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Wolverhampton Wanderers return to Premier League action away to Everton this afternoon, with the Midlanders hoping to get off to a positive start in the top flight under new manager Julen Lopetegui.

The experienced Spaniard – who replaced Bruno Lage in the dugout last month – has been tasked with trying to revive the Molineux outfit’s current fortunes, with the club currently languishing at the foot of the table with just ten points from their opening 15 league games.

With four points currently separating the Old Gold and the 17th-placed Toffees, a win for Wolves would help to swiftly close the gap on those outside of the drop zone, with a return to the Championship seemingly unfathomable for a club who were reaching the latter stages of the Europa League just a few years ago.

The hope will be for Lopetegui to build upon the positive start to his tenure, with the 56-year-old having seen his team run out 2-0 winners over Gillingham in the Carabao Cup last week to book their place in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Despite the comfortable scoreline, however, it was far from a smooth ride for Wolves on the night, with a handful of well-known names potentially having played themselves out of contention for the trip to Goodison Park.

One such player who should be ditched from the line-up today is Portuguese dud, Nelson Semedo, with the former Barcelona man having yet again proven a liability in his full-back berth against the bottom club in League Two.

The floundering right-back – who arrived from Camp Nou for a reported fee of £36.8m in September 2020 – was notably criticised by Birmingham Live’s Alex Dicken, with journalist awarding him a 4/10 match rating.

Dickon wrote: ‘One cross midway through the second half summed up Semedo’s season – and supporters let him know about it. He hasn’t delivered and if Wolves sign a right-back in January, Semedo surely has to leave.’

The Express and Star’s Liam Keen was just as critical of the 29-year-old’s performance, with the respected journalist notably writing that the defender had been ‘out of position, losing possession and offering little attacking menace’.

That lack of quality was evidenced by the fact the £80k-per-week Semedo failed to complete either of his two crosses and was unable to register any key passes against Gillingham as a marker of his shortcomings offensively, having also squandered possession eight times (as per Sofascore).

Such woes have seemingly been the story of Semedo’s time in England to date, with the 24-cap Portugal defender[s performances having been branded “useless” by talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor earlier this season.

The one-time Benfica man – who has scored twice and registered just four assists in 78 games for Wolves to date – simply does not deserve to start against Frank Lampard’s side, having been so dismally poor both in midweek and largely throughout his time at the club.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has dropped a hint about the Magpies’ potential plans for the upcoming January transfer window. 

The Lowdown: Newcastle’s season so far

So far this season, the Toon have won eight of their 15 matches in the Premier League, drawing six and losing just one along the way.

With domestic football on hold, Howe took his side to Saudi Arabia for some warm-weather training and to meet with the club’s hierarchy.

Having beat Al Hilal 5-0 in a recent friendly, Howe shared some insight into what the upcoming January window could look like for the Tyneside club.

The Latest: Howe’s transfer hint

Following the win over Al Hilal, Howe was asked about the upcoming January transfer window and the meetings between him and the Newcastle hierarchy.

The 44-year-old replied (via Chronicle Live): “It was just conversations at this stage. I think the big thing is that there’s a lot that can change between now and January, so we’ve talked and had discussions about what it may look like, but there’s such a long time before that window opens, we’re still very flexible in terms of what we’re going to do.

“We look like, on paper, we have a very strong squad when everyone’s fit. Everyone’s not fit currently, and that has a bearing on what you look to do in January.”

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The Verdict: Strength and depth

Looking at how impressive the Magpies have been this season in terms of their league results, Howe will undeniably be hoping for that to continue once the campaign resumes.

In terms of the January transfer window, it’s hard to see where in the squad that Newcastle would badly need to strengthen.

They currently have the joint-best defensive record in the Premier League with just 11 goals conceded, while also scoring more goals (29) than 16 other teams in the top flight.

In addition to what Howe had to say in terms of injuries to some of his current players, January could instead be a period of seeing Newcastle add strength and depth to their squad rather than looking to majorly fix any glaring issues in their ranks.

Newcastle United have been closely linked with Stuttgart defender, Borna Sosa, in recent times, with the highly-rated gem potentially set to strengthen the Magpies’ full-back options.

What’s the word?

The Croatia international – who is currently representing his country at the World Cup in Qatar – has seemingly been a long-term target for the Tynesiders, with reports in the summer having suggested that he was on Eddie Howe’s radar.

