Category Uncategorized

His skills aren’t in question, but his fitness is, and the mystery spinner must prove he is finally good to go

Deivarayan Muthu24-Jul-2021Varun Chakravarthy – here we go again! After missing out on selection for the T20I leg of the Australia tour and the home series against England because of fitness issues, the mystery spinner is braced for his international debut, one more time. With the T20I series in Sri Lanka being India’s last before the T20 World Cup, this will be Chakravarthy’s first – and probably last – chance to stake a claim for the tournament, to be held in the UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14.The last time Chakravarthy was in the UAE, he married his variations with control to emerge as the Kolkata Knight Riders’ highest wicket-taker, with 17 strikes in 13 matches at an economy rate of 6.84. The national selectors were so impressed that they immediately rewarded him with a place in the T20I side.Chakravarthy has had a roller-coaster ride since.Related

Va-va-Varunnn! Crafty Chakravarthy could be India's trump card at T20 World Cup

Varun Chakravarthy's checklist: IPL playoffs, T20 World Cup

Dhawan eager to make his place 'stronger for World Cup' with Sri Lanka T20Is

Spin is Sri Lanka's best bet against India's IPL superstars

The architect drawing up KKR's blueprint for success

He watched his Tamil Nadu mate T Natarajan take his place in the T20I side and make a big splash in Australia. He met his idol, actor Vijay, and got married to his girlfriend Neha during his time away from the game. He then underwent rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, but wasn’t deemed fit enough for selection for the T20Is against England. It was then time to prove he was no one-season IPL wonder, fronting up to bowl in the powerplay, middle overs, as well as at the death earlier this year – with or without Sunil Narine. IPL 2021 was later postponed after he was among the people to test positive for Covid-19.While Chakravarthy has recovered and continues to upgrade his skills – he is working on adding to his seven variations, according to the Knight Riders’ spin-bowling coach Carl Crowe, who is now with the Manchester Originals for the Hundred – there might still be question marks over his fitness.Reacting to Chakravarthy failing a fitness test ahead of the England T20Is, Virat Kohli had stressed that fitness could not be “compromised” in this Indian set-up. There is a school of thought – that Crowe subscribes to – that players like Chakravarthy, who come from a non-professional background, could be given some leeway.

“If you have a cricketer who comes from a low-base background and when he does not have support for fitness growing up in his formative years, I think you give a little bit of leeway as long as you see the fitness level improve as he goes along”Carl Crowe

