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Leeds United are interested in a move to bring Junior Adamu to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent report by Sky Sports Deutschland, who claim that Victor Orta has now identified the Red Bull Salzburg centre-forward as a target for Leeds United this summer, with the Austrian Bundesliga side believed to value the 21-year-old at a figure of around €10m (£8.5m).

The report goes on to state that West Ham United, Hertha BSC, RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt are also interested in the Austria U21 international – whose current contract at Red Bull Arena runs until the summer of 2025.

The next Haaland

Considering just how exciting a talent Adamu evidently is, it is not difficult to see why Orta is keen to secure a deal to bring the Salzburg sensation to LS11 in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, despite his tender age, the £5.4m-rated talent highly impressed over his 30 Austrian Bundesliga appearances – only 20 of which came as starts – this season, with the 21-year-old scoring seven goals, registering five assists and creating 12 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots, making 0.9 key passes and completing 0.6 dribbles per game.

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The £1.1k-per-week forward who Cherno Samba dubbed both “special” and “ice cold” also caught the eye in Salzburg’s round of 16 first-leg Champions League tie with Bayern Munich back in February, cooly slotting home Brenden Aaronson’s lay-off to give the Austrians the lead against the German champions – with the fixture finishing 1-1.

Furthermore, considering his rather remarkable breakthrough season with Matthias Jaissle’s outfit, there are clear comparisons that can be drawn between Adamu and another of Salzburg’s former centre-forward starlets – none other than Manchester City’s £85.5m summer signing, Erling Haaland.

Indeed, over the 21-year-old’s 14 league appearances during his own breakthrough campaign in Austria, the £135m-rated forward scored 16 goals, provided four assists and created seven big chances – with these metrics seeing the £375k-per-week hitman averaging a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.66.

As such, while Adamu certainly has big shoes to fill if he is to go on and replicate the impact the Norway international has had on the footballing world, it very much appears as if the 21-year-old is on the right path – leading us to believe that Orta must do everything he can to seal a deal for the 43-goal striker this summer.

AND in other news: Orta now plotting Leeds bid for “extraordinary” £13m “talent”, it’d be a massive coup

Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski put on an attacking masterclass as he terrorised Norwich City to secure Champions League football in N17 next season.

The Sweden international bagged two of Spurs’ five goals before he was substituted in the 68th minute but by then, he had long made his mark, allowing Heung-min Son to swoop in and capitalise on a broken Canaries backline.

Indeed, the South Korean sensation also bagged himself a brace, which was enough to see him share the Premier League’s Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah but it was the Juventus loanee who was arguably the clear-cut standout at Carrow Road.

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Earning an 8.9 rating on SofaScore, the 22-year-old dynamo was a constant threat in the final third, not only registering a total of three shots but also managing a whopping five successful dribbles from six attempts, easily bypassing Dimitrios Giannoulis on the right flank.

Kulusevski also provided two key passes, meaning he created a pair of chances for his attacking counterparts, Son and Harry Kane. Furthermore, he amazingly won eight of his nine duels (88%), only further emphasising how he had his way with Dean Smith’s defence.

Elsewhere, the £31.5m-rated marksman also put in one tackle and one interception as he capped off his fine half-season at the club in style.

His contribution took his total tally for Spurs to five goals and eight assists from 20 appearances, averaging a direct contribution once every 97.5 minutes – almost one every game.

It’s no wonder manager Antonio Conte was able to turn things around to guide the north Londoners back into Europe’s top competition.

As The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick wrote in his post-match ratings column, Kulusevski was “decisive again” before going onto praise his selfless nature.

Once lauded as a “monster” by Italian Football expert Nima Tavallaey Roodsari, Juventus’ loss has certainly been Tottenham’s gain and we got to witness yet another fine display from the young winger.

Kulusevski absolutely terrorised the Canaries with his attacking exploits as he helped secure a lucrative top-four finish in the Premier League.

AND in other news, Spurs dealt Cristian Romero injury setback…

West Ham United are battling to sign soon-to-be free agent and Torino striker Andrea Belotti for David Moyes this summer as an update comes to light this week.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyeing new forward…

Hammers boss Moyes is reportedly eyeing a new forward signing for his side this summer, coming after the club couldn’t finalise the addition of a striker in January.

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West Ham were apparently very close to signing Atalanta ace Duvan Zapata in the final hours of deadline day, but after the player went AWOL, with phone calls to entourage left unanswered, Moyes and co ultimately missed out.

