Arsenal are reportedly in a "very strong" position to sign one star, and he is believed be a "huge fan" of them as well.

Who will Arsenal sign in January?

Securing six wins from a possible eight in the Premier League this season, Mikel Arteta's side are flying at the division's summit and currently sit joint-top with north London rivals Tottenham: Summer signing Declan Rice has come in to give Arsenal some-much needed physical presence and leadership in midfield, while the likes of captain Martin Odegaard have flourished so far this term.

The Gunners are also unbeaten in the top flight, maintaining their impressive streak with a 1-0 win over league champions Man City at the weekend. However, while things are looking rosy on the pitch, it is believed that sporting director Edu and co are already thinking of January.

Indeed, Arsenal are reportedly eyeing a new striker for 2024, with the likes of Brentford star Ivan Toney, Napoli's Victor Osimhen and Feyenoord forward Santiago Gimenez all linked recently. The north Londoners may be enjoying brilliant early-season form, but they were forced to dig deep for a fair few of them – clinching wins against the likes of Crystal Palace, Everton and Nottingham Forest by narrow one-goal margins. This could emphasize their need for more firepower up front, with media sources claiming a world-class centre-forward transfer is certainly possible for the new year.

Ivan Toney news

Toney, who Arsenal have been heavily linked with since the end of the summer transfer window, scored 20 league goals last season and before his ban for alleged gambling breaches. The Englishman's been subject to praise for Brentford boss Thomas Frank, who called him a "remarkable" striker.

“Ivan is amazing in many, many aspects,” Frank said. "The way he copes with pressure and distractions is amazing. He’s been scoring goals, performing for the team and driving the team.

"He’s remarkable. I can only talk about the Ivan that I see every day around the place and he’s a fantastic person around the group. He’s got that unique emotional intelligence to be aware of all the players, and every staff member."

The Bees boss also valued him at around £100 million earlier this year, and while it is debatable that Arsenal would pay anywhere near that extortionate price tag, a report by TEAMtalk has shared quite a promising Toney transfer update. Indeed. Arsenal are in a "very strong position" to sign the 27-year-old who is believed to be a "huge fan" of the club himself. This has apparently "put Arsenal on the front foot in discussions" to sign Toney, ahead of rivals Chelsea, and sources believe Gunners chiefs are prepared to make a "huge push".

Aerial duels

Offside awareness

Direct free-kicks

Passing

Through balls

Finishing

Club insiders apparently believe they're only missing a proper striker as the missing piece of Arteta's jigsaw at the Emirates.

Jonas Eidevall's side struggled from the off in a damning result that puts the Blues six points clear of their London rivals at the top of the table

It's difficult to decide what was the most bizarre thing about Arsenal's 3-1 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea on Friday night. Was it the way the Gunners were carved open with remarkable ease? Was it the constant errors from a team that had picked the Blues apart at will only as recently as December? Or was it the sock-related kit clash that delayed kick-off by 30 minutes?

The latter incident was perhaps a sign of things to come, with Arsenal totally unprepared for this meeting with the league leaders despite their hosts being the side ravaged by injuries. Chelsea had no Sam Kerr, no Mia Fishel and no Mayra Ramirez but, despite being ill in the week, Lauren James adapted perfectly to fill the void in the centre forward and ran Arsenal absolutely ragged.

There were just 15 minutes on the clock when the England star produced a strike too powerful for Manuela Zinsberger to stop, though she should have done after getting a strong hand to it. It was the first in a catalogue of mistakes from the visiting side, with James' superb play helping Chelsea double that lead six minutes later; Arsenal hesitant to press as Erin Cuthbert's strike was deflected in by Sjoeke Nusken. The versatile German grabbed another before the break, too, successfully directing another attempted strike – this one from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd – beyond Zinsberger after a shockingly poor free-kick from Leah Williamson that kickstarted the Blues' counter.

