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Bob Simpson played 62 Tests and would then go on to shape one of the great eras of Australian cricket

Alex Malcolm16-Aug-2025Australian cricket has lost a giant after former Test captain and the first full-time coach Bob Simpson died in Sydney at the age of 89.Simpson is one of the most influential figures in the history of Australian cricket. He played 62 Test matches between 1957 and 1978, averaging 46.81, and claimed 71 wickets while being known as one of the greatest slip fielders of his time. Simpson had made his first-class debut for New South Wales aged 16 and would go on to amass 21,029 runs and picked up 349 wickets with his legspin.He had initially retired from the game in 1968 after an 11-year career as one of Australia’s finest openers, having played 50 Tests and captained in 29 of them. But he then made an extraordinary return as Test captain in Australia cricket’s hour of need after the World Series Cricket schism in 1977. Simpson, at the age of 41, led in five home Tests against India and five away Tests against a full-strength West Indies side then.He finished with ten Test centuries, all of them made as captain, including 311 against England in Manchester in 1964, which was his first hundred in his 30th Test, and two more double-centuries. He averaged 54.07 as captain after not making a century and only averaging 33.67 before he assumed the role from Richie Benaud during the home summer of 1963-64.Simpson formed what remains one of Australia’s most successful Test opening pairings with Bill Lawry with 382 they added against West Indies in 1965 still the record for the first wicket.Bob Simpson had initially retired from the game in 1968 but then made an extraordinary return as Test captain during the World Series Cricket schism•PA Photos/Getty Images

Simpson was again called upon by the then Australian Cricket Broad (now Cricket Australia) in 1986 during the nadir of Australia’s on-field performance as a Test nation, having not won a series for over two years.Alongside captain Allan Border, Simpson was instrumental in instilling a culture of discipline and hard work into a younger group of players that were selected to regenerate Australian cricket, including David Boon, Dean Jones, Steve Waugh, Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes.In 1987, he was added to the selection panel that was chaired by Laurie Sawle and oversaw the start of Australia’s next golden generation with Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Mark Waugh, Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath and Ricky Ponting among a host players selected and coached by Simpson until he stood down in 1996.Australia won the World Cup in 1987 and regained the Ashes in 1989, which they would hold until 2005. Australia regained the Frank Worrell Trophy in 1995, a trophy they had not held since 1976, having not beaten West Indies in a series anywhere during that time. That win in the Caribbean gave them the unofficial mantle of world No. 1 Test side.”Bob Simpson was one of the greats of Australian cricket and this is a sad day for anyone fortunate to have watched him play or who benefited from his wisdom,” Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird said. “Bob’s decision to come out of retirement to successfully lead the Australian team during the advent of World Series Cricket in 1977 was a wonderful service to the game, and his coaching set the foundation for a golden era for Australian cricket.”Dean Jones chats to Bob Simpson during the latter’s hugely successful stint as Australia coach•Elizabeth Dobbie/Fairfax Media/Getty Images

Many of the players, including Warne, regarded Simpson as the best coach they ever had and pivotal to their develop as international players after also coming through the Australian Cricket Academy under former wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, which had been established as a breeding ground during Simpson’s early years as Australia coach. Warne credited Simpson for convincing him to bowl around the wicket more often in certain conditions.Simpson was known as a disciplinarian and famously made fitness and fielding a major priority as coach.He was succeeded as Australian coach by one of his former players, Geoff Marsh, as the more senior team shifted their approach to preparation under the captaincy of Taylor after Border had retired in 1994.Simpson went on to coach Leicestershire and Lancashire for short periods in English county cricket. He also worked as a coaching advisor for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy in India and as a consultant for India’s men’s team during the late 1990s.He coached into his 70s, including with Netherlands through a successful qualification campaign to reach the 2007 World Cup.He was appointed a Member in the Order of Australia in 1978, which was upgraded to Officer (AO) in 2007 for services to the game as a coach, consultant and administrator.He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1965. He is a member of the ICC Hall of fame and the Australian Cricket Hall of fame.

