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Manchester United have now reportedly set their sights on signing an impressive Ligue 1 defender, who has left their scouts blown away.

INEOS draw up 2026 transfer plan

To their credit, Man United got their summer transfer window fairly spot on. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Senne Lammens all look like solid signings, whilst Benjamin has shown flashes of his true quality. And results proved before the international break that a turnaround under Ruben Amorim is still possible.

Even if Monday’s 1-0 loss against the 10 men of Everton brought them back down to reality, one defeat in their last five games represents much-needed improvement.

INEOS have never stopped backing their manager and recent reports have claimed that they’re ready to return to the transfer market to improve his squad even further in 2026.

The plan, according to the Express, is to sign two wing-backs and a midfielder next summer, with the likes of Elliot Anderson among their top targets.

The Nottingham Forest star has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season even as his side sacked Nuno Espirito Santo and then Ange Postecoglou before hiring Sean Dyche.

Thomas Tuchel has been impressed enough to grant Anderson a starting place next to Declan Rice in his England side, which is now his to lose ahead of the World Cup.

The unfortunate news for Man United is that his price will only increase if he enjoys a successful tournament, even though reports have already claimed he’ll cost them over £100m.

The midfielder is also not the only name on United’s shopping list. INEOS have also reportedly set their sights on signing Ligue 1 defender Jeremy Jacquet.

Man Utd plotting "bargain" Jeremy Jacquet move

According to Caught Offside, Man United are now plotting a move to sign Jacquet from Stade Rennais after the young defender impressed their scouts in France.

The Red Devils have reportedly joined Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace in the race to sign the 20-year-old and it’s easy to see why.

Dubbed “imposing” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, Jacquet is reportedly available for as little as €30m (£26m), which Caught Offside’s Mark Brus described as a “bargain” deal.

Having already signed Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven in recent years, adding Jacquet to their ranks would complete Amorim’s back three for years to come.

Man Utd receive bid for "insane" £105k-p/w player, he's said yes to January move

The Red Devils have received a proposal ahead of the January transfer window, with a sale now edging ‘closer’.

1 ByDominic Lund Nov 27, 2025

With Harry Maguire still yet to sign a new contract ahead too, the young centre-back may have the chance to come straight into Man United’s starting side next summer in an attempt to make an instant impact.

Worse than Bruno & Casemiro: Amorim can't start Man Utd duo together again

Three-time MLB All-Star and 2008 World Series champion Mark Teixeira is launching a political career.

The former baseball star who helped the New York Yankees capture the 2008 World Series title is running as a Republican in Texas' 21st Congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. The 45-year-old's bid is to replace the seat vacated by Congressman Chip Roy, who announced that he will not be seeking re-election. Roy will be running for the state's attorney general position.

"As a proud Texan and lifelong conservative who loves our country, I'm ready to fight for the principles that make Texas strong and America exceptional," Teixeira said in a statement. "…I'm running to ensure District 21 remains prosperous and free for generations to come."

Teixeira played 14 seasons in the major leagues and was a career .268 hitter with 409 home runs and 1,298 RBI.

It wasn’t the perfect performance, but Chelsea are now through to the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

At one point in their clash away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Enzo Maresca’s men looked like they were going to run away with it.

Unfortunately, some really sloppy play and defending in the second half let the Old Gold right back into it.

With that said, Chelsea managed to get out of there with the win, and one player in particular showed why he could be another Cole Palmer, and no, it wasn’t Estevao.

Chelsea's standout stars vs Wolves

One Chelsea starter who did his chances of playing more minutes well on Wednesday night was Andrey Santos.

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

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The Brazilian ace started in the middle of the park and made an instant impact, scoring the opening goal just five minutes in.

It was a well-taken shot from just outside the area, but that wasn’t all he did, as he ended the game with 100% of his tackles won, ten ball recoveries and seven of eight ground duels won.

In short, it was an excellent all-action display from the 21-year-old and just the sort of showing fans were hoping to see from him this season.

One of his teammates who wasn’t quite as impactful, but is still worthy of praise, is Estevao.

