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I’m absolutely certain I’m missing something here: strive all season to land a top four place; talk up the importance of the Champions League and all its benefits; target Ashley Williams from Swansea as one of your prime summer signings.

Arsenal will probably suggest that there is method to the madness, but I can’t see it. I can’t see the sense in swapping out a very good defender in Thomas Vermaelen – a full international, a player with plenty of experience in the Champions League and one who is in the prime of his career – for Ashley Williams. Some may want to argue that Vermaelen is not a “very good defender,” but I simply won’t listen. I’ve mentioned it many times in the past and will continue to do so here: it just equates to short-term memory in football fans.

It’s a matter of progress. Sure, Williams looked good in the Swansea team. Hey, Wigan have a whole squad-worth of players who are FA Cup winners, why don’t Arsenal go ahead and pick a few of them up, too? Again, I’m probably missing the point here.

Doesn’t football have a lot to do with image and the one you create for yourself and then in turn how the rest of the football world looks at you? What I’m taking from this is that Arsenal are once again preparing to sell their captain and key player – because Vermaelen can still be a key player in a season consisting of 50-plus games – and then bringing in a player with two years’ worth of experience in the Premier League, not to mention the complete lack of evidence as to whether he’s capable of the step up to a Champions League team and one with aspirations of league titles.

The other side of the argument is that this could be an ideal signing for Arsenal provided other elements of this summer fall into place. This isn’t solely to campaign that Vermaelen should remain at Arsenal – although I do think he should – but rather one that highlights the regressive nature of possibly swapping one for the other. If Williams comes in as the team’s fourth choice centre-back and offers backup alongside Vermaelen, then it can be chalked up as a good summer signing.

I also don’t want to hear the absolute absurdity of an argument that suggests Williams will become anxious, unsettled or complacent without regular first-team football. What makes him better than Laurent Koscielny or Per Mertesacker? The League Cup is a no-go in that debate. The truth is he isn’t better. If there were problems with either of the first-choice pairing at Arsenal, you’d hope the club would have some sense to target someone other than the Swansea centre-back. But he can be a good squad member, relieving others when injuries or fixtures pile up – and it will happen. Barcelona, and Arsenal in previous years, are good examples of the need for depth. Williams can serve a purpose, yet only as an addition and not a replacement.

Furthermore, I wouldn’t want to insinuate that Williams is a poor signing because he doesn’t have that big-name-player tag. That really shouldn’t matter on the whole. Yes, this summer does need to be one that appeases the fans and marks a transition from one era into another, but it can still be a notable summer with low-profile names coming in. The biggest point to take from any of this is whether the signings are good enough. How do they match up when compared with teams who should be on equal footing around Europe? Are they going to take the club to the next level?

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There will be a better understanding of this potential signing come September, as well as his status in the squad. The concern, however, is that Arsenal are moving backwards instead of forwards, or sideways at best. Last summer and the year before and so on, it was about the club replacing rather than supplementing. You can see where ‘squad’ players can come in and offer more than what’s currently available in the team, but based on what can be made from stories heading into this summer, the signing of Ashley Williams could be another move that offers little to the club in the bigger picture.

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Juventus are already eyeing up January reinforcements and have identified Manchester United’s Nani and Arsenal’s Theo Walcott as possible transfer targets according to Mirror Football.

The Serie A champions were busy in the off-season in strengthening their squad but it is believed that the Bianconeri will dip into the market at the start of 2013 also.

United attacker Nani was rumoured to be on his way out of Old Trafford this summer after contract negotiations were not positive, and Zenit St Petersburg were close to agreeing a deal to bring the Portugal international to Russia.

Meanwhile, Walcott is in the last year of his contract at Arsenal and has spurned a new five-year deal from the Emirates Stadium club.

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The England international will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with another club in January, and Arsene Wenger may be tempted to sell the star should it becomes clear that he will not prolong his stay in north London.

According to ESPN FC, Javier Hernandez is preparing to leave West Ham United at the end of the season following a disappointing 2017-18 campaign.

What’s the story?

West Ham beat a number of clubs to Hernandez’s signature last summer, with the Mexican moving to the London Stadium off the back of scoring 39 times in two seasons at Bayer Leverkusen.

The striker managed 37 Premier League goals during his time at Manchester United, and it would be fair to say that the West Ham fans were excited about his arrival.