He averages only 23.20 in 2024 and is now on his longest stretch of innings without a century

Andrew McGlashan13-Dec-20241:16

Katich on Steven Smith: History says he won’t be back to his best

When Steven Smith played at the Gabba earlier this year he carried his bat for 91 as Australia were toppled by West Indies. It was two matches into his brief stint as an opener. In his seven innings since, Smith has a top score of 31.After the first ODI against Pakistan in early November, Smith declared: “I’m ready. I’m ready now. Yeah, I could go out and play a Test match tomorrow, so I feel like I’m in a good place.”So far, though, it hasn’t gone his way. Having returned to the middle order against India, Smith has been trapped lbw first ball by Jasprit Bumrah, caught behind off a crackerjack delivery from Mohammed Siraj and tickled down the leg side to Bumrah.Related

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• McSweeney hopes to 'throw a few more punches' at Bumrah

• Mitchell Marsh 'ready to bowl as much' as Australia need him to in Brisbane

During his career, Smith has hit peaks very rarely seen in the game. However, since the 2019 Ashes, one of the highest peaks, he has averaged 42.01 in Tests compared to 64.56 before that. There have been highs in that period – in 2022 he averaged 58.40 – but overall the trend has been down, while accepting that he had set an incredibly high mark. This year he is averaging 23.20 and is now on his longest stretch of innings without a century.Does he have one more surge in him as he hunts down the 10,000-run landmark which is currently 296 runs away? Only 14 have ever reached that milestone with Australia contributing the most (three) to the club: Steve Waugh, Allan Border and Ricky Ponting.”We obviously know how great Steve Smith has been, average 60 in Test cricket and being the standout of this generation,” Simon Katich said on ESPN’s . “Think the hard part is, in that second innings in Perth he looked really good in terms of his movements and the way he was hitting the ball. He got a pretty good ball from Siraj when he got out for 17. In Adelaide he was a little bit unlucky getting strangled down the leg side.”I’m loathed to write him off just yet because we know in these conditions he’s very good, but history would suggest at 35 years of age it’s tough. You wouldn’t think he’s going to be back at his best because generally 35-year-olds have been past their peak, so he’s got some tough challenges ahead.”His latest dismissal to Bumrah, glancing a catch to Rishabh Pant, brought talk of bad luck. It was probably a little too far down the leg side to truly be a cunning plan, but teams have had considerable success targeting Smith straight in recent years. “You imagine the batsman feels he’s unlucky but it’s a plan,” Ravi Shastri said on . “It is a tactic they have used against Smith and it has paid off.”It’s worth noting it was the second time he had been caught down the leg side this season after falling that way in the first innings of his one Sheffield Shield outing against Victoria, although on that occasion it was a shorter delivery into his hip.In terms of fuller, straight deliveries, Smith has been lbw 32 times in his Test career with eight of them coming in the last two years. At his very best, Smith missed little off his pads. In 2024 alone he has been pinned by Kemar Roach, Matt Henry, Ben Sears and Bumrah.”My gut feeling is he [Smith] has got some luck coming his way; as we just mentioned caught down the leg side [in Adelaide],” Callum Ferguson added on . “But I feel like he’s moving quite well through the ball, watching him closely at the ground commentating, it looks like his body weight is transferring both ways really nicely, but he just can’t get away at the moment. Really hope he gets set and gets into the game because if he gets set then at some point he’s going to hurt someone.”Smith is currently enduring a similar start to a series against India as happened last time in Australia in 2020-21 when he was three dismissals were 1, 0 and 8. Over the last two Tests he made scores 131, 81, 36 and 55 albeit they weren’t enough to help Australia win the series.”If you look at his record, stats would suggest it’s not far around the corner,” Pat Cummins said on Friday. “In particular this year he’s looking fantastic in the nets. Just looking really sharp, looking like he’s got plenty of time. He’s doing all the right things like he always does. He got caught down the leg side too much, don’t think you can look into that too much, so I’m sure a big score is just around the corner.”Meanwhile, in the opposite corner you have Virat Kohli, another of this generation’s fab four. He has his second-innings hundred in Perth, but the jury remains out on the direction of his Test career in a year where he is averaging 26.64. It will be one of the fascinating subplots of the remaining three matches, watching two great players trying to rekindle something close to their best days.

