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Liverpool’s massive decline from their title-winning campaign last season is a huge concern to everyone at the club, but none more so than manager Arne Slot.

The Dutchman led the Reds to Premier League glory in the 2024/25 campaign, but his men now sit fourth and are already a staggering 14 points off after the first 20 outings.

Anfield has so often been a fortress – massively helping them to title glory last year – but Slot’s side have already lost more games on Merseyside than the entirety of last campaign.

Such a drop off will also come as a huge shock, especially after the hierarchy handed the manager over £450m worth of funds to bolster his first-team squad.

However, the January window presents yet another opportunity for the board to back the manager, with numerous players already appearing as potential targets.

Liverpool want move to land top-level centre-back

With the window now in full swing, Liverpool are desperate for key reinforcements in a number of positions to help improve their top-flight standing before the end of the year.

The midfield department is one that could be bolstered, with Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton just one of the options currently being considered by the hierarchy.

It’s been reported that the Englishman would be open to a big-money transfer away from Selhurst Park, with Manchester United another side interested in his signature.

However, the centre-back department is one that needs addressing, as seen by the Reds’ move to try and land French star Jeremy Jacquet during the current window.

According to TEAMtalk, Slot’s men are just one side interested in a move for the 20-year-old who’s already made 16 appearances in Ligue 1 this campaign.

The report also states that Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Arsenal are all firmly in the race to land the youngster before the end of the winter window.

Previous reports have suggested he may well cost in the region of £35m to prise away.

Why Jacquet would be the dream Guehi alternative for Liverpool

In an attempt to land a new centre-back, Liverpool have been linked with a whole host of players in recent times, but none more so than Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi.

The England international’s potential move to Anfield dates all the way back to the summer transfer window, after the Reds agreed a fee for his signature.

However, a move failed to materialise with the 25-year-old deciding to stay put at Selhurst Park and see out the remainder of his contract, which expires in June.

A move for his signature could take place this winter, especially given the Reds’ disappointing defensive record, which has seen them concede 28 times in the first 20 matches.

If they are to land Guehi, they will now have to fend off some serious competition, with Manchester City now firmly in the race to land the defender after Josko Gvardiol’s injury.

However, it could be a blessing in disguise, especially if the club are able to secure a deal for Jacquet before the end of the winter transfer window.

When comparing his stats to those of Guehi from the ongoing campaign, the youngster has dominated in key areas – showcasing why he’d be an excellent addition.

Jacquet, who’s been described as a “monster” defender by scout Antonio Mango, has completed more of the passes he’s attempted, with more of which being defined as key passes.

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Such numbers showcase his incredible ball-playing ability, something which fits perfectly into Slot’s current philosophy, which requires his players to be comfortable in possession.

How Jacquet & Guehi compare in 2025/26

Statistics (per 90)

Jacquet

Guehi

Games played

16

19

Minutes played

1423

1710

Key passes

0.9

0.4

Pass accuracy

91%

84%

% of tackles won

83%

63%

Blocks made

1.5

0.8

Take-on success

44%

40%

Aerials won

69%

64%

Stats via FBref

The Frenchman has also completed more of take-ons he’s attempted, whilst playing more forward passes per 90 – further showcasing his sensational ability with the ball at his feet.

However, out of possession, the youngster has been just as impressive throughout 2025/26, as seen by his higher tally of tackles won and blocks made per 90.

Jacquet’s aerial dominance has also made him a remarkable talent, as seen by his tally of 69% duels won – a figure that ranks him in the top 20% of all defenders in Europe.

It’s unclear how much a deal for Jacquet would cost this winter, but it’s evident that from the stats produced, he would be a phenomenal addition for Liverpool.

Missing out on Guehi would undoubtedly be a tough one to take given the length of the pursuit for his signature, but a deal for the Frenchman would certainly make more sense for the long-term.

Related Liverpool have agreed to sign new CB who could save them millions on Guehi

Liverpool have signed “one of the most exciting” young defenders in the world.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair

Manchester United are now reportedly expecting negotiations to advance to hire one of their managerial candidates to replace Ruben Amorim.

