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After the saga surrounding Alexander Isak during the summer transfer window, it was crucial that Newcastle United navigated their way past the situation.

The Swedish international netted 23 Premier League goals last campaign, helping the Magpies secure Champions League football, but that wasn’t enough to keep the striker happy on Tyneside.

Eddie Howe was left with no choice but to cash in on the 26-year-old’s services during the summer transfer window, subsequently taking in an English record £125m for his services.

However, it no doubt left a huge hole that needed filling within the final third, leading to over £100m being splashed on numerous players to soften the blow of his departure.

Despite the recent spending spree, the hierarchy appear to be targeting numerous attacking reinforcements to take the club to the next level in the months ahead.

Newcastle’s hunt for new attacking signings in January

Over the last couple of days, Newcastle have been just one side credited with an interest in landing Stuttgart star Bilal El Khannouss ahead of the January window.

The Moroccan international joined the German side on loan from Leicester City in the summer window, already making an immediate impact – as seen by his tally of five goals and assists in 10 outings.

However, Howe’s men could strike a permanent deal with his current employers this winter, which could result in a £25m switch to St James’ Park for the attacking midfielder.

He’s not the only player currently on their radar, with Brentford striker Igor Thiago another player currently being considered ahead of the upcoming window.

According to TEAMtalk, the Magpies are just one Premier League club monitoring the Brazilian, after his tremendous start to 2025/26, which has seen him score 11 times to date.

However, the report also states that Keith Andrews’ side are unwilling to sanction a move, but may be forced to consider a move if a huge offer is made for his signature.

Why Newcastle’s latest target could be bad news for Woltemade

In an attempt to soften the blow of Isak’s summer departure from Newcastle, the board backed Howe by spending a reported £69m on the signature of striker Nick Woltemade.

The German’s transfer fee certainly raised eyebrows across the division, but a couple of months on and the deal now appears to be an excellent piece of business by the board.

He’s already featured in 11 Premier League matches to date, scoring on five separate occasions, whilst also managing to lay on one assist for his teammates.

The 23-year-old’s latest effort came in the 4-1 demolition of Everton, with Woltemade producing an outrageous lob over Jordan Pickford to cement all three points for the Magpies.

However, despite his excellent start to life in the North East, he could struggle for consistent minutes if Thiago arrives, with the Brazilian man in tremendous form in recent weeks.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats, the Brazilian has managed to outperform Woltemade in key areas, showcasing why it could be bad news for the German.

Thiago, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by boss Andrews, has scored almost double the number of goals netted by the Magpies star – showcasing his clinical edge in front of goal.

Games played

14

12

Goals & assists

11

6

Shot on target accuracy

50%

30%

Shots on target per 90

1.1

0.5

Passes into final third

0.9

0.6

Take-on success

56%

38%

Aerials won

2.9

1.5

Aerial success rate

43%

34%

He’s also registered more shots on target per 90, whilst achieving a better accuracy rate with the chances he’s been presented with – arguably making him a more consistent option in the final third.

However, he’s also demonstrated a more all-round skill-set than the German star, as seen by his higher take-on success rate and higher tally of passes into the final third per 90.

The Brazilian’s dominance over Woltemade is further reflected in his aerial presence, which no doubt makes him a better focal point than the number 27.

It’s unclear how much the Bees would demand to part ways with their talisman, but it’s clear he’s currently a leading talent in the Premier League this season.

Such a move could be harsh on Woltemade, but the added competition in the months ahead could allow the youngster to find the next level in his career as a result.

Eddie Howe has already found a bigger talent than Anderson at Newcastle

Howe’s Newcastle side are showing green shoots after a difficult start to the season.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 5, 2025

In 15 games this season, RCB have had nine different Player-of-the-Match winners. Here’s how each of them has helped the team’s cause

Shashank Kishore02-Jun-20252:24

Aaron: Different players have stepped up for RCB

Krunal Pandya

Before joining RCB, Krunal’s best haul in a season was 12 (both in 2018 and 2019). This season, he has picked up 11 alone in RCB’s flawless away run of seven wins, and 15 overall. Krunal has largely held his own against left-hand batters by making the most of his different lengths, trajectory, and a mean bouncer, the last most notably against MI, when he outsmarted Mitchell Santner and sealed victory with a triple-wicket final over in which he had to defend 18. Krunal’s first IPL fifty since 2016 came in a crucial away win against Delhi Capitals (DC).

