Mikel Arteta believes the international break came at the right time for his Arsenal side as they try to overturn a dreadful start to the Premier League season. 
 
A 5-0 hammering at champions Manchester City heading into the break left Arsenal bottom of the table with three defeats from their first three games and no goals scored. 
 
Arteta`s side host fellow strugglers Norwich City on Saturday with the pressure growing on the Spaniard. 
 
However, he believes the two-week pause has given him time to get players back from injury and bed in new signings. 
 
"We needed some break to try and get players back. Hopefully by Saturday we will have a different team," he told a news conference on Thursday. 
 
"We have a completely different squad. It`s unheard of. Now we have to make it work, we have to glide it together, build relationships, chemistry and understanding. We have to do that really quickly." 
 
New signing Ben White is available for Saturday as are Gabriel Magalhaes, Eddie Nketiah and Thomas Partey, although Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka is suspended following his sending off against Manchester City. 
 
"I`m really looking forward to having everyone available and to try start the season the way we want," Arteta said. 
 
"We don`t want to use any excuses. We know how difficult the start was with injuries and COVID issues we had. We have to reset now. We need to get everybody back on track and start to win football games which is what we have to do". 
 
Should Arsenal lose to Norwich it would be the first time they have lost their first four games of a league campaign since 1923, while never in their history have they failed to score a goal in their opening four league games. 
 
Arsenal fans are growing increasingly impatient but Arteta, who replaced fellow Spaniard Unai Emery in December 2019, said that there was a long-term project in place at Arsenal. 
 
"We have tried to explain the project and the decisions that have been made over the last few months. The amount of changes in the past two years is almost 30 players," he said. 
 
"It`s a project that we believed in and we all take responsibility. Now we have to make it work." 
 
Whether he is allowed to continue leading the project will depend very much on Arsenal quickly climbing the table. 
 
"The pressure is always there to be as high as possible in that league table. It`s down to us to provide everything we have," added Arteta. 
 
New Japanese defensive signing Takehiro Tomiyasu`s hopes of making his debut hinge on a work-permit. 
 
"The club is working hard to try and achieve that in the next couple of hours," Arteta said of the player signed for around 18 million pounds ($24.91 million) from Bologna. 
&nbsp;

Mikel Arteta believes the international break came at the right time for his Arsenal side as they try to overturn a dreadful start to the Premier League season. A 5-0 hammering at champions Manchester City heading into the break left Arsenal bottom of the table with three defeats from their first three games and no goals scored.

Mikel Arteta believes the international break came at the right time for his Arsenal side as they try to overturn a dreadful start to the Premier League season. A 5-0 hammering at champions Manchester City heading into the break left Arsenal bottom of the table with three defeats from their first three games and no goals scored. Arteta`s side host fellow strugglers Norwich City on Saturday with the pressure growing on the Spaniard. However, he believes the two-week pause has given him time to get players back from injury and bed in new signings. "We needed some break to try and get players back. Hopefully by Saturday we will have a different team," he told a news conference on Thursday. "We have a completely different squad. It`s unheard of. Now we have to make it work, we have to glide it together, build relationships, chemistry and understanding. We have to do that really quickly." New signing Ben White is available for Saturday as are Gabriel Magalhaes, Eddie Nketiah and Thomas Partey, although Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka is suspended following his sending off against Manchester City. "I`m really looking forward to having everyone available and to try start the season the way we want," Arteta said. "We don`t want to use any excuses. We know how difficult the start was with injuries and COVID issues we had. We have to reset now. We need to get everybody back on track and start to win football games which is what we have to do". Should Arsenal lose to Norwich it would be the first time they have lost their first four games of a league campaign since 1923, while never in their history have they failed to score a goal in their opening four league games. Arsenal fans are growing increasingly impatient but Arteta, who replaced fellow Spaniard Unai Emery in December 2019, said that there was a long-term project in place at Arsenal. "We have tried to explain the project and the decisions that have been made over the last few months. The amount of changes in the past two years is almost 30 players," he said. "It`s a project that we believed in and we all take responsibility. Now we have to make it work." Whether he is allowed to continue leading the project will depend very much on Arsenal quickly climbing the table. "The pressure is always there to be as high as possible in that league table. It`s down to us to provide everything we have," added Arteta. New Japanese defensive signing Takehiro Tomiyasu`s hopes of making his debut hinge on a work-permit. "The club is working hard to try and achieve that in the next couple of hours," Arteta said of the player signed for around 18 million pounds ($24.91 million) from Bologna.

