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Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has just over a month to go until he will have the opportunity to make his first signing since arriving at Ibrox to replace Russell Martin.

The German tactician came through the door well after the summer transfer window had been and gone, after sporting director Kevin Thelwell provided Martin with a host of signings.

Rangers, as shown in the graphic above, had a high turnover of players in and out of Ibrox after they failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign, under Philippe Clement or Barry Ferguson.

Unfortunately, though, Martin was unable to get a tune out of the squad after those changes in the summer and was eventually sacked last month after a run of five wins in 17 games.

With Rohl now in the building, the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach will have time to assess those summer signings and decide where he wants the club to strengthen the squad when the January transfer window opens.

One of those Martin and Thelwell signings whom the manager may deem needs to be replaced in the winter is experienced central midfielder Joe Rothwell.

Why Rangers need to replace Joe Rothwell already

Rangers swooped to sign the 30-year-old midfielder from Premier League side Bournemouth on a permanent deal during the summer window for Martin, who had worked with him on loan at Southampton in the 2023/24 campaign.

Unfortunately, the English lightweight has flopped at Ibrox, on current evidence, and is yet to play a single minute of action in the Scottish Premiership since Rohl came through the door.

He was ill and unavailable for selection against Dundee last time out, but the midfield flop was an unused substitute in the wins over Kilmarnock and Hibernian in the manager’s first two matches in the dugout.

This means that Rangers have now won one of the eight league matches he has played in and won all three of the games that he has not featured in so far this season.

Tackles

7

Bottom 29%

Interceptions

8

Top 29%

Duels won

16

Bottom 27%

Duel success rate

47%

Bottom 37%

Aerial duels won

4

Bottom 29%

Possession won in the final third

1

Bottom 18%

Ball recoveries

22

Bottom 40%

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has struggled off the ball throughout the Premiership campaign, ranking poorly among his positional peers in the majority of the key defensive metrics, aside from interceptions.

On top of his defensive woes, the Englishman has no goals and one assist in eight appearances in the league, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not offered outstanding quality on the ball to make up for his defensive deficiencies.

This is why Rohl may already be considering replacing Rothwell in the January transfer window, and why the midfielder has been an unused substitute in the last two league games that he has been available for.

Rangers eyeing move for Premiership midfielder

The Scottish Premiership giants may be able to replace the former Bournemouth and Southampton flop amid reported interest in a star who plays in his position.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to TEAMtalk, Rangers are one of the clubs exploring the possibility of a deal to snap up Kilmarnock central midfielder David Watson in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Light Blues are in talks over a possible move for the Scotland U21 international, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season.

It reveals that Rohl is a big fan of the midfield starlet and wants to add him to his squad in the winter market, with the Gers looking to seal a cut-price deal due to his contract situation.

However, TEAMtalk adds that Hearts, Aberdeen, and unnamed clubs in the English Championship are also keen on signing the £1.5m-rated Kilmarnock star, which means that there is plenty of competition for his signature.

Why Watson would be an upgrade on Rothwell for Rangers

Thelwell could land a huge upgrade on Rothwell for Rohl if he is able to beat the likes of Aberdeen and Hearts to the signing of Watson ahead of the second half of the season.

For a start, the Scotland U21 international is ten years younger than the English flop. He has far more years left ahead of him to develop as a player and offer quality on the pitch for Rangers than Rothwell does.

This also means that there is the potential for his value to grow so that he could be sold on for a profit in the future, like a Hamza Igamane or Calvin Bassey, and that may not be the case with the Bournemouth man, as he is in the latter stages of his career.

In terms of the here and now, Watson could come in as an upgrade on Rothwell from an offensive perspective. The Scottish star has scored three goals in 12 Premiership matches this season, after netting four last term, with the Rangers dud yet to get off the mark at Ibrox.

The Scotland U21 international, who Kilmarnock commentator Andrew Milligan claimed has “no ceiling”, would also come in and offer a huge upgrade on the English flop defensively.

Appearances

12

8

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.1

1.9

Clearances per game

0.9

0.1

Duels won per game

6.0

2.0

Ground duel success rate

51%

46%

Fouls won per game

2.3

0.1

Blocks per game

0.5

0.1

As you can see in the table above, Watson has excelled out of possession in comparison to Rothwell in the 2025/26 campaign, making far more defensive contributions at a more efficient rate.

It is, therefore, easy to understand why Rohl is such a big fan of the Kilmarnock star and why he wants Thelwell to get a deal over the line for him when the January transfer window opens.