Man Utd set managerial timeline

Despite his constant struggles at Old Trafford, it always seemed unlikely that Man United would rush into any decision around Amorim. He very much looked to be their man. But that’s when everything imploded between the 40-year-old and Director of Football Jason Wilcox, who asked Amorim to change his system.

This reportedly left the manager unhappy, who felt like he wasn’t being backed by the Old Trafford hierarchy and from there his exit was inevitable.

Now, the Red Devils find themselves back to square one and have already set a reported timeline for when their next manager could arrive, having appointed Darren Fletcher on an interim basis.

If INEOS do wait until the summer to make their decision, then that’s when the likes of Oliver Glasner and Kieran McKenna could become serious options.

The former is set to leave Crystal Palace at the end of the season when his contract comes to an end, unless there are any last-ditch changes, and Man United could make their move.

Related Man Utd Next Manager Odds: Top Ruben Amorim replacements (Ranked)

The bookies have had their say…

Posts ByBen Goodwin

Glasner may well go down as the best manager in Crystal Palace history by the time next summer arrives, having won the FA Cup and qualified for the Europa Conference League last season, but a big move could be waiting for him.

However, the Austrian isn’t the only option. According to reports in Spain, Man United are now expecting negotiations to advance with Xavi Hernandez.

Man Utd expecting negotiations to advance with Xavi

The Barcelona legend has been out of a job since leaving the Spanish club in 2024. Although he hasn’t been without offers, the 45-year-old has simply been waiting for the right opportunity to emerge and the Man United job could be exactly that.

Whilst his time at Barcelona ended on a difficult note, it’s worth remembering that Xavi won La Liga during a turbulent time at the Nou Camp and introduced several key academy stars, including Lamine Yamal.

Amorim, by some contrast, often took aim at academy stars and arguably halted the progress of impressive midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. If anyone was to benefit from the arrival of Xavi, it would be the Carrington graduate.

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Another issue with Amorim was his system. His 3-4-2-1 system split opinion at Old Trafford, but that’s where Xavi could thrive. The Spaniard would instantly change to a 4-3-3 attacking formation and bring entertainment back to the club.

There’s no denying that it would be a bold step, of course. Alas, it would far from be Xavi’s first rodeo. The former midfielder rode the wave of chaos at Barcelona and could do the same at Man United.

ScorecardPaul Stirling cracked a half-century and Ireland put on a solid display in the field to restrict Namibia’s batsman and secure a 32-run win in their opening match. Alex Cusack, back in the side after injury, took 2 for 22 and there were two run-outs, as Namibia fell short despite an unbeaten 48 from Raymond van Schoor. Ireland had been asked to bat and their total was built on a rapid opening stand of 84 between Stirling and his captain, William Porterfield, who made 33. They were separated after 8.5 overs and the scoring dipped, with Stirling then bowled by the economical Sarel Burger for 52, but useful contributions throughout the top order put them out of Namibia’s reach.
ScorecardUAE crushed Uganda by eight wickets in their opening game of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013-14. After losing the toss, Uganda’s openers added 18 before the slide began. They lost four wickets for seven runs and then another four for 20 runs. In between those collapses, Phillimon Selowa and the captain Davis Arinaitwe made 22 each and Uganda were eventually restricted to 88 for 8 in 20 overs. UAE’s openers added 70 in 11.2 overs to all but end the contest. Shaiman Anwar blitzed 54 off 38 balls, hitting three sixes, as UAE won with 5.4 overs to spare.
ScorecardHong Kong’s Haseeb Amjad laid down an early marker for figures of the tournament as he bagged 5 for 12 to set up a convincing seven-wicket victory over Italy. Amjad’s first two wickets of Andy Northcote and captain Damian Crowley left Italy 29 for 4. There was then a recovery, although Italy had to bat with caution, between Carl Sandri (41) and Michael Raso (24) before Amjad returned to claimed three further scalps – all bowled – during which he found himself on a hat-trick. With a required rate of less than a run-a-ball, Hong Kong knew they did not required anything outlandish and their chase was led by a measured, unbeaten 51 by Waqas Barkat to ensure there were no alarms.
ScorecardA punishing, 31-ball fifty from Timroy Allen helped USA to thrilling win over Canada with one ball to spare. Reduced to 61 for 5 in pursuit of 138, Allen combined with Srini Santhanam for an unbroken 77-run stand to upset their more established north American opponents. Allen struck two sixes before Santhanam sealed victory by hitting the penultimate delivery for four. Canada had looked on course for victory, with legspinner Junaid Siddiqui taking 2 for 16, including the key wicket of Steven Taylor, despite being restricted with the bat. Jimmy Hansra hit 39 from 34 balls but Elmore Hutchinson and former West Indies Test bowler Adam Sanford each took two wickets apiece to help keep USA in the game.

