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Manchester United and Ruben Amorim have been handed a transfer boost, with a La Liga star now open to an Old Trafford move.

Man Utd midfield options heading into 2026

It feels as if Amorim’s midfield is the one area that may need the most work in 2026. The Man Utd boss has gone with Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes more often than not this season, with the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte falling out of favour.

Mainoo has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, whereas Amorim criticised Ugarte in front of his Man Utd teammates following the Europa League final against Tottenham.

Casemiro is also out of contract in 2026, and it has been suggested that there is a real possibility he will leave for free at the end of the season.

This comes despite the fact Amorim wants to keep the Brazilian, however, INEOS are looking to cut the wage bill and could do just that with the £350,000-a-week top earner.

A number of midfielders have been linked with arriving in Manchester, and one name that won’t go away is Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher.

There was speculation over a deadline day move in the summer, but the English “machine” remained at the Wanda Metropolitano, where he has made just two La Liga starts in 2025/26 under Diego Simeone.

Forget Sesko: Man Utd's "terrible" dud is now becoming INEOS' worst signing

Manchester United made a huge mistake in spending big money on one first-team member.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 13, 2025

It has been suggested that Amorim has already given the green light for Man Utd to bring Gallagher back to the Premier League in 2026, and another promising update has now emerged.

Gallagher open to Man Utd move

According to United in Focus and transfer expert Graeme Bailey, Gallagher “has become increasingly frustrated at Atletico” and appears to be open to the idea of moving to Man Utd to improve his chances of making the England squad.

On around £150,000-a-week in Spain, Gallagher has been compared to some impressive midfielders across Europe in 2025, including former Red Devils man Scott McTominay.

Now, United and INEOS need to decide whether or not to firm up their interest in the Englishman, amid rumours of a £44m January offer being lined up.

Man Utd now leading Barcelona & Liverpool in race to sign "absolute beast"

Former India great set to become the first capped male Indian player to play in the BBL with Thunder, Hurricanes, Sixers and Strikers all chasing him

Alex Malcolm and Sidharth Monga23-Sep-2025R Ashwin is set to become the first capped male India player to play in the BBL with four clubs vying for his services to play in the latter stages of the upcoming season.It is understood that Sydney Thunder, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers are the four teams chasing Ashwin’s signature in what is set to be a major coup for the BBL. Thunder and Hurricanes appear to be the frontrunners for the India great with a deal likely to be finalised later this week.No internationally capped India male player has played in the BBL previously, but Ashwin’s retirement from the IPL earlier this year has opened the door for him to play franchise cricket overseas for the first time.Related

• Ashwin enters ILT20 auction with the highest base price for any player

• R Ashwin brings curtain down on 'my time as an IPL cricketer'

• Afridi, Rizwan and Rauf among top picks at BBL overseas drafts

• All the BBL and WBBL squads for 2025-26 season

• CA exploring BBL investment 'unashamedly' to be second behind IPL

Only retired Indian players are allowed by the BCCI to participate in overseas T20 leagues. Earlier this year, Dinesh Karthik played for Paarl Royals in the SA20. In 2023, Ambati Rayudu turned up to play for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the CPL, and then in January 2024 with MI Emirates in the ILT20. Robin Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan featured for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20. Two years ago, Suresh Raina was part of Deccan Gladiators in the Abu Dhabi T10.Ashwin has already committed to the first-ever ILT20 auction in the UAE, which will take place next Tuesday. If bought, he will play out the ILT20, which has changed dates for the upcoming season and will now run from December 2 until January 4.The BBL begins on December 14, and the home-and-away part of the season runs until January 18. The finals will be held between January 20 and 25. It means Ashwin will be available for three-four games at the end of the season for one of those teams, plus finals should the team he signs with qualify. ESPNcricinfo understands that his deal will also include the BBL for the 2026-27 season.BBL clubs can only play three overseas players in their XI. Each of the clubs has already locked three players in via the league’s pre-signing rules and the June overseas draft. Clubs can sign an additional four overseas replacement players, meaning they can have up to seven on their list, but only three can play at any one time. Also, if any of the teams release an international player for SA20, Ashwin could fit in as a replacement for him.The league rules state that replacement overseas players have to nominate themselves for the draft, which Ashwin did not as he had not retired from IPL cricket at the time. But there is an exemption for overseas players to be allowed to play in the BBL if their circumstances have changed. Former New Zealand batter Martin Guptill was previously signed by Melbourne Renegades in 2022-23 after retiring from international cricket despite missing the inaugural BBL overseas draft. England star Nat Sciver-Brunt was allowed to play for Perth Scorchers in the WBBL after being cleared by the ECB, having initially been ruled out of nominating for the draft due to injury.The club that signs Ashwin will still have to fit his salary inside their overall purse, much of which will already have been allocated for most squads, but there will likely be an additional marketing agreement with Cricket Australia that will not count towards the salary cap for the team that lands him.Teams can also go over the cap by 5% in a particular year with approval from the league’s technical committee, provided that it is offset over a three-year period.

