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The former New Zealand opener talks about his international career, the new first-class season, coaching Samoa, and his career as an accountant

Interview by Deivarayan Muthu22-Nov-2025Jeet Raval has had a fascinating journey from India to New Zealand: from being Parthiv Patel’s opening partner for Vidyanagar School in Ahmedabad to playing alongside Kane Williamson for New Zealand and Northern Districts, and being part of the squad that had won the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021. Raval, who turned 37 in September, talks about buying into the New Zealand culture, the strength of their domestic system, and closing in on 10,000 first-class runs. In the Plunket Shield, only three players – Michael Papps (11,463), Mathew Sinclair (8842), and Peter Fulton (8719) – have scored more runs than Raval’s 8216 in New Zealand’s first-class competition.You’ve had an unusual journey. As you step into your 17th Plunket Shield season, can you talk to us about that?
It’s been a very satisfying journey. Obviously rewarding in terms of how long I’ve been able to play cricket professionally and some of the successes, especially team successes, I’ve had along the way. But the journey started on the back of my parents making the sacrifice to leave India, leave the family, leave their careers behind for myself and my sister to have an opportunity to do something in our life. Just a huge thank-you will never be enough.New Zealand had a very different lifestyle, different culture, the environment, the playing style. But the people I’ve met along the way and who have helped me to succeed and also when the times have been tough, they have been in my corner, helping me get through this. It’s been an incredible journey, one that I’ve cherished. Even though it might be the 17th season, it still feels like my first season. I still get the same butterflies, same excitement, when the new season is starting.You may not have envisioned this path for you while growing up and now you’re on the verge of scoring 10,000 first-class runs. How special is that?
I actually used to bowl medium pace back in the day (laughs). And when I played age-group cricket for Gujarat, I batted No. 9 or 10. But when I moved to New Zealand, I started opening the batting and took batting seriously. And I had some real good help from Kit Pereira, who was my mentor, and also Barrington Rowland, a former Karnataka player. They moulded me into the person and the cricketer I am today.Related

