All summer long, Tottenham Hotspur fans have been crying out for a new number ten to help Thomas Frank in his quest for success during his spell in the role.
James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are the two players who shared the role in 2024/25, but the Dane will be without the duo until at least the start of 2026 through various injuries.
The hierarchy have attempted to fill such a void in the last few weeks, turning to Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze – but they ultimately missed out on both of the aforementioned talents.
However, their hunt has come to an end in recent days, landing the signature of Xavi Simons, with the Dutchman joining the Lilywhites in a £52m transfer from German side RB Leipzig.
With just a couple of days left in the window, the new boss still looks as though he wants added reinforcements this summer, subsequently targeting multiple other talents before Monday’s deadline.
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Spurs’ hunt for new signings after Simons
Savinho is a player who’s been on Spurs’ radar all throughout the current window, but their attempts to land the Manchester City star have so far been to no avail.
Despite their inability to land the Brazilian international, talks have once again been held for his services in recent days – leading to reports suggesting the player wants to move to North London.
However, he’s not the only Manchester-based player in their sights, with Manchester United youngster Kobbie Mainoo also on their radar, according to TEAMtalk.
Their report claims that Frank’s side have made an approach to the Red Devils to discuss a potential deal for the 20-year-old midfielder, who rose through the academy at Old Trafford.
It also states the player himself would be keen on a temporary move to join the Lilywhites before the deadline, after he stated his desire to gain more game time away from Ruben Amorim’s side.
Why Mainoo is a bigger talent than Simons
The deal to land Simons this week has generated huge excitement amongst the Spurs fanbase – understandably so given his tally of 18 combined goals and assists in the Bundesliga last season.
RB Leipzig'sXaviSimonsreacts after the match
£52m is an excellent price for the 22-year-old, having huge potential to develop into a world-class talent under Frank’s guidance – especially if he continues on his current trajectory.
Given the injury situation in such a position, it was vital that the manager and the board secure the signature of a new number ten – with Simons having the chance to demonstrate his quality in the Premier League this season.
However, the hierarchy can’t rest on their laurels, subsequently needing further additions to help Frank in his quest for success during his spell in North London.
A deal for Mainoo would provide added quality and talent in the midfield department – arguably being a bigger talent than the Dutchman when delving into his stats from 2024/25.
The 20-year-old, who’s been described by United writer Alex Turk as a future “£100m-plus footballer”, ranked in the 84th percentile of all players in the Premier League for tackle success rate (60%) whilst winning 1.6 tackles per 90.
Such numbers could provide a needed presence at the heart of the side for Frank – but his numbers in possession would also offer the boss a new dimension in tight areas.
Kobbie Mainoo’s stats for Man Utd in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
25
Minutes played
1656
Pass accuracy
87%
Passes into the final third
2.7
Tackles won
1.6
% of tackles won
60%
Take-ons completed
1.3
Carries into the opposition box
0.6
Interceptions made
1.1
Stats via FBref
The Englishman ranked in the 84th percentile for take-ons completed per 90 (1.3) also notching 0.6 carries into the opposition box per 90 – which places him in the top 19% of stars in England’s top-flight.
The youngster would be able to operate in a perfect box-to-box position for the Lilywhites – which could see him dictate the play and often provide Simons with chances in forward areas.
Despite his tender age, Mainoo has already racked up 50 appearances in the Premier League, having the potential to develop into a generational talent if given the game time under Frank.
Such a move would be an excellent coup for Spurs, adding further depth and quality to their midfield department – following in the footsteps of Simons and Joao Palhinha this summer.
If the pair can operate together in North London, there’s no reason why Frank can’t help the side battle for a spot in the Champions League once again come the end of the 2025/26 season.
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A Kudus repeat: "Incredible" £70m ace now wants to join Spurs after Simons
Tottenham Hotspur could now complete another deal after landing Xavi Simons earlier today.
Manchester United’s midfield continues to dominate transfer headlines, with Ruben Amorim intent on reshaping the heart of his side before the transfer window closes.
