New Delhi: On the morning of the fourth T20I against South Africa on Wednesday, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar rushed to Lucknow. By evening, it emerged that vice-captain Shubman Gill was going to miss the remaining T20Is after suffering an impact injury on his right foot on the eve of the fourth match. On paper, it may sound as if it was just a coincidence that Sanju Samson was going to open the innings again for India in the fifth T20I in Ahmedabad on Friday. TOI understands that the team management had already conveyed its wish to replace Gill at the top of the order after a prolonged period of lack of runs. The team had moved on from Gill as it revisited its plans for the T20 World Cup starting in another 48 days.

As India’s T20I team went on a break from the start of the IPL, the team management and selectors had identified Gill as their all-format leader going forward. Hence, a strategy was devised where they wanted the wicketkeeper to bat in the middle order. If one revisits the IPL, both Samson and Rishabh Pant came out to bat lower than their preferred positions. Gill was given a free run at the top of the order. Security for a place in the XI comes at a premium in Indian cricket these days. Gill was even given that with vice-captaincy despite not featuring in the T20 World Cup team in 2024. He was perhaps the only batter in Indian cricket who had absolute clarity about his batting positions across formats in the last eight months. This team management, under head coach Gautam Gambhir, has been bullish about not letting superstar culture persist in the dressing room. Gill’s omission is a brutal reminder that even the man identified to be the face of Indian cricket can’t hide behind non-performance. At the same time, the team management and the selectors also can’t shy away from the utter lack of clarity in its plans. Lack of clarity in Gill’s role, compromised power-hitting When Gill was brought back to his opening spot in T20Is, the idea was to have at least one batter who could bat out overs without really compromising on the run-rate. The idea revolved around the fact there are very few high-scoring matches in big tournaments. Someone with the stability of Gill up the order can anchor an innings much like Virat Kohli did for such a long time. “Gill was stuck in a place where he probably felt the pressure of going big at the top of the order. The whole idea behind a young and revamped T20I team was to keep the opposition under pressure with a high run-rate. Gill perhaps got caught up in that. He didn’t quite strike a balance between power and adding stability,” a source close to the team management told TOI. It also led to India’s power-hitting getting compromised. The pressure fell back on the bowlers. With the wicketkeeper now batting up the order, it has lent depth to the power-hitting in the lineup. “With both captain Suryakumar Yadav and Gill woefully out of form, the other batters couldn’t bat with freedom and the strike-rates suffered,” the source added. TOI also understands that Surya always had reservations about his team being disturbed with players coming back from Test duties. As it turned out, three players—Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal—who were asked to focus on Test cricket after the 2024 T20 World Cup, have all missed out on the upcoming edition in Feb-March. The team management had to go back to Ishan Kishan, who has not been around the Indian team for a couple of years. Bigger storm brewing after T20 WC Agarkar and Gambhir have been working together to build a stable team that can seamlessly take Indian cricket forward in the coming decade. Yet, they have not managed to assign definite roles to players. Gambhir thrives on a horses-for-courses philosophy. That said, Saturday’s selection also points at a project around grooming a future leader that has collapsed. “The board and the selectors are bracing for many more tough calls post the T20 World Cup. The team management’s initial plan around leadership has fallen through. They have to go back to grooming another leader after the T20 World Cup even if Surya has a good tournament,” the source said. The team wears a more balanced look on paper. The players picked in the team have battled uncertainty in their roles in the name of flexibility. It’s only a guess if the team management has finally zeroed down upon a plan with another five remaining T20Is against New Zealand at home in January.

AUS vs ENG Live Score, 3rd Ashes Test Day 5: The Ashes contest in Adelaide moved towards a gripping climax at lunch on the final day of the third Test, with the equation finely poised. Australia stood just three wickets away from retaining the Ashes, while England needed 126 runs to keep the five-match series alive. What once appeared an impossible pursuit had slowly turned into a tense standoff.

Australia began Day 5 needing four wickets, with England resuming on 207 for six, still 228 runs short of the daunting victory target of 435. A world record chase seemed out of reach, but England responded with resilience and patience during a stop-start morning session that tested both sides.