The Irons are currently gearing for their crunch semi-final second leg against Frankfurt in the Europa League on Thursday evening but that hasn’t stopped both owners GSB and head of recruitment Rob Newman gearing up for the 2022/2023 Premier League season.

The Latest: Insider shares Belotti update…

According to ‘insider’ and Italian football reporter Rudy Galetti, speaking to Tribal Football, West Ham are in a ‘battle’ to sign Belotti for Moyes this summer.

Touted as ‘one of the most followed players in Europe’, the 28-year-old is set to be a man in demand this summer with his contract expiring in June.

West Ham are in the mix to sign Belotti on a Bosman with the striker’s imminent ‘final decision’ expected in the ‘next few weeks’.

The Verdict: Right man for Moyes?

Scoring a career total 158 goals and still in his prime, Belotti could prove to be a pretty astute signing and capable back-up for Michail Antonio – especially at zero initial transfer cost.

An established Italy international with over 40 caps for the Azzurri, Torino’s captain will certainly be attracting major interest as one of the big name free agents up for grabs at the end of 2021/2022.

West Ham will face many competitors in the race for Belotti but landing the forward would be a smart of piece of business by Moyes.

In other news: GSB ready to back Moyes with £21m West Ham bid for colossal player, find out more here.

India punted on youth, but it backfired spectacularly on a tough surface where Raj’s experience could’ve been valuable

Shashank Kishore23-Nov-2018The winds of change are here.First MS Dhoni, now Mithali Raj. Two pillars of Indian cricket have been given subtle messages that they aren’t automatic picks in T20Is anymore.Dhoni’s exclusion was for a bilateral series against West Indies and Australia. With the World T20 15 months away, the selectors felt it was an opportunity to see how good Rishabh Pant can be both in front and behind the stumps. In contrast, Raj’s exclusion came in a World T20 semi-final, against the very side that broke their hearts in the World Cup final last year.And so, as one India batsman after another squandered the launch pad set by Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues in Antigua, the cameras panned to Raj. Sitting without the bib meant for substitutes, she was typically expressionless. It was the first time since her debut tour in 1999 that she wasn’t part of an Indian XI despite being available. Was it a good decision? Social media didn’t think so.If this was 2012, a women’s team selection would’ve escaped the eyes of most cricket fans in the country. At the World T20 that year, after India’s winless campaign, Raj was asked to look left and right by the cameraperson while answering questions from a lone journalist at the press conference. Why? So it appeared as if she was talking to a room full of journalists.That this call elicited debate and became a trending topic on Twitter was down to the improved visibility of women’s cricket in India. The sport is now firmly in the public consciousness and it was clear that the decision wasn’t received well by the fans.IDI via Getty ImagesThe outcome notwithstanding, it was a bold statement from the team management. Ramesh Powar’s appointment as coach on an interim basis in July started with him needing to mend a “disturbed side” that didn’t gel with his predecessor Tushar Arothe. That partly stemmed from a lack of confidence shown towards the younger players. Now, here was a coach willing to back his young players even if it meant dropping India’s biggest match-winner of two decades for a crunch game.Except, in this case, it was a costly miscalculation.India were playing the second semi-final on a used surface that was keeping low and turning square. But their batsmen kept going for their shots. Could they have taken cue from watching Australia negotiate spin earlier in the day? Meg Lanning, a fierce ball-striker, was happy to just nudge the ball around, realising that where 165 or 170 may have been par in Guyana, 140 was more than good enough in North Sound.India have largely relied on Smriti Mandhana upfront and Harmanpreet Kaur towards the end. There were question marks over Taniya Bhatia’s role as a batsman, particularly at the top of the order. Coming into the game, she averaged 9.62 from nine T20I innings. Her 66-ball 68 in an ODI victory over Sri Lanka may have tempted the team management to give her a go, but it hasn’t worked all tournament and only went unnoticed because India finished the group stages undefeated.Mithali Raj goes over cover as Sidra Nawaz watches•IDI via Getty ImagesThat isn’t to suggest Raj should’ve opened, even though her strike-rate this year has been close to 105. Or that India couldn’t win without her. After all, it was only a few days ago that they beat Australia emphatically without Raj in the XI. But in a semi-final, being able to call on her experience, would have been handy.India’s batting order was always going to be fluid. This was known on the opening day of the World T20, when Raj was pushed down below No. 7. She would be insurance against unexpected wobbles, as was the case against Ireland, when she stuck on despite the fall of wickets at the other end to make 51 valuable runs.India could have used that insurance against England too, slipping as they did from 89 for 2 to 94 for 5 in the space of eight deliveries. But that would’ve meant a change in team composition.Anuja Patil’s performance, with her low-arm, fast and street-smart offspin in her only game, against Australia, had made her key amid a clutch of other spinners in D Hemalatha, Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav. India didn’t even bowl their only fast bowler, Arundhati Reddy, against England, a validation that they believed in ‘spin to win’. So, while the thinking may have stemmed from not wanting to change their bowling combination, the team management failed to weigh Veda Krishnamurthy’s effectiveness against Raj’s consistency. This tactical blunder may have been the difference between putting up 125 and then attacking with a completely different mindset, as opposed to limping to 112 and struggling to fight back.So, just like that, there is now a question mark over one of the most prolific batsmen in women’s cricket. What happens next?