Arsenal's Mikel Arteta hopes for fresh start after international break

Team India will high on confidence after taking an unassailable lead in the five-match series after thrashing hosts England in the fourth Test at the Oval. Virat and Co. will take on Joe Root's England in the fifth Test that will take place in Manchester.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-5th-test-another-member-of-indias-support-staff-tests-positive-for-covid-19-reports-411850">Another member of India's support staff tests positive for Covid-19: Reports</a>

England will be looking to bounce back and end the series levelled to spare the embarrassment, whereas, Team India will be placing its best playing XI for securing atleast a draw to take the Pataudi Trophy home and winning a crucial away win that will help them in the World Test Championship.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-returns-all-you-need-to-know-about-captain-cools-new-role-as-team-indias-mentor-for-t20-world-cup-411808" hreflang="en">EXPLAINED | All about MS Dhoni's new role as Team India's mentor</a>

Team India might tweak their playing XI in order to take their in-form players forward. India's vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane is struggling with the bat currently. Despite his knock of 61 runs at Lord's, Rahane has failed to score for the Men in Blue.&nbsp;

With options like Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw, India could witness a change in its batting order. In the bowling department, Ravichandran Ashwin could feature in the fifth and final Test against England. With the pace department looking really strong, Ravindra Jadeja could lose his spot for Ravichandran Ashwin to come in.&nbsp;

India's Predicted Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane/Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah

Team India will high on confidence after taking an unassailable lead in the five-match series after thrashing hosts England in the fourth Test at the Oval. Virat and Co.

Team India will high on confidence after taking an unassailable lead in the five-match series after thrashing hosts England in the fourth Test at the Oval. Virat and Co. will take on Joe Root's England in the fifth Test that will take place in Manchester. ALSO READ: Another member of India's support staff tests positive for Covid-19: Reports England will be looking to bounce back and end the series levelled to spare the embarrassment, whereas, Team India will be placing its best playing XI for securing atleast a draw to take the Pataudi Trophy home and winning a crucial away win that will help them in the World Test Championship. ALSO READ: EXPLAINED | All about MS Dhoni's new role as Team India's mentor Team India might tweak their playing XI in order to take their in-form players forward. India's vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane is struggling with the bat currently. Despite his knock of 61 runs at Lord's, Rahane has failed to score for the Men in Blue. With options like Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw, India could witness a change in its batting order. In the bowling department, Ravichandran Ashwin could feature in the fifth and final Test against England. With the pace department looking really strong, Ravindra Jadeja could lose his spot for Ravichandran Ashwin to come in. India's Predicted Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane/Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah

IND vs ENG, 5th Test: Virat and Co.'s predicted XI, will Ravichandran Ashwin return?

From MS Dhoni to Chris Morris: Most expensive buys in every IPL auctions

Finisher, captain, mentor: Roles MS Dhoni has donned through the years for Team India

NBA legend Michael Jordan's game-worn underwear are up for auction by Lelands. The auction that will take place on September 25 will include Jordan’s "personally worn" coats, jackets, suits, dress shirts, belts, and underwear.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/resigning-before-t20-wc-is-a-cowardly-act-shoaib-akhtar-lashes-out-at-misbah-ul-haq-and-waqar-younis-411488" hreflang="en">Resigning before T20 WC is a cowardly act: Shoaib Akhtar lashes out at Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis</a>

"The MJ wardrobe is from the personal collection of Jordan’s longtime personal security guard and close friend, John Michael Wozniak, who starred in 'The Last Dance' documentary," according to a spokesman for the auction.

The Lelands describes it as: "Unusual item shows definite use as this pair of underwear/compression shorts was worn by Michael Jordan with some loose threads evident at the seams. Originating from a family member of MJ's "Last Dance" security guard John Michael Wozniak, it even has a dry cleaning tag inside with the last name "Wozniak" as well as a tag that says Michael Jordan, with the iconic last name on the waistband. About as close to greatness as one can get, this is just one of the many items in this auction that were given to Wozniak from MJ himself including suits, ties, belts, and jackets."

