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Unadkat: Getting a Test wicket is something I visualised 1000 times
"I wasn't playing in the first game but I wore the shirt for the first time he said 'you are looking good'. That came straight from the heart and I could see how happy he was for me," Unadkat told PTI after returning from Bangladesh.
"It was special to play with him. He told me to keep pushing myself all these years to get that chance. He has been part of the team for more than 10 years now, I look up to him in a way that I also want to be part of the team the way he has been. With all ups and downs he faced in his career and still play 98 Tests has been immensely motivating for me."
India were wicketless with the new ball for close to 15 overs after Bangladesh chose to bat. Najmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan were steady and watchful. Brought on as first change, Unadkat kept landing the ball in the zone around off stump and kept varying his length on a flat Mirpur track. He finally got a length ball to jump off a good length and had Hasan caught at gully - his first wicket in Test cricket.
"I was trying to extract bounce off length and I felt I could do that," Unadkat said. "The feeling [of bagging his first Test wicket] will remain one of the most special memories of my cricketing career. Getting a Test wicket is something I visualised 1000 times.
"I got my chance as the management felt I was suited to the pitch. The conditions were similar [to Rajkot]. [There was] not a lot of pace off the wicket and you will have to extract whatever you can by hitting the length hard. I knew if I will stick to my strengths, there will be something coming my way and that is how I got that extra bounce."
"I just wanted to contribute," he said. "If not take a wicket then create pressure from the other end. That was the thought.
"Domestic cricket has helped me immensely that way. You always have a role to play as a bowler even when you aren't getting the wickets. You can create pressure and put batter in doubt and other bowlers can capitalise on that."
While a Test call-up eluded him for about 12 years, Unadkat toiled away on the domestic circuit and led Saurashtra to plenty of success. He picked up 67 wickets in 2019-20, when Saurashtra won the Ranji Trophy for the first time. Over the last three seasons in the competition, he has taken 115 wickets in 21 matches.
"I wasn't playing in the first game but I wore the shirt for the first time he said 'you are looking good'. He told me to keep pushing myself all these years to get that chance."
Unadkat on the backing he received from Cheteshwar Pujara
"I always believed that I would get another chance," he said. "I didn't know how, to be honest, as the Indian pacers were doing well over the past thee four years. I was getting inspired watching them to be honest.
"Leading Saurashtra has helped me focus on my game and not be distracted by anything else. It has helped me see the future. Captaining Saurashtra, I am not just caring for my own performance but also of others and team goals. That kept me going.
"[The comeback] was very emotional for my family, my wife, who was not around in 2010 when I made my debut," he said. "She believed in me more than I did. And when I got to know that I was playing, I felt the same goosebumps I felt 12 years ago.
"I was pretty young when I made my debut. All these years [at domestic level] I never felt like a veteran. I am still 31 and at my peak. These four to five years would be the peak of my career and I want to continue as much as I can."
India's next Test series is at home against Australia in January-February, but Unadkat isn't looking that far ahead. "I don't want to expect things as that has been helping me honestly. I am looking forward to the next round of Ranji, and that is all I am thinking about. If it has to happen, it will happen."
Victor Wembanyama: The latest news and stats on the top 2023 NBA draft prospect
All eyes are on 7-foot-4 French prospect Victor Wembanyama leading up to next June's 2023 NBA draft. The 18-year-old that LeBron James dubbed "a generational talent" captivated basketball fans during a two-game exhibition showcase in October against Scoot Henderson's G League Ignite.
With 200 NBA scouts and executives in attendance, Wembanyama showed off his full skill set -- creating his shot off the dribble, running the fast break, shooting step-back 3s, finishing above the rim and using his 8-foot wingspan to serve as a menace at the rim -- cementing his status as the top prospect in basketball over Henderson.
Back in France and with no plans of shutting it down early to prepare for the draft, Wembanyama is slated to play through at least May with French club Metropolitans 92. ESPN has you covered with the latest Wembanyama stats, schedule and updates on the most anticipated draft prospect since James.