Watson’s offensive and defensive statistics suggest that he would arrive at Ibrox as a huge upgrade on Rothwell, who has struggled since his move to the club, and provide the likes of Connor Barron, Nico Raskin, and Mo Diomande with genuine competition for the midfield spots.

Thelwell let Rangers star go for £0, now he'd walk into the XI over Aasgaard

This former Rangers star who was released by Kevin Thelwell would walk into the current team over Thelo Aasgaard.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

The relationship between Phillies manager Rob Thomson and outfielder Nick Castellanos doesn't appear to be in a great spot heading into the final stretch of the season.

Castellanos, who once started 236 straight games for Philadelphia, has seen his role diminish into more of a platoon player workload in August and September. Castellanos has started just seven of the Phillies' 17 games this month. But he had a big night Friday, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a two-run homer—his 250th career dinger—in Philadelphia's 8-2 win over the Diamondbacks.

Despite the victory, Castellanos sounded off about Thompson in the cluhouse after the game.

"I don't really talk to Rob all that often. I play whenever he tells me to play," Castellanos said. "And I sit whenever he tells me to sit… Communication over the years has been questionable, at least in my experience. But also, I grew up communicating with someone like my father, which is very blunt, direct and consistent."

The issues between Castellanos and Thomson have been bubbling all season long. Back in June, Castellanos was lifted for a defensive replacement in the ninth inning of the Phillies' 5–2 win over the Marlins. The following day, Castellanos was benched for making an "inappropriate comment" to Thomson, marking an end to his 236-game starting streak.

Castellanos and Philadelphia will return to the field Saturday night to continue their series against the Arizona at Chase Field.

A primer on Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana

Hemant Brar20-Nov-20242:21

Manjrekar’s XI: Abhimanyu to open, Jurel at No.3

Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal got column inches in Hindi and Punjabi in Australian newspapers. But what about some of the lesser-known players in the Indian side? Here is a primer on four of them who could feature in the first Test in Perth.Devdutt PadikkalPadikkal, 24, is a tall left-hand batter who plays for Karnataka in domestic cricket. He was not part of the original squad but a thumb injury to Shubman Gill has opened the door for him. He made his Test debut against England in Dharamsala in March and scored 65 from No. 4 in India’s only innings. He is yet to play another Test but has plenty of domestic experience. He has played 40 first-class games and scored 2677 runs at an average of 42.49. While he has batted everywhere from No. 1 to No. 6, his best has come at No. 3: 1247 runs at 51.95 and four of his six hundreds. It bodes well for India as he is likely to bat one-down if Gill is unavailable.Related

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India's likely XI: Rahul set to open, Padikkal No. 3, and Jurel in the middle order

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Recent form: In September, Padikkal struck three half-centuries in three Duleep Trophy games with a best of 92. However, in the other three innings, he was dismissed for single-digit scores. More recently, he was India A’s highest run-getter against Australia A. He scored 151 runs in four innings, a patient 88 in the second innings in Mackay being the standout knock.Training watch: Padikkal spent considerable time in the nets on Tuesday and Wednesday. He looked good, in particular, when he had a chance to go on the front foot and play check-drives. During the fielding drills, he was part of the slip cordon.Dhruv Jurel is a frontrunner for the No. 6 spot in Perth•AFPDhruv JurelLike his father, Jurel wanted to join the army before he fell in love with cricket. He first made headlines by scoring 249 for Uttar Pradesh against Nagaland in Ranji Trophy 2022-23. But it was his exploits as a finisher for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2023 that put him in the reckoning for the national team. Earlier this year, in only his second Test, he scored 90 and 39 not out against England in Ranchi and bagged the Player-of-the-Match award. In all, he has played 21 first-class games and scored 1223 runs at an average of 48.92.Recent form: In the only Duleep Trophy game he played, Jurel scored 2 and 0 but was impressive behind the stumps, taking eight catches across two innings. He then made 93 against Mumbai in the Irani Cup. But it was his performance against Australia A that helped him jump the queue. He looked the best batter across both sides during his 80 and 68 in the second unofficial Test in Melbourne. Supposed to be a back-up for Rishabh Pant, he is now being considered as a pure batter in the lower middle order ahead of Sarfaraz Khan.Training watch: Like Padikkal, Jurel too practised with the first set of batters on Tuesday and stood either in slips or at gully while fielding. He had another long stint with the bat on Wednesday, which was centred around playing close to the body and dulling the threat of back-of-a-length bowling.Nitish Kumar Reddy has got the backing of the team management•Getty ImagesNitish Kumar ReddyAt 21, Reddy is the youngest member of India’s squad. A seam-bowling allrounder from Andhra Pradesh, Reddy made his first-class debut in 2019-20 but his numbers in the format do not exude much confidence. After 23 games, he has 779 runs at an average of 21.05 and 56 wickets at 26.98. He is in the side because of his potential and T20 performances. Playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024, he scored 303 runs at a strike rate of 142.92 and took three wickets. It resulted in a T20I debut for India in October. In his second T20I, he smashed 74 off 34 balls and took 2 for 23. Can he translate that into red-ball cricket?Recent form: The signs have not been great. In three of the four innings against Australia A, he was bounced out three times. With the ball, he took just one wicket from 31 overs. But he has the backing of the team management. On Wednesday, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel said he could hold one end up as a fourth seamer with his wicket-to-wicket bowling.Training watch: Reddy bowled a lot on Tuesday, something he may have to do if he debuts during this tour. On Wednesday, his ramp shot was a chef’s kiss.Will Harshit Rana get a chance?•Getty ImagesHarshit RanaUncapped Rana, who will turn 23 next month, is another seam-bowling allrounder in the Indian side. If Reddy’s stronger suit is batting, Rana’s is bowling. He can bowl fast, hit the deck hard, and has pace variations. His IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, identified his talent before his domestic side, Delhi. He was the joint-fourth-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024 and played a key role in KKR lifting the trophy. In ten first-class games, he has 43 wickets at 24.00 and 469 runs at 42.63. He has also scored a hundred in the format – an unbeaten 122 off just 86 balls that included nine sixes, albeit it came against a weak North-East Zone side.Recent form: He picked up two four-wicket hauls in two games in the Duleep Trophy and followed it with a fifty and a five-for against Assam in the Ranji Trophy. He was not part of the red-ball series against Australia A but, in his own words, the attitude he plays with is “similar to Australia’s”.Training watch: Rana did not bowl much on Tuesday but was a lot more involved on Wednesday. It is easy to see the logic behind India having him here. He puts a lot of effort behind the ball and, on a responsive pitch, is likely to get a lot of it back.