Scorecard
Sri Lanka’s varied spin attack, led by the left-armer NavinKavikara, performed a slow strangle act that would have made their seniorteam proud as they set up a five-wicket win against Australia at the PenangSports Club. They dismissed Australia for 172 and Dilshan Munaweerahelped them gun down the target with more than 12 overs to spare. The victory put Sri Lanka on top of Group C and set up a quarter-final clash with New Zealand, while Australia will play Pakistan, the winners of Group A.Sri Lanka used five spinners in all – Kavikara, Sachith Pathirana, UmeshKarunarathne, Roshen Silva and Munaweera – and between them theypicked up seven wickets for 109 in 37.3 overs. The introductionof the slow bowlers curbed the runs after the top-order batsmen accelerated to 79 for 2 after 13 overs.When the offspinner Karunarathne came on in the 13th over, he bowled the Australian captain Michael Hill but his joy quickly turned to disappointment as the umpire signalled a no-ball. Hill, a left-hander, took on Karunarathne, pulling the free-hit to the wide long-on boundary and lofting the next ball for six over midwicket. There were a sizeable number ofAustralian supporters and cries of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi” rang around the ground.Not content with 11 runs off two balls, Hill attacked again, trying to hitagainst the spin but top edged to cover. In his next over, Karunarathneinduced an edge from Phillip Hughes and as he had done with Hill, gave the batsman a pumped-up send off. Having lost two quick wickets to be reduced to 80 for 3, Australia switched fromattack to consolidation mode and looked to nudge the ball around androtate strike.The two left-arm spinners – Kavikara and Pathirana – bowledin tandem and zipped through their overs with a wicket-to-wicket line.Kavikara delivered a mix of conventional spin and straighter ones and trappedMichael Cramner lbw with one that kept low and straight. He then hadSteven Smith and Dom O’Brien stumped as Australia slipped further.Both batsmen left their crease, realised they were beaten by the length and tried to defend, but the ball spun past the outside edge and the wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal, who was involved in seven dismissals, did the rest. Kavikara finished with 3 for 20off ten overs. Pathirana, who was limping during his first spell, bowled flat and fast to hit James Faulkner on the pads as he tried to play across the line.The watertight performance from the spinners was in contrast to the displays of thenew-ball bowlers, Tissara Perera and Denuwan Fernando. Although Tissara and Fernando beat the Australian openers whenever the length was right,they strayed often on either side of the wicket, which allowed Hughes tocut and flick powerfully. The start was steady: Australia were 22 for noloss after five overs and they accelerated after Hill’s arrival to get therun-rate to six.The Sri Lankan innings also got off to a brisk start, although Lahiru Thirimanne lost his off stump to the left-arm new-ball bowler Faulkner early on. The other opener, Dilshan Munaweera, was a treat to watch. He didn’t play the other group games because of a finger injury but his innings – 43 off 42 balls – ambushed Australia and gave Sri Lanka an ideal platform while chasing a small target.Munaweera is a short, stocky right-hand batsman who has a cavalier approach. He looked to attack from the outset, playing ambitious drives, cuts and pulls. Though he was beaten a few times and inside-edged a couple, he did not change his mindset. He was hit in the midriff by James Pattinson but responded by square driving and lofting to the point and long-off boundaries.Three more fours came off Munaweera’s bat in the fifth over – a fierce pull, a slash over point and an elegant and orthodox cover drive. He also took on Faulkner, who wasbowling at considerable pace, and smashed him twice to the long-off boundary. By the time he holed out to long-off from Clive Rose’s left-arm spin, the Sri Lankan run-chase was on course.The former Sri Lankan batsman Aravinda de Silva, who is a consultant with the under-19 team said Munaweera’s approach was part of a plan. “In this particular innings, I wanted him to be more positive and aggressive,” he said. “Particularly against Australia, we needed it.” There was a minor hiccup as they lost another wicket – Chandimal – to Rose a few balls later, but a 76-run stand between Angelo Perera and Ashan Priyanjan helped seal the win.

