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With Kagiso Rabada missing the Kolkata Test with a rib injury, the visitors have bolstered their fast bowling stocks

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2025Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has been added to South Africa’s squad for the second Test against India in Guwahati which starts on Saturday.Ngidi’s inclusion suggests Kagiso Rabada, who missed South Africa’s sensational victory in Kolkata with a rib injury, is a doubtful starter again. The visitors’ other fast bowling options on tour are Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch and Wiaan Mulder.Ngidi joined the team at their Kolkata hotel on Tuesday before their scheduled departure to Guwahati on Wednesday.Ngidi has played 20 Tests in his career so far, but only three since making a comeback in Cape Town against India in January 2024. His last red-ball appearance was the World Test Championship final against Australia in June. He has played just one Test match in India, going wicketless in Ranchi in 2019.Related

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Ngidi does have overs in his legs having been part of South Africa’s ODI and T20I series in Pakistan in October and November. Last week, he played a game for Titans in the CSA T20 Challenge.At Eden Gardens, South Africa’s quicks sent down 40 overs and returned six wickets as the team registered their first Test win in India since 2010. That Kolkata pitch provided enough assistance for the seamers but it is still unclear what the conditions in Guwahati will be like given the venue has never hosted Test cricket before.

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Loads of Leeds fans have been giving their verdict on the 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough, and this might just be the final straw for Luke Ayling.

Leeds had to score the latest goal in the club’s history to grab a point at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday, as Kalvin Phillips rescued the day for the Whites in the 101st minute.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side dominated the ball but created few clear-cut chances in the first half, and the hosts took the lead through Lewis Wing just after half-time.

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There was a lengthy stoppage during the second half as Jack Clarke was taken to hospital after feeling unwell, though the club have issued a statement confirming the teenager is okay.

Leeds then heaped the pressure on Tony Pulis’ side as the board showed 12 added minutes, and Phillips was on hand to nod home from close range 11 minutes into extra time.

Despite all the relief of the late equaliser though, fans are fuming at Ayling, who was very poor once again.

The versatile defender has simply not looked up to the task of playing fast-paced Bielsa football in recent weeks, and loads of fans are calling for young Jamie Shackleton to take his place.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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The eulogisers were out in full force to discuss the extent of Sergio Aguero’s talent and legacy after he scored a hat-trick against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, but his performance owed a great debt to the instincts of Raheem Sterling.

What’s the word?

Sterling continued to enhance his reputation with another big game performance against the Gunners. With the score tied at 1-1, the England international took up an excellent position on the left and played a delightful one-two with Ilkay Gundogan before laying the ball on a plate for Aguero to tap into an empty goal.

And he continued to enjoy himself down the left side of City’s attack in the second-half, as he shimmied towards the byline and played an excellent driven cross into Aguero which trickled over the line via a combination of rib cage and elbow.

According to commentator Martin Tyler, Sterling’s contribution helped him reach a landmark 100 goal involvements, as per Sky Sports. He said…

‘Interestingly, his second assist of the game made him the seventh youngest player in Premier League history to register 100 goal involvements in the competition, getting to that figure at a younger age than Harry Kane and Alan Shearer.’

A player transformed by Pep Guardiola

Sitting in a top seven which includes the likes of Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen and Cristiano Ronaldo, who reached 100 goal involvements aged 22, 22 and 23 respectively, Sterling is in esteemed company.

The player who looked frightened by both the prospect of underachievement and the media vultures who willed him to fail after swapping Liverpool for Man City has become a distant memory under Pep Guardiola’s leadership.

Dribbles down blind alleys and abject finishing have been replaced by intelligent positioning and a cool head in front of goal, and the statistic provided by Tyler merely offers tangible evidence to vindicate that claim.

100 goal involvements and counting; this is just the beginning for 24-year-old Sterling under Guardiola’s leadership.

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Tottenham reportedly sent scouts to watch two AC Milan stars on Saturday evening, and a £70m summer swoop could be on the cards.

What’s the story?

According to Italian outlet SportMediaSet, via TeamTalk, Tottenham had scouts in attendance for Saturday night’s Serie A clash between Atalanta and AC Milan.

The Lilywhites have been linked with both Franck Kessie and Suso this week, and the report values the pair at around €80m (£70m).

Of course, that would be £70m more than Tottenham have spent in the last two transfer windows combined, but the Lilywhites should absolutely pull the trigger on the Milan duo.

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Are they worth it?

Tottenham will have to break their transfer duck this summer, as the club simply cannot compete with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool if they do not invest.

While £70m is one mighty investment, Suso and Kessie would both add something to the Tottenham squad, and Kessie in particular is a player that the side is crying out for.

Suso has been superb since leaving Liverpool, scoring 21 goals and adding 34 assists in 121 games for AC Milan.

The Spanish international is a crafty playmaker who likes to play from the right, where he can cut in and produce magic with his wand of a left foot.

Kessie meanwhile is a traditional midfield enforcer, perhaps capable of filling the hole left by Victor Wanyama, who just cannot stay fit.