“In the modern era of sport, particularly cricket, it is very fitness-driven. You could argue that it’s over the line on fitness and I might be in that camp,” Crowe tells ESPNcricinfo. “Cricket is a skill sport, but fitness is crucial for maximising performance, longevity and resisting injuries and so many reasons. When you have someone with the high skill level that Varun brings – different shades that he has – it’s not made up by extra fitness. If you look at how he’s bowled in the last two IPLs…. I think it was a game in Sharjah where he played the previous IPL on a small ground and flat wicket, he went for 24-25 runs in his four overs. Even this time, he got Virat out very quickly against RCB.”My view is – I’m not in charge of BCCI to tell them to do things at all – if you have a cricketer who comes from a low-base background and when he does not have support for fitness growing up in his formative years, I think you give a little bit of leeway as long as you see the fitness level improve as he goes along.”I don’t think Varun gave much away in the field ever. You don’t want too many fielders in the hot spots who can’t field out there, he wasn’t there; he often fields at 45 to maybe spinners and fine leg to seamers. There was no error that you could put down to fitness. You’re bowling four overs, fielding 16 overs and he can hold a bat down the order, so there’s nothing to me that suggests that he’s probably below the level of acceptability for fitness. At the same time, if the team is trying to drive a culture of fitness, it’s difficult to bring in a player who doesn’t meet the standards. But for me as long as the player works incredibly hard at fitness and keeps improving and has that skill level, I’d like to see a bit more leniency.”Among Chakravarthy’s unique skills is the carrom ball, which he flicks out with his ring finger as opposed to others who bowl the variation with the middle finger. He also has the ability to gather pace off pitches that aren’t as quick, something that puts him in the company of the best T20 spinners, according to Crowe.He has a knack of picking up the big wickets•BCCI”I can’t certainly say what is more difficult to pick than a standard carrom ball delivered from the middle finger, but what, I think, it does do is it makes the batters around the world looking and guessing what’s coming next,” Crowe says. “I think I know he’s working on at least one more delivery. Once the batter gets better at facing the carrom ball from the middle finger, they now have to be prepared and adapt to face the carrom ball off the ring finger. What matters ultimately is the ball spinning to the left, right, or over the top or underspin and there are obviously different degrees of that. How you go about doing that is up to you as an individual.”Gathering pace off the pitch for me is what separates the very best spinners from the rest. There’s less time for [batters] to adapt and then it spins past the bat quicker. It might look nice on TV – that ball breaking off the pitch – but if it doesn’t gather pace, good players will be able to adapt and play with the spin. If you look at the pace that the best T20 spinners bowl at – Rashid [Khan], Narine and like Varun – they are pushing close to 100ks and turning the ball both ways.”Crowe, who has overseen the progress of spinners in various leagues around the world, also believes that the presence of a mystery spinner in a global tournament, like the World Cup, could potentially give India a distinct advantage over the other teams.”In my experience at the IPL, the Indian players – they play mystery spin and any kind of spin the best and the overseas players not quite so much. Some of them like Jos Buttler play them well individually, but not across the board; the overseas players aren’t quite as skilled against mystery spin,” he says. “You think about a World Cup, where non-Indian players play against a mystery spinner… there might be a few sleepless nights for the batters, trying to see which way the ball is spinning . I’m really excited to see him play and it [playing for India] means a lot to him.”I get so many youngsters who contact me via my social media saying: ‘Sir, I want to be given a go or have an opportunity by only playing here’ and I always come back to Varun. I say this is the man you got to follow and dreams can come true. You play gully cricket, do some net bowling somewhere and be seen – it’s a story for all of us to learn and be inspired by.”India’s spin attack is already well-stocked with Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar and Krunal Pandya, but they don’t quite have X-factor, which Chakravarthy could bring to the table. If he can pass the test in Sri Lanka, and add another chapter to his fascinating story, who knows what might happen.

Even in a field as competitive as Formula 1, drivers still have time to support their favourite football teams. Some drivers are more passionate than others when it comes to supporting their clubs, with others only recently being introduced to the beautiful game.

Here, we’ve listed every favourite football team, from Arsenal to Bristol City, for each driver on the 2025 roster with such affiliations, though it’s clear that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so only a selection feature.

F1 driver	Favourite team
Fernando Alonso	Real Madrid
Kimi Antonelli	Bologna
Franco Colapinto	Boca Juniors
Pierre Gasly	PSG
Isack Hadjar	PSG
Lewis Hamilton	Arsenal
Nico Hulkenberg	Bayern Munich
Charles Leclerc	AS Monaco
Lando Norris	Bristol City
Esteban Ocon	PSG
Oscar Piastri	Arsenal
George Russell	Wolves
Carlos Sainz	Real Madrid
Max Verstappen	PSV Eindhoven

Fernando Alonso

Real Madrid

Despite being born in Oviedo, situated in north-western Spain, Fernando Alonso is a strong supporter of Real Madrid, where he is an honorary member.

While he remains a fan of local club Real Oviedo, who play in the second tier in Spain, Alonso has stated in the past that he does not know why he is a Madridista.

He does have a membership at his local club, though it is clear his main loyalties are with the 15-time European champions.

Kimi Antonelli

Bologna

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli follows his hometown club Bologna.

He even found time to celebrate in the streets with supporters after Bologna beat AC Milan to win the Italian Cup in 2025 – their first since 1974.

Franco Colapinto

Boca Juniors

Brazilian driver Franco Colapinto is a loyal supporter of local club Boca Juniors and is sometimes spotted wearing the club’s attire in the paddock.

He isn’t afraid to hide his passion for the blue and gold and follows them around the world.

