very special. I have been watching these guys since I was a kid, and now they are standing next to me.”Now that the debut game is out of the way, what next for Jurel? “I am just taking it day by day. Whenever I think too much, I stress a lot. I want to do the right things and keep my basics clear.”