The Brazilian wonderkid didn’t make any key passes or complete more than two crosses, but he did score a sensational chip to make it 3-0 in the 41st minute.

Finally, while he didn’t get a goal involvement like his midfield partner, Romeo Lavia, helped to keep things ticking over in the middle of the park for the Blues.

Lavia’s game vs Wolves

Minutes

61′

Key Passes

1

Touches

67

Accurate Passes

54/59 (92%)

Fouls Won

2

Interceptions

1

Clearances

1

Recoveries

7

Ground Duels (Won)

5 (4)

Aerial Duels (Won)

1 (1)

All Stats via Sofascore

In his 61 minutes of action, the young Belgian completed 54 of 59 passes, played one key pass, took 67 touches, made seven ball recoveries and won five of six duels.

Perhaps the best thing you can say about the former Southampton gem’s performance is that Wolves scored two of their three goals when he was off the pitch.

With all that said, there was another Chelsea player who stood out above all the others and showed just why he could be another Palmer-type star.

Chelsea's new Palmer-type star

When it comes down to the player who impressed most on Wednesday night, it’s impossible to look past Jamie Gittens, and it’s the summer signing who could be the club’s new Palmer-type star.

Now, it’s important to caveat that this doesn’t mean he will become as good a player as the Blues’ number ten – few players ever will be – but there are some similarities.

For example, both of them have come from Manchester City’s academies, both can play out wide, the former Borussia Dortmund gem is almost certainly going to be involved in the senior England setup at some point, and, crucially, Gittens is capable of the incredible.

Yes, the 21-year-old has indeed underwhelmed so far this season, but against Wolves, he showed that he has it in him to utterly dominate an opposition and drag his side to victory.

For example, he provided the assist for Santos to open the scoring, and then, just ten minutes later, he did even better, setting up Tyrique George with a tap-in he simply couldn’t miss.

Then, if that wasn’t enough, the Reading-born monster made sure his side didn’t throw the game away by scoring an absolute screamer to make it 4-2 in the 90th minute.

It was the sort of goal you’d expect a player of Palmer’s calibre to score, and perhaps an indication that the Blues might have another superstar on their hands.

Overall, it really was, as one content creator put it, a “masterclass” of a performance from Gittens, and one that should see him remain in the team for the next few games.

Related Not Caicedo: Chelsea's "joke of a footballer" is now looking like Lampard

The international monster is beginning to embody Frank Lampard’s greatness for Chelsea.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 29, 2025

Tim Southee replaces Bharat Arun, who has moved to LSG ahead of the upcoming season

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2025

Tim Southee, the New Zealand fast-bowling great, has been appointed Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) bowling coach for IPL 2026, as reported by ESPNcricinfo earlier.”We are delighted to welcome Tim Southee back to the KKR family, this time in a coaching capacity,” KKR chief executive Venky Mysore said in a statement. “Tim’s vast experience and technical expertise will be instrumental in shaping our bowling unit. His leadership qualities and calm approach make him an ideal mentor for our young bowlers.”Southee, who hasn’t retired as a cricketer but has taken on coaching assignments over the past year, including with the England men’s national team, said returning to KKR, who he represented as a player, felt like a natural step.Related

Shane Watson joins KKR as assistant coach

Abhishek Nayar appointed KKR head coach ahead of IPL 2026

“KKR has always felt like home to me, and it’s an honour to return in this new role,” he said. “The franchise has an incredible culture, passionate fans, and a great group of players. I look forward to working closely with the bowlers and helping the team achieve success in IPL 2026.”His appointment came amid significant changes to KKR’s coaching group, now headed by Abhishek Nayar.Former bowling coach Bharat Arun and spin coach Carl Crowe have both moved to Lucknow Super Giants, while Ottis Gibson, who served as assistant coach last season, has exited the setup. Shane Watson has joined as their new assistant coach, and Dwayne Bravo continues in his role as team mentor.Southee had a long but somewhat up-and-down IPL career as a player. Between 2011 and 2023, he represented Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians, before joining KKR in 2021, where he remained until 2023. He has 31 wickets from 43 matches in the IPL, with his best season coming with KKR, in 2022, when he claimed 14 wickets in nine matches.

