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West Ham United are admirers of an exciting young coach should they decide to sack David Moyes, according to a reliable journalist.

West Ham's up and down season continues

The Irons have made an extremely mixed start to the new campaign having won five, drawn two and lost five of their opening 12 games, meaning that they currently find themselves ninth in the top-flight table heading into the international break.

Following Sunday’s 3-2 Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest, which just about epitomised their campaign, Moyes’ side will have gained some confidence that they are able to go on a positive run of form upon their return to domestic action, but regardless, there have been some questions asked about the manager’s position in the dugout.

According to 90min, David Sullivan is happy for the Scotsman to see out his contract until the end of the season unless a candidate that fits the profile of what he’s looking for was to become available between now and then, but it’s not the first time that chiefs have assessed their options in the market.

The London Stadium outfit have previously been credited with an interest in Feyenoord’s Arne Slot and Lille’s Paulo Fonseca, as per the same report, and they have now set their sights on an alternative who has experience playing in the Premier League.

West Ham chiefs considering Michael Carrick

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Dean Jones revealed that Michael Carrick is of interest to West Ham and admitted that he has the attributes to match what the board are searching for.

“My expectation would be that they look to be forward-thinking. Unless West Ham suddenly find themselves in crisis and need crisis management, that's the only time I could see them going for somebody with huge experience as their next appointment.

“I would expect them though to go for somebody who's younger, more forward-thinking and is more in tune with the way that the game is heading in the next 10 years, rather than how it's been for the last 10 years. That's what I would be thinking. Carrick is a really interesting one, but we have to see which direction his career goes in right now. But he's definitely somebody who is on West Ham's radar.”

Michael Carrick's record at Middlesbrough

Since being appointed at Middlesbrough, Carrick has won 29, drawn eight and lost 16 of his 53 games in charge, taking a total of 95 points from a possible 159 whilst averaging 1.79 points per match (Transfermarkt – Carrick statistics), so he’s really settled into life at the helm at the Riverside Stadium.

The Wallsend-born coach, who is 42 years of age, was also named last week’s Championship Manager of the Week for successfully beating Leicester City, so he’s proven that he’s capable of overcoming a squad of mostly Premier League players.

Furthermore, Carrick, who is “perfect” at bringing out the best in his stars and developing younger talents, according to journalist Josh Bunting, led the northeast outfit to the second tier playoffs at the end of last season, so for a manager who already knows what it takes to compete and be successful under big pressure, he could be the ideal candidate for West Ham.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke enjoyed a busy transfer window ahead of his first season in charge of the club after his arrival earlier this year.

The German tactician was brought in after the Whites were relegated from the Premier League after three years at the top level and is tasked with helping them to return at the first time of asking.

Who did Leeds sign this summer?

He was backed by the board throughout the summer in an attempt to give him the best possible chance of a strong start to life in the Championship.

Jaidon Anthony, Joel Piroe, Joe Rodon, Karl Darlow, Glen Kamara, Djed Spence, Ilia Gruev, Ethan Ampadu, and Sam Byram all came in to bolster the squad.

These new signings have helped Leeds to fifth place in the division as it stands, after 11 matches, but there could be more business to come at the start of next year.

Leeds chief executive Angus Kinnear recently revealed that funds could be available to Farke to use in the upcoming January transfer window, with loan or permanent deals possibly on the cards for the German head coach if needed.

It was recently suggested by LeedsLive that the club could improve their squad by adding a natural number ten to complement their current options, as they stated that supporters were keen to see one brought in over the summer.

With this in mind, Farke must reignite his interest in Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill to bring him in as a dream alternative to Joel Piroe in that position.

Were Leeds interested in Josh Brownhill?

TEAMtalk reported over the summer that the Whites were keen on a deal to sign the former Bristol City star from the newly promoted club.

Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, Leicester City, and Middlesbrough were also said to be interested in the English maestro after his impressive performances at Championship level last term.

Burnley were, ultimately, able to keep hold of the midfield ace but there could be an opportunity for Leeds, or one of the other clubs eyeing him up, to sign the gem in January.

