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As those at Anfield begin to think about potential upgrades for Arne Slot, Michael Edwards reportedly sent Liverpool scouts on a fresh mission to watch an attacking target he has already enquired about.

Liverpool transfer news

Heading into the weekend eight points clear at the top of the Premier League standings and the only side with a 100% record in the Champions League after defeating Real Madrid, things couldn’t be going much better for Slot’s Liverpool side.

The Reds – barring one slip against Nottingham Forest – have been untouchable and have the chance to go 11 points clear of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City this weekend.

However, those at Anfield can’t afford to rest on their laurels, especially if Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold all fail to sign fresh deals to keep them at the club beyond this summer.

It would be the ultimate failure if Liverpool allowed all three to depart as free agents. But if that does happen, the Reds must turn to the transfer market.

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With that said, according to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Liverpool scouts were recently sent on a fresh mission to watch Georgiy Sudakov as his Shakhtar Donetsk side suffered a 3-2 defeat against PSV Eindhoven in midweek. This follows Michael Edwards’ initial enquiry earlier this year about the attacking midfielder, who is valued at £50m and reportedly ready to leave his current club in January.

The 23-year-old has continued to impress for Shakhtar, despite defeat against PSV in the Champions League last time out. And given that Slot’s system allows No 10s to flourish, Sudakov could emerge to become the ultimate option at the heart of the Dutchman’s midfield.

"Brilliant" Sudakov is on the rise

We’ve seen Curtis Jones thrive and it feels inevitable that Harvey Elliott will enjoy similar success in Slot’s system, which features the No 10 role that Klopp’s setup lacked in the face of several players who are best in the more advanced position.

Sudakov could prove to be better than both academy graduates, highlighting the levels he’s capable of reaching.

Scoring eight goals and assisting a further three for Shakhtar so far this season, Sudakov also offers key versatility as a player who is capable of playing off the left-hand side, as well as in a deeper midfield role. Dubbed a “brilliant midfielder” by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig earlier this year, there’s no doubt that the 22-year-old is one to watch.

For £50m, Liverpool could get themselves a bargain in today’s market, especially if Sudakov continues his recent rise to become one of the most talented players in his position.

Opener takes Alastair Cook’s advice and goes big with his second first-class hundred

ECB Reporters Network08-Apr-2022Joe Weatherley made his highest first-class score in a masterful knock as Hampshire racked up a massive first-innings lead in their LV= Insurance County Championship encounter with Somerset.Opening batter Weatherley had only previously scored one first-class century, 126 not out against Lancashire in 2018, but waltzed to a brilliant 168. Ian Holland and the typically stylish James Vince notched half-centuries as Hampshire rode to 428 and a first-innings advantage of 248 runs.Ben Green, after taking 3 for 31, and Tom Lammonby weathered six overs under the lights to end the day 15 without loss.During one of the many rain delays during a soggy Bob Willis Trophy meeting with Essex in 2020, Weatherley approached Alastair Cook for some advice. The biggest takeaway from a wide-ranging discussion about the mental, physical, tactical and technical aspects of opening the batting was Cook’s habit of “making big scores when he gets in”.Last season Weatherley only mustered a disappointing 406 red ball runs, with a top score of 78, as “getting in” proved difficult. However, his one-day skills increased exponentially, ending up the sixth-highest scorer in the Vitality Blast – which earned him a Hundred contract with Southern Brave earlier this week.Where in the previous winter those white-ball abilities were at the forefront of his training, this off-season he sought to rebalance his attention. A lean pre-season saw more focus on his position in the team, with worries that he might be the weak link in Hampshire’s push for a first Championship since 1973.But the winter work with coaches Tony Middleton, Jimmy Adams and Graeme Welch appeared to pay dividends on a helpful pitch. Weatherley concentrated on a more side-on and compact stance, which when coupled with his stillness, has helped improve his alignment and allowed him to play the ball later. The white-ball advancement has also prevented him going into his shell.The highly-popular Weatherley brought up his 179-ball century with a drive through midwicket. He needed a moment to compose himself before raising his bat to a packed home balcony and receiving a long hug from Nick Gubbins.Opening partner Holland was equally confident in his 81, as the duo wiped out exactly Somerset’s first-innings score of 180 in domineering style. Holland departed when turning to leg slip, but not before celebrating Hampshire’s highest first-wicket stand since 2016.Somerset’s inexperienced attack toiled for most of the day but found a purple patch on either side of the second new ball. Gubbins feathered behind for an aesthetically pleasing 37, Weatherley was bowled shouldering arms – a maiden Somerset scalp for Peter Siddle – and Liam Dawson cut to cover off Ned Leonard.Vince began his season with a dismissive back-foot drive to the cover boundary as he totted up runs at a rapid rate – his half-century coming in 64 deliveries – as Hampshire’s score kept rising.The captain was lbw for 56 and James Fuller was caught behind, before Green belatedly entered the attack to claim a career-best three-for – Ben Brown jabbed him to midwicket, Felix Organ was knocked over and Kyle Abbott lost his off stump. A run out ended the Hampshire innings before Abbott and Keith Barker gave Green and Tom Lammonby a working over in a tricky end of day spell.

