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The pair added 104 off just 10.2 overs to blindside Australia in the series decider

Shashank Kishore26-Sep-20221:54

Hodge: ‘It looks like Kohli has his mojo back’

Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav. One a decade-old veteran continuing to push boundaries, both physically and skill-wise, in trying to rediscover himself. The other, a late bloomer at 31, and in the absolute peak of his prowess, with magical wrists and instincts that give him a split-second more than others to hit balls to corners of the ground as he pleases.On Sunday in Hyderabad, it was this combination that put Australia under the mat, before Hardik Pandya sealed India’s series win from being 1-0 down just four days ago. Kohli and Suryakumar added 104 off just 10.2 overs in a fine display of power, skill, wristwork, fitness and the inventive to raze down India’s 187-run target.Related

• 'I won't just sit out' – Suryakumar overcomes illness to give India series win

• Rohit backs Bhuvneshwar to come good: 'It's important we give him that space'

• Kohli, Suryakumar, Axar star as India seal T20I series 2-1

This partnership was a tad different, though.Teams tend to bring spin on to Kohli early in his innings. In all T20 cricket since 2021, Kohli strikes at just 108.85 in 40 innings against spin. In comparison, he goes at 137.81 against pace. So, when Aaron Finch brought Adam Zampa on within two balls of his arrival to the crease, it seemed a perfectly legitimate move. Zampa also had the wood over Kohli, having dismissed him eight times, the most he’s been out to a single bowler in white-ball cricket.Three nights ago, Kohli was out giving the charge to Zampa as he played all around a slider that snuck through bat and pad to crash into the stumps. Sunday was going to add another chapter to this match-up, and Kohli wasn’t in the mood to allow Zampa to dictate terms. His first delivery, Kohli’s third of the innings, was a perfectly tossed up delivery on off-stump. Kohli was forward and right to the pitch in a jiffy as he drilled the ball through extra cover to begin with a boundary. It set Kohli up for the rest of his innings.”When Surya started hitting it like that, I kind of looked at the dug-out as well,” Kohli said after the match to Star Sports. “Rohit and Rahul both told me, ‘you can just keep batting on’ because Surya was striking it that well. It was just about building a partnership, so I used my experience a little bit, stayed back.”Australia, though, didn’t just have to be mindful of Kohli. At the other end, Suryakumar was plotting carnage in his own style. One second, he was stepping out to leg, giving the impression he’d be going inside out, only to whip deliveries to bisect deep midwicket and long-on. The next, he was going deep into the crease, so deep you feared for his back leg nudging the stumps, to manufacture length to play his back-cut behind point. These two shots, in essence, are a peek into Suryakumar’s approach – no leeway, no luxuries to settle into a length.”It’s absolute clarity in what he wants to do,” Kohli said of Suryakumar’s brilliance. “Obviously he has the game to bat under any sort of situation, in any condition and he’s shown that already. He got a hundred in England; he batted beautifully in the Asia Cup as well. Here he’s striking the ball as well as I’ve seen him strike. I mean, for the last six months he’s been outstanding so it’s just the array of shots, and to play those shots at the right time is such tremendous for a guy who knows his game inside out and has no fear in executing those shots.”Kohli came out all guns blazing against spin, eventually hitting a match-winning fifty•BCCIAt the end of seven overs, Kohli had raced to 25, with Suryakumar on 6. Within four overs, Suryakumar had comfortably overtaken Kohli. Soon enough, he brought up his half-century with back-to-back sixes off Zampa in the 13th, with Kohli having slowed down to watch the show from the best seat in the house. This wasn’t to say Kohli went completely defensive. He took Zampa on from the get-go, walloping a massive six down the ground. More than the six, his manner of unsettling the bowler told you of how he’d meticulously planned to counter him.”I kind of made up my mind to go after him today,” Kohli said. “He’s a quality bowler. He kind of tries to control my scoring rate whenever we play, and I knew he is going to attack the stumps, so I was outside leg stump already. In the last game, I was kind of disappointed that after hitting a four, I went for a double rather than hitting him for a six, so I’m making a conscious effort to strike big in the middle overs, so that it can help the team’s situation.”Since he has returned from the break at the Asia Cup last month, Kohli has been visibly aggressive against spin. Shades of this dominance were visible in his takedown of Rashid Khan when he broke his century-drought earlier this month in Dubai. Such clarity can often be down to one’s confidence levels. On Sunday, Kohli arrived at the ground an hour and a half prior to the rest of the team and had a 30-minute net. This was a reinvigorated Kohli working his way back up to top form and wanting to cash in on good form that seemed to have deserted him for a while.”I’ve enjoyed my batting ever since I came back during the Asia Cup,” Kohli said. “I’m really enjoying my process, really working hard on my fitness all over again. I’m excited to go to the gym, excited go to practice and just contribute to the team’s cause. I know the last game wasn’t a big score, but I felt like I hit two impact boundaries, so am happy with my contributions. And am not putting myself down if I’m not getting big runs every time for the team. I’m just trying to stay in this space.”

