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Santiago Giménez’s future at AC Milan has become increasingly uncertain, even though his contract runs through 2029. Local reports suggest the Mexican striker may be nearing the end of his spell at San Siro, drawing interest from several clubs across Europe – including a surprising contender in the Premier League with Sunderland.

Getty Images SportJoining the Black Cats?

Among the teams monitoring his situation, Sunderland have surfaced as one of the most serious candidates, according to Calciomercato.com. The Premier League club has started the season in unexpected form, sitting fourth in the table with 19 points, ahead of giants such as Tottenham, Manchester City, and Liverpool. Their rise – and need for added depth in attack – has put Giménez firmly on their radar.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA difficult debut season in Italy

Giménez’s time with Milan has not unfolded as hoped. Through eight Serie A matches, he has yet to score or provide an assist, a downturn that has fueled speculation about a winter overhaul of attack. Giménez has also been linked to West Ham, who are reportedly exploring a swap involving Niclas Füllkrug – a sign that Milan could be preparing to move on from the Mexican forward.

AFPInjury concerns complicate his situation

Adding to the frustration, Giménez is recovering from a lingering ankle injury that has kept him sidelined for several weeks. His absence has hurt his rhythm in Milan and limited his opportunities with the Mexican national team. The lack of playing time has only intensified conversations about whether a change of scenery would benefit both sides.

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Getty Images SportOther Prem options emerge

According to the same outlet, Milan would consider signing a new center forward in January – but that move may hinge on Giménez leaving to free up a roster spot. In addition to Sunderland, Brentford have also inquired about a potential loan deal.

This wouldn’t be his first chance to cross into England: Giménez previously turned down an offer from Nottingham Forest during his final months at Feyenoord.

Now, with Sunderland flying high and Brentford solidly mid-table, both clubs see an opportunity to bring in a striker who, at Feyenoord, became one of Europe’s breakout goalscorers.

Leeds United will be aiming to stay put in the Premier League past the end of the 2025/26 season, but that will be easier said than done.

The last time the Whites managed to stay up at the first time of asking after triumphantly securing promotion to the top-flight was when the revered Marcelo Bielsa still occupied the Elland Road dug-out, with an unbelievable seventh place position somehow pulled off come the close of the memorable 2020/21 campaign.

Ever since that major high point, though, Leeds have struggled when keeping their heads above water in the elite division, having fallen back down to the Championship with a whimper in 2023.

Daniel Farke is the boss who will be aiming to rewrite the depressing script in West Yorkshire, however, with it not being all doom and gloom since the Argentine’s sombre exit, either, as several exciting stars have called Leeds home since his sacking in early 2022.

Some of Leeds' best signings since Bielsa left

Even with Championship football regularly being on the menu after the enigmatic South American’s departure, Leeds have been blessed with possessing some exceptional talents.

Georginio Rutter has to go down as one of Leeds’ best bits of business in terms of the entertainment he offered in the rebuild after Bielsa, with the £35.5m purchase from Hoffenheim tallying up a ridiculous eight goals and 18 assists for the Whites, leading to Paul Merson even comparing him to Arsenal great Dennis Bergkamp for his audacious footwork.

Amazingly, too, Wilfried Gnonto never crossed paths with Bielsa at Elland Road, with the Italian attacker a real force to be reckoned with when unleashed, as seen in him firing home 22 goals to date for the Whites.

Moving away from the attack, Ethan Ampadu has also become a mainstay in the middle of the park since joining for £7m from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, as Leeds also finally stormed back up to the Premier League.

There’s even a compelling enough argument already to suggest that Sean Longstaff joining for £12m this summer just gone is one of the best bits of business since Bielsa left the building, with five big chances created by the ex-Newcastle United man helping Leeds push up to 15th in the early league standings.

Yet, despite the Newcastle-born ace experiencing such a promising start to life in West Yorkshire, he arguably lags just behind this Farke stalwart still in this argument, who is continuing to shine very bright as one of the first names on the German’s teamsheet.