ScorecardA solid and grafting 128 from Tushar Imran, Bangladesh A’s captain, ended England A’s hopes of forcing victory on the final day of the 2nd Test at Bogra.Declaring overnight, with a lead of 99, England were soon in business with Graham Onions removing Jahurul Islam with his first ball and, five balls later, Mehrab Hossain, both for ducks. But Bangladesh fought back valiantly, if stodgily; Nasiruddin Faruque made a grey 31 from 130 balls and, together with Tushar, put on 127 for the third wicket as Bangladesh played for time.Tim Bresnan picked up a couple of wickets to give England brief hope of a win, but Tushar was resolute in defence, ending unbeaten as the game petered to a draw.

Ehsan Mani: ‘No-one should regard the appointment of this committee as a solution to the issues facing Zimbabwe cricket’ © Getty Images

We round up what has happened inside Zimbabwe since the government’s decision to effectively take charge of Zimbabwe CricketSaturday, January 7
Zimbabwe’s striking players meet to discuss the move by the government and decide to return to work in a bid to resolve their differences with the board. They give the new board until the end of the month to pay money owed to them and to agree to new contracts.Sunday, January 8
It is reported that Andy Blignaut, who a month ago was being touted as a possible candidate to replace Tatenda Taibu as Zimbabwe captain, has returned to play in South Africa and will not be available for Zimbabwe again.Monday, January 9
A source close to the crisis tells Cricinfo: “I think the ICC ought to take stern measures against the extreme level of racism in Zimbabwe. Clearly, they can’t just ignore the racial cleansing of the Zimbabwe board by Zanu PF.” The ICC issues a statement warning Zimbabwe that they have to field their best side and warns that the appointment of the new board is not the solution. But it again stops short of taking any action. The former ZC chairman, tells the Daily Telegraph: “They [the players] have gone back on their word that they would not serve under Chingoka. They have left Taibu in the lurch.”Tuesday, January 10
One player tells a Cricinfo source that there is “no way many of us will play for Zanu PF”. Divides begin to appear among the players in the light of reported criticism of their decision, with some clearly unhappy with returning to play under the new regime. Some hint that they will only actually resume playing when they are paid, others that they are on the verge of retiring.Wednesday, January 11
Sources state that Charlie Roberston, Zimbabwe’s most experienced administrator and a man who has done more than almost anyone to keep Zimbabwe cricket running smoothly, will stop cutting grass at Chegutu and Gweru grounds – he has maintained them both for years. Other club officials are said to be considering similar action. And it emerges that the grass at Queens Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club has not been cut for months and “the two pitches resemble a bush.” The Queens Sports Club is the country’s No. 2 venue.Thursday, January 12
News emerges that Zimbabwe Cricket Matatebaland offices at Queens Sports Club have had their phone lines cut off due to failure to pay the bills. The main Zimbabwe Cricket offices in Harare remain closed as officially staff are on their Christmas break until January 16.Friday, January 13
Peter Chingoka meets with Malcolm Speed and Ehsan Mani to discuss the Zimbabwe crisis as the ICC Full Members get together in Karachi. The conversation remains private, but the ICC does issue a statement repeating the assertion that no-one should see the appointment of the interim board as the solution. The ICC has no response to questions on the meeting put to it by Cricinfo.Saturday, January 14
A report in The Independent suggests that the players who are supposed to have ended their strike do not intend to play again. “There is no way players will ever play afterwards under this set-up,” said a source. “They just want their money. Whether ZC will pay or not, they have already made up their minds. The guys don’t feel for a second that the dispute would have been resolved by then, but the feeling is that this is a better way of keeping the pressure on than just walking away.”