The South Africa quick last played competitive cricket during the IPL in May

Firdose Moonda28-Oct-2025

South African quick Anrich Nortje, who has not played any cricket since the IPL in May, will return to action in the CSA T20 Challenge this weekend. Nortje, who is no longer on a national contract, has been signed by the Durban-based team, the Dolphins, for this season’s T20 competition and is expected to play in their opener against the Tuskers at Kingsmead on Saturday.Nortje has now fully recovered from his latest injury setback, a stress reaction which made him unavailable for South Africa’s winter fixtures. Nortje was not named in the squad to play a T20 series in Zimbabwe or on white-ball tours to Australia and England. He last played for South Africa at the T20 World Cup final in June 2024.Since then, Nortje has come into consideration, and was even on the verge of a Test comeback last summer, but a fractured toe and then a back injury put paid to those thoughts. He missed out on the SA20, came back briefly at the IPL, where he played two matches for Kolkata Knight Riders, but did not play the MLC or any international cricket as he embarked on an extensive rehabilitation program.”From a personal perspective and a group perspective it’s going to be great to get back out on the park,” Nortje said in a statement issued by the Dolphins on Tuesday. “I’m always positive, always motivated, and excited but when you get towards the end of rehab, you want to get going because you know what is around the corner. So the last week or two have probably been more frustrating than the other months”The T20 Challenge runs from October 29 to November 30 and sees all eight Division 1 teams play each other once before an IPL-style Eliminator and two Qualifiers ahead of the final. That means Nortje could have a maximum of 10 matches over the next month albeit not for his home union, Eastern Province. Although Nortje has not indicated he is aiming for a national comeback, he could push for one if he stays fit and also has a good SA20, where he will play for Sunrisers Eastern Cape.”It’s always been about trying to see the positives and working towards a new goal of being better than I was before so I’m really happy where I am now and it’s all about getting out there and getting some games under my belt,” he said.The Dolphins reached the final of last year’s CSA T20 Challenge, where they lost to the Johannesburg-based Lions.

يترقب عشاق كرة القدم حول العالم، اليوم الجمعة 5-12-2025، إقامة مراسم قرعة بطولة كأس العالم 2026 المقررة بالولايات المتحدة الإمريكية.

وتشهد النسخة المقبلة من كأس العالم لأول مرة مشاركة 48 منتخبًا في نسخة واحدة، من بينها حضور عربي قياسي يضم 7 منتخبات عربية، أبرزها المنتخب المصري المتواجد في التصنيف الثالث.

ويشهد اليوم أيضَا، إقامة مباراتين في دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب فيفا 2025 بقطر، بين السعودية ضد جزر القمر والمغرب ضد عمان، ذلك في مواجهات الجولة الثانية من المجموعة الثانية.

طالع | كولينا يوضح موقفه من استخدام تقنية الفار في الركلات الركنية خلال كأس العالم 2026 مواعيد مباريات اليوم الجمعة 5-12-2025 والقنوات الناقلةموعد قرعة كأس العالم 2026 اليوم

تقام قرعة كأس العالم 2026، اليوم الجمعة، في تمام الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 8 بتوقيت السعودية، تنقل على قنوات بي إن سبورت المفتوحة “الإخبارية” وقناة أون سبورت بالإضافة إلى القناة الرسمية للاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”. مواعيد مباريات كأس العرب 2025 اليوم

المغرب ضد عمان، تقام الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 5:30 بتوقيت السعودية، 3:30 بتوقيت المغرب، 6:30 بتوقيت عمان، تنقل على قناة الكأس 1 وبي إن سبورت المفتوحة وأبو ظبي الرياضية 1 وإم بي سي مصر 2.

السعودية ضد جزر القمر، تقام الساعة 8:30 بتوقيت مصر، 9:30 بتوقيت السعودية، تنقل على قناة الكأس 1 وبي إن سبورت المفتوحة وأبو ظبي الرياضية 1 وإم بي سي مصر 2. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الفرنسي اليوم

بريست ضد موناكو، الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 9 بتوقيت السعودية، تنقل على قناة بي إن سبورت 4.