Leeds' best signing since Bielsa left

There’s no guarantee that Longstaff will be able to keep up these excellent early levels at Leeds across a full Premier League season, having been regularly injury-prone at St James’ Park.

Farke won’t have any lingering concerns about Joe Rodon pulling up with an injury anytime soon, however, with the commanding Welshman now starting a staggering 94 consecutive games for Leeds as he remains one of the vital parts of his manager’s jigsaw, even as new signings aplenty – such as Longstaff – joined this off-season.

Rodon – PL stats (25/26)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Rodon

Games played

9

Goals scored

2

Assists

0

Touches*

67.2

Accurate passes*

49.2 (91%)

Ball recoveries*

2.8

Clearances*

6.4

Total duels won*

5.2

Clean sheets

2

Stats by Sofascore

Having also collected a mammoth 48 clean sheets across his first century of appearances for Leeds, Rodon has only cemented himself as a key Whites first-teamer during the infancy of this new season.

The Swansea-born warrior has even chipped in with two goals so far this campaign to ensure the top-flight newcomers already have three league wins under their belt, the latest of which steered his side to a valuable win over struggling West Ham United.

Yet, it’s his unwavering determination for Leeds that stretches all the way back to the 2023/24 campaign, which means he is surely their best signing since Bielsa sadly left Elland Road behind, with the £10m spent on his permanent services at the close of that promotion near-miss season continuing to look like a bargain amount.

He will only be seen in an even more glowing light if his imposing displays result in Leeds beating the drop, with Farke’s “unbelievable” assessment of the 28-year-old after his debut two years ago still ringing true today.

Related Farke has found a new Dallas-type player in “unbelievable” Leeds star

Daniel Farke has now stumbled upon Leeds United’s next Stuart Dallas-type figure in this unbelievable star.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

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O São Paulo enfrenta o Palmeiras no MorumBIS neste domingo (3), e a torcida do Tricolor prepara uma grande festa nas arquibancadas.

RelacionadasNotíciasNúmeros favoráveis! Palmeiras perdeu apenas três vezes para o São Paulo nos últimos dez jogosNotícias03/03/2024NotíciasDono da casa! São Paulo tem grande vantagem como mandante em jogos contra o Palmeiras no PaulistaNotícias03/03/2024Futebol NacionalSão Paulo x Palmeiras: onde assistir ao vivo, escalações e horário do jogo pelo PaulistãoFutebol Nacional03/03/2024

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

Mesmo fora do clássico por suspensão, o centroavante Calleri será homenageado pela torcida do São Paulo, que montará um bandeirão com a comemoração de coruja do centroavante. O gesto foi popularizado na vitória sobre o Corinthians, que culminou com o fim do tabu na Neo Química Arena.

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A torcida Tricolor também espalhou faixas no anel inferior do MorumBIS provocando o Palmeiras. Com o título da Supercopa do Brasil no Mineirão, o São Paulo ampliou para 17 a 5 o placar em decisões, seja em confrontos de mata-mata ou apenas “mata”, como no caso da Supercopa do Brasil.

➡️ Veja os grupos e datas dos confrontos no Paulistão

Para o Choque-Rei, mais de 45 mil ingressos foram vendidos antecipadamente, e a diretoria são-paulina espera quebra de recorde de público no MorumBIS. Com pouco mais de 50 mil pessoas, a marca na atual temporada no estádio do Tricolor pertence ao Santos, quando venceu o São Bernardo no Paulistão;

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Lionel Messi is still refusing to confirm his 2026 World Cup plans, with the all-time great leaving Argentina and the rest of a global audience guessing on whether he will form part of a global title defence from the reigning champions next summer. The mercurial No.10 remains part of Lionel Scaloni’s squad for now, but says he does not “want to be a burden”.

• MLS schedule causes concern for Messi

  It is difficult to imagine how the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner could ever be anything but a positive presence for his country, but the 38-year-old is aware that plying his trade in MLS may leave him short on match sharpness heading into a summer tournament.