Rajat Patidar

Patidar’s twin half-centuries early in his maiden season as captain powered RCB to landmark wins: their first over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk since 2008 and over MI at Wankhede since 2015. In both matches, he forced opposing captains to hold back spin. Against MI, he also targeted Hardik Pandya to avoid the pressure of having to take down Jasprit Bumrah at the death, finishing with 64 off 32 in RCB’s 221 for 5 – his season’s best yet.2:10

Cricinformed: Virat Kohli – RCB’s backbone

Virat Kohli

His eight half-centuries, all in wins this season, is a record. His strike rate this season isn’t far off the 152.03 he recorded during his iconic, chart-topping 973-run campaign in 2016. Kohli has been less an anchor and more a storm at the top, in many ways a continuation of his avatar from the second half of 2024, where RCB recorded six wins on the bounce to make a dash into the playoffs. He averages an impressive 88.50 in chases this season.

Tim David

RCB’s plan for David has been clear: minimum time, maximum impact. His only fifty came in a shortened match against Punjab Kings (PBKS), where a 26-ball 50 not out helped lift RCB out of trouble. While it wasn’t enough for a win, it showcased RCB’s batting depth and made it a rare instance of the Player-of-the-Match award going to a player from a losing team. Heading into the final, only Shreyas Iyer has hit more sixes than David in the death overs this season.1:39

How Josh Hazlewood has become a death overs expert

Josh Hazlewood

His shoulder niggle had fans anxiously researching rotator cuffs, but in his first game back after over three weeks, Hazlewood dismantled PBKS in the powerplay with the key wickets of Josh Inglis and Shreyas Iyer, to set RCB on the road to the final. His mastery at the death has been just as vital, never more so than against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Tasked with defending 17 off 12, he gave away just one run and took two wickets, including that of the in-form Dhruv Jurel, who had just smashed Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 21 in the 18th over. That spell helped overturn RCB’s three-match losing streak at home.

Phil Salt

Salt has stepped into Faf du Plessis’ shoes seamlessly to play a high-impact role in the powerplay. His early salvo, like when he took Mitchell Starc for 24 runs in a 30-run over, has taken a lot of the pressure off Kohli. The pair is within touching distance of being the second-most prolific opening pair this season, behind B Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill. Among those playing in the final, Salt is joint-second with Priyansh Arya (14) for most sixes in the powerplay this IPL. His four half-centuries are second-most behind Kohli’s eight for RCB this season.2:04

Moody: ‘Jitesh’s innings was wow!’

Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh’s lone half-century of the season may have been his most important one yet – it came in a must-win game to secure a top-two finish. His unbeaten 85 off just 33 balls against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) is the third-highest IPL score from No. 6 or lower and it powered RCB to their highest successful chase. Earlier in the season, his impactful 40* off 19 against MI stood out for the assault on Bumrah and Trent Boult at the death. He also briefly stepped in as captain when Patidar was sidelined with a finger injury.

Suyash Sharma

After nearly two years playing through a hernia problem, Suyash wasn’t a starter this season as he recovered from surgery in London that was sponsored by RCB. He returned lighter, fitter, and has delivered key performances despite a modest tally of eight wickets. He turned games with spells like his six-run 18th over against CSK while defending 34 off 18, and his season-best 3 for 17 in Qualifier 1, where a flurry of wrong’uns ripped through PBKS’ lower order. His spin combine with Krunal isn’t the most formidable on paper, but they have punched above their weight this season.

Romario Shepherd

Initially overlooked in favour of Liam Livingstone, Shepherd seized his chance in a crucial home game against CSK. Coming in during the 18th over, he smashed 10 of his 14 balls to the boundary to record the second-fastest IPL fifty. His knock gave RCB vital momentum in a tight win that took them closer to the playoffs spot. RCB’s 54 runs – Shepherd made 53 of those – in the last two overs remain their most in the final 12 balls, with 32 of those coming in a single over off Khaleel Ahmed.

Angels owner Arte Moreno is reportedly eyeing franchise legend Albert Pujols as the team's next manager, according to a report from Sam Blum, Katie Woo and Ken Rosenthal of

Pujols, who played 10 of his 22 years in Los Angeles, remains on the team's payroll on a 10-year, $10 million personal services contract that was inked as part of the $240 million deal that he signed with the Angels before the 2012 season.