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall responded with a triple change at half time and, naturally, his team were more solid after the break, with Kim Little even able to add a late consolation – via a little help from Catarina Macario. But the game had already gone and the WSL title probably has, too. The Gunners sit six points behind Chelsea with just six games remaining.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Stamford Bridge…

Goalkeeper & Defence

Manuela Zinsberger (4/10):

Should've saved James' opener. Made amends with some good stops in the second half that kept the score down.

Katie McCabe (4/10):

Uncharacteristically sloppy in possession and surprisingly easy to beat at times.

Lotte Wubben-Moy (5/10):

One of the few players who didn't make too many errors. Completed all 48 of her first-half passes, incredibly.

Leah Williamson (3/10):

Terrible free-kick gave Chelsea the ball for their third goal. Just looked off it.

Steph Catley (3/10):

Had an absolutely nightmare trying to contain James. Off at half time.

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Lia Walti (4/10):

James breezed past her far too easily for Chelsea's second but she generally lacked support in her defensive duties. Often felt like she was running around trying to put out fires on her own.

Victoria Pelova (3/10):

Out-muscled too easily in the turnover that led to Chelsea's opener. Not great on the ball, either. Hooked at the break.

Kim Little (5/10):

The only player who looked capable of creating something for Arsenal. Created the consolation goal late on, with her effort deflecting in off Macario.

Attack

Beth Mead (3/10):

Struggled to get involved and was regularly stopped in her tracks when she ran at Chelsea.

Stina Blackstenius (4/10):

Pressed with energy and worked hard but was totally isolated. Taken off at half time.

Caitlin Foord (4/10):

Had some bright moments early on but then Chelsea completely took over. Off before the hour.

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GettySubs & Manager

Alessia Russo (5/10):

Part of a triple sub at half time. Held the ball up well at times and had a rare shot for her team.

Frida Maanum (5/10):

Also on at the break and had some bright moments in possession and to get in good positions, but couldn't reverse the Gunners' fortunes.

Emily Fox (4/10):

Completed the trio of introductions at the interval but was exposed at times as she pushed on to make a difference.

Cloe Lacasse (4/10):

Replaced Foord before the hour in what was a strange change as the Australian seemed to be making in-roads when she came off. Lacasse, like the rest of the subs, struggled to make a huge impact.

Kyra Cooney-Cross (4/10):

Came on for Walti with around 20 minutes to go and kept the ball well but without creating anything meaningful.

Jonas Eidevall (3/10):

Difficult to tell what the game plan was for his side, who were second best from the off. Didn't create anything at all and were a mess at the back. Subs might've come at half time but they were too late to save the game. A nightmare performance and result.

Following his 200 runs in the first Test against England, the India captain has pushed past Steven Smith to become the No. 1 ranked batsman

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Aug-2018Virat Kohli’s 22nd Test century and his 200-run tally in the Edgbaston Test has vaulted him to the top of the ICC Test rankings for batsmen. He has dethroned Steven Smith, the former Australia captain, and is the first Indian to be No. 1 since Sachin Tendulkar in June 2011.Kohli joins a select club, comprising Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsakar, Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir – the only other India batsmen to have reached the top spot in the Test rankings. He currently has 934 rating points, the most by any India batsman ever, and 14th on the all-time list. Donald Bradman, who reached 961 points in 1948, leads the list. Kohli is also ranked No. 1 in ODIs at present.At Edgbaston, Kohli’s remarkable efforts helped keep India in the Test despite top-order collapses in both innings. His first-innings 149 helped minimise the damage after India slipped to 100 for 5 and then 182 for 8 in response to England’s 287. Kohli was the last man out, having got through a stern examination from James Anderson before opening up, leaving India with only a 13-run deficit. In the second innings, chasing 194, India’s top order failed once again. Kohli was unbeaten on 43 overnight, and completed a half-century the next morning. However, he was lbw to Ben Stokes for 51, and India were eventually defeated by 31 runs. Kohli had tallied 200 runs in the match overall, while India’s four other top-order batsmen – M Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane – mustered just 99 runs between them.For a second straight overseas tour, Kohli has single-handedly carried India’s batting line-up. So far in 2018, he has tallied 486 runs at 60.75. The other top-order batsmen – the four who played in the Edgbaston Test and Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma, who were part of the series against South Africa at the start of the year – have scored 809 runs between them at 21.86.