  Messi is currently approaching the end of another domestic campaign in the United States, with Golden Boot-winning exploits allowing him to guide Inter Miami into Conference semi-finals of the MLS Cup play-offs.

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  Messi's Argentina record: Appearances and goals

  Ultimate glory there would see Messi end another memorable season on a high, with a new contract being committed to in South Florida. He is now tied to terms with the Herons through 2028. While having plenty of games at club level left in him, questions of Messi’s international future have been asked for some time.

  He has taken in a final outing on home soil, having helped Argentina through World Cup qualification, and is expected to bow out after gracing FIFA’s flagship event in 2026. He has already earned 195 caps for his country, while scoring 114 goals.

• Is Messi a burden? GOAT keeping Argentina guessing

  Messi is yet to reveal whether he will make himself available to Argentina next summer, having helped them to the most prestigious of prizes at Qatar 2022, with MLS seasons getting underway in the spring. Many of those that he is due to come up against in the United States, Canada and Mexico will head to the World Cup on the back of a full domestic campaign.

  With that in mind, Messi has told when asked again about his potential involvement. He said when having it put to him that having another World Cup fast approaching is “very exciting”: “Yes, obviously it is. It's a special World Cup. It's special to play with the national team, especially in major official competitions, and even more so considering what a World Cup means, especially after having won it.

  “But as I was saying, I don't want to be a burden, so to speak. I want to feel physically fit, to be sure I can help and contribute to the team. Our season is different from the European one. We'll have a pre-season in between, with few matches leading up to the World Cup, and we'll see how things go day by day to see if I really feel physically fit enough to be where I'd like to be and be able to participate.

  “But obviously, I'm aware that it's a World Cup, and it's special, and that the World Cup is the biggest competition there is. So, I'm excited, but I'm taking it one day at a time.”

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  Life after Messi: Argentina happy with squad depth

  Argentina have started to plan for life after Messi, with injury-enforced absences for the veteran forward allowing others to stake a claim for an iconic playmaking post. Scaloni is happy with the depth that his squad now boasts.

  He has said of eventually ending up in a position where a talismanic presence can no longer be called upon: “The team is now in a moment where it can play in the same way with Leo or without Leo, which used to be more complex in the past as we had to change some players. But now we don't have this necessity and the team works in the same way, that's good.”

  Messi is currently with the Argentina squad as they prepare for a friendly date with Angola. With that camp being held in Alicante, the former Barcelona superstar has taken in a secret visit to Camp Nou – ahead of that stadium being reopened after an elaborate upgrade. He is delighted to have revisited familiar surroundings and admitted that he and his family hope to return to Catalunya on a permanent basis at some stage in the not-too-distant future.

SEATTLE — Only two Tigers left-handed starters have won a winner-take-all postseason game: Hal Newhouser in 1945 World Series Game 7 and Mickey Lolich in ’68 World Series Game 7.

Both won on the road.

Both won on Oct. 10.

Friday night, on the road, on the same date, Tigers lefthander Tarik Skubal takes the ball for the Tigers in a winner-take-all game, the American League Division Series Game 5 against the Mariners.

Newhouser and Lolich each threw shutouts. They faced 38 and 33 batters, respectively. Skubal never has faced more than 31. He has never thrown more than 108 pitches. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch likes to say he has nobody better than Skubal—who does?—so how long Skubal stays in the game will be a key to Game 5.

The Tigers are 0–3 this year against Seattle with Skubal on the mound. He is 0–2 with a 4.58 ERA against the Mariners and 14–4 with a 1.97 ERA against all others.

Here are five keys to Skubal’s game plan as he sees the Mariners for a fourth time, this time with the season on the line.

1. Attack hitters

This is classic Skubal. If you’re Seattle, the last thing you do is “wait him out” and “drive up the pitch count.” The Mariners cannot give him strikes because Skubal takes them like nobody in baseball.

