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Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu will stand before a judge following allegations he oversaw €30 million in irregular commissions on transfers, including Antoine Griezmann’s move. The complaint, filed by current president Joan Laporta, accuses Bartomeu’s board of disloyal administration, misappropriation, and accounting fraud potentially deepening the shadow over his tenure.

Ex-Barcelona president Bartomeu charged in transfer scandal

According to and , Barcelona’s Investigating Court No. 16 has officially summoned ex-president Bartomeu as a suspect after a complaint from Laporta. The allegations centre on irregular payments and inflated commissions linked to high-profile transfers such as Griezmann and Malcom. Bartomeu and his former deputy Oscar Grau are due to testify in late October.

AdvertisementAFPLaporta accuses Bartomeu of €30m losses amid Barcagate & Negreira scandals

Laporta, who reclaimed the presidency in 2021, filed the complaint after receiving a forensic report from the Kroll detective agency. The findings estimated damages to the club of around €30m (£25m/$33m), citing what Laporta described as a systematic “modus operandi” designed to bypass internal financial controls. The complaint suggests fraudulent contracts and shell companies were used to justify massive payouts. 

Bartomeu has also been directly tied to the Barcagate scandal, where police uncovered WhatsApp messages showing he oversaw a paid social media campaign targeting rivals and even Pep Guardiola. He is further implicated in the Negreira case, with a court hearing last week seeing him deny that Barcelona paid the former refereeing vice-president to influence officials.

Getty Images SportSuspicious transfers of Griezmann and Malcom under the spotlight

Among the operations flagged is the €10m commission allegedly paid in the Malcom transfer, signed after the deal had already been completed. Questions have also been raised over lawyer Jose Angel Gonzalez Franco, who reportedly collected €1.7m in fees connected to the Neymar case and further commissions during Griezmann’s transfer. Payments to Atletico Madrid to smooth Griezmann’s controversial move have also been labelled “illegitimate.”

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AFPWhat happens next in the Bartomeu investigation?

Bartomeu and Grau will appear before the court on October 24, while González Franco is scheduled for December 4. If the investigation confirms financial misconduct, the former president and his associates could face serious legal consequences. For Barca, Laporta’s complaint signals an attempt to draw a line under past mismanagement while reinforcing his pledge to restore the club’s integrity.

With less than 10 days until the transfer window closes, Newcastle United are now reportedly eyeing a deal to sign a Premier League rival alongside Manchester City.

Latest on Newcastle's striker search

Whilst it seemed as though things were finally looking up for Newcastle when a deal was back on the table for Yoane Wissa and Malick Thiaw arrived, they now look destined to suffer a cruel transfer twist yet again. Reports are now suggesting that, despite Brentford’s initial decision to ease their stance, the Bees are now demanding in excess of £60m to sell their forward, who is back training with the squad.

As things stand, the closest that Newcastle have come to meeting Brentford’s demands is an offer worth £40m. Whether that changes before the transfer window slams shut remains the big question, but the forward is no longer the only name on the Magpies’ shortlist.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen has also entered Newcastle’s radar, according to recent reports. The towering Norway international enjoyed an excellent debut campaign in the Premier League last time out and would undoubtedly be an ideal alternative to Wissa this month.

Like Brentford, however, Wolves are in no mood to hand Newcastle a cut-price in the remaining days of the window – reportedly demanding over £60m to sell their star striker.

Just where Newcastle take their striker search next remains to be seen in a summer full of twists, especially with recent rumours indicating that their next signing may even be a Premier League defender instead.

Newcastle eyeing Acheampong alongside Man City

According to Caught Offside, Newcastle are now eyeing a deal to sign Josh Acheampong from Chelsea in a fresh transfer race against Manchester City. The 19-year-old started Chelsea’s opening day draw against Crystal Palace, keeping a clean sheet in what was a solid performance despite the Blues’ shortcomings going in the other direction.

