Glasgow Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell has been questioned by some supporters for the work that was done during the summer transfer, with signings and the appointment of Russell Martin.

It is hard to describe the former Southampton manager’s tenure at Ibrox as anything other than disastrous after he won five matches in all competitions before being sacked last month.

The ex-Rangers centre-back did not have much joy in the dugout during his second stint at the club, as a manager rather than as a player, with 24 goals conceded in 17 matches.

On top of the clearly poor decision to bring Martin to Ibrox, Thelwell’s signings during the summer transfer window have come under some scrutiny, after the new owners provided him with plenty of money to spend.

The appointment of Martin and the work done in the summer window led to a start of one win in the first eight matches of the Scottish Premiership season for the Light Blues, which has put them on the back foot in the title race.

Danny Rohl has come in and won all four of his Premiership games in charge, to his credit, but there are still several summer signings who are yet to prove their worth.

Picking out the worst summer signings for Rangers

It would be hard to look past the most expensive signing of the summer when talking about the worst signings, as Youssef Chermiti was signed for £8m from Everton. That is the most money Rangers have paid for a player since they paid £12m to sign Tore Andre Flo in 2000.

Since that mega-money move to Ibrox, the Portugal U21 international has scored one goal in 13 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues this season, and that goal came via some rather questionable goalkeeping, as shown in the clip below.

Chermiti is not the only centre-forward signing who has struggled this season, though, as Rangers signed Bojan Miovski for a fee of up to £4.2m and he has delivered two goals in 16 outings in all competitions, per Sofascore.

Further back on the pitch, central midfielder Joe Rothwell has been a disappointment since his permanent move from Bournemouth. The 30-year-old talent was brought in to offer experience and quality in the middle of the park, but he has failed to make a positive impact.

25/26 Premiership

Rothwell

Percentile rank vs CMs

Tackles

7

Bottom 27%

Interceptions

8

Top 29%

Duels won

16

Bottom 26%

Duel success rate

47%

Bottom 39%

Aerial duels won

4

Bottom 25%

Possession won in the final third

1

Bottom 19%

Ball recoveries

22

Bottom 36%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the English flop ranks poorly among his positional peers in the Premiership in a host of key defensive metrics, whilst playing as a number six for the Light Blues.

Thelo Aasgaard, who was signed from Luton Town, is another summer signing who has failed to deliver, with one goal and one assist in 19 appearances in all competitions, per Sofascore, which shows that the attacking midfielder has been ineffective at the top end of the pitch.

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Whilst there are understandable question marks over all of the summer signings mentioned so far, there is a player signed by Thelwell who impressed against Livingston, and may be on his way to becoming the new Calvin Bassey at Ibrox.

After signing from Leicester in 2020, the Nigeria international only played eight Premiership games in his first season. In the 2021/22 campaign, the versatile defender featured in just three of the first nine league games under Steven Gerrard, per Transfermarkt.

The left-footed star then became a regular in the side when Giovanni van Bronckhorst took over in October and went on to play 50 games in all competitions before sealing a £19.6m move to Ajax in the summer of 2021.

Now, central defender Emmanuel Fernandez could follow a similar path to success at Ibrox after he produced an impressive display against Livingston on Saturday.

Why Emmanuel Fernandez may be the next Calvin Bassey for Rangers

As was the case with Bassey under Gerrard, the summer signing from Peterborough rarely got an opportunity to showcase what he could do on the pitch during Martin’s time at the club.

Per Transfermarkt, Fernandez featured in one of Martin’s seven league matches in charge of the Light Blues and was an unused substitute in all six of the Champions League qualifiers.

The 24-year-old centre-back only started in a 1-1 draw with St Mirren in the Premiership and a 4-2 win over Alloa Athletic in the League Cup, scoring his first goal for the club in the latter appearance.

Fernandez finally got his first start in the league of the Rohl era against Livingston on Saturday and did not disappoint. On top of scoring the opening goal in the match, making it two goals in three starts for the club, he won eight of his 13 duels and was not dribbled past a single time, per Sofascore.

After the win over Livingston, one Rangers podcaster described him as a “massive” player who “makes a difference” at both ends of the pitch because of his imposing physique.