Pujols has assisted the team in Spring Training over the last few seasons and has also worked in the Dominican Republic for the organization's prospect academy.

Pujols told reporters last March that he would be interested in managing at some point.

"Yeah, I think. Why not? I think if the opportunity is right one day, I think I'll be ready for that," Pujols said.

Perhaps the time is now for Pujols to take over the reigns from Ron Washington, who was let go earlier this week.

Chelsea legend Pat Nevin has lauded Moises Caicedo's performances, going as far as to call the 24-year-old a "genius defensively". The pundit said the Ecuadorian could be a transfer target for Real Madrid going forward, however, given his performances and the lofty £115m sum the Blues paid for his services in 2023, a future deal for the player would be difficult to execute.

• Caicedo will interest Real Madrid

  Nevin was running the rule over Chelsea's season so far in an interview with Casino Hawks. He spoke glowingly about the Ecuadorian, suggesting he could play in any team, including Xabi Alonso's side. 

  However, the finances of any approach for Caicedo could prove prohibitive, says Nevin. While the midfielder has been a standout performer in 2025/26, the pundit still thinks even the biggest clubs might hesitate to part with the £200m Chelsea would likely demand. Caicedo joined the west London club from Brighton for a British record transfer fee of £115m in 2023, signing an eight-year contract with the Blues. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Nevin: Caicedo is an "absolute genius defensively"

  Speaking about the midfielder, Nevin said: "Moises Caicedo is capable of playing in any team because he's more than a destructive player, he's an absolute genius defensively. Yes, he would interest Real Madrid, but I can't see the numbers working. I’m struggling to see the numbers working.

  "Because if he's bought for £100m, or £115m depending on what you hear about the add-ons, etc., how much is he going to have to spend to get him to give Chelsea a viable profit that they don't feel as if they've lost one of their best, if not their best, player? 

  You're talking 200 odd million. Unless you're a forward scoring 30, 40 goals a season, that market, I'm not sure about. Even though Enzo Fernandez and Caicedo were both bought for over 100 million and I have to say, it shocked a lot of us, that amount of money spent in that position. But to go further than that, I don't know."

• Caicedo's 2025/26 season so far

  Caicedo has been one of the best midfielders in the Premier League in the 2025/26 season. He has completed 90.7% of his passes, according to Opta. Typically viewed as a destructive defensive presence, his output in the final third has improved this term, completing 81.7% of his passes in the attacking third this term. 

  He is still just as ferocious in the tackle, making 3.2 tacklers per 90 minutes and winning close to 60% of his ground duels. 

  The standout moment of his campaign came during the Blues 2-1 win over Liverpool last month. His thunderous strike had an xG of just 0.03. 

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• AFP
  

  Caicedo a consistent performer in a baffling Chelsea side

  Enzo Maresca's side has blown hot and cold throughout the 2025/26 season, yet they still find themselves sitting in third place in the Premier League table. While his teammates have struggled for consistency, Caicedo has been a stalwart in the middle of the park. If the Blues are to mount any serious attack on the title race this term, he will need to continue his rich vein of form. That will likely attract a cadre of suitors for his services, but as Nevin points out, his already lofty price tag following his record switch from Brighton could well see him stay in west London for the bulk of his prime. 

  Caicedo and Chelsea's Premier League season continues with an away trip to Burnley following the international, before the Blues travel to Barcelona in the Champions League on November 25. 

Manchester United are now battling Tottenham Hotspur to sign a young winger who’s been compared to Neymar, according to recent reports.

Man Utd "really inconsistent", admits Amorim

Not many were more frustrated inside Old Trafford than Ruben Amorim in midweek. His Man United side have now won just once in their last five games, albeit having also lost once in that time, and failed to convert their chances yet again in a 1-1 draw against struggling West Ham United.

Amorim shared his frustration with reporters after the game, saying: “No, it’s not going backwards, the results kept going backwards. We had some moments.

“Again, that can happen when one team you were talking about, when we had that run, that the team was really perfect and I was saying, ‘We are not far from being in the perfect moment’.

“We are really inconsistent. But if you look at the goal, 83 minutes, we have a long ball. We have everything under control. We need to do better.”