Hernandez has found it difficult to hold down a regular spot this term, however, and according to ESPN FC, he will seek a move away from the club in this summer’s transfer window.

There will certainly not be a shortage of interest in the former Real Madrid striker, who has a record of 49 goals in 100 appearances for the Mexico national team.

Should West Ham fight to keep him?

Hernandez has actually scored eight times in 28 Premier League appearances for West Ham this season, which is far from a disastrous record. When considering that the forward has struggled for starts, his total of goals is not too bad at all.

The West Ham fans would not have been pleased to see the 29-year-old walking around the pitch, however, when he came off the bench against Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.

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There is no question that Hernandez, who is valued at £16.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk, is an excellent goalscorer, but his face just does not seem to fit at West Ham, which is a surprise when considering how popular he was at United.

Hernandez actively looked to leave the Hammers in January before ultimately remaining at the club, but it would be best for both parties if they were to part ways at the end of the season.

With Robin van Persie slowly succumbing to age and Radamel Falcao looking like anything but a £55million striker this season, Manchester United’s strike-force is expected to undergo a bit of a reshuffle this summer.

Indeed, RVP has been linked with a move to Premier League retirement home Serie A, where running is widely discouraged, and the Red Devils are unlikely to make Falcao’s loan move permanent, having netted just four times for his adoptive club across all competitions.

Unfortunately, however, United’s priority pick to fill the void, Edinson Cavani, appears to be on the verge of agreeing a summer move to Juventus – as The Daily Mail revealed last week – and currently, world-class centre-forwards of the Uruguay international’s mould aren’t in copious supply.

But fear not Red Devils fans, for Football Fancast is here to help. Using our god-given powers of transfer know-how, we’ve come up with FIVE potential alternatives to the Juve-bound PSG star.

Can one of these strikers prove equally effective at Old Trafford?

CHRISTIAN BENTEKE

Just when Christian Benteke appeared on the verge of plunging into the realms of mediocrity, he’s re-emerged as one of the most formidable target men the Premier League has to offer.

Indeed, the Belgium international has been on fire since Tim Sherwood took Aston Villa’s managerial reins from Paul Lambert in February, bagging eleven goals in his last ten appearances in all competitions to bring his Villains total to 48 goals in 97 appearances.

Powerful, tall, aggressive and blessed with an imperious leap, the 23-year-old would be perfect for the direct style of football Louis van Gaal has tried to implement at Old Trafford.

Sherwood has admitted Benteke could force a move away from Villa Park this summer, leading the tabloids to value him at around £30million.

But if there’s one criticism of Benteke, it’s that he’s not a natural suitor to the stylish, technically demanding football United fans crave. Him and Marouane Fellaini in the same team might be deemed a tad too attritional.

Carlos Bacca

Perhaps not a first-class centre-forward but certainly a first-rate second-class centre-forward, Sevilla star Carlos Bacca will be available for just £21.3million this summer through a release clause.

And although the Colombian international isn’t considered to be in the same company as Luis Suarez or Robert Lewandowski, he’s been in absolutely lethal form for the Spanish outfit over the last two campaigns, netting 46 goals in 104 appearances.

That fired Sevilla to last term’s Europa League title, whilst this season they’re just three points shy of qualifying for the Champions League in La Liga.

Speedy, direct, stocky in frame and unorthodox in style, the 28 year-old seems like a good fit for the Premier League. He could certainly keep the Red Devils ticking over for a season or two, but probably isn’t a long-term option.

Harry Kane

We’ve only seen a single season’s worth of superlative football from Harry Kane but what a season it has been.

The 21 year-old has emerged from the peripheries of Tottenham’s squad to become the Premier League’s top-scoring Englishman – his 20-goal haul only surpassed throughout the division by Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.

But more than simply his goals, it’s Kane’s infectious enthusiasm and all-round contribution that truly stands out. He’s got a bit of everything about him; power and pace, hold-up play, cute little link-ups with Christian Eriksen, imperious ability in the air and perhaps most impressively of all, an absolutely phenomenal work-rate.

If Louis van Gaal wants to sign a United striker for the next decade, then Kane seems as wise a gamble as any. But the chances of Spurs cashing in this summer, for anything less than an astronomical fee, are rather unlikely.

Gonzalo Higuain

Louis van Gaal likes his ‘multi-purpose’ footballers and Gonzalo Higuain certainly falls into that category.