MI now have a 17-0 record in the IPL when defending 200 or more

Sampath Bandarupalli01-May-20256 Consecutive wins for Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2025 after starting with four defeats in the first five matches. It is their joint-longest winning streak in the IPL, alongside the six they won in 2008 and 2017.3 MI’s win, by 100 runs, against Rajasthan Royals (RR) was their third victory in the IPL by 100 or more runs. Only Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have done it more often, with four such wins. MI’s win also took them to the top of the points table for the first time in the IPL since April 17, 2021. For RR, it was their second-biggest defeat by runs behind the 112-run loss against RCB in 2023.217 for 2 MI’s total against RR is the joint-highest in the IPL at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, equalling Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) 217 for 6 against RR in 2023. This is also the highest total for MI against RR in the IPL.2012 The previous instance of MI winning an IPL match in Jaipur, a ten-wicket victory. MI lost all four IPL matches against RR, which they played at this venue between 2013 and 2024.Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma set base with a century stand•Associated Press4 Batters scored 40-plus runs for MI in Jaipur. It is only the fourth instance of four batters scoring 40 or more runs in an IPL innings. Only once before each of the top four scored 40 or more in an IPL innings – Chennai Super Kings (CSK) against RR in 2011.11 Consecutive scores of 25-plus for Suryakumar Yadav in IPL 2025. It is the longest streak of 25-plus scores for any batter in the IPL, bettering Robin Uthappa’s run of ten innings in 2014.6024 Runs scored by Rohit Sharma in all T20s for MI. No player has even 4000 T20 runs for the franchise. Rohit is only the second batter to score 6000-plus runs for a team in T20s, after Virat Kohli, who has 8871 runs for RCB.ESPNcricinfo Ltd29 Balls MI took to pick up the first five RR wickets, the fewest they have needed to do so in an IPL innings. Only four times did a team lose their first five wickets in the IPL in fewer than the 29 balls.17-0 MI extend their unbeaten record while defending targets of 200 or more in the IPL. Alongside being the only team to defend all the 200-plus targets they set in the IPL, the 18-0 record of MI in all men’s T20s defending 200-plus targets is the best for any team.281.81 Strike rate of MI batters against the short of good lengths and short lengths against RR pacers on Thursday. They scored 61 runs off 22 such deliveries, with ten fours and two sixes. In return, RR batters scored only 34 off 38 balls on those lengths and lost five wickets.

Being a midfielder at the top level is extremely difficult, with every attribute arguably required to be considered world-class in today’s era. Whether it be shielding the defence, controlling the game or scoring goals, we have seen some iconic midfielders over time.

A number of midfielders have won the Ballon d’Or, most recently Rodri and Luka Modric, and, right now, Barcelona’s Pedri and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham are currently seen as the best in world football. But who is the midfield GOAT?

The Best 15 Midfielders in World Football Ranked (2025)

Some of the best players in the world do their stuff in the middle of the park, but who’s number one?

5

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 20, 2025

Here is a list of 20 midfield legends football has ever seen, factoring in their longevity and consistency at the highest level, while also looking at their team and personal accolades.

20

Frank Lampard

If a goalscoring midfielder is what you need, then Frank Lampard is certainly one of the best. A Chelsea legend, the Englishman is actually the Blues’ all-time leading scorer, netting 211 times at Stamford Bridge across 13 years.

Lampard won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, a Champions League and a Europa League, deservedly being inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2021.