25/26 Premiership

Emmanuel Fernandez per 90

Percentile rank vs CBs

Tackles made

0.99

Bottom 26%

Duels won

10.44

Top 1%

Duel success rate

72.4%

Top 5%

Aerial duels won

6.96

Top 1%

Aerial duel success rate

87.5%

Top 1%

Interceptions

2.49

Top 5%

Shots blocked

0.99

Top 31%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, Fernandez is one of the most dominant and impressive central defenders in the Premiership if you compare his two starts in the league to his positional peers on a per 90 basis.

These statistics suggest that the English defender deserves more chances to start and showcase his quality, which he may well get with John Souttar and Derek Cornelius both missing through injury at the moment.

If he continues to start and produce the level of performance that he has in his first two outings in the division, Fernandez could go on to be a defensive monster for Rohl and anchor the team for the foreseeable future.

Like Bassey, Rangers may look back in the future and wonder why he did not play more regularly earlier in the season, because the towering star looks like he has been a hidden gem at Ibrox.

Related Fewer touches than Butland: Rohl must bin "missing" Rangers flop after Livi

Rangers did claim another league win over Livingston on Saturday, but one player went “missing” at Ibrox, registering fewer touches than Jack Butland.

Posts ByBen Gray Nov 23, 2025

India added 327 runs for the loss of just three wickets on the third day against West Indies in Ahmedabad

Alagappan Muthu03-Oct-20252:08

Chopra: Jadeja’s game against fast bowling ‘has improved leaps and bounds’

India’s batting riches put them in consummate control of the first Test of their home season, with KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel scoring important centuries. It was Rahul’s first at home since 2016 and it was Jurel’s first one ever. They now have a lead of 286, which is large enough to potentially shrink this down from a five-day game.Ravindra Jadeja had an equal part to play on a day where India made 327 runs for just three wickets. There was a point when the pitch started crumbling and West Indies’ spinners were able to get the ball to turn sharply out of the rough. India collectively decided to attack them, hoping to throw them off the lengths where they could access the worn out parts of the pitch. Jadeja did this the best. His idea was to charge at the bowler, and every time he did, he was looking to hit a boundary. Seven of the 11 he ended up with were the result of this ruthless approach, including a six that helped him breeze through the nervous nineties.Jomel Warrican, Roston Chase and Khary Pierre, in helpful conditions, were left nursing combined figures of 4 for 283 from 82 overs. Jadeja, meanwhile, helped India reprise a feature of their England tour earlier this year, becoming the third centurion of the innings. The last time that happened at home was 2018, during West Indies’ last visit to the country. Jadeja connected that trio to this trio.Related

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West Indies could have helped themselves had they begun their day’s work with a bit more hope. Instead the captain Chase welcomed the two overnight batters with a sparsely populated slip cordon. The focus, it seemed, was run-saving instead of wicket-taking. Jayden Seales, who has a lovely outswinger, snagged Rahul’s edge in the very first over of play but regulation first slip was missing. He had been pushed wide and so this ball just skipped to the boundary.Rahul survived on 57 and went on to score 100. He celebrated it by raising his bat in one hand and sticking two fingers of the other in his mouth, a little tribute for his new-born daughter.1:41

Chopra: WI should’ve taken the new ball earlier

The next man to three-figures was Jurel. It is clear from the way he bats that he is set up to be consistent. He has good judgment of what to play and what to leave. He’s comfortable in attack and defence. Some of his back foot shots against pace were chef’s kiss, so that, along with the way he played out the second new ball, suggests he should be able to adapt to overseas conditions. Jurel has a high floor. Rishabh Pant beats him with a high ceiling. Maybe India might find a way for both players to be part of the XI; trust Jurel to be a specialist batter. His century celebration was a tribute to his father, who was with the Indian army.West Indies had set themselves up for damage control but in doing so really early, they let India dictate terms. Seales bowled manfully, his pace up around the 140kph mark even at the back end of a very hot day that forced him off the field for a little bit for what looked like cramps.Warrican was good too, slowing the ball down and inviting India to attack him if they could. It was strange that he only bowled two overs before lunch, but did make up for that by bowling 12 back-to-back after the break and picked up Rahul’s wicket. Jadeja negated the effect he could have on the game. He made 86 runs against spin, including 41 off 15 when he chose to come down the track.Shubman Gill’s efforts were cut short on 50 in the middle of that tricky period where India decided to attack spin. He brought out a reverse sweep against Chase and got caught at slip.The second day in Ahmedabad meandered to a close with Pierre enjoying a high that he had chased all his life. Having been part of the domestic system from the age-group level, after making his first-class debut 10 years ago, he finally took a Test wicket at the age of 34 and his smile lit up the place.

