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India’s 2025-26 season kicks off with a visit by West Indies in October

Abhijato Sensarma29-Sep-20253:28

What does the squad for the WI Tests tell us?

So West Indies are playing Test cricket in India?Yes, and the double-take is justified. Probably. It’s been exactly seven years since West Indies last toured the country for a Test series, way back in October 2018.The first Test starts in Ahmedabad on October 2 and the second one is in Delhi on October 10. The matches start at 9.30 am local time.Should I bother tuning in?Yes! With World Test Championship points in play, every game matters. India’s results in the home series against West Indies, followed by South Africa, will be crucial to their chances of making it to the final at Lord’s in two years’ time.Woah, slow down… remind me how the WTC works again?Ah, yes. The format has befuddled some of the best cricketing minds of our times.Now in its fourth edition, the format remains the same. Each team plays six series over a two-year cycle – three at home, three away. They get 12 points for a win, six for a draw, and none for a loss. Also, in case of over-rate offences, one point is deducted for each over they are deemed to be behind in the final match tally.The points they win are then converted to a percentage total, based on the overall points available to them, and this percentage-based ranking determines the top two teams, who play the final. All quite simple, really.Umm, sure… Remind me how India and West Indies are doing, again?India are third on the table, with 46.67 percentage points. Their first assignment was an all-timer of a Test series in England, which they drew 2-2. The draw still leaves them needing strong showings across the four home Tests this season to guarantee a good position on the table.West Indies are ranked sixth but that’s only because the three teams below them have not played any Tests in the new cycle. They lost 3-0 at home to Australia in what was an all-timer of a drubbing too. They were dismissed for 27 in the final Test, which led to an emergency meeting of the who’s who of Caribbean cricket.6:18

Aaron on Bumrah pick: India not taking any chances after NZ drubbing

What happened the last time these two teams met in India?The results were quite one-sided in the 2018 series – India won the first Test by an innings and 272 runs, the second one by ten wickets. In fact, the last time West Indies defeated India either home or away was in… 2002.The 2018 series also came when India were in the middle of a dominant home run. They didn’t lose a single series from 2013 to 2024.Something happened in 2024, didn’t it…Yes: the infamous 3-0 loss to New Zealand at home. That result re-contextualises this entire series. India will be looking to prove that it was an aberration, but their side is still recovering from the fallout of those events. Former captain Rohit Sharma, their long-term No. 4 Virat Kohli, as well as the first name on the team sheet at home, R Ashwin, have all retired.Right. Ashwin won’t be around for this oneYes – it is quite the loss, too. Since his debut in 2011, Ashwin did not miss a single one of the 65 Tests India played at home. His impact across all these games – 383 wickets at an average of 21.57 – will be tough to replace.But India have a promising spin trio lined up for the West Indies series. It might finally be time for Kuldeep Yadav to get an extended run in the side. He has 56 wickets at 22.16 but sat out all five Tests against England. Axar Patel wasn’t in that squad altogether but will play a prominent role with his proven all-round ability at home. Washington Sundar will look to match him, having already shown quality with the bat.Leading them all will be Ravindra Jadeja, nearing his 15th year in Test cricket and the vice-captain of the side in the absence of the injured Rishabh Pant.2:05

Is there a role for Nitish Kumar Reddy in home Tests?

