Sunderland made a surprising charge into the play-offs last season following their promotion from League One and a similar narrative is unfolding this time.

With six victories from their opening 11 matches, the Black Cats are purring at the prospect of promotion, although north east rivals Middlesbrough did hand them a 4-0 stuffing last time out.

A humiliating defeat against a rival is undoubtedly a bitter pill to swallow, but the biggest disappointment was the red card brandished to Dan Neil in the first half, handing Boro the initiative in the contest.

Ahead of their trip to Stoke, Tony Mowbray will be without the suspended midfielder and that has dealt them a significant blow.

How has Dan Neil performed this season?

Neil is the enforcer in Sunderland's midfield and has demonstrated that through his abundance of technical attributes, demanding the ball from his defence and spraying passes short and long.

A forward-thinker in possession and a key cog in Mowbray's fast-paced attacking football, there aren't many others, if any, who can dictate the tempo of a match quite like him in the division.

According to FBref, Neil is one of the best deep-lying playmakers in the Championship this term, ranking in the top 1% against his positional peers for progressive passes, top 4% for passes into the final third, top 11% for pass completion and top 25% for assists.

As demonstrated by the above statistics, the 21-year-old is in the upper echelon of players who take a risk in possession, rarely going for a simple pass to ensure that every action he makes is done with a purpose.

Compared to Michael Carrick by talkSPORT's Neil Danter for how he dictates a football previously, there are other parts to Neil's game that don't go unnoticed, and his exceptional ball-carrying is one of them.

He places within the 4% for successful take-ons, the top 16% for progressive carries and the top 13% for carries into the final third.

Praised by former Black Cats ace Stephen Elliott for "having everything you'd want in a central midfielder", Neil has also showcased that his importance stands up against his Sunderland peers.

His average Sofascore rating of 7.23 is the fourth highest in the Mowbrays squad this season, behind only Pierre Ekwah, Bradley Dack and Jack Clarke, the former of which could be in line to replace him against Stoke after recovering from his injury.

Will Ekwah feature against Stoke?

Since Ekwah sustained an injury in the 3-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers in September, Sunderland have missed the Frenchman's robust and aggressive nature of his performances in midfield.

Fortunately, he is in contention to return this weekend, with the Sunderland Echo reporting that he was back in training over the international break.

Lauded by journalist Phil Smith as "monstrous", the 21-year-old has operated in a deeper role this term, sweeping up possession in front of his backline and allowing Neil to have a greater creative influence going forward.

The pair have formed a strong partnership at the heart of Sunderland's midfield and started each of their opening six Championship fixtures as Ekwah began to showcase his prominence as a tackling machine, averaging 1.3 interceptions, 1.7 tackles and 7.3 balls recovered per game, as per Sofascore.

With the 6 foot 2 midfielder displaying the physical attributes and stature that have been so desperately missed by Mowbray, the veteran manager could throw him straight back into the team against Stoke in place of Neil.

Aside from their defeat against Tottenham Hotspur, which came in controversial fashion, Liverpool have enjoyed a blistering start to the season, winning five of their seven Premier League games, and edging closer to their best.

That's not to say Jurgen Klopp won't welcome any further improvements come January or in next summer's transfer window, with the potential for Liverpool's squad to return to its title-battling best next season, if not before. And that could see them make their move for one particular star sooner than we think, with one agent revealing the price tag for one of the Reds' January transfer targets.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Having mainly focused on rebuilding their midfield during the summer transfer window, Liverpool arguably left themselves short in central defence, with just four experienced options at Klopp's disposal and young Jarell Quansah recently bursting onto the scene, impressing ever since.

With the injury history of Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, however, to say that the Reds could do with another centre-back wouldn't exactly be an outrageous shout. And that could be their focus in the January transfer window, particularly if Klopp's side find themselves in the thick of a title race.

With that said, a transfer update on Piero Hincapie has been provided by the defender's agent, who told Futbol Sin Casette, via Bolavip: “Liverpool were interested in him, but at that time they chose to invest in the midfield. For January, they are talking like other clubs, it will not be less than €50m (£43.3m).”

The Merseyside club were, of course, linked with the Bayer Leverkusen defender back in August, when German outlet Bild claimed that Klopp is a big fan of the defender. And, now, as confirmed by Hincapie's agent, Liverpool are once again eyeing a potential move, making the January transfer window all the more interesting.

