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The rest of the squad are unaffected, and will continue following Covid guidelines and completing their daily health-checks

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Mar-2022New Zealand batter Mark Chapman has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series at home against Netherlands, after testing positive for Covid-19. Auckland batter George Worker, who last played for New Zealand in 2018, has been drafted as Chapman’s replacement for the three-match series.Chapman, who was a part of the T20I squad, flew from Napier to Auckland on Saturday and after waking up with symptoms on Sunday, tested positive via a rapid antigen test.”It’s really unfortunate for Mark and we’re all really feeling for him at this time,” New Zealand’s head coach Gary Stead said. “He did the right thing by following the health guidelines and getting tested when he did.”Stead confirmed that Worker, who finished as the leading run-scorer in the recently-concluded Ford Trophy, will join the ODI squad in Mount Maunganui on Monday, ahead of training. Worker has played 10 ODIs and two T20Is for New Zealand, but has not featured in an international match since taking the field in Dubai against Pakistan in November 2018.”It’s an exciting time for George to be back with the team and he thoroughly deserves his call up following his strong form in the Ford Trophy.”The remainder of the squad are unaffected, and will continue following Covid guidelines and completing their daily health-checks, according to an NZC release.New Zealand will begin the ODI series against Netherlands in Mount Maunganui on March 29, while the second and third matches, on April 2 and 4, will be held in Hamilton. The one-off T20I between the two teams was abandoned due to rain in Napier.

As many as ten clubs are now showing interest in signing a member of Mikel Arteta’s squad in the months ahead, it has been reported, with the Gunners facing a fight to keep him at the club.

Arsenal thrash West Ham to move second

Arsenal have recovered from their Premier League blip against Newcastle and Chelsea in emphatic fashion, following up a 3-0 win against a good Nottingham Forest side with a 5-2 thrashing against West Ham in the London Stadium.

The Gunners were 4-0 up inside 36 minutes as goals from Gabriel, Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz put them on course for a rout of Julen Lopetegui’s side.

However, the Hammers hit back with goals through fullbacks Emerson Palmeiri and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, only for a Bukayo Saka goal on the stroke of half time to restore some breathing room for the Gunners and cap off a crazy seven-goal half.

Arteta’s side didn’t look troubled in the second half as they saw out the win in a professional fashion to move second in the Premier League, though Liverpool’s win over Manchester City means that they remain nine points behind Arne Slot’s side after a quarter of the campaign, having been one of just two sides to take points off the Reds this season.

The Gunners will be hoping that they can narrow that gap in the games between now and the January transfer window, when they may have to step into the market for reinforcements in a bid to catch the Reds in the second half of the season.

Manchester United (Home)

Fulham (Away)

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Crystal Palace (Away)

Ipswich Town (Home)

But there could be exits from north London too.

Ten clubs want to sign Arsenal defender

That comes as a fresh report claims that as many as ten clubs are keen to sign Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior this winter. The defender came on at half time in the win over West Ham, replacing the injured Gabriel, and helped the Gunners keep a clean sheet in the second half.

But he has not seen much action this season, with his only starts coming in the Carabao Cup and the defender managing just 374 minutes of action across all competitions.

Arsenal keen on £40m Premier League star who's open to leaving in January

The Gunners have set their sights on a new defender…

ByDominic Lund Dec 2, 2024

The Polish defender has been labeled “extraordinary” by international teammate Robert Lewandowski, but has had few opportunitites to showcase his ability in north London.

And according to CaughtOffside, that has caught the attention of a whole host of clubs, with a report claiming that all of “Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli, Atalanta, Fiorentina, Bologna, Sevilla, Villarreal and Marseille” are keeping tabs on the Pole.

It is added that “the three clubs to ask Arsenal about Kiwior are Milan, Napoli and Sevilla”, and that while Arsenal’s preference would be for a sale, both Napoli and Sevilla have explicitly asked about a potential loan move for the young defender.

The Gunners are certainly unlikely to receive the “€40-45m” that they want for the defender in January, but with the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori they have yet more cover for Gabriel if needed.