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I’ve had to figure out a different style of cricket. Opening in New Zealand is a big challenge. You come across green surfaces more often than not. So you have to build your technique around defence, being able to strongly leave the ball outside the off stump, and set up the game for your middle order to score runs. That’s how I moulded my game over the years, and even though the game has advanced quite a lot since those early days, I still pride myself on the game I built for myself and the job I’ve been able to do for my various teams.[Numbers] is not what I’ve been driven by. For me, the driving factors have been wanting to contribute to the team, wanting to come through those challenges, and really, just contribute to the team’s success over the years and finding a way in different conditions against different bowlers and finding satisfaction from there. To get to that landmark [10,000 first-class runs] would be very special and one that I will definitely celebrate. But for now, the focus is on setting up games for Northern Districts, and hopefully we can go on to defend our title as well.Having been educated in a Gujarati-medium school, how did you adapt to New Zealand when you moved there as a teenager?
It was a shock to the system when I first arrived here. I remember my first two weeks of going to the school and everybody’s talking in English, [which] I learned very briefly in India but never spoke. We spoke Gujarati mainly at home and I studied in a Gujarati-medium school. I would remember going back home to my mum, crying and saying: “I don’t understand what people are saying to me.” I almost felt lost at the time and I wanted to go back to India, which was my comfort zone.I was actually doing well in terms of cricket there. I was playing for the Gujarat Under-16 team and I had my friends there. I remember telling my parents that I really want to go back. It was August [2004] when we arrived in New Zealand. My parents said: Why don’t we wait till December end of the year, give it two or three months. Who knows what can happen? And then suddenly the New Zealand cricket season started in September-October and I started performing well for the school team, where I had Ajaz Patel as part of the first XI, and I got along really well with Ajaz.Also, the cricket club I was associated with, Suburbs New Lynn Cricket Club, had the likes of Ajaz and Martin Guptill there. My mentor, Kit Pereira, was also part of the same club. They made me feel at home and took me under their wing. I can’t name each one of them [in the club] but they made me feel like I was one of their sons. They would pick me up and drop me home, though I was new to their system. All of a sudden, within three-four months, I felt like I started belonging to their environment, even though the language was still a barrier.Last season Raval was the top run-scorer for title winners Northern Districts, with 672 runs at 48 from eight Plunket Shield Games•Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesOver the years, cricket was a common theme and a factor which allowed me to embrace the New Zealand culture and immerse myself into it slowly. And over the years, things got easier and I was able to adapt to the New Zealand way of doing things.You then became the product of the domestic system and went on to play for New Zealand. How do New Zealand keep churning out quality international players despite having a limited talent pool?
I’m incredibly proud of the way New Zealand Cricket turned itself around from about 2014-2015, when Brendon McCullum took over captaincy [in 2013]. And also, the leadership at New Zealand’s high-performance level was great in terms of preparing players to be the best in the world. Brendon brought his way of doing things and Kane [Williamson] carried on.I think the strength of our domestic competition is very, very high. It may not be regarded as high around the world, but I think it’s one of the best competitions. It tests players mentally, physically for a number of years. When these guys like [Jacob] Duffy and Daryl Mitchell, come out to the international stage, they are actually ready to perform, like you see. We don’t have the depth of population to pick out the best talented players, so what they do is they pick a number of players – for example 20 or 30 players – and work hard with them and invest in them, and eventually these players come out really strongly. We’re hard-working in a humble Kiwi way that gets the job done. I’m incredibly proud to be part of the system.You spoke of your friendship with Ajaz. You both were part of the WTC-winning squad in 2021 and went on the mace tour together in Auckland. What are your memories of that?
Jazzy has been there for me since day one, and we’re still brothers. We played club cricket and school cricket together and then for Auckland and at the [Central] Stags. It’s great to see him succeed at the Test level too, turning from a little medium-pacer to a left-arm spinner winning games. It’s incredible doing this journey with Jazzy.Tell us about your 24 Tests with New Zealand from 2016 to 2020?
It was one of the most successful times in our Test history when I was part of the team, and we had a great team and we had a lot of success along the way as well. I really enjoyed contributing to the team. Early in my career I hadn’t got a hundred, but I was still getting the starts and helping the team build that foundation.Raval’s last Test for New Zealand was at the SCG in 2020. He remembers the Test for the lack of expectations and for feeling the joy return to his game•Jason McCawley/Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesI remember there being a lot of external pressure to score a hundred, but internally Kane, Ross [Taylor] and the other senior players never made it feel like I hadn’t scored a hundred. They always made me feel like I was contributing, which was huge, and made me feel quite at ease. In the latter part of my career I sort of had my form fall away in a series against England and a big series in Australia – a place we hadn’t toured for years. I think I had a couple of games where I didn’t quite perform where I was required to perform. And then, unfortunately, they [team management] decided to go another way.That obviously hurt at the time. But I know the guys that came in – like Devon Conway and Will Young and the likes – went on to perform at a very high level straightaway. So I was disappointed, but also happy that somebody else did the job that the team needed at the time. Even since then – look, I haven’t lost the dream of playing again for New Zealand yet. New Zealand is such a small country, so you never say never! I feel like if there’s ever an opportunity where the team is in need, through injuries or lack of performances, and if I’m performing really well, I may have an outside chance to go and play one or two games. I still have that hope.I’m incredibly proud of the way I was able to contribute to the team’s success. Yes, I felt like I could have done it a bit longer, but I’m not sweating over it. I’ve made peace with that.How did you overcome that difficult Australia tour and find joy in your cricket once again?