Manchester United now hold an advantage in the race to sign Sporting CP star Morten Hjulmand, with the midfielder being targeted as a replacement for Casemiro.

Casemiro has repaid Ruben Amorim’s faith in him with some fantastic performances this season, most recently picking up a goal and an assist in the 4-2 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion, while also making a number of other important contributions.

The Brazilian was lauded by Amorim after the match, with the 40-year-old suggesting he should be a role model for the other United players, saying: “I think he gives a lot of experience,

“He’s so important for us. Today he run a lot. He had to press so high and then return, and he’s doing that. So, I’m really pleased with him. And the other guys need to look at Casemiro.”

However, the 33-year-old’s long-term future at Old Trafford remains up in the air, given that his contract is set to expire next summer, and the Red Devils are now lining up moves for new midfielders, with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson emerging as a target.

A deal for Anderson could be on the expensive side, however, with it being reported Forest could hold out for £120m, and the England international is not the only target on the shortlist…

Man Utd hold advantage in race for Hjulmand

According to a report from Football Insider, Man United hold an advantage in the race for Sporting CP midfielder Hjulmand, given his links with Amorim, with the Portuguese manager signing the Dane from Lecce back in 2023.

The central midfielder has a £70m release clause in his contract, but there is now a feeling he could be available for the cut-price fee of £50m, which will also be welcome news for the Red Devils.

Amorim is known to be a big fan of the 26-year-old, but there may be competition for his signature, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City also in the race.

With it also being revealed that United don’t plan to trigger the extension clause in Casemiro’s contract, the Sporting star could be brought in as a replacement, and he may be a solid option, having impressed for club and country.

The Denmark international displayed his ball-striking ability with a fantastic goal against England at Euro 2024, and there are signs he could have a positive influence in the Man United dressing room, having been dubbed a “leader” by sporting boss Rui Borges.

It would be a shame to see Casemiro depart, but the 33-year-old is on massive wages, raking in £350k-a-week, so it could make sense to sign a younger midfielder this summer, and Hjulmand, who’s made 12 Champions League appearances, may now be ready to test himself at a top club.

Find out the latest on Man Utd's move for Conor Gallagher

Man Utd set to push for "amazing" English signing, £52m bid in the works

The Red Devils have identified a new top target in midfield, and they could make a move in the January transfer window.

By
Dominic Lund

Oct 28, 2025

Karim Benzema has fiercely defended actress Lyna Khoudri, his partner, against a far-right activist who criticised her participation in a tribute to the victims of the November 13, 2015 terrorist attack. The Al-Ittihad striker fired back on social media, dismissing the activist as "just an extra in our world" for mistaking the solemn ceremony for a staged performance.

• Benzema defends partner against far-right criticism

  Benzema has publicly confronted a far-right activist who launched an attack on his partner, actress Khoudri, following her involvement in a solemn tribute to the victims of the attacks in France. Khoudri participated in a commemoration on , reading Charlotte Delbo's poem "Prayer to the Living to Forgive Them for Being Alive," marking the 10th anniversary of the tragic events outside the Stade de France.

  Activist Damien Rieu criticised Khoudri due to her previous alleged actions and her connection to Benzema. Rieu posted on social media: "To honour the victims of November 13, they could find no one other than Lyna Khoudri, partner of @Benzema, who liked a post justifying the beheading of Samuel Paty (and who lost her lawsuit against me when I denounced it)."

  Benzema swiftly responded to Rieu on his own account, defending Khoudri and condemning the activist's remarks. "There are those who pay their respects, and those who put themselves on display… You have to be incredibly shallow to mistake a tribute for a staged performance, Damien. You're just an extra in our world," the former French international declared. This strong rebuke highlights Benzema's readiness to protect his partner and address what he perceives as a cynical attempt to politicise a moment of remembrance.