After a series of injuries, the Delhi fast bowler is keen to “know where I stand” in the Ranji Trophy

Himanshu Agrawal17-Oct-2024Bowling fast has come naturally to Navdeep Saini. He grew up playing tennis-ball cricket, which demanded accuracy. That, in turn, made him bowl full and fast, and develop quick arm speed.Saini first made a name for himself when he rattled Bengal in the semi-final of the Ranji Trophy in 2017-18, consistently touching 140kph as a 25-year-old. Seven years on, he is an India international, although matches at the highest level have been few and far between. While Saini can still continually bowl at 135kph, multiple injuries have hampered his progress.”If someone is a fast bowler, he has to put in a lot more effort to bowl at that pace,” Saini told ESPNcricinfo ahead of Ranji Trophy 2024-25. “Thus, a fast bowler has a lot more chances of getting injured, as compared to someone who bowls at 120 or 125 [kph].”Related

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Saini, with 34, was Delhi’s highest wicket-taker in their run to the Ranji final in 2017-18. He was named in India’s squad in June 2018. While the debut didn’t come, he did make the standby list for the ODI World Cup in 2019.It was a year of promise and the surge began with his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, for whom he picked up 11 wickets in 13 games. In August, Saini impressed on his India debut in a T20I against West Indies.”Virat [Kohli] was India’s captain at the time, and having played for RCB under him, whenever there was pressure, I used to talk to him and he used to calm me down,” Saini said of his early days with India.By February 2020, Saini had shaken West Indies in a series decider on ODI debut, shown his full repertoire – from 150kph to accurate change-ups – against Sri Lanka and New Zealand.”Virat Kohli used to calm me down when there was pressure” – Navdeep Saini•BCCIBut the highs, as they often are, were often followed by the lows. In a four-month period from September 2020, Saini had a miserable IPL, where he also split his webbing. On India’s tour of Australia, he leaked 153 runs in 17 overs across the first two ODIs, and struck only once. In Sydney, in the third Test, Saini made his debut; but in in Brisbane, he walked off with a groin strain. But despite those setbacks, Saini never thought of sacrificing his pace.”Bowling fast helps you create more opportunities to get a wicket,” he said. “That makes you put in a lot more effort on your body. That, in turn, makes you injury prone. So you never know how or when you can get injured while trying to bowl at such high pace.”You only try your best to focus on your fitness, and it is difficult to point out any one reason why someone gets injured more than others.”Since Brisbane, Saini has played for India only twice – an ODI and a T20I each in July 2021. That T20I appearance, against Sri Lanka, happened only because multiple first-choice starters were ruled out due to Covid-19, with Saini batting as high as No. 7, and not getting to bowl.”You never know how or when you can get injured while trying to bowl at such high pace”•Getty ImagesSaini remained within touching distance of the national set-up in early and mid-2022. That was a time when there was intense competition for places with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur all ahead of him in the pecking order. But he never gave up – both hope and pace. He went to play county cricket for Kent, bustling in, extracting good bounce, and pocketed a five-for on Championship debut.”That was all according to the preparation. I put in the same effort day after day while practicing, and then follow the same process in the match,” Saini said. “I can’t reduce my pace, which is my strength. I don’t want to sacrifice any bit of it; pace, after all, is my identity. I have always played cricket the same way, and intend to continue playing like that.”But doesn’t that make him more susceptible to injury?”No, sir. All I know is that I need to take proper care of everything. Sometimes you must sacrifice something to gain something else. The competition is so tight these days that I will never want to reduce my pace, something which is unique to me. It is [up to] my quality if I can continuously bowl at that pace for four or five days in a row.”