Costly mistakes, composure behind the stumps and lackadaisical running between the wickets were all in witness in the second ODI in Nelson

Mohammad Isam29-Dec-2016The swift turnaroundMartin Guptill first survived a big appeal for leg-before off the third ball of the match. Bangladesh reviewed and lost it; Guptill survived. The Mashrafe Mortaza delivery had pitched and hit the New Zealand opener outside off. But it didn’t cost Bangladesh much as Mashrafe struck Guptill’s front pad next ball. This time, umpire Paul Reiffel raised his finger immediately. Guptill, however, didn’t make the mistake of taking a review, which was later used by Tom Latham for an unsuccessful one for his leg-before decision.The not-so-swift turnaroundSabbir Rahman wasn’t so lucky with a turnaround. In the 23rd over of Bangladesh’s chase, Imrul Kayes dropped the ball towards short cover and set off for a single, only to see Sabbir, who initially responded, sell him a dummy. Not even the sight of his partner turning his back on him prevented Imrul from turning back. He ran straight on and reached the non-striker’s end. Conventional wisdom sent Imrul back, but technology in the form of a TV replay showed Imrul had reached the non-striker’s end before Sabbir had. Imrul, who nearly walked off, was called back and Sabbir had t make the long walk back.More turnaroundsThe theme continued as Lockie Ferguson dropped Imrul at deep fine leg in the 25th over. He didn’t have to move under the miscued skier, but his reverse cup for a catch that low was asking for trouble. Despite two tries, he couldn’t complete the catch. In the next over, Ferguson zoomed in a yorker at Mahmudullah’s stumps to redeem himself, and produce the game’s second swift turnaround.The deep breathNurul Hasan’s sudden elevation to the Bangladesh ODI side came through Mushfiqur Rahim’s hamstring injury. He became he fifth wicketkeeper to replace Mushfiqur in the last eight years. Given his billing through domestic performances, there was some pressure on young Hasan.He made his presence felt through a smart stumping to send back James Neesham, who completely missed the ball while charging at a Mosaddek Hossain delivery. Hasan waited for the ball to sit inside his gloves before disturbing the stumps with both hands. Given how flamboyant Hasan usually is behind the stumps, the Neesham stumping looked like a deliberately assured attempt.

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jul-2015Ricky Ponting rings the five-minute bell•Getty ImagesDavid Warner started aggressively before falling in the 30s…•AFP… he holed out in Moeen Ali’s first over•Getty ImagesChris Rogers made watchful progress on his Middlesex home ground•Associated Press… while Steven Smith produced his usual flamboyant strokeplay•Getty ImagesRogers brought up his eighth fifty-plus score in nine Test innings…•Getty Images…as Smith also ticked to a fifty after twice falling having done the hard work in Cardiff•Getty ImagesBen Stokes saw a chance go down when Ian Bell could not cling onto an edge off Smith at slip…•Getty Images…a blemish in the field for England after their impressive work in the first Test•Getty ImagesSmith was first to reach three figures – his 10th hundred in Tests•AFPRogers was not far behind when he punched down the ground•Getty Images

A chip off the old block in some ways, his own man in others, Tagenarine Chanderpaul is set to be Guyana’s next big thing

