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Baseball history was made last night in Atlanta when the National League triumphed over the American League by winning a completely made-up swing-off competition to decide the All Star Game. Few will ever forget where they were when the venerable sport entered into this uncharted territory. For many of the people who were at Truist Park at the beginning of Tuesday night, they will say that they were nowhere near the excitement of Kyle Schwarber going 3-for-3 and a random coach being thrust into the spotlight to throw batting practice.

A photo taken in the bottom of the eighth inning shows just how much leg room fans seated behind home plate in the really good seats had due to others taking off early.

Now, this is the exact type of catnip that's going to fly around social media and inspire so many strong opinions about what it means or does not mean. It might be taking the bait to take a side here but with a deep breath, it does feel like this type of look can easily be explained and doesn't exactly mean all that much about the game's health.

First off, the picture was taken after 11 p.m. ET on a Tuesday night. It would be almost midnight by the time everything was decided. That's pretty late to stick around for what is, at the end of the day, an exhibition game. And most importantly, those seats right behind the dish don't exactly get packed with the most ardent diehards at events like these. It's perfectly reasonable to understand how a lot of people in town for all the All-Star festivities who don't love baseball decided to bounce slightly before the third day of activity wrapped up.

Again, that doesn't mean the most passionate baseball fans don't have a right to be a bit bummed out by this. In a perfect world the game's deciding moments would happen in front of engaged and actively-there human beings.

One easy fix would be to improve the pace of play. The All-Star Game featured multiple stoppages for legitimately cool moments like standing ovations for Clayton Kershaw and Freddie Freeman. Plus an awesome tribute to Hank Aaron and the moving Stand Up to Cancer stoppage. Throw in more pitching changes than are typical and, boom, all of that work baseball did to speed things up goes out the window.

Just spitballing but an easy fix would be to begin the pregame hoopla at 7:30 p.m. ET so first pitch can happen some time actually around 8. If Major League Baseball can create something like the Swing-Off, surely they can work to improve attentive attendance for its midsummer showcase.

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

Kumar Sangakkara will perform the dual role of head coach and director of cricket at Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2026, with Vikram Rathour, batting coach last season, elevated to assistant coach.As reported by ESPNcricinfo in September, in Sangakkara’s case, the change in designation is a formality, even as Rahul Dravid, who was head coach during IPL 2025, and the franchise, parted ways in August.Sangakkara had previously served as the team’s head coach from 2021 to 2024, “a period that marked a clear rise in the team’s performance and consistency,” an RR statement said. While Sangakkara was in charge, RR reached the IPL final in 2022 and made the playoffs in IPL 2024.Related

• Royals boss Badale: Samson was 'drained of emotional capital'

• IPL 2026: How the squads stack up ahead of the auction

“We are delighted to have Kumar return as head coach,” Manoj Badale, the franchise’s lead owner, said. “As we looked at what the team needed at this stage, we felt that his familiarity within the squad, his leadership and his deep understanding of the Royals culture would bring the right balance of continuity and stability.”Kumar has always had our complete trust as a leader. His clarity, calmness and cricketing intelligence will play an important role in guiding the squad into this next phase.”Along with Rathour’s promotion, the franchise also announced that Shane Bond would continue as the bowling coach, while Trevor Penney and Sid Lahiri will remain assistant coach and performance coach respectively.

“I’m honoured to return as head coach and continue working with this talented group,” Sangakkara said. “I’m also pleased to have a strong coaching team alongside me. Vikram, Trevor, Shane and Sid each bring valuable experience in their areas, and together we are focused on preparing the players in the best possible way.”We have a clear understanding of where we want to go as a group, and our aim is to build a team that plays with clarity, resilience, and purpose.”The team management group will, however, have a new captain to work with after RR released Sanju Samson in a trade deal with Chennai Super Kings, where they acquired Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, ahead of the next auction.They have also released or traded out Nitish Rana, Akash Madhwal, Ashok Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kumar Kartikeya, Kunal Singh Rathore, Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga. And, along with Jadeja and Curran, have also traded in Donovan Ferreira from Delhi Capitals.At the upcoming auction, they will have a purse of INR 16.05 crore and have nine slots, including one overseas, to fill.