Shami feels I should keep hitting the 6-8 metre length; that will prevent me from leaking runs, and all but assure me of wickets. I always follow Shami Saini on the help he’s received from Shami

It turned out that five-for in England was only a brief reprieve. Ahead of the Duleep Trophy and a one-day series against New Zealand A in 2022-23, Saini suffered a groin injury. In yet another comeback, he toured Bangladesh two months later with India A. An opportunity for the senior side was around the corner with both Bumrah and Shami missing. But ahead of the second Test, Saini had an abdominal muscle strain. This is why over the last six to 12 months, Saini has put in a lot of effort to remain injury free.”I have paid more attention to my diet, rest and recovery,” he said. “I have tried to sleep on time, and maintained a particular time for practice to ensure I tick all boxes. I have been to the NCA for a camp. The physios and trainers there are really good: they set up a programme, and that helped me understand quite a lot. They provide you with a plan regarding your training regime. There are also the little things like having a good warm-up.”It was on a trip to the NCA that Saini was able to spend some time with Shami, whom he admires a lot. Saini remains keen to improve his bowling, and doesn’t let any chance to speak to Shami pass by.”Shami has always advised me not to bowl too full,” Saini said. “He keeps telling me that I’m a hit-the-deck bowler, and that the ball moves [sideways] after I pitch it. He feels I should keep hitting the 6-8 metre length; that will prevent me from leaking runs, and all but assure me of wickets. I always follow Shami .”Like Shami said, Saini’s first wicket of the 2024-25 domestic season came with a ball which seamed in. Playing for India B against India A in the Duleep Trophy, Saini went on the fuller side of a length around sixth stump. Shubman Gill shouldered arms, but the ball seamed back in sharply to hit the middle of off stump at 140kph.Saini has been working on his fitness and believes he is on the right track•PTI Initially, Saini wasn’t even named in any of the four Duleep Trophy teams, but replaced Siraj when the latter fell ill ahead of the first round. Saini has “no idea” why he wasn’t picked in the first instance despite “so many boys” getting selected. Eventually, out of “God’s (kindness)”, Saini was not only selected but he also played all three games for India B. He ended the Duleep Trophy with 14 wickets at 25.42, taking back valuable experience ahead of the more straining assignments like the Ranji Trophy.”I played a red-ball match after seven to eight months,” he said. “And since it was a four-day match, I also got to know about my fitness – like how much work I have done on myself, and where I stand.”Saini’s pace hovered around 135kph against India A, with two catches dropped off his bowling. He’s happy with his performance in the season-opening Duleep Trophy, and also about how he has shaped up this year.”There is a certain confidence that [makes me think] yes, I am on the right track, and that I should continue to follow the same process,” he said.When you look at Saini’s numbers across formats, there is hardly anything to choose from – his averages in first-class cricket, List A and T20s are 28.97, 30.46 and 30.80, respectively. But he considers the longest format his strength, and hopes a notable domestic season can take him to Australia.For now, though, the goal is to remain fit and firing, and, no matter the injuries in an up-and-down career so far, never give up on pace. After all, Saini believes competition among fast bowlers in India is at its fiercest now.”It has never been like this before,” he said. “But I know how I have played cricket till date, and the things I have done from the beginning. And I will remain stuck to it.”

Cristiano Ronaldo sent out a powerful message after scoring yet again in Al-Nassr's 3-1 win over Neom on Saturday. The legendary marksman said he is "working on our dream" in an Instagram post, as he continues his pursuit of 1,000 career goals. He now has 100 goal contributions in just 85 appearances in the Saudi Pro League, a staggering return given he's just four months away from turning 41.