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Now on Newcastle’s radar, the teenager would offer Eddie Howe instant versatility thanks to his ability to play as both a right-back and a centre-back. Whether the Magpies can convince Chelsea to sell their young star is another question entirely, however. As things stand, despite interest from City and Newcastle, those at Stamford Bridge have stood firm on their stance that Acheampong is not for sale.

Described as a “superb defender in the making” by scout Jacek Kulig, Acheampong is certainly one to watch no matter where he plays his football this season and beyond.

Granit Xhaka has no qualms about Switzerland team-mate Ardon Jashari returning back stronger after his AC Milan career started off with an injury.

Xhaka not worried about Jashari's injuryLauds the youngster's mental toughnessHas no doubts he'll return strongerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Switzerland captain Xhaka is not too concerned about the injury suffered by his national team-mate Jashari, with the Sunderland star backing the Milan midfielder to bounce back stronger from the setback and shine for both club and country.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Just days after making his Serie A debut in a shock 2-1 defeat against Cremonese, the €39 million (£34m/$46m) signing collided with team-mate Santiago Gimenez during a training session. Upon further examination, Milan confirmed that the 23-year-old had sustained a compound fracture on the right fibula, with expected recovery and rehab timelines set for around two months. 

WHAT GRANIT XHAKA SAID

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Xhaka said: "I told him: 'Your time will come.' Ardon has a great future ahead of him, and with his move to Milan, he's shown he can play for a great team. It's a shame about the injury, but he's quite strong mentally and will definitely come back even stronger."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARDON JASHARI?

It is expected that Jashari will be cleared to return to light training somewhere around early November. He will be a huge miss for head coach Massimiliano Allegri, as the Rossoneri are set to face tough fixtures against Bologna, Napoli, Juventus, Atalanta and perhaps Roma in the youngster's absence.

Arsenal are willing to make a £77m bid for a “superstar” forward, who is now keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, according to a report.

Gunners closing in on deal for Gyokeres

Viktor Gyokeres is clearly determined to seal a move to north London, with widespread reports stating the striker has refused to turn up to Sporting CP training ahead of the new campaign, and Fabrizio Romano has revealed Arsenal is the only club he wants to sign for.

Andrea Berta has held positive talks over a deal for the centre-forward, and there is a belief that a fee is “virtually agreed”, with David Ornstein stating on Sunday evening that Arsenal are in the “final steps in negotiations” with Sporting for the striker.

However, the lack of a top striker was arguably not the only reason Mikel Arteta’s side came up short last season, with the manager also lacking depth in wide areas at times, given that Bukayo Saka spent a lot of time on the treatment table.

As such, Arsenal have set their sights on another forward, and reports from Spain have revealed they would be willing to pay around €90m (£77m) to get a deal for Real Madrid’s Rodrygo over the line, with the player making a move to north London his first choice.

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The Brazilian has attracted interest from some of the Premier League’s top clubs this summer, while Bayern Munich are also keen, but his number one choice would be to move to the Emirates Stadium.

There is also a feeling that playing under Arteta could be a good fit for the 24-year-old, given that he would be likely to receive more game time than at Real Madrid, having only featured sporadically at the Club World Cup.

"Superstar" Rodrygo could be exactly what Arsenal need

In order to compete on all fronts next season, Arsenal will need to have strength in depth in attack, and the Madrid forward would be a versatile option for Arteta, given that he is capable of playing on both wings and through the middle.

Not only that, but the Brazil international has been a regular source of goals and assists for Madrid over the past few seasons, most notably catching the eye in the Champions League during the 2024-25 campaign.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

La Liga

30

6

6

Champions League

12

5

2

Supercopa

2

2

0

Copa del Rey

5

0

2

Intercontinental Cup

1

1

0

Having also been lauded as a “superstar” by Luka Modric, there is every indication that Rodrygo would be a success at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal are set to announce their first batch of summer recruits soon.

Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga as well as midfielders Martín Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard are all reportedly poised to join Arsenal in the next week or so, the former providing a back-up to David Raya, while the latter duo will be replacing the outgoing Thomas Partey and Jorginho at the base of midfield.

Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta, Andrea Berta and the Arsenal hierarchy still have plenty of work to do.

Arsenal targeting attacking reinforcements

After a third successive second-place finish in the Premier League, it is clear what Arsenal need to add this summer and that is more attacking firepower, as the table below outlines.

League finish

2nd

2nd

2nd

Goals scored

88

91

69

Expected goals

71.6

76.1

59.9

Shots

589

647

544

Shots on target

194

209

178

Shot-creating actions

1,045

1,185

969

As shown in the table, last season, when compared to their two previous title bids under Arteta, the Gunners’ attacking output was significantly down by all available metrics.

That’s why the debate of the summer remains Benjamin Šeško or Viktor Gyökeres, with the club clearly in the market for the new number nine, but they’re also looking for reinforcements out-wide too.

Thus, according to reports in Spain, Arsenal are ‘strongly’ interested in signing Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi, with the Gunners said to be ‘pushing’ for his signature.

They add that the German international, who is believed to be available for around €45m (£38m), is viewed as a ‘serious alternative’ to Barcelona-bound Nico Williams, as he would add ‘explosiveness’ to Arsenal’s forward line.

The 23-year-old began his senior career at RB Salzburg, scoring four Champions League goals for die Roten Bullen, thereby earning a £38m move to Borussia Dortmund three summers ago.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

So far, in 105 appearances for die Schwarzgelben, Adeyemi has scored 26 goals and registered 17 assists, featuring in all three of their Club World Cup fixtures this summer, starting against both Fluminense in East Rutherford and Ulsan HD in Ohio.

Now, could he become the 13th German to play for Arsenal, joining current Die Mannschaft teammate Kai Havertz, while following in the footsteps of Mesut Özil, Bernd Leno, Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski and others?

How Karim Adeyemi would improve Arsenal

Arsenal are looking to improve their left-wing options, with most agreeing that an upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli​​​​​​​ and Leandro Trossard, or at the very least an alternative to both, is required to take the Gunners to the next level.

Nevertheless, speaking on the Arsecast, Andrew Mangan and James McNicholas both agreed that it is highly “unlikely” that the Gunners will sign two wingers this summer, so someone who can play on the left but also cover for Bukayo Saka on the right would be ideal.

Well, Adeyemi certainly fits that brief, having been deployed on both flanks by both Dortmund managers, Nuri Şahin and Niko Kovač, throughout this season.

So, let’s assess how he compares to the gold standard of Arsenal wide-players, namely the aforementioned Saka – a player he is deemed to be statistically similar to among those in their position across Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.

Non-penalty goals

95th

77th

Shots

82nd

87th

Assists

83rd

96th

Expected assists

91st

98th

Shot-creating actions

45th

91st

Progressive carries

71st

83rd

Successful take-ons

87th

75th

Touches

79th

95th

Progressive passes received

71st

94th

FBref disclaimer: these statistics are based upon matches played in domestic leagues and UEFA club competitions across the last 365 days, and are in comparison to other attacking midfielders and wingers.

As the table outlines, Saka does come out on top for the vast majority of metrics, but that is not to be dismissive of Adeyemi, given that the England international is one of the best players in the world, at least according to teammate Martinelli.

The German’s statistics are broadly comparable to those of Saka, scoring more non-penalty goals and successfully completing a higher percentage of his take-ons.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout describes him as possessing “electric pace” and “superb dribbling skills”, simply labelling him a “world-class talent”.

Meantime, Lee Scott of Total Football Analysis believes that he provides ‘a direct goal threat’ and the ability to ‘carry the ball at speed past defenders’, while Tunde Young of Breaking the Lines boldly asserts ‘he could go on to be a multiple Ballon D’Or winner, just like Lionel Messi’.

Thus, it is clear that Adeyemi ticks a lot of boxes for Arsenal and would be an excellent, exciting addition, should they be able to pull this deal off. He could well prove to be like a left-sided Saka.