His current contract at Turf Moor is due to expire at the end of the season and this means that clubs from outside of England will be able to negotiate a pre-contract deal with him at the start of next year.

Due to this, the Clarets could be forced to consider offers from the likes of Leeds, and others, in January in order to avoid the possibility of him leaving for nothing in the summer.

Burnley are also 18th in the Premier League as it stands and the prospect of joining a club that could be on the way up to the top-flight could be an attractive proposition for Brownhill, rather than facing a possible relegation back to the second tier with his current side.

How did Brownhill perform last season?

The £45k-per-week ace was an outstanding performer at Championship level last term as his performances resulted in him being named as a contender for the PFA Players' Player of the Year.

He was also included in the PFA Team of the Year for the second division, and these accolades suggest that the Leeds target was one of the best midfielders within the league throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

Brownhill made an impact at both ends of the pitch as he showcased his ability to be a difference-maker within the opposition's third whilst also being able to make vital contributions to cut out attacks for the other team.

Defensively, the 27-year-old whiz made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game and won 50% of his duels over the course of his 41 league appearances.

Only Ethan Ampadu (2.3) has made more tackles per match (2.2) this season for Leeds out of Farke's current crop of midfielders than Brownhill did for the Clarets last term.

The English magician also caught the eye with seven goals and eight assists from an attacking midfield position as he displayed his quality in the final third on a regular basis.

In fact, he ranked within the top 15% of his Championship positional peers for non-penalty goals (0.18) and shot-creating actions (3.70) per 90 respectively. The talented gem also placed within the top 10% for assists (0.20) per 90, which speaks to the significant impact the Burnley star can make at this level.

How many goals has Piroe scored this season?

Piroe, who joined from league rivals Swansea during the summer transfer window, has been utilised as a number ten behind Georginio Rutter this season and has found the back of the net five times thus far.

The Dutch marksman has scored five goals in eight Championship matches for the Whites so far this season and has three more strikes than any of his teammates.

However, the former Swans star does not offer a regular threat as a creator for his fellow attackers. He has only produced 0.6 key passes per match and 11 other players within the squad have averaged more.

In fact, Rutter (2.4) is the only central-based player with more than one key pass per game for Farke's side this season and this suggests that Brownhill, who made 1.8 key passes per outing last term, would be a much-needed addition.

Should Leeds sign Brownhill?

Farke should, therefore, swoop to snap up the "fabulous" – as he was dubbed by Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie – midfielder in January.

Sofascore rating

7.00

Appearances

Seven

Goals

One

Key passes per game

1.3

Tackles per game

1.4

His contractual situation and the respective positions of the two clubs suggest that a move could be viable for the Whites if they decide to reignite their interest in his services.

It will, however, be down to Leeds to beat off competition from any other interested parties in order to secure a deal for his services for the second half of the campaign and beyond.

If they can do that then Farke would have a dream alternative to Piroe, as a creative number ten who could thrive in matches where the opposition deploy a low block and need to be carved open.

He could also be used in a central midfield role behind the Dutch forward and use his creativity to produce opportunities for the former Swansea ace and Rutter to find the back of the net.

Mary Earps was left in stitches by Ella Toone’s lobster-themed presents, sent to the Manchester United forward in reference to a hotel prank.

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Earps got Toone a lobster costume and leopard heelsThe forward showed off themed presentsEarps couldn't contain joy at such unique giftsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Lobsters, Earps and Toone – the three appear to be an inseparable combination. It all started during Euro 2022 when the Manchester United forward was forced to dress up in an inflatable lobster costume along with a pair of leopard-print heels as part of a hilarious prank. On that occasion, Toone could hardly walk and kept falling when her heels got stuck on the decking of the hotel.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Earps showcased how this story has obviously gone viral, with her Instagram story showing how Toone had received a lobster-themed gift hamper from an unknown sender. The set included a coffee cup, bag and a pair of socks – of course, all of which carried the lobster emblem!