Ronaldo bags penalty in Al-Nassr win

Ronaldo bagged his 953rd career goal in the 65th minute of Al-Nassr's eighth straight win to start their league campaign. Joao Felix won the penalty when he was pushed in the back attempting to retrieve the rebound of Ronaldo's close-range shot that had been saved by their compatriot Luis Maximiano. The ex-Real Madrid and Manchester United superstar dutifully converted from 12 yards out, giving the Saudi giants an unassailable 2-0 lead against an overmatched Neom side, who were reduced to ten men after Luciano Rodriguez' dismissal, when he was adjudged to have intentionally elbowed an Al-Nassr player. 

The spot kick was Ronaldo's 83rd goal in the Saudi Pro League since joining Al-Nassr in 2023. Add in his 17 assists in the competition, he has more than matched the unbelievable goal-getting rate he set earlier in his career, making his assault on 1,000 career goals seem like a formality rather than a challenge. 

Advertisement'Working on our dream' — Ronaldo's message after another landmark goal

The Portuguese's message on social media could be read both as a rallying cry for his personal goals, but also for the club too. Al-Nassr sit atop the table with a perfect record, and a +22 goal difference. They boast the competitions best scoring record with 26 goals, and the most resolute defence having conceded just four times.

Ronaldo leads Saudi goal scorers since joining Al-Nassr

CR7 has been the top goal getter since joining the league in 2023, bagging 35 efforts in the 2023-24 season, and then logging another 25 in the following season. Only his teammate Joao Felix has converted more this season; the 25-year-old took his personal tally to 10 goals on the nascent season with his 86th minute effort earlier today, one more than his international and club teammate.

Ronaldo is comfortably the league's top scorer since joining Al-Nassr. Aleksandar Mitrovic is the next best goal scorer with 47 efforts over the same time frame.

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Getty Images SportRonaldo's pursuit of 1,000 goals continues

The Portugal international's personal mission for that magic landmark continues on international duty, as he will connect with compatriots for their continuing World Cup qualification campaign. Portugal first take on Ireland in Dublin on Thursday, before hosting Armenia on November 16. 

His domestic season continues when Al-Nassr take on 5th placed Al-Khaleej on 23 November, with an AFC Cup tie against Istiklol shortly thereafter. 

ICC last month formed a working group, to look into, among other things, improving WTC ahead of 2027-29 cycle

Nagraj Gollapudi06-Aug-2025The ECB is not keen on a two-tiered World Test Championship (WTC) in which relegation could lead to England not being in the same division as Australia or India, thus potentially depriving them of their two most lucrative rivalries.The ICC last month formed a working group, led by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose, to look into, among other things, improving the WTC ahead of the next cycle, which begins in July 2027. A two-tier system was among the most significant topics discussed at the ICC annual conference in July. Twose, NZC’s representative on the ICC Board, is expected to make recommendations to the board.Two-tier Test cricket has been debated for more than 15 years, with the ICC showing its willingness to the idea as far back as in 2009, though Full Members have been split on the issue for various reasons.Related