When you’re going through a slump, there are so many thoughts going through your head where you’re analysing your technique, your decision-making, and your mind is clouded with so many things. So when you go out there to perform, you freeze and you can’t think clearly. I can reflect back and I feel like I was that frozen man who wasn’t able to let go of myself in the first Test, in Perth.And I was dropped for the Melbourne Test. Unfortunately Kane and Henry Nicholls, who got ill in the last Sydney Test match [missed the Test]. I got an opportunity to bat at No. 3. I knew that this was my one-off opportunity because I’d been dropped and those guys would come back in the team. I went out there absolutely wanting to bat like how I batted in the backyard in Ahmedabad with my cousins. With no fear, just for the love of the game, and trusting my skills. That sort of released weight off my shoulders.I think in the first innings, I scored 30 [31], but I feel those were some of the best runs I ever scored. And I vividly remember because it was so much fun and with the lack of expectations, it was just pure joy of wanting to play cricket.Neil Wagner, Raval, Ajaz Patel, Will Somerville and Tim Southee (from left) on tour with the World Test Championship mace in Auckland, 2021•Getty ImagesI tell the younger guys, it’s a very fine line of wanting to do well but trying too hard and letting go of your emotions. If you can detach your emotions from the game a little bit, it helps you stay level-headed and not get too caught up in wanting to do well, which I got caught up in. So I let go of expectations and the fear of failure in Sydney and I’ve carried on for the last few years.Did your life outside of cricket – as an accountant – help you stay level-headed?
Absolutely. Having that career outside of cricket gives you that break to take your mind off it, and you’re not thinking about cricket all the time. And also, you’re not putting all eggs in one basket and you have something else to fall back on.Family is a very important part of life. I have two young children now and they’ve given me a fresh perspective on life when I come home to them. They don’t know whether I have scored a duck or a hundred and just want me to be their father and be around them.You also seemed to derive enjoyment from your bowling in the last Plunket Shield season, when you took 14 wickets, including your first five-for.
I have always enjoyed bowling and helping out at the nets. Last season was one where we went in with four-five seamers for the majority of the games. If we needed someone to have a breather, I would bowl a few overs and I managed to grab a few wickets (laughs). But this season, we have Tim Pringle [fit]. He’s a fantastic left-arm spinner and has a big future ahead. I’m happy to take a back seat now with the ball.You’ve batted against a number of New Zealand bowlers over the years. Who was the toughest to face?
Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne, and when I was playing for Auckland, I got to face the likes of Tim [Southee], Trent [Boult] and Matt Henry and Neil Wagner. All these bowlers are lethal in New Zealand conditions. They can bowl at pace and also swing the ball both ways. I’ve enjoyed my encounters against all those quality bowlers.Raval’s only Test hundred came against Bangladesh, in Hamilton in 2019•Getty ImagesYou forayed into coaching during the New Zealand winter, being an assistant to Tarun Nethula, and working with Ross Taylor at Samoa. What was that experience like?
It was my first proper coaching experience and I absolutely loved that. I enjoyed being surrounded by people who were proud to represent Samoa. We had a mix of experience – like Ross Taylor, one of the greats of world cricket, Sean Solia, who has played for Auckland, and rising stars like Solomon Nash [son of former New Zealand seamer Dion Nash]. It was a chance for me to be involved with a team that was driven by their culture and heritage. They were all proud to play for Samoa.It was never hard to get them up for a game. For us, it was a challenge of how do we help them succeed in foreign conditions, which was Oman [for the T20 World Cup Qualifiers]. They had never experienced slow and low conditions before and I really enjoyed helping the group succeed in those conditions. We were able to advance through to our group and move into the Super Sixes, which was a big achievement for Samoa. And I think if I’m correct, we also beat PNG for the first time in 25 years, which is a step in the right direction for Samoa cricket.I’m sure more people of Samoan heritage will take some inspiration from this tournament. Hopefully we can push for higher honours and I can keep giving back to Samoan cricket.Did coaching Samoa change your perspective?
Yeah, two things that stood out for me. Firstly, providing the structure and the quality of training to players where they feel like they’re getting some value out of each training. And the second part that I really enjoyed was talking to players differently. Each player requires different kinds of communication. Figuring out how each player likes to be communicated with and helping them feel confident about their own game so they can go out there and perform. I feel as a coach, if you can make your players feel confident in their own ability, they are more likely to go out there and succeed.You’re also on the board of the New Zealand Cricket Players Association and part of a system where even domestic players are opting for flexible contracts. How are New Zealand dealing with this changing landscape?
I guess it’s [about] finding the balance of giving players the opportunity to play those franchise competitions and making sure they are committed to playing for New Zealand and domestically here in New Zealand. It’s a balance where our boards are willing to work with the players on a case-by-case basis.It’s a great arrangement from the board to have an open mind to have those discussions with players wanting to play [franchise cricket]. I don’t think we have found a perfect balance but we have found a good balance so far. We are on the right track to allowing players to go and play but also maintain the integrity of playing for New Zealand, which is the pinnacle for most of our cricketers in New Zealand.