How does the rest of India’s squad look?Despite gaining crucial experience in England, this is still quite a new-look side. Shubman Gill will lead India for the first time on home soil. He’s coming off a record-breaking run-spree in England, with four centuries, one of which he turned into a double. Pant is out, still recovering from the fractured left foot he sustained in Manchester. Dhruv Jurel is likely to take up the wicketkeeping duties, while N Jagadeesan slots into the squad after having flown to England as the back-up keeper for the final Test.Karun Nair finds himself outside the Test side after scoring just one fifty in eight innings in England. The selectors say that Devdutt Padikkal “offers more” at this stage.How about West Indies?They are looking for a reboot after the Australia defeat as well, reflected in how they have dropped their former captain and 100-Test veteran, Kraigg Brathwaite. Alick Athanaze and Tagenarine Chanderpaul have been recalled, with their ability to play spin being a crucial factor in the decision.Shai Hope made it back to the Test side for the first time since 2021 during the Australia series, but will be looking to improve on a performance where he scored 118 runs at 18.83 across six innings.That said, for West Indies to be competitive against India, they will need their own spinners to come good. Vice-captain Jomel Warrican and left-arm spinner Khary Pierre and captain Roston Chase have a big job ahead of them.A 2-0 clean sweep still seems like the most probable outcome, no?It is certainly a mismatch. However, West Indies will know that this is the most vulnerable India have been at home for a long time. They’ve lost their stalwarts. Their No. 3 – Sai Sudharsan – is still a work in progress. Jasprit Bumrah may be rested for the first Test given it starts just three days after the Asia Cup final. There are opportunities for an upset.ESPNcricinfo will be covering every moment of the series, so stay tuned.

Aroldis Chapman has seen both sides of the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry, having pitched for New York for seven seasons and now Boston this past season. And, as Chapman made crystal clear during a recent appearance on the podcast, he doesn't intend on ever going back to the other side of the rivalry.

"No way, not even dead," Chapman said in Spanish in response to being asked if he'd ever play for the Yankees again. "If I were told that I was being traded to New York, I'd pack my things and go home. I'll retire right on the spot if that happens. I'm not crazy. Never again."

Why does Chapman feel so adamantly about never playing for the Yankees again?

"I dealt with a lot of disrespect [with the Yankees]," Chapman said. "I put up with a lot of things. I knew that they just wanted to find a way to get rid of me, but they didn't know how. And I just dealt with it quietly, kept playing, and doing what I always do."

Chapman was dealt to the Yankees in December of 2015 in exchange for four minor league players amidst allegations into a domestic violence incident allegedly involving the talented relief pitcher. Citing conflicting accounts and insufficient evidence, prosecutors declined to convict Chapman, though he received a 30-game suspension from MLB.

Chapman, after recording a 2.01 ERA and 20 saves in his first 31 games with the Yankees, was dealt to the Chicago Cubs at the 2016 trade deadline, then later reunited with the Yankees on a five-year deal that ensuing winter.

Chapman, a hard-throwing lefthander who routinely hits triple digits with his fastball, was largely effective during his tenure with the Yankees. From 2017 to 2022, he recorded the fifth-most saves in MLB, a 3.05 ERA and posted a 37 percent strikeout rate.

Unfortunately, for Chapman, his Yankee tenure was remembered more for two key home runs he allowed in the postseason, a 2019 American League Championship Series-winning dinger served up to Astros star Jose Altuve and a ninth-inning go-ahead blast to then-Rays infielder Mike Brousseau in the 2020 American League Division Series.

Chapman and ths Yankees also didn't seem to end their relationship on the best of terms.

Chapman's disappointing end to Yankees' tenure

In August of 2022, his last season in the Bronx, Chapman was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a "pretty bad infection" arising from a new tattoo he had recently got at the time. While the Yankees publicly showed no signs of frustration with the flamethrowing closer amid the unfortunate situation, that would soon change later that year.

Days before the Yankees were set to take on the Guardians in the ALDS, Chapman, after disappointing for much of the season, skipped a mandatory team workout and was then fined and subsequently left off the ALDS roster. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was openly critical of Chapman, calling his absence "disappointing" and questioning whether the eight-time All-Star was "all in."

Judging by Chapman's words, it seems pretty clear who he directs his ire towards with the Yankees.

"I got along well with all the players," Chapman said. "Never had a problem with anybody, even the manager. We're friends and we talk and everything. The bosses are the ones who make those decisions."

Chapman bounced from the Royals to the Rangers—with whom he won his second World Series title—and the Pirates before signing with Boston last winter. He pitched to a 1.17 ERA with 32 saves for the Red Sox in '25.