Pierre Gasly

Paris Saint-Germain

Considered one of the more passionate football fans on the F1 circuit, Pierre Gasly is another who has opted for his nation’s capital club over his local team.

In fairness to Gasly, his birthplace of Rouen is just a couple hours’ drive from Paris, where plenty more riches are on offer, of course.

Without just one Grand Prix win coming on 2020, maybe we can understand Gasly’s thirst for success as a Paris Saint-Germain supporter.

Isack Hadjar

Paris Saint-Germain

Isack Hadjar is another big PSG fan and was left gutted that he couldn’t attend the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal in 2205.

He was delighted with the outcome, though, and isn’t afraid to hide his love for the French giants.

Lewis Hamilton

Arsenal

A Gunners fan from a young age, Lewis Hamilton has been to plenty of Arsenal matches over the years. While he has stated that he is a long-time Gooner, Hamilton made headlines when being in the running to buy Chelsea, with some of his family being fans of the Blues.

Nico Hulkenberg

Bayern Munich

Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg is thought to be a strong supporter of Bayern Munich.

It appears that little else is known about the German’s love of football, but given that he hails from western Germany, we can’t help but feel past successes have once again been the inspiration to follow the (former) Bundesliga juggernauts.

Charles Leclerc

AS Monaco

Ferrari star Charles Leclerc is one of Monaco’s very own, and supports the principality’s principal club when it comes to football.

A frequent visitor at the Stade Louis II, Leclerc has an existing relationship with the Ligue 1 side, who are keen to congratulate the local lad after successes on the track.

He has also taken to the field in charity football matches in the past, showing his overall love for the game.

Lando Norris

Bristol City

Lando Norris has previously declared his love of local club Bristol City, though it appears that he doesn’t follow the sport anymore.

The McLaren driver was also a fan of Manchester United while Cristiano Ronaldo played for the club, and now no longer calls himself a football fan. It seems that mid-table mediocrity in the Championship just isn’t for him.

Esteban Ocon

PSG

The third follower on the grid of 2025 Champions League winners PSG is Esteban Ocon.

The Frenchman, who was born just two hours away from Paris, has even attended the Ballon d’Or ceremony in the past.

MatériaMais Notícias

Torcedores do Palmeiras reclamaram muito do desempenho contra o Criciúma, neste domingo (2), especialmente de jogadores como Rony e Raphael Veiga. As equipes se enfrentam no Estádio Heriberto Hülse, em Santa Catarina, pela sétima rodada do Brasileirão.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

Nas redes sociais, palmeirenses se demonstraram insatisfeitos com o futebol apresentado pela equipe treinada por Abel Ferreira, que não está no banco de reservas em razão de suspensão por acúmulo de cartões amarelos.

Alguns atletas do Palmeiras sofrem com mais críticas relacionadas ao desempenho do time, como o atacante Rony. O jogador teve uma oportunidade de gol em que finalizou um rebote dentro da área, de primeira e sem marcação, mas a bola foi longe da meta adversária.

continua após a publicidade

Raphael Veiga também sofreu com críticas. Alguns torcedores entendem que atletas consagrados no clube estão abaixo tecnicamente, como o meia, e poderiam ir para o banco de reservas.

CONFIRA AS REAÇÕES NA WEB SOBRE O JOGO DO PALMEIRAS CONTRA O CRICIÚMA

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
Criciúma x Palmeiras
Brasileirão – 7ª rodada

🗓️Data e horário:domingo, 2 de junho de 2024, às 16h
🏟️Local: Estádio Heriberto Hülse (SC)
📺Onde assistir:Globo (SP) ePremiere
🟨Árbitro:Rafael Rodrigo Klein
🚩Assistentes:Rafael da Silva Alves e Lucio Beiersdorf Flor
📹VAR:Igor Junio Benevenuto de Oliveira

continua após a publicidade

➡️Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

⚽ESCALAÇÕES

Criciúma (Técnico: Claudio Tencati)
Gustavo; Claudinho, Rodrigo, Wilker Ángel e Marcelo Hermes; Barreto, Meritão, Marquinhos Gabriel e Matheusinho; Bolasie e Eder.