Actor, comedian and cricket lover to take over from Clare Connor in October

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-2022Stephen Fry, the actor and comedian, has been named as the next President of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).Fry, a lifelong cricket supporter, is a patron of the MCC Foundation, and delivered a memorable MCC Cowdrey Lecture last year. He was nominated for the role by the current President, Clare Connor, and will take over when her term ends on October 1.”I am honoured and proud to be nominated as the next President of MCC,” Fry said. “It is a club that is known throughout the world for what it represents in the game and to be gifted the opportunity to perform this role is truly humbling.”I thank Clare for this incredible opportunity and I look forward to supporting her as President Designate over the summer before commencing my own innings in the autumn.”Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director. He is also an advocate for mental health and has been President of Mind, the mental health charity, for over a decade.An MCC Member since 2011, he is widely known to be a lover of cricket and delivered the 20th MCC Cowdrey Lecture in November 2021. As only the second non-cricketing personality to give the Lecture, following Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 2008, his impassioned speech was both powerful and memorable, and included the suggestion that Yorkshire had exuded a “mephitic stink” during their handling of the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal.”When he [Rafiq] said today that he didn’t want his son to go anywhere near cricket my heart fell to my boots,” Fry said during his speech. “But actually that simple statement crystallises everything, it gives us a clear human image that says it all. It is a rallying cry.”Unless all our nation’s sons and daughters with the talent and desire to have a life in cricket are confident that cricket will want to have a life with them, the spirit of cricket, its very flame, will flicker and go out. Let’s dedicate ourselves to ensuring that that will never happen.”Connor added: “I am thrilled to be able to announce Stephen as my successor. He has a deep love and care for cricket and will be a wonderful ambassador for MCC. The Cowdrey Lecture he delivered last year was inspiring and showed the extent to which he understands the challenges and opportunities that both MCC and cricket face. He will bring a wealth of experience to the role and I hope he thoroughly enjoys his year.”Fry’s appointment was ratified at MCC’s Annual General Meeting at Lord’s on Wednesday, the first in the club’s 235-year history to be held in a hybrid format, with members attending in person at the ground as well as online.

Manchester United fans should be "fuming" with the new 100,000-seater stadium plans as the £2bn project was branded as "pathetic" by Paul Merson.

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Merson not impressed with Man Utd's stadium plansLikely to spend around £2b for the 100,000-seater stadiumExpected to boost the economy by £7.3bn-a-yearFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

United have announced ambitious plans to construct a state-of-the-art 100,000-capacity stadium, aiming to create what they call "the world’s greatest stadium." The project, estimated to cost £2 billion, is expected to take five years to complete. Sir Jim Ratcliffe is leading the charge for the massive infrastructure overhaul, emphasising that the new stadium will be a global icon, visible from up to 40 kilometers away in the Peak District.

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In addition to the football venue, the redevelopment will include a public plaza twice the size of Trafalgar Square and an avenue resembling Wembley Way. The club claims the project could add £7.3 billion to the UK economy annually, create 92,000 jobs, build 17,000 homes, and attract 1.8 million more visitors each year. However, crucial details such as funding sources, a construction timeline, and a temporary home for United during the build remain unclear.

WHAT MERSON SAID

Former Arsenal midfielder, Merson, has not held back in his criticism of Manchester United’s proposed stadium project, calling it "pathetic" and arguing that the club should focus on improving the squad rather than infrastructure.

Speaking in an interview with , Merson said: "You know what, no interest at all. I think it's pathetic. If I'm a Man United fan, I'd be fuming. They're at Old Trafford, which is one of the biggest stadiums in the Premier League.

"I could understand if it's Chelsea, and Chelsea go, 'we want to move stadium' because Chelsea get around 38,000 (40,000), so they need a bigger stadium to keep on living with the big boys. But when it's Man United and they already hold 70-odd thousand, more than anybody else, why would they need a new stadium?"

DID YOU KNOW?

Merson believes that Manchester United’s current squad issues are far more pressing than a stadium rebuild. With the team struggling for form and sitting outside the Champions League places, he feels investment should go toward building a competitive team rather than a flashy stadium.

"You need new players. They need a team. This is what I can't work out," he added.

"I heard Jim Ratcliffe going, 'oh, this is going to be a stadium, England will be able to play here.' Don't worry about England. Don't worry about the national team. Worry about Man United. Worry about getting them into the top six, let alone into the Champions League. I just can't believe what I've been seeing over the past couple of days. I'm flabbergasted."

Everton could now listen to offers for one of their stars in January, it has emerged, with the club possibly keen to cash in before the end of the campaign.