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  The emotional context of the November 13 tribute

  The tribute marked a poignant anniversary for France, recalling the coordinated terrorist attacks that occurred on November 13, 2015. These attacks, which included bombings outside the Stade de France during a France-Germany football match, claimed 130 lives and injured hundreds more. The stadium, where the French national team faced Ukraine on the day of the anniversary, holds particular significance as one of the attack sites.

  Khoudri's participation in the tribute involved reading a powerful poem, a common form of remembrance and a way to honour those lost. Benzema's reaction underscores his belief that such a solemn occasion should be respected and not used as a platform for personal or political attacks. His statement implies a clear distinction between genuine acts of remembrance and what he views as superficial displays of criticism.

• Benzema targeted by Saudi star

  While engaging in this off-field defence, Benzema is also navigating a challenging period in his professional career with Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League. The reigning champions have experienced a difficult start to the season, currently sitting in eighth place after 11 matches, having already suffered three defeats.

  Benzema, 37, who joined Al-Ittihad on a contract until June 30, 2026, has been a central figure for the club, serving as team captain. However, his performances have recently come under scrutiny. Following Al-Ittihad's 1-0 defeat to Al-Ahli in the Western Derby, former Al-Ittihad defender Rashed Al-Raheeb publicly criticised the foreign players, specifically targeting Benzema.

  In an interview with , Al-Raheeb stated: "The Frenchman Karim Benzema, the team captain, was absent from the match and did nothing, as was his compatriot Moussa Diaby, who was not at his usual level. Meanwhile, Al-Ahli’s foreign players shone and dominated for the full 90 minutes." He also questioned coach Sergio Conceicao's decision to keep Benzema on the pitch despite his "modest level." This criticism highlights the pressure on Benzema to deliver consistent performances for his new club.

  Al-Ittihad's current form shows a mixed bag, with a recent 3-0 win against Sharjah followed by a 4-4 draw with Khaleej, and the 1-0 loss to Al-Ahli. Benzema's personal statistics show a career with 345 goals and 84 assists in 635 club appearances, including a highly decorated tenure at Real Madrid where he won numerous titles, including five Champions League crowns and four La Liga titles.

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  Real Madrid legend under scrutiny ahead of key games

  Benzema and Al-Ittihad face a demanding schedule, with an upcoming match against Al-Riyadh on November 21, followed by a Champions League fixture against Al Duhail on November 24. These matches will be crucial for Al-Ittihad to improve their league position and progress in continental competition.

  The latest incident, while unrelated to his on-field performance, further highlights the level of attention and expectation placed upon the veteran striker, both in his professional and personal life, particularly within the context of French public debate and the Saudi Pro League's global ambitions.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo found out last weekend that he had made the American League All-Star team for the first time in his three years in the big leagues. Moments after getting that news, he called his parents to let them know and their reaction was too good.

The 25-year-old right-hander is 8–4 on the season with a 2.77 ERA. He's a big reason why the Mariners are in second place in the AL West and will be fighting for a possible playoff berth in the second half of the season.

The team recorded Woo's conversation with his parents, which started with him talking to his dad about the family plans for the upcoming All-Star break. He the shared that they need to head to Atlanta, where this year's game will be played.

“Oh my god, Bryan! Holy s—!," his mom yelled upon hearing the news.

This whole video is great:

Safe to say next week is going to be a special one for the Woo family.

The pair took two wickets apiece to restrict Brave to 115 for 6 in the final at Lord’s