Jonathan Givony's latest 2023 NBA mock draft
Victor Wembanyama's stats
How to watch Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama's Metropolitans 92 games are not televised on TV in the United States. However, you can watch online for free on the NBA app.
The latest Victor Wembanyama news
Dec. 26: Wembanyama puts up double-double in loss
Wembanyama put up a 26-point,18-rebound double-double in his last game of the calendar year, but Metro 92 fell 84-81. Full story.
Wemby's defensive instincts are special.
Watch @Metropolitans92 live on NBA App.https://t.co/0fEZTG2IeY pic.twitter.com/jRNA8Cy0Qk
— NBA (@NBA) December 26, 2022
Dec. 17: Wembanyama shines in win over Paris
Wembanyama finished with 11 points, five rebounds and six blocks en route to a 91-71 win, snapping a two-game losing streak. Full story.
2-WAY VICTOR WEMBANYAMA ‼️ pic.twitter.com/3fccT6Nmqe
— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2022
Dec. 11: Wembanyama puts up double-double for Metro 92
Wembanyama's skills were on display with 27 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals in a loss to Monaco. Full story.
Victor Wembanyama dropped 27 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals in an overtime loss to Euroleague team Monaco today. Good competition for NBA scouts to evaluate the projected No. 1 pick against. pic.twitter.com/4eoaNjpfVG
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) December 11, 2022
Dec. 6: Wembanyama shows versatility in Metro 92's loss
Wembanyama's skills were on display once again as he recorded 15 points, six rebounds and three blocks in a loss. Full story.
Big block ➡️ stepback 3
Wemby is COOKING in Q3 on the NBA App.
? https://t.co/0fEZTG2IeY pic.twitter.com/0B30H79j3e
— NBA (@NBA) December 6, 2022
Dec. 2: Wembanyama's fourth-straight 30-point game in win
Wembanyama finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and three assists in a 96-85 win over Fos-sur-Mer. Full story.
Victor Wembanyama explodes for 32 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists as Metropolitans 92 wins their ninth straight win behind more jaw-dropping highlights from the future No. 1 pick. pic.twitter.com/AUt67aCs1L
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) December 2, 2022
Nov. 26: Another 30 points for Wembanyama in win
Wembanyama finished with 30 points, 15 rebounds and three assists in a 92-78 win against Nancy. Full story.
Projected No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama drops 30 again in leading Metopolitans 92 to their eighth straight win, adding 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks. Leading the league in scoring, rebounding and blocks and has his team in 1st place. pic.twitter.com/z5WoMORxqZ
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) November 26, 2022
Nov. 20: Wembanyama drops 30 again in win
Victor Wembanyama helps Metropolitans 92 to a seventh consecutive win dropping 30 points, 9 rebounds, 5 blocks over his childhood team Nanterre. The projected No. 1 pick is leading the league in scoring and has his team in first place. pic.twitter.com/udnkx3CwaC
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) November 20, 2022
Nov. 14: Wembanyama leads France to blowout win in FIBA World Cup qualifier
Victor Wembanyama led France to a 2-0 record in the FIBA World Cup qualifying window with another big outing against Bosnia today. 19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks in 24 minutes in a 36 point blowout win for the projected No. 1 pick. pic.twitter.com/TCpyMhkIGi
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) November 14, 2022
Nov. 4: Wembanyama puts up big numbers in win
Best game of the season for future No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama in France with 33 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks. Completely dominated on both ends to help Metropolitans 92 to a sixth straight victory and stay in second place. pic.twitter.com/xgHMHLQvXw
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) November 4, 2022
Wembanyama picked up a double-double with 33 points and 12 rebounds, along with 4 assists and 3 blocks. Full story.
Oct. 29: Wembanyama posts double-double in OT win
?? VICTOR WEMBANYAMA ENCORE MVP !
23 PTS
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) October 29, 2022
10 RBDS
4 BLOCKS
28 D'ÉVAL#BetclicELITE #LNBTV @vicw_32 x @Metropolitans92 pic.twitter.com/0n1jCiaWtT
In another show-stopping performance, the 7-foot-4 prospect posted 23 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks in Paris-based Metropolitans 92's overtime victory on the road versus JL Bourg-en-Bresse. Full story.