Everton pick up vital win vs Wolves

Having lost by four goals against Manchester United, Everton responded by thrashing Wolves 4-0 in a game where everything they touched turned to gold.

In a fairly even game between the two Premier League strugglers, goals from Ashley Young and Orel Mangala in the first half were added to by a pair of own goals from the unfortunate Craig Dawson, leaving the Toffees with a scoreline that flattered them but nonetheless a vital three points for Sean Dyche’s side.

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After the game, Dyche was effusive in his praise of the Everton players, admitting he “couldn’t be any more proud” of the way that they had bounced back.

“[There have been] a lot of question marks about what we are trying to achieve here and we had to answer them – I think the players have done. It was a good performance, a committed performance.

“I said in the week to the group that I couldn’t be any more proud of these players. They have been through all sorts and they have kept going.”

The result moves them up to 15th place in the Premier League ahead of the mammoth Merseyside derby clash at Goodison Park on Saturday, which will be the final one played at the current Everton Stadium.

Further ahead, the Toffees could be busy in January as they look to secure their Premier League status for next year, and now one player may well be set to leave.

Everton ready to cash in on forward, claims ex-scout

That is according to former Premier League scout Mick Brown, who has claimed that Dyche and co could now accept offers to sell Dominic Calvert-Lewin in January.

The striker played a hand in the win over Wolves, winning the free-kick that led to their opening goal and leading the line well until he was replaced by Beto in the dying stages.

However, he is into the final months of his £100,000 a week deal at Goodison Park, and though he has been praised for his “fantastic” ability in the air, the Toffees do not want to lose him for nothing in the summer.

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown explained that “if they can sell him for big enough money, they’ll do it”, but warned “it’s got to be enough so that they can take the money and reinvest in a new striker.”

“If not, he’ll probably leave for free, because he’s already turned down contract offers from them and it looks like he’ll be moving on”, he added.

Everton must cash in on £80k-p/w flop who Koeman was "delighted" to sign

Everton need an overhaul in 2025, and must begin the process by casting out the deadwood.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 6, 2024

As a potential free agent, Calvert-Lewin has been linked with the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal for a summer move, though it seems unlikely either side would move for him in January.

With money tight on Merseyside, it’s easy to see why Everton may want to cash in while they still can, but they may not be able to find a replacement who can produce what Calvert-Lewin can on such a tight budget.

Queens Park Rangers are interested in signing a “really exciting” striker in the January transfer window, according to a recent report. The Rs made it five unbeaten and back-to-back wins on Wednesday night, as they beat Oxford United 2-0, a result that sees them climb to 19th in the Championship table, four points adrift of the relegation zone.

QPR considering hiring former PL left-back as new manager – report

QPR are rooted to the bottom of the Championship table after a dismal start to the season.

1 ByBrett Worthington Nov 13, 2024 QPR news and updates

It was another impressive night for QPR in front of their home fans, but it could have potentially come at a cost, as Marti Cifuentes revealed a concerning update on midfielder Nicolas Madsen after the game.

Cifuentes said: “For the second game in a row, he gets a big impact around his ankle, shin, and calf all this area. He was very painful, so immediately when he went out, he told me that he would try but that he was not feeling very confident. Hopefully, it will just be a knock, and he will be ready for Saturday.”

Despite the upturn in form in recent weeks, QPR will still have their eye on potential business for January, as they look to climb the table and not continue this fight at the bottom. It was reported earlier this week that QPR are among the teams interested in signing Louie Barry on loan from Aston Villa.

The forward is expected to be recalled from his loan at Stockport County and then sent out to a higher-level team next month. The Rs could face a difficult battle to win this race, as Middlesbrough are said to be leading this charge, and Leeds United are also interested in signing Barry.

QPR join transfer race to sign Leeds outcast According to Football League World,Queens Park Rangers are interested in signing Joe Gelhardtfrom Leeds in January, which would perhaps pave the way for the aforementioned Barry to move to Elland Road. The 22-year-old looks set to leave Yorkshire in some capacity in January, as he’s fallen way down the pecking order under Daniel Farke.

Gelhardt, who earns £15,000 a week, has played just three times for Leeds this season; two have been substitute appearances in the league, which add up to a total of nine minutes of football, and the other was 63 minutes in the Carabao Cup.

It was reported earlier this week that Gelhardt is keen on joining Rangers after they made their interest clear, but Leeds were undecided as they didn’t know whether to sell the striker or loan him out. But Gelhardt has another option to consider, as QPR are also interested in signing him in January.