Liverpool ended a run of three successive defeats in all competitions by claiming all three points against West Ham United at the London Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday.

Arne Slot’s team had lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest and 3-0 to Manchester City in their last two outings in the top-flight, which is why it was so important for them to bounce back with a win against the Hammers.

Alexander Isak scored his first league goal for the Reds after his £125m move from Newcastle United in the summer, as part of an attack that looked very different after some impressive tweaks from the head coach.

The key tactical tweaks Liverpool made against West Ham

Instead of playing Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, Slot opted to go with a natural defender in Joe Gomez in the back four and it was a tactical decision that paid off big time.

The former England international was not dribbled past a single time in the 90 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore, and provided an assist for the second goal with an excellent cross after Szoboszlai, who was able to play further up the field, did well to lay the ball off to him.

Slot also played Florian Wirtz in the number ten role, after he was left on the bench against PSV, and the Germany international completed 93% of his attempted passes in a controlling and metronomic display in the middle of the park.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

The Liverpool boss also made the bold call to drop Mohamed Salah from the starting line-up to play Szoboszlai out wide on the right, days after Alan Pardew suggested that the Egypt international has looked “lost”.

In Salah’s absence, though, Reds forward Cody Gakpo showed that he is the manager’s most clutch player this season with an impressive display.

Liverpool's most clutch player

In March of last year, the £40m signing from PSV was criticised by former Liverpool defender and pundit Jamie Carragher, who claimed that the Dutchman “plays like the game is in slow motion”.

Believe it or not, that’s not the first time the former centre-back has criticised the Dutchman.

Indeed, just after he signed, Carragher wrote that he was ‘baffled watching Gakpo’s early performances,” further stating that ‘Gakpo is not a typical Klopp signing, lacking lightning pace and the capacity to lead a high press.’

There is a languid demeanour to the way that Gakpo plays for Liverpool on the wing, but that is not an inherently bad thing because it is not down to a genuine lack of effort, as shown by his output this season.

The Netherlands international added a goal and an assist to his tally in the 2-0 win over West Ham, setting up Isak for the opener before burying a finish late on to seal the win.

With Salah out, Gakpo once again showed that he is the most clutch player in the squad in the Premier League this season, because he has been the most productive player in front of goal.

Last season, Salah was the player Liverpool looked to when they needed a goal, as he ended the campaign with a staggering 29 goals and 18 assists, per WhoScored.

xG

3.8

1st

Goals

4

1st

Big chances created

7

1st

Chances created

25

1st

xA

2.6

1st

Assists

3

1st

Goals + assists

7

1st

As you can see in the table above, it is Gakpo who has been the go-to man for Slot in the top-flight so far this term, leading the way in pretty much every significant attacking metric.

These statistics show how clutch the Dutchman has been for the Reds this season, because he has been their main star for both goals and creativity at the top end of the pitch, which was on full display with a goal and an assist on Sunday.

Until Salah is able to get back to his best in the Premier League, which will hopefully happen in the coming weeks, Gakpo should be considered the most clutch player in the squad for his output so far.

Liverpool in move for £100m Salah upgrade who "can reach Mane's level"

Liverpool are starting to prepare for Mo Salah’s departure from Anfield.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 30, 2025

Wayne Rooney was ridiculed after admitting it was “hard” to watch his wife Coleen during her stint on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, revealing he struggled emotionally while alone in Plymouth, as she became a fan favourite in the jungle. The former Manchester United striker explained why viewing her on the show left him feeling overwhelmed during a difficult period in his managerial career.

Wayne and Coleen Rooney's differing ends to 2024

Coleen’s appearance on I’m A Celebrity in late 2024 became one of the most talked-about moments of the show’s recent history, as she entered the Australian jungle after years of avoiding reality TV. Her decision came at a time when her young children were older, allowing her to commit to a long stint away from home. Coleen embraced the challenge head-on, participating in 'Bushtucker Trials' and endearing herself to viewers with her competitiveness and resilience.