Southampton have found their feet again in the Championship and could now be drawing closer to securing a permanent replacement for Will Still.

Southampton look to enter hunt for promotion

Despite a rocky start to the campaign that saw Still relieved of his duties on the South Coast, Southampton have since bounced back under Tonda Eckert and have recorded four straight victories in the second-tier, placing them narrowly outside the playoff slots.

Ultimately, the 32-year-old is only in caretaker charge at the moment. Still, Taylor Harwood-Bellis is enjoying working under his tutelage and praised his attention to detail after Saints’ consecutive victories over Charlton Athletic and Leicester City.

He said via BBC Sport: “I think he (Eckert) has given us everything. The meetings are so detailed with what he wants. There is detail in there that you wouldn’t even think about when you’re on the pitch. That’s a big thing about Tonda, he wants to help you. Against Charlton, the goals we scored were walked through the day before.

“We knew there would be space on the break if we sat off a little bit deeper [against Leicester] and that happened. Obviously there are going to be bumps in the road, we know that. It’s not only going to be plain sailing, but it’s down to us to keep the level now.”

Several names have been mentioned in connection with the post, including former boss Russell Martin, who is available after an ill-fated spell with Rangers.

Either way, the search for a new boss is now seemingly coming to an end, and Southampton supporters may soon know the identity of the head coach tasked with leading the club forward at St Mary’s.

Southampton could appoint Tonda Eckert permanently

According to Football Insider, Eckert is in pole position to be appointed as Southampton’s permanent manager following his successful caretaker stint on the South Coast, and there is now a growing clamour from fans to see the 32-year-old remain on a full-time basis.

Now the clear favourite after guiding Saints to four league wins on the trot, the German is the leading candidate to land the role, even if several other managers have been identified as a long-term successor to Still.

Tonda Eckert in charge of Southampton

Will Still in charge of Southampton

Matches: 4

Matches: 16

Wins: 4

Wins: 4

Draws: 0

Draws: 6

Losses: 0

Losses: 6

Momentum is critical when it comes to influencing public opinion, and it appears that may have seeped into Sport Republic’s way of thinking as they look to map out a path to earning promotion after a rocky few months.

Labelled a “really great coach” by Caspar Jander, Eckert clearly retains the backing of his group and appears to have the trust of figures both inside and outside of the club to lead Saints into positive new beginnings following an acrimonious start to the season for all involved.

Arne Slot says with the players Liverpool have, their wretched run "cannot continue like this" after a 4-1 thrashing by PSV Eindhoven. The Reds are picking up unwanted record after unwanted record, with this latest defeat their ninth in 12 matches. This is their worst succession of results in 71 years and now manager Slot has challenged his players to get over this slump.

• Liverpool nightmare continues

  After six losses in their last seven Premier League games, few expected Liverpool to also be turned over by the Dutch side at Anfield on Wednesday night. But just a few days on from conceding three at home to Nottingham Forest, the Reds let in another four to heap more misery on Slot's side. The disaster began when captain Virgil van Dijk handled in the box and Ivan Perisic converted from the spot. Dominic Szoboszlai equalised with a tap-in shortly after but the second half was where the horror show truly unfolded. Guus Till restored the visitors' lead and then a late double from substitute Couhaib Driouech led to a mass fan exodus as boos greeted the final whistle. The Merseyside outfit have suffered consecutive losses in all competitions by a margin of three goals for the first time since December 1953, as pressure on Slot continues to mount. 

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• 'Really hard to watch'

  The former Feyenoord manager cut a resigned figure following this latest setback. Despite his players putting in another awful display, Slot said he is not questioning them and he still believes they can turn their fortunes around.