The bidding for Jordan's items will begins at $500. The auction also included the “Holy Grail” of Tom Brady football cards and "the most iconic and desirable [Stephen] Curry card in the hobby."

NBA legend Michael Jordan's game-worn underwear are up for auction by Lelands. The auction that will take place on September 25 will include Jordan’s "personally worn" coats, jackets, suits, dress shirts, belts, and underwear.

NBA legend Michael Jordan's game-worn underwear are up for auction by Lelands. The auction that will take place on September 25 will include Jordan’s "personally worn" coats, jackets, suits, dress shirts, belts, and underwear. ALSO READ: Resigning before T20 WC is a cowardly act: Shoaib Akhtar lashes out at Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis "The MJ wardrobe is from the personal collection of Jordan’s longtime personal security guard and close friend, John Michael Wozniak, who starred in 'The Last Dance' documentary," according to a spokesman for the auction. The Lelands describes it as: "Unusual item shows definite use as this pair of underwear/compression shorts was worn by Michael Jordan with some loose threads evident at the seams. Originating from a family member of MJ's "Last Dance" security guard John Michael Wozniak, it even has a dry cleaning tag inside with the last name "Wozniak" as well as a tag that says Michael Jordan, with the iconic last name on the waistband. About as close to greatness as one can get, this is just one of the many items in this auction that were given to Wozniak from MJ himself including suits, ties, belts, and jackets." The bidding for Jordan's items will begins at $500. The auction also included the “Holy Grail” of Tom Brady football cards and "the most iconic and desirable [Stephen] Curry card in the hobby."

NBA legend Michael Jordan's underwear up for auction

Team India squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup has been announced on Wednesday (September 8). Virat Kohli &amp; Co.'s 15-man squad features the likes of Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, etc. along with some other known faces whereas Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav miss&nbsp;out. Surprisingly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named the team's mentor for the upcoming tournament&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/neeraj-chopra-following-virat-kohlis-footsteps-tokyo-2020s-golden-boy-hikes-endorsement-fees-by-1000-411544">Tokyo 2020 star Neeraj Chopra hikes endorsement fees by 1000%</a>

BCCI shared the news on its official Twitter handle and shared the entire squad, which is as follows:&nbsp;

<h2>SQUAD:&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Chahar, Varun Chakravarthy

Reserves: 
Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur

&nbsp;

For the unversed, India will commence their campaign on October 24 by taking on arch-rival Pakistan at Dubai International cricket stadium.&nbsp;&nbsp;Previously, the arch-rivals met at the 2019 50-over World Cup in England, where India won against Pakistan and maintained&nbsp;their unbeaten record in World Cups.&nbsp;

India's group, i.e. Group 2, comprises Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan and two other teams who will join from the qualifiers.&nbsp;

The Men in Blue, who won the inaugural edition in 2007, will aim for their second title and first ICC title since 2013. The second and final leg of the IPL 2021 edition will serve as a perfect dress rehearsal for the Indian players who will feature in the marquee event.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on August 17 announced the schedule of the Men's T20 World Cup 2021 as the high-octane event will get underway from 17 October. The final clash will be in Dubai on November 14 and a reserve day is also kept aside on November 15.

Team India squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup has been announced on Wednesday (September 8). Virat Kohli & Co.'s 15-man squad features the likes of Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, etc.

Team India squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup has been announced on Wednesday (September 8). Virat Kohli & Co.'s 15-man squad features the likes of Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, etc. along with some other known faces whereas Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav miss out. Surprisingly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named the team's mentor for the upcoming tournament ALSO READ: Tokyo 2020 star Neeraj Chopra hikes endorsement fees by 1000% BCCI shared the news on its official Twitter handle and shared the entire squad, which is as follows: SQUAD: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Chahar, Varun Chakravarthy Reserves: Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur For the unversed, India will commence their campaign on October 24 by taking on arch-rival Pakistan at Dubai International cricket stadium. Previously, the arch-rivals met at the 2019 50-over World Cup in England, where India won against Pakistan and maintained their unbeaten record in World Cups. India's group, i.e. Group 2, comprises Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan and two other teams who will join from the qualifiers. The Men in Blue, who won the inaugural edition in 2007, will aim for their second title and first ICC title since 2013. The second and final leg of the IPL 2021 edition will serve as a perfect dress rehearsal for the Indian players who will feature in the marquee event. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on August 17 announced the schedule of the Men's T20 World Cup 2021 as the high-octane event will get underway from 17 October. The final clash will be in Dubai on November 14 and a reserve day is also kept aside on November 15.