A remarkable innings hasn’t completely dispelled the doubts about his suitability for Test cricket

George Dobell09-Aug-2020Just when England were ready to change that stupid lock and make him leave his key, Jos Buttler goes and produces an innings like that.By the time Chris Woakes joined Buttler on Saturday, England’s position looked hopeless. Buttler’s too. After an untidy performance with the gloves, he knew he was under pressure to perform.Somehow, it appeared to focus his mind. Gone was the tentative, diffidence that has characterised Buttler’s batting over the last 18 months or so. In its place was the Buttler familiar from limited-overs cricket: positive; inventive; destructive and focused.That positivity was crucial. Having just seen Ollie Pope dismissed by an unplayable delivery that reared and took the glove, Buttler and Woakes knew that batting against a second new ball – due in 35 overs when they came together – was likely to prove deeply problematic. So they decided to take it out of the equation.ALSO READ: Stokes to miss rest of Pakistan series with family matterThat they did so in vastly different styles did England no harm at all. For while Woakes tended to give himself room to cut and drive through the off side, where he scored 63 of his 84 runs, Buttler upset Yasir Shah’s plans with his quick footwork and ability to sweep and reverse sweep even out of quite substantial foot marks. He scored 38 on the leg side and 37 on the off.There’s risk inherent in such shots, of course. And there were a couple of top-edges which, another day, might have ended up in the hands of fielders. But these are the calculated risks that Buttler was picked to play and his fast hands and utter commitment to the plan proved equal to the challenge.Besides, what was the alternative? Trust his defence and get them in singles? That’s not Buttler’s game. And it wasn’t that pitch. By the time Pakistan did have access to the new ball, it was all too late. But it was telling that the stroke that brought victory – less a stroke and more of an edge, really – came from the 13th delivery with the new ball. It moved alarmingly and the edge would have gone to third slip had Pakistan been able to afford to have one. England’s tactics were fully vindicated.Let nobody be in any doubt as to the state of the surface. We had already seen Ben Stokes dismissed by one that reared out of the foot marks. At one stage Buttler was struck in the chest by a top-spinner that reared alarmingly; at another he top-edged a pull when the delivery seemed to stick in the pitch. It was desperately tough.Jos Buttler pulls through midwicket•Getty ImagesThat there was not a single maiden bowled in the 33 overs the pair batted together isn’t an especially flattering reflection on Pakistan’s tactics. But it’s difficult to save the singles when batsmen keep smashing boundaries. And Buttler, in particular, could give a whippet a decent race. More experienced captains than Azhar Ali would have been left scratching their head by this stand.Equally, you can forgive Pakistan’s spinners looking a bit flustered. To bowl into a foot mark and be reverse-swept for four is perplexing. To then bowl almost the same ball and be swept or driven is bound to leave a bowler confused. Shadab Khan looked intimidated and dragged a couple down. Buttler, rocking on to the back foot, pulled him for six as reward.So, where does all this leave Buttler? James Vince, for example, was dropped after making 76 in his last Test innings. Will this 75 save Buttler?Almost certainly. There was very little evidence England were prepared to move on from him anyway. It was actually his third good innings in succession, too. And while he’s still short of runs in general as a Test batsman – this was his highest score since September 2018 – it was a reminder of the potential he possesses.The problem here, though, is that Buttler is at the stage of his career where England would have hoped “potential” had been turned into “performance”. Buttler is a dangerous batsman, for sure. In the way Jermaine Blackwood and Shahid Afridi might be described as dangerous. But he’s 30 in a month and has been playing for more than a decade. That first-class average of 32.36 doesn’t lie. If he’s going to bat in the top six, or even top seven, such innings have to come much more often.So, the fundamental issues remain. He doesn’t score quite enough runs to justify a role as a specialist batsman and he doesn’t keep quite well enough to provide the assurances England require there.