While Coleen flourished on screen and ultimately finished as the runner-up, her success contrasted sharply with Wayne’s struggles back in England. The United legend was enduring a turbulent spell as manager of Plymouth Argyle, battling a disastrous run of results and mounting pressure. As Coleen captured the nation’s attention, Wayne was facing relentless scrutiny and the stress of a looming relegation fight. This unique overlap created widespread public discussion around the couple, with many viewers joking about Wayne struggling while his wife dominated the headlines.

AdvertisementGetty Images EntertainmentWayne reveals why it was 'hard' to watch Coleen on I'm A Celeb…

Coleen revealed on why she finally agreed to join the show, saying: "I just felt like the time was right. The kids were all a little bit older. I think in the past, the kids have been too young to leave them for that amount of time. But, also, I'd made this decision to start doing some better work again. So I thought that would be the good a good start."

She added that although she was not naturally drawn to reality TV, this particular show had always appealed to her competitive side. "Also, I think it's I've never been one for reality TV. Like, there's not much I would do. I've always said if I was to do one, I'd do that. I'm quite competitive."

Wayne, meanwhile, admitted that the experience of watching the show was unexpectedly difficult for him. "It was hard watching, you know," he confessed to a spate of laughs, prompting the interviewer to ask why. "I was away in Plymouth, so I was on my own as well," Rooney continued, while Coleen laughed beside him as he recalled his lonely viewing nights.

The former England captain added that the impact took him by surprise. "So in the apartment on my own, so I'm watching it, and then it was, it was emotional."

Coleen's positive public image after I'm A Celeb…

Coleen’s appearance on the show coincided with one of the highest-profile public redemptions in recent celebrity TV history. After years of being at the centre of the so-called 'Wagatha Christie' saga involving Rebekah Vardy, she used the jungle setting to reshape her public image. Her warmth, humour, and willingness to take on difficult tasks quickly made her a favourite among viewers, and her journey to the final cemented her as one of the breakout stars of the series.

At the same time, Wayne was enduring a managerial nightmare at Plymouth Argyle. His team entered a severe slump, conceding goals at an alarming rate and failing to secure wins during the very weeks Coleen was excelling on television. The pressure intensified with each match, ultimately resulting in Rooney’s departure from the club on December 31, 2024.

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Getty Images SportColeen's TV future — Wayne's uncertain managerial career

With Coleen’s public profile rejuvenated and her popularity soaring, there has been speculation that she may pursue further media projects following her successful stint on I’m A Celebrity. Her openness about the experience suggests she is more comfortable stepping back into the spotlight than at any point in recent years. Whether she chooses more television or focuses on other professional ventures remains to be seen.

For Wayne, the future is more uncertain. After leaving Plymouth, he has been linked to several coaching roles but remains at a crossroads following another setback in his managerial career. The Manchester United legend has been taking up punditry duties and working with the BBC's 'The Wayne Rooney Show' to keep himself occupied as he decides upon his future.

The question was whether India would pick Kuldeep Yadav or a spin-bowling allrounder. They found a way to accommodate both

Sidharth Monga14-Nov-20255:09

Bangar on India playing four spinners: ‘The team selection continues to surprise me’

A day before the first Test against South Africa, Shubman Gill gave followers of Indian cricket a scare when he said the last spot was between a specialist spinner and an allrounder. It was a here-we-go-again moment. Surely they were not debating Kuldeep Yadav’s place in the side?A moment of empathy later, one thought that the statement was perhaps necessitated by the need for a third seamer. That it wasn’t actually India craving Axar Patel’s batting at No. 9.When the pitch was revealed on the morning of the Test, it was apparent they didn’t need a third quick. So it was indeed the worst fears. Kuldeep’s place was under threat even though India had batting till No. 8.Related