ليل ضد مارسيليا، الساعة 10:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 11:30 بتوقيت السعودية، تنقل على قناة بي إن سبورت 5. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الألماني اليوم

ماينز ضد مونشنجلادباخ، الساعة 9:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 10:30 بتوقيت السعودية، تنقل على منصة شاهد. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإسباني اليوم

ريال أوفيدو ضد ريال مايوركا، الساعة 10:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 11:30 بتوقيت السعودية، تنقل على قناة بي إن سبورت 3. مواعيد مباريات كأس أبو ظبي اليوم

النصر ضد العين، الساعة 2:50 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 3:50 بتوقيت السعودية، تنقل على قناة أبو ظبي الرياضية 2.

الجزيرة ضد الوحدة، الساعة 5:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6:30 بتوقيت السعودية، تنقل على قناة أبو ظبي الرياضية 2.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Don’t say it too loudly, but things might be on the up for West Ham United.

After months of poor performances and even worse results, the Hammers finally won a Premier League game on the weekend, as Nuno Espírito Santo’s side dismantled Newcastle United 3-1.

It was a game in which practically the whole team showed up, one in which any number of players could have been man of the match.

Moreover, it was an afternoon in which West Ham’s next big-money star may have announced himself, someone who has shades of Declan Rice to his game.

West Ham's standout stars vs Newcastle

When talking about the West Ham stars who really shone on Sunday afternoon, it would be ridiculous not to start with Lucas Paqueta.

Chalkboard

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

The Brazilian has come in for some justified criticism this season, but against the Toon, he was simply sensational.

It was his wonder strike in the 35th minute that started the Hammers’ fightback, and were it not for some good goalkeeping four minutes earlier, that would have been his second in the game.

Someone who was almost as influential on the match was Jarrod Bowen, as while he didn’t score or assist a goal, he came awfully close, rattling the post just before Jacob Murphey’s opener.

Finally, while they’ve been woeful almost every time they’ve played this season, Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo deserve plenty of credit for their resolute defending.

Between them, they made 16 clearances, won five of seven duels and were dribbled past just a single time.

In all, there were unreal displays across the board for West Ham against Newcastle, including from one player who could be their next big-money star and already looks a bit Rice-esque.

West Ham's future big-money star

While the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville all deserve credit, the starter who left a significant impression on fans and pundits alike was Freddie Potts.

The academy graduate has featured a few times for the first team, but Sunday afternoon was his first competitive start for the club, and to say he repaid the manager’s faith would be an understatement.

The 22-year-old was utterly sensational in the middle of the park, bringing some much-needed dynamism to the role while maintaining a technical level some might not have expected from him.

Minutes

90′

Key Passes

2

Crosses

2

Passes

33/39

Touches

57

Tackles (Won)

3 (2)

Interceptions

1

Clearances

6

Recoveries

1

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (3)

In his 90 minutes of action, the Englishman played two key passes, completed two crosses, was accurate in 33 of 39 passes, took 57 touches, won 66% of his tackles, made six clearances and won 75% of his ground duels.

It was a quintessential all-action display from the midfielder, and if his boots were one size smaller, he could have topped it off with a well-taken goal.

Unsurprisingly, such a strong showing from an academy graduate has led to comparisons with the club’s former captain, with one content creator noting that he has a “similar aura to Rice when he first came through.”

In addition to his development as a player, the content creator credited the Englishman’s “supreme confidence and ability to create time and space on the ball” as reasons for the comparison.

Now, it might sound a little over the top considering it was his first start for the club, but thanks to his ability to protect the ball, carry it into dangerous areas and play the right pass at the right time, it is easy to see where such comparisons come from.

Moreover, as was the case with the former midfielder, there already seems to be a connection between the Barking-born ace and the fans, with journalist Dan Woffenden claiming he “understands what it means to wear the shirt.”

Ultimately, West Ham will want to keep hold of Potts for the long term, but if he does end up emulating Rice and eventually leaves, at least they should once again get massive money for an academy graduate.

