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Charles and David also contributed with the bat to hand Patriots their third loss in four games

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2025

Roston Chase’s fifty formed the backbone of the St Lucia Kings’ innings•CPL T20/Getty Images

After a washout in their opening game, St Lucia Kings beat St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by three runs in a last-ball thriller in Basseterre to register their first win of CPL 2025. This was Patriots’ third loss in four games.After being sent in, Kings rode on the half-centuries of Johnson Charles and Roston Chase and a 23-ball 46 from Tim David to post 200 for 8. Patriots started well in their chase but had lost three wickets by the end of the powerplay. It became 66 for 4 after nine overs. At that point, ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster gave Patriots a 5.32% chance of winning.Jason Holder kept them in the game singlehandedly, striking a 29-ball 63. After he fell, Navin Bidaisee took over and brought it down to four needed off the final delivery. David Wiese bowled a slot ball; Bidaisee swung towards long-off but could not clear David. Apart from scoring a 38-ball 61, Chase also picked up 2 for 27 from four overs and was named the Player of the Match.Earlier, Kings were 21 for 2 after three overs before Charles and Chase injected momentum into the innings by adding 50 off 26 balls for the third wicket. After Charles fell, Chase and David carried on. Chase hit Dominic Drakes for three fours in an over and, later, David smashed Holder for three sixes in his one over.Jason Holder’s valiant knock could not bring a win for Patriots•CPL T20/Getty Images

They added 80 off 50 but after they both departed, the incoming batters could not keep the momentum going and managed just 21 from the last three overs.Andre Fletcher and Kyle Mayers gave Patriots a start of 43 in 4.2 overs. But once Wiese broke that stand with Mayers’ wicket, Patriots’ chase got derailed. Khary Pierre, who had opened the bowling, removed Fletcher and Mikyle Louis in the next over to make it 49 for 3 after the powerplay. Chase dropped a tough return catch of Rilee Rossouw. It did not prove costly as Chase dismissed him in his next over. Holder came and hit Tabraiz Shamsi for 4, 6, 6 off successive balls in the tenth over to take the side to 84 for 4 at the halfway stage.Holder kept hitting and brought up his fifty with his fifth six, off Wiese and off just 23 balls. He added 77 off 40 balls for the fifth wicket with Bidaisee, in which the latter’s contribution was 9 off 11.Once Holder fell, Bidaisee opened up and dispatched Shamsi for 4, 4, 6. He hit a six in each of the next four overs and got to his fifty in 35 balls. But he could not take Patriots over the line.

Just 39 balls were possible in Nelson after New Zealand asked West Indies to bat under cloudy skies

Ekanth10-Nov-2025

Match abandoned It seems the weather deities didn’t want New Zealand and West Indies to duke out two T20Is in successive days as rain in Nelson washed out the fourth game just 39 balls in. It means that New Zealand’s 2-1 series lead is now unassailable. West Indies can level the series in the fifth and final game in Dunedin on Thursday.Interruptions were expected at the start of the afternoon game as clouds hung low, and the weather forecast showed high chances of showers throughout the late afternoon and early evening. While the toss and start of play happened on time, the first interruption, of about 30 minutes, came five overs into the game. The second one came nine balls later, and resulted in the whole thing being called off.In the short period of play that did occur, Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy kept Alick Athanaze and Amir Jangoo in check with swing and seam. Both bowlers took advantage of the overhead conditions and hit disciplined lengths on a used pitch. A lot of swings and misses from West Indies made way for two fours and two sixes between overs two and five.James Neesham removed Athanaze in the sixth over. Jangoo finally got one off the middle to pick up a cover-driven boundary and end the 35-run powerplay. Soon after, the major weather interruption set in, and the game was eventually called off.