Oct. 21: Wembanyama scores 17 in home victory
WEMBY. ?#BetclicELITE #LNBTV@vicw_32 pic.twitter.com/mhEKUC5cu3
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) October 21, 2022
Metropolitans 92 dominated ADA Blois, 113-88. Wembanyama had 17 points and 7 rebounds in the home victory. Full story.
Oct. 15: Wembanyama has 24 points in first game back in France
VICTOR. WEMBANYAMA. ??#BetclicELITE #LNBTV @vicw_32 x @Metropolitans92 pic.twitter.com/wKunFKgedS
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) October 15, 2022
In the 94-89 overtime win, Wembanyama had 24 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks and gave Le Mans its first loss of the season. Full story.
Oct. 6: Wembanyama: LeBron James' praise an 'honor' but still have goals to reach
Victor Wembanyama shows off his skills in impressive sequence
Projected No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama scores inside, blocks a shot and then drains a 3-pointer all within 30 seconds.
Wembanyama's teammates pulled him aside and showed him a video of LeBron James calling the projected No. 1 pick in next summer's NBA draft "a generational talent." Full story.
Oct. 5: Agent says no plan to shut down Victor Wembanyama until draft
Wembanyama's agent insists that there's no plan to listen to some team executives who suggest shutting down the projected No. 1 pick until the 2023 NBA draft in June. Full story.
Oct. 4: Wembanyama stars, Scoot Henderson leads G League Ignite to victory
Victor Wembanyama knocks down wild one-legged 3
Victor Wembanyama continues to show off with a sweet move and then draining a 3-pointer.
With Chris Paul and A'ja Wilson watching courtside, Wembanyama put on a show in a 37-point performance at the Dollar Loan Center against the G League Ignite and Scoot Henderson, the projected No. 2 pick. Full story.
Metropolitans 92 Schedule
Victor Wembanyama shows two-way talent in loss
Top 2023 NBA draft prospect Victor Wembanyama continues to catch the eye of the basketball world with his superstar potential.
The 18-year-old, 7-foot-4 sensation has consistently produced for his team, Paris-based Metropolitans 92, and that trend continued in his latest outing against Strasbourg.
Wembanyama put up a 26-point,18-rebound double-double in his last game of the calendar year, but Metro 92 fell 84-81.
His 8-foot wingspan was on full display on both sides of the floor in Monday's LNB Betclic Elite game.
Like we said... SPECIAL. https://t.co/20NdqkfsRa pic.twitter.com/XUMdC9IxjV
— NBA (@NBA) December 26, 2022
VICTOR. ENCORE ! ?
23 PTS pic.twitter.com/qYlNOssu1O
— NBA France (@NBAFRANCE) December 26, 2022
Wembanyama's next game is on Jan. 9 against Lyon-Villeurbanne, whose club president is former San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker.
Stock(ing) Watch: Where all 30 MLB teams stand now that the big free agents are off the board
As we navigate the holiday season, baseball fans can do so with a rare gift already in place. After a frenetic offseason, the heavy lifting of the hot stove campaign is arguably already complete.
That's almost unheard of for a sport that in recent years has seen offseasons move at a glacial pace, but so far, this has been a glorious one. Teams still have work to do. There are still middle-tier free agents to be signed, some of whom will play valuable roles for their new teams. And you never know when a splashy trade can alter the MLB landscape.
Still and all, with the elite free agents all locked up, it's a perfect time to take a snapshot of the league as we head into the rest of the winter.
These numbers here are a rough cut. Underpinning them are the player projections from Steamer, available at Fangraphs.com. I've made tweaks to playing time forecasts on my depth charts in order to compile a basic win projection for each team, which I used as the basis for running 10,000 simulations of the 2023 schedule.
Some quick notes on what you see:
• Teams are ranked by projected wins, or the average wins during the simulations.
• Playoffs and title odds are self explanatory, except ...