Virat Kohli's India squad for T20 World Cup announced, MS Dhoni named team mentor; R Ashwin included

Australia's spin legend Shane Warne lauded Indian captain Virat Kohli after thrashing hosts England by 157 runs in the fourth Test at the Oval.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/photos/five-indian-cricketers-who-could-miss-out-on-squad-for-t20-world-cup-411643" hreflang="en">Five Indian cricketers who could miss out on squad for T20 World Cup!</a>

Warne called Kohli is the biggest superstar in world cricket and said that Indian players look up to him and support him unconditionally.

“They look up to him. He’s got the respect of all the players. They back him and they play for him. It’s important for a captain that a team plays for you. I think the way Virat conducts himself, we’ve all got to say, ‘Thank You Virat’,” Warne told in the post-match show of Sky Sports.

Indian captain Virat Kohli has often promoted Test cricket and has talked about the importance of the format in the game of cricket.&nbsp;

“He loves Test cricket and he’s made it a priority. India is a powerhouse in world cricket and you’ve got the biggest superstar in the planet, Virat Kohli, saying Test cricket is important, we’re going to Australia and win and we’re going to England and win,” Warne stated.

Indian skipper Kohli praised the team as he rated his team's bowling performance in the fourth Test among top-three in his captaincy stint.

"This is among the top three bowling performances I have witnessed as India captain," Kohli said with a big smile on his face during the presentation ceremony.

"I think the best thing about both the games has been the character the team has showed. We are not looking to survive in this game, we are here to win. Really proud of the character the team has showed," he added. &nbsp;

Australia's spin legend Shane Warne lauded Indian captain Virat Kohli after thrashing hosts England by 157 runs in the fourth Test at the Oval. ALSO READ: Five Indian cricketers who could miss out on squad for T20 World Cup!

Australia's spin legend Shane Warne lauded Indian captain Virat Kohli after thrashing hosts England by 157 runs in the fourth Test at the Oval. ALSO READ: Five Indian cricketers who could miss out on squad for T20 World Cup! Warne called Kohli is the biggest superstar in world cricket and said that Indian players look up to him and support him unconditionally. “They look up to him. He’s got the respect of all the players. They back him and they play for him. It’s important for a captain that a team plays for you. I think the way Virat conducts himself, we’ve all got to say, ‘Thank You Virat’,” Warne told in the post-match show of Sky Sports. Indian captain Virat Kohli has often promoted Test cricket and has talked about the importance of the format in the game of cricket. “He loves Test cricket and he’s made it a priority. India is a powerhouse in world cricket and you’ve got the biggest superstar in the planet, Virat Kohli, saying Test cricket is important, we’re going to Australia and win and we’re going to England and win,” Warne stated. Indian skipper Kohli praised the team as he rated his team's bowling performance in the fourth Test among top-three in his captaincy stint. "This is among the top three bowling performances I have witnessed as India captain," Kohli said with a big smile on his face during the presentation ceremony. "I think the best thing about both the games has been the character the team has showed. We are not looking to survive in this game, we are here to win. Really proud of the character the team has showed," he added.

'Biggest superstar in the planet': Shane Warne on Virat Kohli

Five Indian cricketers who could miss out on squad for T20 World Cup!

England batter Ollie Pope and India all-rounder Shardul Thakur have made notable gains in the ICC Men`s Test Player Rankings after fine performances in the fourth Test of their ICC World Test Championship series played at The Oval.

Pope`s first innings knock of 82 has helped him advance nine slots to 49th position among batters while Thakur`s two half-centuries have lifted him a good 59 places to 79th position. Thakur has also moved up seven places to 49th in the bowlers` list after finishing with four wickets in the match.

