Tag Futebol

Karun Nair has been granted the NOC to return to the side he played most of his domestic cricket for

Shashank Kishore22-Jul-2025Karun Nair, currently with the India team playing Test cricket in England, is set to return to Karnataka three seasons after his last appearance for the team. Nair, who was with Vidarbha the past two seasons, received a no-objection-certificate (NOC) from the Vidarbha Cricket Association on Monday evening, allowing him to turn out for his original state team.”I’d like to thank VCA for everything they’ve done for me in the last two years,” Nair said in a statement. “Whatever I’ve achieved in the last two years is credit to how they managed me and took care of me like I was their own. Grateful to the VCA, and all the players and support staff.”As a team, we achieved special things. The atmosphere was so positive. The opportunity to lead such an amazing bunch during the Vijay Hazare and achieving success in the Ranji Trophy is something I’ll look back on very fondly.”Nair’s return to Karnataka comes at a time when his stocks have risen considerably from the time he had left. Having been a central figure in Vidarbha’s run to their third Ranji Trophy title earlier this year, Nair earned a recall to India’s Test squad after more than eight years on the back of his 863 runs in 16 innings with four centuries at 53.93. This included a match-winning century in the final against Kerala – Kerala, interestingly, had been keen on signing Nair around the time he was left out of the Karnataka squad in 2021-22.Nair also had a record-breaking run in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he captained Vidarbha to a runners-up finish. He made a chart-topping 779 runs in eight innings, with five consecutive hundreds, while striking at 124.01. During the tournament, he set a new List A record of scoring the most runs (542) without being dismissed.Related

Nair takes his long-awaited chance to light up big stage again

He hasn’t produced anything near the same volume of runs on tour in England so far. Having warmed up for the series with a double-century for India A against England Lions in Beckenham, Nair has so far produced scores of 0, 20, 31, 26, 40 and 14 in the three Tests; his four most recent knocks coming at No. 3.Nair returns to a Karnataka set-up teeming with talented batters. R Smaran, KL Shrijith and KV Aneesh all had breakout seasons in 2024-25. Smaran topped the runs tally for Karnataka, hitting 516 runs in ten innings during the Ranji season, while Shrijith hit a century on first-class debut. With Mayank Agarwal likely to continue as captain and Devdutt Padikkal a definite starter, there could be a healthy selection dilemma for the team management. There might also a slight deviation from the Karnataka State Cricket Association’s stance of looking to the future, something the departure of senior players K Gowtham and Manish Pandey were examples of.Meanwhile, seamer V Koushik has obtained an NOC from Karnataka to shift to Goa for the upcoming season. A late bloomer who gave up a corporate job to make his Ranji debut in 2019-20 at 27, Koushik emerged as one of the key members of Karnataka’s pace attack following the retirements of R Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun and S Aravind. Koushik was Karnataka’s leading wicket-taker in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy; his 23 wickets across seven matches came at 18.73. This included two five-wicket hauls.

Some of the best right-backs in today’s game are arguably even better going forward than they are at the back.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi and Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold are viewed as the greatest right-backs currently, however, in generations gone by, we have seen some unbelievable full-backs on the right-hand side.

The Best 15 Right-Backs in World Football Ranked (2025)

Where does new Real Madrid star Alexander-Arnold rank?

1 ByCharlie Smith Oct 8, 2025

Here is a look at 20 of the greatest right-backs in footballing history, factoring in their longevity and consistency at the highest level, while also looking at their team and personal accolades.

20 Maicon

Starting off the countdown is Maicon, one of numerous Brazilian right-backs to be included. Best known for his time at Inter Milan, Maicon looked like a centre-back but had all the power, athleticism and final third product to make him a world-class full-back.

He won the Champions League at Inter Milan as well as lifting four Serie A titles and three Italian Cups, starring under Jose Mourinho.