The 27 year-old’s predominant strength remains goalscoring, boasting a career return of 212 goals in 447 appearances throughout his prolific spells with River Plate, Real Madrid, Napoli and the Argentina national team.

But he’s also a smart link-up player who has often featured out wide for his respective clubs, perhaps epitomised best by his impressive haul of eleven assists for Albiceleste and 15 during his last two Serie A campaigns.

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The former Los Blancos forward looks set to leave the Naples outfit this summer following their failure to qualify for the Champions League and The Metro believe he could be available for around £29million.

That’s a fair price for such a proven and versatile centre-forward, but Arsenal and Liverpool are considered his likeliest suitors.

KARIM BENZEMA

Should rumours of Real Madrid’s intentions to sell Karim Benzema prove true, as claimed by The Express, Manchester United should be biting their hand off.

The France international is one of the best front-men Europe has to offer and he’s almost purpose built for Premier League football, blessed with fantastic height, power, strength and aggression – which is why Sir Alex Ferguson tried to bring him to Old Trafford back in summer 2009.

Furthermore and perhaps most importantly, after spending the last six years in Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow, the 27 year-old still has a point to prove if he’s to be remembered as one of his generation’s greatest strikers.

His rumoured £40million price-tag, for a player in his peak years with four terms remaining on his current contract, represents fantastic value for money.

He’d be my first choice of Cavani alternative – but admittedly, any transfer rumour involving Real Madrid always comes with an element of serious doubt.

Manchester United boss David Moyes will have to rival Real Madrid in order to sign target Arturo Vidal, as reported by talkSPORT.

Madrid launched a massive £36million bid for the Juventus midfielder last night and are now heavy favourites to snap up the Chilean who has impressed in Serie A over the past two seasons.

United are desperate to add reinforcements to their midfielder after missing out on Barcelona youngster Thiago who appears to be close to joining Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich.

United are not willing to match the ambitious big money offer made by Real Madrid and so may once again have to look elsewhere after suffering transfer disappointment.

The likes of Tom Cleverley, Shinji Kagawa and Anderson have failed to stake their claim to partner Michael Carrick in the middle of the park for United which is the key area to strengthen now Paul Scholes has retired.

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Arsenal manager Arsenal Wenger has had stern words with defender Andre Santos after the player was caught speeding.

The Brazilian full-back was caught for dangerous driving last weekend, which has been confirmed by the Metropolitan Police.

“Shortly after 9.30am on Friday Aug 17, a 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and failing to stop for police on the A1, near to Junction 22 of the M25,” said a spokesman, published in The Telegraph.

“Officers’ attention was drawn to the vehicle due to the manner of its driving. The man has been bailed to return at a date in mid-September to a North London police station.”

The Gunners have confirmed that the matter will be dealt with internally, with Santos receiving a warning.

“The player and club are co-operating with the police regarding this matter,” said a club spokesman.

“Arsenal Football Club expects the highest standard of behaviour from all its employees and is taking this allegation extremely seriously.”

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By Gareth McKnight

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Gloucestershire and Derbyshire share spoils in rain-ruined contest at Bristol