Jadeja attributes his success with the bat to having a set position at No. 6

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-20252:08

Chopra: Jadeja’s game against fast bowling ‘has improved leaps and bounds’

Shubman Gill has hailed India’s “near-perfect game” after they kicked off their home season with an innings-and-140-run win against West Indies inside three days in Ahmedabad.”Three centurions in the game and I think we fielded really well in both the innings, so honestly don’t really have any complaints,” Gill told the host broadcaster after India’s win. “I’ve lost six tosses in a row, but as long as we keep winning the matches, it doesn’t matter for us. I’m very happy with the win.”India had bowled out West Indies for 162 on the opening day with Mohammed Siraj leading the way with 4 for 40. Then, KL Rahul (100), Dhruv Jurel (125) and Ravindra Jadeja (104*) scored centuries before India declared on 448 for 5, with a lead of 286. It took India less than two sessions on the third day to wrap up the game with Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar sharing seven wickets between them in West Indies’ second innings.Related

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“When you’ve got quality spinners like them, it’s difficult to be able to rotate,” Gill said. “But it’s good to have an option of too many rather than not having any. But that’s the challenge and that’s the fun of playing in India. There would always be someone who would be out there ready to get the job done.”Gill has enjoyed a productive start to his stint as Test captain. After India drew the five-match Test series in England 2-2, they started their home season with a bang.”It’s hard to pin down to one or two things that I learned, but I think over a period of two years, how we bonded as a team and how we got ourselves out from tough situations and difficult situations,” Gill said. “That was really pleasing for me to see. We are still a learning side and I think as long as we keep learning from our experiences that we have, I think we’re going to be on the positive side of the match.”Jadeja, who was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten century and his match haul of 4 for 69, has said that working on his fitness and skills during the off season at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru has paid off. Jadeja has been one of India’s premier spinners at home for a long time and has also stepped up with the bat. He was the fourth-highest run-getter in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with 516 runs in ten innings at an average of 86 and has carried his form into the home season.”I’ve been batting at No. 9, No. 8 a few years ago, but now I’ve got my number… No. 6,” Jadeja said. “So I have time to prepare myself and I can pace my innings. I don’t need to hurry. I don’t need to rush [and play] unnecessary shots. I just, I can go out there and take my time and just pace my innings.”Jadeja was also excited about playing on a red-soil surface in Ahmedabad, which offers more bounce and grip for spinners and is equally good for the batters.”Playing on a red soil [pitch], it’s fun because as a spinner, you get more turn and bounce,” he said. “As a spinner, you always want that. I was enjoying and as I got to know that we are playing on a red soil wicket, I thought, okay, for batting as well and for bowling as well. If the wicket is flat, you can score runs. If the ball is turning, then you can enjoy bowling on the red soil [pitch].”India are currently third on the World Test Championship table and will next face West Indies in the second Test in Delhi, which gets underway on October 10.

Starc is available to play up to three matches plus finals depending on how he recovers from the five-match Ashes series

Alex Malcolm09-Oct-2025

Mitchell Starc is set to play his first BBL match in 11 seasons in January after signing with the Sydney Sixers but remains adamant that any changes to the competition should not come at the expense of Test cricket.Starc played six matches in the first season of the BBL back in 2011-12, the same summer he made his Test debut for Australia, including taking two wickets in the final which Sixers won. He played four more games over the next three editions but has not featured since, having long prioritised the international summer with Australia.Related

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But after retiring from T20I cricket this year, Starc will not have any commitments with Australia following the completion of the fifth Ashes Test on January 8. It presents an opportunity for Starc to play upwards of three BBL matches on January 11, 16 and 18, depending on how he has recovered physically after a gruelling five-Test series, as well as the BBL finals if Sixers qualify.”I’ve got no cricket scheduled between the fifth Test and the IPL at this stage,” Starc said.”An opportunity to play some BBL cricket, I’ve obviously been a part of the small part of the Sixers throughout the 15 seasons, so it’s nice to return to potentially a playing role. Obviously, we’ve got the five Test matches to focus on, first and foremost. But post that, it’s obviously my intention to be available to play some part if called upon.”While Starc was excited about the possibility of returning to play with the Sixers, he was adamant that Australia’s Test summer should remain untouched regarding any future scheduling decisions to do with the BBL which are likely to come amid the privatisation discussions.”I’m fine with BBL windows,” Starc said. “The only view I have on it is the Test cricket schedule is not to be touched. Test cricket is the pinnacle. I don’t think Test cricket should make way for T20 cricket at all. Whether it’s the BBL, the IPL, anything, the Test summer is the Test summer. I would hate to see that change for domestic cricket.”So that is not a snipe at anyone. That’s just my opinion of Test cricket and where it sits on my priority list. Whether you move the Big Bash into a smaller window and play back-to-back, it’s T20 cricket. It’s not as physically demanding as Test cricket. I know they’ve shortened the schedule already. I think that’s been a positive impact.”Starc’s signing is another significant boost for the BBL in what is expected to be a massive season for the competition. Former India spinner R Aswhin is set to play the whole season for Sydney Thunder and there is a potential that Ashwin, Starc, David Warner, Steven Smith and Pakistan batter Babar Azam (provided the PCB’s NOC suspension is overturned) could all play in the same match on January 16 between Sixers and Thunder at the SCG.The Sydney Sixers with the inaugural BBL trophy•Getty Images

Head of the BBL Alistair Dobson was thrilled that Starc had made himself available for the BBL. “To have Mitch signing off for Sixers it just shows that it’s still a comp that everyone wants to play in,” he said.Despite Starc’s retirement from T20I cricket, his availability in the BBL may be short-lived because Australia have Test commitments in January of 2027 in India, with Starc on record saying he wants to push his international career through until the 2027 ODI World Cup.The BBL is still yet to create a clear window for Australia Test players to be available, which has been a key talking point among potential investors interested in being involved in the league as Cricket Australia continues to investigate the possibility of allowing private investment into the competition.”Global scheduling is a really challenging topic,” Dobson said. “It’s only getting more complicated. And the ability, not only for the BBL to grow, but the Australian team to continue to play great cricket around the world, is really important. How you combine all those things is part art, part science and a little bit of luck probably along the way. So the future FTP is a little way away, but as we look at the future of the BBL it will be part of those discussions.”

If Leeds United are to collect a much-needed win on their travels next up in the Premier League away at Nottingham Forest, they will need to make sure they have packed their shooting boots.