Kanishkaa Balachandran27-Feb-2014He removes the bail and drives it into the pitch with his bat when he marks his left-handed guard. He walks forward and brushes the pitch with his bat. He then turns left and takes a few steps towards the square-leg umpire, giving the impression of being ill at ease with his surroundings. Back at the crease, his head is tilted to the leg side. With the right glove, he touches the crest on his helmet, then the right thigh, and then his crotch, before finally resting it in position on the handle. Save for the bail routine, this fidgety pre-ball ritual is repeated almost every time he takes strike. Sounds familiar?Chanderpaul would be the obvious guess, but the player described above is not Shivnarine. It is his son Tagenarine .There are more similarities between dad and son, but one they don’t share is the stance. With his right foot pointing towards square leg and his chest facing the bowler, Shivnarine at the crease looks like a tennis player facing a return of serve. Tagenarine’s stance is side-on and conventional. Both do have high backlifts.At 17, Tagenarine (pronounced Tay-je-narine) looks as lean and frail as his dad did at 20 during his Test debut against England. Both are economical with words. During his early days as a Test player, Shivnarine came across as painfully shy and diffident in front of cameras. You would be lucky to get more words out of his son. The one-line answers are followed by a shy chuckle. When asked if he copies his dad’s mannerisms, he says, “I’ve not really picked up anything. Just happen to look the same way.”Tagenarine may not be in the senior West Indies team team yet, but the fact that he has made it to the national Under-19 level while his father is still actively playing is headline-grabbing. The two have played together in one first-class match for Guyana, against Trinidad and Tobago in Port-of-Spain, but they didn’t get to bat together in it. They have done that in club games, and once shared a stand of 256 in Guyana. Shivnarine is 39 and shows no sign of stopping yet, so more opportunities to bat together at the first-class level beckon.Tagenarine grew up in the same house as his dad, in Unity Village, Demerara, on Guyana’s east coast. Shivnarine’s father, Khemraj, a fisherman by day, coached his son like it was his life’s mission to get him to play Test cricket. He would take Shiv to the community centre nearby, where the throwdowns would last for hours. They would sometimes go to the Atlantic shore, where young Shivnarine would face bumper balls directed at his body. Taking the blows was worth it in the end, when cricket became a means of moving on from rural poverty and a harsh life at sea.Khemraj has taken charge of his grandson in a similar manner, preparing a concrete surface by the side of their house for Tagenarine to practise on. The boy also trains at the ground nearby every day after school.For years Khemraj had to double up as grandfather and dad to Tagenarine after Shivnarine moved to Florida to live with his second wife, Amy. Tagenarine stayed on in Unity, where he split his time between his grandparents and his mother, Annalee, who ran a beer garden in the village.In the absence of Chanderpaul senior, Khemraj’s presence and dedication assumed great significance for the young boy. Shivnarine has since taken a more active role in his son’s cricket, having moved back to Guyana in 2009.By most accounts Tagenarine is a more attractive batsman to watch than his father, and he is capable of innovating with reverse sweeps and the like. Like his father, though, he has the ability to pitch a tent at the crease. The signs were evident early. When Tagenarine was ten, he once batted five hours in a club game against players twice his age and scored 61.Daren Ganga, the former West Indies and Trinidad batsman, who has known Tagenarine since he was five, says the ability to persevere at the crease could be his biggest inheritance from his father. “He is a player Guyana is depending on to bat for long periods,” Ganga says. “He’s got good concentration methods, and a wide array of strokes.”In this U-19 World Cup, Tagenarine has given enough proof that he’s in the side on merit and not because of his surname, with two fifties, including 93 against Canada.Ganga says the pressure that comes with the Chanderpaul surname is something Tagenarine will have to deal with. “He will always be in his father’s shadow, so to speak because Shiv is second to Brian Lara in terms of batting achievements for West Indies. I don’t think he will be able to jump out of his dad’s shadow overnight.”The comparisons will be inevitable, and it’s a challenge the youngster is well aware of. “I try not to think about it. Just try and be myself,” he says.

ESPNcricinfo presents plays of the day of the opening day of the series at Lord’s