How good is Piero Hincapie?

With Bayer Leverkusen heading into this weekend sitting on top of the Bundesliga and unbeaten after six games, it's fair to say that Hincapie and his side have got off to a flying start this season. The defender, having returned from suspension, has started in two of those six games, including in their 2-2 draw against champions Bayern Munich.

Statistically speaking, the central defender certainly looks impressive, too. According to FBref, Hincapie is in the top 5% of players in his position for progressive passes received, the top 6% for progressive carries and the top 14% for passes completed, highlighting just how much talent the Ecuador international has.

At just 21 years old, the Leverkusen man has done more than enough to earn plenty of praise, including from Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes, who said, via the official Bundesliga website: "Piero’s signing 18 months ago was an investment in the future, back then he was a talented central defender with really big potential. He became a key performer for our Werkself a long time ago, he has shown his international quality in the Bundesliga, in the Champions League and recently at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Piero is one of the key elements in the team who we can count on to help us achieve ambitious targets in the next few years."

West Bromwich Albion have been handed another injury blow to one of their most regular features, with a reliable journalist delivering an update on the player's fitness based on what he's heard from the Hawthorns.

What's the latest injury news at West Brom?

As it stands, Carlos Corberan has Semi Ajayi, John Swift, Daryl Dike, Jeremy Sarmiento, Josh Maja, Adam Reach and Martin Kelly all out on the sidelines with their own respective problems, and another casualty has now joined them in the treatment room.

The Baggies secured a much-needed 2-0 home victory over Queens Park Rangers in the Championship on Tuesday evening, but despite the positive result, there was a negative to occur for the boss in the form of losing one of his stars to injury.

Cedric Kipre was forced off the pitch after 86 minutes and was replaced by Caleb Taylor after contesting a high ball, which will cause a real concern among supporters because he’s been one of their most utilised players this season.

The Ivory Coast centre-back has started 12 out of the 13 games in the second tier since the start of the campaign (WhoScored – Kipre statistics), though if the following update is to be believed, the 26-year-old will have to wait a while longer before he’s making his next appearance.

Cedric Kipre injury update

Taking to X, Darren Witcoop shared an injury update on Cedric Kipre and confirmed that West Brom's defender is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines and that he will learn the extent of his problem when he travels for a scan in the near future.

"West Brom fear Cedric Kipre faces a long lay off with a serious knee injury. Kipre went against QPR tonight and the defender, who has been in good form with the Baggies, faces a scan to determine the extent of the injury."

How good is Cedric Kipre?

According to journalist Josh Bunting, Kipre is a “fantastic” defender at this level, which he’s proven so far this season by averaging 3.6 clearances per game in the Championship (WhoScored – Kipre statistics), but that’s not all that he's capable of at the heart of the backline.

Standing at 6 foot 3, Corberan’s colossus has also won 14 out of his 23 tackles made since the start of the current term, which is not only the most but also the joint best success rate throughout the whole of the squad in the Midlands (FBRef – West Brom statistics).

Kipre – Strengths

Kipre – Weaknesses

Kipre – Style Of Play

Concentration

Aerial duels

Likes to dribble

Blocking the ball

Passing

Does not dive into tackles (Data via WhoScored)

Therefore, West Brom will know that losing the services of Kipre for the foreseeable future would be a huge blow if the worst possible news is confirmed following his scan, so there’s a chance that the boss may need to enter the market to find a replacement at centre-back during the upcoming transfer window in January.

MatériaMais Notícias

A ansiedade de comprovar com urgência seu poder de reação marca mais um passo do Botafogo no Campeonato Brasileiro. Neste domingo, às 18h15, contra o Fortaleza, no Nilton Santos, a equipe alvinegra tenta reencontrar uma esperada vitória após sete partidas de jejum.

Emiliano Díaz deposita as fichas no aprimoramento causado pela semana restrita a treinos para o Alvinegro apresentar uma evolução já no confronto válido pela22ª rodada.

-Temos que sair rápido dessa situação e é questão de tempo para isso acontecer. É questão de confiar. É um momento de estarmos todos juntos, as coisas vão mudar. Que todos tenham fé – afirmou o auxiliar-técnico de Ramon Díaz, logo após o revés por 2 a 1 para o RB Bragantino.