19

Patrick Vieira

Continuing the trend of Premier League icons, Patrick Vieira is best known for his time as Arsenal captain under Arsene Wenger and is also a member of the Premier League Hall of Fame.

The Frenchman only cost the Gunners £3.5m back in 1996 and was worth every penny, being named in the PFA Team of the Year in six successive seasons.

Vieira, a World Cup and Euros winner, could help protect the defence by breaking up play, driving his team forward with his power and popping up with a goal from time to time.

18

Socrates

Recognisable during his playing days for his beard and headband, Socrates was an extremely elegant and intelligent midfielder in his peak, combing power with touch.

A skilful inspiration for the next generation of Brazilian stars, Socrates saw football as an art, and that truly came across during his career, with the 6ft 4 midfielder starring for Corinthians.

17

Kaka

Another Brazilian who would’ve grown up learning all about Socrates was Kaka, and he’d go on to become an icon himself after starring for AC Milan and Real Madrid.

Kaka was quick, skilful, strong and had plenty of end product and is among a small select group of players to win the World Cup, the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or.

He may not have had the longevity and consistency as some of the others on the list, but at his peak, there was no stopping Kaka.

16

Clarence Seedorf

Still the only player in football history to have won the Champions League with three different clubs, Clarence Seedorf was influential for the likes of Ajax, Real Madrid and AC Milan.

The Dutchman was an iconic box-to-box midfielder and could ping 60 yard passes, make last ditch tackles and score all in the same game.

Named the Dutch Footballer of the Year in 1993 and 1994, Seedorf was also named UEFA’s best midfielder in 2007, showing how goof he was over time.

15

Xavi

A product of Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy, Xavi would go on to play more than 750 games for the Catalan giants and formed one of the most iconic midfield trios at the Nou Camp alongside Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.

A passing genius, Xavi was an unbelievable leader of one of the best teams in history, winning eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues.

The Spaniard also lifted two European Championships and one World Cup, and the fact he was a regular across his career in dominant sides shows how good he was.

14

Toni Kroos

Toni Kroos has rightly gone down as a Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Germany icon after a glittering 17-year career at the highest level.

Winning six Champions Leagues, six league titles and the World Cup, Kroos was known for his unbelievable passing range and registered more than 100 assists in the Bundesliga and La Liga over his career.

13

Andrea Pirlo

Arguably the coolest midfielder in history, Andrea Pirlo ran games of football with ease and never looked like he was breaking a sweat.

A deep-lying playmaker, the Italian won six Serie A titles, two Champions Leagues and the World Cup, Pirlo starred for AC Milan and Juventus, finishing in the top 10 on three occasions at the Ballon d’Or.

12

Paul Scholes

Like Kroos and Pirlo, Paul Scholes’ passing range was off the charts during his Man Utd career which saw him win 11 Premier League titles.

Although his England career didn’t match his club honours, Scholes was called a “teacher” by Lionel Messi, the “best” teammate by Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane’s “toughest opponent”, and the praise from the iconic trio goes to show how good he was.

11

Luka Modric

Not many would have predicted Luka Modric to become one of the best midfielders in hostly when he signed for Tottenham in 2008.

However, the Croatian icon starred in the Premier League and was then a Real Madrid regular for 13 years, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2018. A six-time Champions League winner, Modric’s passing range and ability to dictate any game sees him stand out from the rest.

“I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player and will continue my journey with MCA to help us win more trophies,” Ajinkya Rahane says

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2025Ajinkya Rahane has given up the captaincy of the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season, saying he believes “it’s the right time to groom a new leader”. In a communication to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), Rahane, now 37, said he wants to continue as a player for the team.”Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour,” Rahane wrote in a social media post. “With a new domestic season ahead, I believe it’s the right time to groom a new leader. And hence I’ve decided not to continue in the captaincy role. I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player and will continue my journey with MCA to help us win more trophies. Looking forward to the season.”Rahane helped Mumbai break a nine-year drought by leading them to their 42nd Ranji Trophy title in 2023-24. While his red-ball form over the past two years has been patchy (467 runs in 27 innings with just one century), he was more fluent in the shorter formats. At the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in December last year, when he played under Shreyas Iyer, Rahane was the Player of the Tournament for his chart-topping 469 runs in a title-winning season.Related