Modest in victory, generous to rivals and selfless even when under personal pressure, you can see why England want Buttler around

Maybe that’s unfair. The keeping mistakes in Manchester were out of character. And it was revealed after the game that his father has been unwell recently and spent Friday night in hospital.Generally he has been sound with the gloves and, standing back to the seamers, has taken some outstanding catches. The worry is his ability to stand up to spinners. And with England currently hoping to play seven Tests in Asia this winter, that’s a weakness that could be exposed. An innings of 75, however classy, doesn’t change that.One option would be to recall Ben Foakes. Buttler himself said Foakes had provided him with a “wake-up call” as to the standards required at Test level.That would leave Buttler fighting for a place as a specialist batsman. But we’ve been here before. The reason Buttler was given the gloves back in November was that he was struggling to retain his position on his batting alone. Woakes, for example, has the same number of Test centuries, more first-class centuries and actually saw England home on Saturday; nobody is suggesting he bats in the top six.So it probably won’t happen. Instead, England will hope Buttler’s hard work with the coaching staff, and keeping consultant, Bruce French, will reap rewards. He certainly won’t lack for effort or good intentions.Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes build their momentum-changing stand•Getty ImagesAnd that’s another factor here. For Buttler’s humility after his innings on Saturday was revealing. He knew he hasn’t been contributing as much as he would have liked; he knew he owed the team a performance. But instead of unleashing a Denesh Ramdin-style rebuke to his critics, he accepted he “didn’t keep well” and that he was playing for his place. Modest in victory, generous to rivals and selfless even when under personal pressure. You can see why they want such a character around.Joe Root deserves some credit, too. Root’s captaincy seems to attract quite a lot of criticism but it may depend on how you define the role. For while there may be reasonable quibbles with some of his tactics – that spell after lunch on day two, for example, when he bowled himself for a few overs instead of one of his four seamers – that is a tiny part of the job. More important, surely, is the ability to build a sense of shared purpose and unity within a squad; to instil an environment which is both hard working but relaxed; to get players playing for one another and the team more than themselves. The evidence suggests Root is rather good at that.In recent days, it has twice emerged that a well-timed word here and there has made all the difference. In Southampton, Stokes found a note telling him to captain his own way; in Manchester, Buttler was urged to “remember who you are” as he went out to bat. Root might not always have handled Jofra Archer perfectly, but he seems to have learned from the experience to become a wiser, more empathetic captain.Yes, Root isn’t scoring the runs he would like, but England have now won six Tests in a row under his leadership. More than that, they’ve evolved from a point where they were at each other’s throats a few years ago and were none too popular with opponents, either. Root is doing a lot right as captain. If he feels he needs Buttler as one of his trusted lieutenants, well, maybe he has a point.

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Titular na vitória do Brasil, sobre a Bolívia, por 1 a 0, Marlon Gomes foi sincero ao avaliar a atuação da Seleção Brasileira. Meio-campista de origem, o jogador foi escalado na lateral-direita e afirmou que a ansiedade de uma estreia dificultou o jogo do time no Pré-Olímpico.

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– Feliz pela vitória, sempre bom estrear com vitória. Não foi um dos melhores jogos, acho que por ser estreia, mas isso é normal. Jogo muito truncado, a Bolívia veio para brigar. Mas estamos no caminho certo. Não é hora de alarmar nada. É manter o foco e daqui a três dias jogar novamente e vencer.

▶️Confira as movimentações da janela de transferências no Mercado da Bola

Marlon Gomes acredita que sem o nervosismo da estreia, o Brasil fará um grande jogo contra a Colômbia, sexta-feira (26), às 20h (horário de Brasília).

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– Esperamos um jogo truncado, mas acho que vamos conseguir jogar mais. Já passou a ansiedade da estreia, todos nós estávamos ansiosos, nervosos, mas isso é normal. Contra a Colômbia vai ser melhor para todos nós – finalizou.

