Essex and England legend calls time on 20-year playing career

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-20232:25

Miller: Alastair Cook’s career ‘hewn from granite’

Alastair Cook, England’s leading Test run-scorer and one of the foremost batters of his generation, has announced his retirement from the professional game.Speculation had swirled around the final rounds of this season’s LV= Insurance County Championship that Cook, 38, could be set to call time on his playing career. Essex played down the reports, with the club still in contention for the Division One title, saying Cook would sit down to discuss his future at the end of the season – but the former England captain has now confirmed his decision.”Today I am announcing my retirement and the end of my career as a professional cricketer,” Cook said in a statement on the Essex website.”It is not easy to say goodbye. For more than two decades, cricket has been so much more than my job. It has allowed me to experience places I never dreamed I would go, be part of teams that have achieved things I would never have thought possible and, most importantly, created deep friendships that will last a lifetime.”From the eight-year-old boy who first played for Wickham Bishops Under 11s to now, I end with a strange feeling of sadness mixed with pride. Although above all, I am incredibly happy.”It is the right time for this part of my life to come to an end. I have always given absolutely everything I possibly have to be the best player I could be, but now I want to make way for the new generation to take over.”Cook, who made his Essex debut in 2003, stepped away from Test cricket at the end of the 2018 summer, having scored more than 12,000 Test runs for his country. He first played for England on the tour of India in 2005-06 and he went on to be capped 161 times in Tests – captaining in 59 of them – as well as leading the ODI side.ESPNcricinfo LtdAfter bowing out with a hundred against India at The Oval, Cook continued to play for his home county for five more seasons, helping the club to lift the Division One title in 2019, as well as the Bob Willis Trophy the following year. His form remained impressive, with almost 1000 first-class runs in 2022 and 836 this summer – albeit his average dipped to 33.44 and there was only one hundred, taking his first-class tally to 74.His final appearance came in the defeat to Northamptonshire at Wantage Road last month, as Essex’s hopes of beating Surrey to the title were finally dashed.”I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Essex, the county I joined when I was aged 12,” Cook added. “I want to say a massive thank you to everyone at Chelmsford for everything you have given to me. All of the fans, members and staff have always been so supportive, patient and generous.”When I ended my international career, I had no idea that I would have five more bonus years playing for Essex. I cannot put into words just how much fun we have had during that time. For that I want to thank head coach Anthony McGrath, Ryan ten Doeschate and Tom Westley, my two captains during that time, and all of the players. I won’t miss strapping on my pads and facing the new ball, but I will miss being in the Eagles’ changing room.”Playing a full part in the season when Essex won the County Championship in 2019 is one of my favourite achievements in the game. I look forward to watching Essex continue to punch above their weight, hopefully winning many more trophies in the coming years.”There are so many people I want to thank, too many to mention. However, none of this would have been possible without Graham Gooch. As a seven-year-old boy, Goochie was my hero. He became my coach, mentor and, above all, a great friend. I dread to think of the number of hours he has given up to help me become the best player I could be.”Alastair Cook made his final professional appearance for Essex at Wantage Road•Getty ImagesOverall, Cook scored more than 26,000 first-class runs during his professional career – 11,337 of them for Essex – as well as another 7500 in limited-overs cricket.In recent years, he has combined playing for Essex with working in the media, notably for the BBC as a summariser, and contributing back home on the family farm.”Although my England career came to an end in 2018, I remain blown away by the amount of affection I receive from England supporters,” he said. “Wherever I have travelled, you have been there with your enthusiasm, kind words and unshakable belief. English cricket really does have the best fans in the world.”I will never underestimate the privilege I have had to play cricket. I will always be grateful for what the game has given to me. Now, I hope the Bedfordshire Farmers will find space for a has-been ‘allrounder’ somewhere in their lower order.”