Valkerie Baynes31-Aug-2025Northern Superchargers rode their momentum to a maiden Women’s Hundred title with a convincing seven-wicket victory over Southern Brave.Two wickets apiece to Kate Cross and Annabel Sutherland, followed by an unbroken 60-run partnership between Sutherland and Nicola Carey allowed Superchargers to pass a target of 116 with 12 balls to spare and reverse the result of the 2023 final before a record crowd for the women’s competition of 22,542 at Lord’s.Ten days after her “savage” omission from England’s World Cup squad, seam-bowling stalwart Cross blew the game open with two wickets in as many balls which left Brave reeling at 28 for 2.Sutherland removed Freya Kemp and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Brave’s highest run-scorers for the match with 26 and 25 respectively, to restrict them to 115 for 6.Carey and Sutherland remained not out 35 and 28 respectively after their fellow Australian Phoebe Litchfield’s 13-ball 26 had set the run-chase alight following the early loss of Davina Perrin, a centurion in the eliminator, and Alice Davidson-Richards.Brave now have just one trophy to show for four final appearances in the Hundred’s five-year history and, despite entering Sunday’s match unbeaten in 2025, they never really got their innings going after being sent in to bat.After a sluggish start in which the first 19 balls yielded just 15 runs, they looked to break the shackles as Maia Bouchier launched Sutherland for six over deep square leg, followed by Wyatt-Hodge’s 86m effort off Cross over long-on. But then Bouchier picked out Hollie Armitage, stationed at extra cover, and Cross bowled Laura Wolvaardt for a first-ball duck.Sophie Devine, whose bowling had earned her four Player-of-the-Match awards through the tournament, never looked settled at the crease and when Sutherland beat Wyatt-Hodge with a length ball that jagged in, Kemp took charge of a 47-run stand with Devine. Were it not for Kemp’s 16-ball knock, Brave’s total could have looked even more sub-par, although they needed more from her.Devine’s laboured stay of 23 off 28 balls ended when Lucy Higham had her caught by Litchfield at deep extra cover and Kemp followed, skying Sutherland high in the air over midwicket so that Carey had plenty of time to run in and await the catch.With the dot balls mounting – Superchargers sent down 42 in all – Brave captain Georgia Adams panicked into a non-existent single off Cross, who had plenty of time to toss the ball to keeper Bess Heath, the bails whipped off with Adams well short of her crease after being sent back by Chloe Tryon.With Tryon struggling to pick gaps in the field, Mady Villiers offered an 11-ball cameo 17 not out but she ran out of time to have a decisive impact.Perrin was unable to reprise her starring role of 24 hours earlier, managing just 17 after her 42-ball century had led Superchargers into the final.Kate Cross wheels away in celebration•Julian Finney/Getty Images

Kemp dropped a straightforward chance at deep midwicket to remove Alice Davidson-Richards on 6 but Devine covered the mistake two balls later when she removed the dangerous Perrin, holing out to Boucher at long-on.Litchfield unleashed with four off the last ball of Devine’s set followed immediately with 4, 4, 6 off Villiers. But Villiers responded with the wicket of Davidson-Richards, who attempted a reverse paddle only to see the ball bounce off wicketkeeper Rhianna Southby’s pad for a stumping.Litchfield had faced just five balls for 19 runs at that point but, after a 15-minute stoppage for an unexpected sun shower, she faced just two more deliveries as Tryon entered the attack and had Litchfield out to a mis-timed sweep collected by Lauren Bell at short backward square.Tryon could have had Carey out lbw next ball but Brave chose not to review, and Bell was luckless when she clipped the top of Sutherland’s pad and the ball struck the bails, which remained in place despite the wicket lighting up. It was the first time Bell had gone wicketless in a match this season.That left Superchargers needing 16 off the last 20 balls and Carey and Sutherland made light work of their task, taking 10 runs off Villiers’ set of five and Sutherland sealed victory with a six off Adams.

He widened the terms of the game’s discourse with his insightful, analytical mind, always upending conventional wisdom

Karthik Krishnaswamy23-Dec-2024When India toured England in the summer of 2018, R Ashwin delivered a masterclass like no other.These masterclasses had been running for years, with Ian Ward, a former Test cricketer himself, coaxing the likes of Shane Warne, Muthiah Muralidaran, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Curtly Ambrose to give viewers a peek into their inner workings. Ward is an expert at steering players into talking about their craft in a way that straddles the line between nerdy and accessible to regular folk watching on TV.Now Ward juxtaposed two Ashwin deliveries on his screen: one that slid on with the round-the-wicket angle into the left-hand batter, and one that dipped and ripped past Alastair Cook’s groping bat and flicked the top of off stump. Ashwin dismissed Cook the same way in both innings of that Edgbaston Test.Related