19 Eric Gerets​

Eric Gerets​ actually began his amateur career as a striker before turning professional with Standard Liege and would end his playing days as one of the best right-backs, recognised by being nominated for the Ballon d’Or on numerous occasions.

Regarded as one of the greatest players in Belgian football history, Gerets ended his career as part of a dominant PSV side, winning six Eredivisie titles in seven years during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as lifting the European Cup.

18 Claudio Gentile

A key part of Italy’s 1982 winning World Cup team, Claudio Gentile’s style of play was no-nonsense, something which saw him have a brilliant 17-year career.

Gentile was anything but gentle in the tackle and has gone down as a Juventus legend, being inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame in 2025.

He was included in the Team of the Tournament in the 1980 Euros and 1982 World Cup, highlighting the impact he made.

17 Kyle Walker

In his prime, there was no getting past Kyle Walker, who is arguably one of the quickest right-backs of all time.

As well as his blistering pace, Walker was solid defensively and got forward regularly, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League at Man City. A key part of Pep Guardiola’s dominant side, Walker also has just under 100 England caps.

16 ​​​​​Dani Carvajal

Real Madrid icon Dani Carvajal may not be the most eye-catching right-back in history, however, his longevity and consistency earn him a place in the top 20.

Lifting an incredible six Champions League titles at the Bernabeu and the Euros with Spain, the Madrid captain is one of the most successful right-backs in history and will rightly go down as a Los Blancos legend.

15 Manfred Kaltz

German right-back and Hamburger SV legend Manfred Kaltz spent over 18 years across the 1970s and 1980s, winning two Bundesliga crowns, two DFB-Pokal titles and the European Cup during his club career.

He lifted the Euros in 1980 with Germany and was known for making an impact in the final third, scoring more than 100 goals in his career.

14 Manuel Amoros

Manuel Amoros won multiple league titles with Monaco and Marseille during his club career, while on the international stage with France, lifted the Euros in 1984.

His career lasted 17 years and his performances rarely dipped, resulting in his winning 82 caps for his country and making 500 club appearances.

13 Wim Suurbier

Dutch star Wim Suurbier helped Ajax dominate European football under Rinus Michels and Stefan Kovacs under the club’s famous Total Football philosophy.

A key member of the side that won three successive European Cups in the 1970s, Suurbier also helped the Netherlands to two World Cup finals and was known for his explosive pace and technical ability.

12 Gary Neville

Although he won’t admit it, Gary Neville was a key part of Man Utd’s dominance under Sir Alex Ferguson and spent his entire career at Old Trafford.

An excellent crosser, Neville was brilliant defensively, winning eight Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, four FA Cups and three League Cups. He made a whopping 600 appearances for United and was capped 85 times by England.

11 Mauro Tassotti

AC Milan legend Mauro Tassotti spent 17 years at the San Siro, winning 19 honours and making just under 600 appearances for the Italian giants.

A member of one of the world’s greatest defences alongside Franco Baresi and Filippo Galli, Tassotti helped transform the right-back role in the 1980s and 1990s, with his attacking qualities being an inspiration for others.

The other members of the playing XII were each fined either INR 12 lakh or 50% of their respective match fees, whichever is lower

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-20251:15

Moody: Wouldn’t have thought Pant was in a form slump

Rishabh Pant, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain, has been fined for his team’s slow over-rate during Tuesday’s IPL 2025 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) held in Lucknow.As it was LSG third offence of the season – the first and second were on April 5 and April 26 respectively – under the IPL’s code of conduct relating to over-rate offences, Pant was fined INR 30 lakh. The other members of the playing XII were each fined either INR 12 lakh or 50% of their respective match fees, whichever is lower.Despite this being Pant’s third offence, he will not be suspended, as was the case till IPL 2024. The rule was amended ahead of IPL 2025, although Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya missed his team’s season opener because his suspension had carried forward from last season.On Tuesday, Pant’s unbeaten 118 off 61 balls had steered LSG to 227 for 3 after they were asked to bat, but RCB chased it down with eight balls and six wickets to spare, thanks to Virat Kohli’s 54 and Jitesh Sharma’s unbeaten 85.LSG finished the season with six wins and 12 points from 14 games and were seventh on the ten-team points table. RCB, meanwhile, have qualified for Qualifier 1 with 19 points from the league phase.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta recently handed 15-year-old Max Dowman his Premier League debut, with the schoolboy joining a contingent of rising stars at the Emirates.