• The 91st season of the Ranji Trophy is unmissable – here's why

• Sairaj Patil – the six-hitting, seam-bowling Mumbai man to watch out for

• Setbacks in the past, Kushagra hopes to remain 'in the eyes of the selectors'

• BCCI introduces 'serious injury replacement substitute' rule

Rahane was most recently in charge of Kolkata Knight Riders at IPL 2025, for whom he was the highest scorer with 390 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 147.27. The team had a mediocre season, though, finishing eighth with just five wins.In July, Rahane said he still possessed the “hunger and passion” for the game and for red-ball cricket, stating he even carried his trainers and cricket gear while on holiday in London to begin preparations for the upcoming domestic season.”I still want to play Test cricket,” Rahane had told Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton in an interview with . “I’m really passionate about playing Test cricket. I’m enjoying my cricket at the moment. For me, it’s all about focusing on the controllable things. Frankly, I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but [there are] things as a player I cannot control. I got no response.”As a player, all I can do is keep playing cricket, keep enjoying the game, and give my best each and every time. I love playing Test cricket, love playing red-ball [cricket], it’s a passion. The love for the game keeps me going.”Mumbai are currently preparing for the upcoming season by playing the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Chennai, with a young squad led by 18-year-old Ayush Mhatre. Mumbai allrounder Shardul Thakur, a key member of their 2024-25 Ranji campaign, was named captain of West Zone for the season-opening Duleep Trophy.

Cristiano Ronaldo has laughed off questions regarding his 1,000th goal being scored in the 2026 World Cup final, suggesting that anybody expecting that to happen has “been watching too many movies”. CR7 admits that such a scenario would be “perfect”, but prefers to keep his focus locked on the present – with the all-time great also reluctant to speculate on his potential involvement at Euro 2028.

• Individual targets: Prolific Ronaldo sets personal goals

  Having achieved just about everything – a World Cup triumph aside – Ronaldo has to set more individual targets during the latter stages of his record-shattering career. One of those sees him chasing down four figures on the goal front, with that milestone very much in sight.

  Given how prolific he has been for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team – with 143 efforts recorded for his country – it may be that Ronaldo further cements his legacy before gracing another international tournament.

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• Getty
  

  Dream ending: Could Ronaldo reach 1,000 goals in World Cup final?

  He will be heading to a sixth World Cup regardless of what he has achieved on the personal front, with the evergreen 40-year-old as hungry as ever to savour tangible success. He has written plenty of Hollywood scripts down the years, allowing the history books to be rewritten, but is not giving too much thought to delivering a fairytale ending on American soil.

  Quizzed on whether his 1,000th goal could come in the game that lands him a World Cup winners’ medal, Ronaldo said: “You've been watching too many movies, that would be too perfect. Getting back to reality, all this data makes me happy. A national team never depends on one player, but I like being able to make a difference with goals. It's always good to score goals, that's my position. I want to play in this next World Cup, otherwise I wouldn't be here, but let's take it step by step. If that happened, it would be a good sign, I'd end my career on a high note.”

• Evergreen at 40: How Ronaldo moves with the times

  Ronaldo is showing no sign of slowing down on the goal front, with the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward priding himself on being able to move with the times. He added on being prolific at an age that few reach as a professional: “Scoring goals is the hardest thing in football. I think I was smart to adapt to modern football, physically and mentally, to different club contexts, the national team, different leagues. I think a truly intelligent player adapts to the circumstances of football, and that's how it should be. I'll think like that until I retire from football. You have to adapt; football isn't the same as it was five years ago. What makes the difference between great players is their brains, their heads.”

  While retirement does not dominate his thoughts at present, Ronaldo has admitted that a day in which his boots are hung up for the final time may come “soon”. He has conceded that the 2026 World Cup will be his last.

  He has, however, signed a contract with Al-Nassr until 2027 and stated that: “Let's be honest, when I mean soon I mean probably one, two years. I'm enjoying the moment. But when I mean soon, it's not really soon, because I give everything for football. I'm in the game for the last 25 years, I did everything. I have many records. I'm really proud. So let's enjoy the moment, live the moment.”