Palmeiras (Técnico: Abel Ferreira)
Weverton; Marcos Rocha, Gustavo Gómez, Murilo e Piquerez; Aníbal Moreno, Richard Ríos e Raphael Veiga; Estêvão, Rômulo e Rony.

Tudo sobre

Palmeiras

Fast bowler wants to be “mint” for first Test as he looks forward to playing at “rapid” Perth Stadium

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2025

Mark Wood speaks to Channel 9 after arriving in Perth•Getty Images

Mark Wood says he is feeling the excitement of bowling once again, after coming through a “boring” six months of rehab following knee surgery, and is ready to be as “fresh as I can be” come the first Test of the Ashes at Optus Stadium in Perth in a fortnight’s time.Wood, England’s fastest bowler, played in four of the five Tests on England’s last Ashes tour in 2021-22, claiming 17 wickets including a career-best 6 for 37 in the final Test in Hobart.However, on that occasion, he missed out on the chance to play in Perth, traditionally the venue for the fastest pitches in Australia, because of Western Australia’s strict Covid policy. Instead, his only experience of the pace and bounce on offer came during England’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign in 2022.”It was rapid,” Wood recalled, having claimed five wickets in two wins against Australia (in a pre-tournament bilateral match) and Afghanistan. “I’m not sure my back is looking forward to it, but my bowling is definitely looking forward to it.”Related

Robinson aids Smith's Ashes prep as Stokes steps up bowling return

Ashes squad talking points: Kingmaker Green to dictate Australia's plans

Weatherald's 'pinch me' moment after long route to Test selection

England and Australia Ashes squads compared: who comes out on top?

Wood’s ability to touch speeds in the mid-to-high 90mphs (155kph) is a central plank of England’s strategy as they seek to end a run of three deeply one-sided Ashes tours, dating back to their last win in the country in 2010-11.Asked if England had a back-up plan, if their policy of all-out pace proves to be the wrong one, Wood joked: “Don’t try as hard and bowl 130[kph]? We’ll be giving everything we’ve got. The type of bowlers that we are, I’m not quite sure that it’s in us to not give 100%. Whether it’s good enough, I don’t know, but we’ll wait and see. Australia are obviously the favourites going into the series, but I think there’s a quiet confidence within our group that we can do well here.”As Wood has shown in his previous comebacks from injury, however, he’s unlikely to hit full throttle until he’s out in the middle, with England’s warm-up fixture against England Lions looming next week as his one opportunity to test his match fitness.”I wouldn’t say I’m at 100%,” he said. “I think it’s very hard to train 100% all of the time. I’ve been off my full run-up and stuff, and I’ve been trying to just up the intensity as I go along. I’m sure in the practice game coming up, I can try and up it a little bit more again and gradually get ready for that first game.”England have attracted some criticism for their lack of meaningful warm-up games – a stark contrast from the intense preparations that went into their 2010-11 win. Wood, however, said he was unconcerned, and cited the team’s unlikely first-Test win over India in Hyderabad two winters ago as proof of what they can achieve in the series opener.Wood has been rehabbing after knee surgery•Getty Images