The club have already committed over £200m this summer on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško, but despite this heavy spending there remains a glaring gap in midfield.
Amorim’s tactical blueprint demands an athletic, technically secure player to complement captain Bruno Fernandes.
So far, the Portuguese coach has opted for 33-year-old Casemiro, with mixed results.
United narrowly fell to defeat against Arsenal on the opening weekend before following up with a frustrating 1-1 draw at Fulham, leaving Amorim with just four Premier League wins since taking charge last November.
Midfielder pushing for Man Utd move
The club’s lack of European football this season adds further pressure to get domestic results right.
With last year’s disastrous 15th-place finish and Europa League final defeat to Spurs still fresh in the memory, United cannot afford another season of underachievement.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Amorim knows the answer lies in midfield, and the search has become increasingly urgent.
According to reporter Ross Harwood, Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba is now waiting for a deal to be finalised, hopeful that his long-anticipated move to Old Trafford can be sealed before the September deadline.
The journalist noted: “Baleba is eager to get this move before the window closes – he feels now is the only chance.”
Brighton & Hove Albion's CarlosBalebain action with Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic
The 21-year-old, described as “colossal” by journalist Aden-Jay Wood, has emerged as United’s primary midfield target.
However, there is also interest in Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Sevilla’s Lucien Agoumé.
Baleba was visibly distracted during Brighton’s 2-1 defeat to Everton at the weekend, withdrawn at half-time following conversations with manager Fabian Hürzeler.
Reports suggest the player is not in the right frame of mind, desperate for the switch to materialise as he feels this window could represent his best chance.
United’s pursuit, however, is complicated by Brighton’s valuation. The Seagulls are holding out for £100m, a figure comparable to Palace’s price tag for Wharton.
Why Baleba fits better than Mainoo
The deal, if completed, would cap off another transformative summer for United’s squad.
But it is also a gamble, one that comes amid a backdrop of criticism regarding the club’s recruitment, with some questioning whether such heavy investment is sustainable without the cushion of Champions League revenues.
To understand why Amorim is pushing so hard for Baleba, it is necessary to look at United’s current midfield balance – and in particular, the situation surrounding academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo.
The 20-year-old remains a fan favourite, scoring a famous goal in the FA Cup victory over Manchester City and earning a starting role for England in the Euro 2024 final.
Yet under Amorim, opportunities have been limited.
Mainoo has started just 15 of the manager’s 44 games in charge, and this season has been an unused substitute in both league fixtures so far.
The reason lies in Amorim’s system, something he outlined over the weekend.
Preferring to deploy an attacking-minded player alongside his defensive midfielder, Amorim has little room for another deep-lying option unless Fernandes shifts into one of the number ten roles currently occupied by Cunha and Mbeumo.
With Fernandes unlikely to be dropped, Mainoo finds himself caught in a tactical squeeze.
Baleba, by contrast, offers qualities that fit directly into the Portuguese coach’s demands.
Aged 21 and under contract at Brighton until 2028, the Cameroonian midfielder made 34 league appearances last season, contributing three goals and one assist.
His athleticism, work rate and progressive tendencies stand out when compared with Mainoo’s more measured style.
The numbers underline this difference.
Carlos Baleba 2024-25 stats (timeless)
According to FBref, Baleba made more tackles (2.67 to 2.51) and blocks (1.59 to 0.87), highlighting his greater presence without the ball.
In terms of possession, the pair are evenly matched. Mainoo averaged slightly more touches (58.0 per 90 compared to Baleba’s 57.3 but trailed in pass completion rate (86.5% against 87.4%).
The statistics suggest both are technically secure, but Baleba’s edge in carrying, passing progression and defensive activity point to a midfielder more suited to Amorim’s high-energy, dual-pivot approach.