This has been followed by a recent report from German outlet Bild which has claimed that the northeast side – as well as Serie A duo Inter Milan and Atalanta – are interested in signing the 24-year-old, with the player set to command a fee of around £17m.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke – in an interview with Football FanCast – has now provided his thoughts on that potential move to bring the nine-cap starlet to St James’ Park, suggesting that he could well prove to be an improvement on the Premier League side’s current options.

Asked whether the Zagreb-born ace would be an ‘upgrade’ on both Matt Targett and Dan Burn, the transfer insider stated: “Yeah, I think you would have to say he would be an upgrade.

“He’s an out-and-out left-back. Dan Burn’s done a brilliant job that has to be said for Newcastle at left-back this season,  he’s been part of that really mean Newcastle defence. So it’d be harsh on him if they were to bring in a new left-back”

Big ‘upgrade’

As O’Rourke alluded to, it may well be somewhat ‘harsh’ to dislodge the aforementioned Burn – who has helped form the meanest defence in the league this season after shipping only 11 goals – although Sosa’s quality end product should well make a move a no brainer.

The “outstanding” talent – as described by Stuttgart coach Pellegrino Matarazzo – has proven a truly lethal asset from his wide berth, having produced 31 assists in just 96 games during his time in Germany thus far, including a stunning haul of eight assists in just 11 games this season.

A player who is simply a “weapon” due to his David Beckham-esque delivery, in the words of Sven Mislintat, the 6 foot 2 ace also offers real attacking intent from his full-back or wing-back, as he ranks in the top 10% for progressive passes and in the top 12% for dribbles completed among those in his position in Europe.

Burn, by contrast, has chipped in with just one goal involvement since his arrival from Brighton and Hove Albion back in January, with the towering defender also ranking in just the bottom 23% for progressive passes and only the bottom 6% for dribbles completed, having provided a less glamorous, more robust option at left-back.

While the 30-year-old could well still have a role to play in the side in a central defensive berth, if the ambitious outfit are to kick on and push towards Champions League qualification and major honours moving forward, it could well need a quality ‘upgrade’ such as Sosa to come through the door.

West Ham United legend and soon-to-be sporting director Mark Noble is apparently ‘leading’ the search for a ‘huge’ in-house appointment.

The Lowdown: Noble appointed…

Noble, who recently retired from the professional game after 18 full seasons with his boyhood team, will take up the role of Hammers sporting director on January 2.

The 35-year-old is set to work with both manager David Moyes and the West Ham board ensure the quality running of a side he played 55o games for until hanging up his boots at the end of 2021/2022.

Noble’s exit from the pitch marks the end of an unforgettable era for both supporters and the player alike, and while he doesn’t officially commence his off-field role until the new year, it appears he has already got to work behind-the-scenes.

The Latest: Noble ‘leading’ quest for ‘huge appointment’…

According to reports in the last 48 hours, the Irons fan favourite has undertaken the lead in his first in-house mission.

The West Ham Way claim Noble and the club are eyeing a ‘huge appointment’ with Noble personally ‘leading’ the charge to get it done for his first ‘key task’.

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West Ham are allegedly ‘narrowing’ their search for a new academy manager to replace Ricky Martin after looking both internally and externally at options.

The Verdict: Crucial…

Noble getting this appointment right would be a fine start to his life as sporting director, not least because the future of West Ham’s brightest prospects is hugely imperative to the club.

The likes of Harrison Ashby and Declan Rice have emerged as some of Rush Green’s hottest talents under the tutelage of Martin, and Noble will be hoping to recruit a similar success story.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in signing Charles De Ketelaere in the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Calcio Mercato, the Magpies are preparing an offer of €30m (£26m) to sign the Belgian forward just a few months after he signed for AC Milan in the summer.

The winger joined the Italian giants from Club Brugge during the summer window but has struggled to find his best form in the Serie A this season, leading to Newcastle eyeing up a potential swoop in January.

It is stated, however, that Milan are not willing to entertain a sale at this point and are committed to helping him fulfil his potential at the San Siro.

Dan Ashworth’s magic touch

Newcastle’s sporting director must now work his magic to strike a deal for the 21-year-old as he has the potential to be a sublime signing for the Magpies.