Indeed, away from scoring three at Molineux back in September, Daniel Farke’s goal-shy Whites have regularly fired blanks on the road this season, with the 3-0 defeat handed to him last time out away at Brighton and Hove Albion only seeing the West Yorkshire outfit register a weak two shots on target.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has definitely frustrated a large volume of his new supporters, already, by regularly spurning opportunities, with five big chances missed in the Premier League this season coming courtesy of the wasteful ex-Everton marksman.

With both Lukas Nmecha and Joel Piroe not exactly banging the door down to take Calvert-Lewin’s starting spot off him, either, Farke could soon be tempted to throw Harry Gray into the senior mix more regularly, as the teenage sensation continues to frighten Premier League 2 defences in West Yorkshire.

Why Harry Gray should be in the first team

Despite only being 17 years of age, Gray has already received some first-team chances here and there, to begin to live up to his well-known family name, which has also seen Archie Gray go on to be a £40m sale to Tottenham Hotspur.

Leeds will hope they can hold on to the blistering number 45 for far longer than they managed with his Premier League-bound brother, though, with Gray perhaps the long-term fix to all their goalscoring woes.

From only 25 games lining up for both the U18s and U21s, Gray has a ridiculous 15 goals next to his name, leading to the England U17 international already being dubbed as “one of England’s best young prospects” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Of course, he does still have a very long way to go before he’s smashing goals home in the senior picture, with only one senior match under his belt to date.

But, do not be surprised if he’s handed more first-team chances very soon, having also recently penned a new long-term deal to stay put at his boyhood club, particularly if Calvert-Lewin continues to fluff his lines.

Amazingly, Gray isn’t the only goal machine being worked on at Thorp Arch at the moment, as another raw version of the 17-year-old is being brewed behind the scenes to excite Farke.

18-year-old Leeds star can rival Harry Gray

Leeds always seem to have a future talent ready on their conveyor belt, with the likes of Kalvin Phillips also homegrown, before he moved on to Manchester City.

The next starlet set for a big break at Elland Road could well be Lewis Pirie, with the 18-year-old situated in West Yorkshire ever since leaving former boyhood employers Aberdeen behind in 2023 for £200k, which is a wild fee to fork out for a rising star, especially one that was just 16 years of age at the time.

But, much like Gray, Pirie has been turning heads since a very tender age with his unbelievable goalscoring prowess to demand such an investment, with an insane 51 goals managed for club and country during the 2022/23 season, even seeing journalist James Marshment label the Scotsman as “one of the most in-demand young strikers around” when a move was clinched.

He has since slotted into the Leeds academy scene well, too, with his goalscoring promise for the U18s backing up his previous manager Jim Goodwin’s comments that he is a very “exciting” prospect.

Games played

33

Goals scored

7

Assists

1

Already, the five-time Scotland U17 international has fired home seven goals on the youth pitches in West Yorkshire, with three of those seven efforts coming during his first five breakneck outings for the U18s.

He is yet to get off the mark for the U21s, from just four appearances, but his continued rise up the ranks does bear similarities to Gray’s goal-laden ascent.

All this fresh blood excelling in attack away from the senior set-up will surely worry Calvert-Lewin when it comes to his long-term security, as the 28-year-old prays a purple patch comes his way soon, starting with a decisive strike against Forest on Saturday.

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ByJames O'Reilly Nov 5, 2025

وجه محمود حسن تريزيجيه، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، الشكر إلى الشعب المغربي الشقيق على حفاوة الاستقبال، مؤكدًا أن الأهلي يدخل مباراة الجيش الملكي بهدف واحد وهو الفوز، كما هو معتاد دائمًا.

ويواجه فريق الأهلي نظيره فريق الجيش الملكي المغربي، في التاسعة مساء غد الجمعة، في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا. 

وكان الأهلي حقق الفوز في المباراة الماضية على فريق شبيبة القبائل الجزائري، برباعية مقابل هدف، في الجولة الأولى من دور المجموعات من بطولة دوري الأبطال. 

طالع.. الأهلي يحل ضيفًا على الجيش الملكي بحثًا عن استمرار صدارة المجموعة في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

يذكر ان مجموعة الأهلي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا تضم أندية الجيش الملكي المغربي وشبيبة القبائل الجزائري ويانج أفريكانز التنزاني. 

وقال تريزيجيه في تصريحاته للمؤتمر الصحفي قبل المباراة، إن الكرة المغربية تقدم مواهب كبيرة، مشيرًا إلى وجود لاعبين مغاربة ضمن صفوف الأهلي، وهو ما يجعل المواجهة ذات طابع خاص، موضحًا أن المباراة ستكون قوية وصعبة، وأن الأهلي يسعى دائمًا لإسعاد جماهيره.