The attacking midfielder dazzled in a 5-0 rout against Leeds and even won a penalty for star summer signing Viktor Gyokeres to fire home, right after he became the second-youngest Premier League debutant in history.

He’s also Arsenal’s second-youngest professional appearance-maker ever, behind Ethan Nwaneri, with Arteta rewarding Dowman by picking him in their final Champions League squad for the league phase.

The hype around Dowman is monumental right now, and club legend Paul Merson has already suggested he could be one of the best in the world.

Dowman and Nwaneri, if all goes to plan, could stock Arsenal’s attacking midfield options for the foreseeable future, with 18-year-old defender Myles Lewis-Skelly also rising to prominence last season.

The left-back played his way into England’s squad with some excellent performances both domestically and in Europe, pushing established Premier League players like Oleksandr Zinchenko down the pecking order.

Lewis-Skelly comes as an excellent alternative to Riccardo Calafiori as well, who’s impressed this season but has also struggled with injuries since joining Arsenal from Bologna in the summer of 2024.

In any case, the future looks very bright indeed, with Arsenal’s reputation for producing stellar gems via their Hale End academy only reinforced.

Arsenal also brought in some promising talent from elsewhere, namely defender Cristhian Mosquera in a bargain deal from Valencia in the summer.

Arsenal think Cristhian Mosquera could be one of the best in the world

The Spain Under-21 international played right-back against Leeds and did a solid job replacing the injured William Saliba against Liverpool, with Arsenal believed to hold Mosquera in very high esteem behind-the-scenes.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to TBR Football, while new signing Piero Hincapie is threatened by the 21-year-old when it comes to game time, those within the club believe Mosquera could be one of the best in the world at Arsenal in a few years.

The ex-La Liga sensation has also earned serious praise from Arteta already, who called him an “exciting” talent with “huge” potential.

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has been told – in an exclusive interview carried out by GOAL – that he would have “no chance” of winning the Ballon d’Or at Liverpool, as Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer is offered advice on how he could push himself into contention for the most prestigious of individual honours. Those words have been delivered by Blues legend Gus Poyet, who continues to keep a close eye on European football.

GettyBest in the world: Dembele lands Golden Ball in 2025

In 2025, the title of best player on the planet has gone to Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele. The France international now forms part of an exclusive club – alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho – when it comes to players that have won the Ballon d’Or, World Cup and Champions League. His exploits when helping PSG to three major honours last season helped him to secure Golden Ball recognition.

Competition from Yamal was fended off when landing that prize, with the teenage wonderkid enjoying a meteoric rise. At 18 years of age, he is already considered to form part of the global elite – with it seemingly only a matter of time before he emulates fellow La Masia academy graduate Messi by winning the first of many Ballons d’Or.

AdvertisementDoes Palmer need transfer to compete for Ballon d'Or?

Palmer will also be hoping to challenge for upcoming awards, with his creativity being put to good use by Chelsea and England. He finished eighth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or vote despite enduring a slight dip in the 2024-25 campaign – with his goal output dropping from 25 to 18. He is now tied to a contract at Stamford Bridge through to 2033.