Parte desta confiança novamente recairá sobre quem entrou em campo na última segunda-feira. Ainda sem poder contar com nomes como o goleiro Gatito Fernández e o atacante Lecaros, que se recuperam de lesão, a equipe será a mesma que atuou no Nilton Santos.

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VEJA A TABELA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO

A linha de frente com Honda, Bruno Nazário e Éber Bessa tentando criar jogadas para Matheus Babi deve ser a tônica do Alvinegro contra o Fortaleza. Outra preocupação é em relação à marcação. O desempenho de Marcelo Benevenuto e Kanu tende a ser crucial para buscar conter o ímpeto de Wellington Paulista.

Otimista quanto à implementação de suas ideias, Emiliano Díaz tenta conduzir o Alvinegro a um alento de que pode esperar dias melhores.

Yorkshire 192 (Lyth 70, Clark 5-58) lead <b<Lancashire Lancashire 109 (Davies 51, Coad 3-28) by 83 runs
ScorecardIt is doubtful if many of those attending the 272nd first-class Roses match arrived at Emirates Old Trafford talking of the contribution Jordan Clark might make to the match. It is unlikely if by mid-afternoon anyone was discussing anything else.Yet by the end of the day even Clark’s hat-trick and his career-best figures were becoming vague memories of a mad Sunday on which both sides had been bowled out, supporters of each team had called for everyone to resign and Lancashire’s captain, Liam Livingstone, had broken his thumb. Yorkshire ended the day comfortably in the ascendant, as they so often do in Roses matches, but the means of their ascent made the Hinterstoisser traverse look facile.For on a day which began in the thick-furred gloom of a Mancunian morning yet ended in the crystal sunlight of this treasured summer Clark became only the second Lancashire bowler to take a hat-trick in this fixture since the County Championship was properly constituted in 1890. And when he bowled Ben Coad for 15 to end Yorkshire’s innings for what seemed a plainly inadequate 192, Clark had taken 5 for 58, his finest figures for Lancashire.The quality of Clark’s hat-trick victims was even more bewitching than the feat itself. Those who had hoped to see Joe Root make runs had to be content with five fluent boundaries before the England captain pushed half forward to Clark and was leg before. Enter Kane Williamson, who was caught helplessly on the crease by Clark’s first delivery to him. Exit Williamson and enter Jonny Bairstow, whose nervous prod edged a catch to Jos Buttler at third slip. Yorkshire 59 for 4.Having dismissed the batsmen ranked second, third and 16th in the world, Clark indulged in an aeroplane impersonation and sprinted towards The Point, caught in the exultation of the moment. He was followed by his team-mates and the game was reduced to a Benny Hill sketch. The black comedy awaited us.In the pavilion most of the former players attending their Lancashire reunion watched these events happily and one hopes they showed Clark’s celebrations appropriate indulgence. After all, none of them could talk about their hat-tricks in Roses matches. The only man to share Clark’s honour was Ken Higgs, who passed away in 2016, although one could argue that playing for Lancashire and taking a Roses hat trick are two of the few things the pair have in common.Clark looks like an athlete whereas Higgs, as his obituary in obituary pointed out, had “an arse which crossed two postcodes”. Clark has a straight run-up whereas Higgs had a curving approach and rumbled to the wicket like an irate landlord in hot pursuit of a chiseler. Clark’s diet is strictly controlled and probably owes much to energy supplements and isotonic refuelling. Higgs more or less lived on fish and chips.Jordan Clark claimed a Roses hat-trick for Lancashire•Getty Images