The Premier League have announced new ball manufacturers after seeing Nike decline the option to extend their 25-year deal.

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EPL and Nike end partnershipPUMA confirmed as new ball supplierWill take over from 2025-26 seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Nike has been the official ball supplier to the Premier League since the 2000-01 campaign, producing at least two balls per season since 2004-05. The contract between the two parties is due to expire at the end of the current season, though, and according to , Nike turned down the chance to pen an extension.

The Premier League has now confirmed that PUMA will replace Nike as the competition's new ball supplier from 2025-26. PUMA already sponsors Manchester City and several high-profile Premier League players, including Kai Havertz, James Maddison and Harry Maguire.

AdvertisementWHAT RICHARD MASTERS SAID

Premier League CEO Richard Masters said of the new partnership: “We are delighted to be welcoming PUMA as the official ball supplier of the Premier League. PUMA has a proud history of involvement in football over many years and we look forward to seeing the new ball used at all our matches from this summer onwards.”

Puma CEO Arne Freundt added: “We look forward to bringing our performance technology to the forefront of the game and connecting with the many fans worldwide. With Puma’s ball at the centre of attention during every match in this incredible league, we will create unforgettable moments for players and fans alike.”

Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

PUMA is already the official ball supplier to the English Football League (EFL) and has sponsorship agreements in place with Barnsley, Rotherham United, Blackpool, AFC Wimbledon, and Peterborough United. La Liga has been supplied official match balls by PUMA since the 2019-20 season, while AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund are also sponsored by the German corporation.

AFPWHAT NEXT?

The news of PUMA's partnership with the Premier League is unlikely to go down well with Mikel Arteta. The Arsenal boss blamed the PUMA ball for his team's Carabao Cup semi-final loss to Newcastle in January, as he told reporters: "I think we kicked a lot of the balls over the bar and it’s tricky that this ball flies a lot. It’s just different, it’s just very different to the Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to that because it flies different. When you touch it, the grip is very different as well, so you have to adapt to that."

Liverpool have now shot to the front of the queue to sign a new attacker for Arne Slot in 2025, it has been claimed.

Questions over Liverpool's attack

It has been a perfect start to life at Liverpool for Arne Slot, with his side seven points clear at the top of the Premier League and having lost just once across all competitions in 2024/25.

That form has been spearheaded by Mohamed Salah, who provided two goals and an assist to help them secure a 3-3 draw with Newcastle United in their most recent outing. Out of contract this summer as things stand, the 32-year-old is currently top of the Premier League goalscoring charts ahead of Erling Haaland, while only Bukayo Saka has more than his eight assists.

However, the season has been less fruitful for Liverpool’s other forwards. Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa have both spent much of it sidelined through injury, while only Luis Diaz has scored more than twice for Slot’s side this season when you take away Salah’s contributions.

Player

Appearances

Goals

Assists

% of goals involved in

Mohamed Salah

14

13

8

72%

Luis Diaz

14

5

2

24%

Diogo Jota

7

2

2

14%

Cody Gakpo

14

2

1

10%

Darwin Nunez

11

2

1

10%

Federico Chiesa

1

0

0

0

With Jota and Chiesa both injury-prone, and Darwin Nunez doing little to impress into his third season at Anfield, Liverpool could be required to add yet more firepower to their ranks next summer, especially if Mo Salah departs the club for nothing.

Now, they have been tipped to secure a former Premier League winner for free.

Liverpool linked with Leroy Sane move

That comes as reports in Spain claim that Liverpool are now best placed to sign Bayern Munich forward Leroy Sane next summer.

The German forward’s current £320k a week deal in Bavaria expires at the end of the season, and he is yet to agree a new one at the Allianz Arena, with a recent report claiming that the German will have to give up as much as €4m euros per year to remain in Germany.