They tested positive for a banned recreational drug, and will appear for a disciplinary hearing soon

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Dec-2023

Allrounders Wessly Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta have been suspended with immediate effect by Zimbabwe Cricket for “allegedly breaching anti-doping rules”. They have been suspended from all cricket activities, pending a hearing, after they tested positive for a banned recreational drug in an out-of-competition case during a in-house dope test recently.They have been charged under the ZC Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials, and will appear for a disciplinary hearing soon, which will likely decide the length of their suspension.Both Madhevere and Mavuta were part of the Zimbabwe side that faced Ireland in a home series until last week. Madhevere played all three T20Is while Mavuta played just the third T20I and the three ODIs after that.Mavuta made his international debut in 2018, and has so far played four Tests, 12 ODIs and 10 T20Is, while Madhevere, who first represented Zimbabwe in 2020, has featured in two Tests, 36 ODIs and 60 T20Is.While Mavuta didn’t play any competitive cricket after the Ireland series, Madhevere featured for Mashonaland Eagles in the ongoing Logan Cup, Zimbabwe’s first-class competition, to score 4 and bag 2 for 34.Madhevere’s and Mavuta’s suspensions come a day after Zimbabwe’s head coach Dave Houghton resigned from his post, as they failed to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup after also missing out on the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Manchester United’s 4-1 triumph over Real Sociedad last night was undoubtedly one of the best of the Ruben Amorim era, booking their place in the quarterfinal against French side Lyon.

Bruno Fernandes captured all the headlines and rightfully so with his hat-trick, with his goals the difference between qualifying or getting knocked out given the 5-2 aggregate scoreline.

Compatriot Diogo Dalot also got himself on the scoresheet, hopefully giving the 25-year-old added confidence in the side after struggling to impress in recent weeks.

It was an all-round effort from the side, with their triumph over the LaLiga outfit putting Amorim one step closer to winning his maiden trophy at Old Trafford – potentially ending the campaign on a positive note after their poor form in the Premier League.

Such a convincing performance will give confidence to the manager but also many of the players who have been unable to perform throughout 2024/25.

Hojlund & Zirkzee’s stats for United against Sociedad

Despite their lack of goals in this campaign, Amorim opted to start with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee as part of the front three, with both managing to produce admirable displays.

The Dane may have failed to find the back of the net once again, but he managed to register the assist for Dalot’s late strike, making himself a nuisance to the opposition and winning four of his six aerial duels.

He also completed 84% of the passes he attempted, creating three chances for his teammates, having a real positive impact within the final third.

As for the Dutchman, he also failed to find the back of the net but managed to register four efforts on goal, offering a constant threat in the final third throughout.

The 23-year-old also completed three dribbles during the win, finding a teammate with 100% of the long balls he attempted, starting to show his quality after his disappointing start to life at Old Trafford.

However, despite the showings of the aforementioned pair, one other player stepped up, potentially being Amorim’s new version of a star who thrived at Sporting CP.

The player who is Amorim’s new Gyokeres

Striker Viktor Gyokeres has been a name constantly touted with a move to United, potentially following Amorim to England after his impressive form in Portugal.

The Swedish international has registered 82 goals in his 90 appearances for Sporting, with many supporters wanting the manager to be reunited with his former talisman.

However, strikers in today’s market cost a fortune, potentially making a deal too expensive this summer, but the fanbase shouldn’t worry, with midfielder Fernandes showcasing that he’s capable of making the jump to being the boss’s new talisman.

The 30-year-old has been a shining light throughout 2024/25, still managing to produce the goods despite their lowly Premier League standing, which sees them sit in the bottom half of the table.

He’s notched 26 combined goals and assists to date, with his three goals only bolstering his already impressive record despite the lack of success endured by the first-team.

Bruno has now notched 10 goals since the manager’s appointment in late November last year – the most of any player – showcasing his talents, making it unthinkable as to where they’d be without him.

Despite his deep-lying role, he registered six efforts on goal, creating four opportunities for his teammates in the process – producing a sensational attacking display.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

3

Shots taken

6

Chances created

4

Aerials won

1/1 (100%)

Recoveries made

9

Tackles won

2

He also won 100% of the aerial duels he entered, whilst making nine recoveries and winning two tackles, demonstrating his importance at both ends.

His goalscoring record is truly phenomenal for a midfielder, consistently producing the goods when needed, with Amorim always able to rely on him to get the side out of trouble.

While a striker is undoubtedly a priority this summer, Fernandes has proved he’s capable of being the star man under the new management side, hoping to play a pivotal role in any future success during his tenure.

Man Utd academy superstar was ahead of Garnacho, but ETH sold him for £1.5m

Manchester United once had a star on their hands, but Erik ten Hag sold him on the cheap.