Wrexham are battling with a number of Championship clubs for the signing of a versatile young player shining for his current side, according to a fresh transfer update.

Wrexham transfer news

The Robins enjoyed a legendary 2022/23 season, finally earning promotion back to the Football League fter being crowned National League champions. It was a stunning effort, as Wrexham went toe-to-toe with Notts County in a thrilling title race, and it was a major step in the right direction under the world-renowned ownership of Hollywood acting duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

This season, the Welsh outfit have enjoyed a solid start to life in League Two, currently sitting fourth in the table and looking right in the mix to be in the automatic promotion race again. Some important summer transfer business happened at the club in the summer, with Phil Parkinson bolstering his options by bringing in the likes of James McClean and George Evans, with the former seen as a high-profile signing because of his Premier League past.

Wrexham's spending may need to continue in order for them to keep enjoying their current rise up the divisions, and they reportedly look to be eyeing an intriguing move for one player.

Wrexham transfer latest: Olukayode Osu

A new Wrexham transfer update from TEAMtalk talks up the idea of Olukayode Osu potentially moving to The Racecourse Ground soon, with the Robins one of the clubs keen on snapping up the 21-year-old Bracknell Town defender:

"A host of teams are showing an interest in non-league ace Olukayode Osu, with Sheffield United, West Brom, Huddersfield, Barnsley and Wrexham all tracking the Bracknell Town man.

"The 21-year-old defender, who can also play in midfield, has been one of the star’s of Bracknell Town’s run to the FA Cup first round, where they will face Cambridge United next month.

The report adds:

"There is interest too from further down the EFL ladder with League One Barnsley and Wrexham, of League Two, also expressing their interest in the player, who began his career in AFC Wimbledon’s youth ranks.

Osu is something of an unknown, especially compared to someone like McClean, who arrived having achieved so much for club and country in his career, but he could still be a really shrewd signing by the club. The Bracknell defender appears to be a key man for his current club, who ply their trade in the Southern League Premier Division South, shining at the heart of the defence. He is a versatile figure who can also play in midfield, which is something that could appeal to Parkinson moving forward, and at just 21 years of age, he should only mature as a player in the coming years, possibly looking like a steal over time.

The fact that Wrexham are even in the conversation to sign Osu alongside Championship teams speaks volumes about the giant strides made at the club under Reynolds and McElhenney, with the idea of that being the case in the past simply unthinkable. The Robins now have a real pull for transfer targets, considering the fame of their owners, their chances of success and even the fact that a Disney documentary has been made about them, so Osu could see them as his next club of choice.