£200k-a-week Arsenal star "set to leave" as director travels for UK talks

He’s poised to leave the Gunners imminently.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 27, 2025

Chelsea chiefs are expected to undergo another hectic summer window of incomings and outgoings, with many players set to be put on the transfer list by BlueCo and face uncertain futures.

Players expected to leave Chelsea this summer

It is perhaps a given that, barring any U-turns from Enzo Maresca, a plethora of loaned-out senior players in the form of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Alfie Gilchrist, Renato Veiga, Armando Broja, Raheem Sterling, David Datro Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi are all but set to quit Stamford Bridge.

£60m Premier League forward has spoken to friends about joining Chelsea

He’s apparently interested.

ByEmilio Galantini May 21, 2025

BlueCo’s mountainous task ahead of June 1 is beginning to find new homes for all the surplus to requirement, out-of-favour members of Chelsea’s full to the brim squad list.

3. Man City

68

4. Newcastle

66

5. Chelsea

66

6. Aston Villa

66

7. Nottingham Forest

65

As things stand, they’re all set to return to Chelsea once their temporary spells elsewhere conclude, with the likes of Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell both commanding huge salaries and proving a drain on the club’s wage bill.

Chelsea will be especially keen to find new homes for the England international duo, and the same can be said for summer flop Joao Felix.

The Portuguese returned to west London in 2024 for around £45 million, with Cobham academy graduate Conor Gallagher heading the other way to Atlético Madrid in a separate deal.

However, since that ‘sort of’ swap deal was agreed, both players’ fortunes have contrasted significantly. While Gallagher has gone on to become a mainstay under Diego Simeone, making 46 appearances in all competitions and racking up nine goal contributions, Maresca has already deemed Felix an unwanted man just one season into his stay.

Felix was shipped off on loan to AC Milan in January, failing to impress at the San Siro, with the Rossoneri deciding long ago that they’re not interested in keeping the 24-year-old beyond this season (Fabrizio Romano).

Benfica working to re-sign Joao Felix from Chelsea

It seems pretty inevitable that Chelsea will attempt to rid themselves of Felix’s £130,000-per-week wages once he returns to Cobham.

This is echoed by Spanish news outlet Estadio Deportivo, and their journalist Manuel Pedrero, who provides an update on Felix’s precarious situation.

He writes that Felix is aware he’ll need to pack his bags and quit Chelsea this summer, and he could have a golden chance to return to his former club. Benfica are said to be working on bringing the attacking midfielder back home, with the Portuguese heavyweights viewed as his most credible next destination as things stand.

In an alternate universe, and one where Aston Villa had the financial capabilities to match his demands, Felix would be working under Unai Emery right now. The ex-Arsenal boss once confirmed that he couldn’t quite get him over the line at Villa Park before Chelsea swooped in, but does rate the forward very highly.

“He’s a special player and it was not totally impossible for us (to sign him), but he wanted to play for a team in the Champions League,” Emery said last year.

“We are realistic about how we can improve and how we can add players to improve our squad. He has a high salary and Chelsea paid a lot of money for that.

“I like him, but we were never really in the running for him. He can assist, score goals, drop deep to build up and he can play in the small spaces and drive into the box. He’s special.”

Manchester City have really turned a corner in the Premier League with Pep Guardiola’s men entering back into their groove in the top-flight at just the right time.

The rejuvenated Citizens have won four of their last five games in the elite league to now only six points off Champions League semi-finalists Arsenal occupying second place.

A place amongst Europe’s elite is the obvious objective for Guardiola and Co come the end of the sobering campaign, with City then aiming to be a title challenger once more down the line by snapping up exciting targets.

Man City line up £102 move for "superstar in the making"

As per reports from Spain over the weekend, City are preparing to bid a club-record £102m for Paris St Germain ace Desire Doue this summer.

The report states that the 19-year-old attacker has caught the eye of Guardiola who is looking to add even more exceptional youth to his City ranks, having given the likes of 21-year-old sensation Savinho plenty of game-time this campaign.

Winning the signature of Doue – who has already been heralded as a “superstar in the making” by French journalist Julien Laurens – would be a massive statement buy, with that £102m price-tag showing off how much PSG currently value him.