تمكن فريق طلائع الجيش من تحقيق الفوز على نظيره السكة الحديد، في المباراة التي أقيمت بينهما اليوم الإثنين، في منافسات بطولة كأس مصر.

وواجه فريق طلائع الجيش نظيره السكة الحديد، في إطار مواجهات دور الـ 32 من بطولة كأس مصر، للموسم الحالي 2025-2026، وذلك على ملعب جهاز الرياضة العسكري. 

طالع.. فيديو | حرس الحدود يهزم الإسماعيلي بثلاثية ويتأهل لدور الـ 16 من كأس مصر

وحقق طلائع الجيش الفوز على فريق السكة الحديد، بهدفين دون رد، ليحصد بطاقة التأهل إلي دور الـ 16 من بطولة كأس مصر.

وأحرز هدفي طلائع الجيش في مرمى فريق السكة الحديد الثنائي محمد عاطف في الدقيقة 18، وإسماعيل أجورو في الدقيقة 64 من عمر المباراة. 

ومن المقرر أن يواجه طلائع الجيش، في دور الـ 16 من بطولة كأس مصر، فريق كهرباء الإسماعيلية الذي تخطي عقبة الاتحاد السكندري أهداف مباراة طلائع الجيش والسكة الحديد في كأس مصر

Tottenham Hotspur haven’t been alien to spending big money in the transfer market over the last couple of years, with the hierarchy evidently wanting to take the club up the Premier League table.

Thomas Frank was the beneficiary in the summer window, as the Dane was handed over £120m worth of funds to make the additions he desired to his Lilywhites squad.

Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons both made moves worth over £50m to North London during the summer, subsequently arriving to strengthen the quality available in the final third.

The pair have registered 13 combined goals and assists between them, with both managing to find the back of the net during Tuesday night’s Champions League win over Slavia Prague.

However, despite the successes of both players in recent weeks, the manager and the board look as though they want to make added reinforcements in the final third this winter.

Spurs’ potential move to land Antoine Semenyo in January

As Spurs fans will have seen over recent years, the Premier League has become one of the most fiercely contested leagues in the world, which could result in any side being punished on their day.

In the early stages of 2025/26, the Lilywhites appear to have forgotten about the struggles of last season, but they have still struggled on home soil – subsequently winning two league games in North London.

However, in an attempt to improve their form in attacking areas this winter, Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo has been identified as a primary target by the Spurs hierarchy.

The Ghanaian international has been in tremendous form this campaign, as seen by his tally of six goals and three assists in his first 14 league appearances for the Cherries.

As a result, Fabio Paratici has been monitoring the 25-year-old over recent weeks, especially after it was confirmed his £65m release clause becomes active from the 1st of January.

However, such a move could prove to be complicated, with Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool also closely monitoring the progress of the in-form attacker.

It’s also been suggested that the player would prefer a move to the Emirates if he were to leave Bournemouth this January, which could be Frank’s men on their back burner.

The Spurs star who should be sold to fund Semenyo transfer

Over the years, the Spurs board have made numerous questionable decisions that have proved to be mistakes, which have often resulted in huge sums of money being wasted.

From spending £63m on the signature of Tanguy Ndombele, to allowing numerous high-profile youngsters to leave on a free – it truly has been a period to forget for the board.

However, they do have another chance to redeem themselves in the upcoming winter, with the hierarchy needing to go all out in a bid to land Semenyo’s signature.

If they are to generate the funds needed to complete a move for his signature, they could turn to offload numerous players who are already on the books in North London.

Injury-prone players like Dominic Solanke and Richarlison would likely spring to the mind of many supporters – but midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur should be the first star offloaded.

The Uruguayan originally joined the club from Juventus back in January 2022, with such a move generating excitement at the time, but it’s safe to say that feeling has massively changed in recent times.

In 2025/26 to date, he’s featured in all but one Premier League outing, even receiving a new long-term contract back in October, but he’s struggled to perform since such an occasion.

Archie Gray has been selected ahead of him over the last couple of matches, with the Englishman now seemingly appearing ahead of him after his tremendous Champions League showing.

Rodrigo Bentancur – PL stats (2025/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

14

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

84%

Chances created

0.6

Successful dribbles

0.5

Tackles won

1.1

Aerials won

47%

Interceptions made

1.1

Stats via FotMob

The teenager partnered Joao Palhinha at the base of the side, showing talents way beyond his tender years, which are only going to get better in the years ahead.