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Charli Knott produced a decisive all-round contribution as Brisbane Heat confirmed their standing as the early-season pacesetters in the WBBL with victory over Melbourne Stars to make it four wins from four.Knott gave a stuttering Heat batting performance, which had included just eight runs off the two power surge overs, a late boost with 31 off 14 balls. She dominated a stand of 43 alongside Georgia Voll that enabled 51 runs to come from the last five overs.Opening the bowling, she then gave Heat the ideal start as a viciously-spinning offbreak ripped through Sophia Dunkley to leave the England batter perplexed at what had happened.Heat’s spinners had a major say in the chase with Knott, Sarah Glenn and captain Jess Jonassen taking six wickets between them.Glenn claimed the huge wicket of Meg Lanning when she missed a sweep while Jonassen removed Maia Bouchier with a low caught-and-bowled opportunity. Knott’s second wicket came courtesy of a stunning running catch at deep square leg by Nicola Hancock to haul in Nicole Faltum’s powerfully struck sweep.While Alice Capsey remained there was hope for Stars, but when she was stumped off Jonassen for a 43-ball 52 there was too much left to do despite Kim Garth’s best efforts.Heat had made a strong start with the bat and reached 49 without loss in the sixth over before Ellie Johnston, playing in place of the rested Georgia Redmayne, top-edged a short ball from young quick Milly Illingworth having pulled her for six earlier in the over.Grace Harris couldn’t quite find her stride before playing across a full delivery from the impressive Annabel Sutherland. Stars continued to chip away with the ball and at 99 for 5 in the 16th they were on top, but Heat’s late flourish changed the complexion.

When Tottenham Hotspur announced the signing of Mathys Tel on loan last month, there was plenty of understandable excitement from their fans.

After all, the North Londoners were getting their hands on an exciting young talent who seemed to be of interest to a number of their Premier League rivals, such as Manchester United.

However, a month on, and it would be fair to describe the Frenchman’s time in the capital as disappointing thus far, and with just a couple of months left of the season, there is a real chance he’ll return to Bayern Munich as a flop.

Worse still, the Frenchman is currently being outperformed by a former Tottenham flop signed by José Mourinho and then sold by Antonio Conte.

Mourinho's worst Spurs signings

Before getting to the player in question, let’s look at some of the other poor signings the Special One made during his short stint in North London, starting with Matt Doherty.

The Irish international joined Spurs from Wolverhampton Wanderers for around £14.7m in the summer of 2020, and while it looked like a shrewd bit of business at the time, it most certainly was not.

The right-back would make 71 appearances for the club over the next two and a half years, in which he provided eight assists and scored three goals, but failed to ever really impress the fans and was let go for nothing in January 2023.

Mourinho didn’t just make poor permanent signings in N17, though, as he also welcomed Carlos Vinicius to the club from Benfica on loan with a £41m option to buy in October 2020.

The Brazilian forward had scored 24 goals and provided 13 assists in 47 games the campaign prior, so there was some hope that he’d be able to make a real difference for Tottenham.

However, while the Bom Jesus das Selvas-born ace scored six goals and provided three assists in the Europa League and bagged a hat-trick against Marine in the FA Cup, he only scored once in nine league outings and was sent back to Portugal the following summer.

The now Fulham ace wasn’t the only underwhelming attacker signed by Mourinho in 2020, as another is now outscoring and performing Tel away from the club this season.

The former Spurs dud outperforming Tel

With Mourinho not actually making all that many signings while in the Spurs hot seat, it’ll come as no surprise that the attacker in question is Steven Bergwijn.

The Dutchman joined the North Londoners for about £27m in January 2020, but aside from completing one of the Premier League’s best comebacks, the skilful winger joined Ajax just two years later for around £26m with eight goals and nine assists to his name in 83 appearances.

Over the next two and a bit years, the “big-game monster,” as dubbed by journalist John Cross, would score 29 goals and provide 11 assists in 80 games for the Amsterdam outfit before making a surprise move to Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League in September.

Since moving to the Middle East, the 27-year-old has scored ten goals and provided six assists in 23 appearances this season.

When you add the one assist he picked up in his final four games for Ajax prior to his move, the former Lilywhtes star has averaged a goal involvement every 1.58 games this term.

Appearances

27

20

Goals

10

1

Assists

7

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.62

0.10

In contrast, in 20 appearances for Bayern and Spurs this season, Tel has scored one goal and provided one assist, which is an average of a goal involvement every ten games.