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Football League World reports that the 22-year-old, who has been dubbed “really exciting” by Jamie Redknapp, is on the Rs’ radar ahead of next month, but they face plenty of competition to secure a transfer, as a host of other Championship teams are also interested. It is likely that QPR will only be able to afford a loan deal for Gelhardt, so it will depend on what Leeds want to do with the striker.

After a run of six defeats, Somerset well-placed to press for victory at The Oval

Matt Roller22-Apr-2022Ben Foakes tucked Josh Davey off his pads, jogging through for a single to take him from 39 to 40. Four-and-a-half thousand miles away, Jos Buttler leaped and punched the air to celebrate his third hundred of the season for Rajasthan Royals, his fourth in his last eight IPL innings.An hour later, Foakes edged Peter Siddle to second slip for 63, taking his tally for the season to 240 runs for twice out, under dark clouds in the south London chill; Buttler lurked in the outfield in the stifling heat of south Mumbai as Delhi Capitals’ run chase faded away.It is Foakes’ great misfortune that he was born so soon after one of the country’s most talented ball-strikers, without whom he might well have enjoyed several years as England’s first-choice Test wicketkeeper. As Theodore Roosevelt put it, comparison is the thief of joy.Foakes’ innings was typically classy. He clipped seven fours through wide mid-on and caressed three more through the covers, knocking singles into gaps and defending solidly in between. Not for the first time this season, he benefited from some luck: he was dropped on 2 by Tom Banton at short midwicket – who atoned with an outrageous diving catch at deep backward square leg off Ollie Pope – and survived a chance for a run-out when Tom Lammonby threw wide of the stumps, but in batting for more than three hours, he ensured Surrey recovered from an early stutter.But throughout his innings, the English cricketing world had its eye on another wicketkeeper-batter. How could it not? Buttler’s form has been irresistible. Every innings he plays is appointment-to-view television. Even the Championship’s most ardent defenders would concede that there is an untamed beauty in the way he hits the ball, and a hint of genius in his calculated assaults.Related

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Of course, Buttler’s unadulterated brilliance in coloured kit against a white ball has often detracted from his standing as a Test batter. His record compares favourably with every batter capped by England since his debut, but the contrast with his dominance elsewhere is stark. Unlike Foakes, who looks most comfortable in a long-sleeved white shirt, Buttler’s colour is pink – or red, or light blue.There has been little to separate them as Test batters to date: Buttler’s average is a shade above 30, Foakes’ is a shade below. Foakes is widely regarded as the better keeper but showed in the Caribbean that he is hardly infallible, while Buttler’s thousand-yard stare after he dropped Marnus Labuschagne at Adelaide in December has clouded judgement over his ability with the gloves.Which of them – if either – should keep wicket in England’s first Test of the summer against New Zealand? And how can their performances today possibly be compared? If Rob Key re-introduces the position of national selector as widely expected, the appointee will again be reminded that selection is an art, rather than an exact science.The simplest answer is to concede that the game’s various formats are diverging to such an extent that Buttler should be set free, never to face a dark-red Dukes ball again and given room to thrive against the white Kookaburra. Foakes would take over as Test wicketkeeper, with his best years ahead of him and the long-term backing that he needs to thrive.And yet… with Buttler in this sort of form, with such obvious talent, it is tempting to strip the game back to its most basic elements: if he can hit the world’s best bowlers for 100-metre sixes in the IPL, marrying destruction with dependability, why shouldn’t he thrive against them in another format? It is the logic that underpinned his recall four years ago, when Ed Smith took a calculated gamble and gave him a free role at No. 7.Either way, Surrey were grateful for Foakes’ runs. They trailed Somerset by 133 runs at the close, and if Banton had held onto his early chance, they would be at risk of following on. Foakes added 80 with Pope for the fourth wicket, then 45 with Sam Curran for the fifth to steer them through a tricky afternoon in helpful bowling conditions.Siddle, who yesterday became the first Australian fast bowler since Michael Kasprowicz to reach 200 first-class appearances, had struck early, having Ryan Patel well caught by Jack Leach at point. After lunch, Craig Overton removed Rory Burns and Jack Brooks had Hashim Amla caught in the slips with his eighth ball of the season, leaving Surrey wobbling at 48 for 3 before their recovery.Tom Abell, unbeaten on 121 overnight, reached exactly 150, the highest score of his first-class career, before he ran out of partners to give Somerset 337 – more than they had made across both innings in their one-wicket defeat against Essex last week. After a run of six consecutive defeats, they look well-placed not only to avoid a seventh, but to push for their first Championship win in nearly a year.