West Ham player ratings v Newcastle United as Nuno secures first victory

The Hammers returned to winning ways with a 3-1 win against Newcastle this afternoon.

ByDominic Lund Nov 2, 2025

Ola Aina has responded to the viral video that shows him supposedly admitting to being at the “talking stage” with a fellow football player’s girlfriend. The Nigeria international has found himself at the centre of an online storm, but the Nottingham Forest defender is eager to point out that he was merely starring on a show that is “entirely scripted”.

• Getty
  

  Aina pretends to be stuck in love triangle

  Aina appeared on the show from Channel 4.0. Said series sees a panel of children and adults offer advice to those facing apparent “dilemmas”, with arguments offered by both sides before victors are determined.

  Forest full-back Aina, who is always up for a laugh and regularly posts videos from behind the scenes at the City Ground, was happy to make a guest appearance. He was charged with the task of pretending that he finds himself at the centre of a love triangle.

Advertisement

• What Aina said when discussing 'another baller's girl'

  Aina said: “My dilemma is I'm in a talking stage with another baller's girl.” Asked if he is able to reveal the identity of the other player, the 29-year-old added: “Can't disclose that one.” He went on to say that he is at the “talking” stage, rather than the “walking” one, with his new relationship only a matter of weeks old.

  Aina said that he “knows she likes me back”, when discussing his new flame, before stating that he could “easily” take his fellow player one-on-one. It was put to him that the girl in question may be “a bit of a clout chaser” as she pits “two footballers” against one another.

  As the debate continued, Aina said: “I believe she likes me more.” He was advised by the Aunties to “own up to the guy” and “be honest” about what has happened. One of the children on the panel added: “Me personally, I think she's only there for your money. You're a professional footballer, you're earning bread, plenty more girls will come. She's on a permanent sin bin off the pitch, red card.”

• Aina reveals that show was scripted

  Aina ultimately sided with the Aunties, with it determined that he should address the issue with his fellow footballer. Plenty of reading between the lines has been done since the video first emerged, with many of the opinion that Forest’s larger-than-life right-back was discussing a real life drama.

  He was not, with the former Chelsea and Fulham star forced to deliver a public response on social media. In that statement, he said: “To everyone that’s wondering. I wanna be clear about something. The show that is circulating is entirely scripted and created for entertainment. (Please focus) The storyline does not reflect my life, my relationships, or anyone connected to me. (Please focus) It is not rooted in reality in any way.

  “I understand that clips can take a life of their own, especially online, but I hope people can recognise this for what it is, just some content. (Please focus) I take pride in who I am on and off the pitch, and I would never disrespect anyone like that. (Please let’s be concentrated). Love always.”

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• Untimely injury: Forest & Nigeria waiting on recovery

  Aina is currently out of action after suffering an unfortunate injury while on international duty in September. He picked up a hamstring problem while away with Nigeria that forced him to undergo surgery.

  Current Forest boss Sean Dyche has been unable to call upon Aina, with it revealed that no return to Premier League competition is expected to be made until 2026. Dyche has said of those stuck in the City Ground treatment room: “The ones left not with us yet are Taiwo [Awoniyi], Woody [Chris Wood] and Douglas [Luiz] – although they are getting closer. Ola is getting closer to fitness but obviously can’t be with us until January.”

  Aina may not be seen domestically until the new year as he has been included on Nigeria’s long list squad for the Africa Cup of Nations. His lack of minutes over recent weeks could see him miss out on selection there, allowing training sessions to be taken in with Forest before he is returned to their starting XI.

An unlikely England recall isn’t out of the question for controversial Marseille star Mason Greenwood, according to one of his team-mates, who has vowed to do all he can to help the former Manchester United winger back into the Three Lions reckoning. Greenwood has been in prolific form for the Ligue 1 side again this season and is believed to be keen on return to the England squad.

Greenwood revival in south of France

Greenwood joined Marseille in July last year, leaving Manchester United following charges of attempted rape, assault, and controlling behaviour, which were discontinued after key witnesses withdrew and new material emerged which meant there "was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction." After a successful loan spell at Getafe, Marseille signed him permanently for a reported £26.7 million ($35.3m), with the forward quickly becoming a key player under Roberto De Zerbi. 