Mark Waugh is interested in identifying new talent© Getty Images

Mark Waugh will be pushed as a possible national selector as New South Wales attempt to end 12 years without representation on the panel. The Sydney Morning Herald reported Allan Border was expected to stand down in April and David Gilbert, the New South Wales chief executive, would ask Waugh to nominate for the vacancy.”Mark is a very good judge of a cricketer, and his ability to read cricket very well is well known,” Gilbert said. “Australian cricket can’t let blokes like him disappear from the game.”Australia’s current panel has no representation from New South Wales or Victoria, and includes Trevor Hohns and Border from Queensland, David Boon, the former Tasmania batsman, and Andrew Hilditch, the hook-happy South Australia player. The positions of Border and Boon will be reviewed in April and the newspaper said Border was considering standing down to focus on media and other interests.”I wouldn’t completely rule out nominating if a spot became available,” Waugh said. “There could be good sides to it, like identifying talent, but it would be a big commitment, with a lot of time away. I can’t say watching cricket all day appeals to me.”While Border and Hilditch played for the Blues before moving interstate, John Benaud, who retired in 1993, was their last selector. “People are going to say we’re after someone who will push our players but that’s not the case," Gilbert said. "No selector is ever going to compromise himself by being biased towards his own state. New South Wales are a formidable influence on Australian cricket. It stands to reason we should be represented.” Ray Bright, the former Victoria spinner and current state selector, said he would be interested in applying if there was a vacancy.

It took less than a month in charge for Michael Vaughan to blame county cricket for all the ills of the England team. But, when he feels brave enough to examine the latest dispatch from Lord’s, perhaps he might concede that the problem lies rather closer to home. For the schedule for England’s 2004 season was released today, and it is every bit as terrifying as expected.Never mind the daily grind of the County Championship. It will be a miracle if the core members of England’s Test and one-day teams are still in one piece by September 25 next year – the uncommonly late finish to an exhausting seven months of non-stop internationals. That seven Tests and 28 one-day internationals have been scheduled for England’s domestic season is knackering enough. For these matches to follow hot on the heels of a gruelling 11-international tour of the Caribbean, however, is masochistic in the extreme.Midway through the 2002 season, England appeared to boast a stable of fast bowlers that would keep them in wickets for the next ten years. Fourteen months later, however, many of these thoroughbreds are only fit for glue. No fewer than eight first-choice seamers, from Andrew Caddick to Alex Tudor, via Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones, have been ruled out this summer with injuries of one sort or another – and the body count is sure to rise this winter, in the thankless conditions of Bangladesh and Sri LankaIt is a measure of the intensity of next season that a player in both the Test and the one-day teams, such as Andrew Flintoff, will be available for his county for a maximum of two matches in 2004. That means no opportunity to tinker with a damaged technique or rediscover some lost confidence in quieter surrounds. James Anderson, the Truman Burbank of English cricket, has already discovered this only too well.Anderson has been compared to David Beckham several times already in his short career. But even Beckham, the greatest attention-grabber of our age, spends less of his life in the direct gaze of the public than cricketers. Ninety minutes of a football match, half-an-hour of press conferences, a couple of shopping sprees and a film premiere is not the same as spending six hours in the blazing sun, remembering not to pick your nose in case the world is watching.The off-camera life isn’t particularly compelling, either. Time spent away from loved ones is felt far more acutely in your hotel room than on the field. And then there’s all that travelling – whether it’s island-hopping, long-haul flights, or traffic jams on the M6. And what other sport tangles quite so messily with politics? It’s a sure bet that when the players attempt to embark on a month’s R and R at the end of next season, they’ll find their peace ruined by the inevitable row that awaits them before their scheduled tour of Zimbabwe.It is hardly original to make the plea that there is too much cricket being played. But the longer the objections of players and media alike are ignored, the more agitated the appeals become. It was the overkill of 2002-03, as intense a winter as any cricket team can have faced, that broke Nasser Hussain’s spirit and drove Graham Thorpe into a late withdrawal for the sake of his family. What lies ahead will be every bit as strength-sapping.It also has the makings of a typically farcical finale. Never before has a major tournament (if the ICC Champions’ Trophy warrants that tag) been scheduled so late in the English season. The last time the ICC held their jamboree, in Sri Lanka’s rainy season in September 2002, a two-day downpour wiped out the final (and the replay).What price a repeat performance?