  He told beIN Sports: "The end result is, of course, what people remember. Mainly, people also remember the last 5-10 minutes of the game. That was really hard to watch for all of us. Not only were we already 3-1 behind, but we also even conceded the 4-1, and that is a scoreline which I think no-one would have expected at half-time. 

  "No, I'm not questioning the players, because I know that we have very good players. Their mentality after us going 1-0 down was also what I was hoping for, but also what you have to expect if you are a Liverpool player. So it's something normal for me that you're questioning your line-ups, you're questioning your tactics, you're questioning the substitutions you make, but that's also what you do if you don't lose every single time. But it's normal for me to question the choices I make, because I've said many times that I'm responsible for this situation. But the players have so much quality that this cannot continue like this. And I think again today, especially the first half, we showed how many chances we can create, but it's not for the first time this season that we don't score them." 

• Slot's resolve being tested

  After the Forest defeat, Slot said he felt his side were not far away from getting back to winning ways. That view may have been tested on Wednesday as he saw his side capitulate again. Naturally, he said his emotions were "very negative and disappointing" after the game.

  When asked how does he get Liverpool back to how they were playing at the start of this season and all of last term, he replied: "No, I think what has happened mainly with all the losses we had is that so many times if we have a good spell, we concede. And that moment changes the momentum. I think the thing we have to start doing is making sure that if we are in a better phase and we do create a chance, that we then also score the goals. That the scoreline is also positive. I think the mentality is great from these players as well. Apart from the quality, the mentality is also great. Otherwise, you can't go after three minutes, after losing on Saturday, three minutes down, 1-0 down, and then have a performance as we had the first half. That can only be possible. But their mentality, as they also reacted well after 2-1 down, because I think then we had our chances as well. So yeah, I don't think we are that far off, which sounds weird because the results tell us something different. But the games, the performances give me a different opinion about how we play than the scoreline does."

  He added to TNT Sports: "The emotions are very negative and disappointing. The way we conceded the 1-0. I want to be positive about the reaction of the players when we went 1-0 down. We came back into the game and had chances to go 2-1 up. I don't think anyone thought we would lose 4-1."

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  Light at the end of the tunnel for Liverpool?

  After the match, Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones could not hold back his fury. 

  He told RTE: "I don't have the answers, honestly, I don't. It's just unacceptable. I'm past being angry inside. I'm at the point now where I just don't have the words."

  But Liverpool don't have long to find the answer as they are away to lowly West Ham on Sunday in the Premier League. Previously, that would have seemed like a banker three points but now, anything could happen.

The defending champions secured a big win in a rain-reduced game with the captain leading from the front

AAP20-Oct-2025Defending one-day champions South Australia claimed a nine-wicket win over Queensland, banking a bonus point in their rain-marred victory.As rain restricted the match to a maximum 25 overs each, Queensland were bowled out for 128 in 23.5 overs at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide. The hosts were set 120 to win under the DLS method and won with with 47 balls to spare.Related

• McAndrew's five gets defending champions South Australia up and running

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SA, the holders of the Dean Jones Trophy, now have two wins from four games – the same as Queensland.Their run chase was given early impetus by Jake Fraser-McGurk, who blasted six fours in making 27 from 14 balls. Fraser-McGurk’s cameo ended when bowled by a superb off-cutter from James Bazley.But opener Mackenzie Harvey and captain Nathan McSweeney then set about the chase with the bonus point in mind.South Australia needed to win inside 20 overs and Harvey and McSweeney easily reached that goal with an unbroken 80-run partnership.Earlier, Queensland slipped to 13 for 2 inside five overs before a lengthy rain delay. On return, only veteran Jimmy Peirson managed an innings of substance, smacking three sixes and three fours in making 42 from 83 ballsThe only other Queenslanders to reach double-figures were Bazley, Hugh Weibgen and Max Bryant. The visitors failed to bat out their 25 overs as SA skipper McSweeney claimed 3 for 12 from 3.1 overs with his offspinners. McSweeney had initially brought himself on when Wes Agar couldn’t complete his second over.Liam Scott and Lloyd Pope also enjoyed multiple success and paceman Nathan McAndrew returned figures of 1 for 7 from four overs.