1:28

‘Captaincy gets the best out of me’ – Iyer

Only 58 overs were possible on the final day, but with seven wickets falling it was yet another day dominated by the bowlers. With the post-tea rain not subsiding, India A captain Shreyas Iyer and South Africa A’s stand-in captain Dane Piedt shook hands two hours before scheduled stumps, and shared the honours of the well-fought second unofficial Test in Alur. India won the series 1-0, riding on the tight victory in Bengaluru last week, where the hosts won the game with only seven deliveries remaining on the last day.The standout performances on Monday were all from the hosts. In the morning, Mohammed Siraj’s double-wicket blow bowled South Africa out for 319, after they had added only 25 to their overnight score. Then Iyer and Ankit Bawne scored classy half-centuries in the afternoon to rescue India following three early wickets. Siraj finished with figures of 4 for 72 while it was Bawne’s second half-century of the match.Hanuma Vihari, who made 148 in the first innings, could not repeat that performance in the second, trapped lbw off Duanne Olivier for zero. Olivier had also removed Prithvi Shaw in the third over, his leg stump flattened by a full delivery. Olivier was the standout among the South Africa bowlers, capping off his 6 for 63 in the first innings with figures of 2 for 24 in the second.India, starting their second innings with a slender lead, were rocked early with Olivier’s wickets, which left them reeling at 14 for 2. Mayank Agarwal – who scored a duck in the first innings – then combined with Iyer in a 40-run partnership before Agarwal’s stumps were cleaned up by offspinner Senuran Muthusamy. Then Iyer built another partnership with No. 5 Bawne, the pair adding 94 in 117 deliveries. Srikar Bharat then made a patient, unbeaten 18 alongside Bawne, and when tea was called, India were 207 ahead. India opted to bat on after the break, but the rain came down as soon as they made their way to the middle, and soon after that the game was called off.After the match, Iyer said India had no intention of declaring, for two reasons: first, that they knew the weather forecast wasn’t promising and second, their 1-0 series lead.”We were not going for victory,” Iyer said. “Yesterday itself we knew it wasn’t going to be a full day. Yes, I was contemplating which bowler to give certain situations, but we chose not to go for it because of the early wickets lost.”In this situation, it didn’t demand us to take risk, because we were 1-0 up. The pressure was on them, and they weren’t showing any glimpse of going for the win, so we decided to play it easy and bat the whole day.”India A’s next four-day contest will be against Australia A in Visakhapatnam, and before that will play a one-day quadrangular tournament also involving India B, South Africa A and Australia A in Vijayawada next week.

Lamar Jackson has morphed into a USMNT star, with the two-time NFL MVP saying he “could’ve been some Lionel Messi type” in a different football world.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Ravens quarterback thriving in his own sport
• Boasts a lucrative contract in Baltimore
• Wonders what could have been achieved elsewhere

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Baltimore Ravens quarterback is a superstar in his chosen profession, with the contract he signed in 2023 making him the fourth-highest paid player in American football. He is a three-time Pro Bowler and boasts an impressive 58-19-0 record as a starter.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jackson is, however, still pondering what he could have achieved – and earned – had he spent more time kicking a ball around than throwing one through the air. He has taken those musings to social media as the likes of Inter Miami icon Messi and Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe pull in big money across 2024.

• WHAT JACKSON SAID

  Jackson has posted a mocked-up image of himself as a United States international, alongside a “GOALLLLL” shout, while also stating: “Just sitting here thinking….. I could’ve been on some Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe type.”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Jackson has hinted at a passion for soccer before, as he sung the praises of Messi and Mbappe during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – which saw the legendary duo lock horns in an epic final showdown between Argentina and France.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo está embalado na temporada. Na noite deste sábado, o Tricolor visitou o Fortaleza, no Castelão, e venceu por 3 a 2, em uma partida recheada de polêmicas por conta da interferência do VAR. Reclamações à parte, a equipe do Morumbi foi superior, conseguiu ir buscar o resultado após sair atrás do marcador e segue na perseguição aos líderes do Campeonato Brasileiro.

Depois de protagonizarem um confronto de dez gols em dois jogos nas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil, São Paulo e Fortaleza voltaram a fazer uma partida muito disputada e de extrema competitividade. O time da casa saiu na frente em um lance que o Tricolor reclama de impedimento, mas levou a virada e – apesar de ter ido buscar o empate – não conseguiu manter a igualdade e foi derrotado no Castelão.

O resultado deixa o São Paulo na terceira colocação do Campeonato Brasileiro, com 36 pontos em 18 jogos disputados – três a menos do que seus demais concorrentes ao título. Já o Fortaleza segue em queda livre na tabela de classificação e estaciona nos 24 pontos, apenas quatro de vantagem para a zona do rebaixamento à Segundona da próxima temporada.