Will Jacks anchored England’s resistance, negotiating difficult conditions and long spells of pressure. He showed grit after rolling his ankle early in the day when his foot landed in a rut on the pitch. Despite hobbling through for a single and clearly struggling with movement, Jacks continued, remaining unbeaten on 38 from 120 deliveries at lunch. He was joined by Brydon Carse, who offered support with an unbeaten 13 as England reached 309 for seven.

Jamie Smith played a vital role in keeping England’s hopes alive. Batting with controlled aggression, he scored 60 from 83 balls and featured in a seventh-wicket partnership of 91 runs with Jacks. Smith struck boundaries off both Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, including four in succession, before losing patience and lofting Starc to Cummins at wide mid-on. His dismissal reduced England to seven wickets down, but not before the target was cut significantly.

Rain added further disruption, forcing players off the field when England were 241 for six. The match later resumed, with the session extended by half an hour to compensate for lost time.

Australia also suffered a setback when Nathan Lyon was ruled out of the remainder of the match with a right hamstring injury. The veteran spinner was injured while diving in the outfield, a day after his three-wicket burst had swung momentum Australia’s way.

With two sessions remaining, the atmosphere was electric. England supporters filled the ground with chants and songs, while Australia pressed relentlessly, knowing that only three more wickets stood between them and the Ashes.

Nothing dramatic was expected when BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar and India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav unveiled the squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup on Saturday. The build-up suggested continuity rather than surprise. That is why the omission of Shubman Gill landed with such force, instantly becoming the biggest talking point around India’s plans to defend their title at the tournament co-hosted by Sri Lanka next year. Gill, once a first-choice opener and the vice-captain in the format, being left out was not just a personal setback. It sent a clear signal about the direction the selectors want to take. His absence effectively confirmed that Sanju Samson is set to return to the top of the order, a move that has been widely debated and demanded in Indian cricket circles over the past year.

Samson’s case was strengthened publicly by his aggressive cameo of 37 off 22 balls in the fifth T20I against South Africa in Ahmedabad, an innings that showcased his intent and powerplay impact. However, former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that knock had little to do with the final call. Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash ki Baat, Ashwin said the decision was already locked in well before that match. According to him, the shift in combination had been evident for some time, and Samson’s selection over Gill was more procedural than reactive. Ashwin pointed out that once Gill was ruled out of the last two T20Is due to injury, the writing was on the wall. From that moment, he felt it was obvious that Samson would be part of India’s World Cup plans. Drawing on his long international experience, Ashwin described the process as straightforward rather than analytical. Samson’s inclusion also shaped the rest of the squad. The selectors opted for a second wicketkeeper with a similar skill set, bringing back Ishan Kishan after his strong Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign, where he captained Jharkhand to their first title and led the batting from the front. That balance at the top gave the team management room to tweak the lower order. Rinku Singh was preferred as the finishing option, replacing Jitesh Sharma, while Axar Patel was reinstated as vice-captain to support Suryakumar Yadav in the leadership group. Taken together, the selections underline a clear shift in India’s T20 thinking, prioritising explosive starts, flexible wicketkeeping options, and defined roles as they look ahead to the challenges of the next World Cup.

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has voiced concern over the state of India’s red-ball cricket after the team suffered a 0–2 whitewash against South Africa in the Test leg of the home series, stressing that results in the longest format remain the truest measure of a nation’s cricketing health. India’s home season produced mixed emotions. The return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the ODI series brought festive scenes and headline-grabbing performances, while a youthful T20I side continued to impress despite a few rough edges. Yet those positives have done little to dull the pain of another home Test whitewash, India’s second in successive years, which has left supporters deeply unsettled.

While defeats at home are not unheard of and long unbeaten streaks are eventually broken, the manner of India’s collapse stood out. The batting unit, stacked with proven talent, was undone repeatedly by South Africa’s disciplined bowling attack, led by spinner Simon Harmer and the tall left-arm pacer Marco Jansen, on challenging surfaces. India’s batters were also comprehensively outplayed by the Proteas line-up across both Tests. The disappointment followed closely on the heels of a 0–3 home whitewash against New Zealand last year, suffered despite the presence of senior players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin. More recently, a younger Indian side, captained by Rishabh Pant in place of the injured Shubman Gill, was unable to halt the slide, further compounding the sense of unease among fans.