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• R Ashwin: 'I've always been good at assessing batsmen, but now I think I've taken it to another level' (2021)

“For a youngster,” Ward asked Ashwin, “what’s the difference between the wrist position and where it’s coming off the fingers, to do those two deliveries?”Scores of current and former greats have given Ward precisely the kind of TV-friendly answer he’s looking for. Warne, famously, put his variations in neat, beribboned boxes: this is how I bowl the big, sidespinning legbreak; this is the one with a bit more overspin; this is the toppie; the googly; and oh, I flick the flipper out with my thumb, like this.Warne, of course, knew and mastered the infinite gradations between the sidespinner and the overspinner, but he also had an intuitive grasp of what TV audiences wanted.Ashwin didn’t give Ward the neatly packaged insight he was after. Instead of showing how he released the undercutter and the big offbreak, he launched into a demonstration of the various ways he cocks his wrist while loading up different deliveries. He even described how he does this for the arm ball, a variation Ward hadn’t even asked about.Viewers who had followed Ashwin’s career for any length of time may have chuckled at this, because this was typical. Among the many things this great cricketer has excelled at over his long career is denying interviewers the answer they’re looking for, while giving them entire chapters of tangential material. Few players have been as generous with their insight, but as with everything else about Ashwin, the generosity has come on his own terms.It has always been this way. The first time I interviewed Ashwin was during a Tamil Nadu-Railways Ranji Trophy game in 2008, a year and a half before his international debut. I asked the questions of a 21-year-old cub reporter, and he gave the answers of a man only a few months older but already nearing elite status in his profession.

Throughout his career, he has been more invested than most in broadening the boundaries of his sport, and more willing than most to throw open the doors of his laboratory

I asked him about his strengths as an offspinner. He told me that his big, strong fingers allowed him to give the ball a rip, and that this, allied with his height, enabled him to generate bounce on most pitches. And immediately, unprompted, he went on to describe the bounce as a double-edged sword, and explain why he often bowled with long-on back even in red-ball cricket, because the bounce made it easier for batters to hit him over the top. “I don’t want to give them that release shot.”It took me years to grasp the wider implications, but it was a valuable early lesson that cricket is all about trade-offs. If you want to strengthen the slip cordon, you’ll have to leave a gap somewhere else. A middled drive off a good-length ball is no less risky than one that’s edged behind. A fielder at long-on isn’t always a sign of defensive thinking. If you want to describe the sport properly, you must look at events in the context of these trade-offs. Never in isolation, never through the binary of good and bad.How Ashwin railed against binaries. After his most chastening home series, against England in 2012-13, he bridled against the wave of criticism that came his way, but what bothered him wasn’t the tone of the criticism but the fact that so much of it was inaccurate. He was happy to admit that he had struggled to control his length during that series, but couldn’t fathom the narrative that this had happened because he bowled too many carrom balls.For all the misplaced criticism he attracted, Ashwin also gained a growing band of admirers who tried to keep up with what he was doing to his craft. Wittingly and unwittingly, he went on to spend his entire career in the eye of a cyclone of narrative and counter-narrative.He came to occupy that space for many reasons. It was partly because he came along when cricket was being recorded at far higher resolutions and far greater frame rates than before, when holes in conventional wisdom were becoming increasingly evident to the viewer. He came along at a time when a significant number of journalists, analysts, commentators and observers on social media – the lines between these categories were also becoming blurry – were making a concerted effort to see the game for what it was, even if the mainstream was slow to respond.Drift into middle, clip the top of off: Alastair Cook was masterfully bowled twice at Edgbaston in 2018 by R Ashwin•Getty Images & PA ImagesBut it was also because Ashwin was a singularly active challenger of conventional wisdom, not just on the field – as no doubt many others also were – but off it too. He cared deeply not just about his game but game too, and how it was described.He went to great lengths to explain the effects of sidespin and overspin, and the typical behaviour of red-soil and black-soil pitches, but would roll his eyes if you generalised too broadly. “Come on, man,” he seemed to tell you. “It’s not that simple!” He contributed greatly to a widening of the terms of cricketing discourse, winced when those terms were misused, and never stopped trying to tell you how things worked. Sometimes, he’d throw in a stunning revelation when you least expected it.Watch that masterclass now, and it’s clear Ward has no idea what’s about to hit him when he asks Ashwin about his carrom ball, summoning onto his screen what he believes is an example of it.Then Ashwin tells him, and all of us: “The one there, actually it’s not the carrom ball.” He explains that he flicks the carrom ball out of the front of his hand, and this variation – he describes it as a “backflipper” here, but will soon begin calling it the reverse carrom ball – from underneath it, with the seam up. He says batters have begun to pick his carrom ball now, so he occasionally slips in this variant; the right-hander shaping to punch with the turn, through the off side, is suddenly confronted with a monstrous inswinger.All this becomes obvious when you watch it alongside Ashwin’s explanation, but it’s far from clear until he’s talked you through it.Ashwin revealed all this unprompted, in a widely televised interview, and along the way revealed something of who he is. Throughout his career, he has been more invested than most in broadening the boundaries of his sport, and more willing than most to throw open the doors of his laboratory. And he’s been entirely secure in the belief that he’ll remain a step ahead of the rest of us, everyone from his opponents to the casual fan, even if he gives away all his secrets.