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Gol polêmico
O Fortaleza foi quem saiu vencendo no Castelão. No começo do primeiro tempo, David recebeu passe em profundidade ainda no meio de campo. Como a defesa do São Paulo estava com a marcação alta, o atacante do Leão do Pici teve espaço para disparar, ganhar na corrida de Diego Costa e chutar no canto do goleiro Tiago Volpi. O VAR analisou a possibilidade de impedimento na jogada e após três minutos validou o gol para a revolta dos são-paulinos.

No par ou ímpar
A cena que marcou o gol de empate do São Paulo foi um tanto quanto curiosa. A equipe do Morumbi tinha uma falta na entrada da área para ser cobrada e Daniel Alves e Gabriel Sara estavam posicionados para a batida. A dupla de meio-campistas decidiu o cobrador no par ou ímpar. O jovem Sara bateu rente à trave, sem chances de defesa para Felipe Alves.

No intervalo, em entrevista à transmissão do Premiere, o meio-campista do São Paulo disse que Daniel Alves havia vencido a disputa de par ou ímpar, mas ganhou o direito de bater a falta por conta do posicionamento da barreira.

Vira-vira do São Paulo
Titular incontestável do Tricolor, o atacante Luciano foi poupado pela comissão técnica por conta da grande sequência de jogos na temporada. Mesmo assim, com o desempenho fraco de Pablo, Fernando Diniz optou em colocar o jogador no segundo tempo. No minuto seguinte, o camisa 11 recebeu passe de VitorBueno e colocou o São Paulo na frente.

Empate do Fortaleza
Mesmo atrás do placar, o Fortaleza não se entregou e foi em busca do empate no Castelão. Em jogada pela direita. Juninho cruzou para Paulão, que cabeceou forte e Volpi espalmou. No rebote, o centroavante Wellington Paulista foi mais rápido do que toda a defesa do São Paulo e encheu o pé para colocar, de novo, igualdade no marcador.

Luciano faz o segundo e decide o jogo
Luciano estava em noite inspirada. Depois de ter feito o gol um minuto após entrar na partida, o jogador decidiu a partida para o Tricolor do Morumbi. O atacante recebeu passe de Daniel Alves na entrada da área, dominou e bateu forte de perna esquerda na direção do gol de Felipe Alves. A bola foi no alto e o goleiro do Fortaleza nada pôde fazer para evitar o triunfo são-paulino no Castelão.

FICHA TÉCNICA
FORTALEZA 2 x 3 SÃO PAULO

Local:Castelão, em Fortaleza (CE)
Data/Hora:14 de novembro de 2020, às 19h00
Árbitro:Marcelo de Lima Henrique (RJ)
Assistentes:Michael Correia e Luiz Claudio Regazone (RJ)
Cartões amarelos:Felipe e Jackson (Fortaleza); Hernanes, Léo, Daniel Alves e Rodrigo Nestor (São Paulo)
Cartões vermelhos:-

GOLS:David (1-0) (11’/1ºT); Gabriel Sara (1-1) (39’/2ºT); Luciano (1-2) (15’/2ºT); Wellington Paulista (2-2) (28’/2ºT) e Luciano (2-3) (36’/2ºT)

FORTALEZA (Técnico: Marcelo Chamusca)
Felipe Alves; Tinga (Gabriel Dias, aos 36’/2ºT), Jackson, Paulão e Carlinhos; Juninho, Ronald (Marlon, aos 25’/2ºT), Felipe (Mariano Vásquez, aos 41’/2ºT) e Romarinho; David (Éderson, aos 40’/2ºT) e Bergson (Wellington Paulista, aos 25’/2ºT).