Manjrekar took to X to underline the significance of the setback, arguing that Test cricket still casts the longest shadow. He wrote that while India may have won the ODI and T20I series against South Africa, it is the 2–0 defeat in the Tests that continues to linger. According to him, Test results reveal the true state of a country’s cricket, and addressing issues in that format must remain a priority. India now face a stretch dominated by white-ball cricket, with three ODIs and five T20Is against New Zealand coming up, followed by the ICC T20 World Cup and the IPL next year. As a result, it will be several months before the team returns to Test action. At present, India sit sixth in the ICC World Test Championship standings, with four wins, four losses and one draw, translating to a points percentage of 48.15. Australia lead the table with a perfect percentage, followed by South Africa on 75.

India’s T20I squad for the 2026 World Cup threw up a major talking point, with Shubman Gill left out and Axar Patel named vice-captain instead. The decision caught many by surprise, including Sunil Gavaskar, who admitted on air that he did not see Gill’s omission coming. Reacting to the squad announcement, the former India captain said the call genuinely shocked him. “Not a bit of a surprise, it is a surprise,” Gavaskar remarked, making it clear that Gill’s absence was unexpected.

Gavaskar was quick to underline Gill’s quality, even while acknowledging his recent struggles. He described Gill as a class batter who has enjoyed an excellent run with the bat in the recent past. While conceding that Gill found it tough in the series against South Africa, Gavaskar stressed that form can fluctuate, but class remains constant. He also pointed to the challenges of returning to T20 cricket after time away from the game. According to Gavaskar, a lack of rhythm can be brutally exposed in the shortest format, where batters are expected to attack from the very first ball. Coming off a long layoff, Gill appeared short of timing, which made the task even harder. Gavaskar explained that Gill’s natural game is more suited to longer formats, with an emphasis on timing and playing along the ground. When rhythm is missing, adjusting to the range of shots required in T20 cricket does not come easily. However, he was clear that this does not mean Gill is unsuited to the format, pointing out Gill’s strong performances in the IPL as proof of his T20 credentials. Adding a personal touch, Gavaskar revealed that he had just travelled from Ahmedabad on the same flight as Gill and India captain Suryakumar Yadav. During their brief interaction, Gavaskar said he offered Gill some heartfelt advice, saying he told Gill to ask someone elder at home to ward off the evil eye. “Ghar pe kisiko bolo nazar utar de. You know, because we believe in that. We believe in ki kabhi kabhi nazar lag jaati hain,” Gavaskar said, adding that his words came only from a place of care and goodwill for the young batter. Despite the omission, Gavaskar’s words reflected continued faith in Gill’s ability and a belief that the right-handed batter will find his way back once rhythm and fortune return.

New Delhi: Legendary coach Chandrakant Pandit is a stickler for discipline and ensuring that cricket is played strictly according to rules. However, Pandit decided to make a rare exception, granting a second breath of life to a highly rated 17-year-old batter. The 64-year-old coach adjudged the batter not out despite the ball striking his pads, gifting concession in a practice match where he was umpiring. The 17-year-old cricketer went on to score 165, which impressed Pandit and paved the way for entry into the Madhya Pradesh (MP) setup.IPL 2026’s player auction recently witnessed heavy demand for Akshat Raghuwanshi, the player being referred to, drawing a bidding war between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). LSG eventually signed the 22-year-old batter for rupees 2.2 crore, acquiring a cricketer who has drawn comparisons to Australia’s Cameron Green for his big-hitting. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer had earlier stated that he hasn’t seen a more talented player than Raghuwanshi at 21.

‘Akshat‘s maiden IPL season delayed by 2 years’The right-handed batter smashed 239 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 177.04 in the last edition of the Madhya Pradesh Premier League, plundering 16 sixes. Raghuwanshi, who idolises Rohit Sharma, especially caught the eye with his no-look upper cut, which has emerged as a signature shot. The MP batter had gone unsold in the previous edition of IPL despite quality performances, leading to nervousness. However, there was quiet confidence at the same time, having drawn trial invitations from nine franchises.