England seamer shows she belongs after four-year wait to make her England debut

Valkerie Baynes23-May-2025Em Arlott’s player-of-the-match performance in just her second game for England felt like a long time coming, but the two well-documented false starts to her international career are just part of the story.Arlott took 3 for 14 in a remarkable four-over spell at Hove, including 18 dot-balls that helped reduce West Indies to 81 for 9 in the second T20I. After their nine-wicket victory, however, she revealed that she had been battling anxiety for years. So much so that, had she been handed her cap on either of the two previous occasions she was called into the England squad, she wasn’t sure how she would have handled it.”Everything’s kind of happened at the right time,” Arlott said. “With where I was at before, it’s probably not quite a publicly known thing, but I’ve struggled with anxiety in the past and probably, if I played before, I think I would have been a different person and player on the pitch. Whereas now I feel like I’ve really worked on that away from the game. I am coming into this with a lot more confidence and actually believing that I’m good enough to be here.”Arlott made her international debut aged 27 on Wednesday, taking 1 for 28 in the first T20I in Canterbury.In her latest match, she accounted for West Indies’ strongest batters, Hayley Matthews – who scored 100 of her side’s 146 in that opening game – and former captain Stafanie Taylor, returning from injury to bolster the line-up. At one point in her spell, Arlott had three wickets for seven runs in the space of 14 balls, with the two big names falling either side of Zaida James, well caught by Sophia Dunkley at short midwicket.Arlott also took a catch off spinner Charlie Dean to remove Shemaine Campbelle, who was also returning from injury as West Indies tried to find support for Matthews with the bat.Her debut had come after call-ups to England’s squads to face India in 2021 and South Africa the following year, when she had to leave the camp before the series began because she was suffering the after-effects of Covid. That last near-miss left her fearing that the chance to play for her country might have passed her by.Arlott’s latest call-up came off the back of a strong start to the domestic 50-over competition. Her 14 wickets for Warwickshire has her joint-second on the Metro Bank One Day Cup wicket-takers list, while her pivotal 130 against Essex didn’t go unnoticed by Charlotte Edwards, the new England Women’s head coach who has placed increased emphasis on domestic form as a selection tool. Personally, Arlott said a stint with Western Australia in the WNCL over the winter had also played a key role in getting her to this point, along with a lot of work to manage her anxiety.Related

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“I had to reflect a lot on what I could control in my life,” she said. “The last time I came into this environment, I don’t think I believed I was good enough so I didn’t really expect anybody else to believe that I was good enough. I’ve always struggled going into newer teams and not knowing people and having to adjust. The teams that I’ve played for at regional level have both been based in Birmingham, so I’ve been quite fortunate that I haven’t really gone anywhere else.”I just challenged myself. In the winter, I went to Perth and I didn’t know anybody and just made myself have to do something uncomfortable. Actually it’s been really nice that a lot of people have come up to me being like, ‘you’re a different person than you were 12 months ago’, I think in terms of confidence and – not necessarily cricket, but just as a person – I think I’m more content with who I am, and not really caring how people take that.”I’m really proud of myself getting to this point. It has been a long old journey to get here and it was never promised that I would even get here. I’ve just tried to control what I can in my life, my career. I felt like if I just kept working hard, then hopefully when I got that break I would take it with both hands, and run with it and not look back.”Arlott paid tribute to her team-mates for their support, as well as Edwards after a slightly awkward phone call to confirm her selection to both the T20I and ODI squads for West Indies’ visit .”I’ve just bought a puppy and he was being a nightmare, and bit me two minutes before she called me, so I was a bit flustered,” she said. “I’m not going to lie, I cried because he bit me really hard. So he was being a nightmare and then she obviously popped up on my phone and I was like, ‘what the hell is this about?’ She said some really nice things about how I’ve been going. I didn’t really respond, I was a bit flustered because of the dog, but I didn’t want to tell her that. It was all just a wild five minutes.”But she’s been great and it was nice that I’ve been rewarded for being consistent. I just kept chipping away at regional level because, for a long time, I felt like it went unnoticed no matter how well I did or didn’t do it. It was really nice that she’s come in and I’ve had a couple of years to almost prove myself and actually be able to sit there and go, that’s enough, which is nice.”Arlott said the focus on domestic form was a marked turnaround under Edwards’ leadership.”It makes people feel like, ‘why can’t it be me?’,” she said. “It’s always been contracted players and you can guess the squad that’s going to get picked and probably one or two extras that are doing well. It just means that people are getting picked that are in form, rather than necessarily contracted, which can only be good for us. Maybe squads look different from series to series, but I think that’s great and it shows how far we’ve come.”The true test of how far England have come since the Ashes defeat that sparked so many changes – including Edwards’ appointment as Jon Lewis’s successor – might have to wait until India arrive later in the season. But the distance Arlott has travelled is now clear to see.