The all-action 22 year-old already has 25 Ivory Coast caps to his name, and has scored three Serie A goals this season, while averaging over a tackle per game, per Whoscored.

With Eric Dier and Wanyama both struggling for regular fitness and Mousa Dembele departing the club in January, a double swoop for the Milan duo would add strength, depth and guile to the Tottenham squad.

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The January transfer window has come and gone and Rangers added five new faces over the course of the month, so what is now Steven Gerrard’s best XI?

Rangers cruised past Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup on Wednesday evening, winning 5-0 courtesy of a whopping four-goal haul from front man Alfredo Morelos.

The Colombian international has of course been the subject of much controversy since picking up his fourth red card of the season, but it’s easy to see why Rangers fans believe he is the best player in the league.

So with the no. 20’s spot pretty much nailed on, who takes the other ten places in Gerrard’s side? What is Rangers’ best starting XI?

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The defence

Just like with Morelos, there are a few stars in defence who are nailed on to start whenever fit.

Allan McGregor, Connor Goldson and James Tavernier will all start when available, leaving just two spots to pick. Borna Barisic’s delivery makes him the most likely choice at left-back, but the other centre back is a little harder to choose.

None of Nikola Katic, Gareth McAuley or Joe Worrall have really impressed this season, but we here at Football FanCast believe Katic should get the nod, as the young Croatian has the highest ceiling, and could forge a long-term pairing with Goldson if given the chance.

Men in the middle

In midfield, Ross McCrorie deserves to start. The 20 year-old has had an inconsistent season, but at his best he is one of the country’s finest defensive enforcers, at least according to Scott Arfield, and his presence would afford the ever-reliable Ryan Jack more freedom to explore further up the pitch.

If McCrorie and Jack are playing in the middle, then January signing Glen Kamara must take the number ten spot, as his low centre of gravity, vision and incisiveness will inevitably create chances and space for the forwards.

Ferocious front three

Finally, the forward lines pretty much picks itself, with Morelos flanked by Ryan Kent and Daniel Candeias, a front three packed with speed, creativity, skill and a little bit of a nasty streak.

4-2-3-1: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Barisic, McCrorie, Jack, Candieas, Kamara, Kent, Morelos. Rangers fans, is this your best XI?

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West Ham United produced a fine team performance to overcome Newcastle United by a 2-0 scoreline at the London Stadium on Saturday. Midfield pair Declan Rice and club captain Mark Noble provided the goals for the east London club.

Rice’s strike opened the scoring in just the seventh minute and marked the 20-year-old’s second career goal, having opened his account against Arsenal earlier in the campaign. He has been a revelation for the Hammers this season and has made himself a regular starter for Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

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The midfielder has consistently impressed with his defensive awareness and discipline as well as his technical ability on the ball. The Irons will simply be desperate to retain his services for the long term, as interest in the £18 million-rated starlet has surely skyrocketed this year.

After the victory over the Magpies, plenty of West Ham fans took to Twitter to sing the young ace’s praises…

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West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice is officially eligible to represent England, after FIFA rubber-stamped the decision.

FIFA have confirmed that his eligibility has switched from the Republic of Ireland to the Three Lions and he is subsequently available for selection by manager Gareth Southgate.

A spokesman for the world governing body told BBC: “Fifa can now confirm that the change of association of Declan Rice from Republic of Ireland to England has been approved.”

Having played three friendlies for Ireland – they do not count against a player changing his eligibility if he is of dual-heritage – the 20-year-old already has international experience.

And at West Ham, he has blossomed into perhaps the best defensive midfielder in the country.

His performances against Arsenal and Liverpool certainly suggest that he is more than ready to jump into Southgate’s XI.

That would likely mean that Eric Dier is shunted to the side but that is no bad thing in the long-run; Rice’s manager, Manuel Pellegrini, certainly believes that he should be in the starting XI sooner rather than later.

Football.London quote him as saying at the end of February: “I think that he is ready to play for England and I think that we are just starting the development of him as a player but at this moment his performances is better than every holding midfielder [in England].”

The Chilean is not wrong and, with the international break looming, the time for Rice’s debut is nigh.

Southgate will name his squad next week. It would be an aberration if the midfielder is not included in it.

The Three Lions’ talent pool is as perhaps as deep as it has ever been but Rice is a young player who has the ability to make a genuine impact at that level.

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England’s weakest position is inarguably defensive midfield – Dier is immobile and prone to lapses in judgement, while Jordan Henderson, of Liverpool, is an old-fashioned water carrier. Rice is more than that, he is dynamic, an excellent passer of the ball, and clean in the tackle.

Bringing him in for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Montenegro is a low-risk-high-reward strategy.

England should win both games – they are, after all, one of the four best teams in the world – and Rice will surely improve them.

His versatility will appeal too; he can play at centre-back and effectively fills two spots in one call-up.

If it doesn’t work immediately, it can be put down to growing pains as Rice continues to improve week-on-week.