Arsenal have now joined the race for a £88m forward who recently entered “very advanced” talks over a move to Tottenham Hotspur…

Gunners ramping up pursuit of forward amid Eze criticism

The Gunners’ lead at the top of the Premier League table was reduced to just two points on Saturday, with Aston Villa securing a 2-1 win at Villa Park, and Shaka Hislop was particularly unimpressed with Eberechi Eze’s performance.

Hislop said: “He could have been taken off after 30 minutes, I’ll be honest.

“Now I am as willing as anybody to sing Eze’s praises, but everything from Arsenal came down the right in that first half.

“Everything came through Bukayo Saka, so the change had to be made at half-time because Eze was non-existent.”

In fairness, Eze has made a very promising start to life at the Emirates Stadium, with the England international amassing nine goal contributions in his opening 22 matches across all competitions.

However, the 27-year-old’s best performance arguably came in the 4-1 victory against Tottenham, during which he played through the middle, so there may be room to bring in another left-winger this winter, and Arsenal are now ramping up their pursuit.

It was recently revealed that a strong move is being made for Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola, but the Frenchman is not the only target, with a report from Caught Offside revealing Arsenal have now joined the race for RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande.

The Gunners have been monitoring Diomande’s progress over the past few weeks, alongside a number of Europe’s top clubs, while Spurs are also keen, with Sky Sports reporter Sacha Tavolieri recently stating they are in “very advanced” talks with the left-winger.

A deal could be on the expensive side, however, with it being suggested RB Leipzig could look to hold out for around €80m – €100m (£70m – £88m).

Arsenal to "directly contact" £88m forward about joining after talks with his reps

Arteta apparently wants to sign him in January.

ByEmilio Galantini 7 days ago Diomande making "sensational" impact in Germany

The Ivorian only made the move to Germany during the summer, but he has already started to make a major impact, being singled out for high praise by scout Jacek Kulig.

Most recently, the 19-year-old put in a remarkable performance in his side’s 6-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring a hat-trick and completing more dribbles than any other player.

Yan Diomande’s key statistics vs Frankfurt

Number completed

Dribbles (successful)

8 (4)

Key passes

1

Duels (won)

13 (6)

Goals

3

Considering Diomande is still a teenager, the level of his performances in the Bundesliga this season have been remarkable, and he may be ready to join one of Europe’s biggest clubs soon, so it would be fantastic if Arsenal were able to beat Tottenham to his signature.

The hosts had victory within reach but their tournament now stands on the edge with two huge games ahead

S Sudarshanan20-Oct-20253:15

Review: How did India lose this game?

A bizarre thing happens at the Holkar Stadium in Indore every time it hosts an international match. A small part of the wall between the adjoining basketball court and the stadium is demolished to facilitate entrance to the north stand that houses the press box. Once the game (or series) is over, the wall is rebuilt. It is not a makeshift entrance as there is a permanent grill gate, which becomes operational once the wall is broken down.This can be loosely used as an analogy to explain India’s situation at the Women’s World Cup 2025 – the more the things have changed, the more they have remained the same.Against South Africa, India’s top and middle order failed and the lower order got them to a decent score but the bowlers couldn’t defend it. Against Australia, the top- and middle-order gave them the platform but the lower order didn’t contribute and their bowlers crumbled under the pressure.Related