Skubal led the majors in throwing strikes (70.3%), first-pitch strikes (71.3%), swing percentage against (54.8%), percentage of 0–2 counts (38.7%) and lowest OBP leading off an inning (.196). He is the most aggressive pitcher in baseball.

2. Use adrenaline

Skubal is a fierce competitor who channels big-game energy into more velocity. After pitching 210 innings this year, he is still throwing harder than ever. His two highest fastball velocity games this year have come in the postseason: AL Wild Card Game 1 (99.1 mph, a career high) and AL Division Series Game 2 (98.1, the ninth highest of his career). His regular-season average was 97.6 mph.

Skubal has thrown 43 pitches this year clocked at 100+ mph. All other left-handed starters combined have four.

READ MORE: The Niche Pitch Overpowering Hitters This MLB Postseason

3. Re-establish the changeup

Skubal’s changeup is the best pitch in baseball as determined by run value. But he’s throwing it in the postseason. His two starts in 2025 with his lowest changeup usage have both come in the postseason: AL Wild Card Game 1 at 21.5% and ALDS Game 2 at 21.6%.

Skubal Changeup Use, 2025

4. Get the slider down

While throwing fewer changeups, Skubal has almost doubled the use of his slider, his third best pitch, from 12.5% in the regular season to 21.6% in the postseason.

His command of it in ALDS Game 2 was not great. He was leaving it up and glove side, not where he put it during the season:

Skubal Slider Location

Nepal board took action after legspinner withdrew from the first match at the last minute

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025Nepal legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane was suspended from his team’s second and third T20 internationals against West Indies in Sharjah, after he withdrew from the first match “45 minutes before the start.”A statement from the Cricket Association of Nepal said Lamichhane’s late withdrawal – 15 minutes before the toss – from the first T20I on September 27 had “a serious impact” on the team and Nepal cricket at large. The board said the team management had recommended that Lamichhane be benched from the remaining two games in the series.It is understood that when the team management spoke to Lamichhane later, his reason for withdrawing from the first game was that he was mentally not in a good space to play the match.Nepal beat the West Indies in the first T20I by 19 runs to record their first victory against a Full Member nation; they then won the second T20I by 90 runs to complete their first series win against a Full Member nation. They lost the third match – a dead rubber – by ten wickets.Nepal’s next assignment is the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia and East Asia Pacific Final in Oman, where they will be competing with Malaysia, Qatar, UAE, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea for two places in the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February and March. Lamichhane has been retained in the Nepal squad for the tournament.The nine teams are divided into three groups of three each. Nepal are in Group B along with Japan and Kuwait, whom they play on October 8 and 10. The top two teams from each group proceed to the Super Six round, and the teams that finish first, second and third there qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe will be chewing on his pencil over the November international break as he works toward solutions that are so badly needed.

Fortunes have gone somewhat askew at St. James’ Park this season, with the club’s away form laying waste to Howe’s hopes of progress after a testing summer transfer window.

But it may be that the ramifications of that Alexander Isak-dominated summer are still being felt. However, tactically, things aren’t right, and the wider struggle of the summer market has led to the current issues which must be overcome if the Magpies hope to make it another positive campaign.

Where PIF have gone wrong in the transfer window

Newcastle have fallen by the wayside, but it’s hardly too late for them to pick themselves back up. But there’s no question that PIF have to learn from their recent transfer struggles, with those brilliant windows of Howe’s early reign something of a distant memory.

In 2024, Newcastle failed to sign a right-sided forward, a glaring gap in the squad. That has now been amended through the £55m addition of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, but Elanga has blanked across 16 matches for the club, and with concerns over his form, questions must be raised over the extensive scouting that led to his signature being obtained.

Interestingly, Nick Woltemade’s fine form at centre-forward has eased the Isak blow, and before the season, that would have been viewed as the biggest issue. Newcastle’s attacking problems stretch more toward the creative side, with Anthony Gordon joining Elanga in having failed to register a goal contribution in the Premier League this season.