Andrew McGlashan at Lord's17-May-2012Presentation of the dayGeoffrey Boycott is very close to the Bairstow family so it was a poignant moment to see him in the England team huddle shortly before 10.30am presenting Jonny Bairstow with his first Test cap. This has been a ceremony performed for a while by England when a new player is capped with a former cricketer addressing the squad. Boycott spoke to the group, which included all the backroom staff, for nearly five minutes before passed the cherished cap to England’s 652nd Test cricketer.Set-up of the dayEngland’s Player of the Year gave an example of why he earned that accolade earlier this week. James Anderson with the new ball at Lord’s in May is a potent combination and he was at the top of his game. The way he worked over Kieran Powell was masterful. Four awayswingers scooted past off stump as Powell shouldered arms then, on cue, Anderson sent down the inswinger. The key was how late it moved and by the time Powell was bringing his bat down the ball was hitting the stumps.No-ball of the dayDuring Stuart Broad’s previous Test at Galle he had no-ball problems and they resurfaced again here although one was only spotted when the DRS was brought in to check an lbw appeal against Adrian Barath. It meant the review became worthless (the on-field not-out would not have been overturned in any event) and, in a way, the no-ball worked in England’s favour. Under the latest playing conditions for DRS it did not cost them a review and with the seventh ball of the over Broad removed Barath for certain when he drove to gully.Juggle of the dayBarath’s wicket was not without a heart-in-mouth moment for England. Anderson is a wonderful all-round fielder, especially considering he is a fast bowler, but the thick-edged drive by Barath was parried at gully and looked as though it would evade his grasp. However, Anderson retained his composure – and his balance – long enough to hold the rebound, much to the delight of his team-mates.Mix-up of the dayIt was widely predicted that Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo would hold the key to West Indies’ batting and they were together shortly after lunch. However, the stand did not last long. Chanderpaul swept a ball to short fine-leg and Bravo set off for a single, only for Chanderpaul to barely move out of his crease. Before he knew it Bravo was level at the striker’s end, but Chanderpaul tapped his bat back in fractionally before Bravo crossed the crease. Even when Matt Prior produced a terrible throw to Graeme Swann, as England did their best to mess up the chance, there was no way back for Bravo.Review of the dayChanderpaul was given out padding up in the second innings against England Lions last week. It almost happened again. Facing Anderson he misread the line from around the wicket and did not offer a shot. After a prolonged appeal, Marais Erasmus raised his finger and Anderson launched into celebration. Chanderpaul briefly asked Marlon Samuels, the non-striker, what to do – although Samuels did not appear too aware – before opting for the DRS which proved the ball was missing off stump.

So close, so commanding, so gripping

Peter English at the SCG05-Jan-2010Shane Watson is not the sort of player who should scribble the number of Test centuries he wants on the fridge. That sort of motivation is better suited to batters with traditional career paths. It is more appropriate for Watson, an emotional man who has drifted between episodes of heart-break and body-break, to leave his mark by achieving the most 90s.Most things about Watson are almost perfect: the body, the cover drive, the pulling and the attention to fitness. Why ruin the trend of his life by posting blot-free centuries? From the moments of his first back injury and blonde highlights he has been a nearly man. To his immense credit, he has learned to deal with the status.Of course he has moped about his failing body and lack of extended bat raises, but after every bout of sooking comes the committed return. He deserves all the half-centuries, it’s just the hundreds that don’t suit the oh-so-close image. When the blemish was allowed in Melbourne, where his 120 not out came via a drop on 99, it seemed his next trend would be letting the nervousness disappear in a shower of three figures whenever he got close.However, Watson’s romance with despair reappeared the ball after a pure cover drive off Umar Gul for the boundary that took him to 97. It was the shot of such authority that with any other batsman the expectation would be a follow-up swing to bring up the milestone. The next moment is never assured with Watson, who has previously dislocated a shoulder while fielding in his second Test and thought he was having a heart attack when suffering food poisoning.This time he didn’t expect the extra bounce of Gul’s off-cutter and because of his push-forward-first move, was unable to shift back in time to cover the movement. The ball hit the edge of Watson’s angled bat and was re-directed to Faisal Iqbal at second slip, ending the brightest innings of the match while raising hands to faces in the stands.Spectators shouldn’t have been shocked by Watson’s new trademark, which has occurred three times in his past eight innings. By the end of the day Watson wasn’t too bothered either.”To be totally honest, I’m not really worried about it,” Watson said. “I was really happy with the way I batted today. Of course it’s always nice to break that hundred barrier, but I was lucky I didn’t get that ball earlier in the innings. It decked in and bounced more than I thought … There was always a chance I would get a ball like that but unfortunately I got it in my late 90s.”If he continues his current pattern he could level the record of Rahul Dravid and Steve Waugh, who have ten 90s, by the end of next season’s Ashes series. Watson’s batting since he has stepped up to the top of the order has been Australia’s most successful and polished. During eight Tests after rejoining the team he has 819 runs at 63.00, including seven half-centuries and the out-of-sync hundred.In his current demeanour he is playing with the authority of Matthew Hayden, his old Queensland team-mate, but displaying less muscle and much more style. His driving creates gasps and his self-belief extends to pulling or hooking whenever the ball is short. There are not many batsmen in the world who do that consistently, and the shot was responsible for his three sixes.There were also 11 fours, three of which came from pulls, and only one, an inside edge from his second delivery which ended up at fine leg, didn’t go where he wanted. He was dropped on 18 when a hook sped through Danish Kaneria’s hands at fine leg and went over the rope, but it was where he aimed it.This was a classy performance from a player who has found a new home at the top of the order. In the beginning Hughes was Watson’s partner, showing some valuable grit before falling on 37. Watson had replaced Hughes in England but such is the right-hander’s form that he has the opening spot for as long as wants, or he could demand a move to the middle order. Throw in his useful bowling – but not his mouthy follow-throughs – and he has become Australia’s MVP.When Watson looks back at this golden summer he should not glance and grimace at the 90s in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Those grumpy thoughts should be saved for the 89 in Perth, just one run short of his most suitable run-range. Now that was a waste.