Whether Man United “do better” this weekend is now the big question. They square off against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a game in which anything other than three points will not be deemed acceptable.

"Pretty torrid" – Samuel Luckhurst slams Man Utd star vs West Ham

Manchester United dropped yet more points against West Ham.

By
FFC Staff

7 days ago

The Midlands club are yet to win a game this season and sit rock bottom of the Premier League on two points. Amorim cannot hand them that first victory.

As things stand, the former Sporting CP boss retains the backing of INEOS, who have reportedly joined the race to sign another attacking reinforcement for their manager in Nilson Angulo.

Man Utd battling to sign Nilson Angulo

According to TeamTalk, Man United are now battling Tottenham to sign Nilson Angulo after completing their scouting mission. The Anderlecht star is also on the radar of Leeds United, Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion in an all Premier League race.

With four goals and eight assists to his name in all competitions this season, the 22-year-old is one of the best young wingers in Europe and it should come as no surprise that he’s attracted the interest of United.

Dubbed “dynamic” by U23 scout Antonio Mango in 2024, Angulo has only improved ever since and would now undoubtedly make his mark in Amorim’s United side.

Some have even reportedly gone as far as to compare the Ecuador winger with Neymar in what is the highest praise that a South American star can receive these days. If Angulo is anywhere near as talented as the former Barcelona star then United should go all out for his signature.

Fewer touches than Lammens & 100% duels lost: Man Utd flop must be dropped

Surprise package Sunderland were undone by Raul Jimenez’s late winner as Fulham eased clear of the Premier League drop zone with a hard-earned 1-0 win at Craven Cottage.

In a game of plentiful good intentions but few clear-cut chances, the Black Cats – superbly marshalled by midfield anchor Granit Xhaka – looked like hanging on for a point in a West London monsoon.

But six minutes from time, 34-year-old Mexican striker Jimenez beat Sunderland defender Dan Ballard to substitute Samuel Chukwueze’s teasing cross to prod home his third goal of the campaign.

In the week when head coach Marco Silva was reportedly offered a new three-year contract, Fulham’s perseverance in testing conditions was just the tonic after a worrying start to the season.

Fortified by their tenacious 2-2 draw with leaders Arsenal which left them fourth, the Black Cats were determined to extend their unbeaten run to five games – but they were caught napping at the death.

Compact and committed, Sunderland’s five-man defence had weathered the storm as Fulham dominated the first 45 minutes.

Harry Wilson, confidence high after his hat-trick for Wales in the World Cup qualifying rout of North Macedonia, raced on to Sander Berge’s pass and curled his finish just wide.

Two minutes later, Kevin’s skimming effort from the edge of the box was parried by the diving Robin Roefs, who soon kept out the Brazilian winger’s header from Berge’s cross and the Norwegian midfielder’s low effort towards the bottom corner.

Ballard was booked for clattering into Wilson, but Sunderland’s occasional excursions into Fulham territory were rarely threatening.

When Bertrand Traore drove into the box and extended Bernd Leno, his finish lacked sufficient power to beat the home keeper, and the Sunderland bench were convinced Calvin Bassey thwarted the escaping Wilson Isidor’s breakaway with a foul – although referee Darren England did not agree.

Sunderland fuming at referee display vs Fulham Every referee in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

Who is the top official in England right now?

ByCharlie Smith Nov 8, 2025

Many fans and media figures alike flocked to social media to criticise the referee, who was infamously on VAR duty when Liverpool’s Luis Diaz saw a perfectly good goal ruled out due to a miscommunication surrounding the offside check.

One fan said it was “one of the worst refereeing performances I’ve seen in a very long time” while media personality Chris Hughes lamented England’s “absolutely abysmal” display, claiming it “cost us” the game,

Popular Black Cats magazine A Love Supreme had the harshest verdict however, claiming the 39 year-old should be docked wages and not allowed back on a football pitch.

At the other end, Black Cats keeper Roefs was relieved to escape when his heavy touch almost gifted Josh King an opening.

Ten seconds into the second period, Enzo Le Fee’s angled drive fizzed just wide of Leno’s left-hand post as Sunderland showed more ambition.

But they lived dangerously when Wilson, the home side’s likeliest source of joy, dragged Fulham’s best opportunity wide from 18 yards after collecting Ryan Sessegnon’s pass midway through the second half.