The former Brighton chief has already shown that he has the negotiating skills to pull off a masterclass in the market, as he convinced Sven Botman to join the club in the summer despite the defender reportedly wanting to sign for, ironically, Milan.

He is now being tasked with the challenge of changing the Italian club’s mind on De Ketelaere. Ashworth must work his magic and tempt them into cashing in on the forward, just one window after signing him, as Eddie Howe could benefit from having another talented player to work with in the Premier League.

In July of this year, talent scout Jacek Kulig described him as “prolific” and an “offensive allrounder” after the gem had caught the eye whilst playing in Belgium.

De Ketelaere racked up 14 goals and nine assists, whilst creating 16 ‘big chances’ for his teammates, in 39 Pro League matches last season, whilst he also created 1.8 chances per game across six Champions League outings.

The 21-year-old has struggled to reach the same goalscoring heights in the Serie A for Milan this season as he has failed to score in his first 11 league matches, although he has created four ‘big chances’ and set up one goal.

His form for the Italian giants is not outstanding but he is still a young player learning his way in the game and Newcastle must take a punt to see if he can recapture the performances he delivered at Brugge.

If he can replicate the outstanding goal contributions he managed in Belgium then he could be a fantastic signing for Newcastle for many years to come, which is why Ashworth must put his negotiating hat on to convince Milan to part ways with the talented youngster.

Manchester City have now set their sights on AC Milan star forward Rafael Leao, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Guardiola a fan…

The Sky Blues are currently contending for their third-successive Premier League crown as England’s champions seemingly compete with main contenders Arsenal.

Before their most recent loss to Liverpool in the league, Pep Guardiola’s side looked practically invincible at times, thanks in part to the imperious form of marquee summer signing Erling Haaland.

However, the Anfield defeat highlights that City aren’t unbeatable, and could even perhaps afford to strengthen further in key areas.

The Eastlands outfit have scored more goals than any other side in the top flight, yet according to reports, they appear to be eyeing a move for Milan winger Leao – just a year after claims Guardiola has ‘fallen in love’ with him.

The Latest: City set sights on Leao…

Claims from the Italian press have now resurfaced linking City chiefs with a move for the Portugal international.

Calciomercato have shared news that the Blues, alongside rivals Chelsea and Ligue 1 giants Paris-Saint Germain, have set their sights on Leao and are always ‘at the window’.

The 23-year-old sensation apparently has a €150 million (£131m) release clause in his current contract but the player wishes to reduce that figure as he negotiates fresh terms.

The Verdict: Worth the effort?

There is no denying Leao’s quality in the forward areas, especially given he’s already bagged a brilliant four goals and four assists in just eight Serie A appearances this season (WhoScored).

In that time, he’s also averaged more attempts at goal and successful take-ons per 90 than any of his teammates – leaving little wonder members of the media have described the winger as ‘world class’.

City already have Jack Grealish, Julian Alvarez, Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and Cole Palmer who can shine in Leao’s position – perhaps questioning the need for yet another forward.

That being said, Guardiola is arguably the world’s best tactician, and if he is an alleged fan of Leao, who are the Blues to refuse him?

Wolves have suffered a big blow in missing out on bringing in Julen Lopetegui as their new manager, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Lopetegui rejects Wolves job

Wanderers’ primary focus at the moment is finding a replacement for Bruno Lage, who lost his job earlier in the month after the 2-0 defeat away to West Ham.

It looked as though Lopetegui was nailed-on to become Wolves’ new manager after being named as the top target, only for him to turn down the role in order to focus on his family commitments in Spain.

The Spaniard could have been a high-profile addition at Molineux with a Europa League title on his CV, but the club must now focus on alternatives instead, with Nuno Espirito Santo thought be a genuine possibility.

The Latest: O’Rourke bemoans news

Speaking to The Transfer Tavern, O’Rourke said that Lopetegui was indeed the ‘preferred candidate’, making the rejection a ‘big blow’:

“Yeah, it’s a big blow for Wolves, there’s no hiding from that fact. He was the preferred candidate to take over from Bruno Lage.”And Wolves were pretty hopeful that they could get a deal agreed for Lopetegui, especially after he left Sevilla, but it appears that now he has decided to turn down Wolves due to family reasons. So it’s back to the drawing board.”

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The Verdict: Gutting

Missing out on Lopetegui was disappointing for Wolves – any time you lose your top candidate it is obviously a hit – but some things are far more important than football, and it is only right that he has put family first.