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  Will Ronaldo play at Euro 2028? Portuguese GOAT responds

  With Ronaldo’s fire still burning, and many tipping him to play on beyond the age of 42, could he grace another European Championship – having previously captured that crown with Portugal in 2016? Ronaldo said when that question was put to him: “The important thing is to focus on this game. The national team is here to play in a final stage. It's another very important competition for the country, for the players, for me too, and everything else isn't relevant right now. Now it's about enjoying the moment.”

  Euro 2028 will be heading to the UK and Ireland. Ronaldo has some happy memories in England from his two spells at Old Trafford and is preparing to line up against Irish opposition on Thursday as Portugal seek to wrap up automatic qualification for next summer’s World Cup.

Chicaog Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg died on Monday. He was 65.

The Hall of Fame second baseman played 16 seasons in the majors, 15 of them in Chicago. Throughout the course of his career, Sandberg won nine Gold Gloves, seven Silver Slugger awards, and was named NL MVP of the 1984 season.

Tributes poured in for Sandberg from across the baseball world. MLB Network put together a video package celebrating the life and playing career of Sandberg, highlighting some of the brightest moments of his career. You can watch that below.

The Cubs will wear a patch in honor of Sandberg on their uniforms for the remainder of the season.

RIP to a Cubs legend.

Mining the talent pool is top of mind for both teams with an eye out for the T20 World Cup in 2026

Firdose Moonda26-Sep-2024It’s time for a fresh start in the shortest format for both Ireland and South Africa after they experienced contrasting fortunes at this year’s T20 World Cup. While Ireland (admittedly in a tough pool) lost all three matches they played – including one to Canada, South Africa went where they have never gone before and reached the final, only to fall agonisingly short of the trophy.Their snatching-victories-from-the-jaws-of-defeat run lasted eight matches and proved they can step up when the moment calls for it, but maybe not always otherwise. They were blanked 3-nil by West Indies either side of the tournament and while those defeats could be explained by South Africa not having their first-choice squads available, they also pose worrying questions about their depth.Mining the talent pool is top of mind for both teams as they look ahead to the 2026 edition of the T20 World Cup, which means there are certain boxes they’ll hope to tick in this two-match series.Related

• Balbirnie dropped for SA T20Is as Ireland seek 'new dynamic' at top of the order