For a team whose 97 big chances created were bettered only by Liverpool in 2023/24, this is a real concern. This year, United have only created 14 from 11 matches, placing them 12th for that statistic. Gordon and Elanga must be doing a lot more, with the recruitment having felt they had hit the jackpot when shaping this wide duo.

While Newcastle have added exciting talents to their ranks this summer, Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey among those with plenty of scope for growth, this is frankly an ageing squad and one whose freshen-up needs to go a lot further.

Tactical issues this season have been suggestive of this, and considering the company Newcastle are keeping in regard to the average age of their starting 11, it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that younger profiles are needed for balance and continuity.

Everton

13th

28.0

Aston Villa

6th

27.9

Newcastle

14th

27.6

Fulham

15th

27.6

Burnley

17th

27.1

The need for depth and quality on the defensive flanks is alarming. Kieran Trippier at right-back is 35 years old and out of contract at the end of the season, and Tino Livramento has been unfit at times and deployed as a makeshift left-back at others.

This is largely because of Lewis Hall’s own unavailability this season. But with the 22-year-old drawing strength and fitness once again, we are turned toward the situation of one of Howe’s mainstays.

The Newcastle star now on borrowed time

Newcastle comprise players of myriads shapes and sizes and skills. Some are renowned as being among the best in the world, but some are of a shrewder nature, like Dan Burn, who returned home from Brighton for around £12m at the start of the manager’s reign and has since become one of his mainstays.

After all, it is only the skipper, Bruno Guimaraes, who has featured more prominently for Howe’s Newcastle than him.

1

Bruno Guimaraes

170

2

Dan Burn

165

3

Fabian Schar

163

4

Jacob Murphy

150

5

Joelinton

145

The 32-year-old has done more than endear himself to the Toon fanbase since arriving, but he’s getting on a bit and has been guilty of some suspect performances at left-back this season.

Naturally a central defender, Burn ranks against Premier League full-backs this term among the bottom 6% for shot-creating actions, the bottom 29% for progressive passes and the bottom 4% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

In the first five matches of the season, he was in the centre. Six appearances since have seen the England international deployed as a left-back, and this is inhibiting Newcastle’s flow and overarching connectivity.

Quite simply, Burn is not a natural left-back, even though he has played ample football in the moonlit role. He is a centre-back. 6 foot 6 and cool and composed.

Hall is far more dynamic and energetic in his role, and this will not only widen and add a dimension to Newcastle’s backline, but it could revive the likes of Gordon up ahead.

The boy from Blyth has been a revelation at Newcastle, and, pound for pound, “one of Newcastle’s best signings” since Howe arrived, as has been said by reporter Andy Sixsmith. A small fee and an immortalising contribution at Wembley last season have made sure of that.

But Howe will be putting a spoke in his own wheel if he continues to persist with Burn on the flank, limiting his side’s progression and mobility and dynamism at the back.

With this in mind, the modern legend might find himself slipping into his obscurity over the coming months, and perhaps that will lead to a departure to make way for this new chapter on Tyneside.

Newcastle must regret signing £100k-per-week flop who's cost £3.2m per game

Newcastle United must already rue signing this expensive flop, who is draining them dry.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 13, 2025

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Com a missão de retornar à final do Campeonato Paulista após oito temporadas, o Santos encara o Red Bull Bragantino, na noite desta quarta-feira (27), na Neo Química Arena (entenda).

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Com R$200, você leva R$380 no mercado “ambos marcam” em Santos x Red Bull Bragantino!

A última vez que o Peixe disputou uma final de torneio estadual foi em 2016, quando derrotou o Audax, que era comandado à época por Fernando Diniz, na decisão.

Para o duelo decisivo, Fábio Carille terá o meia Giuliano, um dos principais destaques da equipe na competição, à disposição. O meia está recuperado de uma lesão na panturrilha direita e deve iniciar a partida entre os titulares.