• I also ran simulations based on an estimate of how teams rated based on healthy versions of rosters as they stood before the start of free agency. Following the title odds is a number that tells us how much a team's championship chances have gone up or down or not all based on its offseason work to date.
• I've estimated how much impact new acquisitions will have on the 2023 rosters, based on projected playing time. Since the numbers are rough, rather than sharing that calculation, I've simply indicated how a team ranks in terms of offseason "aggression." This measure is as much about quantity as quality. That's because ...
• Teams also lose players. The "improvement" rank considers the net impact a team's offseason machinations have had on its 2023 outlook. This is a rating on the moves alone, not on the team's overall chances to be better, an assessment that should also consider aging patterns, improvement of young players, regression factors, etc.
Here are the top 30 teams in Major League Baseball, as of today.
Liverpool signing Gakpo piles the pressure on Nunez
How do you solve a problem like Darwin Nunez? Liverpool's response to that dilemma has now been made clear by their move to sign Cody Gakpo in a £37 million transfer from PSV Eindhoven -- a deal that has been done so quietly and efficiently that the Netherlands forward could be signed and sealed at Anfield as soon as the winter transfer window officially opens on Jan. 1.
- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga and more (U.S.)
It is certainly a surprise transfer considering Liverpool's clear need for reinforcements in midfield and the reality that, when all options are available, manager Jurgen Klopp already has a strong hand in terms of attacking players. Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino are all sidelined with injuries of varying severity right now, but when they are fully fit, adding them to a group that also includes Mohamed Salah, Fabio Carvalho and Nunez will ensure a regular selection headache for Klopp, even before Gakpo is brought into the equation.
Gakpo will be the third significant attacking signing in 12 months by Liverpool, with Diaz arriving from Porto last January and Nunez completing a club record transfer worth up to £85m in June. Sadio Mane has moved on to Bayern Munich in that time, and the Senegal international has been a huge loss to Liverpool, but that exit has been counter-balanced by Salah committing himself to a new three-year contract in July.
So why do Liverpool need Gakpo, the young Dutch forward who emerged as a star of the World Cup by scoring three times for Netherlands on their run to the quarterfinals?
The answer, or much of it at least, is about Nunez and his hit-and-miss start to life at Liverpool.
Gakpo's arrival could be viewed in two ways by Nunez. The 23-year-old will either be seen as somebody to help alleviate the goal-scoring burden in Klopp's team or a threat to his place in the side after a difficult first six months at the club that has promised more than it has delivered.
Time will tell, but Gakpo will hope that his early days at Anfield are more convincing than those of Nunez, who is now on the precipice of being caught in a battle for confidence as well as a search for goals.
Nunez can at least still claim the support of Klopp and the Liverpool fans; criticism of his performances is only coming from outside the club right now. From a Liverpool perspective, Nunez is making up for his lack of goals with incredible work-rate for the team and an obvious desire to come through the tough times he is enduring.
But there are very few examples of Premier League strikers who come good after a difficult start with their new teams following a big move. They either hit the ground running and don't stop scoring -- Salah, Erling Haaland, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at Arsenal, Diego Costa at Chelsea, Robin van Persie at Manchester United -- or start poorly and never find their scoring touch, which applies to players including Timo Werner, Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata all (Chelsea), Andy Carroll (Liverpool) and Wilfried Bony at Manchester City.
The one obvious exception is Firmino, who scored just one goal in his first 24 appearances for Liverpool following his £29m move from Hoffenheim in 2015. Firmino has since become an undisputed Liverpool legend with his goals and performances, but there aren't many who can say they have turned a difficult situation around quite like the Brazil international.
Statistically, Nunez has done far better than Firmino in his first six months at Liverpool. Indeed, his goals record is actually more impressive than you might have believed.
In 20 games in all competitions, the 23-year-old has scored nine goals and registered four assists, but it is the missed chances that have led to the spotlight being fixed on the forward. Chances regularly fall his way, but poor decision-making and finishing have led to some glaring misses, raising the age-old question for a striker as to whether it is a good sign that he is getting the chances or a bad one that he isn't taking enough of them.