As for Bentancur, his recent showings have been nothing short of disappointing, even leading to one analyst dubbing him as “embarrassing” due to his lack of work rate.

The midfielder, who’s currently earning £75k-per-week, has failed to kick on after his contract renewal, with the board potentially hindering the progress of Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr by keeping him.

It’s unclear how much the hierarchy could generate by offloading him in the upcoming window, but it could well prove to be enough to help them in their pursuit of Semenyo.

Whilst the decision may appear harsh, it’s one that needs to be made for the interests of the club if they are to reach the next level during Frank’s tenure in North London.

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Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is set to return to the team one day after announcing that he and his wife, Mamiko, have recently welcomed their first child.

The Dodgers announced Sunday that they reinstated Ohtani from the paternity list and designated outfielder Eddie Rosario for assignment in a subsequent move. Ohtani is in the Dodgers' lineup Sunday as they take on the Texas Rangers, hitting leadoff as the team's designated hitter.

He was placed on the paternity list by the Dodgers on Friday as he remained with his family and welcomed his new daughter.

"Welcome to the Ohtani family! I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy beautiful daughter," Ohtani wrote on Instagram. "To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents.

"I would also like to thank the Dodgers organization, my teammates, and the fans for their constant support and kind words of encouragement. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to all the medical professionals and everyone who dedicated their support to us, up until this wonderful day."

Ohtani only missed L.A.'s first two games in Texas, joining the team for the series' final game Sunday before the Dodgers travel to Chicago for a two-game series with the Cubs, which begins Tuesday.

Sourav Ganguly is going to be the new head coach of Pretoria Capitals for the fourth season of SA20, starting on December 26. He will be joined by former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock, who was named the franchise’s assistant coach on Monday.*Ganguly replaces Jonathan Trott in the role, having already acted as the director of cricket for JSW Sports – the parent company of Pretoria Capitals – since last year. Pollock will take over a coaching role after a while, having been a part of the Mumbai Indians coaching staff in the IPL in the early years of the tournament. He also worked with the South Africa team as a consultant briefly.Pretoria Capitals have had an uneven time in the tournament so far: they finished the first season at the top of the table in the group stage, before losing to Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the final. In the two seasons since then – in 2023-24 and 2024-25 – they have faced more middling results, finishing in fifth position both times and failing to qualify for the playoffs.Pretoria Capitals will be hoping that their luck turns around with the new appointments. Their first point of focus will be the player auction on September 9, where Capitals will be looking to refresh their squad.This will be Ganguly’s first time as a head coach. For four years, between 2015 and 2019, he was the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal. He joined Delhi Capitals as a mentor for the 2019 season, but left the franchise soon after to become the president of the BCCI.In the time since then, his appointment as JSW’s director of cricket last year moved him closer to a coaching role at the helm of one of their franchises, which also include Delhi Capitals in co-ownership with GMR in the IPL and WPL.* 0900 hrs: The story was updated after SA20 issued a release about Pollock’s appointment

Tottenham Hotspur are now showing real interest in signing a “relentless” new midfielder who has “striker-like finishing”, with a number of Europe’s top clubs keen.

Spurs looking to strengthen in midfield

Tottenham have made a patchy start to life under Thomas Frank, most recently drawing 0-0 away at AS Monaco in the Champions League, and they could have lost if not for the performance of Guglielmo Vicario, who received a SofaScore match rating of 10 for his efforts.

The Lilywhites recorded an xG of just 0.88, as a result of only creating one big chance throughout the match, with Lucas Bergvall failing to make an impact, being substituted on the hour mark after failing to complete a single dribble or get a shot away.

Given that Rodrigo Bentancur also has just one goal and no assists to his name in all competitions this term, it wouldn’t be surprising if Frank were to try and bring in a new creative spark, and a new midfielder has now emerged as a target.

That is according to a report from The Boot Room, which states Tottenham are now showing real interest in signing AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit, having sent scouts to watch him in action for the Eredivisie side last weekend.

At the end of August, it was revealed the Dutch club are looking to hold out for up to €30m (£26m) for Smit, but the price tag could feasibly be driven up amid widespread interest, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea also keen.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey adds: “Talking to scouts in Europe, there are not many more names that create as much excitement as Smit.