Matches Played
25
34
Starts
19
31
Shot-Creating Actions
34
66
Progressive Carries
22
43
Progressive Passes
65
118
Mainoo’s situation is not necessarily terminal. His talent is undeniable, and he could still evolve into a central figure at Old Trafford.
But in the here and now, Amorim requires an engine capable of covering ground, breaking lines, and complementing Fernandes’ creativity. That profile aligns more closely with Baleba than with the academy product.
Brighton & Hove Albion's CarlosBalebain action with Newcastle United's Joe Willock
Of course, there are risks. A £100m outlay would demand consistent excellence from the Cameroonian, and Brighton are renowned for extracting maximum value from departing players.
There is also the question of squad balance – investing heavily in yet another attacking-minded player while defensive reinforcements remain limited could backfire.
Yet the logic behind the move is clear. If Manchester United are to restore control and consistency in midfield, they need a player capable of combining technical quality with physical dominance.
Baleba, by all accounts, is eager to be that player.
Whether United can meet Brighton’s demands before the window closes will determine whether Amorim gets the midfielder he craves.
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Left-armer’s spell breaks Northants open to keep Foxes on top of Division Two
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-May-2025Josh Hull reminded England’s selectors of his potency as Leicestershire cemented their place at the top of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two with a 132-run victory over Northamptonshire.Chasing 289 at the Uptonsteel County Ground, Northamptonshire were bowled out for 156 after Hull bowled three of their top four in his first four overs. The 20-year-old ended with 3 for 13, the spearhead of a seam quintet all of whom took wickets in an excellent collective effort.Leicestershire’s lower order had doggedly extended their second innings to 175 all out in the morning. That elevated the target to 289 in five sessions and there was no way back for the visitors after Hull’s blitz.Leading by 113 on first innings, Leicestershire, resumed on the third morning on 96 for 6 in their second and their lower order knuckled down diligently to bat until the brink of lunch. Ian Holland’s 113 minutes’ resistance for 11 ended when he nicked an outswinger from Conway but Logan van Beek and Ben Green also batted for more than 100 minutes.Even after van Beek fell lbw to Justin Broad, the last two wickets added 37 as Tom Scriven and Hull offered Green support. Scriven edged Conway to second slip before Green ladled Sanderson to deep midwicket to supply the big-hearted bowler’s sixth wicket.Northamptonshire’s quest for 289 was then reduced to 31 for 3 after Hull hit the stumps three times in his first 23 balls. The left-armer outlined his credentials to add to his single Test appearance so far with a superb spell of swinging, pitched-up, fast bowling which emphatically vindicated the old adage, “if they miss, you hit”. He clipped a leg stump left exposed by Ricardo Vasconcelos, beat a half-forward Luke Procter for pace to find off stump and rattled middle and leg through James Sales’ attempted on-side flick.Rob Keogh perished carelessly when he chipped a leg-stump offering from Holland to midwicket. George Bartlett applied himself well until tea but fell to the third ball after the interval. A heavy shower during tea invigorated the pitch and three wickets fell in the first ten balls after the break as Bartlett was lbw to van Beek and Saif Zaib and Broad edged away-swingers from Green to wicketkeeper Ben Cox.Lewis McManus and Calvin Harrison defied the oppressive bowling and the appalling din from an adjacent pub to add 37 in 76 balls before both fell in three balls to Scriven. Harrison edged behind and McManus fell lbw to leave last pair Sanderson and Conway with a day and 19.2 overs to survive.Sanderson, who passed 1,000 first class runs earlier in the match, made inroads into his second thousand with a merry 32 before Rehan Ahmed bowled him to round off another resounding Leicestershire win
أكد إيهاب الكومي عضو اتحاد الكرة السابق، أن تقرير مراقب مباراة الزمالك وبيراميدز في السوبر المصري الماضي أدان ثلاثي الفريق الأبيض، عبد الواحد السيد مدير الكرة السابق، ودونجا ومصطفى شلبي.
وأعلن اتحاد الكرة منذ لحظات عن إيقاف نبيل عماد دونجا لاعب فريق الزمالك، من المشاركة في بطولة السوبر المصري التي ستقام في الإمارات.