India opener Rohit Sharma remains fifth but his match-winning 127 in the second innings sees him increase the lead over captain Virat Kohli from seven to 30 rating points while fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is up from 10th to ninth after finishing with two wickets in each innings of the match.

England all-rounder Chris Woakes is another one to progress in the latest weekly update, gaining seven places to reach 87th among batters and three places to 23rd among bowlers after finishing with seven wickets at The Oval. Ollie Robinson`s five wickets have lifted him three places to 33rd.

In the ICC Men`s ODI Player Rankings, South Africa opener Janneman Malan has moved up 31 places to 34th after scoring 162 runs in the three-match ICC Men`s Cricket World Cup Super League series that Sri Lanka won 2-1.

Aiden Markram (up six places to 69th) and Heinrich Klaasen (up seven places to 70th) are the others from the team to progress among batters. Left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who is the top-ranked bowler in T20Is, has moved up nine places to 28th among bowlers.

Sri Lanka`s Avishka Fernando is up 11 places to 41st while Kariyawasa Asalanka`s series topping 196 runs see him shoot up 122 places to 66th position. Wanindu Hasaranga is up three places to 32nd among bowlers.

In the ICC Men`s T20I Player Rankings, Paul Stirling has gained nine slots to reach 14th place after scoring 234 runs in the five-match series against Zimbabwe, which they won at home. Craig Ervine is another batter to move up the batting rankings, from 128th to 85th.

For Bangladesh, spin bowlers Shakib Al Hassan and Mehedi Hasan, who have four wickets each in the first three matches of their ongoing five-match home series against New Zealand, have also progressed. Shakib has gone up from 12th to ninth and Mehedi from 91st to 24th.&nbsp;

England batter Ollie Pope and India all-rounder Shardul Thakur have made notable gains in the ICC Men`s Test Player Rankings after fine performances in the fourth Test of their ICC World Test Championship series played at The Oval.

England batter Ollie Pope and India all-rounder Shardul Thakur have made notable gains in the ICC Men`s Test Player Rankings after fine performances in the fourth Test of their ICC World Test Championship series played at The Oval. Pope`s first innings knock of 82 has helped him advance nine slots to 49th position among batters while Thakur`s two half-centuries have lifted him a good 59 places to 79th position. Thakur has also moved up seven places to 49th in the bowlers` list after finishing with four wickets in the match. India opener Rohit Sharma remains fifth but his match-winning 127 in the second innings sees him increase the lead over captain Virat Kohli from seven to 30 rating points while fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is up from 10th to ninth after finishing with two wickets in each innings of the match. England all-rounder Chris Woakes is another one to progress in the latest weekly update, gaining seven places to reach 87th among batters and three places to 23rd among bowlers after finishing with seven wickets at The Oval. Ollie Robinson`s five wickets have lifted him three places to 33rd. In the ICC Men`s ODI Player Rankings, South Africa opener Janneman Malan has moved up 31 places to 34th after scoring 162 runs in the three-match ICC Men`s Cricket World Cup Super League series that Sri Lanka won 2-1. Aiden Markram (up six places to 69th) and Heinrich Klaasen (up seven places to 70th) are the others from the team to progress among batters. Left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who is the top-ranked bowler in T20Is, has moved up nine places to 28th among bowlers. Sri Lanka`s Avishka Fernando is up 11 places to 41st while Kariyawasa Asalanka`s series topping 196 runs see him shoot up 122 places to 66th position. Wanindu Hasaranga is up three places to 32nd among bowlers. In the ICC Men`s T20I Player Rankings, Paul Stirling has gained nine slots to reach 14th place after scoring 234 runs in the five-match series against Zimbabwe, which they won at home. Craig Ervine is another batter to move up the batting rankings, from 128th to 85th. For Bangladesh, spin bowlers Shakib Al Hassan and Mehedi Hasan, who have four wickets each in the first three matches of their ongoing five-match home series against New Zealand, have also progressed. Shakib has gone up from 12th to ninth and Mehedi from 91st to 24th.

ICC Test Rankings: Rohit retains fifth place, Bumrah moves to 9th

Delhi Capitals` leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who has taken the second-most wickets (166) in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has been trying to get used to the conditions in the UAE during the pre-season camp in Dubai ahead of the second half of the IPL 2021.