ECB Reporters Network27-May-2024Beau Webster completed a Gloucestershire home debut to remember before the rain-ruined Vitality County Championship Division Two match with Derbyshire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol petered out into a predictable draw.The Australian all-rounder, recruited primarily for T20 cricket, followed up his six-wicket haul in Derbyshire’s first innings of 526 by smashing 76 off just 79 balls as Gloucestershire extended their reply from an overnight 399 for four to 530 all out, Zak Chappell claiming five for 58.James Bracey was dismissed for 144 and Graeme van Buuren 187 after extending their record-breaking fifth-wicket stand to 277. But too much time had been lost to the weather and the players shook hands at 4.53pm when Derbyshire declared their second innings on 166 for four, with a lead of 162.Brooke Guest contributed 57, his second half-century of the match. The visitors took 15 points from the game and Gloucestershire 14.Only 21 overs had been bowled on day three because of rain and a draw looked the only likely outcome when play began with Gloucestershire 127 runs adrift of Derbyshire’s first innings total. The first ball of the day from Anuj Dal brought a van Buuren boundary and a fourth batting bonus point for the hosts.Five more runs had been added when the marathon stand between Bracey and van Buuren, who had resumed on 137 and 156 respectively, was finally broken, Bracey looking aghast as the ball trickled onto his stumps and dislodged the bails as he attempted to sweep off-spinner Alex Thomson.Bracey had faced 190 balls and hit 20 fours and a six. The stand with van Buuren occupied 52.2 overs and bettered by 16 the previous Gloucestershire record fifth-wicket partnership of 261, put together by W.G.Grace and William Moberly against Yorkshire at Cheltenham 148 years ago.Webster soon attacked with two fours in an over off Dal before a van Buuren single off Thomson brought Gloucestershire their fifth batting point. The skipper’s 236-ball knock, featuring 23 fours and three sixes, ended with the total on 475 when he drove at a good length ball from Sam Conners and edged to slip.An unexpected clatter of wickets followed as Ed Middleton was caught behind fencing at Chappell, who followed up by removing Matt Taylor and Marchant de Lange with successive balls, the former caught at fine leg off a glance he timed too well and the latter lbw to a toe-crushing yorker.Chappell was denied a hat-trick when his next delivery, also very full, crashed into Ajeet Singh Dale’s pads, but was rightly ruled to be missing leg stump. Gloucestershire’s number eleven went on to share a stand of 43 with Webster, who moved confidently to a run-a-ball fifty, celebrating with a big six over mid-wicket and into the car park off Conners.The tall Aussie was last man out, skying a catch to long-off to give Daryn Dupavillon a wicket, having struck eight fours and three sixes. Chappell’s figures were outstanding, but Derbyshire were left to reflect on taking only two bowling points, having wasted the second new ball on day three, and Gloucestershire’s slender lead of four runs offered little hope of a decisive result.Only a clatter of Derbyshire second innings wickets could change that. It seemed even less likely when Marchant de Lange’s opening over with the new ball went for 14.There was a glimmer of light for Gloucestershire when de Lange bowled Luis Reece off an inside edge for seven with the total on 25. But skipper David Lloyd cruised to 49, with eight fours, before edging leg-spinner Middleton through to wicketkeeper Bracey.In bright afternoon sunshine, the cricket became soporific as Guest and Wayne Madsen steadily accumulated against slow bowlers Middleton and Ollie Price without the runs counting for much. By tea, Derbyshire had moved to 129 for two and led by 125, Guest having just reached his fifty off 100 balls, with seven fours.The abridged final session saw Madsen caught behind for 30 trying to reverse sweep Middleton and Guest snapped up at short-leg off Price after the pair had added 70 for the third wicket.

Senior batter vows to support Markram in the role; wants to make an impact on and off the field with the youngsters in the squad

Firdose Moonda20-Mar-2023David Miller has pledged to throw his support behind South Africa’s new T20I captain Aiden Markram even as he acknowledged he hoped he would be considered for the job.”I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested,” Miller said, ahead of South Africa’s second ODI against West Indies in Potchefstroom. “I’ve really enjoyed the journey I’ve had with the Proteas and the experience that I’ve got. The fact that I am not captain, I am most certainly not bitter or anything towards anyone. I want to put my best foot forward for the team and support Aiden in that role.”Miller has been playing international cricket for 12 years and previously captained South Africa in matches against Pakistan, England and Ireland. He has also led Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Barbados Royals and Paarl Royals in T20 leagues and was considered one of the frontline candidates for the job Temba Bavuma stood down from when he was appointed Test captain.Related

• Aiden Markram ready to fulfil his destiny

• Markram named SA's T20I captain, Bavuma dropped

• South Africa players to join IPL on April 3 after Netherlands ODIs

• Miller: 'I've really enjoyed challenging myself against the PSL death bowlers'