طالع.. عاجل | اتحاد الكرة يعلن إيقاف دونجا وحرمانه من المشاركة في السوبر المصري
وقال الكومي في تصريحات على راديو “ميجا إف إم”: “تقرير مراقب مباراة الزمالك وبيراميدز في السوبر الماضي أدان ثلاثي الزمالك دونجا وعبد الواحد السيد وشلبي وأكد على العقوبة”
وأضاف: “عقوبة ايقاف نبيل عماد دونجا رسمية وتم الإعلان عنها وقت تواجدنا، واللاعب من حقه السفر الى الإمارات، وجمال علام أكد لي أن عقوبة دونجا تم إرسالها إلى نادي الزمالك”.
وتابع: “خطاب عقوبة دونجا لم يعلن بالفعل في الخطابات الرسمية لاتحاد الكرة، اتحاد الكرة الحالي تأكد أن الخطاب تم إرساله إلى نادي الزمالك”
وواصل: “لا يوجد بند في عقد حسام حسن بأهمية التتويج ببطولة أمم إفريقيا، والتعاقد لم يتضمن أي بند بشان ذلك”.
It feels like it’s now or never for Arsenal in the Premier League this season.
Mikel Arteta has done a sensational job taking the Gunners from mid-table mediocrity to genuine challengers, but following three back-to-back second-placed finishes, he needs to get them over the line this year.
Granted, Liverpool look as strong as ever, and Manchester City can’t be as bad as they were last season, but after the summer window, the Spaniard has the tools to get the job done.
Moreover, he already had several superstars in the squad to begin with, including one worth more than new signings Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi.
Reviewing Arsenal's summer transfer window
In early April, Mikel Arteta told the press that this summer was “going to be a big one,” and he was certainly right about that.
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka,Arsenal's Cristhian Mosquera,Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi,Arsenal's Noni Madueke,Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri andArsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly line up
For starters, the North Londoners added some quality depth options to the side in Christian Norgaard, Cristhian Mosquera, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Noni Madueke.
However, arguably more important than that, Arteta was handed a few top-quality additions that should dramatically improve the starting lineup.
For example, Zubimendi, who cost around £51m, was one of the most highly sought-after sixes in Europe and once again showed what he can do for Spain last night with a brilliant assist.
Viktor Gyokeres was the most prolific number nine in Europe last year, with a sensational tally of 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 games, and while he wasn’t great on Sunday, he’s still got two goals already this season.
Finally, Eze was one of the most creative and exciting players to watch in the Premier League last season, racking up 25 goal involvements in 43 games, and while £68m is a lot of money, he could be just the player Arsenal need.
Yet, even then, he and Zubimendi are worth less than one of Arteta’s best-ever signings.
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However, he has also overseen plenty of fantastic ones during his time at Arsenal, and one of his very best has undoubtedly been Declan Rice.
The former West Ham United captain joined the North Londoners for a record fee, and instead of wilting under pressure, he has only improved over the last two years.
Impressively, he is still worth a king’s ransom as well, with Football Transfers valuing him at a whopping €114m, which translates to approximately £99m, or £48m more than Zubimendi cost the club and £31m more than Eze.
It might sound like an absurd valuation, but the Englishman’s performances over the last couple of years more than back it up.
For example, the “world-class” international, as dubbed by journalist Tom Marshall-Bailey, has made 106 appearances for the Gunners, totalling 8665 minutes.
In that time, he’s scored 16 goals and provided 22 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.78 games, or every 228.02 minutes.
Rice’s Arsenal record
Appearances
106
Starts
99
Minutes
8665′
Goals
16
Assists
22
Goal Involvements per Match
0.35
Minutes per Goal Involvement
228.02′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
That rate of return is only made more impressive by the fact that he started his career at the club playing as a six, only to move into the eight role.
In other words, his level of output is incredible for someone whose main job isn’t to score or assist goals.