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Speaking to BBC’s Test Match Special on the opening day of The Oval Test between England and India last week, ECB chairman Richard Thompson said the value of bilateral cricket was dropping because of a “congested” calendar overwhelmed by T20 leagues, and that in most countries, Test cricket had taken a big hit. Thompson said that while a two-tier model for Test cricket was being discussed by the ICC, he was not sure if it was perfect.”There’s a lot of options that we’ve got to look at – tiers would be one of them,” he said. “We wouldn’t want, as England, we may go through a fallow period, and that means, what, we fall into Division Two and we don’t play Australia and India? That couldn’t happen. There has to be a sense that common sense needs to play out here.”Thompson believed that a better solution could be tinkering with the existing WTC itself. He cited South Africa’s defeat of Australia to become WTC 2023-25 winners as an example, where, with the right support, smaller countries could emerge as strong contenders.”The World Test Championship could work better than it does. It has definitely improved the narrative, [and] it has created a relevance,” Thompson said. “Seeing what it meant for South Africa to win – who are crushed by rugby in their own country – and seeing players I know really well, like Graeme Smith, in tears on the outfield, that was a real moment seeing them win. As much as I was critical that they turned up with a ‘B’ team when they played New Zealand [in 2024], it was still good for the game when the underdog wins.South Africa won the WTC 2023-25 by beating Australia in the final•ICC/Getty Images”But the reality of it is, the World Test Championship, if it was improved upon and certain changes were made, maybe you don’t need two tiers of Test cricket. What you do need is a schedule that makes a lot more sense than it currently does, and that must include the volume of bilateral cricket that you play, white-ball and red-ball, and recognising that from 2028, we have an Olympics.”So what happens in 2028, when we have an Olympics, and our best 11 cricketers have got to go to LA for two weeks in the middle of July? That is going to throw up some challenges.”Details of the composition of the working group to improve the WTC, as well as a more specific brief, have not been announced. Some reports have indicated an eight-person committee, with representation from non-Test nations as well. Sanjog Gupta, the recently appointed ICC CEO, is also likely to be on the group.Having clarity over the two-tier model is key for ICC, with countries already having started conversations for bilateral series that will be part of the next WTC cycle (2027-29). With the media rights for the new commercial cycle (2027-31) expected to be put out to tender next year, the ICC is keen to find a solution to make the WTC more meaningful. But, even at this nascent stage, there are a lot of reservations being expressed.Todd Greenberg, Cricket Australia’s CEO, says “it’s in our interest to see a strong West Indies, a strong Pakistan, New Zealand, [and] South Africa”•AFP/Getty ImagesMajority of the Full Member countries have always been split on the two-tier Test model for various reasons: some feared loss of revenue from the ICC’s annual distribution of money in case their country gets relagated, some don’t want to be relagated to a lower tier, and some plainly rejected the idea as an ego basis every time the ICC Board discussed the topic.Todd Greenberg, Cricket Australia’s CEO, who is expected to be another influential voice on the subject, said the bigger countries had the responsibility of keeping smaller countries competitive, including by having a strong first-class system.”The real challenge here is what role do we all play,” Greenberg told SEN Radio on Wednesday. “When I say we, those three countries that [are] putting resources and energy into Test cricket, what role do we have to help others make sure that they step up because it’s in our interest to see a strong West Indies, a strong Pakistan, New Zealand, [and] South Africa. We want those countries being strong in this format of the game, but clearly they’re going to need help. They can’t do it alone. It’s incumbent on all of cricket to help.”

“Talking to CEOs of the West Indies and other [boards], when I was with them recently, everyone’s got a very open mind to this because they know that we’re going to need some level of change in order to extract value in this part of the game.”Todd Greenberg

Greenberg said he was keeping an “open mind” on the two-tier Test model subject to certain conditions.”My open mind is in reference to, if it helps grow the opportunities for those other countries to be stronger, and have better resources in Test match cricket, if it does that, then I’m open for it,” he said. “But if it doesn’t achieve that, and it actually affects the opposite, then I wouldn’t be supportive.”Greenberg pointed out that several CEOs who attended the ICC’s chief executives committee meeting in Singapore echoed the same thinking.”Talking to CEOs of the West Indies and other [boards], when I was with them recently, everyone’s got a very open mind to this because they know that we’re going to need some level of change in order to extract value in this part of the game.”

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has been dealt another injury worry ahead of his side’s looming North London derby clash with Arsenal this weekend.

Spurs travel to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday to face their table-topping rivals in what promises to be a pivotal encounter, but Frank faces a mounting injury crisis that threatens to derail his side’s chances.

While it is still early doors, The Lilywhites appear to be pushing for a top-four place, and are currently sitting fifth with five wins, three draws, and three losses from 11 Premier League matches. Their form has been inconsistent, especially in a creative sense, with two wins, two draws, and two losses in their last six fixtures, with Frank still yet to get the best out of his squad on a consistent enough basis.

The injury situation ahead of the derby is particularly concerning. Frank confirmed that Cristian Romero should be available after being substituted late on against Man United due to fatigue, with the Dane stating he was “just done physically” after recently returning from injury.

Even more positively, Frank expressed real belief that Mohammed Kudus will be available, saying he is “very confident” despite missing recent matches against FC Copenhagen and Man United with a minor knock. Kudus even elected to stay in London and not represent Ghana in friendlies against Japan and South Korea to focus on his recovery.

However, they still face significant absences elsewhere.

James Maddison’s ACL injury may rule him out until summer 2026, while Dejan Kulusevski and Yves Bissouma continue rehabilitation from knee and ankle problems respectively. Radu Dragusin took part in a behind-closed-doors friendly over the international break as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury, so it’s very unlikely he’ll be fit enough to take part, and there are numerous other concerns.

Injury-plagued striker Dominic Solanke is also ‘unlikely’ to feature this weekend, according to reports, as he carries on battling an ankle problem after minor surgery.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Excluding their Carabao Cup win at the Emirates in 2018, Tottenham have won away to Arsenal just twice since the Premier League’s inception, with their last one in the top flight coming 14 years ago.