The eight-time Premier League title winners could also gain their very own version of Bukayo Saka with the promising Frenchman, with both attackers in question patrolling the right wing with ease so far this campaign.

Why Doue could be Man City's very own Saka

Saka has been able to show off his class down the right channel for the Gunners over many seasons now, despite being naturally left-footed in approach.

This season alone, the academy product turned North London royalty has managed to tally up a sizeable 25 goal contributions across 31 clashes, including scoring away at Real Madrid to help his team reach the coveted Champions League semi-finals.

Doue has also been unfazed by the big occasion lining up for Luis Enrique’s outfit, with the one-time senior France international actually matching Saka for goals and assists at 25 himself, albeit from a heftier 47 games.

Six of those have actually come about in Europe’s elite competition too, as Doue aims to spoil Arsenal’s mood when the two teams clash this mid-week at the Emirates for a place in the illustrious final.

Doue’s FBref numbers over the last year vs Saka’s
Stat – per 90 mins	Doue	Saka
Total shots	2.94	3.14
Shot-creating actions	5.26	5.35
Progressive passes	6.55	3.54
Progressive carries	5.59	4.64
Successful take-ons	2.98	2.04
Touches in attacking penalty area	5.77	7.94
Progressive passes received	10.92	12.66
Stats by FBref

Equally adept at using his left-foot whether that be down the left or right wing or even through the middle as a number ten, Doue’s general numbers across the last year for PSG are also similar to Saka’s for Mikel Arteta’s side.

The £102m-rated attacker, whose fifth-most similar player in European football is Saka, via FBRef, even betters his English counterpart when it comes to progressive passes and carries.

Not far off the blistering number seven in other aspects of their games, City will be hopeful that they can win their very own version of Saka if a move was to get over the line, with Doue only likely to get better as he progresses much like the 23-year-old has managed for the Gunners.

Of course, there will be a worry that splashing the cash in such a lavish way could backfire on City, but having proven himself already with PSG on some of the biggest stages, this switch might be just what Guardiola’s men need to further rebuild their elite reputation and get back to being stylish title candidates.

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1

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Kolkata Knight Riders put together a near-perfect campaign to win their third IPL title

Sampath Bandarupalli26-May-20242:30

Was this the most commanding title win in IPL history?

3 – IPL titles won by Kolkata Knight Riders, in 2012, 2014 and 2024. Only Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have won more titles – five each.3 – Matches lost by KKR in IPL 2024, the fewest by a team in any IPL season, along with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in 2008.57 – Balls remaining when KKR finished the chase in the IPL 2024 final against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – the biggest in an IPL playoff game. The previous biggest was KKR’s win with 38 balls in hand in Qualifier 1 against SRH in Ahmedabad.Related

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113 – SRH’s total in the final against KKR is the lowest in an IPL final. The previous lowest was 125 for 9 by CSK against MI in IPL 2013.6 – Matches in which KKR bowled their opponents out this season – the most by a team in a single edition of the IPL. The previous highest was four, by MI in 2008 and 2010.1.17 – The ratio between KKR’s run rate with the bat and economy rate with the ball this season is the highest for any team in an IPL season. They bettered MI, who had a ratio of 1.14 in IPL 2020. KKR’s run rate in IPL 2024 – 10.71 – is the best for any team in an IPL season.1 – Mitchell Starc is the first player to be named Player of the Match twice in the playoffs of an IPL season. He won the award in Qualifier 1 and in the final, both against SRH.1:09

Moody: Difference between KKR and SRH became evident tonight

3 – Number of times Sunil Narine has won the MVP award in the IPL – in 2012, 2018 and 2024. He is the first to win the award three times, surpassing Shane Watson and Andre Russell, who won twice each.24 – Number of balls Venkatesh Iyer took for his fifty, making it the joint-fastest in an IPL final. Suresh Raina against MI in IPL 2010 and David Warner against RCB in IPL 2016 also had 24-ball fifties in the final.4 – Fifty-plus scores for Venkatesh in five IPL playoff matches. Only Raina (seven in 24 innings) has more fifty-plus scores in IPL playoffs.4 – Players with multiple ducks in the playoffs in an IPL edition, including Travis Head in 2024.