But both men know, or knew, how to compel the shot and move the ball late, albeit that Higgs’s virtues earned him 1536 first-class wickets whereas Clark has so far picked up 75. And neither man had to be born in Lancashire in order to pledge their loyalty. Clark is a Cumbrian; Higgs was born in Staffordshire. They also serve who hail from Whitehaven or Kidsgrove.So great was Clark’s apparent dominance of this day – he also ran out Tim Bresnan for nought when he got a hand to a fierce straight-drive by Adam Lyth – that it was sometimes difficult to understand that other cricketers were playing well too. Old Trafford may not be Lyth’s favourite ground; indeed, expressing such an opinion may be something of a heresy in Yorkshire. But it is one on which he has scored a lot of runs and the opener’s fluent 70 was vital in ensuring his side posted what became an eminently defendable total. When Bresnan was out, Yorkshire were 86 for 6 but Lyth helped Steve Patterson put on 45 before both fell to slip catches by Keaton Jennings, Lyth being James Anderson’s only victim.But what had appeared to be a bottomless Harrod’s hamper of a day for Lancashire rapidly became a soggy packed lunch. The most serious long-term blow was struck when Liam Livingstone fractured his left thumb when attempting to take a slip catch off Lyth. He is likely to be out of action for some time.Perhaps in solidarity with their captain, Lancashire’s batsmen then inflicted some blows on themselves and they should be fatal for their chances in this game. Yorkshire’s four seamers bowled superbly, no one better than Ben Coad, who took three wickets in an over as the home side lost four wickets for no runs in eight balls.By then, though, Haseeb Hameed had been dismissed for the fourth successive innings when playing no shot, a dismissal followed two balls later by Dane Vilas’s departure, leg before on the back leg to Patterson. Alex Davies made 51 and put on 46 for the first wicket with Keaton Jennings, who was brilliantly caught one handed by Root at short midwicket off Bresnan. Jennings was blameless but many other Lancashire batsmen were deeply culpable. God knows what the former players thought of it but one doubts it harmed bar takings.

يمكن أن يصبح جود بيلينجهام أحد أصغر الفائزين بجائزة الكرة الذهبية في التاريخ بعد أن حجزت إنجلترا مكانها في نهائي بطولة كأس أمم أوروبا “يورو 2024”.

وللمرة الثانية على التوالي، تأهلت إنجلترا لنهائي كأس أمم أوروبا، حيث نجحت في إقصاء هولندا بفوز في وقت قاتل، بهدفين لهدف.

ويتواجد بيلينجهام لاعب ريال مدريد، رفقة المنتخب الإنجليزي في منافسات يورو 2024، وساهم في وصول فريقه للنهائي.

وتلتقي إنجلترا مع إسبانيا في نهائي يورو 2024، حيث يلعب الفريقان يوم الأحد المقبل، في البطولة التي تستضيفها ألمانيا.

ويمر بيلينجهام بموسم مميز، حيث حقق لقب دوري أبطال أوروبا والدوري الإسباني مع ريال مدريد، وكان له دور مؤثر في كلا البطولتين، وعلى المستوى الدولي قد يحقق لقب كأس أمم أوروبا.

اقرأ أيضًا | بيلينجهام: تأهلنا بفضل واتكينز ومواجهة إسبانيا في النهائي ستكون مثيرة

وتشير صحيفة “ميرور” البريطانية، إلى أن ذلك يرفع من حظوظ فوز بيلينجهام بالكرة الذهبية هذا العام.

قبل بطولة اليورو، كان بيلينجهام من بين المرشحين للفوز بالكرة الذهبية، إلى جانب زملائه في ريال مدريد، فينيسيوس جونيور وداني كارفاخال، وكيليان مبابي الذي سينضم إليه في ريال مدريد قريبًا، ورودري من مانشستر سيتي.

وتفيد الصحيفة أنه منذ خروج البرازيل من كأس كوبا أمريكا في الدور ربع النهائي الأسبوع الماضي وتأهل إنجلترا إلى نهائي بطولة أوروبا، أصبح بيلينجهام المرشح الأوفر حظًا للحصول على الجائزة.

في حالة حصوله على البالون دور، سيصبح بيلينجهام ثاني أصغر لاعب يفوز بالجائزة على الإطلاق، بعد أن أصبح رونالدو حاليًا أصغر لاعب يفوز بالجائزة، حيث كان يبلغ من العمر 21 عامًا و96 يومًا عندما فاز بجائزة الكرة الذهبية للمرة الأولى، بينما بلغ بيلينجهام 21 عامًا فقط في 29 يونيو.

Cristiano Ronaldo posed with partner Georgina Rodriguez at a stunning villa in Saudi Arabia after being left out of Portugal's latest squad.