The captain said playing against better teams this year has helped Zimbabwe grow

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2025

Craig Ervine was pleased Zimbabwe didn’t let a strong position slip against Afghanistan•AP

It’s been a great 2025 for Zimbabwe. Having missed out on the last three ICC events, they secured qualification to the upcoming T20 World Cup. Three weeks later, they wrapped up their first Test win at home in over a decade. Senior players like Brendan Taylor have come back into the fold. Junior(ish) players like Brad Evans and Ben Curran are showing what they can do. The captain Craig Ervine had a lot to be happy about, though in the end he only felt relief.”We’ve been in good positions before and we have let it slip,” Ervine said at the post-match press conference. “So, you know, in this case, we get into a good position, we want to drive the advantage home, and fortunately we do that. And at least it gives you the impetus the next time around, you know, how did you do it? And it’s something that you can put in your pocket to remember for the next time. So these sort of experiences are great for us because at least it gives you the confidence that, yes, you can do it, and you can get over the line, especially when you get into those positions.”Zimbabwe were already on a high coming into the only Test against Afghanistan, because it was their tenth in 2025. Only once have they played more red-ball cricket in a calendar year. Ervine was able to see the gains that they had made, slowly, incrementally, through series against higher-ranked sides like Bangladesh, England, South Africa and New Zealand, as his men rolled Afghanistan over for 127 in the first innings and found a top-order batter to push that advantage further. Curran scored his maiden Test century to provide a 232-run lead and Richard Ngarava used that cushion to blow Afghanistan away.Ben Curran made 121, almost matching Afghanistan’s first-innings total of 127•Zimbabwe Cricket

Ervine also believed they had an advantage in Afghanistan playing only two frontline fast bowlers – one of whom was on debut, though Ziaur Rahman did pick up a seven-for – on a seamer-friendly Harare pitch. Zimbabwe picked four.Related

Ngarava and Curran lead Zimbabwe to first home Test win in 12 years

“I think guys have taken a lot from their experiences against England, South Africa, New Zealand,” he said. “And I think what guys learnt, especially from the series against New Zealand is, it was testing conditions and they got five bowlers that are going to test you all the time.”And I think going into this game [against Afghanistan], I think we felt that you get through that new ball phase and if you’re patient enough, I think the runs do ease up. We felt that with their spin, they weren’t as accurate, so it took a little bit of pressure off and it allowed the scoreboard to keep moving. So I think that guys were a lot more composed, guys were a lot more patient. I think that only stems from the experience that you have against better sides [than Zimbabwe are]. You have to work a lot harder against the better teams. And I thought the application that guys showed in this test. I think is fruit from the test that you played against the better nations.”Ervine had initially been nervous when, after winning the toss and putting Afghanistan in, they were able to score 68 runs off the first 13 overs.Richard Ngarava’s five-for led Zimbabwe to victory•Zimbabwe Cricket

“To be honest, after the first hour, I probably wasn’t too sure whether I had made the right call or not. The wicket wasn’t quite as quick as what we thought it would be at the start. But I thought there was enough in that wicket that having picked four seamers we needed to utilise.”We were able to regroup and hit better areas from drinks break to lunch. And we got the reward for that. I think it was just keeping it nice and simple. And obviously using the short-ball plan, which was effective, I think, against Afghanistan.””To bowl them out for 120-odd in the first innings, we knew that we had been in a similar position against them in Bulawayo [and lost]. So we needed to make sure that this time round we drove that advantage home. And I thought the batting unit did just that.”Where Afghanistan lost nine wickets for 50 runs in the first innings – Evans took a five-for – and six wickets for 50 runs in the second – Ngarava with five this time – Zimbabwe were able to bat once and bat big.”It was about our disciplines,” Ervine said. “I think our composure. We had a feeling that they were going to throw everything at us. But they were also one seamer short. So we felt if we were able to get through that new ball spell, we could grind them down. And I thought Ben Curran did that exceptionally well. The way he batted throughout, kept the same tempo and guys managed to bat around him. So really chuffed that he was able to get 120-odd. I think those sort of scores in a test match really make a big impact and put you on the front foot.”