Tottenham’s torrid record against Arsenal on enemy turf makes for pretty grim reading as a Spurs supporter, so Frank will be hoping to have as many key players fit for the derby as possible.

Tottenham dealt another injury worry as Pape Sarr picks up 'knock'

On international duty, midfielder Pape Sarr dealt Frank another worry after he was taken off in Senegal’s 2-0 defeat to Brazil at the Emirates.

Initially, Senegal boss Pape Thiaw predicted that it wasn’t a ‘big deal’, but he’s since provided another update.

Thiaw has confirmed that Sarr did not travel with the squad to Turkey for their friendly against Kenya, instead remaining in the English capital. The manager explains that Sarr has in fact picked up a ‘knock’, which prompted them to leave him in London to undergo treatment at N17.

The midfielder’s potential absence this weekend would represent another significant blow for Frank, who already faces being without numerous key players for the derby. Sarr has already played 16 matches for Tottenham this season, bagging two goals and two assists in the top flight whilst establishing himself as a regular in Frank’s setup.

The timing of the injury is far from ideal for Spurs, and it remains unclear whether the 23-year-old will be fit in time for their clash against the Gunners.

Tottenham’s medical team will now assess the extent of the knock, with Frank hoping for positive news as he prepares his depleted squad for one of the season’s most important fixtures.

Don’t say it too loudly, but things might be turning around for West Ham United.

Nuno Espírito Santo made changes to his team ahead of the Newcastle United game at the weekend, and lo and behold, came away with all three points.

Moreover, it wasn’t a smash-and-grab; the East Londoners actually played well, with one player in particular doing spectacularly.

In fact, with the proper support around him, that starter could become a leading figure for West Ham and their biggest star since Mohammed Kudus.

Why West Ham were right to sell Kudus

Now, it should be noted that one significant issue with selling Kudus in the summer was that he went to Tottenham Hotspur.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, while doing business with rivals is never ideal, deciding to move the former Ajax star on for £55m was still the correct decision from the club.

After all, while he had a stellar first season in Claret and Blue, he was anonymous at best last year.

For example, in 35 appearances across all competitions last season, totalling 2721 minutes, the Accra-dud mustered up a dismal return of five goals and four assists.

In other words, he managed a dire average of a goal involvement every 3.88 games, or one every 302.33 minutes.

Appearances

36

35

Minutes

3148

2721′

Goals

14

5

Assists

10

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.66

0.25

Minutes per Goal Involvement

131.16′

302.33′

For comparison’s sake, Jarrod Bowen scored 14 goals and provided ten assists in 36 games, totalling 3148 minutes.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 131.16 minutes.

Therefore, while he was capable of some magic moments, Kudus was not consistent enough to justify his place in the team, especially not when someone offers over £50m for him.

Anyway, in addition to Bowe, West Ham appear to have another superstar in the making on their hands this season.

West Ham's future star

It would be fair to say that, at the moment, West Ham’s biggest star is Bowen, but over the coming years, that title could shift to Freddie Potts.

Now, it is still so early on in the midfielder’s Hammers career, but there is a real sense around the fanbase that he could be something special.

Moreover, although he has just one competitive start for the club, he has plenty of experience with other sides, having made 38 appearances for Portsmouth and 43 for Wycombe Wanderers.

However, while his experiences in the Championship and League One help bolster his CV, it was really his performance against Newcastle that has excited the Hammers faithful.

It was a game in which the academy graduate put in a quintessential all-action midfield display.

Minutes

90′

Key Passes

2

Crosses

2

Passes

33/39

Touches

57

Tackles (Won)

3 (2)

Interceptions

1

Clearances

6

Recoveries

1

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (3)

From helping break down attacks to kickstarting them himself, the Englishman was near enough faultless in the middle of the park and totally vindicated the fans who have been calling for him to start for some time.

He would even have got himself a goal if he had worn one size smaller boots.

After the match, one analyst described the Barking-born star as possessing a “similar aura to Rice when he first came through” and as being blessed with a “supreme confidence” on and off the ball.

It certainly sounds like hyperbole, but it’s rather difficult to argue against such statements.

Ultimately, it’s still early in Potts’ career, but as things stand, he looks like he could become West Ham’s biggest star since Kudus.