• Ireland to host South Africa in Abu Dhabi

By the way, if you’re wondering why these matches are taking place in the UAE, and not in either of the two countries playing, it is because Ireland were due to host this series and had to come up with what their CEO Warren Deutrom called a “creative way to overcome infrastructure constraints,” which is another way of saying it’s more affordable to play in the UAE. If that sounds difficult to believe, consider that Ireland do not have a permanent home stadium and have to pay rent and bring in temporary facilities every time they play at home, and it’ll all add up. While Ireland are building a new stadium that will be functioning by 2028, the fact that Abu Dhabi is more economical as a venue currently tells you something.Will conditions be the great leveller?The almost-40 degree heat and slow, dry surfaces are foreign to both South Africa and Ireland, and could bring the sides closer together. As things stand, they are as far apart as two teams could on the T20I competitive scale as South Africa have won all five of the games they’ve played against each other. They also have the advantage of having been in the UAE for an extra week so the heat feels “a little bit more normal,” according to captain Aiden Markram.For their part, Ireland are not complaining about the lack of home comforts, as they see the importance of experience in conditions they will come across at the next T20 World Cup, hosted by Sri Lanka and India, in particular.”It helps for a number of reasons. We play a lot away from home now, so it’s getting used to new conditions again and we’re playing a lot on the subcontinent where huge competitions are going to happen in the future, and the next T20 World Cup is the main one,” Paul Stirling, Ireland’s captain said. “It has its advantages and I think as an organisation we need to get that balance right. You want to play in front of your home supporters and your home crowd but I think it’s okay if you occasionally play the odd away game, which is your home series.”Ireland exploring top-order options – and South Africa should tooAndy Balbirnie is Ireland’s leading run-scorer in T20 cricket this year, with 298 runs from 12 matches, but has been left out of these matches as Ireland focus on “introducing a new dynamic,” according to national selector Andrew White. Balbirnie’s strike rate of 113.74 from his 12 matches in 2024 suggests Ireland want more firepower upfront. Heinrich Malan confirmed that Lorcan Tucker, with a T20I strike rate of 123.32, will open the batting for the first time with Harry Tector, Curtis Campher and Neil Rock to come in at No.3, 4 and 5.Likewise, South Africa may find themselves at a crossroads with Reeza Hendricks, who has struggled through much of this year. He has only gone past 20 five times in fifteen T20Is and faces competition from Matthew Breetzke and Ryan Rickelton. The problem is neither Breetzke nor Rickelton, who have dominated run-charts at domestic level, have made the most of his international opportunities. Breetzke has a top score of 19 from six T20Is and Rickelton a top score of 27 from six T20Is. This is the series for at least two of three to make the opening spot their own.Some relief from spin for South Africa (or maybe not) Just last week, South Africa registered their second-worst performance against spin in any bilateral series where at least 40 overs of spin were bowled at them. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Nangeyalia Kharote and Mohammad Nabi took 16 South African wickets between them in three ODIs. What was clear from the way the South African batters were dismissed was their struggles in reading the turn, especially against Ghazanfar, a mystery offspinner, who coach Rob Walter said they had not seen before.They won’t want to use the same excuse against Ireland and to a large extent, they can’t. South Africa have played against George Dockrell and Ben White and the other spinner Gareth Delaney, has not made the trip after suffering what captain Stirling called an “unfortunate accident,” in the last week. That leaves left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys, who has one T20I cap, and Gavin Hoey, who has flown in for the T20Is, as an unknown. And, no disrespect to Ireland, but this quartet is not expected to pose quite the same challenge as Afghanistan, even in what could be favourable conditions. This may be South Africa’s opportunity to re-find their confidence against spin and show that things are not quite as bad as they seemed against Afghanistan.Who’s got the variations?Seamers have been seen to suffer on surfaces in the UAE unless they have an adequate number of variations, and it will be interesting to see how they approach things in this series. Lungi Ngidi set the tone in the series against Afghanistan, in Sharjah, where he delivered a selection of offcutters and proved difficult to get away. South Africa didn’t use either of Ottneil Baartman or Lizaad Williams in those matches, but both are capable of doing the same and should be given a run in these games.Ireland are without left-armer Josh Little, who is at the CPL, and will lean on Craig Young and Fionn Hand, both swing bowlers who may be able to make things happen under lights but all eyes will be on Mark Adair. He enjoys the challenge of the death overs, has a wide range of deliveries in his arsenal and is a genuine wicket-taker, who last year became the sixth-fastest to 100 in T20Is. Expect some fireworks.

TN are facing a tough build-up to the start of the new season with their main spinners Sai Kishore and Ajith Ram injured

Deivarayan Muthu27-Aug-2025 • Updated on 30-Aug-2025Allrounder Vijay Shankar has made a last-minute decision to move out of his home state Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season. Vijay, 34, has been granted a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and *will be joining Tripura to play alongside Hanuma Vihara and his TNPL team-mate Swapnil Singh as professionals.Vijay had turned out for the TNCA President’s XI in the opening round of the pre-season Buchi Babu Tournament in Chennai against Himachal Pradesh but ESPNcricinfo has learnt that he decided to switch states, after he was left out of the second round against Maharashtra, in search of more consistent opportunities across formats.In the 2024-25 domestic season, Vijay sat out Tamil Nadu’s first two Ranji Trophy matches and also spent a chunk of the 20-overs Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on the bench.Related

• Hungry and on the move, C Andre Siddarth sets sights on Ranji Trophy glory

This brings the curtains down on Vijay’s 13-year stint with Tamil Nadu during which he had captained the state to the Vijay Hazare, Deodhar and Syed Mushtaq Ali titles. After making his Ranji Trophy debut in December 2012, he stepped into S Badrinath’s shoes and led Tamil Nadu’s middle order in the Ranji Trophy along with B Indrajith.Vijay leaves Tamil Nadu with 3142 runs in 81 Ranji innings at an average of 44.25, including 11 centuries and 16 fifties. He also picked up 43 Ranji wickets with his medium-fast bowling, at an average of 53.93. His breakout Ranji season came in 2014-15, when he scored 577 runs in 11 innings at an average of 57.70. He then emerged on the India A radar and made India’s 2019 ODI World Cup side as a wildcard.