@1maryearps InstagramWHAT EARPS SAID

Earps shared a picture of Toone with the presents in her Instagram story and wrote: "This makes me so happy 🤣🤣🤣🤣🦞🦞 Whoever did this. 10/10 for effort 🤣".

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

The duo can afford a hearty laugh after a clinical performance against Brighton in the Women's FA Cup on Saturday that saw United emerge triumphant by a 4-0 scoreline. They will return to WSL action next Sunday against Bristol City.

Shimron Hetmyer has recovered from the illness that kept him out of West Indies’ last Test against Sri Lanka to return to the squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh.Left-handed batsman Hetmyer was not picked in the XI for the first two Tests of the series against Sri Lanka, before being taken ill ahead of the third Test. Keemo Paul, the right-arm fast bowler who had replaced Hetmyer in the squad, keeps his place in the squad.There was only one change, with the uncapped reserve wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton left out.

West Indies Squad

Jason Holder (capt), Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich (wk), Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Devon Smith

West Indies drew the series against Sri Lanka 1-1. They won the first Test by 226 runs, while a somewhat rain-affected second Test was drawn, but Sri Lanka came back well in the final match for a four-wicket win.While commending the team for the performance against Sri Lanka, the West Indies selection panel said they wanted more runs from the top-order. The selection panel “expects to see a greater effort from the top 5 batters and see them return to the focus and discipline we know they are capable of in the upcoming series against Bangladesh… We congratulate the team on a drawn series [against Sri Lanka] but recognise that victory was within our reach. The selection panel also acknowledge and commend the strong performances of captain Jason Holder, Shannon Gabriel and man of the series Shane Dowrich.”This series is also an opportunity for West Indies to go past Bangladesh in the Test rankings. Bangladesh are currently in eighth position with 75 points, with West Indies ninth on 72 points. A win for the home side will see them overtake Bangladesh, while a drawn series will maintain the status quo. Bangladesh will remain in the eighth spot even if they win 2-0, though they will narrow the gap with seventh-ranked Pakistan.

Nick Gubbins, touted as an opener for England’s first Test of the summer against Pakistan, gave a wonderful audition for the role with an innings of 99

ECB Reporters Network11-May-20181:50

Nick Gubbins again advertised his England credentials

ScorecardMiddlesex’s England stars of present and possibly near future dominated day one of their Specsavers County Championship match with Gloucestershire at Lord’s.Nick Gubbins, touted as an opener for England’s first Test of the summer against Pakistan later this month, gave a wonderful audition for the role, before falling one short of a deserved century. Skipper Dawid Malan, a current red-ball incumbent for the national side, and England’s white-ball captain Eoin Morgan weighed in with 76 apiece – the latter in his first County Championship appearance in almost three years.The persevering Daniel Worrall was Gloucester’s standout bowler with 3 for 59, as Middlesex passed 300 in the first innings for the first time in 13 matches.Gubbins wasted no time making Gloucestershire regret their decision to forego the toss and bowl. He survived a couple of early scares, the first when wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick dropped him down the leg side off the bowling of Worrall when on just 17. The second shortly after saw him almost run out by a direct hit from Graham van Buuren, the ball ricocheting to the boundary for a rare 5.Gubbins’ cover-drives were a joy to behold and the opener was also quick to savagely cut anything short and wide. Sam Robson, perhaps fortunate to retain his place at the expense of Max Holden, by contrast looked edgy early on but found some batting rhythm particularly with some punchy drives through midwicket.The pair added 77 before the excellent Worrall squared up Robson who edged a low catch to Roderick. Gubbins though carried on unperturbed, hitting 10 boundaries in reaching 50 off 73 balls.Nick Gubbins works the ball away•Getty Images