SÃO PAULO (Técnico: Fernando Diniz)
Tiago Volpi; Igor Vinícius, Diego Costa (Reinaldo, aos 14’/2ºT), Bruno Alves e Léo; Rodrigo Nestor (Hernanes, aos 27’/2ºT), Daniel Alves, Gabriel Sara e Vitor Bueno (Igor Gomes, aos 43’/2ºT); Pablo (Luciano, aos 14’/2ºT) e Brenner.

Liverpool are "tempted to sign" a highly-rated player they were linked with this summer once the January transfer window opens, according to an update from transfer insider Dean Jones.

Liverpool transfer updates

The Reds have built one of their most impressive squads in recent years, with strong options across all areas of the pitch as they look to seal Premier League glory this season.

While Liverpool's midfield has been altered significantly, with as many as four new faces coming in during the summer transfer window, there is a nagging feeling that they lack a proper defensive midfielder who can start most weeks.

Alexis Mac Allister is doing his best in the role but doesn't look entirely comfortable there, with the Argentine known more as a box-to-box No.8 during his Brighton days. Meanwhile, Wataru Endo doesn't look at the level required to be a key starter after his move from VfB Stuttgart.

It could be that Jurgen Klopp targets a signing in that position in the coming months, with several players linked in that position, most recently Ezequiel Fernandez, while there is also seemingly a plan to bring in a young attacker, with links to the likes of Victor Osimhen and Jamal Musiala.

Andre to Liverpool

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones talked up the idea of Andre to Liverpool happening in the January window, confirming those links from the summer are absolutely "genuine" and the move could happen in the winter window:

"They signed Wataru Endo, and I think that was a decent signing, but the feeling is that there is still one player missing."We still see Liverpool signings that came in during the summer not necessarily being used in their best sense. We have seen Alexis Mac Allister coming deep at times and I still don't think they've sussed out exactly how to make this midfield work.

"But Andre is definitely still one of the guys that they are tempted to sign. He has been looked at by various clubs, and this Brazilian market is clearly one that a lot of English sides are tapping into at the moment. This is a genuine link and a transfer that does have the potential to happen."

It does feel as though Andre looks like a feasible option in January, perhaps coming in as a squad player to begin with but becoming a regular over time. The 22-year-old has already become such an influential player for Fluminense at the heart of the midfield, and Andre's stats highlight that perfectly, with 158 appearances coming his way while still such a young player.

He possesses the natural defensive skills in the No.6 role that can be so hard to master, as Mac Allister is finding out at the moment, and he could prove to be a fantastic signing midway through the season, just giving Liverpool that extra bit of steel in the middle of the park.

At 22, Andre would be coming in as someone who could be a mainstay of the midfield for many years, and the hope is that he would enjoy a similar influence to that of compatriot Fabinho at Anfield over a significant period.

Klopp's men look so impressive everywhere else, with their plethora of brilliant attacking stars, and if they can plug the defensive midfield gap, it could turn them from challengers into champions in 2023/24.

تقدم فريق بيراميدز بالهدف الأول على منافسه الاتحاد السكندري في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما الآن ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.

وتقام المباراة بين بيراميدز والاتحاد السكندري على أرضية استاد الإسكندرية في إطار مواجهات الجولة 30 من عمر المسابقة المحلية.

وسجل فخري لاكاي الهدف الأول لنادي بيراميدز بالدقيقة 30 من عمر اللقاء، بعدما استلم تمريرة سحرية داخل منطقة الجزاء ليحولها داخل المرمى.

طالع | تشكيل بيراميدز أمام الاتحاد السكندري اليوم في الدوري.. فيستون ماييلي يقود الهجوم

ويدخل بيراميدز مباراة اليوم وهو على قمة ترتيب جدول الدوري المصري برصيد 65 نقطة، بعد أن لعب 26 مباراة، فاز في 20 وتعادل 5 وخسر لقاء وحيد.