New Zealand in must-win territory with rain in the Navi Mumbai air

The biggest hurdle for India at the Women's World Cup

'The emotions took over' – Mandhana takes blame for Sunday heartbreak

England in semi-finals after India unravel in tense finish

Knight and Smith stay cool in the heat of the battle

Now chasing 289 against England, India had seven wickets in hand, a set batter in, 57 runs needed off 57 balls – comfortable, right? Nine times out of ten, the chasing team would be backed to win in such a scenario. Sunday was the tenth occasion. India slipped from there to a third straight defeat at this World Cup.It was Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur’s calculated assault that helped set the chase up after India were 42 for 2 in ten overs. Mandhana started off scratchily, faced only 18 deliveries in the first 12 overs and scored her first four off the 23rd ball, courtesy of an outside edge. Harmanpreet played her most fluent innings this tournament as India’s senior duo chose their battles carefully. All this after India’s bowlers led by Deepti Sharma helped drag England back after they seemed on course for a 320-plus total.England had two left-arm spinners, a bowling style that has been India’s undoing in recent times. But they were kept wicketless until the 42nd over. Whenever England bowled anything wide outside off, both Mandhana and Harmanpreet used the loft over extra cover to release the pressure. Their 125-run stand came off only 122 balls. Before Sunday, England were the most economical bowling unit (3.31 runs per over) in overs 11 to 30; India went at 6.05 runs per over in this phase in Indore.Amanjot Kaur and Sneh Rana walk off after India’s defeat•Getty ImagesIndia had dropped a batter (Jemimah Rodrigues) and brought in an extra bowler (Renuka Singh). So it was imperative for one of Mandhana and Harmanpreet to see the chase through. Mandhana took the onus upon herself by being patient and, as she later said, avoiding aerial shots. Till the rush of blood in the 42nd over.Linsey Smith chose the around-the-wicket angle with square leg, midwicket, long-on and long-off in the deep. Extra cover was clear and Mandhana was tempted to explore that region to get India’s ask under six an over. But Smith got the ball to drift away a little, which meant Mandhana lost control of her stroke and holed out to long-off.”Smriti’s wicket was a turning point for us, but we still had many batters,” Harmanpreet said after the game. Those other batters were Deepti, Richa Ghosh, Amanjot Kaur and Sneh Rana – all of whom have contributed with the bat in this tournament.England were unrelenting thereon. They pressed both Smith and Sophie Ecclestone into service, and India could score only 31 for 2 in the six left-arm spin overs in the third powerplay. The squeeze was truly on. Case in point being Deepti’s progress: she faced only 14 dots off her first 39 balls and scored 36 before Mandhana’s fall, and 10 dots in the 18 balls since then.Deepti Sharma started briskly but couldn’t keep up the temp•ICC/Getty Images”I don’t know how things went the other way,” Harmanpreet said. “It is a bad feeling, when you put so much hard work and take the game to the end. But the last five-six overs didn’t go to plan. I am at a loss of words but [it is] definitely a heartbreaking game.”Smith and Ecclestone used the Jess Jonassen model of stifling batters by denying them the bat-swing. They bowled from over the wicket to right-handers with three fielders deep on the leg side and cramped the batters for room. India did not collapse; they just could not break loose out of England’s stranglehold.It is not all doom and gloom for India. Their campaign is far from being over. They have two more games – against New Zealand and Bangladesh – at DY Patil, a venue they have recently played a lot at. They needn’t look beyond their latest victors for inspiration: England had lost each of their first three games at the 2022 World Cup and still qualified for the semi-final and finished runners-up.They might have a relook at their team combination again. Do they need that sixth proper bowler? Or can they do with the extra batter and squeeze some overs from the part-timers? Can they hold their nerves in a tense finish after three such outings?There are cracks in the wall. India need to ensure they fix it before it all crashes down on yet another home World Cup.

Blades, meanwhile, will miss the ongoing Bangladesh tour and the following NZ tour with a back injury

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2025West Indies quick Shamar Joseph was in line for a return to international cricket this weekend after missing the Test tour of India, but he has been set back by “some discomfort in his shoulder.” The 26-year-old, who was with the ODI squad in Dhaka, has now been sidelined from the three-match series against Bangladesh as well.Joseph had been picked for the T20I leg of the tour too. A Cricket West Indies (CWI) release on Monday said “he has been recommended for consultation with a specialist in England to start the rehabilitation process.”Before the Bangladesh series, Joseph had missed the two Test matches in India with an unspecified injury. He hasn’t played any cricket since the CPL ended in September. There he represented Guyana Amazon Warriors for five of their 12 matches.Left-arm seamer Jediah Blades also joined Joseph on the sidelines. The 23-year-old, who has played nine white-ball internationals for West Indies, was ruled out of the Bangladesh tour and the following New Zealand tour with a stress fracture of the lower back. Blades will return home for his rehab.Allrounder Akeal Hosein and left-arm seamer Ramon Simmonds have been added to West Indies’ squad for the remaining two ODIs against Bangladesh. Hosein and Simmonds were already scheduled to play the three-match T20I series, which will conclude West Indies’ tour of Bangladesh.West Indies lost the first ODI to Bangladesh by 74 runs on an unusually dark Dhaka pitch on October 18. Their next two ODIs are on October 21 and 23.

The Herons might miss the Uruguayan when they take on Nashville Saturday night, yet his absence could offer some answers as to how they function going forward

Luis Suarez just had to do it again. In fairness, this is what Luis Suarez does: mayhem, chaos, rule-breaking – and often in rather nasty ways.