Stevie Eskinazi proved a good foil either side of lunch before playing a poor shot to a wide one from Worrall, which Kieran Noema-Barnett palmed upwards before claiming at the second attempt.It was the beginning of an excellent spell from Australian quick Worrall who ended Gubbins’ hopes of back-to-back Championship centuries when the left-hander gloved a rising delivery to give Roderick a second catch behind the stumps.Sadly, for the visitors, none of Worrall’s team-mates found the same life or bowled with the same control, meaning Malan and Morgan wrestled back the initiative with a century stand. Malan, buoyed by last week’s century against Sussex, was the early aggressor with some stylish off drives, but Morgan caught the mood, hoisting van Buuren for a straight six.Such was the duo’s dominance it was a shock when Malan fell to the second new ball, trapped lbw by Matthew Taylor to a delivery which pitched and rolled along the floor – surely ominous for Gloucestershire whose earlier decision to bowl means they must bat last.Taylor soon struck again when new batsman Hilton Cartwright wafted a catch to slip and departed without scoring, and Morgan fell lbw just before the close to another ball which kept low from former Middlesex allrounder Ryan Higgins.

Players will be able to contest the on-field umpire’s decision in the first Test between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo. A few reactions to the increased use of technology

22-Jul-2008

Mark Benson’s decisions can be challenged by players in Colombo © Getty Images
“I don’t think we’re trying to say that umpires are redundant. They are an integral part of the system and it is very difficult for them in the heat of the moment; it is just assisting them. It is not a question of taking something away from them. It is a mode of assistance.”
Anil Kumble sees no reason why umpires should feel threatened“In general, the system will be good for the game as it will reduce the scope for mistakes. But you need to do it in a respectful way. The on-field umpires are human, after all. They do make mistakes, just as everybody else does, and we should respect that during the trial. We should be clear that the idea is only to reduce the mistakes.”
“I just hope they don’t get too silly with it. We need to be a bit careful that we don’t jump head-first in and go gung-ho the other way and make too many calls. I don’t know how many times there have been three really dodgy decisions in an innings too often. It means almost a third of the wickets that you need to get a team out, you can contest, which seems like a high number to me.
“We need to hear of ideas that are likely to improve the standard of umpiring, especially in Test cricket, rather than gimmicky suggestions put forward to satisfy a clamour for more use of technology.
“Part of the beauty of cricket was that there was room for human error and sometimes it went your way, sometimes it didn’t. It all evened out in the end. Today, with all the money invested in cricket, the shareholders are going to demand the right decision all the time. You don’t pay $800 million for a cricket team to let an umpire’s error ruin it for you.”
“I’ve always been a coach who has advocated technology. If the ball bounces it is not out. For me, if we can get a correct system, then it has to be good for the game. I think it is muddied [at the moment], but the referral system takes away the grey area.”
“The referral system has been talked about a lot. We support referrals but didn’t want the players doing the referring, we felt it should be the umpires. We made it pretty clear that we felt certain things should be referred and others shouldn’t, but we think the umpires should take responsibility. In a team sport like this, the decisions should be taken on by the umpires.”
“Personally, I like a game like baseball, which turns over more money than cricket does and doesn’t use one ounce of technology when the umpire makes a decision. If they get it right, they get it right; and if they get it wrong, so be it. Nothing is ever overturned. But we allowed technology to come in, so now we have got to work with it, make the best of it.”
“Umpires have been around umpiring cricket far longer than Hawk-Eye has existed. Umpires know the bounce, length and height of the pitches they officiate on. I would back any umpire to make more accurate lbw decisions than Hawk-Eye, whether they are 5′ or 6’6″ tall. Umpires [on the field] will always be in the best position to adjudicate on lbws.”
“As a player, all you ever want is as many accurate decisions as possible. If I make a mistake and I’m out, well so be it, that’s my fault, but you don’t want to be given out when you feel you’re not out.”

West Ham United and technical director Tim Steidten may "consider cashing in" on an "important player" this winter, according to reports.

West Ham contract news

The east Londoners have sealed a few crucial new contracts in the last fortnight, with the most crucial of them being fresh terms for star winger Jarrod Bowen. The England international is David Moyes' top scorer so far this season and has picked up where he left off, coming after he scored their historic Europa Conference League-winning goal at the back end of last term. Bowen signed a new contract till 2030 recently, pledging his future to West Ham.

The former Hull City star, speaking to West Ham's official website after putting pen to paper, revealed his delight over signing his new long-term deal.