His career has seen a resurgence, with him becoming Marseille’s top scorer last season and continuing his form into the current campaign. In the recent Champions League clash with Newcastle, Greenwood delivered an excellent performance. He was a constant threat from the right wing, creating four chances and providing the cross for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's first goal as Marseille secured a crucial 2-1 victory. 

And USMNT star Timothy Weah, son of former Paris St-Germain, AC Milan and Chelsea striker George, has promised to do all he can to help Greenwood make a remarkable return to to the England team. 

AdvertisementAFPWeah: 'I'm super proud of him'

After the victory over Newcastle, Weah told : "When I speak about Mason it’s a special feeling because it’s very rare in a lifetime that you get to share the pitch with such an amazing player and amazing character. We’ve grown closer since I've joined the team and been here. Hopefully he gets that call-up soon. I’m super proud of him. He's having an amazing season and hopefully I can help him to reach those heights that he's aiming for."

England boss clear on Greenwood position

Greenwood has made just one senior appearance for the England national team when he was brought on as a substitute in a Nations League match against Iceland in September 2020. But there was controversy afterwards, as he was sent home shortly along with team-mate Phil Foden for breaching COVID-19 quarantine rules by bringing female companions back to the team hotel. He has not been called-up to the England squad since. 

And while he is eligible to play for Jamaica, he holds hopes he could return to the England set-up, but Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel says he isn’t being considered for selection at the moment. Speaking in September, Tuchel said: "I have not spoken to him until now. I have not spoken to him or his camp. My understanding was that he tries to play for Jamaica so we didn't give it another thought. He was not in the mix at the moment, and he is not in our thoughts for our team."

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AFPGreenwood 'not wanted' by Jamaica players

Greenwood has also been tipped to switch allegiance to Jamaica after gaining his passport earlier this year. Steve McClaren resigned as Jamaica's head coach after the team failed to secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup, following a 0-0 draw with minnows Curaçao earlier this month. However, Jamaica's World Cup dream is not over and can qualify through the inter-confederation play-offs. But former Arsenal youngster Isaac Hayden has slammed the possibility of Greenwood changing his mind and joining up with the Reggae Boyz if they qualify for the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. 

Hayden said: "I've only played for Jamaica for a year, and there was some resistance to me when I started, but I have played 12 games and everyone can see my passion and the way I play the game. The quality of the player, his numbers, what he is producing, is of the highest level. But it comes down to principle and integrity. If players can just rock up because of a World Cup, it would make the whole thing a farce. That would say a lot about the player, and the organisation for allowing that to happen."

Renuka Singh, Alyssa Healy set to return to action in what will be the first international at the New Chandigarh stadium

Sruthi Ravindranath13-Sep-20251:11

Healy: ‘India a sleeping giant for a long time now’

Big Picture: A dry run for the ODI World CupCan either team get better preparation than this in the lead-up to the ODI World Cup? India get to face the defending champions, while Australia get to play one of the tournament hosts and have a chance to acclimatise to the conditions well before other competing teams.Having won nine of the 11 ODIs they have played this year and having beaten England in their backyard in July, India will carry a lot of confidence into this series. However, Australia can be a formidable opponent: they have beaten India in 12 out of the 13 ODIs since Harmanpreet Kaur’s epic knock in the 2017 ODI World Cup semi-finals.India were whitewashed 3-0 in the last two series they had played against Australia. Four out of the last five times they’ve met in an ICC tournament, India have lost, including the semi-final of last year’s T20 World Cup. India will want to use this series not just as a dry run to get their team combination right but also to come up with plans to get past the Australia hurdle. If India win this series, they will enter the World Cup as favourites.Australia, meanwhile, haven’t played ODIs this year since January, when they wiped England out 3-0 in the Women’s Ashes. The last tournament they played was the T20I series against New Zealand in March. But they have ten players who were also part of the 2022 ODI World Cup side in this squad, and have lost just three out of 28 matches they played since that tournament. So, they will back themselves to shake off the rust and hit the ground running. They will be playing in New Chandigarh, a non-World Cup venue, but they will benefit from some quality practice, specifically against spin in the middle overs, which is expected to play a big role in the ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.Related