“The schedule is the schedule, I’m happy with what we’ve done,” he said. “In India recently, we didn’t have many games there, and we went straight into that and managed to win that first game.”We’re going to have been here, what, two or three weeks as a group. That’s a good enough build-up to that first game in my eyes. I suppose everybody’s different, and some people might want more but, for myself, I want to feel fresh going in that first game, having done a little bit, but not too much. I want to be mint for that game, and as fresh as I can be. We’ve got a good depth of bowlers, and if one misses out, he’ll be prepared for the next game.”Either way, Wood said that England’s outdoor training sessions at Lilac Hill had been a significant improvement from the “damp and cold” back home, where much of his preparation was undertaken in a heated tent on the outfield in a bid to replicate the humid conditions in Australia.”It was boring to start with, bowling by myself, but to now bowl in front of the batters, it’s exciting,” Wood said. “It’s now feeling like the start of the tour, and I’m feeling that excitement building to the first game.”When I was running on the treadmill at home, I was visualising the stadium and my run-up, and using the experience of playing here before. It certainly helped the motivation, when I was running in a cool, dark garage at home. Gearing up for being here, I’m so much more aligned to it now.”It was never just a straight trajectory,” he said, recalling the ups and downs of his return to action from knee ligament surgery. “There were some bits where I wasn’t doing as well, and then I had to build it up again. So finally, it’s nice to be outside in some nice weather, and ramping it up.”England’s arrival in Perth has already generated a glut of headlines, not least in the West Australia newspaper which described their captain, Ben Stokes, as “England’s Cocky Captain Complainer”. Wood, however, said the squad had taken the pre-series excitement in their stride.”It’s been great,” Wood said. “That’s all part of it. I haven’t taken much notice of newspapers and things, but the reception we’ve had in general from Australians has been great.”Out and about in the hotel and around Perth, everyone’s been very friendly, and everyone’s excited for the series. It’s a big build-up, and there’s obviously huge amounts of press around it which makes it more exciting. There’s a lot of English coming … back home, I walked down the street and it seemed like every man from England’s coming across. So I think the Barmy Army will be in full voice and right behind us.”

Celtic look set to finally confirm the appointment of their permanent successor to Brendan Rodgers in the dugout at Parkhead with the arrival of Wilfried Nancy from Columbus Crew.

Rodgers tendered his resignation at the end of October, after a 3-1 loss to Hearts, and experienced manager Martin O’Neill has taken the reins as interim head coach for the past month or so.

The former Celtic boss, as shown in the graphic above, won the Scottish Premiership title in his first two seasons back at Parkhead, and it will be down to Nancy to overcome Hearts to win the division in his first season.

Journalist Graeme Bailey claims that the Hoops are set to confirm the appointment of the MLS boss before the weekend, but that means that it remains to be seen if he will be in the dugout for the weekend’s clash with Hibernian.

Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen and Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna were also said to be in the running for the role, but it is the Frenchman who is poised to replace Rodgers.

Whilst Nancy will have to deal with the players that he inherits for the first month or so of his reign in Glasgow, the incoming boss has already been linked with a move to bring one of his Columbus Crew stars to Scotland.

The Columbus Crew star Wilfried Nancy could bring to Celtic

Earlier this week, it was reported that Celtic are lining up a move to bolster their attack by swooping for one of the French head coach’s key players from the MLS side.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Nancy is reportedly set to swoop for Columbus Crew centre-forward Wessam Abou Ali to provide him with a proven and lethal number nine at Parkhead for the second half of the 2025/26 season.

The Palestine international scored three goals in five MLS games for Nancy towards the end of the 2025 campaign, per Sofascore, after a £5.7m move from Egyptian giants Al Ahly back in July.

Prior to his almost £6m move to the MLS in July, Abou Ali’s form for Al Ahly in Egypt caught the eye, as he showcased his reliability in front of goal in the Egyptian Premier League.

Appearances

19

16

Goals

18

10

Minutes per goal

76

118

Big chances missed

5

1

Conversion rate

40%

23%

Big chances created

3

2

Assists

4

3

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old frontman scored a staggering 28 goals in 35 appearances in those two seasons, which shows that he can find the back of the net on a regular basis.

However, it remains to be seen how much money Columbus Crew would want for the prolific striker because they paid almost £6m for him earlier this year, and he has already scored three goals in five league games.

If the MLS side demand a hefty fee that Celtic are either unable or unwilling to pay in the January transfer window, Nancy will have to look at alternative ways to bolster his attacking ranks at Parkhead.

For example, the French boss could unearth his next version of Abou Ali by helping young striker Callum Osmand fulfill his potential when he is back fit and available for selection.

Why Osmand could be Celtic's own version of Abou Ali

The Jersey-born star is currently out with a hamstring injury and a timeline has not been given on his return date, so it remains to be seen when he will be available to the incoming Hoops boss.

With Kelechi Iheanacho and Osmand both missing through injury, Ireland international Johnny Kenny is the first-choice number nine at Parkhead. The young forward has had an impressive run under interim boss O’Neill with four goals in five matches, per Sofascore.