His latest act? Kicking Nashville’s Andy Najar in the groin during the second half of Inter Miami’s playoff clash. It was the kind of thing Suarez has probably gotten away with countless times – a ball about to enter the box, Najar holding him, Suarez pushing off and flicking his leg with a quick, snapping motion.

Whether he intended to plant his studs in the defender’s groin isn’t clear – that would require a frightening degree of accuracy, a no-look shot for the ages. But the broader point holds: Suarez made a deliberate act to injure an opponent. Few caught it in real time, and there was no punishment on the pitch, but MLS reviewed the play afterward and handed him a one-match suspension. He’ll now miss Saturday’s elimination game against Nashville – if Miami lose, their season ends, and Suarez won’t be on the pitch to help them.

Perhaps more importantly, though, this is a test for the Herons. They have survived without Suarez in the past. They have, arguably, looked better without him at times. And so, it becomes a strange balancing act. Suarez is a key player, to be sure. But they have shown previously that his absence isn't necessarily damning. And this game – win or lose – might just offer an idea of how a post-Suarez Inter Miami could function, not just in the next few weeks, but also for years to come. 

• Imagn
  

  Sticking to a brand

  Of course, this was bound to happen. Every few months, Suarez reminds the footballing world why he’s one of the game’s great villains – an immense talent, but a truly unlikeable one. This is the Suarez brand: brilliance wrapped in chaos. The contradiction is that what makes him great – the tenacity and relentlessness – also fuels the misdemeanors. In a twisted way, good and evil Suarez must coexist for elite Suarez to thrive.

  At his best, Suarez remains an unrelenting pest of a forward, even in his twilight years. He keeps running, shouting, and scrapping long after his body tells him not to. Everything about his 38-year-old frame – the worn knees, the heavy legs – suggests his career should be over. Yet somehow, he’s still fighting on. That persistence doesn’t justify the occasional kick or outburst; it’s simply part of who he is (and still shouldn’t be condoned).

  These incidents are forgivable when Suarez is fit and firing. But when he's off color? Then they start to seem a real issue. He has already been suspended once this season, that time for spitting at a Seattle Sounders staff member after losing the Leagues Cup final. He was banned for three games and should have been out for longer. And now, Suarez is out again.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Messi at false nine the solution?

  The immediate issue here – beyond that, of course, of having an aging superstar with serious anger issues – is how Miami approach Game 3. Suarez is having a poor season by his standards, with 10 goals and 10 assists in MLS. He is not the goalscoring threat he once was, but remains an influential part of the Miami attack. It's a footballing cliche of sorts, but Suarez makes all of the intelligent runs and occupies all of the right spaces. Strikers of his age are supposed to conserve energy and only move when they absolutely have to. Suarez is hardly ever static. Even when he is less effective in front of goal or slower getting to his spots on the pitch, he remains a nightmare for defenders. 

  Miami don't have the personnel to replace him or his impact. What they will have to do, then, is some tactical tweaking. The silver lining to having a player who gets suspended a lot is that you tend to learn how to operate without him when needed. And Miami have done so on a couple of occasions this season. The most obvious solution is a tried and tested formula that has worked for 15 years: play Lionel Messi as a false nine. It worked wonders for Barcelona, and Argentina have done a similar thing for years.

  That might, in fact, be the only option for. Young striker Allen Obando has hardly played all season. Tadeo Allende is a peripheral option. Messi, who is the team's best attacking player and playmaker, appears to be the most logical choice. 

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Addressing tactical deficiencies

  But there will undoubtedly be a bit of a knock-on effect – at both ends of the pitch. Although they started the season in a 4-3-3, recently, Miami have played in a more recognizable 4-4-2. Suarez operates as a central striker of sorts, with Messi able to roam around in a free role just behind him. That makes perfect sense from an attacking point of view. It allows the outside players to get forward and scamper into good crossing positions, which then opens some space for Messi in the middle. This isn't tactically revolutionary as much as basic soccer.

  When you don't have a central striker, though, things change. The concept of the false nine is inherently reliant on having two attacking outside players who pour forward and sacrifice a little bit defensively. It's almost counterintuitive, but playing without a natural forward tends to be far more offensive of a setup – mostly because it can leave teams frighteningly exposed when they don't have the ball.