Substitute Emile Smith Rowe’s fierce drive soared just wide as Fulham cranked up the pressure in search of a late winner.

And Reinildo Mandava’s last-ditch tackle to deny Wilson was typical of the Wearsiders’ determination to preserve the stalemate.

But just when they looked like escaping with a point, Jimenez dug deep to hand Fulham their fourth win of the season – all of them at home.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Atlético-MG perdeu para o Peñarol, no Uruguai, por 2 a 0, na quinta rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores. Os gols no Estádio Campeón del Siglo foram marcados por Lucas Hernández e Maxi Silvera.

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PEÑAROL 2 X 0 ATLÉTICO-MG
5ª RODADA – LIBERTADORES
🗓️ Data e horário: terça-feira, 14 de maio de 2024, às 19h (de Brasília);
📍 Local: Estádio Armando Maestre Pavajeau, no Valledupar (COL);
🟨 Árbitro: Wilmar Roldan (COL);
🚩 Assistentes: Alexander Guzman (COL) e Jhon Gallego (COL);
🖥️ VAR: Leonard Mosquera (COL).

PEÑAROL (Técnico: Diego Aguirre)
Aguere; Milans, Léo Coelho, Guzmán Rodríguez e Maxi Olivera; Damián García (Cristóforo), Gastón Ramírez (Ignacio Sosa), Leo Fernández (Ángel González, Darías e Sequeira (Lucas Hernández); Maxi Silvera (Acosta).

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Everson; Saravia, Bruno Fuchs, Jemerson (Alisson) e Guilherme Arana; Battaglia, Otávio (Igor Gomes), Alan Franco (Vargas) e Zaracho; Hulk e Paulinho.

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And is Harry Brook the youngest Test triple-centurion?

Steven Lynch15-Oct-2024Pakistan lost the first Test against England by an innings despite scoring over 550 in their first innings. What’s the highest score for a team losing by an innings? asked Bernard Woodhams from New Zealand
Pakistan’s 556 against England in Multan was the highest in any Test that was not enough to avoid an innings defeat. The previous record was set fairly recently: Ireland made 492 in Galle in April 2023 , but went on to lose by an innings and ten runs after Sri Lanka declared at 704 for 3.There have been only four higher Test totals that were not enough to insure against defeat. The highest of all remains Bangladesh’s 595 for 8 declared against New Zealand in Wellington in January 2017. Australia made 586 against England in Sydney in December 1894, but lost narrowly even though England followed on; Pakistan scored 579 against England in Rawalpindi in December 2022 but lost; and they also tasted defeat despite making 574 for 8 declared against Australia in Melbourne in 1972-73.This list shows all 19 occasions when a total of 500 or more has not been enough to avoid defeat in a Test. This was the third time in the current century that a team had been bowled out for exactly 556 in a Test – and all three of those ended in defeat.The only higher total in all first-class cricket to result in an innings defeat is Leicestershire’s 584 in a County Championship match at Grace Road in July 2022 – Glamorgan replied with 795 for 5 then bowled the home side out for 183.Six Pakistan bowlers conceded 100 runs in England’s huge innings at Multan. Has this happened before in a Test? asked Aminul Islam from Bangladesh
You’re right that six Pakistan bowlers conceded at least 100 runs in England’s massive total of 823 for 7 in Multan last week. This has happened only once before in a Test: six Zimbabweans went for 100 or more as Sri Lanka hurtled to 713 for 3 declared in Bulawayo in May 2004. But there was a near-miss in Kingston in June 1955, when five West Indians conceded at least 100 runs in Australia’s total of 758 for 8 declared, while Garry Sobers finished with 1 for 99.Was Harry Brook the youngest to score a Test triple-century? asked Casey Dewar from Australia
Rather surprisingly perhaps, 25-year-old Harry Brook comes in quite low on this particular list: ten of the 28 Test triple-centurions were younger when they first achieved the feat. Youngest of all was Garry Sobers, who was 21 when he made 365 not out against Pakistan in Kingston early in 1958. Don Bradman was also 21 – but about three months older – when he hit 304 for Australia against England at Headingley in July 1930.The only younger man to score a triple-century for England is another Yorkshireman, Len Hutton, who was 22 when he amassed 364 against Australia at The Oval in August 1938.England do have the two oldest Test triple-centurions: Andy Sandham was three months short of his 40th birthday when he made 325 (the first Test triple-century) against West Indies in Kingston in April 1930, while Graham Gooch was 37 when he cracked 333 against India at Lord’s in July 1990.Brook is the 11th youngest batter to score a triple-hundred, and the second youngest from England•Getty ImagesBrydon Carse hit the second ball he faced in a Test for six at Multan. Was this a record? asked Jim Macaulay from England
You’re right that Brydon Carse got off the mark in Tests with a six off Saim Ayub in Multan last week. He was the 15th* man whose first scoring shot in Tests was a six, but the first for England.Carse hit his six off the second ball he faced. The only man to hit the first ball he received in a Test for six was the New Zealander Mark Craig, off Sulieman Benn of West Indies in Kingston in June 2014. India’s Rishabh Pant also got off the mark with a second-ball six on debut, off England’s Adil Rashid at Trent Bridge in August 2018.Was India’s 297 the other day the highest score in a T20 international? asked Vivek Vishwarao from India
India’s remarkable 20-over total of 297 for 6 in Hyderabad at the weekend, which set up a big win and a series sweep over Bangladesh, was the second-highest in all men’s T20Is, behind Nepal’s 314 for 3 against Mongolia (who were then bowled out for 41) in the Asian Games in Hangzhou (China) in September 2023.The previous-highest total in a match involving Test-playing nations was Afghanistan’s 278 for 3 against Ireland in Dehradun in 2019.There have been five totals of over 300 in women’s T20Is, with the highest being an eye-watering 427 for 1 by Argentina against Chile in Buenos Aires in October 2023. Two days later, Argentina ran up 333 for 1 against the Chileans. The highest in a match involving two Test-playing nations is England’s 250 for 3 against South Africa in Taunton in June 2018.*Oct 16, 02:20 GMT: A correction was made to reflect that Carse was the 15th and not the 13th man whose first scoring shot in Tests was a six.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