Manchester City star Omar Marmoush has slammed his team-mates for 'lacking confidence' as they saw their European hopes dented by Brighton.

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Man City draw 2-2 with BrightonCity took the lead twice in the clashMarmoush urges team-mates to 'show quality'Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Manchester City are set to lose the Premier League title for the first time since the 2019-20 season. Additionally, their struggles this season have lowered the possibility of qualifying for the Champions League next season, and a 2-2 draw against Brighton at Etihad Stadium has not helped Pep Guardiola's side.

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Manchester City made a number of signings in January to ensure an improvement in performance, and the Cityzens' best signing was arguably Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt. The Egyptian forward scored City's second goal against Brighton and has now urged his team-mates to show their 'quality more'.

Getty Images SportWHAT MARMOUSH SAID

Speaking to the media, Marmoush said: “Of course it is a challenge but we will do everything.

“We will put our heads down, try to work as hard as we can and, always when we are on the pitch, give 100 per cent. Hopefully, in the end, we will secure that place.

“We just have to try to show our quality more, have more confidence on the ball, keep the ball more and just do what Man City always did, and I think we will be good.”

WHAT NEXT FOR MARMOUSH?

City still have the FA Cup to fight for this season, alongside their battle to get the top four spot in the Premier League. Guardiola's side will return to action when they take on Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-finals on March 30.

Thomas Tuchel's management style could "lead to problems" for England as Bayern Munich legend Philipp Lahm took aim at the German coach.

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England won first two games under TuchelPlayers full of praise for new managerLahm sees problems in the Three Lions' futureFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Tuchel's career as Three Lions boss is off to a good start, having guided his team to wins against Albania and Latvia in World Cup qualifying. The former Chelsea, Bayern and Borussia Dortmund boss has made it clear to the Three Lions players that he wants to win the World Cup next year, while Harry Kane and Morgan Rogers praised the new manager after Monday's win at Wembley.

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However, ex-Germany and Bayern right-back Lahm says Tuchel's history suggests things are likely to turn sour within the national team. Despite Tuchel having guided Chelsea to Champions League glory just a year after guiding Paris Saint-Germain to the final, World Cup winner Lahm says the 51-year-old's personal relationships often result in his downfall.

WHAT LAHM SAID

"No matter where he works, tensions seem to arise at some point. Apart from Mainz (2009 to 2014), Tuchel has never stayed anywhere for three years," he wrote in a column for .

"His biggest problem at Bayern was also not a sporting one, but the lack of connection with leading players such as Thomas Muller or Leon Goretzka, and the chemistry with Harry Kane was probably not perfect either. In the summer of 2023, when he demanded a new ‘holding No 6’ in midfield, he annoyed Joshua Kimmich by telling the media that Kimmich didn’t have the defensive DNA for the role.

"In Munich, a coach has to be diplomatic or clever. Pep Guardiola and Vincent Kompany never express dissatisfaction publicly. Tuchel tends to. That can lead to problems."

TROUBLE AHEAD FOR ENGLAND & TUCHEL?

Lahm believes that Tuchel's inability to avoid conflict will cause problems at international level, saying he could end up damaging the mood within the England squad.

"A national coach must be a moderator with a great feel for his players," he added. "He must create a hierarchy by identifying and then strengthening leaders within the group. Southgate knew how to create a harmonious environment. Tuchel, on the other hand, is more demanding and much more of a perfectionist. His tendency towards conflict – and in public – could be damaging."