Estevao Willian has been labelled a "football genius" and backed to challenge for the Ballon d'Or after becoming a regular for both Chelsea and Brazil at the age of 18. The youngster formally joined the Blues this summer from Palmeiras and has already established himself as an important player under Enzo Maresca.

• 'Messinho' enjoying fine start at Chelsea

  Estevao, also known as 'Messinho', has appeared in 16 matches across all competitions for Chelsea in his debut season at the club, scoring four goals and providing one assist.

  Last month, Maresca lavished praise on the young winger: "It’s exciting to see him. The good thing about Estevao, sometimes with young players we are worried, because they have one good game and they think they are already [at the] top. Estavao, he’s playing well but he’s polite, he’s humble, he wants to learn. I think his family are also doing a big job there, so we are very happy not only with the way he’s performing. But he’s a nice boy, a good boy. In the Premier League he needs a little bit more time. I think he’s more [of a] winger, but he’s going to finish playing inside the pitch, in the pockets.

  "For me personally, he's fantastic because he's a special player, but at the same time you don't have to be worried. Now he's going to play one game, two games, score, and he's already thinking that he knows how good he is."

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  Estevao backed to challenge for Ballon d'Or

  Ahead of Brazil's international friendly against Tunisia on Tuesday night, opposing manager Sami Trabelsi spoke highly of Estevao, telling reporters: "I think he's a new football genius emerging, very young. I think he's doing very well and he's a player who can be expected to be among the greats, among the best in the world, certainly, in the coming years.

  "If he manages to have good performances or win titles, whether with his club or national team, he will be among the players who, in the coming years, could even compete for the Ballon d'Or. He brings many solutions, a lot of technique, a lot of genius. There aren't many players of that level, of that category of genius, on the world stage."

  Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti added: "It's a surprise to see such a young player with this kind of talent. He's very precise and very incisive. Brazil has a guaranteed future with him."

• Chelsea 'lucky to have' Estevao

  After scoring a goal in Brazil's 2-0 friendly win over Senegal last week, Ancelotti claimed that Chelsea are lucky to have a talent like him in their ranks. 

  The former Real Madrid boss said: "Estevao has an incredible amount of talent. It’s a surprise this level at his age. He’s good at finishing, has a lot of magic… and he works very hard. I can say this: with Estevao, Brazil have a guaranteed future. He’s a very talented player. He is able to show every game, in Chelsea too, and he doesn’t need a lot of minutes to show his quality. He can play five minutes and he can show his quality. I think the Brazil national team is really lucky to have him, and also Chelsea."

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  Estevao was reprimanded by Ancelotti in October

  However, recently reported that Ancelotti reprimanded Estevao for not following his instructions during a training session in October. This led to the Selecao coach allegedly shouting at the winger: "I only speak once. Either you do what I'm telling you, or you're out of the team." 