Mishra, who was diagnosed with Covid-19 just before the IPL was suspended in May 2021, spoke about how he re-built his fitness post recovery from the illness.

"After the IPL was suspended in May, I focussed on my recovery from Covid-19. According to the advice given to me by the doctors, I improved my fitness slowly and steadily. It was difficult for me during the recovery phase, but I am happy that I am here for the second half of the season. I trained on my own and didn`t go close to anybody after recovery. I got some gym equipment such as treadmill and set them up at my home as well because I didn`t want to train in a public gym," said Mishra.

Delhi Capitals had a fantastic run in the first half of the tournament, recording 6 wins in 8 matches.

However, Mishra expressed that all teams will have to start afresh when the season resumes this month, "We are at the top of the table right now, but we have to start afresh. We have to set our strategies again. I think every team has an equal chance of doing well now since we are all re-starting the tournament. We are playing the second half of the IPL in a different country, so we have to devise our strategies according to the conditions here in the UAE."

The leg-spinner added that Delhi Capitals will try to build on the momentum they had in the first half of the season.

"We have been doing well in the last two seasons and the performances have come because of a collective effort. From coaches to selectors to players, everyone should be credited for Delhi Capitals` progress as a team in the last few years. We will try to build on our momentum from the first half of the IPL 2021 season and take one match at a time once the season resumes," said the 38-year-old.

Delhi Capitals is set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on September 22 when the IPL 2021 season resumes.&nbsp;

Delhi Capitals` leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who has taken the second-most wickets (166) in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has been trying to get used to the conditions in the UAE during the pre-season camp in Dubai ahead of the second half of the IPL 2021.

Delhi Capitals` leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who has taken the second-most wickets (166) in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has been trying to get used to the conditions in the UAE during the pre-season camp in Dubai ahead of the second half of the IPL 2021. Mishra, who was diagnosed with Covid-19 just before the IPL was suspended in May 2021, spoke about how he re-built his fitness post recovery from the illness. "After the IPL was suspended in May, I focussed on my recovery from Covid-19. According to the advice given to me by the doctors, I improved my fitness slowly and steadily. It was difficult for me during the recovery phase, but I am happy that I am here for the second half of the season. I trained on my own and didn`t go close to anybody after recovery. I got some gym equipment such as treadmill and set them up at my home as well because I didn`t want to train in a public gym," said Mishra. Delhi Capitals had a fantastic run in the first half of the tournament, recording 6 wins in 8 matches. However, Mishra expressed that all teams will have to start afresh when the season resumes this month, "We are at the top of the table right now, but we have to start afresh. We have to set our strategies again. I think every team has an equal chance of doing well now since we are all re-starting the tournament. We are playing the second half of the IPL in a different country, so we have to devise our strategies according to the conditions here in the UAE." The leg-spinner added that Delhi Capitals will try to build on the momentum they had in the first half of the season. "We have been doing well in the last two seasons and the performances have come because of a collective effort. From coaches to selectors to players, everyone should be credited for Delhi Capitals` progress as a team in the last few years. We will try to build on our momentum from the first half of the IPL 2021 season and take one match at a time once the season resumes," said the 38-year-old. Delhi Capitals is set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on September 22 when the IPL 2021 season resumes.

IPL 2021: We'll try to build our momentum from first half of season, says DC's Amit Mishra

Gerard Pique talked about his relationship with former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. He revealed that his ties with the Spaniard changed when he started dating Colombian singer Shakira.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-will-retire-at-barcelona-gerard-pique-drops-a-major-hint-on-his-future-411579" hreflang="en">'I will retire at Barcelona': Gerard Pique drops a major hint on his future</a>

The star defender returned to Barcelona from Manchester United in 2008 and went on to win three LaLiga titles and had two Champions League cups in the next four years under Guardiola.

But Pique's ties with Guardiola had taken a hit in his (Pep Guardiola) last year as Barca coach.&nbsp;

"We reached a moment of tension with him, not just me but the dressing room in general," Pique told La Sotana on Monday.

"The rivalry with Jose Mourinho [at Real Madrid] wore us down a lot. Pep wanted absolute control over everything that was happening.