“I’m so pleased to have signed a new long-term contract at West Ham,” he said.

“Everyone knows what this Club means to me, so committing my future until 2030 means so much to me and my family. I’ve loved every minute of my time here. Winning the Europa Conference League in Prague was an amazing moment, scoring the winner in the last minute will be something I’ll cherish forever.

“It’s left us all wanting that feeling again and again – we want to create more memories together, for our fantastic fans, and for this fantastic Football Club.”

Meanwhile, West Ham also tied down highly-rated young teenager Dan Rigge with a new deal too, with the likes of Vladimir Coufal, Pablo Fornals and Tomas Soucek linked with new deals recently as well.

Tomas Soucek contract update

However, as per a recent reported West Ham development, the latter player's talks over fresh terms have stalled somewhat over the last year. As a result, journalist Pete O'Rourke has wrote for Football Insider that West Ham and Steidten may "consider cashing in" on Moyes' "important player". Sharing a Soucek contract update, he's noted that the Irons will look to reignite talks and are keen to keep him, but if a solution cannot be find, they may look to offload in January.

"West Ham are keen to iron out a deal and now Jarrod Bowen has pledged his long-term future, they will look to reignite talks with Soucek," wrote O'Rourke.

"They will step up their efforts imminently as he is still an important player for David Moyes. The Irons will have a decision on Soucek’s future if no progress can be made by January. If offers for the midfielder arrive, they could consider cashing in rather than losing him for free."

Soucek's current deal expires at the end of this season, and losing him would be an arguable blow considering his resurgence lately. The Czech Republic international most recently notched a goal in West Ham's 2-2 draw against Newcastle, prompting praise from Moyes.

"I’m pleased for Tomáš as he is making a good contribution with his goals, as did Mo today who got his first one for us, which was great," said Moyes.

"We have played Tomáš a bit higher in the last couple of games to try and get him near the box. Today was tough because we couldn’t get enough crosses or balls near the edge of their box, but he made it and he got the goal."

Australia’s search for a consolation victory moves to Edgbaston, and a return to a format in which they have plenty of form

The Preview by Andrew Miller26-Jun-20181:23

T20 a chance for Australia to ‘strut our stuff’ – Finch

Big Picture

As one-sided series go, England’s bagelling of Australia in the fifth and final ODI at Old Trafford on Sunday was about as fraught as they come – a low-scoring epic, sealed by a high-achieving white-ball wizard at the absolute peak of his powers. Jos Buttler’s refusal to be beaten while his team-mates were being skittled around him was inspiring to behold, as he sealed a one-wicket win that felt as far removed from a dead-rubber contest as is humanly possible.Australia desperately wanted to get themselves off the mark in a dismal tour; England desperately wanted to hone their killer instinct, and capitalise on a rare opportunity to leave their most consistent cricketing tormentors with no place to hide. It meant that there was a cup final vibe in evidence throughout the day, and the fact that England held their nerve in extreme adversity – regardless of the strength of their opponents – has to augur well for next year’s defining challenge.So how should we read the runes going into Australia’s final, final opportunity to make an impression on this tour? Clearly, a one-off T20 at Edgbaston lacks the context of what has gone before it, but as Alex Carey warned in the build-up to the match, Australia are ready to give it a “red-hot” go in a format that they have found infinitely more favourable in recent months.They are, after all, the reigning T20 tri-series champions – having put England emphatically in their place in the round-robin stage of February’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand.Unlike in the 50-over format, in which Australia’s batsmen have seemed reluctant to give full rein to their instincts for fear of making a mistake, there’s less reason to be reserved across 20 overs. And with a team that’s been honed in the competitive environs of the Big Bash, there’s plenty to suggest that this one could also go down to the wire.Nevertheless, Australia’s T20 squad cannot have been immune to the general sense of chaos that has enveloped their set-up since the events in Cape Town in March – not least because their captain during their recent run of short-form success was none other than David Warner. In a parallel universe, he might currently be sharpening his credentials as the obvious hard-nosed choice to lead his country into next year’s World Cup. How quickly things can change.Aaron Finch plays into the leg side•Getty Images