West Ham 'sound out' £30m striker with Fullkrug 'determined' to leave in January

The Irons are making plans to replace him.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 6, 2025

“Obviously we are down right now but it has to change at some point, and the change can start from now,” Roston Chase says

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-20253:31

Sammy: ‘Our problems are rooted deep into our system’

Away in the Caribbean, Cricket West Indies has got the best minds in the game in the region to chalk out a way out of the abyss – call it 27 all out if you will – the national team has fallen in, at a time when there is talk of the World Test Championship being split into two tiers. Roston Chase, the Test captain, is aware of all this and is hoping for ” that start and to then kick on from there” when they face India for the second and last time in the ongoing series in Delhi.”Obviously we are down right now but it has to change at some point, and the change can start from now,” Chase said a day away from the start of the second Test, where West Indies would be hoping to bounce back after an innings defeat in the first Test. “But it starts with the belief and the mindset of each and every player, and just keep motivating the guys that we can still play some positive cricket.”In Ahmedabad, in the first Test of the series, West Indies put up 162 and 146. They had two individual scores in the 30s – Justin Greaves in the first innings and Alick Athanaze in the second. Their best partnership was worth 46, in 87 balls, in the second innings between Greaves and Athanaze. Not good enough, especially when the opposition has three century-makers in their only innings and have declared on 448 for 5.Related

West Indies' Test-match batting a symptom of far deeper issues

Brian Lara asks West Indies players to 'find a way'

Sammy: 'We did not reap financial rewards' of our legacy

Cricket West Indies announces short- and long-term reforms

“I don’t think the guys are lacking confidence. But it’s just to get that one score, to get that start and to then kick on from there,” Chase said. “It just takes one… get that good innings or that hundred or that big fifty, that then gives you the confidence to actually think ‘I can do it’.”I think everyone is confident, but when we get out there, we didn’t start well as a batting unit and the pressure is on, and it’s for us to soak up that pressure as batters, and still find a way to score, put pressure back on to the Indian bowlers. That is the biggest challenge for us. We just need to get that start and kick on. And we’ll be fine.”Chase’s own Test career has been an intriguing one. He has now played 53 Tests, but has an average of 25.57. To go with a bowling average of 46.25. He scored a century in just his second Test, against India in Kingston in July 2016, and then had two more centuries by his tenth Test. In the 43 since, he has scored just two more, and none at all in his last 24, where he has crossed 50 only four times.”I can’t really speak for anyone [else], but for myself, I just think it’s a matter of confidence and continuously playing quality first-class cricket and so on. Just that knowhow and facing good attacks for longer periods, and obviously, trying to improve on faults you may have picked up early on in your career,” Chase said. “Obviously, when you first start, no one really knows you, and then, obviously, [you] play a couple of games and people see your weaknesses and try to exploit them. So it’s for the players to just improve on those weaknesses from as early as possible. That’s it.Roston Chase hasn’t scored a century in his last 24 Tests•Associated Press”It’s just digging deep for those four sessions and trying to stay in the now and not what has happened before in terms of the ball before or the over before. Just staying in the present is the biggest challenge for me right now. That’s something I have to go with.”Chase has played franchise T20 leagues in the past, in the ILT20, the Bangladesh Premier League, the Global T20 Canada, apart from the CPL, of course. While he is still a CPL player for St Lucia Kings, he wants to commit his future to West Indies, and to Test cricket.”It was always my dream to play for West Indies. I had a chance to play franchise cricket and I still have opportunities to play franchise cricket. But I have given that up,” he said. “So I cannot say that I am not hungry or not hungry, because this is what I wanted to do. I gave up my chance to play franchise cricket and I have taken up the captaincy role [in Tests], which is a big step.”So that just goes to show that I want to be here. I want to play for the Maroon. And I have always given my all for the Maroon.”

On June 15, 2005, Rich Hill made his MLB debut with the Cubs, pitching an inning in relief against the Marlins. More than two decades later, the now-45-year-old lefty received a similar call-up, this time by the Royals, per MLB.com's Anne Rogers.

Hill is expected to make his debut for his 14th different major league team in his 21st MLB season, and could take the mound as early as Tuesday for Kansas City, according to 's Robert Murray.

Hill has put together one of the most unique careers in modern baseball history, bouncing around to nearly half of the league's teams across 17 stints with clubs. The full timeline:

Cubs (2005 to '08)Orioles (2009)Red Sox (2010 to '12)Guardians (2013)Angels (2014)Yankees (2014)Red Sox (2015)Athletics (2016)Dodgers (2016 to '19)Twins (2020)Rays (2021)Mets (2021)Red Sox (2022)Pirates (2023)Padres (2023)Red Sox (2024)Royals (2025)

He also had a brief stint with the independent Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League in 2015 before joining Boston for his second stint.

Hill signed his minor league deal in May, making nine starts for the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, posting a 5.36 ERA with 48 strikeouts and 25 walks in 42 innings. He allowed two earned runs in 3.2 innings for the Red Sox last season, striking out five.