However, it may be the former Fulham youngster who is the most likely to emerge as the star goalscorer of the Nancy era when you consider his record at first-team and academy level to date.

Appearances

150

83

Goals

47

49

Games per goal

3.19

1.69

Assists

11

13

Games per assist

13.64

6.38

As you can see in the table above, Osmand has scored and created goals at a much more impressive rate than Kenny has throughout his career to date, with an exceptional haul of 49 goals in 83 matches.

Whilst the majority of those goals have been at youth level, the 20-year-old star also showcased his quality in the first-team with a poacher’s finish against Rangers in the semi-final of the League Cup at Hampden Park earlier this month.

Unfortunately, Osmand then suffered his hamstring injury off the bench against Midtjylland in the Europa League in the very next game, shortly after winning a penalty from which Reo Hatate scored.

The ex-Fulham youngster, who was also hailed as “lightning quick” by Fulham expert Jack Kelly, scored one goal and won a penalty in his first three first-team outings for the Scottish giants, which is an impressive start to senior football for the young attacker.

His exceptional goalscoring record in his career suggests that he has the potential to emerge as a real star for Celtic in the future, once he is back from injury, because he has the quality to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis.

Therefore, the summer signing could be unearthed as Nancy’s next version of Abou Ali, who has been a prolific scorer for his last two teams, as another number nine who can provide a lethal presence in front of goal, if the Hoops are unable to get a deal done for the MLS star.

£1.5m Celtic flop has been an even bigger waste of time than Balikwisha

This Celtic flop has been an even worse signing than Michel-Ange Balikwisha for the Scottish giants.

1 ByDan Emery Nov 25, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo não irá fazer nenhum movimento nesta janela de transferências mercado para repor a saída de Matheuzinho, que se transferiu para o Corinthians. A diretoria rubro-negro quer ter um elenco competitivo para a temporada e confia tanto em Varela quanto em Wesley.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFlamengoTite abre o jogo sobre disputa entre Pedro e Gabigol no Flamengo e nega ‘fama’ de retranqueiroFlamengo21/02/2024FlamengoArrascaeta brilha, Flamengo goleia Boavista e se aproxima do título da Taça GuanabaraFlamengo20/02/2024Fora de CampoFlamengo: veja o desempenho das escolas de samba ligadas a torcedores rubro-negrosFora de Campo20/02/2024

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

– Não até o meio do ano, mas o ano todo. A gente confia no elenco. Nenhum atleta vai conseguir jogar sozinho, na sua posição todos os minutos de todos os jogos – afirmou Bruno Spindel, diretor executivo de futebol do Rubro-Negro.

Durante o Campeonato Carioca, Tite não definiu um titular um titular para a posição e vem revezando bastante os dois atletas. Segundo a plataforma Ogol, Varela possui seis jogos na temporada e 398 minutos em campo pelo Flamengo, enquanto Wesley também jogou seis vezes no ano, com 341 minutos.

continua após a publicidade

REFORÇO PARA OUTROS SETORES

Embora a diretoria do Flamengo não veja necessidade em reforçar a lateral-direita, o clube deve fazer algumas movimentações até o dia 7 de março, quando a janela de transferências fecha no Brasil. O principal nome é de Léo Ortiz, e o Rubro-Negro tenta superar um impasse financeiro com o RB Bragantino para contratar o zagueiro.

➡️ Veja os grupos e datas dos confrontos no Paulistão

– Até dia 7 de março a gente vai tentar fazer uma qualificação no elenco. A gente confia muito no Tite, no elenco, a gente confia que o trabalho vai render frutos e que o Flamengo vai ter grandes conquistas nessa temporada. A gente precisa fazer um esforço para qualificar mais o elenco, são 80 jogos no ano, tem Copa América, data FIFA, lesões, suspensões… vamos fazer o esforço para trazer mais uma ou outra peça – declarou Spindel.

continua após a publicidade

O Flamengo volta a campo no domingo (25), em clássico contra o Fluminense, pelo Campeonato Carioca.

Tudo sobre

Flamengo