Ultimately, it goes without saying that the 19-year-old is playing in a far harder league, but as he’s looking increasingly unable to impact games, we wonder if Spurs wish they had someone like Bergwijn on the bench just for the next couple of months.

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MatériaMais Notícias

da dobrowin： O Nova Iguaçu recebe o Vitória nesta quarta-feira, às 16h30, pela Copa do Brasil, consciente da importância da competição. O lateral-direito Léo Fernandes, um dos destaques do time no Campeonato Carioca, fala das vantagens do torneio nacional.

– É uma competição de enorme visibilidade e retorno financeiro para o clube. O Vitória é uma equipe tradicional e que certamente vai impor bastante dificuldade. Teremos que realizar uma partida próxima da perfeição para passarmos de fase – declarou.

+ Confira a tabela de jogos da Copa do Brasil de 2023

RelacionadasListasFluminense dá chapéu no Vasco por atacante, carrasco do Flamengo acerta com novo clube… O Dia do Mercado!Listas28/02/2023Futebol InternacionalAutor de gol em clássico, brasileiro celebra vitória do Ararat-Armenia e projeta sequênciaFutebol Internacional28/02/2023Futebol InternacionalEm retorno de Pogba, Juventus vence clássico contra o Torino com gols brasileiros no Campeonato ItalianoFutebol Internacional28/02/2023

da betano casino： Mandante, o Nova Iguaçu precisará vencer o jogo para avançar no torneio. Segundo Léo, o regulamento influenciará diretamente na forma de jogar do time da Baixada.

– Nessa etapa da Copa do Brasil uma equipe tem a vantagem do mando de campo e a outra de poder empatar. O Nova Iguaçu entrará em campo ciente de que apenas vencendo atingirá o seu objetivo e procurará jogar com inteligência – concluiu.

Manchester United have been with yet another woeful food hygiene rating after more mouse droppings were found at the club's Old Trafford stadium.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Red Devils hit with fresh pest problem
• More mouse droppings found at stadium
• Unable to improve food hygiene rating

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils were forced to call in pest control at the end of 2024 due to a mouse infestation. The situation saw the club's food hygiene rating drop from five stars down to two, and United have been unable to improve on that in the last few months. According to the , environmental health experts have found mouse droppings once more at Old Trafford, meaning their food hygiene rating remains unchanged.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The mouse droppings are said to have been found in seven different areas across Old Trafford and weren't the only issue. Inspectors also flagged up "dirty" areas and were concerned about the labels of some food products which appeared out of date The news will be a fresh blow to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, although he remains keen to build a new 100,000-seater stadium to replace Old Trafford.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  A source told the : "Manchester United implements a robust pest-control system throughout Old Trafford. Multiple weekly checks are made in all catering areas and stringent measures are taken to ensure levels of hygiene and cleanliness are high wherever food is stored, prepared and served. If incidences of this nature do occur at the stadium, immediate and appropriate action is taken."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Mice haven't been the only problems at Old Trafford recently. A dead rat was spotted under a fan's seat in November 2024 during a Europa League tie against Bodo/Glimt.

أبرز لوكاس فاسكيز، الوافد الجديد إلى صفوف نادي باير ليفركوزن، أهمية الدور الذي لعبه المدرب السابق للنادي الألماني، تشابي ألونسو في اختيار الظهير الأيمن لوجهته الجديدة.

فاسكيز وقع مع نادي باير ليفركوزن بشكل رسمي أمس الثلاثاء في صفقة انتقال حر وبعقد مدته عامين، بعد نهاية عقده مع نادي ريال مدريد.

وقرر فاسكيز وضع حد لمسيرته مع ريال مدريد، والتي كانت حافلة بالألقاب طوال السنوات العشر الماضية، حيث لم يجدد ابن الـ34 عامًا عقده مع الفريق الملكي.

أقرأ أيضًا.. رسميًا | باير ليفركوزن يعلن تعاقده مع لوكاس فاسكيز حتى عام 2027

وأشار فاسكيز في حديثه إلى قناة باير ليفركوزن الرسمي، أن ألونسو لعب دورًا هامًا في انتقاله إلى صفوف النادي الألماني.

ودرب ألونسو ليفركوزن لمدة موسمين ونصف وحقق معهم إنجازات كبيرة قبل الانتقال إلى تدريب ريال مدريد هذا الصيف.