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• Ronaldo poses with Georgina at poolside
• Enjoying family vacation in Saudi Arabia
• Likely to play against Slovenia

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Al-Nassr superstar Ronaldo took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a spectacular photograph of him and his partner Georgina Rodriguez cosying up at the poolside of a plush beachfront villa. With the Saudi Pro League on pause for the international break, the 39-year-old is spending some quality time with his loved ones as he is on a short family vacation in the Middle Eastern country.

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  THE GOSSIP

  After being named in Roberto Martinez's initial 32-man Portugal squad, the Al-Nassr star was omitted from the final list as he joins a host of star players, including Diogo Dalot, Joao Cancelo, Danilo Pereira, Otavio, Ruben Neves, Vitinha and Joao Felix, who have been rested for the upcoming friendly match against Sweden on March 21.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Ronaldo is expected to return to the Portugal national team ahead of their clash against Slovenia on March 26. That will be their final outing before the European Championship in Germany, which is scheduled to kick off on June 14.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  After potentially facing Slovenia with his country, the ex-Real Madrid and Manchester United striker will be back in action for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, with a crucial fixture against Al-Tai set to take place on March 30.

Borussia Dortmund are set to continue talks with Manchester United over the permanent transfer of Jadon Sancho, as they set an initial transfer fee.

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Sancho happy on loan at DortmundTalks scheduled over permanent moveInitial transfer fee set by BVBGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The English winger re-joined the Bundesliga side on a short-term loan in January having been frozen out by Erik ten Hag at United. Sancho has made a decent start to life back in Germany with a goal and two assists to his name, and 's Florian Plettenburg reports he wants to stay at Dortmund. As such, more talks are scheduled in the "next weeks" between the two clubs to see if a deal can be agreed.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

As Plettenburg notes, the main obstacle to any permanent move will be the salary, with Sancho reportedly earning nearly £300,000 ($381,000) a week at United. Dortmund do, however, already know how much they would be willing to fork out on Sancho should an agreement over salary be reached. According to the report, the German club would pay up to €35 million (£30m/$38m) to United for Sancho, a fair bit shy of the £73m ($93m) the Red Devils splashed out in 2021.

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

In addition to financial, the report raises other issues that may hinder a permanent move for Sancho. Ten Hag, a vocal critic of the Englishman, may yet be replaced at the helm, while it is unclear what stance incoming part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will take on the matter.

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WHAT NEXT FOR SANCHO?

In any case, Sancho will continue to put in the work at Dortmund, either to convince them to fork out more or to put himself on the market for other potential suitors. The 23-year-old is said to have many admirers in Saudi Arabia, who are readying another summer of lavish spending after a quiet January window.

Mohammed Siraj is mobbed by his team-mates•PTI

Mayank Agarwal was dismissed for an overnight 220, but fifties from Hanuma Vihari and Srikar Bharat armed India A with a first-innings lead of 338, before they declared on 584 for 8. The misery, however, did not end for South Africa A: fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who had bagged 5 for 56 in the first innings, cracked open their top order again. South Africa A were 99 for 4, still 239 behind, at stumps on day three at Chinnaswamy Stadium.”I could not do much [today] and got out the first ball. I am a little disappointed but on the whole we did well to get a 350-plus lead,” Agarwal said after play. “I’m very happy with the way I’ve begun the season..Just because you got 2000-odd runs last season you can’t take things for granted. I’m not thinking about the India selection. We have this A series against South Africa and the quadrangular A series coming up.”Either side of an hour-long rain delay, Siraj swung the new ball both ways and benefitted from the variable bounce on offer. The first ball he bowled snaked past the feeble waft of opener Sarel Erwee. The next ball snuck under the bat and shot through at shin height. Having worked the Dolphins batsman over, Siraj had him nicking off for 3 in his next over. Siraj and Navdeep Saini continued to explore the channel outside off and teased both the edges of Pieter Malan and Zubayr Hamza. While Malan also nicked off to wicketkeeper Bharat for 0 off 20 balls, Hamza needed eight balls to get off a pair.Siraj then struck with his second ball after the rain break to pin captain Khaya Zondo lbw for a duck too. His first spell read 8-4-12-3. Siraj wasn’t done yet; he returned in the fading light to have Senuran Muthusamy sparring one to a tumbling Vihari at gully for 41. At that point, South Africa A were 92 for 4 in 37 overs. Hamza, who top-scored in the second innings for the visitors with an unbeaten 46, and Rudi Second, the top-scorer in the first, saw out the remaining three overs before close.In the morning, South Africa’s attack was more penetrative than it had been at any point on Sunday. Left-arm quick Beuran Hendricks, who has played seven T20Is, trapped Agarwal in front with a nippy inswinger and then went on to remove Shreyas Iyer with extra bounce and seam movement for 24 by having him caught behind.Vihari and his Andhra team-mate Bharat, however, built on the lead with a breezy 95 run-stand for the fifth wicket at a run rate of 4.38. Bharat took on the short balls from Hendricks and Duanne Olivier and began his innings with a triptych of pulled sixes over long leg. He hit one more six in his 77-ball 64.Bharat was the second-highest scorer in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2017-18 with 390 runs in eight innings at an average of 55.71, but his form in the red-ball format in the past season was less encouraging. He had managed only 292 runs in 10 innings in the Ranji Trophy at 29.20. Bharat had made 2 and 33 not out against West Indies A in a first-class match in Beckenham last month, but he did not find a place in the team against England Lions. Rishabh Pant struck twin fifties in that game and subsequently broke into the India Test squad.Vihari also made a fifty of his own on Monday, reaching the landmark when he launched a straight six into the sightscreen off left-arm spinner Muthusamy. Axar Patel, who has gone wicketless so far, had some fun with the bat, slog-sweeping offspinner Dane Piedt over midwicket and late-cutting Muthusamy to the third-man boundary. There would be no such fun for the South African batsmen.