Nunez has Expected Goals (xG) of 5.9 in the Premier League this season, which places him in eighth position overall, between Newcastle's Callum Wilson and Leeds United's Rodrigo. Manchester City's Haaland is in first place with an xG of 11.1.
Placing too much emphasis on xG can be misleading, though. Salah's xG is 7.9, so not significantly better than Nunez's, but Salah never looks as rushed and rash as Nunez when he has a scoring chance and his ability to score "heavy" goals -- goals in tight games which prove decisive -- is unmatched by any forward, including Haaland.
Nunez has scored just one "heavy" goal for Liverpool so far -- the winner in the 1-0 victory against West Ham in October -- so he needs to deliver more often in the big games when chances are at a premium and the value of goals is so much higher.
But in the two games he has played since the World Cup shutdown -- against Man City in the Carabao Cup and Aston Villa in the Premier League -- Nunez has shown signs of his confidence in front of goal being affected by choosing to pass rather than shoot in goal-scoring positions.
One such pass led to Salah scoring in the 3-2 defeat at the Etihad, but there were other instances at Villa when shooting at goal would have been the better course of action.
If this becomes a trend and Nunez starts to shy away from shooting, a forward who worries about missing chances is no use to anyone, so Gakpo's arrival will at least give Liverpool insurance against Nunez's confidence beginning to melt away.
Nunez is now entering a key period of his Liverpool career, however. He needs to persevere and hope he comes good, as Firmino did, but big clubs don't have much patience with strikers who don't score enough goals. The signing of Gakpo is proof of that.
Bangladesh and England's first ever bilateral T20I series to begin on March 9
England's first bilateral tour of Bangladesh in six years is confirmed for March 2023. The two sides will play three ODIs and three T20Is over two weeks, to be held in Dhaka and Chattogram.
The three-match ODI series is part of the Super League, a tournament to decide which teams get direct entry into the 2023 World Cup. Both England and Bangladesh have already qualified. The first two matches are in Dhaka on March 1 and 3, before the third takes place in Chattogram on March 6.
Then, Bangladesh and England will play their first-ever bilateral T20I series. The first match is in Chattogram on March 9, before the other two will be held in Dhaka on March 12 and 14.
England are likely to arrive in Bangladesh around February 20. They are scheduled to play two practice matches before the ODI series begins.
ECB chief executive Clare Connor was excited to see the two sides returning to play each other in a bilateral series after a long time.
"It is exciting that the England men's white-ball squad will return to Bangladesh for the first time since 2016," she said. "The atmosphere generated in Dhaka and Chattogram for this eagerly-anticipated tour will be fantastic. There is a great passion for cricket across Bangladesh, and we expect a tough challenge against a side who have an excellent record in home conditions."
Thunder ace tricky chase to end three-match losing streak
Sydney Thunder 0 for 124 (Hales 59*, Gilkes 56*) beat Brisbane Heat 6 for 121 (Munro 43, Green 2-14) by 10 wickets
Sydney Thunder overcame their demons with a belligerent chase on a tricky Sydney Showground Stadium surface to thrash Brisbane Heat by 10 wickets and snap a three-game losing streak.
Thunder won their first game since the season opener, while Heat slumped to a 1-3 record.
Thunder openers exorcise demons
Gilkes dominated early before Hales took over to ensure Thunder would not waste such an impressive platform. Thunder took the power surge in the 11th over and Gilkes capitalised with three sixes and a four, racking up 25 runs from legspinner Mitchell Swepson to reach his half-century in style.
Hales shortly after reached his half-century before smashing the winning boundary to ensure the home fans celebrated with gusto - in a contrast to their mocking celebrations during the Strikers match.
Heat's bowlers struggle to fire a shot
Even though they had a modest total to defend, Heat would have been confident given their attack and Thunder's batting fragilities.
Neser, who had claimed six wickets in two prior BBL games including a hat-trick, loomed large and there was an expectation he would produce early problems.