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That has led to clubs beginning to circle for his signature next summer, and the report claims that Liverpool “are the best placed to sign him as a free agent” should a deal not be agreed, despite previous reported interest from fellow Premier League sides Arsenal and Newcastle United.

Though Sane has struggled with injuries throughout his career, he is a world-beater on his day, with teammate Jamal Musiala dubbing him “one of the best wingers in the world” in 2023.

However, he would likely need to drop his salary if a move to Merseyside was to become a reality, with his current wages in Germany putting him second to only Salah in Liverpool’s top earners.

With Chiesa and Jota both already in the mercurial but rarely fit category, Sane’s arrival seems unlikely unless one of those depart in the summer, but if he could sustain fitness, he could provide another dimension to Slot’s attack.

Ferguson, Dayal impress with the ball; Buttler’s 23-ball fifty not enough for Royals

Hemant Brar14-Apr-20222:37

What was the idea behind R Ashwin at No. 3?

Hardik Pandya led from the front in all three departments – scoring an unbeaten 87 off 52 balls, picking up a wicket and effecting a run-out – to set up a 37-run win for Gujarat Titans at the DY Patil Stadium. With four wins from five games, Titans are now at the top of the points table in IPL 2022.After being put in, Pandya and Abhinav Manohar added 86 off 55 balls for the fourth wicket to pull things away from Rajasthan Royals. Pandya and David Miller then ransacked 47 off the last three overs to further widen the gap.Jos Buttler started the chase in style, but the other Royals batters failed to turn up. Lockie Ferguson was superb, picking up 3 for 23. Rashid Khan was economical, giving away only 24 from his four. And IPL debutant left-arm seamer Yash Dayal finished with 3 for 40 after going for 33 in his first two overs.The only worry for Titans, at the moment, will be Pandya walking off the field with a thigh issue in the middle of his third over, the 18th of Royals’ innings.A mixed start for Titans
With Trent Boult missing out with a niggle, James Neesham opened the bowling for Royals. Matthew Wade took advantage of that and struck three fours – two off full tosses on either side of the pitch and the third off a short and wide delivery.Royals, though, had him run out in the very next over when Shubman Gill pushed one towards cover for a quick single but Rassie van der Dussen charged in, swooped low and nailed the direct hit at the striker’s end. Wade was well short.Kuldeep Sen had a returning Vijay Shankar caught behind but Pandya took him on, smashing him for three successive fours in the fifth over.As soon as the powerplay ended, Sanju Samson tried to sneak in an over from Riyan Parag as well. Pandya welcomed him with a straight six before Gill pulled him to the square leg boundary for four. But Parag had the last laugh when Gill got too greedy and holed out to long-on.Hardik Pandya scored his second straight unbeaten half-century•BCCIPandya-Manohar stand revives Titans
At 53 for 3 in the seventh over, Royals seemed to have the upper hand. More so when the next four overs went for only 24. But Pandya and Manohar then stepped on the gas. In the 13th over, Manohar hit Yuzvendra Chahal’s consecutive balls for a four and six. In the 14th, Sen ended up conceding three fours, the second of which brought up Pandya’s fifty off 33 balls.R Ashwin too, came in for the punishment. Pandya launched him for back-to-back sixes. Chahal removed Manohar for a 28-ball 43 after conceding another six but now the stage was set for Miller. Sen paid the price of that as Miller hit him for three fours and a six in a 21-run 19th over. Pandya then struck a six and four off Prasidh in the final over to apply the finishing touch.The Buttler show
Buttler got Royals to a flier, hitting Mohammed Shami for three fours in the first over of the chase. Dayal was next in the line. Buttler hit him for two fours and a six over fine leg, but Dayal responded by having Devdutt Padikkal caught at slip for a first-ball duck.After a quiet third over, Buttler once again got stuck into Dayal, this time hitting him for three fours and a six. At the end of four overs, Buttler had scored 48 out of the 49 runs Royals had on the board.Lockie Ferguson bowled a rampaging Jos Buttler with a slow yorker•BCCIFerguson turns the tide
Ashwin, who was promoted to No. 3, launched Rashid for a straight six. However, Ferguson sent him back – courtesy of an excellent, low catch from Miller at cover – for a run-a-ball 8. Four balls later, Buttler shuffled across and helped Ferguson over fine leg for a six, bringing up his fifty off just 23 balls. But Ferguson struck again, this time with a slower yorker to castle Buttler. That left Royals 65 for 3 after the powerplay.Another excellent piece of fielding saw Samson’s back. The batter punched one towards mid-off for a quick single but couldn’t beat Pandya’s direct hit. After three boundary-less overs, van der Dussen edged Dayal behind, leaving Royals 90 for 5 in the 11th over.Shimron Hetmyer tried to keep the chase alive, hitting Shami for a six and a four before holing out to long-on in the same over. In the last seven overs, Royals needed 76 with Parag and Neesham at the crease. But Ferguson returned in the 16th over to dismiss Parag. Two overs later, Pandya had Neesham caught and bowled with a slower one to all but seal the game.