وأكد تريزيجيه أن لاعبي الأهلي معتادون على الضغوط، ولديهم خبرات كبيرة في مثل هذه المباريات، متابعا: “نحترم فريق الجيش الملكي وجماهيره، ولكن الأهلي واحد من أكبر أندية العالم، وجمهوره هو الأكبر والأكثر تأثيرًا، ونعمل دائمًا على إسعاده”.

They might not have won, but Chelsea put in an incredible performance against Arsenal on Sunday evening.

Enzo Maresca’s side were comfortably on top for most of the first half, and even when Moises Caicedo got himself sent off, they remained competitive.

Moreover, there were sensational displays from across the pitch for the hosts, including, of course, Reece James.

However, there was another starter, someone who was previously lambasted by Gary Neville, who was just as crucial to the result.

James' performance vs Arsenal

James has undoubtedly been one of the best right-backs in the Premier League for some time now, but Maresca has taken to playing him in midfield more often this season.

The Italian opted to start his captain there again on Sunday, and while there was plenty of talk around the battle between Declan Rice and Caicedo, it was the Cobham graduate who stole the show.

For example, while Trevoh Chalobah was the one who headed home the Blues’ goal, it was the versatile James who delivered it with pinpoint accuracy from the corner.

However, the academy graduate did far more than just provide an assist.

In his 94 minutes of action, he played two key passes, won 100% of his tackles, won 11 of 12 duels, didn’t get dribbled past at all, recovered the ball twice, completed three of his four crosses, took one shot and completed 100% of his dribbles.

In addition to all the measurable metrics, the 25-year-old also showed his leadership skills, helping to marshal the team in the moments the Gunners exerted pressure of their own.

Described as “absolutely ridiculous” by one analyst and “gargantuan” by presenter Olivia Buzaglo, the Redbridge-born international was unsurprisingly, and deservedly, named as the man of the match.

Without him in the middle of the park, there is a good chance that Chelsea would not have won that game, which is what could be said about another starter who has been heavily criticised over the last few seasons.

The Chelsea star on a par with James

The excellent news for Maresca and the Stamford Bridge faithful is that there were more than a few starters who truly shone last night.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Be it Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Enzo Fernández or even Pedro Neto, who carried the ball up the pitch and into dangerous areas again and again.

However, when it comes to someone who was previously lambasted but exceptional against Arsenal, it’s impossible to look past Robert Sanchez.

Prior to this season, the Spanish goalkeeper was seen as something of a blunder waiting to happen between the sticks, and to some extent, that is what he’s been for much of his time in West London.

In fact, just last season, after a loss against Manchester City in which he was at fault for one of Erling Haaland’s goals, Gary Neville claimed “he’s not good enough.”

However, since the start of this season, the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace has been far more impressive, and on Sunday evening, he was as important as James for the Blues’ win.

On top of stopping a number of good efforts, like Gabriel Martinelli’s in the first half, the 28-year-old was effective in possession and confident in collecting crosses.

In fact, football.london’s Bobby Vincent awarded the keeper an 8/10 match rating at full time, writing that it was a ‘top performance.’

Unsurprisingly, the statistics back up this appraisal: in his 94 minutes of action, the shot-stopper made three saves, two of which came inside the box, prevented 1.18 goals, made two high claims, played one key pass, took 60 touches and recovered the ball 11 times.

Ultimately, while it will take some time to shift his old reputation, Sanchez is well on his way to doing so, and was as important as James in Chelsea’s draw on Sunday.

Chelsea star who saved Caicedo is their "most underappreciated player"

The underrated Chelsea ace made sure Caicedo’s red card didn’t cost Enzo Maresca’s men against Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 30, 2025

Ahead of his final Test, Angelo Mathews looks back at a long, eventful career

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Jun-2025In the first few years of your international career, it felt like you were a little bulletproof. You’d captained age-group teams, and suddenly you were the dynamic young allrounder in one of the greatest Sri Lanka teams that ever was. What do you remember of that start?I’d like to start off by thanking the Almighty, and then my parents, my wife, my kids, my siblings – everyone who has sacrificed a lot for me. Starting from school, I got every opportunity to study and excel in sports. I’m very thankful to my college, all my teachers, past presidents, rectors, my coaches from under-13 to first XI.I got those opportunities, and then I was able to excel and get myself to achieve the target of any cricketer’s dream – playing for the national team. I was suddenly called up to a team that I used to watch on TV. Those were my heroes. The next minute I’m with them, getting myself ready to play again. I was shocked. But the seniors helped me feel at home.Related

• Mathews defies drama, one last time

• Storm, steel and silverware: how Angie and SL took over the world in 2014

• Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh: New beginnings for both teams as WTC restarts in Galle