Related Thomas Frank names the Tottenham player scoring for fun in training lately

The Spurs boss is very impressed.

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“Many clubs believe Smit is the real deal and from what I am being told there is a very good chance he moves next year.”

"Relentess" Smit could be real attacking threat for Spurs

Scout Ben Mattinson has waxed lyrical about the threat the Dutchman poses going forward, saying: “For a midfielder, Kees Smit has striker-like finishing in the box. The quality and consistency of his finishing is top drawer. He attacks the box throughout games and gets into some dangerous areas to score from midfield.”

Mattinson has also praised the 19-year-old for his engine and ability in possession of the ball, describing him as “relentless” earlier this year.

Despite still being a teenager, the Alkmaar maestro has already established himself as a regular starter for the Dutch club, chipping in with one goal and two assists in the Eredivisie so far this season.

As such, Smit could be a fantastic long-term addition to Frank’s squad, but it would be a gamble, given that he is yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s major leagues.

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O Corinthians chegou a abrir dois gols de vantagem contra o Fluminense, mas caiu de produção na segunda etapa e viu o rival empatar o duelo no Maracanã. Com o resultado, o Timão perdeu a oportunidade de se distanciar da zona de rebaixamento do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

Com 32 pontos após vinte e sete rodadas disputadas, o clube do Parque São Jorge ocupa atualmente a décima terceira colocação no Brasileirão, apenas dois pontos à frente do Santos, que abre o Z4.

De acordo com o Departamento de Matemática da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), o Corinthians tem maior probabilidade de cair para a segunda divisão (19,5%) do que chances de disputar a próxima Copa Libertadores (0,37%) e viu seu objetivo na competição nacional, muito por conta da instabilidade administrativa da atual diretoria, ser definido: permanecer na primeira divisão.

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Os próximos três jogos do Timão serão fundamentais nesta luta. Na sequência, o time encara o América-MG (20º), Cuiabá (10º) e Santos (17º), todas equipes que possuem o mesmo objetivo que o clube paulista na competição.

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BrasileirãoCorinthians

As those at Ibrox continue their hunt for a new manager, one former Rangers star has told them to go and get a Championship manager who’d join the club “in a heartbeat”.

Rangers schedule manager talks

As things stand, it’s Steven Gerrard who sits top of Rangers’ list of candidates to replace Russell Martin. The former Aston Villa manager is reportedly set to hold talks with the 49ers this week as they look to welcome him back to Ibrox for the first time since he left for the Midlands in 2021.

Whilst the return talks are set to be far from simple, Gerrard recently admitted that he has “unfinished business” in the technical area after failed spells in Saudi Arabia and the Premier League.

Looking for an opportunity to reclaim his coaching career, the Rangers job represents an ideal opportunity for Gerrard. He has already been there and done it – winning the Scottish Premiership in 2021 – and there’s no doubt that the Gers need a similar transformation to the one he oversaw four years ago.

That said, he’s not everyone’s top option. Instead, according to one former player, Rangers should be targeting an impressive Championship manager.

Ross McCormack: Lampard would join Rangers "in a heartbeat"

Speaking on the Open Goal podcast, former Ibrox ace Ross McCormack named-dropped Frank Lampard when asked who he believes Rangers should be targeting and claimed that the Chelsea legend would leave Coventry for the Gers “in a heartbeat”.

The former striker said: “If you could get one for me it would be Lampard, having seen what he’s like. I think you leave Coventry in a heartbeat to go to Rangers.”

'I just spoke to Rangers manager candidate and if Ibrox came calling he'd go'

The Gers are still on the search for their next boss.

ByBen Goodwin Oct 8, 2025

If Lampard was available then it would be hard to argue with McCormack. The Chelsea legend has got his managerial career back on track at Coventry City, who have looked unstoppable in the Championship so far this season – remaining unbeaten after nine games.

Games

9

Wins

5

Draws

4

Defeats

0

Goals for

27

Goals against

7

The frustrating truth for Rangers fans, however, is that Lampard is unlikely to ditch his current project now that it is in such a promising position. Coventry and the former Everton manager have their sights set on the Premier League. That’s something that not even Rangers are likely to disrupt.

Instead, the 49ers may be forced to settle for another legendary England midfielder.