Rob Key, England men’s managing director, says full squad will convene ahead of Pakistan series

Matt Roller30-Apr-20241:49

Why Hartley beat Rehan to England’s second spinner spot

The ECB has made members of England’s T20 World Cup squad unavailable for the IPL play-offs and will call them home ahead of a four-match T20I series against Pakistan which starts on May 22. As things stand, the decision is likely to affect Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals), Phil Salt (Kolkata Knight Riders) and Moeen Ali (Chennai Super Kings).Rob Key, England men’s managing director, spoke to the players selected in their provisional World Cup squad on Monday to tell them that they had been picked, and told those involved in the IPL that they will not be available for the knockout stages. The play-offs run from May 21 until May 26, clashing directly with England’s Pakistan series.The other players who are involved in both England’s World Cup squad and the IPL are: Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone (all Punjab Kings), Will Jacks and Reece Topley (both Royal Challengers Bengaluru). Both franchises have struggled this season and may need to win all of their remaining group fixtures to qualify for the play-offs.ESPNcricinfo understands that players will be expected to return to the UK on the weekend of May 18-19, which could rule them out of their respective franchises’ final group-stage fixtures. The group stage runs until May 19 and England are keen for their World Cup squad to have a few days together before their first T20I since December.Phil Salt has been in formidable form for KKR but will miss their likely play-off matches•Associated Press

“You can’t just call people back for no reasons: there are protections,” Key said on Tuesday after announcing England’s provisional squad. “Without injury or England commitments, we couldn’t say to Phil Salt, for example, come back and have a rest for the next 15 days. But there is a window just before an England series when you can bring players back for England duty or injury.”Key revealed that Buttler, who has hit two centuries for table-topping Rajasthan Royals, had instigated the decision to come home before the end of the IPL. “I asked him very early on in the piece and said, ‘Look, as England captain, you’re obviously going to have this series against Pakistan. How do you see it?’ And straightaway, he said, ‘No, no, I want to come back and start getting ready for the World Cup in that series that’s just before it.’Buttler and his wife Louise are expecting their third child next month, so he may miss the start of the Pakistan series on paternity leave regardless. “When the due date is and when the baby comes is slightly fluid,” Key said. “But whatever happens, I think you put your family first and make sure you’re at the birth of your child. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”Key told players when they left for India: “Look, there is a good chance that you’ll be coming back [early],” he said. “There is a chance you could stay out there. We may feel that if you get through to an IPL final that, maybe, that’s the best thing to do. It might be that if there’s only one of you then you’d let you go on and do that… we have to keep it pretty fluid.”Related

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But he said that England’s management decided the Pakistan series would help them to find clarity in the players’ roles ahead of their opening T20 World Cup fixture, against Scotland on June 4. “We’ve got to the point where actually, we think it’s more important that you come back and that group gets together: the likes of Phil Salt, opening the batting for England, getting that role going with Jos Buttler.”You just want them to get together and spend a bit of time and build up to it. So much of what our white-ball team has done has been turning up a couple of days before and, bang, we’re into a series, whereas I think that Pakistan series is going to be important for that, so they’ll all come back ready for that.”You want people to really start understanding what their roles are, what your best XI is going to be, and that’s what we want to make sure: when we hit Barbados, we know exactly what that is. Last time, for the [50-over] World Cup, Adil Rashid was injured in that series versus New Zealand and we probably didn’t take into account how much, when he came back, that altered the balance.”Other boards’ approach to clashes between T20I series and the IPL play-offs have varied. New Zealand fielded a second-string team in Pakistan earlier this month, while the BCB have pulled Mustafizur Rahman out of the IPL early for a series against Zimbabwe. CSA will allow their players to stay in India for the play-offs, despite a clash with a three-match series against West Indies.