Harmanpreet says India believe they can beat Australia 'any day'

Australia ready to embrace 'little bit of unknowns' at ODI World Cup

Healy hopes wicketkeeping 'tinkering' avoids recurrence of injury

She gets knocked down but she gets up again: Sneh Rana's journey

Form GuideIndia WLWWW (last five matches, most recent first)
Australia WWWWWIn the spotlight: Alyssa Healy and Sneh RanaA ruptured plantar fascia at the 2024 T20 World Cup, a knee injury during the WBBL, and a stress fracture in the right foot during the Women’s Ashes. Australia captain Alyssa Healy has been dealing with recurring injuries since late last year which also affected her wicketkeeping. But she made a strong comeback for Australia A in the recent white-ball series against India A, making scores of 91 and 137 not out in the last two one-dayers and also keeping wicket, saying she made a few wicketkeeping ‘tinkering’ to avoid such injuries. A force for Australia in World Cups, she will hope to remain injury-free as she gears up for her first ODI World Cup as captain.Offspinner Sneh Rana has been on a roll ever since her comeback into India’s white-ball sides. A superb WPL season resulted in an ODI call-up, and she impressed immediately with 15 wickets in five games in the tri-series in Colombo in May. She followed that up with three wickets in the ODIs against England. With India expected to go spin-heavy for this series, and the World Cup that follows, Harmanpreet indicated during the squad announcement press conference that Rana will continue to be crucial in the middle overs.Alyssa Healy is set to return to action from injury•Getty ImagesTeam news: Renuka Singh returns from injuryWith Renuka Singh back for the series from injury, she is expected to start ahead of Arundhati Reddy, who had played the ODIs against England, with Kranti Goud as the other fast bowler. India are also likely to go in with Rana, N Sree Charani and Deepti Sharma as spin options.India (probable): 1 Pratika Rawal, 2 Smriti Mandhana, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 N Shree Charani, 10 Kranti Goud, 11 Renuka SinghWill Australia tinker with the XI that last played against England in January? Though left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux is back in the side after a lengthy injury lay-off, she has not been given the green light to play. Healy said Molineux wasn’t “quite ready for the ODI format” and that Australia are “ready to have her back when she’s ready to go” at the press conference on the eve of the first ODI.Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (capt, wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Beth Mooney, 5 Annabel Sutherland, 6 Ash Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath, 8 Georgia Wareham, 9 Alana King, 10 Kim Garth, 11 Megan SchuttPitch and conditionsThis will be the first international fixture at the New Chandigarh stadium, which has hosted 11 IPL matches in the last two years, so the conditions are a bit of an unknown for both sides. The weather is expected to be a bit cloudy on Sunday, with the possibility of showers in the afternoon, and clear for the rest of the day.Georgia Voll and Ash Gardner at the nets•PTI Stats and TriviaIndia last beat Australia in an ODI at home in February 2007. They have lost all ten encounters since.Harmanpreet is set to become the third Indian to feature in 150 Women’s ODIs.Megan Schutt is set to become the ninth Australian to feature in 100 Women’s ODIs.Since June 2024, Smriti Mandhana has scored 1346 runs in 23 ODI innings, 581 runs more than the next best batter. She has scored six hundreds in this period, three more than any other batter.Quotes”No doubt, they [Australia] have been very dominating. They have played well all over the world and dominated. But we are also at a stage where, as a captain, we have the belief we can beat them on any day. The processes in the last one and a half years has been good, we have improved quite a lot. Even in England, we beat one of their best sides. These show that we are on the right track.”
“This is the most stable Indian team I’ve seen and I think they’re in a really good place heading into this World Cup, so I’m looking forward to that challenge. The rivalry continues to grow. I know how much they love beating Australia and I know how good they are in their home conditions and that’s really a challenge for us. I think it’s going to be a really enjoyable, hard-fought series.”