The 19-year-old batter’s early coaches talk about the dedication and maturity he brings to his game

Shashank Kishore06-May-2022At 19, Tilak Varma is truly part of the IPL generation.He was five years old when the tournament began, and his love for it grew when his home team, Deccan Chargers, won the title a year later in 2009. For the son of an electrician father and homemaker mother, Varma’s Rs 1.7 crore (US$226,000 approx) contract with Mumbai Indians is the stuff of dreams.Varma wants to build a comfortable house for him family, but his first coach, Salam Bayash only reaffirms one thing to him these days: “Keep learning, don’t stop improving and don’t take anything for granted.”Varma’s journey mirrors the struggle of a typical lower-middle class household in India, but with a dream payoff. His father, Nagaraju, couldn’t afford to send him to a private academy for cricket coaching, and if Bayash – who Nagaraju describes as his son’s godfather – hadn’t insisted on taking care of his fees and equipment needs, Varma may have been lost to the game, like many others in similar circumstances.Related

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Sitting pillion behind Bayash on a scooter, Varma would travel about 80km to and from his home in Chandrayan Gutta, in the Old City in Hyderabad, to the suburb of Lingampally six days a week for coaching.Bayash had been running his cricket academy for a few years when he first came across Varma. What impressed him about the boy, he says, was “the punch in his batting”.”When kids play with the tennis ball, they generally tend to slog, heave, play cross-batted shots. This boy was playing authentic shots. Clean shots.”I asked him if he was being coached. He said, ‘No sir, we have financial constraints.’ His maturity to understand his family’s difficulties was striking for me. That convinced me to speak to his parents. Today, they are so happy with the decision to send him [for coaching].”Varma’s flair and temperament have come in for special praise from former batting greats like Sunil Gavaskar and Matthew Hayden. Against Rajasthan Royals, he reverse swept an in-form R Ashwin for six and then got out trying to sweep him off the next ball.Mumbai Indians scouts happened to watch him multiple times at the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy last November, and were impressed with how Varma played alongside his captain Tanmay Agarwal, scoring a 32-ball 37 in Hyderabad’s successful chase of 171 against Delhi.Salam Bayash with a 14-year-old Varma•Salam BayashIn the quarter-final, against Gujarat, Varma smashed five fours and two sixes in a 50-ball 75 to set up a 30-run win. Mumbai decided then to keep an eye on Varma’s performances, and were one of four franchises to call him for trials ahead of the auction.”Before the auction, scouts always like to know something about a player from coaches,” says Milap Mewada, Hyderabad’s head coach.”They [Mumbai’s scouts] asked me about Tilak. I told them he was a very good kid with a mature head on his shoulders, someone who can be adept at hitting big sixes, convincing sixes.”At the same time, he can knuckle down and play a solid game also if the situation demands. He can put the ball into the second tier effortlessly. The moment he hits the ball, you know if it’ll clear the ropes or not. There are no half-measures.”During the domestic white-ball season, Mewada and Varma worked on having different scoring options for the same kind of delivery, so he could build the ability to access different parts of the ground.”You must have seen him try and ramp bouncers instead of pulling or hooking,” Mewada says. “Or trying to use the angle and pace to pick gaps behind the wicket to wide yorkers as against trying to swing across the line. Those are things we did during the white-ball season.”Another thing I spoke to him about, based on where his game is at currently, was that it would be best for him to bat at four instead of at the top. He bought into the idea. He didn’t know then that he’d be picked by Mumbai or that he’ll be batting at five for them. But in a way, it has all worked out well.”Varma worked with his Hyderabad coach on playing ramp shot to bouncers during the last domestic season•BCCIBayash remembers Varma’s dedication towards improving his skills. A friend of the coach at the Hyderabad Cricket Association had arranged for Varma to be on ball-boy duties in 2014.”Next day, he came and told me, ‘I want to bat like Suresh Raina. upper shot khelna hai [I want to play the upper shot like Raina].'”He kept practising that inside-out shot over cover,” Bayash remembers. “His father told me how the next day he was up at 4am and shadow-practising that Raina shot. If he sets his eye on something, he’ll ensure he ticks that off and then goes to the next thing.”He’s still a teen but Varma is already a key member of Hyderabad’s set-up across formats. An early initiation into the IPL with the five-time champions only brings with it the promise of bigger things.Bayash and Mewada, who have been in touch with Varma during the IPL, are united in the advice they offer: keep enjoying the game without feeling the pressure of having to live up to expectations now you have got some recognition.It’s what his Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma seems to have told Varma too.”Rohit bhai keeps telling me: ‘Don’t take pressure in any situation,'” Varma said in an interview with the Mumbai Indians website. “‘Keep enjoying and playing the way you do. You’re a youngster, this is the time to enjoy. If you lose that, it [these days] won’t come back.'”He [Rohit] always backs me in everything, whether it’s fielding, bowling, or batting, now and in the future too,” Varma says.Bayash with Varma after the latter was picked in the India squad for the 2020 Under-19 World Cup•Salam Bayash”Mumbai are in a downward phase right now, we’re playing well but falling short due to a few errors. Even in this situation, he keeps telling me not to lose that enjoyment factor, and it feels nice when he tells me that. It’s always on my mind and it’s working well for me.”Those around Varma describe him as a “happy kid” who enjoys spending time with friends when not on the field.”When he’s at the ground, he is always thinking of ways to contribute,” Bayash says.Mewada says Varma’s lively persona has infused positivity and cheer into the Hyderabad team environment. “He’s very soft-spoken off the field and very serious when he’s batting. And sometimes while fielding also, he’ll be so intense about batting that you have to tell him to take it easy,” Mewada says. “But as a person, he’s polite, grounded, coachable. Has a great attitude to learn.”He’ll keep joking, mingles well with seniors and juniors – they’re all fond of him. The seniors will mimic him, and he’ll take [the teasing] sportingly. He’s basically a friend of all.”Two players in the team are like that always: Tilak and Mohammed Siraj. Jolly fellows, very grounded. If he [Varma] stays like this, he’s going to do wonderful things.”

Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph miss out due to injuries

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Nov-2025

Kemar Roach will be playing his first Test since January•AFP/Getty Images

Kemar Roach has been recalled to the West Indies Test squad for their tour of New Zealand in December this year. Roach was part of a 15-member squad for the three matches, but Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph are still missing, due to injuries.Roach last played a Test in January, in Multan during their tour of Pakistan, and his 85-Test record will balance out a relatively inexperienced pace attack, which also includes 29-year-old Ojay Shields, who has received his maiden call-up.Allrounder Kavem Hodge, who also made his last Test appearance during the Multan match, has been recalled to the side. However, Khary Pierre finds himself and his left-arm orthodox spin bowling out of favour – he has been dropped from the squad.Cricket West Indies’ Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, said, “New Zealand has traditionally been one of the toughest places for any touring side… The recent high-performance camp here in Antigua was designed to replicate, as closely as possible, the conditions we expect to face, particularly the pace-friendly surfaces.”Khary Pierre finds himself out of the Test squad•AFP/Getty Images

Shields and Roach, among other players named in the squad, have completed a two-week high-performance camp in the region. They will also be joining the rest of the squad – already in New Zealand for the ongoing ODI series – on November 20, to be part of a two-day warm-up match against a New Zealand XI in Christchurch.The series will be a part of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. West Indies sit at the bottom of the table among the teams who have played at least one Test in the cycle – they have lost all five of the matches they have appeared in so far. New Zealand, on the other hand, are yet to play a match in the cycle, and this series against West Indies will get their WTC campaign belatedly off the mark.West Indies squad for tour of New ZealandRoston Chase (Captain), Jomel Warrican (Vice- Captain), Alick Athanaze, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Ojay Shields