• Mathews' best – Rain man in Galle, Hero at Headingley

• The changing game: bowlers rise, batters fall, Tests get faster and shorter

You’re sitting here a much wiser man. How do you feel about the Angelo of that early era who was playing ridiculous amounts of cricket as an allrounder? Do you think about missed opportunities to set yourself up for a sustainable peak, or do you judge yourself with a bit more kindness?I didn’t actually think about my workload management. As I said, I’ve seen a stat where from 2010 to 2015 I have played the most number of games in the entire world. So that speaks for itself.I would say the only other regret I have in my career is that I couldn’t achieve the 10,000-run mark. But every other thing, I’ve given my best in every situation. I’ve tried to win games for my country in every situation. Giving 100% to your team in every single game is another thing, so I was wanting to play all three formats and contribute with bat, ball, and in the field, in every single game. I was absolutely going for it.Obviously, I could have done things better. It was in 2018 that I sat down with Dilshan Fonseka (men’s team trainer) and looked at the amount of injuries that I had. He told me that my body couldn’t bear it. So I changed everything – the way I eat, my lifestyle, and my training.The Headingley Test was one of the highlights of Angelo Mathews’ career•AFPWe’ll get to how you changed things up a bit later, but ahead of your final Test, I wanted to also talk to you about what most people remember as maybe your greatest Test innings – the 160 in Headingley. This was at your very peak…That was one of the standouts in my career, I would say. I remember quite a few innings where I was also surprised with how well I batted, and that is definitely one of the innings. That England tour was a very heated competition between the two teams, especially starting from the one-dayers where they were targeting me as the captain. I took that energy and I transferred it into my focus and performances and that helped me play that aggressive sort of cricket. I’m pretty happy with what we did on that tour, as a team, and for me as a cricketer and captain.The young Angelo was very cool, calm and collected. That England tour was when we saw a bit of grumpiness come in…It all started with that mankading incident in the one-dayers. I’d say we’d given them enough warnings, especially in the previous game, where they were stealing quite a few runs. Both teams were grumpy. The laws weren’t that strict [on player behaviour] back then, so we exchanged a lot of words.You were doing a lot of things for this team at the time, though. You were captaining. You were expected to finish games with the bat, but you were also playing match-saving innings. You were opening the bowling in limited-overs games, and also playing a role with the ball in Tests. And you were quite young – did it feel unfair to be loaded with so much responsibility?No, every single captain goes through this. I’ve lost a lot of hair during the tenure. Not many captains have a lot of hair left. Whether you’re captaining Sri Lanka or wherever, there’s always that added responsibility. Everyone is watching you, everyone is waiting to hear from you. So that sometimes can be a bit of a pain, but I enjoyed it. Sometimes I did feel like I wanted to give up. But then I said to myself, ‘You’ve been given this opportunity. Try and take the team to another level.’In 2018, something extremely unusual happened to you. You essentially got called fat by coach Chandika Hathurusingha, in one of the most insulting ways, and you were dropped from the team you had been asked to resume captaincy of. Does that still make you angry?No, I think you shouldn’t be holding on to things. You need to learn to let go. You don’t need to react. I’ve been brought up in a way where my parents and in my school, everyone has taught me to understand and then respect people. Later, things got a bit too ugly. Let’s say, whatever, whoever said about me, I didn’t really care because I know people have their own opinions.Angelo Mathews celebrated his Test hundred at Basin Reserve with a set of push-ups•Getty ImagesBut you did react at the time, and it was putting obvious pressure on you. When you hit a hundred at the Basin Reserve, you did push ups to almost defy the coach who was calling you unfit…Whatever the selectors and the coach decide is out of my control, so I was just trying to control what was in my control. In the heat of the moment, I did some push-ups, and I did react. But I didn’t want to react like that without performing.Another fun little moment came in that 2019 ODI World Cup match against West Indies, when you hadn’t bowled in months, even in the nets, but offered to make up the overs right at the end of the game. And you ended up taking a wicket!chuckles I hadn’t bowled in about six months, but I knew [captain] Dimuth Karunaratne was running out of options because all our top bowlers were finishing their quota of overs. And then I said to Dimuth, bowl our best bowlers for now and try and get this wicket. If in case, if they don’t get out and if you’re stuck with a couple of overs, I can still bowl you those two overs.Unfortunately the quota was finished with our best bowlers, and then I had to eventually roll my arm over. I think the experience paid off. I knew I couldn’t bowl onto Nicholas Pooran’s legs because he was so strong – he was just picking everything up from his legs and hitting it over the boundaries. So I knew that I had to go wider to him, and then I just went wide to him, and he just nicked it.