All the numbers and records from a series where the Indian batters made merry

Sampath Bandarupalli02-Aug-2025

Ravindra Jadeja finished with 516 runs for the series•Getty Images

3809 – Runs aggregated by India across the five matches of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. It is the second-most runs recorded by a team in a Test series, behind only Australia’s 3877 during the six-match Ashes series in 1989. The series aggregate is also the second-highest behind the 1993 Ashes, where England and Australia collectively scored 7221 runs.8 – Number of 300-plus totals for India, the joint-most by any team in a Test series. India also breached the 350-mark on eight occasions, two more than any other team in a Test series.516 – Ravindra Jadeja’s tally is the fifth-highest for a batter coming in at No. 6 or lower in a Test series. These are also the most runs recorded by an India batter coming in at No. 6 or lower in a Test series, going past VVS Laxman’s 474 runs against West Indies in 2002.Related

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• Oval and out: Jaiswal's series comes a full circle with statement hundred

• Jaiswal hundred, Siraj's late strike make India favourites

Jadeja’s six fifty-plus scores are the joint-most while batting at No. 6 or lower in a Test series. Four of Jadeja’s six fifty-plus scores came in the second innings, the joint-most for a batter in a Test series.1131 – Jadeja’s run tally in Test cricket in England while batting at No. 6 or lower. These are the most runs in that position for a visiting player in any country in Test cricket, surpassing Clive Lloyd’s 1126 in Australia.Jadeja’s ten fifty-plus scores at No. 6 or lower in England are also the joint-most for a visiting player in a country, alongside Lloyd’s ten in Australia. Among Indian batters, only Sachin Tendulkar (12) has more fifty-plus scores in Tests in England.ESPNcricinfo Ltd754 – Shubman Gill’s series aggregate is the second-highest for a captain behind Don Bradman’s 810 against England in the 1936-37 Ashes. No other batter has scored more runs in a series between England and India, going past Graham Gooch’s 752 runs in 1990.470 – Boundaries hit by India (422 fours and 48 sixes), the most by any team in a Test series, going past 460 by Australia (451 fours and nine sixes) in the 1993 Ashes.12 – Number of individual hundreds for India, the joint-most for any team in a Test series. These are also the most for India in a Test series, going past the 11 they recorded against West Indies at home in 1978-79.5 – Five Indian batters scored 400-plus runs in this series, Yashasvi Jaiswal being the latest addition. Only three times has a team had five (or more) batters scoring 400-plus runs in a Test series previously – six for Australia in the 1993 Ashes, while five each for South Africa against England in 1964-65 and Australia in the 1989 Ashes.Eight batters have aggregated 400-plus runs across England and India in this series so far, the joint-most for a Test series, alongside the Frank Worrell Trophy in 1975-76 and the 1993 Ashes.Three India batters have gone past the 500-run mark in this series – Gill, KL Rahul and Jadeja, the joint-most for a team in a Test series.Akash Deep celebrates his fifty•Getty Images66 – Akash Deep’s score is the third-highest by a nightwatcher for India in men’s Tests. Syed Kirmani scored 101* against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in 1979, while Amit Mishra scored 84 against England in 2011, also at The Oval.79.66 – Percentage of runs scored by Jaiswal behind square on the offside during his 118. In all, he recorded 94 runs in that region – 11 fours and two sixes. As per ESPNCricinfo’s ball-by-ball logs, it is the highest percentage of runs scored behind square by any batter while scoring a century in men’s Tests since 2003.6 – Catches dropped by England in India’s second innings, the most by them in an innings since 2018. They dropped six catches in India’s first innings at Edgbaston in 2022 and New Zealand’s second innings at Wellington in 2023.