  The tough love had an immediate effect on the Chelsea wonderkid. Estevao responded by scoring twice in the subsequent 5-0 friendly win over South Korea, and since then has continued to impress in the famous yellow shirt of Brazil.

Chelsea have made an approach to sign a former Real Madrid sensation, and it is believed that the west Londoners could even strike a deal in January.

Enzo Maresca’s side, despite some shock defeats at home to Brighton and Sunderland recently, have made a solid start to the season overall — losing just once in their last nine matches and climbing up to third in the Premier League table.

However, even taking into account their form on paper, not to mention Chelsea’s near-£300 million spend in the summer, there are suggestions that Maresca is dissatisfied with his current squad and could look to upgrade key areas in the winter.

Chelsea have lost all of Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwil, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo to injury at various points already this season, with Maresca reportedly prioritising the addition of a new centre-back in January.

Now that injury-ridden midfielder Romeo Lavia is also set to be out for “at least” a month with a quadriceps injury (Fabrizio Romano), Chelsea are said to be looking at new midfield options ahead of 2026 as well.

Nico Paz now keen to join Chelsea with approach made to Como

Indeed, it is reported by TEAMtalk that Chelsea have identified Como starlet Nico Paz as their most viable January midfield target, with Maresca looking to strengthen his squad in the engine room as well as further forward.

Chelsea have apparently opened discussions with both the Serie A club and Paz’s representatives through direct enquiries, as they look to address squad depth issues that have been exposed by recent injury problems.

The Blues are actively compiling a shortlist of midfield reinforcements, with Lavia’s latest injury lay-off prompting urgent action.

Paz, who came through Real’s academy system and is valued at around £62 million, has emerged as the leading candidate to arrive at Stamford Bridge in January ahead of both Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton and Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo.

What makes the potential deal particularly encouraging for Chelsea is the player’s own enthusiasm about the move. Paz is understood to be genuinely interested in a transfer to England and sees Chelsea as an ‘ideal’ next career step.

His technical ability on the left foot and creativity is said to have caught the eye of Chelsea’s scouting department, who believe he fits perfectly within their current recruitment philosophy.

The young Spaniard represents exactly the type of signing Chelsea have been targeting under BlueCo’s leadership – a player with high potential who ticks multiple boxes in terms of age profile, quality and future sell-on value.

However, Paz still won’t be an easy signing by any means.

Real Madrid basically own the player in practice if not officially, possessing full matching rights on any deal for him, not to mention a 50 per cent sell-on clause and multiple buy-back options worth just £8 million for the summer of 2026 and £8.5m in 2027.(Football Italia).

This means that Xabi Alonso’s side have a massive say over Paz’s future, so Chelsea may even have to negotiate with the La Liga giants alongside Como to make this deal happen.

Braves left fielder Jurickson Profar made one of the best catches you'll ever see Saturday to steal a home run from Marlins designated hitter Agustín Ramírez.

In the top of the fourth inning, Ramírez sent a deep shot to left that appeared to be headed straight over the wall for Miami's first run of the game. Profar wouldn't let that happen though as he climbed the wall and reached his glove as far as he could into the bullpen, timing the play perfectly to make an immaculate grab for a long out.

Braves starting pitcher Hurston Waldrep held his hands on his head with his jaw on the floor, unable to believe what he just saw. Profar threw the ball back in with a huge smile on his face and flexed his throwing arm, knowing he just made potentially the catch of the year.

Athletics rookie Denzel Clarke made a similar home-run robbery earlier this season where he climbed up the wall at Angel Stadium for a spectacular catch. The impeccable saves are just a part of a long list of the best catches over the season.

Profar's play indisputably has a case for the best catch thus far through the year, though. And maybe one of the greatest you'll ever see.

He joined the Braves over the offseason and has a .741 OPS with six homers and 14 RBIs in 35 games this year. He was suspended for 80 games because he violated Major League Baseball's performance-enhancing drugs policy and made his return in early July.