But he was uncharacteristically loose and so too was his partner in crime Steketee as Heat never recovered. It looked like they were bowling on a different wicket as Heat's bowlers appeared rattled by Thunder's aggressive openers.
They fell apart towards the end in a lacklustre performance and will have to get back to the drawing board to revive a stuttering season.
Qadir impresses on Thunder debut
Qadir, who has played 23 T20Is for Pakistan, last played in the BBL four years ago for Perth Scorchers but only performed modestly.
Qadir also dropped a fierce return chance in the penultimate over, but it failed to dampen his strong debut.
Peirson's nasty blow, Bartlett shows batting potential
This was evident when Peirson copped a nasty blow on his neck after a rising delivery from quick Nathan McAndrew. He kept batting after receiving medical attention but never looked comfortable.
With stalwart Chris Lynn having departed, and Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne on Test duties, Heat's batting has revolved around recruit Sam Billings but he scored just one run against his old team.
Munro, another high-profile recruit, made his best score of the season but the big-hitter was uncharacteristically tied down. He made 43 from 47 balls before falling in the 16th over amid the power surge.
Heat appeared like they could barely muster 100 but they were given a late boost from Bartlett, who - 12 months ago - was tipped to become a genuine allrounder before his batting nosedived.
The 24-year-old's cameo of 28 from 17 balls was his highest score this season across formats in a glimpse of his obvious batting talent.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth
Nottingham Forest midfielder Jesse Lingard said he was given "false promises" about playing time during his final year at Manchester United and is still in the dark over why he was used so sparingly.
Lingard, who joined United at the age of seven, had returned to Old Trafford last year after a successful loan spell at West Ham, where he revived his career with nine goals and five assists in the second half of the 2020-21 campaign.
- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
The 30-year-old played 232 times for his boyhood club but started only two Premier League games last season under former managers Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick before he joined Forest on a free transfer earlier this year.
"I don't know what the problem was, whether it was politics or whatever. I still haven't got an answer to this day," Lingard told The Telegraph ahead of Forest's trip to United on Tuesday.
"I didn't even ask. I'd rather that someone out of respect for me being there that long told me, 'This is why you're not playing,' but I never got that.
"It was false promises. I was training hard and I was sharp, I was ready to play ... When you're working hard in training and don't play at the end of it, it's very frustrating."
- How do PL players find redemption after suffering setbacks?
Forest are struggling in 19th place in the table but Lingard said he hopes they can bounce back in the second half of the season.
"This is another chapter in my life, and a different challenge for me which I wanted," he added.
"It will be an enjoyable one, but we want to win the game. You can't get caught up too much emotionally. It's a chance to say my goodbyes because I never really got that."
Why Barcelona without Lewandowski might be a good thing for Xavi & Co.
Given that he has scored 18 times in 19 matches throughout his debut season, it would be nonsensical to argue that Barcelona will be better off without Robert Lewandowski while he's suspended for their next three LaLiga matches. The Catalans, despite opening the campaign with a scoreless draw at home to Rayo Vallecano and getting a bit of a thumping from Real Madrid in the Clasico, while regularly exhibiting the same flaws that saw them knocked out of the Champions League, somehow sit top of the table as domestic football returns in Spain this week.
That "somehow" can be defined in three ways: Madrid's profligacy in dropping seven points against Girona, Osasuna and Rayo, plus Barca's remarkable 'goals-against' tally of just five... and having Lewandowski in the team.
The legendary Polish striker has repeatedly "sealed" all three points -- he was the only scorer in 1-0 wins against Mallorca and Valencia -- repeatedly has been the guy who breaks the 0-0 deadlock in other games and often also put wins beyond doubt with the strike by giving Barcelona a two- or three-goal margin. Stellar returns from a new signing, no doubt, but there's a distinct argument that Barcelona play better, more complete, more convincing and more fluent football without him.
When Xavi & Co. face Espanyol (home), Atletico in the capital and then Getafe back at Camp Nou over the coming weeks, there will be a chance not only for the team to show it can cope without Lewandowski but for the Catalan coach to test opponents in a wholly different way than Barca did in many of their previous fourteen LaLiga matches.