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A única dúvida do Santos para o confronto é na lateral direita. Com um problema físico na posterior da coxa direita, Aderlan, titular da posição, não treinou com restante do grupo e deve desfalcar o Peixe na semifinal. Reserva imediato, Hayner deve herdar a vaga deixada pelo companheiro.

CONFIRA A PROVÁVEL ESCALAÇÃO DO SANTOS

A provável escalação do Santos para o duelo contra o Bragantino tem: João Paulo; Hayner, Gil, Joaquim e Felipe Jonatan; João Schmidt, Diego Pituca e Giuliano; Pedrinho, Guilherme e Julio Furch.

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The Africa Cup of Nations is back this December and January, with the continent's very best set to battle it out in Morocco as they aim to take Cote d'Ivoire's crown after their unlikely victory at the start of 2024. AFCON's prestige, drama and quality remains up there with the Euros and Copa America, but the downside for European clubs is it's another tournament which falls slap bang in the middle of their seasonal calendar, meaning most teams will be losing players for up to a month.

The Premier League's growth to become a truly global competition means all but three teams – Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds United – will be affected, though some will feel the pinch a bit more than others.

We at GOAL have ranked the remaining 17 clubs based on whose prospects of a successful season will most be damaged by players leaving for AFCON. Let's dive in…

Getty Images Sport17Aston Villa

Number of absentees: 1 – Evann Guessand (Cote d'Ivoire)

Arriving from Nice as one of Ligue 1's most exciting forwards this summer, Evann Guessand hasn't quite hit the ground running at Aston Villa, scoring once in 15 games for his new club. Thus, his absence this winter shouldn't really be to the detriment of Unai Emery, who has plenty of other forwards capable of finding the net to rely upon.

AdvertisementGetty Images16Newcastle

Number of absentees: 1 – Yoane Wissa (DR Congo)

As is the case with Guessand at Villa, Yoane Wissa hasn't impressed for his new club yet. In fact, he hasn't even played a single minute for them at the time of writing. After missing part of Brentford's pre-season campaign to force through a move to Newcastle, the striker picked up an injury on duty with DR Congo and hasn't been fit since. He's expected to recover in time for AFCON and make his long-awaited Magpies debut in the near future.

Why do Newcastle rank above Villa then? Because Eddie Howe could seriously do with another source of goals, and the availability of their £55 million ($72.5m) attacker would be nice.

Getty Images Sport15Bournemouth

Number of absentees: 1 – Amine Adli (Morocco)

Another team with only one player departing in December, Bournemouth's thin squad becomes tested at the first sign of absence. Amine Adli, a Bundesliga title winner with Bayer Leverkusen, is yet to win the full trust of Andoni Iraola, but the Cherries' high intensity means they need to count on every first-team player, and they will need to find someone to replace those minutes. In better news for Bournemouth, Antoine Semenyo won't be going anywhere as Ghana somehow failed to qualify for the finals.

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Getty Images Sport14Manchester City

Number of absentees: 2 – Omar Marmoush (Egypt), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Algeria)

If this were a list ranking teams by how much individual quality each team will lose for AFCON, then clearly Manchester City would be towards the very top. Yet, such are the riches of depth in Pep Guardiola's squad, they will barely be troubled by Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri's exits, especially given the Catalan manager has openly reiterated his desire to trim down his roster.

Marmoush has missed much of this season with a knee injury, while Ait-Nouri has been sidelined with an ankle injury after joining from Wolves. City will probably be just fine.