وقال فاسكيز: “نعم، تحدثت مع ألونسو مسبقًا، أشاد كثيرًا بالنادي والمؤسسة والفريق، في الحقيقة، أنا سعيد جدًا بوجودي هنا، وممتن جدًا لتشابي على المساعدة التي قدمها لي”.

وأضاف فاسكيز في حديثه: “أنضم إلى الفريق للمساعدة، وللمساهمة بدوري، ولأحاول الاستفادة من خبرتي حتى يتمكن اللاعبون الشباب والجميع من بناء فريق رائع وتقديم موسم رائع”.

وأوضح: ”حسنًا، أعتقد أن أدائي على الجناح، وقدرتي على اللعب في جميع أنحاء الملعب، للأمام والخلف، يمكنني من مساعدة الفريق هجوميًا ودفاعيًا”.

وعن أسباب اختياره ارتداء الرقم 21 مع ليفركوزن اختتم فاسكيز: ”هو رقم أحبه، وفي المنزل أجرينا تصويتًا مع الأطفال، وقد فضلوا الرقم 21 على ما كان متاحًا”.

Inter Miami continue to regain momentum with another dominant win, this time over Columbus Crew

In a matchup billed as a clash between two of the Eastern Conference's best, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami made it a one-sided affair, cruising to a 5-1 win over the Columbus Crew at Chase Stadium Saturday night.

Messi assisted on the opening goal and scored a brace to lead the way for , while Tadeo Allende, Luis Suarez and Fafa Picault all added to the misery for Wilfried Nancy's fifth-placed Crew. Cesar Ruvalcaba scored one for the visitors.

Inter Miami started their onslaught early thanks to U.S. international Benjamin Cremaschi. The 20-year-old triggered a press that would find Messi, who threaded the needle to Allende for the 13th-minute opener. Then Messi would get his own scoring going just two minutes later.

Nicholas Hagen, filling in for an injured Patrick Schulte at goal, was pressured into a poor pass into the Argentine's feet and he lobbed a ball that the keeper let slip through his hands. The air was deflated from Columbus and Miami ran riot. Messi added another goal, this time on an incredible chip finish. Suarez and Picualt would add the fourth and fifth goals in the second half.

Don't look now, but Miami has scored nine goals and conceded three in its last two games.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Chase Stadium.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGoalkeeper & Defense

Oscar Ustari (6/10):

Didn't have much to do as The Herons were effective in largely keeping the Crew out of the penalty area. The veteran keeper was subbed off at half time, which speculated to be an injury.

Noah Allen (6/10):

Solid while filling in for the injured Jordi Alba, but not spectacular. Miami clearly missed the attacking presence the veteran Spaniard provides, but Allen made two much-needed clearances in the match.

Héctor Martínez (6/10):

With Allen being shifted to the flank, Martinez got a rare start and was decent. Played an effective role in slowing down Columbus in the first half but got an unnecessary yellow card in the 60th minute.

Maximiliano Falcón (6/10):

Still hasn't found the form he had at the start of the season, and was arguably the weak link of the backline. Was a steady foot on offense, connecting on more than 96 percent of his passes.

Marcelo Weigandt (6/10):

A quiet, effective night for the fullback, which Inter Miami fans will take considering his mistake-prone play of late.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Telasco Segovia (6/10):

Was largely quiet, but showed strong intelligence to find Suarez as opposed to forcing a shot and assisted the Uruguayan on Miami's fourth goal. Subbed off in a move to defend the home side's advantage, as Javier Mascherano brought on defender Ian Fray in his spot.

Sergio Busquets (8/10):

One of his better displays of the season, neat and tidy as usual, and put the ball on the plate for Messi – who delivered one of his best finishes of the campaign as a result, with a pinpoint chip.

Benjamin Cremaschi (7/10):

Started centrally, which is where he belongs, and he delivered. Effective with pressing, he helped create the opening goal by winning the ball and feeding Messi, who found Allende. Cremaschi is one of the few players on The Herons who has pace, and he played both sides of the ball well.

Tadeo Allende (8/10):

Continues to be arguably Miami's second-best player this season. Was clinical on Messi's assist. Completed three dribbles, connected on a key pass, and was even strong in the air.