على الجانب الآخر، يحتل الاتحاد السكندري المركز العاشر في جدول المسابقة برصيد 38 نقطة، حصل عليهم من 29 مباراة بواقع 9 فوز و11 تعادل و9 هزائم. هدف بيراميدز الأول أمام الاتحاد السكندري في الدوري المصري

Former captain says preparation has to be intense at the start of a Test series overseas, then it can taper off

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Aug-2018Did India learn anything from the defeat in South Africa earlier this year? Did they not learn that match practice is the key to winning Test series, especially abroad? Was playing just a three-day tour match against Essex enough before a big clash with England? These are the questions raised by former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, who said the team management had erred by focusing on “simulated” training rather than playing actual cricket matches to prepare for an important five-match series.India lost the first of those games by 31 runs two days ago, with all of their specialist batsmen, barring Virat Kohli, showing weak technique and even weaker temperament. This led Gavaskar to question why the players were given five days off before the start of the England Tests, and took issue with India reducing the proposed four-day match against Essex into three days. He held that while Kohli might have the skills needed to adjust to Test cricket even after time off, the Indian captain and management needed to realise that the others could have benefited from more match practice.The white-ball portion of India’s tour ended with the third ODI on July 17, but there was only one practice game – against Essex – scheduled in the 14-day gap until the start of the first Test on August 1. India lost that Test, despite Kohli scoring 149 and 51.”See Virat Kohli is such an exceptional talent, he can take 15 days off and then score a hundred the next day,” Gavaskar told . “If he takes time off, no quarrel at all. But he has to understand, and the team management have to understand, that others need practice.”I understand the need to switch off, but it can’t be five days. The preparation should have been much more intense at the start of the series. You can taper off later, but not at the start. The last ODI was on July 17, and the Test series started on August 1. There were 14 days in between. And you play only a three-day match in that period? Why have you gone to England – to play cricket or something else? I agree, they have practised for long hours in those days, but like I said, you cannot get by with just practice. You have to play matches too.”Gavaskar also didn’t agree with the notion that arriving in England a month before the Tests began had been helpful, largely because India had spent that time playing one-day cricket.”They deluded themselves, and everybody, by saying they have been in England for a month. But in that time they were playing against the white ball. And the white ball doesn’t move as much as the red one, and the Duke ball particularly moves even more,” he pointed out. “They didn’t learn anything from the South Africa experience. [India lost 2-1 away to South Africa at the start of the year] They didn’t have much time there, but they did have a two-day practice match which they also cancelled. In South Africa, India played well in the third Test, only after playing in two Tests. We’re talking of five Tests here, if you start winning after two Tests, the series can be gone by then.”You can have as many match simulations, as many throw-downs, but it is never the same as a match situations. While taking throw-downs, you can get out, but you know you’ll still be batting the next ball. If a bowler bowls a no-ball in a match, he won’t get a wicket. In the match, if you get out, you’ll be sitting in the dressing room and watching someone else score the runs you should have.”Another error India had made, according to Gavaskar, was going in without an extra batsman. “If it was up to me, in the first Test of an overseas series, I would always go with six batsmen,” he said. “Then with a wicketkeeper and an allrounder like Ashwin, your batting depth increases. If after that, your top four hit form, you can go with five bowlers in the subsequent Tests. The need of the hour now is to strengthen the batting.”Analysing India’s batsmen in the first Test, Gavaskar said only Kohli made the mental adjustment needed. “Virat adjusted temperamentally. The bat-speed in one-day cricket is higher, because you’re looking to play shots. It’s not like that in Test cricket,” Gavaskar said. “The more you leave balls in Tests, the better for you, because the bowler tires. And if you keep leaving balls outside off, you will force the bowler to change his line. Virat made that adjustment, the others didn’t. See Shikhar Dhawan’s dismissals in both innings, Rahul in the first innings, Ajinkya Rahane in both innings – they all went at the ball with hard hands. The secret to batting in England is not to reach for the ball, but let it come on to the bat. If they can make that adjustment, the others can make runs in the next Test onwards.”