The 23-year-old has, however, been informed that a future switch to a team such as Barcelona or Real Madrid would make it easier for him to win the Ballon d’Or. Quizzed on whether that is the case, ex-Blues star Poyet – speaking in association – told GOAL: “100 per cent, no doubt. For me, [Jude] Bellingham when I saw him at Dortmund, I liked him a lot. Then his first season at Real Madrid, I love him. Why? Because he was at Real Madrid doing what he was doing, simple. And I thought, maybe he is the Ballon d’Or. It was a big opportunity because he was amazing his first season in Spain – he was tremendous, another dimension, another level, and that helps.

“Would Lamine Yamal win the Ballon d’Or if he was playing at another team, Liverpool? No chance. I would say that I don’t like the Ballon d’Or nominations and I don’t like the vote, I think they are not fair. The people in Spain vote for the ones that play in La Liga, the people in England vote for those in England. The countries that don’t have anyone nominated, such as Uruguay, maybe they vote for the real one, the one that you think is the best. I don’t think it’s right, but it’s a great party for the players and it’s great to have one of them.”

GettyTop 10: Palmer now in elite company

Another former Chelsea star, Joe Cole, has told of Palmer’s claims to a Golden Ball after breaking into the top 10 of that poll: “He is there, he is in that elite level of players, so I am happy for him that he got that. These individual awards are wonderful; man of the matches, player of tournaments, they are great – they are not the be all and end all. They are nice and it is really nice for Cole Palmer that he is recognised, and I think it will give him a little boost.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Injury blow: How long will Palmer be out for?

Palmer has been nursing an injury of late, with physical issues forcing him out of Chelsea’s Premier League defeat at Manchester United on September 20. He has made just four appearances across all competitions this season, scoring two goals, with Enzo Maresca desperate to get his talismanic No.10 back.

The Blues cannot afford to take any risks, though, on a player that is so important to the collective cause in west London. It is already being suggested that a groin complaint could keep him out for the remainder of the calendar year.

MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico Luís Castro adotou um tom de despedida assim que chegou ao Nilton Santos para comandar o Botafogo. Em entrevista antes da partida com o Magallanes, pelo Grupo A da Copa Sul-Americana, o treinador se esquivou de adiantar seus próximos passos no futebol. No entanto, indicou que esta deve ser sua última partida à frente do Glorioso.

Castro aceitou a proposta de comandar o Al-Nassr, clube da Arábia Saudita. Em suas palavras ao sair do ônibus do Alvinegro, o técnico afirmou:

–  Ao longo da minha vida, eu me foquei naquilo que é meu compromisso. Meu compromisso de hoje é o que me acompanha sempre. Sempre cumpri meus contratos, cumpri todas as linhas que as duas entidades assinam. Assinou o Botafogo, assinei eu. Uma das linhas diz que, se eu quiser sair antes, tenho que dar ao Botafogo aquilo que iria receber até o fim da temporada – afirmou, em entrevista à Paramount +.

O treinador evitou adiantar se a torcida botafoguense voltará a vê-lo na beira do campo do Alvinegro. Em seguida, exaltou a força da equipe para o futuro.

–  Botafogo não depende de pessoas, depende de perfis para desempenharem funções dentro do clube. O Botafogo sabe caminhar por ele e terá um futuro brilhante, tenho certeza, por ter uma torcida apaixonada, pessoas trabalhando no clube de forma apaixonada. Interessa é o perfil, ser um perfil de acordo com aquilo de que o Botafogo necessita. Um perfil de honestidade, dignidade, determinação e ambição – garantiu.

Southampton have now opened talks over a deal for a £12m Championship star, who could be brought in as a replacement for Mateus Fernandes, according to a report.

Fernandes' future remains up in the air

Unlike some other high-profile players, Fernandes has not downed tools in order to force a move this summer, featuring in the opening two Championship games, even though the Saints’ midfielder has been attracting serious interest from the Premier League.

Indeed, West Ham United have now submitted an offer for the 21-year-old, while there has also been interest from elsewhere, with the likes of Manchester United and Aston Villa also being named as potential suitors.

Given that the Hammers’ most recent offer was deemed unacceptable, it remains to be seen whether the Portuguese midfielder moves on this summer, but Will Still’s side have already made a move for a potential replacement.

That is according to a report from The Daily Mail, which states Southampton have now opened talks over a deal for Middlesbrough’s Finn Azaz, with an offer worth up to £12m currently under discussion.

The negotiations for Azaz got underway straight after West Ham made an offer for Fernandes, and given that the 24-year-old excels in both attacking and central midfield roles, it seems as though he is being targeted as a direct replacement for the youngster.

However, the need for Still to bring in a new attacker is also exacerbated by the interest in Tyler Dibling, with a number of Premier League clubs still keen on signing the young winger.

Azaz could be exciting replacement for Fernandes

Fernandes has featured in the Saints’ opening three games this season, most notably scoring the winner after starting and finishing a move against Northampton in the EFL Cup.

As such, Still will be disappointed if he loses an important player, but there are signs that Azaz could be a top-quality replacement, having received very high praise from former manager Michael Carrick last season.

Carrick said: “We know his quality, his eye for a pass and for finding spaces to create for others. He’s an intelligent player and he can score goals as well. He did so before he came here and it was one the reasons we bought him. He’s got the whole package really.”

Romano: Southampton now open talks to sign "physically strong" £4m striker

The Saints have now entered negotiations to sign a new forward.

ByDominic Lund Aug 19, 2025

The Championship star was very impressive from an attacking point of view last term, chipping in with 23 goal contributions in 45 league outings for Boro, which suggests he would be very capable of slotting straight into Still’s promotion-chasing Southampton side.

Losing Fernandes would be tough to take, but it would not be a surprise if the starlet is eager to return to the Premier League, and Azaz could be the ideal replacement.

Burnley have somewhat faded into the background this summer compared to Sunderland and Leeds United’s more manic spending habits.

Some standout additions so far have seen the Clarets welcome in the likes of Kyle Walker and Martin Dubravka on free transfers, who both know the challenges of the Premier League well, on top of just sealing a deal worth around the £20m mark for Chelsea striker Armando Broja.

The worry will be, however, if Broja can settle into life at Turf Moor from the get-go, having experienced a turbulent few seasons in and out of Stamford Bridge.

Broja's up-and-down form in the PL

The Albanian centre-forward is just fresh off an extremely difficult spell at Everton last season.

Indeed, the hit-and-miss 23-year-old would only line up for 11 contests with the Toffees in total, as getting into his goalscoring groove was consistently derailed by missing 155 days of action through recurring injuries.

In the end, Broja would fail to break his Goodison Park duck, with his goal tally in the Premier League in total coming in at a meagre eight strikes from 76 outings.

If he were to wrestle free of these lingering injury demons, though, Burnley could be in luck, with a stint on loan at Southampton across the 2021/22 season seeing him bag a reasonable nine strikes, having only missed two top-flight clashes all campaign.

Three senior strikes also came his way for the Blues – which included this well-taken goal being hammered home against Wolverhampton Wanderers – with Burnley just praying now that the £20m gamble to land the 23-year-old pays off.

Scott Parker might not be overflowing with confidence that Broja can stay fit and firing across the 38-game marathon to come, however, which could well lead the top-flight newcomers down the path of trying to secure a late deal for this clinical EFL marksman.

The £21m target who's an instant upgrade on Broja

Away from Broja, the Clarets aren’t exactly blessed with an abundance of quality up top.

Parker will hope the likes of Lyle Foster, Michael Obafemi, and Zian Flemming can step it up a notch in the Premier League, but he won’t be banking on them to be the difference-makers week in week out, considering both Flemming and Foster only managed 13 Championship goals between them last season, while Obafemi was loaned out.

This is where the heroics of Josh Sargent could come to the rescue deep into the chaotic transfer window, with TEAMTalk speculating earlier this week that both Daniel Farke’s Leeds and the Clarets were locked into a tussle to try and snap up the Canaries goal machine.

The report did state that Burnley were still keen on securing the potent American’s services despite just confirming a move for Broja to come to Lancashire, with Sargent reportedly costing around the £21m mark to obtain, as per a bid that recently came Norwich’s way from Wolfsburg.

Amazingly, Sargent is already off the mark this season in the Championship for Liam Manning’s men, with his quick thinking on the opening day of the tricky division resulting in an equalising goal being slotted home, away from also helping himself to another against Portsmouth.

Norwich will be doing everything in their power to try and convince their “complete” striker – as he was lauded by ex-Norwich boss David Wagner – to stay put at Carrow Road past the summer, but if Burnley want to win themselves an instant Broja upgrade, they should go all out to try and snap up the Norwich number nine before the window slams shut.

Sargent’s career goal record vs Broja’s

Stat

Sargent

Broja

Games played

231

184

Goals scored

73

44

Assists

23

12

Hat-tricks

1x

1x

Sourced by Transfermarkt

The table above further reinforces why Burnley should be going full steam ahead for a late deal to win Sargent’s red-hot services, with the 25-year-old now up to 73 goals and counting across 230 career appearances. Broja is some way off reaching this same level of clinical performance, with only 44 strikes next to his name subsequently.

Of course, there is a risk attached to Sargent joining, too, with his own injury troubles seeing him miss a colossal 44 clashes for club and country over the last two seasons, as per Transfermarkt.

Moreover, he isn’t that well-versed in what it takes to be a success at the elite level of the Premier League, having mustered up just two strikes here previously.

Yet, having been recently dubbed as the “top man” in the Championship by second-tier pundit Sam Parkin, the time feels right for him to cause a storm at the punishing level, which could come at Broja’s expense.

Related Burnley submit enquiry for "talented" £8.5m ace who's held talks with Ipswich

Burnley have now joined Ipswich in the race to sign a new midfielder.

Posts ByBrett Worthington Jul 25, 2025

Tottenham are now targeting a Premier League star who’s rejected several attempts from his club to agree a contract extension, according to a fresh report, with the player also very keen to play in the Champions League.

Tottenham moving for £78m "crown jewel" signing after arrival of new investor

Spurs have fresh financial backing.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 30, 2025

Spurs have a few key areas of Thomas Frank’s squad they still wish to strengthen before deadline day on September 1.

After missing out on Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White in bizarre fashion, the north Londoners remain in pursuit of fresh attacking options to instill some much-needed creativity.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

According to some reports, Tottenham have held talks with intermediaries over an audacious move for Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, which would potentially require chairman Daniel Levy to shatter the club’s transfer record (AS).

A new number six is also possible, if Spurs make room in their squad by selling a midfielder (Alasdair Gold), with reliable media sources confirming that Bayern Munich and former Fulham star, Joao Palhinha, is on their list of targets.

Another area to look out for is at centre-half, despite Frank’s current abundance of defenders.

Kevin Danso, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Radu Dragusin and Luka Vuskovic are on Tottenham’s books right now, but the latter two may not be solid options to call upon ahead of the new season.

Vuskovic is still raw and could go out on loan again, as is the case with Ashley Phillips after he sealed a return to Stoke City, while Dragusin is still in recovery from a crushing ACL injury.

Tottenham were forced to utilise teenager Archie Gray as a makeshift centre-half amid their injury nightmare under Ange Postecoglou last season, and Frank will be very keen not to suffer the same fate as his predecessor.

Spurs are believed to remain contenders for Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi as a result, coming after they had a mammoth £70m offer rejected for the Englishman in January, but he isn’t the only Premier League stalwart on Levy’s agenda.

Tottenham eye Brighton contract rebel Jan Paul van Hecke

According to Voetbal International and reporter Joost Blaauwhof, Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke is attracting interest from N17 too.