"I started dating Shakira and our relationship changed. Now, the relationship is perfect. But there was a lot of pressure on me then. I felt like I had to do everything in training perfectly.

"If there was a moment I thought about leaving Barca, it was that [2011-12] season. I struggled in that last season with Guardiola."

Gerard Pique talked about his relationship with former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. He revealed that his ties with the Spaniard changed when he started dating Colombian singer Shakira.

Gerard Pique talked about his relationship with former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. He revealed that his ties with the Spaniard changed when he started dating Colombian singer Shakira. ALSO READ: 'I will retire at Barcelona': Gerard Pique drops a major hint on his future The star defender returned to Barcelona from Manchester United in 2008 and went on to win three LaLiga titles and had two Champions League cups in the next four years under Guardiola. But Pique's ties with Guardiola had taken a hit in his (Pep Guardiola) last year as Barca coach. "We reached a moment of tension with him, not just me but the dressing room in general," Pique told La Sotana on Monday. "The rivalry with Jose Mourinho [at Real Madrid] wore us down a lot. Pep wanted absolute control over everything that was happening. "I started dating Shakira and our relationship changed. Now, the relationship is perfect. But there was a lot of pressure on me then. I felt like I had to do everything in training perfectly. "If there was a moment I thought about leaving Barca, it was that [2011-12] season. I struggled in that last season with Guardiola."

'I started dating Shakira and our relationship changed': Gerard Pique on Pep Guardiola

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan defended Indian captain Virat Kohli's trumpet gesture and said that he saw nothing wrong with it.&nbsp;

The Indian skipper is known for expressing his heart out on the field, he vents when he is angry, he celebrates when the team does well. One such incident happened during the final day of the fourth Test as Virat was spotted blowing a trumpet at the Barmy Army in the air while celebrating England's fall of wickets.&nbsp;

"Virat Kohli is an incredible leader. He's just got this buzz of energy. He was taking the p*** out of the Barmy Army with these trumpet signs," Vaughan told Fox Sports.

"I love it. We don't have enough characters in the game and mimicking the crowd, trying to get his own supporters going. When they came out after lunch he was getting them going. It was like he was at the end of the long jump in the Olympics trying to get the crowd going. He's an amazing character and yesterday he gave a tactical masterclass on how to win a Test match," said Vaughan.

Earlier, former Indian cricketer, Wasim Jaffer has defended the skipper Virat Kohli over his viral celebration.&nbsp;

Jaffer re-tweeted a post of Fox Sports that stated Virat's celebration as "classless". While "fixing" that headline, Jaffer wrote, "Captain Courageous: World applauds as Virat Kohli's team brings dead game to life and scripts historic win."&nbsp;

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan defended Indian captain Virat Kohli's trumpet gesture and said that he saw nothing wrong with it. The Indian skipper is known for expressing his heart out on the field, he vents when he is angry, he celebrates when the team does well.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan defended Indian captain Virat Kohli's trumpet gesture and said that he saw nothing wrong with it. The Indian skipper is known for expressing his heart out on the field, he vents when he is angry, he celebrates when the team does well. One such incident happened during the final day of the fourth Test as Virat was spotted blowing a trumpet at the Barmy Army in the air while celebrating England's fall of wickets. "Virat Kohli is an incredible leader. He's just got this buzz of energy. He was taking the p*** out of the Barmy Army with these trumpet signs," Vaughan told Fox Sports. "I love it. We don't have enough characters in the game and mimicking the crowd, trying to get his own supporters going. When they came out after lunch he was getting them going. It was like he was at the end of the long jump in the Olympics trying to get the crowd going. He's an amazing character and yesterday he gave a tactical masterclass on how to win a Test match," said Vaughan. Earlier, former Indian cricketer, Wasim Jaffer has defended the skipper Virat Kohli over his viral celebration. Jaffer re-tweeted a post of Fox Sports that stated Virat's celebration as "classless". While "fixing" that headline, Jaffer wrote, "Captain Courageous: World applauds as Virat Kohli's team brings dead game to life and scripts historic win."

'He's an amazing character': Michael Vaughan defends Virat Kohli's trumpet celebrations

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