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Now though, it is essential that the Wanderers nail the alternative option, ensuring they rise up the Premier League table and stave off any threat of relegation to the Championship.

Nuno returning would be a risk, given his previous exit, so fellow target Pedro Martins stands out as arguably the best candidate, having won three successive Greek Super League titles with Olympiakos before his exit earlier this year.

Ravindra Jadeja did not bowl in either innings to manage his workload ahead of the England ODIs and the Champions Trophy

Hemant Brar01-Feb-2025

Defending champions Mumbai through to quarter-finals

To qualify for the knockouts, defending champions Mumbai needed two things: a win against Meghalaya, ideally with a bonus point, and the Baroda vs Jammu & Kashmir result to go their way. When J&K took a first-innings lead against Baroda, Mumbai had their destiny in their own hands. On Saturday, they duly beat Meghalaya by an innings and 456 runs to seal their quarter-final spot. Shardul Thakur, who took a hat-trick in the first innings, and scored 84 off 42 with the bat, picked up 4 for 48 in Meghalaya’s second innings. Tanush Kotian took care of the lower order, finishing with 4 for 15, as Meghalaya folded for 129.

Controversy in Vadodara

Play in Vadodara started after a delay of an hour and 25 minutes as J&K alleged that the pitch was tampered with overnight to force a result. J&K had finished the second day on 125 for 1, their lead a healthy 205, and needed just a draw to make the quarter-finals, while Baroda were chasing a win. J&K said the pitch was way too damp; the Baroda Cricket Association denied any wrongdoing, blaming it on the early-morning dew.After a lot of deliberations between the umpires, the match referee, and the J&K team management, play finally resumed at 10.55am. Shubham Khajuria scored 94 and Kanhaiya Wadhawan 84 as J&K posted 284. For Baroda, Krunal Pandya, Ninad Rathva and Mahesh Pithiya picked up three wickets each. Chasing 365, Baroda were 58 for 2 at stumps.

KL Rahul watch

With Karnataka out of the race for the knockouts, the main interest on day three of their match against Haryana was how KL Rahul would fare. After Nishant Sindhu’s 165 off 184 balls, studded with 15 fours and six sixes, gave Haryana a lead of 146, Karnataka lost their first wicket early. Having scored 26 in the first innings, Rahul walked in at No. 3 once again. He got a good start, and hit seven fours, but failed to convert it into a big score as Anuj Thakral bowled him for 43.Mohammed Siraj picked up 3 for 59 in 20 overs for Hyderabad on his Ranji Trophy return•PTI

Saurashtra into quarter-finals

Having beaten Delhi by ten wickets in the previous round, Saurashtra registered another bonus-point win, beating Assam by an innings and 144 runs in Rajkot. The win took them to the top of Group D, thus confirming their quarter-final spot. Following on, Assam could add only 99 to their overnight 67 for 1 as Dharmendrasinh Jadeja picked up 5 for 50 to finish with nine wickets in the match. It is understood that Ravindra Jadeja did not bowl in either innings to manage his workload ahead of the England ODIs and the Champions Trophy.

Tamil Nadu in knockouts despite losing

Stars aligned for Tamil Nadu as they qualified for the knockouts despite their 44-run loss to Jharkhand in Jamshedpur. Tamil Nadu finished with 25 points. Even if Chandigarh pull off a miraculous victory over Chhattisgarh to finish on 25 points, Tamil Nadu’s extra bonus point will see them through.Chasing 234 on a turning track, Tamil Nadu resumed the day on 137 for 5. But Jharkhand took a little more than an hour to end their resistance. Left-arm spinner Manishi took 4 for 49 as Tamil Nadu were bowled out for 189, with B Indrajith unavailable to bat.

Nair hundred gives Vidarbha hope

Vidarbha were wobbling at 62 for 3 in the morning, still 74 behind Hyderabad’s first-innings total. But Karun Nair and Atharva Taide brought them back into the contest with a stand of 124 for the fourth wicket. Taide fell for 93 but Nair brought up his hundred, his second of the season. A quickfire half-century from Harsh Dubey took them to 355. Mohammed Siraj was the most successful bowler for Hyderabad with 3 for 59. Chasing 220, Hyderabad lost Tanmay Agarwal early and were 23 for 1 at stumps. The result is inconsequential for both teams. Vidarbha are already through to the quarter-finals and Hyderabad out of the race.