Attack

Luis Suárez (8/10):

The 38-year-old is back to his best after a slow start to the season, scoring his third goal in his last two matches – he's now has five goals and seven assists in 14 matches.

Lionel Messi (10/10):

The Argentine was back to his dominant self against a well-coached team in the Crew. Got a bit lucky with his first goal, as the visitors capitulated on defense and Columbus' No. 2 keeper couldn't do anything with a shot that should've been a straightforward save. Still, he was brilliant in his assist and his other strike.

Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Rocco Ríos Novo(5/10):

Came in as a surprise second-half sub, was largely solid, aside from Ruvalcaba's goal – which the No. 2 keeper could've kept out.

Ian Fray (6/10):

Decent showing in limited minutes.

Fafa Picault (7/10):

Only played 11 minutes, bit scored a goal. Talk about instant impact.

Ryan Sailor (NA):

Played one minute in a fresh-legs substitution.

Javier Mascherano (8/10):

He has gotten his share of just blame for Miami's struggles, but Saturday, this was a well-oiled machine, and the Crew couldn't respond.

India coach says that one of KS Bharat or Dhruv Jurel will play as wicketkeeper against England

Alagappan Muthu23-Jan-20246:59

Dravid: ‘KL Rahul will not be playing as a wicketkeeper in this series’

India are expecting the pitch for the first Test against England in Hyderabad to offer turn, but the question is how much? Two days out from the start of the game, it looked like the good length area for the spinners at either end was drier than the other parts of the surface.”Hard one to say,” head coach Rahul Dravid said on Tuesday. “Just have a look once it starts and figure it out. It looks a good one from what I’ve seen. May spin a little bit. How quickly and how fast, I’m not sure. But might spin a little bit certainly as the game goes on.”It is in response to the way pitches in the subcontinent might play that India will be opting for a specialist keeper for all five Tests.Related

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• How Rajat Patidar earned his selection to India's Test squad

• India's home dominance: Cherish it, and don't take it for granted

• India's wicked keepers debate: Rahul vs Bharat vs Jurel

• What lessons can England take from their last time in India?

“[KL] Rahul will not be playing as a wicketkeeper in this series,” Dravid said. “I think we were quite clear about that with the selection itself. We had picked two other wicketkeepers. Obviously Rahul did a fantastic job for us in South Africa and really played a big part in us drawing that series. But considering It’s five Test matches and playing in these conditions, we felt we would go with another keeping option, considering the weather, considering the conditions. So obviously it’s a selection toss-up between the two other keepers that we have.”That’s KS Bharat, who kept in all four Tests of India’s most recent home series, against Australia in February and March 2023, and Dhruv Jurel, the uncapped 22-year old from Uttar Pradesh. On Tuesday afternoon, Jurel was at the ground, paired with the slip cordon – Rahul, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer – taking catching drills for the best part of half an hour. At the same time, off to the right of the entrance to the stadium, Bharat was in the nets being tested by R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Rohit Sharma was at the adjacent one and was seen helping Bharat out over the course of the session.England arrive on the back of a handsome Test record under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, with 13 wins in their last 18 matches, playing attack-first-ask-questions-later kind of cricket. And there is a lot of interest around whether the Bazball method will work against India in India.KS Bharat and Dhruv Jurel will vie for the wicketkeeper’s slot•AFP/Getty Images

“They’ve played really well,” Dravid said. “It’s certainly been exciting to watch them play and they’ve had success playing like that. So why wouldn’t you play like that?”But we know it’s going to be a challenge for them in these conditions as well. These are conditions that we know very well. We’ve got a lot of experience in our attack. As a coach, I’m looking forward to how our boys respond because I know that we’ll be put under pressure and I’m really hopeful that we respond positively.”England are under no illusions. They’re happy to deal with whatever the Hyderabad pitch might throw at them.”We discussed the pitch but I wouldn’t say that we discussed it at length or worry about it,” fast bowler Mark Wood said on Tuesday. “We know, again, I know how good India are but we have enough self-belief in our group that we can do something special.”It’s no good coming here and rolling over thinking, ‘Oh the pitch is going to do all the work’ or ‘It’s going to be tough because the pitches are not what we’re used to.’ We have to find a way and that will be what we’ll try and do in the game. We’ll adapt, we’ve got a captain that always wants to take the game forward so it should make for an entertaining series.”