*Vidyut stars for Haryana at GurgaonS Vidyut scored an unbeaten century to help Haryana to a draw againstPunjab in their Ranji Trophy league match at Gurgaon on Tuesday.Unbeaten on 23 overnight, Vidyut made 105 off 143 balls with littlesupport from other batsmen, spurring his side to an unforseen secondinnings total of 309. For Punjab, Sandeep Sanwal picked 3-67.Set a target of 196 runs to win, Punjab lost quick wickets in themiddle to put all thoughts of an outright win right out of theirminds. Although Ravneet Ricky made unbeaten 41 off 62 and Yuvraj Singhslammed 24 off 27, three wickets fell within the space of 12 runs,forcing the batsmen to opt for a draw. 108/5 at the close of play,Punjab picked up five points from this encounter, while Haryana pickedup three.*Delhi notch up massive victoryDelhi won their Ranji Trophy league match against Jammu & Kashmir by amargin of 200 runs, picking up eight points at the Feroze Shah Kotlagrounds in Delhi on Tuesday.Set a target of 469, Jammu & Kashmir never looked to go after it andcould only hope for a draw. When their in-form batsman, KavaljitSingh, fell after making 90 with the score on 193, having spent 310minutes at the crease, Delhi sniffed a chance to bowl their rivalsout.They did not mess it up. Sarandeep Singh (4-60) and Amit Bhandari(3-76) combined to destroy Jammu & Kashmir’s lower order, bowling themout for 268. Some resisting efforts from the lower middle-ordernotwithstanding, Delhi finally won in a canter.*Himachal Pradesh pull off shock winLittle-rated Himachal Pradesh pulled off a shock victory over giantsServices in their Ranji Trophy league match at Una on Tuesday.Shakti Singh (5-80) and Vishal Bhatia (4-40) rudely unseated Servicesfrom its comfortable overnight position of 25/0 to bowl them out for179. Brushing aside scores of 44 and 42 from K Chawda and YashpalSingh respectively, Himachal Pradesh’s bowling attack took only 54.3overs to work its magic.Set a target of 46 to win, Himachal Pradesh were never going to betroubled too much. They reached the score with only one wicket lost in11.3 overs, with Sandeep Sharma making 27 off 25 balls.*Goa tail wags furiouslyGoa’s tailenders batted resolutely to deny Tamil Nadu a shot atvictory in their Ranji Trophy league match at Chennai on Tuesday.Despite a five-wicket haul from L Balaji, Tamil Nadu could not bowlGoa out for less than 158 to notch up an innings victory. Batsmen likeKiran Powar (57) and skipper Amitabh Velaskar (23) used up valuableminutes in their knock.Further down the order, Avadoot Amonkar used 50 minutes and 40 ballsto score one run, while Avinash Aware spent an unbeaten 57 minutes and48 balls without getting off the mark.Tamil Nadu, by virtue of a first-innings lead, pick up five pointsfrom this drawn match, while Goa pick up three.*Andhra Pradesh draw with KeralaSet a target of 177 to win the match, Andhra Pradesh hung on to drawtheir Ranji Trophy league match against Kerala at Cochin.Kerala, reeling overnight at 131/7, miraculously made it to 259, withKN Ananthapadmanabhan making a sterling unbeaten 74, coming in atnumber 10. Sreekumar Nair, the other overnight batsman, made 83 off390 minutes and 279 balls. For Andhra Pradesh, Mohamad Faiq picked uphis second five-wicket haul of the match.Andhra Pradesh never looked to go after the target, preferring insteadto pick up their five points by virtue of a first-innings lead. At theclose of play, Andhra Pradesh were 78/2, with skipper MSK Prasadunbeaten on nine off 102 minutes and 66 balls.