But Markram, a former South African Under-19 captain who won the age-group World Cup, and current captain of the SA20 champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape, was preferred. There were no announcements regarding a vice-captain.”He is an extremely great leader and he has got a lot of maturity and a calmness about him,” Miller said of Markram. “And that just moves throughout the change room. It’s a great option and with Rob (Walter) coming in as the new (white-ball) coach, they are going to form a great combination. I am there to support the guys in whatever they need from me.”Crucially, Miller’s experience in the middle-order will come in handy. South Africa were without him for their ODI series opener against West Indies (as he was returning from the PSL) and fell 48 runs short chasing 336 on Saturday. They also had three batting debutants Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs – none of whom were able to stay at the crease long enough to help Bavuma who was playing an incredible innings.Miller is eager to help the new players make better decisions on the field. “It’s great to see the young guys coming in and getting a taste of international cricket,” he said. “It’s really healthy with the standard that we’ve got and it’s a matter of time before all these new guys come in and start performing at their best. I just want to make the impact that I can on and off the field; for the new guys in the squad to feed off my experience and learning. I am always learning myself; learning from them as well. The young guys have some different thought processes when they bat and bowl, so for me it’s just to boost the guys on the field, recognise moments in the game that I have seen more often than they have, keep that communication throughout the game and keep the guys nice and calm.”South Africa can level the series with a win in Potchefstroom on Tuesday they move on to the three T20Is that round out West Indies’ visit.Then, the last and biggest test of the summer looms. South Africa face Netherlands – who booted them out of the T20 World Cup in November – in two must-win World Cup Super League ODIs. As reported by ESPNcricinfo earlier in the month. Cricket South Africa have held all their international stars back from the IPL’s opening three days in order to compete in these matches. They will only fly out on the evening of April 2, the day of the last match against Netherlands.That means Miller will miss Gujarat Titans’ opening match against Chennai Super Kings but will arrive in India in time for the second match against Delhi Capitals on April 4 – though his availability is likely to depend on any travel fatigue.”They (Titans) were really upset. It’s always a big thing playing in Ahmedabad. I am a bit disappointed to be missing that but to put on the green and gold has always been a huge privilege and honour and we have got some work to do in those two games against Netherlands so I think having a strong team – the best squad that we can pick – is definitely the way forward. I will be missing one game so whether I’m somewhat disappointed or not, the process has taken place.”Unlike last year, where CSA gave the players the choice of going to the IPL or staying home for Tests against Bangladesh, this year, through the memorandum of understanding with the South African Cricketers’ Association which gives them the right to keep players available for the national team, the board made the decision for them.”We weren’t given an option in any way,” Miller said. “Be that as it may, we’ve got our best squad on the park and we’ve got a lot of work to do in those two games so it will be nice to be able to focus on that.”

With some big names missing on both sides, can New Zealand take advantage of India’s relatively inexperienced batting?

Karthik Krishnaswamy24-Nov-20211:13

Wasim Jaffer picks his India XI

Big Picture

They’re the top two teams in the ICC Test rankings. They recently contested the World Test Championship final. One team has won each of their last three meetings, but all three Tests were played in conditions that negated the other team’s biggest point of difference, their spin bowling.India now have the chance to play New Zealand in their own conditions. New Zealand now have the chance to prove they aren’t just WTC champions but also the best all-conditions Test team in the world.

Watch live cricket on ESPN+ in the US

India vs New Zealand is available in the US on ESPN+. You can subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the first day of the 1st Test in English or in Hindi.

This should be one of the most eagerly anticipated series of recent times, but just look at who won’t be lining up in Kanpur even though they’re fully fit: Kohli, Rohit, Pant, Bumrah, Shami, Boult, de Grandhomme. It’s the reality of these times. There’s endless, wall-to-wall cricket, most of it within biosecure bubbles, and, at some point, everyone needs a break.It won’t have the star power it might otherwise command, but this still promises to be an enthralling series. After an England tour during which India’s XI mostly had room only for one of them, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will be back doing what they do best, and their threat is likely to be magnified by the presence of Axar Patel in a three-man spin attack.The challenge that this India attack – the aforementioned spinners plus their quicks – presents in Indian conditions may well be among the biggest Test cricket has thrown at batters through its history. New Zealand, though, have quality and experience running through their top five, and in Kane Williamson a world-class force whose record in India doesn’t reflect his immense skill against spin.While it isn’t yet clear what shade of subcontinental this Green Park surface will be, it’ll be of a kind that New Zealand haven’t experienced for quite a while. As good as their fast bowlers are, their magnificent recent records have owed quite a bit to the green carpets that have been rolled out for them wherever they’ve gone. Their last nine Tests have all been played either at home or in England, and Kyle Jamieson, who has played all his eight Tests in this period, has a bowling average of – wait for it – 14.17.How well he, Neil Wagner and Tim Southee – who has an outstanding record in Asia but hasn’t played in India since 2012 – adapt to Indian pitches might hold as much of a key to how many WTC points New Zealand take home from this tour as the performance of their spinners. On the latter front New Zealand might be better equipped than at any time since the days of Daniel Vettori, with Ajaz Patel having played significant roles in Test wins in Abu Dhabi (twice) and Colombo, and with Will Somerville having featured alongside him in two of those triumphs.And while India will start as heavy favourites as they always do at home, their batting line-up won’t wear its usual impregnable look, with Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant absent; with Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane potentially rusty in addition to not having been in the best of form for close to two years; and with one or potentially two debutants set to feature.In this line-up’s inexperience might lie New Zealand’s biggest opportunity.Form guide