The AL East champion Blue Jays will officially be without their star shortstop Bo Bichette during their upcoming American League Division Series tilt with the Yankees.

Bichette hasn't played since Sept. 6 due to a left knee sprain. Should Toronto advance, he'd be eligible to return to their postseason roster for the American League Championship Series. The star shortstop led the 94-win Jays with a .311 batting average, plus 18 home runs and 94 RBIs in 139 games over the regular season.

Toronto will lean on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer to power their lineup. Springer led the team with 32 homers this year as he slashed .309/.399/.560. Guerrero hit 23 homers and drove in 84 runs with a .292/.381/.467 slash line in the regular season.

On Friday, manager John Schneider mentioned Bichette was day-to-day still and his status for the ALDS was "coming right down to the wire." That sounds like a positive sign for the star shortstop's potential availability for the ALCS should the Blue Jays get past the Yankees.

The Blue Jays also left off pitchers Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer off their ALDS roster. They made 31 and 17 starts, respectively, for Toronto over the regular season. Toronto decided to go for additional left-handed pitching as a matchup favor against New York's lefty-heavy lineup.

First pitch between the Blue Jays and Yankees' ALDS series is set for 4:08 p.m. ET Saturday, where righthander Kevin Gausman will toe the rubber at Rogers Centre. Righthander Luis Gil will start for the Yankees.

Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav has been released from the T20I squad in Australia to return to India and prepare for the upcoming Test series against South Africa.Kuldeep has now been included in the India A squad for the second four-day game against South Africa A beginning on November 6 at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. India A won the first game on Sunday, with Rishabh Pant scoring 90 in a chase of 275.The BCCI said in a statement that the request to release Kuldeep had come from the Indian team management. Kuldeep had played only one of the three ODIs and the first two T20Is in Australia. He was left out of the XI for the third T20I in Hobart and Washington Sundar took his spot. India play the fourth and fifth T20Is in Carrara and Brisbane on November 6 and 8.Related

• Arshdeep and Washington help India level the series against Australia

• Kamboj, Suthar take India A home after Pant 90

• Arshdeep's career highlights the balancing act T20 cricket imposes on India

India’s first Test against South Africa starts on November 14 in Kolkata.

India squad for last two T20Is in Australia

Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vc), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.

India A squad for second four-day game vs South Africa A

Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sai Sudharsan (vc), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav