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Chris Wilder very much has Sheffield United woven into his DNA, with the Blades boss a United player on two occasions during his playing days, on top of now also taking on the Bramall Lane reins the same amount of times.

He will be gunning for his third promotion at the helm come the end of this long and dramatic Championship campaign, with the South Yorkshire outfit in a healthy spot in the division to do just that, even with the demoralising 3-1 defeat to promotion rivals Leeds United still hurting.

Over the past couple of promotion stories, Wilder has relied on some lethal attackers to get his team over the line, away from the current crop of Tom Cannon and Co.

Down memory lane: Chris Wilder's best strikers at Sheffield United

Of course, no list chronicling some of the revered United manager’s best forwards would be complete without a mention of Blades icon Billy Sharp.

The EFL veteran – who has ten goals this season on the books of nearby Doncaster Rovers – would fire home a ridiculous 129 strikes from 377 United appearances, with his sublime 23 league strikes during the 2018/19 season getting his team over the line to move up to the top-flight.

Away from the much-adored 39-year-old, Wilder has also had the likes of Oli McBurnie and David McGoldrick to call upon down the years, with McGoldrick still firing in the goals for Notts County in the same division Sharp now plies his trade in.

Amazingly, the ageing attacker has 13 strikes in 26 games for the promotion-chasers during 2024/25, with his time in South Yorkshire seeing him bag a memorable 30 times from 136 outings.

McBurnie would blow hot and cold a lot for Wilder’s men, but the Scotsman’s heroics last campaign – even as the Blades sunk down to the Championship – saw him land a bold switch to Las Palmas out in Spain, having kept his head held high with six strikes from 26 league encounters.

But, there is another former face that is removed from this conversation unfortunately, having been sold on during the fledging stages of his Bramall Lane education by Wilder, before then becoming a top striker elsewhere.

The ex-Sheffield United attacker now worth 4175% more

Worth around £290k during the peak of his playing days in South Yorkshire – according to Transfermarkt – it’s fair to say Che Adams’ short but sweet stint with the Blades set him up for a path to stardom.

Adams would only don a United strip for 55 clashes before moving onto pastures at Birmingham City, but the former non-league hotshot would take the EFL by storm with 15 strikes across those games.

Fast forward to last season and it’s clear that the Scotsman has been able to cement himself as a deadly sharpshooter in the second tier, having fired home 15 total league goals for Southampton on the way to the Saints tasting promotion.

Amazingly, Serie A side Torino would come calling for the “terrific” forward – as he was once lauded by Ally McCoist – services after that, with Adams now worth way more than his once meagre £290k price tag since making this leap to Italy.

Stat

Adams

Games played

373

Goals scored

100

Assists

37

Career hat-tricks

3

Highest value at United

£290k

Value now

£12.4m

Percentage increase

4175%

As can be seen looking at the table above, Adams’ current inflated value stands at a way heftier £12.4m, with Torino winning themselves an outrageous steal, considering the 28-year-old joined on a free transfer.

Still, when weighing up his £290k price tag next to his new £12.4m valuation, that is a percentage increase of 4175%, with Adams settling in well to his new environment in Turin with eight strikes coming his way during 2024/25 to date.

In another reality, United might well have kept a firmer grip on Adams for longer, but Wilder will hope his camp at it is can triumphantly win promotion.

Traded for Burke: 2020 sale is now outscoring every Sheffield United player

Sheffield United dropped a clanger when losing this star.

1 ByKelan Sarson Feb 23, 2025

If there was any positivity left surrounding Arsenal’s domestic campaign heading into this weekend, then there certainly isn’t anymore.

Mikel Arteta’s side had a real chance to close the gap on Liverpool atop the Premier League by beating West Ham United on Saturday afternoon, but instead, they capitulated and fell to a 1-0 defeat.

It was one of the Gunners’ worst performances of the season, and while injuries certainly played a part in that, those on the pitch were dire.

There were poor performances across the board from the hosts, but Martin Odegaard once again stood out for all the wrong reasons, and the manager must be regretting his decision to sell someone who’s now outperforming him in the league.

Odegaard's dismal campaign

At the end of last season, Odegaard was named the club’s Player of the Year for the second campaign on the bounce, and there was a real sense that he might be able to finally lead the club over the line this year.

Unfortunately, the incredible midfielder of the last two campaigns has simply not turned up this year.

While his ankle sprain has likely played a significant role in his poor form, he’s been back fit for long enough now and continues to disappoint.

In all, the Norwegian international has racked up a rather paltry haul of two goals and three assists in 18 league games this season, totalling 1469 minutes, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 3.6 games, but also every 293.8 minutes.

Moreover, his overall tally of three goals and six assists in 27 games isn’t much better, especially when he’s supposed to be the team’s main creative force in the middle of the park.

Worse yet, there has been a feeling among some fans that he’s gone missing in big games this season, with the defeat on the weekend another case of that.

For example, football.london’s Tom Canton gave him a 4/10 match rating at full-time and wrote that the 26-year-old ‘simply didn’t’ stand up as the leader on the pitch.

In all, while he has shown himself to be an incredibly talented footballer in seasons prior, Odegaard has simply not been good enough this year.

That is a situation made all the more frustrating by the fact that a former Arsenal player sold by Arteta is outperforming the former Real Madrid wonderkid in the Premier League this season.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

The former Arsenal star outperforming Odegaard this season

On top of not making a single permanent attacking addition to the team over the summer, Arsenal decided to sell several players who could make a difference in the middle and final thirds, including Emile Smith Rowe.

The Hale End graduate was a firm favourite at the Emirates, but after missing a lot of game time through injury and then losing his place in the team, the club decided to sell him to Fulham for a pretty decent fee of around £27m without add-ons.

However, while the money certainly wasn’t bad, we reckon Arteta and Co would much rather have the player back at the moment, as while he hasn’t been world-class this season, he has been undeniably effective for the Cottagers, and as things stand is comfortably outperforming Odegaard in the Premier League.

Appearances

24

18

Minutes

1589′

1469′

Goals

5

2

Assists

2

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

0.27

Minutes per Goal Involvement

227

293

Pass success %

90%

83%

Progressive carries per 90

2.80

3.19

For example, the 24-year-old “difference-maker,” as dubbed by Mesut Özil, has scored five goals and provided two assists in 24 games this season, totalling just 1589 minutes.

That means the Croydon-born ace has averaged a goal involvement every 3.42 games, or every 227 games, which, for a team like Fulham, who are fighting outside the European places at the moment, is really quite impressive.

Moreover, when he is on the pitch at the moment, you’d be hard-pressed to find a fan who’d accuse him of disappearing or hiding.

Ultimately, Odegaard is an undeniably talented footballer and may well get back to his very best next year, but this season, he has been underwhelming at best, so we can’t help but imagine Arsenal massively regret the decision to sell Smith Rowe in the summer.

Ayto can redeem Arsenal's dreadful January by signing £150m "nightmare"

Jason Ayto has some making up to do after an awful winter transfer window at Arsenal.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 24, 2025

Matthew Wade has proven himself to be a man for a crisis yet again after his century inspired a Tasmania fightback in their Sheffield Shield clash with New South Wales.Wade struck 146 off 198 balls to lead Tasmania to 8 for 329 at stumps on day one at Blundstone Arena. The wicketkeeper arrived at the crease after lunch with the Tigers in trouble at 4 for 56.NSW paceman Chris Tremain (3-49) caused the early damage with the wickets of Tim Ward (5), Jake Doran (2) and Jordan Silk (9) to put Tasmania on the back foot. The departure of Caleb Jewell for 53 left the Tigers wobbling at 5 for 95.Wade has built a reputation for digging his teams out of trouble with rearguard fightbacks and this occasion was no different. The 34-year-old’s driving through the covers was exquisite, with his timing and placement a feature. His 114-run partnership with Beau Webster (41) put Tasmania back on track, and Jarrod Freeman (32) and Jackson Bird (28 not out) joined in on the fun to further frustrate NSW’s attack.Wade finished with 18 fours and one six before being dismissed by Ben Dwarshuis (4-88) on the final ball of the day. It meant Wade fell just six runs short of matching his highest first-class score of 152.The Blues lost in-form batter Daniel Hughes to Covid-19 before play in a major blow. He scored 91 in his most recent Shield match, and followed it up with 139 in NSW’s one-day loss to South Australia.Tim Paine was a notable absentee for Tasmania, with Doran instead named as wicketkeeper.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has signed with Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming WBBL season.In five of the past seven years, Matthews has played for Hobart Hurricanes where she scored 865 runs at 18.02 and took 41 wickets.Her signing means she will team up with Harmanpreet Kaur in Renegades’ top order.”Any team that I’m part of, I try to bring a bit of West Indian flair to it,” Matthews said. “I really like to go out there and have fun every time I’m out on the field.”As a West Indian, our culture is big hitting and excitement in the field – that’s exactly what I’m looking to bring to the Melbourne Renegades.”James Rosengarten, Melbourne Renegades general manager, said: “Alongside Harmanpreet Kaur, we see Hayley playing an important role in our top four. She brings a wealth of experience at international level and in the WBBL.”Hayley’s ability to impact the game with the bat, ball and in the field – combined with her leadership attributes – makes her an exciting addition to our team.”Although Australia fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck is part of Renegades’ squad having moved from Hurricanes she won’t be available this season as she continues her recovery from the stress fracture of her foot sustained earlier this year.Current squad Sophie Molineux (capt), Sarah Coyte, Josie Dooley, Ellie Falconer, Ella Hayward, Harmanpreet Kaur, Carly Leeson, Hayley Matthews, Rhiann O’Donnell, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb

Thierry Henry has revealed what he said to Kylian Mbappe before Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Henry is an Arsenal legend
• His old team face Mbappe's Madrid
• Reveals pre-match UCL chat

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal icon Henry had a quick pre-match chat with fellow Frenchman Mbappe before the Madrid encounter on Tuesday. During their warm exchange, the ex-Gunners forward said he wanted the Los Blancos star to have a quiet night at the Emirates.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT THIERRY HENRY SAID

  He said on CBS Sports: "It's always massive respect when I see Kylian Mbappe, we both went to Clairefontaine (a famous French football academy). Tonight he is playing the team that I love the most in the world. I don't wish anything bad on him but tonight I said to him, 'Please, I don't want to see you'."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mbappe is seeking his first Champions League crown and Madrid their 16th, whereas Arsenal have never won this trophy and want to make history. A lot is on the line in this tie.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  After this first-leg Champions League quarter-final encounter, Arsenal travel to Madrid next Wednesday for the reverse fixture. First, though, they face Brentford in the Premier League.

When the first ball was kicked to start the 2024/25 campaign in the Premier League, Manchester City supporters must have been dreaming of a fifth straight top-flight title coming home to the Etihad by the end of yet another sterling season.

Although there is still time for City to right their wrongs, it looks unlikely that another title will be heading to the light blue half of Manchester come the close of the 38-game marathon, as Arne Slot’s Liverpool now sit pretty at the top of the division as the new top dogs whilst Pep Guardiola’s men unexpectedly struggle.

Indeed, City have already tasted the bitterness of defeat six times this season from 20 games, which leaves them scrambling about to save their damaged ego all the way down in sixth position.

Rodri’s injury hasn’t helped proceedings whatsoever for the usual dominant force of English football, as the Ballon d’Or winner has made just two appearances all season long, but those who have been fit week in week out who continue to underperform haven’t exactly got much credit in the bank anymore.

Main City's main underperformers this season

There have also been an alarming amount of injuries in defence for Guardiola to cope with, as John Stones and Nathan Ake have both been regularly situated in the Etihad treatment room to further ramp up City’s woes.

But, there is still arguably enough quality brimming throughout the City ranks – even when acknowledging that bad luck with injuries – to mean a sixth-place finish would be a gross underachievement, with Ilkay Gundogan one face that has been way off the pace required of him all season long.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund man is definitely a victim of his own success here, with his presence in the side previously seen as paramount, especially when he was firing home strikes like the one above to aid his team’s quest for silverware on some grand stages just last year.

The 2022/23 season saw the German midfielder pick up an impressive eight goals and five assists just in the Premier League alone, meaning his exit to Barcelona at the end of the campaign was one that was met with anguish that City had ended up losing such a top quality servant.

Now, if Gundogan was to walk away from the club shortly, there wouldn’t be that same outpouring of sadness, with the ageing midfielder only managing one weak assist in league action for 2024/25, alongside a failure to find the net.

Galatasaray are allegedly keen on landing the declining 34-year-old this summer, with City unlikely to stand in his way, considering his wages also come in at a steep £230k-per-week.

He isn’t the only high earner that Guardiola will be getting increasingly irritated over, however, with one of Gundogan’s teammates in the middle pocketing way more than even his own substantial pay packet, whilst also finding himself nearing ever closer towards the exit door.

Jack Grealish's future at Manchester City

Jack Grealish was always going to be an easy figure to attack after he made an extortionate £100m switch to City a reality back in 2021, with that wild price tag likely to bite him down the line if he wasn’t a rip-roaring success in Manchester.

Moreover, unlike his presence at boyhood employers Aston Villa where he was a constant source of entertainment as a flashy attacker, City already had a star-studded camp that could all excite and enthral on their day.

Therefore, the move has fallen somewhat flat, with Grealish never quite expressing himself in the same way he could at Villa, where outrageous moments of quality from the England international were just expected.

Instead, his minutes haven’t always been regular – with just six league starts coming his way so far this campaign – which has led to his goal contributions depleting season by season playing at the Ethiad, resulting in his £100m fee now looking like a big waste of cash.

24/25

14

0

1

23/24

20

3

1

22/23

28

5

7

21/22

26

3

3

20/21 (Villa)

26

6

10

19/20 (Villa)

36

8

6

Besides a positive 2022/23 output, Grealish has struggled to be that standout star-man at City, with his spot in the main XI at the reigning Premier League champions now handed to fresh blood in the form of Savinho.

Guardiola has even stated that the Brazilian – who does boast five more goal contributions than his ex-Villa counterpart in league action – is in ‘better shape’ away from just being more reliable in attack, with Grealish presumably nearing the end of his tether even more subsequently.

Whilst City wouldn’t be able to get rid of Grealish for anywhere near his previous £100m valuation now, at least offloading the underperforming midfielder this January would see some space on the wage bill be freed up.

Jack Grealish's wage at Manchester City

Grealish reportedly earns a bumper £300k-per-week wage in Guardiola’s camp at the moment, with only Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland earning more.

But, both of those figures – as much as Haaland has been through the wringer this season himself with some poor displays – are still regulars under the Spaniard, unlike the Birmingham-born midfielder.

1. Kevin De Bruyne

£400k-per-week

£20.8m

2. Erling Haaland

£375k-per-week

£19.5m

= 3. Jack Grealish

£300k-per-week

£15.6m

= 3. Bernando Silva

£300k-per-week

£15.6m

5. John Stones

£275k-per-week

£13m

Unbelievably, even as he slides down the pecking order, Grealish still pockets the third joint highest salary at the club, with Phil Foden and Rodri even remarkably earning less at £225k-per-week and £220k-per-week respectively.

Whilst Foden will also be less than enthused with what he’s offered up this campaign, he can again boast more goals and assists in league action at three combined, with a goal last time out helping his improving side beat West Ham United 4-1.

Sometimes, major transfers just don’t end up working out, and in the case of Grealish, it feels as if the best decision this January would be to put the £300k-per-week man out of his misery so he can shine away from Manchester.

Man City renew interest in "genius" star who's far better than Grealish

Manchester City are interested in signing a player from Barcelona in 2025.

Jan 2, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Na tarde desta quinta-feira (21), no estádio dos Aflitos, em Recife, o Retrô surpreendeu e venceu o Náutico pelo placar de 1 a 0. Agora, a Fênix joga pelo empate na partida de volta da Final do Campeonato Pernambucano, que será realizada no dia 30 de abril, na Arena Pernambuco. O gol do triunfo do Retrô foi marcado por Guilherme Paraíba, aos 23 minutos, após cobrança de escanteio.

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>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS

A partida
PRIMEIRO TEMPO
O Náutico foi melhor que o Retrô na etapa inicial da primeira partida da final do Campeonato Pernambucano. O Timbu criou várias oportunidades e poderia ter ido para o intervalo com a vantagem no placar. No entanto, o time Alvirrubro não contava com a grande atuação do goleiro Jean, que fez boas defesas e evitou que o placar fosse inaugurado ainda no primeiro tempo. O time do Retrô chutou apenas duas vezes no gol, mas sem levar tanto perigo.

SEGUNDO TEMPO
Assim como foi durante todo o primeiro tempo, o Náutico voltou do intervalo pressionando o Retrô e levando perigo. Até os 20 minutos, o Náutico foi dono do jogo, mas Jean brilhou novamente fazendo boas defesas.

Como quem não faz, toma… Aos 23 minutos, o Retrô resolveu ir ao ataque e acabou abrindo o marcador. Após cobrança de escanteio, Yuri escorou de cabeça para Guilherme Paraíba. Esperto na jogada, o zagueiro da Fênix mandou para o fundo das redes do goleiro Lucas Perri e inaugurou o placar: 1 a 0 para o Retrô.

A partir daí, o Retrô começou a amarrar a partida na tentativa de diminuir o ímpeto do Náutico e garantir o resultado positivo. O Timbu tentou de todas as maneiras empatar, mas chance clara de gol mesmo só construiu mesmo nos acréscimos com o meia Jean Carlos, só que o goleiro Jean brilhou outra vez e garantiu a vitória para a Fênix.

Vale destacar que a partida teve um acontecimento inusitado. O cachorro da polícia se soltou, aos 39 minutos, invadiu o gramado e acabou ficando com a bola obrigando a paralisação da partida, que foi reiniciada somente 3 minutos depois.

تأكد هبوط نادي ليستر سيتي الإنجليزي إلى دوري الدرجة الأولى “الشامبيونشيب” بعد الخسارة من ليفربول بهدف نظيف عن طريق ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد.

وخسر ليستر سيتي بهدف على ملعبه كينج باور، ليتأكد هبوطه إلى الدرجة الأولى، بعد موسم واحد فقط في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

طالع أيضًا.. أرنولد يرد بشكل قاطع على مستقبله مع ليفربول.. ويصرّح: هدفي أمام ليستر سيتي فريد من نوعه لي

وعاد ليستر سيتي الموسم الحالي رفقة إيبسويتش تاون وساوثهامبتون، ويبدو أنه سيرافق الثنائي إلى الدرجة الأولى “الشامبيونشيب” مجددًا.

وتأكد هبوط ساوثهامبتون منذ عدة أسابيع، حيث يحتل المركز الأخير برصيد 11 نقطة من 33 مباراة، ليلحق به ليستر سيتي الآن الذي توقف رصيده عند 18 نقطة بالخسارة من ليفربول.

ويحتل المركز السابع عشر إيبسويتش تاون برصيد 21 نقطة، وبفارق 15 نقطة عن السابع عشر وست هام يونايتد، مما يعني أن مهمة فريق سام مرسي تبدو مستحيلة.

Rangers are keen on completing the signing of a “special” attacking player who is believed to be interested in moving to Ibrox, according to a fresh transfer update.

Latest Rangers news

The Gers won 3-0 away to Ross County on Sunday, in what was a much-needed three points for under-fire manager Philippe Clement.

Rangers have a huge week ahead of them now, taking on Tottenham in the Europa League on Thursday, in an exciting all-British European clash at Ibrox. Then they face rivals Celtic in the Scottish League Cup final on Sunday, allowing Clement a chance of more silverware, taking pressure off his shoulders in the process.

In terms of potential new signings for the Gers, Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka has been linked with a move to the club in the January transfer window, as he struggles for playing time at Stamford Bridge. In fact, Rangers are said to have been offered the chance to snap up the Englishman, with both loan and permanent switches seen as a possibility.

Rangers want to sign "special" ace

According to Football Insider, Rangers are also “keen” on signing Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt in the January window, as Clement looks to bolster his options. The Ibrox recruitment team are said to love the fact the youngster can play up front, on the wing or as a number ten, allowing them to kill multiple birds with one stone while operating on a low budget.

This comes after former scout Mick Brown claimed last week that the 22-year-old likes the idea of joining the Gers from the Whites, saying: “He’s not been playing regularly for Leeds, and from what I’m told, he’d be interested in a move. As far as Rangers are concerned, that’s the type of player they have to be looking at. If Leeds let him go in January, even if it’s only on loan, they will be ready to swoop.

“They’re not the only club interested, but they’ll back themselves to win that race. They play in Europe as well, whether it’s the Champions League, Europa League, or even the Conference League, which is always a draw for players.”

Geldhardt stands out as an eye-catching option for Rangers, should a transfer materialise, with the youngster such a talented attacking player, bursting onto the scene as a teenager in his career. The Leeds man has only scored three goals in 57 Whites appearances, which is clearly a disappointing return, but his talent is undeniable, with Noel Whelan saying of him in 2022: “He is going to be a huge part of this club for a long time.

“This is why they are being very patient with him. He is being nurtured in the right way. The under-23s has been good for him. Now is the time that we are going to see more of him. He has something special and everybody sees that. He scares defenders and is a great weapon to have.”

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Granted, Gelhardt hasn’t kicked on in the way many expected, but it may simply be a case of him needing a fresh challenge, finding his feet in a Rangers shirt and giving them an extra injection of quality in the final third.

A loan switch makes the most sense, should the transfer not work out, but if he does enough to impress the masses, the move could then become permanent.

“If he was in a poor physical and mental state, he wouldn’t have given his name in the IPL auction”

Mohammad Isam07-Mar-2022BCB president Nazmul Hassan has hit back at Shakib Al Hasan after the allrounder expressed his reluctance to tour South Africa next week. Hassan questioned Shakib’s commitment, asking whether he would have wanted a similar break from the IPL had he been picked in the auction.”I think it is logical to think that if he was in a poor physical and mental state, he wouldn’t have given his name in the IPL [auction],” Hassan said. “But he went ahead with it. So, does it mean that if he got his IPL contract, he would have said the same thing? We can’t do anything if he doesn’t want to play [for Bangladesh]. But he can’t keep saying I will play this game, I won’t play that game. We are soft on those who we love, but they also have to be professional. Otherwise we will have to take decisions that no one will like.”Shakib had initially informed the BCB that he wants to only play the white-ball formats for the most part of 2022. He made himself available for the IPL during Bangladesh’s Tests against South Africa in March and April, but after he wasn’t picked up by any of the franchises, the BCB assumed that he’d be available for the forthcoming South Africa Tests.Related

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Shakib, Tamim back in Bangladesh Test squad

After the third ODI against Afghanistan last week Hassan claimed that Shakib agreed to tour South Africa for both the ODIs and Tests. Shakib was picked in both squads but on Sunday, he said that he needed a break. He indicated to the BCB that he could opt out of the ODI series, so that he can come back mentally and physically fresh for the Test series in the same tour.Hassan said that the players have been asked to inform the board beforehand if they want to skip playing a particular format. Tamim Iqbal dropped out of the picture for last year’s T20 World Cup, and has recently said that he doesn’t want to be considered for this year’s edition too. Mahmudullah, meanwhile, retired from Test cricket in the middle of the one-off match against Zimbabwe last July, drawing Hassan’s ire.”I have been clear with everyone that they must inform us beforehand if they don’t want to play a particular format,” Hassan said. “But they shouldn’t do all this. It is not desirable.”What Riyad did was totally unacceptable. He had come to my house to tell me that he is available for all three formats. Tamim had informed me [about his decision to opt out of T20Is].”Shakib had also skipped the Test series in New Zealand last month; it was the third time he took leave from a series for personal reasons. The first time he took such a leave of absence was during the tour of South Africa in 2017-18 and then he skipped the Sri Lanka Tests last year due to his IPL commitments.Since the start of 2017, Shakib has played only 15 of the 33 Tests Bangladesh have played, the reasons for his absences including injury, his one-year suspension for not reporting a corrupt approach, and personal leave.