“We were very sad after Akshat went unsold in the last IPL auction, as the whole family had sat down together to watch him get a historic opportunity. This time, we were following proceedings quietly in our respective homes due to fear of another setback. However, everyone started bursting crackers and distributing sweets after Akshat got picked,” said Raghuwanshi’s father Krishna Pal, during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com. LSG pacer Avesh Khan kept Akshat abreast about the teams bidding for him after the latter’s TV broke down midway during the auction. “We hail from Ashoknagar, a remote city in Madhya Pradesh, which resulted in fewer opportunities for Akshat. Otherwise, my son was well capable of being picked in the IPL two years back,” added Krishna Pal.‘Unable to speak but crisp shot selection’Raghuwanshi started playing cricket when he was 3 years old, showcasing unprecedented strength and excellent footwork, drawing encouragement from his father. The MP batter could perfectly play a cover drive, flick shot or cut shot despite not having the ability to speak, urging Krishna Pal to quit his business and shift to Indore for enhanced training in the coming years. Noting his talent, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia approached the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA), urging them to include Raghuwanshi in the residential training programme. The request was turned down due to concerns over the MP batter’s age as he was just 11.However, Raghuwanshi impressed ex-India cricketer Amay Khurasiya with his fearlessness during the selection trials next year, stepping forward to defend a short-pitched delivery bowled at 125 km/h. The MP batter was hardly 4 ft tall but showcased confidence against an under-19 pacer, leaving Khurasiya stunned. “He said, ‘Akshat is the son of a lion and not scared of anyone. Witnessing his character, Amay sir decided to include him in the residential academy,” shared Krishna Pal.‘Rock-solid mentality, no excuses approach’Training sessions under Khurasiya were well structured with utmost focus on discipline. Even a second’s delay in arrival for practice was considered unpardonable and while shots were encouraged, rashness in execution was a strict no-no. Raghuwanshi ran his fair share of rounds and was even scolded by Khurasiya for his shot selection but considers it a phase which strengthened character and developed his game even further.“There was a medical test scheduled when I was 12 years old. We were instructed not to have breakfast and to skip practice. However, the training session still took place where Khurasiya sir noted my absence and called me. When I narrated the instructions, sir said, ‘Does he want to play for India or do you?’. I ran 12 rounds after that,” stated Raghuwanshi.

Training under such a structured routine where complete commitment is a necessity also developed a strong sense of accountability within the MP batter. Raghuwanshi can be exceedingly tough on himself as evident from an instance where Khurasiya asked the 22-year-old cricketer to train from 10 AM to 12 PM. Krishna Pal arrived at 11.45 AM, urging his son to leave along with the other players. Khurasiya soon noted Raghuwanshi’s absence, instructing the MP batter’s father not to give him lunch as a form of punishment.“Akshat was very tired but didn’t eat lunch and dinner that day out of guilt over making such an error in judgment. He never repeated such a mistake again,” said Krishna Pal.‘Brutal realisation, hardcore transformation’Raghuwanshi soon started impressing for MP, scoring a century on first-class debut, followed by a half-century in the second match. However, despite all the runs in domestic cricket, a shot at the IPL continued to elude him, resulting in a brutal realisation two years back which emerged as a major eye-opener. Raghuwanshi used to focus on orthodox cricket earlier with grounded shots but soon realised that such gameplay and a strike rate of 150 wouldn’t earn him a spot in the T20 league.“Akshat used to tell me again and again, ‘Players are scoring 80 off 40 balls and getting picked. Why will anyone take me?’. I would scold him, saying that playing too fast will ruin his game. However, Akshat was convinced that a strike rate of 150 will only lead to state-level opportunities, shifting focus towards maintaining a strike rate of 200 in every knock,” shared Krishna Pal.Raghuwanshi quickly figured out a training programme involving a fine mix of strength, innovation and focus on ensuring 300 sixes daily in training sessions stretching up to six hours. The 22-year-old batter also enjoys strong conviction in his gameplay, sticking to his aggressive mindset despite being discouraged by coaches. Raghuwanshi was dropped as punishment on certain occasions but stuck to the same approach due to his ultimate dream of featuring in the IPL. The MP batter was especially scolded a lot for playing the sweep shot which has been a strong weapon in his armour, staying resolute due to the dominance it provides against spinners.‘Abhishek Sharma’s praise’ Interestingly, Raghuwanshi drew praise from Abhishek Sharma during a tournament in Baroda last year. Sharma encouraged the MP batter to maintain strong belief, emphasising that the 22-year-old cricketer is built for cricket’s highest levels.“Akshat can spot the length very accurately and enjoys strong balance at the crease. He can cut and pull astutely as well as make a difference as an opener, middle-order batter and finisher. His mental strength and character will hold him in good stead,” stated Khurasiya.