India WLWDL (last five Tests, most recent first)

New Zealand WWDWWTim Southee has a fantastic record in Asia•PA Photos/Getty Images

In the spotlight

The last time New Zealand made a full tour of India, Ajinkya Rahane scored a career-best 188 in the third Test and lifted his average to 51.37 after 29 matches. Now, after 78 Tests, that number has dropped below 40, and a number of young, hungry middle-order batters are breathing down his neck. Against that backdrop, and as the stand-in captain and experienced pillar in a largely inexperienced top six, this could be a very important Test in his career.Ajaz Patel comes into this series with 13 wickets at 29.61 against Pakistan in the UAE, and nine wickets at 26.88 in Sri Lanka. Those are excellent numbers, but bowling in India, as even Shane Warne and Muthiah Muralidaran discovered, isn’t the same as it is in the rest of Asia. It’s the biggest test for a visiting spinner, but if he can bowl a lot of overs and bowl them with control, the rest of the New Zealand attack will have an axis to bowl around.

Team news

Rahane has confirmed Shreyas Iyer will make his debut on Thursday. He hasn’t ruled out playing another debutant in Suryakumar Yadav as well, though, with India not yet revealing if they will play five specialist batters – as they have done in most of their recent home Tests – or six. They may have a difficult decision to make on which seamer to leave out, with a third being unlikely at a venue not reputed to offer too much pace or carry.India (probable): 1 Mayank Agarwal, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 5 Shreyas Iyer, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Axar Patel/Suryakumar Yadav, 10 and 11 two out of Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma.Related

• KL Rahul's injury shifts focus on to Pujara and Rahane

• Suryakumar replaces injured Rahul in India squad

• Shreyas Iyer to make Test debut in Kanpur vs New Zealand

• NZ's selection question: who will open alongside Latham?

• How do NZ's spinners stack up for the India challenge?

The big question for New Zealand is the composition of their attack – two spinners or three, and if two, which two; and if only two seamers, which one to leave out. Will Young seems likely to take the opening slot vacated by Devon Conway’s injury, with Tom Blundell taking the keeping gloves in the first Test of the post-BJ Watling era.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner/Kyle Jamieson, 8 Tim Southee, 9 Neil Wagner, 10 Will Somerville, 11 Ajaz Patel.

Pitch and conditions

Ashwin and Jadeja shared 16 wickets between them the last time India met New Zealand in a Test match in Kanpur. In his pre-match press conference, Rahane didn’t go into a whole lot of detail about what he expected from this Green Park pitch, but he made it clear that India, like every other team in the WTC, would look to “make the most of home advantage”. It would be no surprise, therefore, if both teams picked three spinners.

Stats and trivia

• This will be New Zealand’s fourth Test match in Kanpur, making Green Park their most visited Test venue in India. They have played five Tests each in Mumbai and Hyderabad and four in Chennai, but those games have been divided among multiple grounds.
• New Zealand have won just two of their 34 Tests in India so far: in Nagpur in 1969-70 and in Mumbai in 1988-89.
• R Ashwin needs five wickets to go past Harbhajan Singh’s tally of 417 and become India’s most prolific offspinner in Test cricket.
• Umesh Yadav is four wickets short of becoming the fifth Indian fast bowler after Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma to pick up 100 wickets in home Tests.
• If Kyle Jamieson plays and picks up four wickets, he will become the joint second-quickest to 50 Test wickets among bowlers to have made their debuts in this millennium. Vernon Philander got there in seven Tests, while R Ashwin and Yasir Shah took nine Tests each to reach the landmark.

Quotes

“When we play on spin-friendly wickets, it is a challenge even for Indian batsmen. But as batsmen once you are in you have to make it count. It is a challenge and we accept that. We are not bothered about our runs, but as a team we want to win each and every game.”
“I’ve got Wags (Neil Wagner) and Timmy (Tim Southee) here, so that’ll be good to bounce ideas of them, to get their expertise on how to bowl here. It’s certainly going to be a different challenge to what we get back home but really looking forward to it.”