Five players who were almost forgotten but are now putting in match-winning performances

Deivarayan Muthu20-Apr-2023

Ajinkya Rahane (Chennai Super Kings)

He had struggled to keep pace with T20 cricket in the past. More recently, he was dropped from India’s Test team. But Ajinkya Rahane has scripted an unexpected turnaround in IPL 2023 – his strike rate of 222.22 in the powerplay is by far the best among those who have scored at least 100 runs during that phase in an IPL season.After a hamstring injury had curtailed his stint in IPL 2022, where he managed just 133 runs in seven innings at an average of 19.00 and strike rate of 103.90, he was bought by Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2023 auction for his base price of INR 50 lakh. Rahane didn’t start for Super Kings this IPL, but after Moeen Ali was sidelined with a stomach bug, he dashed out of the bench and regularly hit over the top against both pace and spin in the powerplay.ESPNcricinfo LtdSuper Kings would have expected Rahane to perform the role Robin Uthappa used to do before his retirement from international and Indian cricket. But, with his high intent and role clarity, Rahane has exceeded all expectations so far.Rahane hasn’t been fielding at slips – MS Dhoni has often posted Moeen in that position – but he has been manning the hotspots in the outfield. His spectacular leap right at the edge of the long-off boundary at the Chinnaswamy Stadium denied Glenn Maxwell a six and saved five runs for Super Kings. Royal Challengers ended up hitting one six fewer than Super Kings’ 17 and losing by eight runs.

Sandeep Sharma (Rajasthan Royals)

After having played every IPL season from 2013 to 2022, Sandeep Sharma went unsold in the most recent auction. However, after Prasidh Krishna was ruled out of the entire IPL 2023 with a stress fracture, Sandeep joined Rajasthan Royals as his replacement and has been a reliable bowler in both the powerplay and at the death.Sandeep Sharma nailed yorkers in the final over against MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja to seal a tense win at Chepauk•BCCITasked with defending 20 in the last over against Dhoni at Chepauk, Sandeep started the over with two wides and then conceded back-to-back sixes, but he held his nerve to stop Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja with back-to-back yorkers. Sandeep had also set up Royals’ defence of 175 by dismissing Ruturaj Gaikwad in the powerplay. After the game, Sandeep said that he had been nailing his yorkers at the nets and perhaps that’s why Sanju Samson backed him to bowl the final over to Dhoni ahead of Kuldeep Sen, who can generate extra pace and bounce.After Sandeep helped Royals breach CSK’s fortress, he took the key wickets of Shubhman Gill and David Miller to set the scene for another away win, this time against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.Related

• Mohit is back, and he's the same bowler he used to be

• Rahane encouraged by Dhoni to 'be Ajinkya Rahane'

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Piyush Chawla (Mumbai Indians)

Piyush Chawla was ignored at the mega auction in 2022. In the next auction, the 34-year-old was the last player to be bought by Mumbai Indians for his base price of 50 lakh before the start of the accelerated rounds. Chawla is currently Mumbai’s highest wicket-taker this season with seven strikes in five games at an economy rate of 7.15.He rolled back the years against Delhi Capitals , when he took 3 for 22, including the wickets of Rovman Powell and Manish Pandey, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Chawla also got his legbreaks and wrong’uns to rip against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium, where he sent their chase into a tailspin with the wickets of Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen.Piyush Chawla is currently the leading wicket-taker for Mumbai Indians•BCCI

Amit Mishra (Lucknow Super Giants)

Just like Chawla, Amit Mishra had gone unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction. Just like Chawla, he got a gig this year and has proved once again there’s still room for old-school flight and dip in the age of fast legbreaks and mystery spin.Mishra, 40, was the oldest player at the auction, where Lucknow Super Giants snapped him up for his base price of INR 50 lakh. Super Giants unleashed him on Sunrisers on a black-soil turner at the Ekana stadium, where he came away with 2 for 23 from his four overs. He could be a regular feature for Super Giants at home, especially if they continue to use black-soil pitches. Plus, the introduction of the Impact Player rule means he doesn’t have to toil in the field like Rahane and can just put his feet up in the dressing room after finishing his bowling shift.