NEW DELHI: In his minute and 40-second Instagram Reel, former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik couldn’t hide his emotions while talking about India’s T20 World Cup squad. He labelled the omission of Shubman Gill and Jitesh Sharma as “shocking.”Karthik said: “I didn’t see that coming. It just tells you there’s a little bit of clarity lacking. I feel really bad for Shubman Gill and Jitesh Sharma.”

Much will be made of Shubman Gill being dropped but it is equally bewildering to see Jitesh Sharma not being named in the 15-member squad. The wicketkeeper-batter has been a perfect team man. With Sanju Samson being the first-choice keeper, he warmed the bench without making any fuss during the Bangladesh series last year. In the next series, he was shown the door.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The Vidarbha batter let his bat do the talking in the Indian Premier League. Jitesh scored only 261 runs in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) title-winning season, but it wasn’t the runs that caught the selectors’ eyes — it was his strike rate of 176.35 while batting at Nos. 6 and 7.Those performances helped him get back into the India team for the Asia Cup. T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, who Jitesh considers as his cricketing idol, backed him during the continental tournament.

“Post last T20 World Cup, we spoke a lot on how to go about it. We spoke about not thinking of milestones ahead and following the journey. He’s been a completely different cricketer post that. The way he performed in the IPL and domestic tournaments he played, he’s done really well and earned his spot again,” Suryakumar had said on Jitesh’s comeback.Before the start of the Asia Cup, TimesofIndia.com learnt that with Shubman Gill back as an opener, it would be Jitesh Sharma who would play in the middle order. But in Dubai, the team management backed Sanju to bat at No. 5 in a revolving batting order.The Sanju experiment in the middle order fell flat. On the other hand, Jitesh kept working hard in the nets, waiting for his chance, but ended up warming the bench throughout the Asia Cup.

It was in Australia where Jitesh finally got the chance to play. In the three T20Is, he batted twice — scoring an unbeaten 22 off 13 balls in the third T20I in India’s five-wicket win while batting at No. 7 and playing his role to perfection.In the recently concluded five-match series against South Africa, he went out to bat thrice — scoring a five-ball 10 in Cuttack, a quickfire 27 off 17 balls in New Chandigarh, and not getting to face a ball in Ahmedabad. The 32-year-old was excellent with the gloves as well.Jitesh didn’t do anything wrong. He was a perfect team man and probably an easy scapegoat for the management, which is why he was dropped from India’s T20 World Cup squad.

TimesofIndia.com has also learnt the wicketkeeper-batter was in the team management’s Playing XI plans for the World Cup but now finds himself out of the squad. He was preparing for match situations where he would get only 5-7 balls to face but the designated finisher has been conveniently dropped for a top-order option in Ishan Kishan.A lot happened in the last few hours as not many saw these changes coming. It doesn’t matter whether it was due to a combination call or something else, the fact is Jitesh has been left in the lurch by his cricketing idol — Suryakumar Yadav.In his career, Jitesh has seen one too many swings of misfortune. But this brutal omission, without any explanation, says a lot about the “lack of clarity” in the Indian dressing room.

Shubman Gill is 26, and with age on his side, he may get another go at a World Cup — not to forget he plays the other two formats as well. But for players like Jitesh, 32, who plays just one format and are absolute team men, this was a moment to cherish. Instead, it has been destroyed, and it will take him time to come out of this heartbreak.

Earlier this year, in an exclusive interview with TimesofIndia.com, Jitesh had spoken about his belief in fate. “Mere naseeb mein tha. Mujhe achhe log milte gaye. Mere bhaagya mein tha (It was in my destiny. I kept meeting good people. It was in my fate),” he had said about his cricketing career.It seems Jitesh will now have to accept his fate and, hopefully, bounce back from this setback.