Buttler says he was “distracted” and “feeling the pressure” after dip in form mid-way through IPL 2022, but “honest conversations” shook him from his funk

Shashank Kishore27-May-20222:37

Vettori: ‘Buttler’s innings a blueprint of how to chase a smallish total’

Jos Buttler has racked up 824 runs at a strike rate of 151 so far in IPL 2022, with one innings left to play, but he came into the season with “very low expectations”. He said as much after his bruising, unbeaten, 60-ball 106 on Friday to take Rajasthan Royals into just their second IPL final.”I came into the season with very low expectations, but a lot of energy and excitement for the tournament,” Buttler told host broadcaster Star Sports. “To still be here now, and the season I’ve had with such a great team, and to get ourselves into the final, is incredibly exciting.”In what has been a season of two halves for him, Buttler came into the playoffs without a half-century in over three weeks. In this period, he made three single-digit scores and had a highest of 30. This “distracted” him. The more he tried to suppress the pressure his dip generated, the worse it got. This is when “honest conversations” with people around him came to his rescue.”I’ve had some really honest conversations with some close people around me, and with Kumar Sangakkara (Royals’ director of cricket) and Trevor Penney (assistant coach),” he said. “I was actually feeling a bit of pressure. I was getting distracted, and I tried to suppress it, but it wasn’t until a week or so when I actually opened up and started talking about that and it made me feel a lot better. I went to Kolkata (for Qualifier 1) a lot more relaxed and obviously that innings gave me a lot more confidence today.”Related

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Against Gujarat Titans, in Qualifier 1, he made 89 – an innings where he started well against pace but struggled for rhythm against spin, especially against Rashid Khan, on a tricky surface. However, he more than made up for it in the death overs, hitting 50 runs off 18 balls himself from the 16th over onwards. That effort wasn’t enough to win them the game, Royals eventually failing to defend 15 off the final over. Two days later, he arrived in Ahmedabad all charged up, knowing very well he had the best possible preparation.”I think I came in today just so excited,” he said. “The thought of playing in front of 100,000 people was amazing. We’ve had two years of playing in front of empty stadiums. This is what the IPL is about, their incredible support, a fantastic stadium and a brilliant game of cricket – I enjoyed it so much.”Sangakkara, who has had a prime view of Buttler the T20 cricketer over the past three seasons, was effusive in his praise. Buttler’s attacking intent, Sangakkara said, was just one aspect of his game; the ability to curb certain shots in certain situations, while being intuitive about the team’s needs, make him stand out.

“I think some days I was a bit slow to start with. I wish it was never like that. I wish you can play fast all the time, but certain times I’ve had it tough and maybe a younger version of myself would’ve just gone for a big shot and got out.”Jos Buttler

“I think it’s just his overall game,” Sangakkara said, when asked about Buttler’s strengths. “He’s got some pretty potent strengths, and once he recognises that and trusts those strengths, he then manoeuvres the rest of the bowling to go more and more into his strengths.”He’s great against spin, he has got all the shots, and he chooses on certain days which shots to play and which shots to put away for a while. The good thing about Jos Buttler is that he can accelerate at any time. He can be 30 off 30 and then suddenly get to 80-90 off 50.”It’s hard to describe what he has done for us this season. I think he started off so well, had a little bit of a flutter at one point in the tournament, but he calmed himself down, had good conversations rather than just training. He accepted he’s mortal, he’s human and he can’t have that high level of excellence every single day.”And to understand how you kind of reach that level at every game in different stages… Some days you have to fight and look ugly, other days your rhythm is there. The reality is you can’t fight that condition, but fight what’s happening on the day. You have to settle into it and build an innings. He can accelerate at any point, has all the strokes and understands the game really well. I can’t remember anyone batting this well in the history of the IPL.”Jos Buttler cracked ten fours and six sixes during his 60-ball 106•BCCIFor his part, Buttler put his measured approach down to the pursuit of a larger goal: to be a match-winner for the team.”I’m always trying to play (according to) the game. What is the game asking me to do at any particular time and then what skillset do I have to try and use on that particular day,” he said. “I think some days I was a bit slow to start with. I wish it was never like that. I wish you can play fast all the time, but certain times I’ve had it tough and maybe a younger version of myself would’ve just gone for a big shot and got out, but it’s something Sanga has been saying to me: the longer you stay there, at some point it will come.”Buttler was part of the victorious Mumbai Indians squad in 2017, when they beat Rising Pune Supergiant in a last-ball thriller. Since 2018, Buttler has been with Royals, and the franchise retained him ahead of this year’s mega auction in a massive show of faith. The chance to now win them their first title since 2008 has him excited.”There’s great excitement to be able to have the opportunity to be in the final in the biggest T20 tournament in the world,” he said. “Shane Warne was obviously such an influential figure with the team, having led them to success. We all miss him dearly, but I’m sure he’s looking down at us with a lot of pride today.”