Former India captain Anil Kumble believes that adjusting to different leadership styles in the split-captaincy format is not difficult for players in current times. Taking questions after delivering the seventh Dilip Sardesai Memorial Lecture at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai, Kumble was of the opinion that constant adjustment to different formats and teams helps players get accustomed to various captaincy styles.India went with a split-captaincy format in December 2014, when MS Dhoni announced his retirement from Test cricket after the Melbourne Test against Australia and Virat Kohli was handed the Test captaincy. Dhoni, however, continues to lead India in the limited-overs formats.”I don’t think it’s difficult for players to adjust from one captain’s temperament to another. Perhaps in my case it was already forced because I had already decided to give up playing one-day cricket and Dhoni was the captain of the one-day formats, “Kumble said. “And now that Dhoni has retired, Virat is the captain in Test cricket.”I don’t think for players, it’s a difficult job. Players are constantly adjusting from one team to the other and from one format to the other. In an IPL format, the same team-mates become opposition players and sometimes the opposition players become team-mates.”So there’s constant adjustment, but once you have played with the two captains, obviously the two should have played quite a number of matches to become captain, so you know their personalities and getting adjusted to their way of thinking or doing things, I don’t see it an issue. And South Africa have gone an additional way with a captain for each format, so perhaps that’s the way things may happen. You may, at some point of time, have an exclusive specialist T20 team which will be very different from a Test team or a one-day team.”Kumble also said that the difference in personalities between Dhoni and Kohli and the varying degrees of aggression between the two captains was not a major factor for the side.”The bottom line is you need to be attacking. That’s the word I would like to use. Aggression, I think, is a bit of a misplaced word and the way it comes across… as long as you are aggressive, as long as the intent is to win games, whether it’s 20 overs, 50 overs, four-day, five-day, I think the personality comes across,” he said. “Yes, individually, emotionally each one is perhaps different from the other but overall as a team I don’t see that as a major factor because Dhoni was leading India in the last 5-6 years, so in that sense, it shouldn’t be a problem in changing to a Virat style of captaincy.”In his lecture, Kumble, who took over as Test captain in November 2007, said that he believed modern captains face more challenges than their predecessors. He felt that they need to have a statesman-like approach to the game in the face of issues that can suddenly arise, particularly when a team is on tour.Drawing on his experience as captain of the Indian Test team on the controversial Australia tour of 2007-08, Kumble said he found himself playing the role of “diplomat, a bridge between the players and the cricket board and the face of Indian opposition in Australia” following the Monkeygate scandal during the Sydney Test.”During my tenure, I realised that in addition to the job description mentioned earlier, a captain also had to be prepared for the unexpected. The second-most important job could suddenly become the most important as I discovered in Australia during the incident called as Monkeygate,” Kumble said.”This was an aspect of a captain’s job that didn’t exist when I began my career. In fact, as a player for 17 years, I hadn’t been called by any match referee but perhaps visited the referee after every match as captain.”As the controversy raged, I received a message from Bishen Singh Bedi. As a captain, he wrote, ‘take a decision you will be proud of when you look back on this’. That is a uniquely Indian take on the job and Bedi’s simple words were inspiring. In Fact, it’s a motto that should be pasted on to the kit bags of all international captains. The modern captain faces more challenges than his predecessor did. Issues arise, specially when a team is on tour, that require a statesman-like approach and captains must keep the bigger picture in mind. It’s important to carry the team on such occasions.”When asked about the controversy later, Kumble said that the suggestions of the senior players – Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag – were helpful, but felt the matter could possibly have been resolved by a chat between him and Australia captain Ricky Ponting.”I was blessed to have players around me who were all greats and their suggestions were valuable,” he said. “As a captain, it’s my duty and my responsibility to protect my player and my team and that’s all I did. There were times when I think it could have been resolved with, perhaps, just the two captains sitting and sorting it out.”