It would be remiss of Southgate to ignore him at this stage, and England will surely be all the better for his selection.

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Leeds United maintained pace with the Championship title race with their 4-0 hammering of fellow promotion hopefuls West Brom at Elland Road on Friday night.

The Whites took the lead against the Baggies inside 20 seconds when Pablo Hernandez found the top corner in spectacular fashion from range. Patrick Bamford then struck twice, before left-back Ezgjan Alioski added a well-deserved fourth late on.

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It was deserved as a reward for what was a fine all-round performance. The 27-year-old Leeds man produced an all-action display, seemingly covering every blade of grass as he pressed, harried and chased the opposition relentlessly. It is remarkable that he still had the energy to break into the West Brom penalty area during stoppage time to score his goal.

The Macedonian, who continues to be picked at left-back by Marcelo Bielsa despite the return of Barry Douglas, was persistently willing to join the attack, and got forward repeatedly throughout the match. As well as finding the net, he also tried to create, and delivered two crosses in the game, as per WhoScored’s stats.

More impressive, though, was how comfortable and effective Alioski was in performing his defensive duties. The 25-cap international made two clearances against Darren Moore’s side, and also produced nine tackles – far more than any other player on the pitch. He was also heavily involved throughout, having 72 touches.

With this eye-catching display, Alioski proved that he what it takes to make a real difference at both ends of the pitch for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

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Charlton secured a massive three points at The Valley on Saturday, with goals from Joe Aribo and Lyle Taylor enough to sink fourth placed Portsmouth and thus further establish the Addicks in the coveted play-off spots.

The departure of Karlan Grant in January heaped a lot of pressure on the shoulders of the latter goalscorer, although Taylor seems to think that the Addicks won’t be missing the Huddersfield man’s goals for too long.

What did he say?

Well, speaking after the game, the 29-year-old expressed his delight at how his partnership with Igor Vetokele up front is beginning to develop:

“There were times today when I was looking for Igor [Vetokele] and he was there, the same way that i would look for Karlan [Grant] and he was there, so it is very promising.

“We’ll do everything we can to let that partnership bear fruit and, hopefully, the team will continue to pick up points.

“Me and Karlan didn’t click straight away. We scored goals, but we didn’t click as a partnership straight away. It takes a few games. We’ve only started a few games together and had limited number of minutes together, so we will continue to work on it and gain an understanding, but Igor is a very good player, so I can’t imagine it will be that difficult.”

Can do without Karlan

Grant joined the Terriers in January after an extremely impressive first half of the season in which he chalked up 14 goals and 5 assists and there was surely a fear amongst the Charlton faithful that his departure would be the demise of their promotion hopes.

Taylor, though, whose strike at the weekend was his 13th of the season in the league, clearly thinks that his pairing with 26-year-old Vetokele will soon flourish and make the Addicks fans forget all about the partnership he forged with Grant.

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The Charlton number 9 drew comparisons between his former teammate and Vetokele, and if the Angolan forward can get into the positions which Grant used to more frequently, Lee Bowyer won’t have a goal problem on his hands at all.

You rarely see players of Dimitar Berbatov’s ilk anymore – those effortless artists who float around the pitch, waving their wand and creating pure magic without breaking a sweat.

The Bulgarian made everything look so ridiculously easy – this was not the most intensive football competition in the world to him, it was a playground; a player who donned a touch so exquisite it should be framed and put on a wall somewhere for all to see.

The word ‘class’ springs to mind when analysing Dimitar Berbatov’s time at Manchester United. This man literally oozed class from every inch of his body – he was the Rolls Royce of football, the luxury very few could afford both on and off the pitch other than United.

It was 2008 when the Berbatov saga finally came to an end. Manchester City, who were enjoying the spoils of their oil-rich owner, had been reportedly interested in bringing the forward to their shores for some time. But despite Daniel Levy’s best efforts to change the course of history, promising City’s representatives that they would be in pole position to sign the player, Berbatov point blank refused to even meet to discuss a deal – he wanted United.

Knowing full well the battle was lost, Spurs parted with their man for £30.75 million and Frazer Campbell on loan (yikes).

The mercurial forward’s career in Manchester was turbulent at first. A missed penalty during the 2008/09 FA Cup semi-final against Everton, which they subsequently lost, drew widespread criticism – and though he became the first Bulgarian to win a Premier League title, he failed to make a significant impact the following year drawing speculation about his future at the club.

But this was all to be forgotten following the 2010/11 campaign. Despite playing relatively few minutes, at least as far as we can remember, Berbatov managed to score 20 league goals alongside former Manchester United man Carlos Tevez. Justice.

When we reflect on his career in Manchester we do not think of goals, however;  that would be way too reductionist, even negligent, on our part.

We think about “that” moment of brilliance when he spun his way past West Ham’s defence on the by-line to provide Ronaldo with his second of the game, the countless subtle touches which brought him away from his opponents with such immeasurable ease we barely thought it legal, the weightless movement around the pitch, and the countless memories of sheer unadulterated class.