He batted like a subcontinent pro at the Chinnaswamy, putting himself firmly in the conversation around Test cricket’s future Fab Four

Deivarayan Muthu21-Oct-20241:39

Manjrekar: Very rarely did Rachin defend against the spinners

Until Sunday, the last time New Zealand beat India in a Test match in India was in 1988. Michael Bracewell’s uncle John played that game, and bagged a six-for in the fourth innings at the Wankhede Stadium. Michael wasn’t even born at the time. Neither was anyone else from New Zealand’s current Test squad other than Ajaz Patel, who was just over a month old at the time.Rachin Ravindra wouldn’t arrive in the world until 11 years later.Thirty-six years after Mumbai 1988, New Zealand finally won another Test match in India, and Ravindra was in the middle of it all, scoring a dazzling first-innings century and following up with a composed 39 off 46 balls amid the mounting tension of a small run chase. New Zealand and Ravindra had done the unthinkable at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.Around this time last year, Ravindra had announced his arrival in India, scoring 578 runs in ten matches, drawing level with Kane Williamson for the most runs by a New Zealander in a single edition of the men’s ODI World Cup. Now, Ravindra slotted into the absent Williamson’s role and lived up to his billing as New Zealand’s future batting leader.A year on from a breakout ODI World Cup, Rachin Ravindra has returned to India and shown he can be just as prolific in Test cricket•BCCIWhen India first met Ravindra in 2021, he was batting at No.6 in T20Is and even further down the order in Tests, with his utility as a left-arm spinner earning him a red-ball debut in Kanpur. There, batting at No.8 in the fourth innings on day five with No.11 Ajaz for company, he salvaged a draw against an attack that included R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.It was the first glimpse of a special talent on the world stage. Ravindra has now harnessed that talent to move up to No.4 and become New Zealand’s premier all-format batter.Cricket is veering towards a new generation, with other young, supremely talented batters also emerging. Ben Stokes thinks Harry Brook can replicate Virat Kohli’s all-format success. Rohit Sharma reckons India have found a “great” player in Yashasvi Jaiswal. Just eight Tests old, Kamindu Mendis has been ripping up the record books for fun. Ravindra is now in the same conversation around cricket’s future Fab Four.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe most striking aspect of Ravindra’s batting in Bengaluru was the assurance he showed against India’s spinners. Most overseas batters are often stuck on the crease, reduced to picking spinners only off the pitch. But Ravindra is not most overseas batters. He batted like a subcontinent batter in the subcontinent. He was right forward or right back, opening up a number of scoring options for himself.”Rachin has made every post a winner in all the games he’s played,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said. “He was certainly at his very best in this game and played beautifully in both innings and put us in a position that we could win.”Ravindra’s ability to pick length early also enables him to manoeurve the ball against the turn. When Jadeja erred marginally short in the 75th over of New Zealand’s first innings, Ravindra jumped onto the back foot so quickly that he could caress the ball between slip and deep third. Then, when Ashwin dragged an offbreak short and outside off, Ravindra used his rubber wrists and the depth of the crease to shovel it away against the turn.Ravindra has been a strong back-foot player right from his age-group days in Wellington. To improve his front-foot game before New Zealand’s six-Test subcontinent expedition, he went to great lengths. He arrived in India before the rest of New Zealand squad and had a four-day preparatory camp at the Super Kings Academy in Chennai in exaggerated conditions, which included batting against spin on used black- and red-soil pitches.Decisive footwork and strong wrists were a feature of Ravindra’s batting in Bengaluru•AFP/Getty ImagesThat preparation has clearly served him well. In Galle, Ravindra made a magnificent fourth-innings 92 as Sri Lanka’s spinners ran through the rest of New Zealand’s line-up. And he went even better in Bengaluru. According to ESPNcricinfo’s logs, he scored 112 of his 173 runs in Bengaluru off the front foot, and a further 22 while stepping out of the crease.”As long as I’m clear when I get out to bat and have a plan, that helps a lot,” Ravindra told the host broadcaster after winning the Player-of-the-Match award. “And also the choice – having the intent to move forward and back, not necessarily trying to attack the game but taking care of my position in this part of the world. But yeah, preparation helps. When you have six subcontinent Tests in a row, you’ve always gotta do a little bit extra whether it’s indoors at the nets or head out somewhere else and do some training.”Having conquered what is arguably the toughest challenge in Test cricket right now, scoring big runs while beating India in India, Ravindra is firmly on the path to greatness.