Opening batsman M Vijay and left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav were dropped from the squad

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Aug-20181:57

‘Vijay’s exclusion is slightly perturbing’ – Chopra

Batsmen Prithvi Shaw and Hanuma Vihari have been called up to India’s Test squad for the final two matches in England. Opening batsman M Vijay, who was out for a pair at Lord’s and then dropped from the XI at Trent Bridge, and left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav, whose selection in the second Test had raised eyebrows, have been dropped.It is understood that Vijay’s poor form – six single-digit scores in his last 11 innings – has prompted the team management to think about grooming a younger opener. At 34, Vijay’s international future now looks uncertain.Kuldeep has been sent back home to play for the India A team in two four-day matches against Australia A in Visakhapatnam. The decision is believed to be made because of the conditions in England, where one spinner in the XI has usually sufficed. India coach Ravi Shastri told the media at the end of the Trent Bridge Test that offspinner R Ashwin, who was suffering from a hip injury, would be fit in time for the next Test in Southampton starting August 30. There is also left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja in the squad.”Ashwin will be okay,” Shastri said. “The fact that he bowled 20-25 overs clearly suggests it [the hip injury] is not that bad. This break will be ideal for him. If there was a Test match starting in three days’ time, then it would have been a problem.”1:39

The Prithvi Shaw story

The 18-year old Shaw captained India to the Under-19 World Cup title in February and has since been part of India’s A teams. He also has an IPL contract with Delhi Daredevils. Vihari, meanwhile, has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket, and the 24-year old averages 59.79 from 63 first-class matches. No one currently playing first-class cricket has a has a better average.Both men are in good form as well, having each struck centuries against South Africa A in Bengaluru at the start of August. They were also part of the A team in England last month, when Shaw was especially effective as an opening batsman, scoring 188 in a four-day game against West Indies A. That is his highest score – he has seven centuries in all – in 14 first-class games since making his debut for Mumbai in January 2017. Vihari began his career with Hyderabad but has now moved to Andhra, a team he now captains. Among his 5142 runs are 15 hundreds and 24 fifties, including a highest score of 302 not out.Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was ruled out of the first three Tests with a lower-back issue, was absent from this squad as well. Having aggravated the injury while playing the third ODI against England in July, he has been undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. BCCI’s release announcing the squad did not contain any updates on the fast bowler’s fitness.India squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Karun Nair, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hanuma VihariIndia A squad for four-day matches against Australia A: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Mayank Agarwal, R Samarth, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ankit Bawne, Shubman Gill, KS Bharat (wk), Shahbaz Nadeem, Kuldeep Yadav, K Gowtham, Rajneesh Gurbani, Navdeep Saini, Ankit Rajpoot, Mohammed Siraj