Mohit Sharma (Gujarat Titans)

Before IPL 2023, Mohit Sharma’s last season as an IPL regular was in 2018. Before that, he was the Purple Cap winner in 2014 and was part of the India team that reached the semi-final of the 2015 ODI World Cup.Injuries then ravaged his career, but a net-bowling stint in IPL 2022 with the eventual champions Gujarat Titans paved his way back. Ashish Nehra, the Titans coach who had also worked with Mohit at Super Kings, liked what he saw in the nets and Titans bought him at the IPL 2023 auction for his base price of INR 50 lakh. He was then brought into the XI ahead of Shivam Mavi and R Sai Kishore, after Yash Dayal was smashed for successive five sixes by Rinku Singh in the final over the match.Mohit marked his return, against Punjab Kings, with into-the-pitch offcutters and back-of-the-hand slower ones that had once impressed Dhoni at both CSK and India. He conceded only 18 runs in his four overs to go with the wickets of Jitesh Sharma and Sam Curran in a Player-of-the-Match-winning performance. Comebacks don’t get better than this.

Are India better off with a fast-bowling allrounder, a fast bowler, a wristspinner or a spin-bowling allrounder?

Sidharth Monga22-Feb-2021Test selections are never easy. You have to pick a team not only for the conditions at hand on the first day but what you anticipate to happen over the five full days. You also have to provide for losing the toss. You might, for instance in the second Chennai Test, expect that one fast bowler is plenty for the best part of the Test, but you still have to pick two to provide for losing the toss even if that means you are practically playing 10 players for all but two of the sessions.Related

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Ishant Sharma – from unlucky workhorse to master quick

Add to all this the uncertainty a day-night Test brings where the conditions can be a bit of a lottery. There might be dew one night but not another. Captains have a tough task of covering all bases when they hand over their XI to the match referee. It is a sign of India’s strength that they need to debate only one place going into the day-night Test starting Wednesday in Ahmedabad. And that is the place occupied by Kuldeep Yadav in Chennai.The other expected change is Jasprit Bumrah’s return into the XI in Mohammed Siraj’s place. The five batsmen who played in Chennai, Rishabh Pant as wicketkeeper and R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Ishant Sharma and Bumrah are certainties subject to last-minute fitness issues. Here are the options India have for the 11th spot. All of them have a reasonable case for selection.Kuldeep himselfKuldeep bowled just 12.2 overs in the second Test in Chennai, his first in more than two years. In both innings, he was the last man India went to, and he picked two wickets when the match was long over as a contest. With not much contribution expected from his bat, Kuldeep did seem like a luxury in that Test. However, he can only get into a better rhythm over time, and what works in his favour is the constant feedback from domestic cricketers who have played pink-ball cricket in India that wristspinners are difficult to pick in the night.Mohammed SirajAs a second specialist quick, Siraj bowled only eight overs in the Chennai Test for one wicket, but if the conditions – you need to leave extra grass for the pink ball to last – ask for it, India might need three fast bowlers in the side. Siraj, Bumrah and Ishant along with two spinners is the closest India will get to their winning combination in Melbourne. Axar is the closest you can get to Ravindra Jadeja: an accurate fingerspinner who doesn’t give batsmen time to adjust, and someone with promise with the bat. If conditions ask for a third seamer, Siraj is the frontrunner.Umesh Yadav has had an excellent record in home Tests of late, and he is back with the squad, but since he is coming fresh off an injury it remains to be seen if India will feel confident enough to draft him straight into an XI.Hardik PandyaThose present at the Chennai Test say Pandya has been bowling with the pink ball in the nets. If India feel they need their fifth bowler for six-seven overs a day at best and they also need batting depth to cover for pink-ball vagaries, don’t be surprised if Pandya makes his return to Test cricket after an absence of two-and-a-half years.Washington SundarThe other man who spent a lot of time with the pink ball in the nets in Chennai is Washington Sundar. And here are Rohit Sharma’s expectations from the Ahmedabad pitch: “I don’t see anything change [from Chennai]. However it played in the second Test, it’s going to be similar. It’ll turn. We’re preparing accordingly for that, let’s see when the day comes. It’s been a while since international cricket was played here, we’ll see how it goes.”Also, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches in Ahmedabad were spin-dominated. If that continues to be the case, an accurate and quick fingerspinner who can also provide lower-order runs might not be a bad option for a fifth bowler.