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
England WLLLL
Australia WWWWW

In the spotlight

For a man who has now scored more one-day hundreds (six) against England than any other batsman, Aaron Finch endured a curious ODI campaign. He was a victim of his team’s shortcomings elsewhere in their line-up, as he was shunted down the card in mid-series to provide ballast to the lower-order, before returning to his rightful opening berth for the latter stages. And now he is captain – and that in itself offers an intriguing subplot, given that Tim Paine, the ODI captain, more or less conceded that his position was untenable after the whitewash. If Finch can be the man to deliver Australia the victory that a nation craves, who knows where that may lead?England’s man of the moment, Jos Buttler, displayed the finishing skills of a master carpenter as he repaired his team’s run-chase in the fifth ODI on Sunday. But he’s tasked with a different challenge at Edgbaston after it was confirmed by Paul Farbrace, the interim coach, that he will be opening the innings. It’s a no-brainer really – Buttler was a revelation at the IPL in May after being pushed up to open for Rajasthan Royals, and it’s not as if England are short of men who can tonk it at the death.

Teams news

With Buttler opening alongside Jason Roy, Alex Hales is expected to come in at No. 3, which could mean Jonny Bairstow dropping to the middle order. Chris Jordan looks set to pip Sam Curran for the final berth in a five-man England attack, though Joe Root has been getting plenty of offspin practice of late.England (probable) 1 Jos Buttler, 2 Jason Roy, 3 Alex Hales, 4 Joe Root, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Eoin Morgan (capt), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 Liam Plunkett, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 David WilleyPaine makes way as wicketkeeper as well as captain, with Carey taking over the gloves, and assuming Glenn Maxwell recovers from his shoulder injury, he will slot back into the middle order, from where he gave England quite the schooling in Hobart in February. Andrew Tye’s variations are likely to have more mileage in the shorter format than they found in a chastening ODI campaign. And given the heat, and the prospect of a dry surface, the leggie Mitchell Swepson might well find a way into the starting XI.Australia (possible) 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 D’Arcy Short, 3 Travis Head, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Nic Maddinson, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Marcus Stoinis/Mitchell Swepson 9 Kane Richardson, 10 Andrew Tye, 11 Billy Stanlake

Pitch and conditions

Perfect weather, belting pitch, full house. It’ll be loud. The ground is expected to open early to encourage people to watch the World Cup (Mexico v Sweden and Germany v South Korea, kick-off 3pm) on the big screen.

Stats and trivia

• Australia won all five of their fixtures in the aforementioned tri-series, making it six out of seven victories (plus one abandonment) since February 2017.
• England, by contrast, have rather lost their mojo since reaching the final of the World T20 in April 2016. They have won five and lost eight of their last 13 games.
• They did, however, hold their nerve in their most recent outing, defending a total of 194 to win by two runs against New Zealand in Hamilton.

Quotes

“He will open tomorrow. In 120 balls in an innings, you want to get your best strikers facing as many balls as possible. The form he’s in, the way he’s playing, it makes sense to get him at the top of the order.”
“In the one-day format the confidence was definitely affected, England put us on the back foot from the word go and we weren’t able to catch up. But we’ve had success in this format … The confidence took a hit in the one-dayers but I don’t think there will be anything to worry about in this format.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 2-0 to advance to the NLCS for the first time since 2021.

Kike Hernandez started in center for the Dodgers, hit a home run, and then helped close out Game 5 with two nice plays at third base in the ninth inning to win the NLDS. Following the game a very happy Hernandez spoke with FOX's Ken Rosenthal.

Asked what makes this year's Dodgers team different than previous year's teams, Hernandez responded with a question, asking Rosenthal if they were live. When Rosenthal confirmed that they were live, Hernandez thought about it for a second and said, "The fact that we don't give a f—."

Then he smiled, knowing he had sworn on national television.

Here's Hernandez making the final out of the game.

And here's Teoscar Hernandez adding the insurance run that the Dodgers did not end up needing.