  Anyone who has watched Miami at any point this season would tell you that is not a very good idea. They're a pretty simple team to cut through, offering far too much space in the middle of the pitch, and limited pressure on the ball when they don't have it. The appeal of a 4-4-2, rather than a 4-3-3, is that it offers a more reliable defensive structure that is harder to play against. Effectively, then, in losing Suarez, Miami will be forced to leave themselves a little more open going the other way. 

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  Planning for the future

  Suarez is a real pain, but his presence alone makes Miami better – at least in theory. Without him in August, they were mixed: narrow wins over Seattle and D.C. United, but a 3-0 thrashing by Charlotte that exposed their flaws.

  That game was perhaps more indicative of how Miami can be attacked than the two wins. Charlotte had far less of the ball, and were comfortable in their defensive shape. They kept Messi quiet, and were incredibly direct and opportunistic when they had the ball. They managed four shots on target, and three ended up in the back of the net. That is, perhaps, a bit of a statistical anomaly. But it is indicative of how Miami can be hit when they're without Suarez. That could easily happen against Nashville Saturday night. 

  More broadly, it could offer some indications about Miami's future. Messi’s under contract for multiple years, but Suarez’s deal ends after this season. Despite Jorge Mas’ hints that the Uruguayan could stay, there’s been no public indication of renewal. There is every chance that he has played his last game for Miami. Now, the Herons have to figure out how to move forward without him. 

Former England boss Gareth Southgate has revealed his squad killed time between matches and training at the World Cup in Qatar by playing their own version of popular BBC TV show The Traitors. And the ex-Three Lions boss has also named the international superstar singer who joined them for a game after joining up with the squad to entertain them during the tournament in 2022.

• England Faithful search out Traitors

  For the uninitiated, in The Traitors contestants are secretly divided into "Faithfuls" and "Traitors" inside a castle. The Traitors aim to secretly "murder" the Faithfuls at night to steal the prize money. Meanwhile, the Faithfuls must uncover and banish the Traitors before they all become victims. At the 2022 World Cup, the England players were playing a very similar version of this, called Wolves and Villagers, and one night they were joined by a very special guest. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Superstar entertains the Three Lions squad

  During the tournament in Qatar, Robbie Williams visited the England squad at their hotel to deliver a surprise morale boost. Ahead of their quarter-final match against France, he serenaded the players by the pool with some of his hits. Williams was performing in Doha and dropped in on the team, who were reportedly delighted by his presence. And Southgate has also confirmed that Williams joined in the card game, where he playfully identified striker Harry Kane as a "werewolf". The unscheduled performance was a memorable moment for the team.

• 'They absolutely loved it'

  Southgate told Chris Moyles on Radio X: "It was the card version, so it was Wolves & Villages, a bit of a different theme, but same game basically. The players loved it, absolutely loved it. Conor Coady was the sort of narrator, so he brought it to the group. 

  "And when we were in Qatar for the World Cup, I'd go to bed at, like, fairly early. Because I'm finished. They're all playing this game around the poolside, and you'd hear these werewolf noises coming across in the middle of the night. So yeah, they absolutely loved it. They got Robbie Williams playing it one night. He came in to sing for us and he joined in."

  In Britain, The Traitors has become a sensation on BBC One, with celebrities currently playing an expanded version of the game; the final airs on Thursday evening and is expected to be watched by millions of people. 

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  Early exit in Qatar

  Despite the fun of watching Robbie Williams sing and the fun  of playing a version of The Traitors, it ended up being heartache for the England player after they exited in the quarter-finals after a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to France, despite a fine performance where they often outplayed the reigning champions. 

  The Three Lions topped Group B with two dominant wins over Iran (6–2) and Wales (3–0), along with a 0–0 draw against the USA. Their journey ended when captain Kane missed a late penalty that would have tied the score, just after having successfully converted an earlier spot-kick to level Wayne Rooney's all-time England scoring record. Southgate was praised for his tactical decisions throughout the tournament, especially in the 3–0 Round of 16 victory against Senegal. The Three Lions scored 13 goals in the tournament, their highest tally ever in a single edition of a major tournament. Despite the disappointing exit, the young squad, featuring exceptional players like Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, demonstrated promise, leaving many optimistic about their future.

“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

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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.”

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has confirmed that winger Oliver Antman is expected to be out of action for around eight weeks after he suffered a muscle injury in recent days.