“Fitness plays a major part nowadays because of the volume of cricket that we play. I understand the value of being fit. I just want to encourage the younger generation to keep pushing.”Angelo Mathews

You’ve also spoken about reorganising your relationship with food around 2018. Is that something you wish you did earlier?I’d say yes, but then all the way until 2018, I was playing all three formats and didn’t really have the opportunity of being able to block out time for just training. You need at least six to eight weeks for that. Once I started getting injured constantly, I thought I needed to slow things down and think of what I actually needed to do rather than just playing. That’s when that meeting with Dilshan happened. I was doing a lot of static training, but needed to change to a lot of functional training. I made that change and feel absolutely brilliant.After being called fat for several years, you’re now posting shirtless mirror selfies with your abs popping in your mid to late 30s. That’s got to feel good…laughs Yes, I’m feeling good. I just want to inspire the younger generation. Fitness plays a major part nowadays because of the volume of cricket that we play. I understand the value of being fit. I just want to encourage the younger generation to keep pushing.We got some very grumpy moments from you late in your career too. I’m thinking of that heated press conference where you went all out against Bangladesh after you got timed out…I think that was one of the times that I did speak quite a lot because I was angry and I felt disappointed. I hadn’t done anything wrong. When I showed the video to the match referee and the umpires post-game, they realised it and said sorry. But that was a very crucial game for us and I felt like I was targeted. I don’t know what prompted them to appeal.I felt that the umpires should have got involved a little bit more. I certainly didn’t cross the two-minute mark when I went to the crease. It was obvious that my helmet broke at the time and not before I walked into the ground. So it was a fair reason for me to get angry.Any Sri Lankan player, and particularly someone who has captained as long as you, has many off-field battles to fight through their career as well. Any battles that stick out?There was one phase where some of the past cricketers were coming out and saying unnecessary stuff [about corruption] without evidence. That really hurt the entire team. You shouldn’t drag the players into it. I just urge them to produce evidence in front of everyone, but don’t just say things for the sake of it, because it tarnishes the team’s reputation. This was around 2018, when the big allegations were happening and the ICC had started an investigation in Sri Lanka, and they went through the entire team. It was a very disturbing thing for everyone.There will always be attempts to topple the administration, and that’s not our business. But they shouldn’t be dragging players into it.Now, there is a bill passed anyway (Sri Lanka has criminalised sports fixing), so if someone talks rubbish we can raise it according to the law. Back then we didn’t have anything.Are you glad that bill has passed?Yes, because it stops the rubbish that people say. If they want to say something and have evidence, then no problem.Moving back to your cricket, are there any parts of your record you look at now and are especially proud of?To finish third on the list of Sri Lanka’s Test run-scorers, behind two of the greatest that have ever played for Sri Lanka (Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene) – that makes me really proud. I know there is regret about 10,000, but I’m happy reaching 8000-odd. Due to injuries I couldn’t play a lot of Test cricket as well. But I’m fortunate that despite that, I was able to play 118 Tests.Dinesh Chandimal, Rangana Herath and Angelo Mathews during a lap of honour after the series win against Australia in 2016•AFPYou had two truly outstanding Test series wins in your record as captain – 2014 series win in England, and the 3-0 home whitewash against Australia in 2016. Were those your favourites?Yeah, they’re my two top ones. Because winning against England in England is a very tough ask.Against Australia, wherever you play, it’s going to be a challenge. We all know that they are a very strong team. And then to beat them 3-0, when they were number one at the time as well, with a young set of guys, was incredible. Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva were performing, and we were able to complete a whitewash with Rangana Herath leading the bowling.I know you’re available for white-ball cricket for a little while, but you must be thinking of post-retirement life. What does that look like for you?I haven’t decided. Cricket has given me everything. I would like to give back in whatever capacity. I’ll still keep playing for a year or two in leagues and other stuff if that comes my way. I feel I can still contribute to the game.I’d also like to thank SLC for all their support from 2008 till now. I’d love to thank the support staff since 2008 as well. A special mention to all the back-room coaches at the high performance centre, and all the other stuff there – the masseurs and masseuses, and the physios – everyone. Day in day out, they have helped me personally, and they have helped the teams, without much recognition. I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the back-end staff at HPC. They’ve worked extremely hard to keep us fit and keep us in good form.

How the cricketing world responded to India’s 336-run win against England in the second Test

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2025

Shubman Gill picks up a souvenir after the win•Getty Images

Shubman Gill, Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj stole the headlines as India won their first Test in Edgbaston with a 336-run victory — their biggest away victory by runs. Gill registered scores of 269 and 161, while Akash Deep became only the second Indian bowler to return a 10-wicket haul in England. Siraj also played his part, with figures of 6 for 70 in England’s first innings. Cricketers, both current and retired, took to social media to congratulate India on a famous triumph.

Great victory for India at Edgbaston. Fearless and kept pushing England to the wall. Brilliantly led by Shubhman with the bat and in the field and impactful performances from everyone. Special mention to Siraj and Akash for the way they bowled on this pitch. @ShubmanGill…

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 6, 2025