The Dutchman’s form last season prompted a call to the Netherlands international team, whilst also winning Brighton’s Player of the Season award following a stellar 2024/2025.

Brighton, for their part, are desperate to agree an extension and have made ‘several’ new deal offers. Fabian Hurzeler’s side were even prepared to table a record-breaking new contract by making van Hecke the highest-paid player in their history.

However, the 25-year-old has no interest in committing his future, and he’s firmly set his sights on a move away.

According to Voetbal, Tottenham are eyeing a move for van Hecke alongside Newcastle, with the former NAC Breda sensation dreaming of moving to a Champions League side.

Tony Bloom and co have priced van Hecke at around £43m, which could be seen as amazing value considering both his age and proven top-level experience. Just two years remain on the player’s current contract, though, so there is scope for Levy to even whittle down this price tag.

Ben Stokes is a major doubt for England’s first Test against Sri Lanka after retiring hurt with a hamstring injury while playing for Northern Superchargers in the Hundred on Sunday evening. He is set to undergo a scan on Monday which appears likely to rule him out of the three-match Test series.He ended the night on crutches, and was being assessed by medical staff on Sunday evening. “It doesn’t look great, unfortunately,” said Harry Brook, the Superchargers’ captain and Stokes’ England team-mate, after their win against Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford. “I think he’ll be getting a scan tomorrow and we’ll see how he is.”Stokes ran through for a quick single early in the Superchargers’ chase and pulled up injured after completing the run. He was helped off the field by their medical staff and was seen clutching his hamstring on his left leg. He was at the non-striker’s end when Ollie Robinson, his Superchargers team-mate, attempted a scoop which he mistimed into the leg side, and scampered through for a single.He appeared to pull his muscle as he made his ground then collapsed to the ground and threw his gloves off in frustration. Harry Booker (strength and conditioning coach) and James Pipe (physiotherapist) immediately ran on to provide treatment. After Booker and Pipe helped him back to the Superchargers dugout, supporting his weight, Stokes was placed onto a stretcher and wheeled towards an ambulance.Related

• Ben Stokes to miss Hundred ahead of legacy-defining Ashes winter

• Hamstring tear rules Ben Stokes out of summer, aiming for Pakistan tour

• ECB pull Chris Woakes out of Hundred after Ben Stokes' hamstring injury

• Stokes injury overshadows Pooran heroics in Northern Derby

• Crawley ruled out of SL Tests due to fractured finger; Lawrence set to open

Around an hour later, Stokes was back in the dugout but had to use crutches when shaking hands with the Originals squad after Nicholas Pooran snatched a seven-wicket win with his innings off 66 not out. A Superchargers spokesperson said: “Ben Stokes is having his hamstring assessed. Further updates will be available from tomorrow [Monday].”The injury appears to put Stokes’ chances of playing in the first Test – which starts on August 21 in Manchester – in significant jeopardy. He has managed a chronic left-knee injury throughout the second half of his international career but returned to bowling earlier this year after undergoing surgery over the English winter.Stokes was due to play four group-stage games in the Hundred between England’s series against West Indies and Sri Lanka, with the possibility of staying with the Superchargers if they qualified for the knockout stages. He was dismissed first-ball by Tim Southee in his first appearance, made 2 off four balls in a rain-ruined match in Cardiff on Thursday, and now appears certain to miss their final group fixture against London Spirit on Tuesday.Stokes went down clutching his left hamstring

England are already missing Zak Crawley for the Sri Lanka series due to a fractured finger. Dan Lawrence is set to open the batting in his absence, with Jordan Cox called into their squad as batting cover last week. Ollie Pope is their vice-captain, and would be the strong favourite to lead England for the first time in international cricket in the event that Stokes is ruled out.The Sri Lanka series is squeezed into a short timeframe, with two three-day gaps between Tests. England are then due to arrive in Pakistan in early October ahead of a three-match series which starts in Multan on October 7.