So far, the evidence suggests that when they're without a relatively static, traditional centre-forward, Barcelona play with more dynamism and threat and look much more like the template expected when the 42-year-old Catalan took over from Ronald Koeman in November 2021. However, the sample size is short and traditionalists will already be spluttering into their festive mulled wine: "... goals are everything... to hell with the quality of play. Lewandowski is master of all he surveys!"
It's also true that club president Joan Laporta deliberately turned the focus back on results over quality of performance when, just before Christmas, he announced that "we've made it crystal clear to everyone in the dressing room that our all-important objective is to win the league." Win at all costs, as style points count for nothing was the message.
Although not out of step with his employer, Xavi put it very differently. "We cannot lose our 'house style' -- that's the thing which has made the club great. It's the playing idea via which the national team won a World Cup and two European Championships, how Barca won five Champions Leagues: in fact, it's time we redoubled our efforts to achieve the essence of the Barcelona playing philosophy. Yes, we'll need a Plan B and a Plan C, but everything needs to be based on our central idea of how to play football."
Regarding Lewandowski, the argument goes like this. With him in the XI, this is a Barcelona era when a significant degree of the positional and passing style that is central to the Rinus Michels/Johan Cruyff/Pep Guardiola idea of how to play is sacrificed or reduced. On the other hand, the Polish star brings absolute mastery of how to produce often remarkable goals -- particularly in tight situations.
What gets sacrificed are the fluency of movement, the intricacy of build-up play, the rapid interchanging of positions and how creatively possession is used in the final third. Lewandowski's associative and "build-up" play isn't fantastic. And although he doesn't hover around the penalty spot selfishly waiting to be served, he is, without question, an old fashioned "No. 9" whose best work is done either when he's supplied with exceptional crosses into the box or when an opponent's defensive line (often five or six men) is ragged.
It's wholly natural that, at 34, his athletic speed is declining. He won't usually win a sprint if the ball's played long into space behind a high defensive line and, one-on-one, he's less likely to go past a young, strong, clever marker. Some evidence nudging us further towards these conclusions comes from his failure to score, or make a serious impact, in four of Barcelona's five matches against Bayern Munich, Inter and Real Madrid. Those who watched how Inter (in Milan), Madrid and Bayern -- especially at Camp Nou -- nullified Lewandowski and prevented him from getting the quality of possession he now needs will have been prepared for the pallid, sluggish performances he gave for Poland during the World Cup.
He remains brilliant, but he's 34, human and no longer the rampaging colossus of his absolute peak.
To be clear, this is not a criticism of Lewandowski, whose professionalism, willingness to help Xavi on the training pitch, advice to teammates and tolerance of playing in a stumbling Bambi-like era of Barcelona's development are all pretty remarkable. So too are his goal stats, which, although slightly down compared with his last two seasons with Bayern, look still more praiseworthy when you take into account how many new, young or 'coming to the end' players there are around him.
A smooth-running juggernaut, this team is not.
So, back to the Lewandowski argument. Without him in the XI, there's a clear threat that Xavi's team loses bite. If Barcelona look short of a cutting edge and scorn loads of goal chances in the three matches in which he's absent, then few will care too much if they've played well ... but lost or drawn. However, without him in the XI, against Viktoria Plzen, and for the last hour at Osasuna, Barcelona didn't simply win but played outstandingly differently from at any other time this season.
Lewandowski's goals tend to come with Barcelona camped in the final third, prodding and probing over and again to try to open up an opponent that has deployed significant numbers to stifle and block. These are situations when, if the ball is lost, Barcelona are very susceptible to rapid, well-executed counter-attacks. There will often be only two at the back, which means Xavi's team can be exposed positionally and for pace.
When Lewandowski's not playing, this is a team that can play through the lines far more rapidly, that can counter attack more quickly and can benefit from a constant rotation of Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Gavi and Ousmane Dembele at any given moment, and even Pedri arriving from deeper positions..