Borussia Dortmund set up a Champions League quarterfinal tie against Barcelona after they came from behind to beat Lille 2-1 on Wednesday evening.

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Lille took early lead thanks to Kobel blunderCan penalty and Beier strike gave Dortmund leadGerman side face Barcelona in quarter-finalsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportTELL ME MORE

The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the last-16 tie in Germany last week, but it was Dortmund who conquered the return fixture in France – despite falling behind through an awful goalkeeping error.

Lille hit the visitors on the counter attack in the fifth minute with left-back Ismaily squaring for Jonathan David, with goalkeeper Gregor Kobel inexplicably allowing his tame shot to pass between his legs.

Dortmund pressed forward in search of an equaliser and came close to breaking through on several occasions, but their first-half attempts were rebuffed by the fantastic reactions of goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.

The German side were gifted the equaliser early in the second period when their former player Thomas Meunier was ruled to have brought down Serhou Guirassy in the box and Emre Can stepped up to level matters.

A Dortmund winner seemed imminent as Niko Kovac's team stepped up their game. Shortly after Karim Adeyemi had hit the crossbar and Pascal Gross missed with a header, Maximilian Beier managed to turn inside the box and lash home what proved to be the winner in the 65th minute.

USMNT star Gio Reyna was a late sub, coming on in the 85th minute.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE MVP

He didn't score, but Serhou Guirassy put in an excellent shift for Dortmund. The striker was heading into a dangerous position before he went down to win the penalty and then set up Beier for the winning goal.

THE BIG LOSER

Dortmund goalkeeper Kobel left his team in real danger when he let David's shot roll through his legs early on. He was bailed out in the end, but his performance paled in comparison to Chevalier in the other goal.

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WHAT COMES NEXT?

Dortmund will go on to face Hansi Flick's Barcelona in the next round, with the first leg taking place on April 8 or 9.

West Bromwich Albion are now eyeing up a potential bargain deal to strengthen their ranks in January, it has been claimed, as they look to bolster their frontline before the second half of the season.

West Brom struggling for wins in the Championship

Carlos Corberan’s side are struggling somewhat in the early stages of the Championship season, with the Baggies unable to stop drawing games.

The Baggies have lost the fewest games in the division, having been beaten just twice, but their 10 draws are also a league-high, one more than relegation threatened Preston North End and Queens Park Rangers.

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As a result, they sit just outside the playoff spots in the Championship and are already 10 points adrift of early leaders Sheffield United, with another stint in the playoffs their most likely route to potential success this season at this stage.

One of their biggest problems has been finding the back of the net regularly, with their 19 goals scored the fewest in the top half of the Championship, though they do boast the third-best defensive record too.

Of those 19 goals, star striker Josh Maja has 10, while only two other players have managed more than a single goal for the Baggies this season across all competitions, and only five players have even managed to make it onto the scoresheet.

West Brom’s top goalscorers 2024-25

Josh Maja

10

Karlan Grant

4

Alex Mowatt

3

Jayson Molumby

1

Mason Holgate

1

Now, West Brom could be set to address this issue in January, with reports linking them with a surprise swoop.

West Brom monitoring Sevilla forward

That comes as reports from Spain claim that West Brom are one of two Championship sides monitoring former Leicester striker Kelechi Iheanacho ahead of a potential winter move.

Iheanacho only arrived in Seville over the summer but has endured a tough start to life in the south of Spain, starting just four La Liga games, though he has scored three times in the Copa del Rey.

An FA Cup winner during his time at Leicester City, the 28-year-old has already reportedly been deemed surplus to requirements in Andalusia, with his high wages not deemed value for money given his lack of game time.

Appearances

219

Goals

47

Assists

26

Minutes per goal/assist

120

Now, a fresh report has suggested that both the Baggies and Championship rivals Watford are “closely monitoring the situation” and they are both keen “to sign him in the winter, either on loan or as a free agent.”