Ultimately, while he cost a lot of money, and the pressure on him to succeed was immense, Rice has been a runaway success at Arsenal; therefore, his valuation more than makes sense.
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Wayne Rooney has bemoaned one “crazy” West Ham United “problem” and Graham Potter’s “lack of belief”, following the recent 2-1 defeat against Crystal Palace.
West Ham suffer another setback against Crystal Palace
Potter appears to be on very thin ice after the 2-1 defeat at home against Crystal Palace last time out, with the West Ham hierarchy now running the rule over potential replacements.
Following the most recent loss, the Hammers are 19th in the Premier League table, having tasted defeat in four of their opening five games, with Gary O’Neil and Sean Dyche also entering the frame as potential Potter replacements.
In the wake of yet another loss, Rooney has bemoaned the Hammers’ inability to defend set-pieces, while also calling into question the atmosphere at the club.
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The former Manchester United man said: “I analysed the set-pieces yesterday, last night, on Match of the Day and it’s all second balls. Graham Potter came out and said they’ve been working on set plays, so as a coach there’s only so much you can do, but they’re not winning the first header and the problem is they’re not reacting quick enough, and then the second ball, they’re conceding goals.
“So, it’s crazy to concede seven from five, but when you have a lack of confidence and a lack of belief – I think that’s clear with the West Ham players and the fans as well I can imagine. There’s a lack of a belief in the team, and it looks like the owners and the manager.”
Potter must fix defensive issues to keep his job
Defending from set-pieces has undoubtedly been a major issue for the Irons, with Potter saying: “We’ve addressed [our weakness from dead-balls] and we’re working to improve it. We conceded too many, had to defend a lot. That is something we also have to look at. It’s just constant work on the training ground.”
However, having been in the dugout since January, the 50-year-old has had more than enough time to fix the glaring problems, and there have been very few promising signs, winning just six of the 25 games he has taken charge of.
The Hammers have also conceded 13 goals already this season, the highest number of any Premier League side, so it is clear their top-flight status could be in jeopardy if there is not either a radical improvement or a change in manager.
While he arguably wouldn’t be the flashiest of appointments, Dyche could be a solid option for West Ham, at least on a short-term basis, having led Everton to safety when the Toffees were in a similar position.
Can Rangers start their Europa League campaign with a victory at Ibrox?
For those who don’t believe the Europa League to be the highest-quality competition around, well, on this occasion, they’d be right, given that Rangers sit second bottom of the Scottish Premiership, while visitors Genk are third bottom of the Jupiler Pro League.
Russell Martin is yet to oversee a league victory in five attempts, but did at least lead his side through to the League Cup semi-finals at the weekend, as the Gers defeated Hibernian 2-0 at home.
Key to that success was Nicolas Raskin, heading home the opening goal, back in the team following a two-match exile, which was both baffling and mystifying, considering he was, by some distance, the club’s best player last season.
If the Light Blues are going to make a winning start in the Europa League, Raskin will be a central figure once again, but Martin must also start his “creative” summer signing in attack.
Djeidi Gassama's start to life at Rangers
The unquestionable star of Rangers’ Champions League qualifying campaign during the summer was Djeidi Gassama.
After arriving from Sheffield Wednesday for £2.2m, the Frenchman announced himself by scoring home and away against Panathinaikos, doubling their advantage at Ibrox, before lashing home the clincher in Athens eight nights later.
In the following round, Gassama scored twice during a 3-0 demolition of Viktoria Plzeň in Glasgow which remains, by a landslide, the club’s best performance of the season.
Manager Martin said that the winger “really excites us”, labelling him a difference maker, while Nick McPheat of BBC Sport highlighted his excellent dribbling and goal-scoring statistics, concluding that he adds an extra dimension to Rangers’ attack.
So, while Gassama is yet to get off the mark in a domestic setting, a return to European competition could help to bring the best out of him, but who should start alongside him across the forward line against Genk?