Game 1 of the NLCS between the Dodgers and New York Mets is set for Sunday night in Los Angeles. Get that bleep button ready.

Between the two teams, England have changed a lot more since the fourth Test last year, and India will recognise the giddiness around that

Osman Samiuddin29-Jun-2022If the Indian captain had gone down with Covid a week before a Test last summer in England, imagine the calamity. He didn’t, but an outbreak among the support staff caused enough panic for the BCCI to have the Test called off.A lot of it was to do with where the world was with the pandemic. The UK was leading a new, post-vaccine laissez-faire response by easing restrictions throughout society, but sport hadn’t caught up. Players were still in bubbles; they underwent regular PCR tests; close contacts were still being identified and told to isolate; travel was a nightmare.But some of it would also have been because the captain last summer was Virat Kohli. And such is the frenzy that accompanies Kohli, it’s quite possible that if only he had gotten Covid and no one else, the Old Trafford Test might have been cancelled anyway.Related

• Jasprit Bumrah unfazed as he prepares to take on India captaincy his own way

• Dravid says India undaunted by Bazball from resurgent England

• England vs India – the decider of a series from a different era

• WTC points table update: Is the Edgbaston Test a must-win for India?

• Four selection puzzles for India at Edgbaston

It’s a measure of how much has changed that Rohit Sharma got Covid this week and there’s no question of the Test being in danger: the only question is who replaces him, if he doesn’t recover in time. We’ve just seen the end of a series where a number of New Zealand players or staff got Covid, the England wicketkeeper got it during a Test and nobody really cared. Last summer was a different world, though it also doesn’t feel that long ago; one side effect of Covid, regardless of whether you’ve had it or not, is a distorted sense of time.Also, this is Rohit. Great batter, fine captain but not that stratosphere. He doesn’t hold the fate of entire ecosystems in his hands. He does not appear on Forbes rich lists. He is not hanging with the LeBrons, the CR7s or the Messis on a global sporting icon list. In fact, one of the most interesting things about Rohit’s appointment is that for the first time in well over a decade, an Indian captain is not obviously the biggest, most significant figure in the sport.No team is really built in the image of one man alone, but that this was in some way, until very recently, Kohli’s India is difficult to argue against. Now? There is a new coach to consider as well, a man who, albeit in a diametrically opposite way to Ravi Shastri, brings serious presence.Ordinarily, this would all be considered serious change. And it is, except it doesn’t come across that way. If Shastri brought the yang to Kohli’s yang then, instinctively, Rahul Dravid brings the yin to Rohit’s yin: two men attuned to the details and not just a big picture. Shastri, meanwhile, will end the series as a blustering, cheerleading commentator, having begun it as a blustering, cheerleading coach.1:45

Who opens and captains if Rohit Sharma can’t play at Edgbaston?