Rib injury sidelines Rabada from first Test against India

A massive sigh of relief must have been breathed when Gill reported at the toss that they had gone from Kuldeep or a spin-bowling allrounder to Kuldeep a spin-bowling allrounder. India were entering the bold new era of trying Washington Sundar as a top-order batter to accommodate a fourth spinner, Axar, in the XI, with Ravindra Jadeja in there as always.The player who missed out is a bit of an experiment himself. B Sai Sudharsan is the first specialist batter since WV Raman in the late 1980s to play Tests for India with a first-class average of under 40. He debuted in England, was left out after one Test, but had played five of the seven Tests since his debut. His average of 30.33 is the lowest among the specialist batters played by India in this period.We can reasonably eliminate an injury because India didn’t replace Sai Sudharsan with another specialist batter, in this case Devdutt Padikkal. That they replaced him with an allrounder is a sign that India are up to an experiment that is not quite outlandish. Experts have suggested in the past that Washington is good enough to bat higher in the order.India have decided it is time to pull the trigger on that experiment because these are the conditions when India have players who can cover up if it fails. Axar, who averages 35.88 with the bat, is a formidable No. 8. If it works out, though, the upside is huge. If Washington can develop into a batter good enough to bat in the top order, the flexibility it will give India is huge.Sai Sudharsan, who scored 87 in his last innings, might feel a bit hard done by after having been blooded at No. 3 in England, but this is the reality of playing cricket for India. Especially in India. There is just too much talent to keep out of the XI.

Former England batter ends playing career at Somerset to forge new beginning in Bristol

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2025Fran Wilson, the former World Cup-winning batter, has been named as Gloucestershire Women’s head coach after ending her playing career with Somerset.Wilson, 33, made 64 international appearances across formats between 2010 and 2021, including eight of England’s matches at the 2017 World Cup, en route to their victory over India at Lord’s in the final.She also featured in the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia, and made the last of her international appearances on England’s tour of New Zealand in February 2021.Domestically, Wilson made her Somerset debut in 2006, before joining Western Storm in 2016, and also represented Gloucestershire in the 2022 and 2023 Vitality Women’s County T20 competitions while developing her coaching skills through the county’s Girls Emerging Players Programme.In the course of her career, she also represented Sunrisers, Middlesex, Kent, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Thunder, Welsh Fire, Trent Rockets, Oval Invincibles and Birmingham Phoenix.Now, she will be taking full-time charge of Gloucestershire in Tier 2 of the new women’s county structure, having worked with the first team on a consultancy basis during the 2025 season.”I’ve done a lot of coaching alongside playing over the last five or six years, but it’s really exciting to now step into that journey fully,” Wilson said, “especially with Gloucestershire, a great club that I’ve been involved with for a long time.”We all want results, but the real goal is to build sustainable success and to put the foundations in place that allow us to compete and thrive as a Tier 1 Club.”A huge part of my role is about building those foundations from the first team right through to the age groups, having a genuine influence across that pathway.”By developing the resources we already have in the county and creating a strong network and structure around the players, I believe we can achieve long-term success.”Jon Lewis, Director of Cricket at Gloucestershire Cricket, added: “Everyone at Gloucestershire is really excited about the appointment of Fran Wilson as Women’s Head Coach.”We went through a thorough recruitment process, and Fran was the standout candidate throughout. With strong roots in cricket across the South West, a deep passion for Bristol and Gloucestershire, and a long-standing connection with the Club, that understanding of the region was an important factor for us.”Fran demonstrated an exceptional range of qualities during the process and this marks a hugely significant appointment in an area where we have serious ambition. It also comes at the start of a landmark year for the Club, with Bristol set to host England Women v India in May, followed by six matches during next summer’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in June.”An outstanding playing career, a history of success at both club and international level and a deep understanding of elite performance make this an appointment we are extremely proud of. The environment Fran will build will be welcoming, driven and true to the ‘Gloucestershire way’.”Our aim is to provide the best possible environment for our players to learn and develop and we believe Fran is the ideal person to lead that journey.”