Rangers' creative attacking star
Rangers signed a total of 13 new players during the summer, but the £3m paid to secure the signature of Oliver Antman could prove to be the best business of the lot.
The 25-year-old was outstanding at Go Ahead Eagles last season, scoring six goals and registering 16 assists across all competitions, helping them win the KNVB Beker, defeating AZ Alkmaar in the final on penalties at De Kuip, securing the club’s first major silverware since 1933.
The table below documents Antman’s impressive output in the Eredivisie.
Antman – 24/25 Eredivisie
Statistics
Antman
Eredivisie rank
Goals
6
38th
Assists
15
1st
Expected assists
9.1
1st
Big chances created
16
1st
Key passes
50
10th
Shot-creating actions
96
13th
Goal-creating actions
19
4th
Progressive carries
96
10th
Touches in the box
125
11th
Stats via Sofascore and FBref
As the table notes, Antman ranked first for assists, expected assists and big chances created in the Eredivisie last season, impressively doing so for the team that finished seventh in one of the most unbalanced leagues in Europe.
Well, just 24 hours after he arrived, Rangers supporters got a taste of what was to come, with Antman providing this assist, part of a free-flowing team goal, for Gassama during the aforementioned 3-0 annihilation of Viktoria Plzeň.
The Finnish international actually registered two assists on debut in that game, but is yet to notch either a goal nor an assist subsequently, left on the bench for all three matches in September so far, with Martin favouring Tottenham loanee Mikey Moore.
Nevertheless, his quality is unquestionable, with Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelling Antman a “creative winger”, while his numbers at Go Ahead Eagles, as well as at international level, scoring seven goals for Finland to date, speak for themselves.
Thus, we have already seen Gassama and Antman link up well on the European stage this season so, alongside new striker Bojan Miovski, that is surely Rangers’ best front three, one that is capable of defeating a struggling Genk on Thursday.
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Seeing Ousmane Dembele lift the 2025 Ballon d’Or was a deeply emotional moment for Dayot Upamecano. The Bayern Munich defender, who grew up with the Paris Saint-Germain star in Evreux, admitted that watching his France teammate and childhood friend crowned the best player in the world after a sensational season brought him to tears.
Emotional Upamecano hails Dembele
In an interview with , Upamecano shared his pride and emotion at seeing his France teammate and long time friend win the prestigious Ballon d’Or. The 28-year-old forward was crowned the winner on September 22 in Paris, beating competition from Barcelona winger Yamine Lamal and PSG teammate Vitinha. Dembele capped off a dream 2024-25 season, scoring 35 goals and providing 14 assists while helping PSG win Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and the Champions League.
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From schoolyard rivals to world recognition
Upamecano spoke about how far the PSG star has come and how happy he was seeing his schoolyard rival lift the prestigious trophy. "We went to the same school, we played on the same pitches, I played against him in CM1-CM2.
"Honestly, I don't have the words! We all knew he would become a great player, but still… When I saw him lift the Ballon d'Or, it brought tears to my eyes. I should have been there for the ceremony, but I couldn't come. Seeing him thank his mother, his family, his friends, Moustapha, everyone who was there… It was a magnificent moment."
Bayern star says early days with Dembele as among the best of his life
The 26-year-old defender described those early days in Evreux as some of the best of his life.
"When you play with your friends, it’s an adventure," he said. "In Evreux, everyone comes together – African, Turkish, everyone’s happy. That’s what makes it special. Having a Ballon d’Or winner from our region is a great source of pride."
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Dembele continues to recover from hamstring injury
The French star is currently recovering from a hamstring injury suffered during international duty in September. PSG were furious with the French federation’s handling of his and Desire Doue’s injuries and issued a public statement in protest. According to , Dembele will return to Clairefontaine next week to continue his rehabilitation after treatment in Doha. He has already missed six matches for PSG, including one against former club Barcelona. However, the French champions have continued to shine in his absence, winning their Champions League opener against Barcelona and sitting top of the Ligue 1 table with five wins from seven matches.
Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant has said that singling out his poor batting form in IPL 2025 is “not the right thing to do,” after his team suffered their third loss in four games against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.Pant was dismissed playing a reverse sweep for 4 off 2 balls in a chase of 215, as LSG slumped to a 54-run defeat. He now has 110 runs in nine innings this season, with an average of 12.22 and strike rate of 98.21. He’s opened the batting, he’s batted at No. 4 and at No. 7 without success.”See [I am] keeping it very simple,” Pant said after the game. “Not thinking about that [his form] too much because in a season like this, where things are not going your way, you’re going to start questioning yourself as a player and that is something you don’t want to do.”When the team isn’t doing well, you’ve got to think about that because eventually it’s a team game. Yes, one player definitely makes a difference, but every time if you take out the individual, it’s not the right thing to do, I guess.”Related
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Pant goes the other way – what's the rationale?
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LSG’s mentor Zaheer Khan said Pant had “ticked all the boxes as a leader” and is confident that he will find his batting form soon. “He’s a leader and he’s been fantastic as a leader,” Zaheer said. “That’s something which I can vouch for. The kind of efforts he’s been taking to make sure that each individual in that group is comfortable, is heard, and the planning to do everything which goes around in IPL, he’s being spot on.”As a batter… the middle order is dependent on Rishabh. And I’m very confident that the impact, which we want from him, will come. It’s just about something clicking. So I wouldn’t relate it to pressure.”When you’re talking about a team, you’re talking about winning the tournament, you’re talking about winning the trophy. We’ve identified Rishabh as that leader who is going to take this team forward. There is no doubt about that.”In each of his previous three innings, Pant has fallen trying to play the reverse sweep or lap, twice to a spinner and once to a fast bowler (Delhi Capitals’ Mukesh Kumar). Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut, Sanjay Bangar and Wasim Jaffer said he could be trying to do too much.”When he’s batting well, he’s looking to hit a lot straighter. That way you also give yourself a chance to succeed,” Bangar said. “But some of the dismissals that have been seen so far in the season have been all him trying to play behind the wicket, maybe the reverse lap or the sweep in some instances.”I think for a batsman to succeed, and if somebody’s in that sort of a rut, you play percentages as well. So, try and hit straighter down the ground rather than target those areas behind the wicket.”Rishabh Pant has a sub-100 strike rate in the IPL this season•BCCI
Jaffer said Pant needed to trust his game in front of the wicket a lot more. “He plays some outrageous shots, and when it doesn’t come off, it looks bad,” he said. “I think he needs to trust his game just more in front of the wicket. I think he doesn’t do that, and the teams have found a way to bowl to him. They bowl outside off stump, which is not his strongest suit, and then that’s why that reverse lap comes in, and then anything that pitches on the stump, he looks to go here [behind the wicket] rather than going towards cow corner or midwicket.”Pant was bought for a record INR 27 crore at the IPL 2025 auction by LSG, making him the most expensive player in the league’s history. Former India captain, Anil Kumble feels the price tag and expectations as a batter and captain are weighing Pant down.”Rishabh Pant needs to just realise that if he bats normally, he will score at a faster pace. Then once he gets into that groove, he can dictate the term[s],” Kumble said. “Maybe he’s trying too hard to prove to everyone that, look, I can do this in this format. Sometimes that’s counterproductive. You just need to relax, back yourself, believe that [you can do it], just go out there and then watch the ball. Maybe that’s something that he’s not doing.”When you have all these thoughts in your head, especially now that he’s captain in a franchise where it’s not been easy for KL Rahul, who was former captain, they haven’t won a championship. It’s a new franchise.”There’s a lot of expectations on him as a captain, as a leader and he was bought at the maximum price at the auction. All of these are probably going through his mind, and the last thing that you want is all of this. You want to shut all of that out, focus on the white ball that’s coming out at him, and that’s all he needs to do.”