India don’t do crisis or panic, now they merely move along unperturbed. KL Rahul, second-highest run-scorer in the series, is not here. No problem, here is Mayank Agarwal, who Rahul had replaced in the first place as opener at the start of this series last year after Agarwal sustained a concussion.Many countries might bungle transitions involving their second-most prolific Test fast bowler ever, when he is still only 33. Ishant Sharma might have played his last Test and nobody appears overly concerned, or sentimental. Why would they when Mohammed Siraj is already so well established? Or when next man in could be Prasidh Krishna: tall and gangly like Ishant but quicker and bouncier, averaging less than 17 in ODIs and less than 18 in first-class cricket? R Ashwin is arguably India’s greatest spinner but will probably not play this series. And India won’t lose it. Ashwin not playing would simply underline how little has changed for India. With Rohit leading (assuming he plays), India could field as many as eight from the XI that took the series lead at The Oval.But this Test isn’t really about India, which itself is an unusual position for India to be in. This is about England. Usually, England are just some shade of England: a great orthodox batter, a charismatic allrounder, a couple of grand old seamers and seven others. They win at home, but never dominate. They don’t win that much abroad. There is always angst, about some player, about techniques, about county cricket, about the health of Tests. Boring is not the right word for it. Familiar, oddly comforting, reassuringly there, might be.The best thing about this Test is that this is not usual England. This is not another shade, it’s already half a painting. England too have a different captain and coach since the last Test of this series. They will only play four from the XI that played at The Oval. That says that a lot has changed but it doesn’t even begin to capture a fraction of it – or the speed at which it has happened.Less than a month ago they were still that England. Now they are this England and even if we can get our heads around the Covid time warp, we might struggle to explain that three months ago, seven of this England side scored 324 runs across two innings in 154 overs. In doing so, they lost by 10 wickets.If they were simply waiting to be told that this is a way to play the game, then it’s a nice reminder that words retain power, that they are consequential, especially when coming from Brendon McCullum. But without Ben Stokes’ actions, they might still have meant a lot less. Stokes has been good as captain – a revelation, even, particularly with his handling of Jack Leach – but his two dismissals in Trent Bridge and Headingley now appear as the precise moments of revelation, when The Word became The Deed.It can easily be argued they were reckless dismissals: England were still 148 behind in Trent Bridge when he fell and he left them 55 for 5 at Headingley. They probably were. But they also epitomised precisely what, presumably, he and McCullum had been instructing England to do. Run into the fear, not away from it. And if the captain was doing it, there was no excuse for others not to.India could field as many as eight of their last Test XI that appeared in England last year•Getty ImagesThe most vivid illustration of this emboldened mood is Jonny Bairstow. Last summer, at The Oval, as he was bowled – a calling card that dismissal – by Jasprit Bumrah for a four-ball duck, it was possible to ask where his Test career was going. He was in his ninth year as a Test cricketer, with decent periods but he was averaging 23 in the three years until the end of that Test. Shunted around through the middle order in that time, half his Tests as wicketkeeper-batter, half as batter, he wasn’t this, he wasn’t that, so what was he?Batting is a feeling, Kumar Sangakkara said during a recent Sky Masterclass, inadvertently landing upon the truth of Bairstow in this last month. Bairstow already had two Test hundreds this year but his last three innings (369 runs, twice out, 293 balls, 46 fours and ten sixes) means even he might struggle to remember those two.He has best understood batting as a feeling, not chained by strictures of technique or batting order or situation or even format. “Sometimes your own thoughts sabotage your ability to see the ball,” McCullum said once, years ago, articulating a purity of state athletes strive for, only knowing that the more they strive, the further away it gets and that it is attained generally by accident, not design. Rarely can Bairstow’s place in the Test side have made more sense.Jonny Bairstow has turned Test batting on its head under Mccullum and Stokes•Stu Forster/Getty ImagesJonny solved, not even county cricket seems such an intractable problem. All it needs, it turns out, is for county cricketers to start playing like England’s Test cricketers. Not the scheduling, or the pitches, or the number of counties, or the quality of the ball: just a sprinkle of this ethos from up above. Trickle-down economics has never made this much sense (to be fair, it did happen with Eoin Morgan’s white-ball revolution, but that is a different beast).India will recognise some of this giddiness. They are much further down the arc of this seismic change. Typically, they traversed it in a more considered way, but it was no less radical. Kohli did change the way India approached games, and those fundamentals are firmly established by now. They bat as we have known Test batting this century (rather than this last month). Cheteshwar Pujara is not going to reverse scoop anyone, though Rishabh Pant is a born Baz-baller.Their eureka moment happened to their bowling – and hasn’t stopped happening (Hi Umran Malik); in having a battery of strong, quick and durable bowlers; in being more capable of attack than ever before; in picking five of them. That will be the half of this contest with all the sexy in it: England’s batting against India’s bowling (and I don’t think England will let Ravindra Jadeja bowl 30-11-50-2 like he did last time).There’s probably something to be said about the contrast in coaches though nothing beyond the superficial. Suffice to say, Dravid is fully aware of the sudden, whirlwind impact of Baz-ball: he was the captain caught in the headlights all those years ago of McCullum’s era-defining 158 in the IPL opener.There is probably also a little lament to be made: last year’s series never got the end that it deserved. And this Test won’t get the series it deserves.