Away in the Czech Republic earlier this season, Barcelona dragged Viktoria Plzen about ruthlessly and won a Champions League game when, given that Xavi used a young, inexperienced side, there was a threat of losing. It was vivacious and fluid, and Barca were hard to pin down.
For the last hour against Osasuna, after Lewandowski's sending off, in a match in which the hosts hadn't simply led at the break but bullied Barcelona, pressed them and made it look as if this was a definite defeat in the making, LaLiga's leaders played better with 10 men, were again noticeably more fluid and rapid and, significantly, turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win.
President Laporta hopes Messi will play for Barcelona again
Barcelona president Joan Laporta expresses his hopes that club legend and freshly crowned world champion Lionel Messi will play in Blaugrana colours again.
There's another point that Xavi can turn to his advantage instead of lamenting the Polish player's three-game suspension.
For the past 12 years, Lewandowski has benefitted from the Bundesliga's "Winterpause" -- a break from December to January or February meaning no league matches for anywhere between three to five weeks. The German league also plays a 34-match league season, the Spanish one 38. His absence, a three-match suspension that Barcelona appealed through every possible authority only to be told to stop making a fuss about nothing, means he has, and will continue to have, a mini Winterpause since the World Cup ended. In theory, he should be fitter and sharper for the Copa del Rey, the Supercup semifinal against Betis in Saudi Arabia and then for Manchester United in the Europa League.
Laporta is an unashamed fan. "Lewandowski is one of the reasons we've been able to make our fans happy again. Of course he brings professionalism, experience and responsibility, but he's a hell of a guy and he's brought the club an air of glamour." True, but there's a counterpoint: this is a striker who significantly conditions how Xavi's team plays, and around the corner, there is coming a time when Lewandowski -- a short-term fix for a lack of power, class and experience while this squad was being rebuilt -- won't be there.
While far from definitive, the next three LaLiga matches offer Xavi and his squad a glimpse of what the not-too-distant future will look like. Perhaps an attractive glimpse at that.
'It has become a joke' - Ramiz Raja on being ousted as PCB boss
"Politics should not be mixed up in cricket," Ramiz said on his YouTube channel. "This is a game of cricketers and a playing field for them. Some people come from outside the circle, and to adjust one person [Sethi], they had to change the entire constitution. I have not seen this anywhere in the world.
Ramiz and other PCB board members were replaced by a 14-member management committee, led by former board head Najam Sethi, by Shahbaz Sharif, who recently replaced Imran Khan as Pakistan's prime minister. The committee has 120 days to change the PCB's constitution, bringing back the 2014 version, which was replaced in 2019.
The PCB constitution - whether of 2014 or 2019 - gives the patron the right to name two direct nominees in the PCB Board of which one is elected as the chair. With the change of government usually comes a change of chairmanship and board administration, almost immediately. But as the new government - with a coalition of several political parties - worked its way through more pressing matters in the country, Ramiz stayed under the radar and continued in the position. But his exit was inevitable sooner or later.
Ramiz: 'I would say it's political interference'
"It's frustrating when you are told to step aside after 12 months when you were given a term of three years," Ramiz said. "I would say it's political interference because you want to recruit someone politically. It will not help cricket and it won't help with the [lack of] continuity. It leads to pressure on the cricket board, the system, the national team and the captain. The constitution has to be robust. It happens only in Pakistan. I will continue to raise the subject on international platforms. It has become a joke."
The Pakistan government has already revoked the 2019 constitution the PCB was operating under and has given Sethi's committee full executive powers to revive the constitution of 2014. Apart from the changes in the board and its structure, that constitution will also bring department sides back into domestic cricket - they had been removed in 2019 after Imran became the prime minister [the PM automatically becomes the PCB's patron].
After his exit from the PCB, Ramiz could go back to broadcasting, and Sethi confirmed that the PCB woouldn't have any issues with that.
"I have great respect for him [Ramiz] and let me make it clear that he will not be barred from commentary," Sethi said. "I am aware how much pressure he was under from the top [Imran] about me and that's not his fault. Ramiz is a free man and if he is selected for commentary, he will not be stopped at any stage."
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