West Ham chiefs are looking to back new manager Nuno Espírito Santo with key additions in January as they attempt to stave off the looming threat of relegation.

The Hammers were gifted a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dismal start to the Premier League season just before this international break, winning back-to-back home games for the first time since October last year against Newcastle and Burnley.

While the two wins provide plenty of encouragement for Nuno after inheriting a squad bereft of confidence and form, reports suggest that the east Londoners will look to January for much-needed reinforcements to bolster their head coach’s squad.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

According to Sky Sports, Nuno has been told that funds will be available for West Ham to spend when the window reopens, and it is believed they’d ideally like a new defender, midfielder and forward.

With Niclas Fullkrug poised to leave West Ham in January, following a lacklustre spell marred by injuries and underwhelming form when available, it is more likely than not that a striker will be arriving at Rush Green, with Fabrizio Romano confirming their intention to sign one.

Romano also said recently that West Ham are in the mix to sign Man United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo amid his links to Napoli, so a new midfielder remains on the cards, but there are now suggestions that a winger could come in too.

West Ham could strike 'cut-price' January move for Adama Traoré

Indeed, according to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, West Ham have been handed the opportunity to secure Adama Traoré on a bargain deal in January, with Fulham willing to accept a cut-price offer rather than lose the winger for free next summer.

Traore is in the final year of his contract and is not going to agree a new deal at Fulham, meaning January is their last chance to cash in if they sell him. The 29-year-old’s contract situation leaves the Cottagers vulnerable to low-ball bids, with Nuno apparently keen to reunite with a player he previously transformed at Wolves.

Before Nuno joined the Hammers, he tried to reunite with Traore at Nottingham Forest too, highlighting his long-standing admiration for the Spain international.

That being said, the forward has never quite reached the same heights he once hit under Nuno’s tutelage at Molineux, which included a failed spell at Barcelona.

During his best Premier League campaign to date, Traore bagged 13 goal contributions in 37 appearances for Wolves back in 2019/2020, finishing that campaign as their best-performing player on average whilst completing a seismic five successful take-ons per 90 (WhoScored).

Traore has enjoyed flashes of brilliant form at Craven Cottage too, with Marco Silva calling him an “almost unstoppable” player on his day.

One player still on the books at Manchester United has been told that his Old Trafford “career is over” by a former Red Devils midfielder.

Players who could leave Man Utd in 2026

2026 could be another busy year at Old Trafford in regards to incomings and outgoings, with Ruben Amorim and INEOS continuing to make their mark in Manchester.

The Red Devils have four players out of contract at the end of the season, one of which is midfielder Casemiro.

Players out of contract at Man Utd in 2026

Harry Maguire

Casemiro (option until 2027)

Tom Heaton

Tyrell Malacia

Man Utd have the option to extend that by a further 12 months, however, Amorim and INEOS seemingly clashing behind the scenes regarding the Brazilian. Amorim wants to keep Casemiro whereas INEOS want him to take a pay cut from his current £350,000-a-week wage.

There are also numerous loanees away from Man Utd who could seal permanent exits at the end of the season. Rasmus Hojlund is at Napoli, Marcus Rashford is at Barcelona, Jadon Sancho is at Aston Villa and Andre Onana is with Trabzonspor.

United could look to move the quartet out on a full-time basis, with options to buy inserted in Rashford’s move to the Nou Camp and Hojlund’s move to Napoli. Now, another one of the four has been told he has no future at the club by a pundit.

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ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025 Strachan tells Onana his Man Utd “career is over”

Former Man Utd midfielder Gordon Strachan, speaking to Esports News relayed by The Manchester Evening News, feels that Andre Onana “has played his last game” for Man Utd and would be “shocked” if he played for the Red Devils again.

Onana’s Man Utd contract is worth £120,000-a-week and there is no option to buy for the Turkish side at the end of the season, with the ‘keeper’s Manchester deal not expiring until 2028.

United forked out just under £50m on Onana back in 2023, but after numerous errors at Old Trafford and Amorim now having Senne Lammens, a permanent exit could make sense for all involved next year.

Forget Anderson: Man Utd in talks to sign "world's most underrated footballer"