Dubbed “very talented” by Brendan Rodgers during the pair’s time together at Leicester, Iheanacho’s career has taken a dip since, with the Nigerian forward scoring just six times for the Foxes last season before moving to Spain.

He found the net against the Baggies in both the 2017/18 season and the 2020/21 campaign, helping them on their way to relegation from the Premier League on both occasions, but now could find himself trying to push them back towards the Premier League should he arrive at the club in January. Could he be the man to help Corberan’s side back to winning ways?

Birmingham City’s summer transfer window before the new League One season kicked off couldn’t have really gone any better, as plenty of deadwood was shifted on and a whole host of exciting gems were snapped up.

In total, there were a mammoth 17 incomings for Chris Davies to contend with, which included the dramatic return of Jay Stansfield to St. Andrew’s, alongside bold additions in the form of Tomoki Iwata and Willum Thor Willumsson.

All of those signings named have made the transition to the third tier look easy for the most part – with Stansfield bagging ten goals from 13 league clashes – but the Blues haven’t always been blessed with amazing luck when it comes to striking gold in the transfer department.

Birmingham's biggest transfer howlers

Every club up and down England is going to fall foul of some blunders when a window swings open, with Birmingham no exception to that rule whatsoever.

After all, Blues fans will still be haunted by the fact their club splashed out £2m on Sam Cosgrove back in 2021, only for the ex-Aberdeen man to flounder horrifically in his new location with zero goals tallied up from 17 dire appearances.

That isn’t the only time Birmingham have signed a striker who would then never live up to their hype, with Scott Hogan once a £12m buy for Aston Villa before joining their arch rivals, only for him now to be playing in League Two after bagging a lacklustre 36 strikes from 158 clashes.

There are no doubt more flops that have gone on to notably struggle at St. Andrew’s away from just these two strikers, with this player in question one that did shine in spurts in the West Midlands, but would again never feel worthy of his excessive fee.

Sunjic's time at Birmingham

Whilst not as extortionate as the mentioned Hogan deal, Ivan Sunjic would still cost a whopping £6.3m to obtain in the summer of 2019, with plenty then expected of the midfielder on his flashy arrival.

He would end up amassing 176 appearances in England, as his first season saw him score three times from 40 league games whilst his new employers just about survived in the Championship, which included this beauty of a strike being hammered home versus Derby County.

Yet, Birmingham fans would have been left wanting more from the Bosnia and Herzegovina international as his stay dragged on at the club, as Sunjic would end up accumulating just three more goals and six assists across the following three campaigns.

Labelled as “superb” by then Birmingham manager Pep Clotet during his first few months at the club, there will have been a disappointment in the air when the 28-year-old was just allowed to depart for nothing in the summer.

But, it did feel unlikely that Davies would want to keep the former £6.3m buy around, especially as he went about freshening up the camp for the more combative challenge of League One football.

He has since made the switch to Cyprus to line up for Pafos FC, who actually play in the Europa Conference League, with Sunjic showing off signs of his class for his new employers so far in league action.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Sunjic

Games played

13

Games started

12

Goals scored

2

Assists

1

Accurate passes*

31.4 (87%)

Interceptions*

2.6

Ball recoveries*

6.8

Total duels won*

4.1

Stats by Sofascore

Whilst Sunjic aims to build on a promising start to life out in Cyprus, Davies will just be content with the options he has back in England in the midfield positions, feeling little to no regret that he can’t call upon the ex-Blues number 34.

Birmingham did used to fail in the market very frequently when it came to high-profile signings underwhelming, but in the here and now with Stansfield and many others, that narrative is changing.

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Paris Saint-Germain boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi will invite Prince William and Tom Hanks to the Parc des Princes for Aston Villa's Champions League tie.

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Prince William is a lifelong Aston Villa fanWill be invited along with Hanks by PSGTwo sides to clash in UCL next monthFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Prince William's affinity towards Aston Villa is well-known. The future King was spotted at the Villa Park earlier this month as the Villans welcomed Club Brugge in the second leg of the round of 16. The hosts secured a comfortable 3-1 victory, prompting the Prince of Wales to tell journalists, "See you in Paris," as he got into his car after the match, per the Daily Mail.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

It appears Prince William is ready to keep his promise to fellow Villa fans. According to , PSG president Al-Khelaifi is set to invite Prince William and Hollywood legend Hanks to the first leg of Villa's Champions League quarter-final at the Parc des Princes next month. The invitation comes as Al-Khelaifi marks a milestone, becoming PSG's longest-serving president with 13 years, four months, and 23 days in charge as of Wednesday. The Qatari surpasses Francis Borelli, who held the role from 1978 to 1991.