The Finland international, signed from Go Ahead Eagles in the summer, started on the right wing against Falkirk on Sunday, and is now set to be out until 2026.

Antman is not the only Rangers player who will be unavailable during the festive period, though, as a couple of players are set to go to the African Cup of Nations with their respective countries.

Rohl is expecting Nasser Djiga and Mohamed Diomande to be unavailable whilst they play in the tournament, which means that there will be several positions that will need to be filled in the coming games.

With these absences, on top of the likes of Mikey Moore, Derek Cornelius, and John Souttar being out with injuries, some of the lesser-seen members of the squad may need to step up.

As unpopular as it may be, Kieran Dowell is one of the players who could step up and benefit from the lack of options available to the manager before the January window opens.

Why Danny Rohl should give Kieran Dowell a chance

After being subbed on in a 1-1 draw with Dundee under Russell Martin, a section of the Gers support, but not all of them, booed the English attacking midfielder’s introduction to the game.

Commenting on the incident, Martin said: “That surprised me. I’m not on any social media or anything like that, so I don’t really know what the narrative is around Kieran. I don’t think it helps him, I don’t think it helps the rest of the guys. That’s how I feel about it really.”

Dowell has not played a league match since that draw with Dundee in August, due to injury, but he recently played for the club’s U19s alongside Dujon Sterling and Clinton Nsiala as he looks to return to full fitness.

Given the reaction to his last league outing for Rangers, playing the left-footed midfielder may not go down as a popular decision with some fans, but the Gers look set to be in a position where it could be needs-must with the players due to be unavailable.

Appearances

19

Goals

5

Big chances created

9

Key passes per game

1.5

Assists

4

It is also worth remembering that Dowell, as shown in the table above, shone out on loan at Birmingham City in League One in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he is capable of being productive in the right environment.

Unfortunately, as evidenced by a return of two goals and three assists in 38 appearances for the club, the Englishman has not found that environment at Ibrox yet.

Since joining on a free transfer from Norwich City in 2023, the 28-year-old flop has not established himself as a key player for the Light Blues, but the injury and international call-up situation could provide him with an opportunity to finally do so under Rohl.

Chalkboard

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

One of the other reasons why Dowell could end up with a chance to revive his Gers career is that Thelo Aasgaard currently looks like an even worse signing for the Scottish giants.

Why Aasgaard makes Dowell look good for Rangers

The Gers did not have to pay a transfer fee to bring the former Everton and Norwich star to Ibrox in 2023, as his contract at Carrow Road expired, but that was not the case with Aasgaard.

Rangers reportedly splashed out a fee of £3.5m to sign the Norway international from Luton Town in the recent summer transfer window, which shows that the club had to spend significantly more money to bring him in than they did with Dowell.

Unfortunately, the Liverpool-born playmaker has not shown enough on the pitch to suggest that he was worth paying £3.5m for, as he has made Dowell look like a good player by comparison.

Aasgaard has as many red cards (one) as goals (one) for Rangers in all competitions so far this season, per Transfermarkt, with one goal and one assist in 21 appearances for Rangers.

Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar recently posted that he “would gladly never see him again”, referring to Aasgaard, and described him as a “passenger” at the end of November.

It is, unfortunately, hard to argue with the harsh criticism of the Norwegian attacking midfielder, because his performances at Scottish Premiership level make him look even less effective than Dowell.

Appearances

26

11

Starts

8

8

Goals

2

1

Key passes

20

9

Big chances created

4

0

Assists

2

1

As you can see in the table above, Aasgaard has already started as many games in the Premiership as the former Norwich man, yet has created 11 fewer chances and has yet to create a single ‘big chance’.

Dowell’s Rangers career has not been good enough to this point, as evidenced by his aforementioned goal contributions, but he also arrived on a free transfer and his creative output looks good in comparison to the club’s £3.5m signing.

That is not to say that the left-footed star should be considered a good signing or that he is the answer to Rohl’s current problems at the top end of the pitch, but it does suggest that those who jeered his introduction against Dundee earlier this season were too harsh on him.

As well as highlighting that maybe Dowell was not as bad a signing as has been made out, this also highlights how underwhelming Aasgaard has been for a player who was signed for £3.5m.

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ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025

The caveat, of course, is that the Norway international only joined in the summer and still has plenty of time left ahead of him to turn things around and prove people wrong, but the signs so far have not been encouraging.