NEW DELHI: India will look to secure a record-extending 12th title when they face Pakistan in the Under-19 Asia Cup final at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Sunday.Led by Ayush Mhatre, India topped Group A after winning all their matches. Pakistan finished second in the group, with their only loss coming against India, a 90-run defeat last Sunday.India continued their run in the semifinals on Friday, defeating Sri Lanka by eight wickets. Pakistan reached the final by beating defending champions Bangladesh.India’s journey to the final has been marked by contributions across departments. The batting unit has produced two totals above 400 in the tournament.The competition has also seen strong performances from young players, including 17-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu. After Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 95-ball 171 against UAE helped India post 433/6, Kundu followed it up with an unbeaten 209 off 125 balls against Malaysia, becoming the first Indian to score a double hundred in Youth ODIs.Both batters will be key against Pakistan’s bowling attack. India’s middle order has also delivered when needed. Aaron George has scored three consecutive half-centuries, while Vihaan Malhotra added a 61 not out against Sri Lanka.All-rounder Kanishk Chouhan has provided balance with late runs and wickets. He has taken six wickets in four matches, including 3/33 against Pakistan in the group stage.In bowling, pacer Deepesh Devendran has led India’s attack and is the joint-highest wicket-taker with 11 wickets, alongside Pakistan’s Abdul Subhan. Deepesh took 5/22 against Malaysia and removed three Pakistan batters in successive overs during the group match.Pakistan will rely on Sameer Minhas, who scored an unbeaten 177 against Malaysia and a half-century against Bangladesh. Their bowling strength lies in pace, with Subhan supported by Mohammad Sayyam and Ali Raza. Spin options include Niqab Shafiq and Ahmed Hussain.Pakistan’s batting has been inconsistent, and they will look to improve in the final. India’s senior team had defeated Pakistan three times in the Asia Cup T20 in September, and the junior side will aim to continue that run.Players from both teams are expected to follow the no-handshake policy. Pakistan won the Asia Cup once in 2012 and finished runners-up twice since then.The match will begin at 10.30 am IST.

Erling Haaland continues to motor along at better than a goal a game for Manchester City in the Premier League. His latest victim was West Ham on Saturday. The Norway striker scored in each half to move to 19 goals in 17 matches in this campaign and also set up Tijjani Reijnders’ goal in a 3-0 win at Etihad Stadium on Saturday. The victory lifted City into first place, a point ahead of Arsenal before the deposed leader’s match at Everton later Saturday. Haaland has 38 goals in a combined 28 games for club and country in what is shaping up to be the most prolific season of his career. Injury permitting, the season will end in him going to his first World Cup with Norway. His double gave him 104 in the Premier League, one more than Cristiano Ronaldo having played 122 games fewer. Haaland scored at the second attempt from Phil Foden’s cross to give City a fifth-minute lead and took advantage of a defensive mix-up to make it 3-0 in the 69th. In between, Haaland slipped a short pass to Reijnders, who took a touch and rifled a shot into the roof of the net in the 38th. Woltemade’s week What a difference a week made for Nick Woltemade. Last weekend, he scored an own-goal to consign Newcastle to a derby loss at fierce rival Sunderland. Six days later, he netted twice in the opening 20 minutes to give his team a fast start against Chelsea. Chelsea recovered, though, to draw 2-2 with Joao Pedro’s equalizer coming off a rare assist from a goalkeeper. Robert Sanchez smashed a long clearance up to Pedro, who headed the ball forward and ended up collecting it himself after Fabian Schar slipped. Pedro slotted a finish underneath Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to earn Chelsea a point in the 66th. “I wanted to give a good performance today and I think I did,” Woltemade said. “I just want to say thank you to the fans for still being good with me.” Reece James launched Chelsea’s fightback by curling a free kick in off the post after halftime. Chelsea stayed in fourth place and has won only one of its last five games in the league. Newcastle, one of England’s representatives in the Champions League this season, is languishing in midtable after one win in its last four games – and that was against next-to-last Burnley. Still winless Last-placed Wolverhampton remained without a win and on just two points after losing at home to Brentford 2-0. The latest defeat meant Wolves tied Sheffield United’s 2020-21 record of 17 games without a win from the start of a Premier League season. Keane Lewis-Potter scored both of Brentford’s goals in the second half. Semenyo’s worth Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo is reportedly a target of some of the Premier League’s biggest teams, including Man City and Manchester United. He underlined his worth by curling home his team’s goal in a 1-1 draw with Burnley, which ended its seven-match losing run on its tough return to the top flight. Armando Broja grabbed Burnley’s equalizer in the 90th. Sunderland is doing much better since promotion. A 0-0 draw at Brighton put the north-east team in fifth place. Remaining games There are three more games to be played on Saturday: Tottenham vs. Liverpool, followed by Everton vs. Arsenal and Leeds vs. Crystal Palace.