DID YOU KNOW?

Prince William is a regular at football matches with his son, Prince George, and has even confessed to losing his voice from cheering for Aston Villa. In January, he surprised Villa fans by buying a round of drinks at a Wetherspoons near Birmingham New Street Station ahead of their Premier League clash with Everton. The Prince treated eight fans to a round of beers while enjoying a pint of Bulmers cider, staying for about half an hour before catching a train back to London.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ASTON VILLA?

Although Villa are currently in ninth position in the Premier League table, they are just four points adrift of the top four. Indeed, they could yet end the season with a Champions League spot as Chelsea, in fourth, have bagged just 49 points. Their upcoming next game is an FA Cup quarter-final clash against Preston on Sunday, March 30, followed by a league encounter with in-form Brighton next Wednesday, April 2.

Former India coach wants Jammu and Sunrisers fast man to get BCCI contract ‘straightaway’

Nagraj Gollapudi and Raunak Kapoor18-May-20224:40

Ravi Shastri: ‘Central contract straightaway for Umran Malik’

Umran Malik needs to be given a central contract “straightaway” by the BCCI, in the opinion of Ravi Shastri, who also believes Malik will be “a handful” in first-class cricket and has the potential to even be part of the Indian Test set-up subject to him being put on the development pathway by Indian cricket authorities.Malik, who recently clocked 156.9 kph, possibly the fastest ball in IPL history, is also the fourth-highest wicket-taker this IPL with 21 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 20 and economy rate of 8.93. Playing his first full IPL season, Malik has already bagged a five-for [the second-best figures so far this season], but it is his raw, uninhibited pace that has troubled batters, brought fans to the edge of the seats and excited pundits like Shastri.Related

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“Central contract straightway,” Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out after Malik put on another impactful performance with a three-wicket haul in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s win against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday. “And keep him in the mix, don’t let him float around. Keep him in the mix with the main players and then he learns seeing (and) being around with the [Mohammed] Shamis and the [Jasprit] Bumrahs, and see the way they train, see the way they manage their workload.”Of course, there’ll be the team management there, support staff, that’ll help him do that, but don’t let him stray at the moment. Get him into the mix, and keep him there and groom him.”While Malik has rattled the best batters in the IPL – on Tuesday, Malik hit Rohit Sharma in the helmet – with his extreme pace as well as uprooted stumps, someone like Shami has called on him to focus on combining “pace with accuracy”.”He’ll get better and better,” Shastri said. “You see his bowling once he takes a wicket. Look at the lines he starts bowling as opposed to when he has not got a wicket – that’s when he is trying everything, his lines are all over the place. You don’t want him to cut down on pace. The last thing you would tell him looking for control, cut down on pace. What you want him to do is get his lines right: if he can bowl that stump line, attack the stumps on a constant basis, varying his lengths, he will trouble [batters].”If he gets a wicket and new guy comes in, he can really rattle him because he has got the pace, he can keep the bloke on his toes, but it’s that line – if he gets into that channel, without cutting his pace it will make a huge difference.”Shastri: ‘Get him into the mix, and keep him there and groom him’•BCCIAnd if Malik could stick to that plan, Shastri said he would not be surprised if Malik is soon be part of the Indian Test squad. “I promise you, this guy is going to be a handful in red-ball cricket. Handful, really. If he is part of an Indian pace battery that (already) has Bumrah, Shami, you add this bloke in (as) a fourth guy, it’s going to be a serious attack.”Shastri’s views are similar to that of Sunrisers’ head coach Tom Moody, who had said Malik was like a “Ferrari” and there was no point asking him to cut down his pace and focus on line and length.At 22, Malik is enjoying the best time of his life, doing something that comes naturally to him: bowling fast. But you can sense he is also hearing what the experts are saying. After the win on Tuesday, Malik was keen to understand how his senior Sunrisers team-mate Bhuvneshwar Kumar had bowled a maiden in the penultimate over of Mumbai’s chase.Bhuvneshwar pointed out that he had worked out delivering yorkers was the “best option” based on the behaviour of the pitch, and he managed to pull it off. Malik then wanted to know what was the key to bowling successfully in death overs, the most difficult phase in T20 cricket. “The most necessary thing in death bowling is to keep yourself calm because what happens often is the pressure comes as soon as a boundary is hit,” Bhuvneshwar told Malik in a chat on . “So the only thing I will say is how much you can keep calm and have a calm mind then it will help you.”