India roll over for 93 in their chase of 124 with their captain Shubman Gill absent with a neck injury

Sidharth Monga16-Nov-20252:52

Philander: South Africa found ways to get a win

South Africa started the day staring at defeat, only 63 ahead with three wickets in hand, but registered a stunning win, their first in India in 15 years and the second-smallest successful defence in Asia. The whooping and cheering among the South Africa players echoed amid a shocked Sunday crowd at Eden Gardens as the visitors bowled India out for 93 in the absence of their injured captain Shubman Gill.Temba Bavuma was ever present, scoring the only half-century of the match and taking South Africa to a lead of 123 on a pitch with extravagant sideways movement and variance in bounce. He was helped a little by some ordinary spin bowling on the third morning, but he had earned the errors after defending resolutely on the second evening.Related

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Stats – South Africa's first win in India since 2010

The target of 124 was always going to be tricky with Simon Harmer outbowling India’s spinners in the country where he had a forgettable tour in 2015-16. The uneven bounce made Marco Jansen a handful, causing the double jeopardy you need to defend small totals.India began the day in the ascendance but not with bowlers likeliest to take a wicket. Axar Patel opening the day was a surprise, and as the singles flowed with ease you could sense panic. Rishabh Pant, who had been excellent with his rotation of bowlers and field placements on the second evening, began to change bowlers too quickly and also took a desperate review against Bavuma when Ravindra Jadeja had clearly pitched outside leg from over the wicket.That Jadeja was bowling over the wicket in itself was a sign of desperation when all you really needed to do on this surface was bowl a good length and shut the scoring. Jadeja, who until day two was the best player of the match, just struggled to maintain that length and bowled seven overs for 21 runs. Washington Sundar, one of the three spinners in the last four home Tests, was not used at all.Temba Bavuma and Corbin Bosch added crucial runs in the morning•Getty ImagesBavuma’s defence found an ally in Corbin Bosch’s big hits, which he deployed mainly against Kuldeep Yadav. The two added an invaluable 44 for the eighth wicket, 25 of which came off Bosch’s bat. Eventually it was the fast bowlers that kept India alive. Jasprit Bumrah hit the top of Bosch’s off, and Mohammed Siraj, in only his second over of the innings, got the better of Harmer and Keshav Maharaj with reverse swing.It was always going to be a tough target on this pitch, but India had hope in South Africa’s selection of only two spinners, one of whom, Maharaj, had gone for 16-1-66-1 in the first innings. Jansen, though, stunned them at the start in his first two overs to send back the openers. Both these balls jumped off a length, got big on the batters, and took the outside edge.Simon Harmer was unplayable at times•BCCIWashington, India’s newest No. 3, played resolutely again, mirroring the first half of Bavuma’s innings and facing the most balls in the match, but as it tends to happen on these pitches, Dhruv Jurel put a long hop into the hands of deep midwicket. The ball did stop on him as it tends to happen on these pitches.Harmer might have got on the board with this fortunate wicket, but he bowled beautifully to earn that stroke of luck. Ten years after a crushing tour of India, he is back a much-improved bowler. He could change his trajectory subtly, most of the times able to bowl a good length at different paces. It showed in how he completely tied up the most dangerous batter in the India line-up, Pant, and eventually earned a return catch with dip and turn.ESPNcricinfo LtdAt 38 for 4, Washington and Jadeja added 26 runs, looked comfortable, but this is when Jadeja’s old-school method of defending with the bat behind the pad came back to haunt him. Just like in the first innings. Once again out lbw pad-first to Harmer, Jadeja ended forgettably a Test he had been largely good in, one during which he became only the fourth man to take 300 wickets and score 4000 runs.Aiden Markram reminded India of the nightmare Glenn Phillips had been on lottery pitches last year when he came on and finally got the edge of a distraught Washington, who scored 31 off 92 to go with his 29 in the first innings. Harmer then spun one past Kuldeep when he slowed it down tantalisingly.At 77 for 7, India were left needing a miracle from Axar, who threatened one when Bavuma gave him a sighter against Maharaj. He hit two sixes and a four, but when he happened to mishit he found a calm Bavuma making a difficult over-the-shoulder catch look ridiculously easy.Siraj lasted only one ball, triggering wild celebrations, the loudest from Kagiso Rabada, who has tasted only defeat on two previous tours of India and was missing this Test with a rib injury.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted after his team's north London derby win over Tottenham that he prevented Leandro Trossard from leaving the club in the summer transfer window. Trossard was linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium as the Gunners invested heavily in their squad, but Arteta did not want him to depart. The Belgium international has been in good form so far in the 2025-26 season and shone again in the win over Spurs.

• Eze and Trossard down Spurs

  Trossard opened the scoring for Arsenal against Tottenham in the 36th minute on Sunday at the Emirates before Eberechi Eze bagged a hat-trick to complete a 4-1 win. The victory moves Arsenal six points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table as Arteta's men aim to end their long wait for the title. Eze was one of a host of big-name signings at Arsenal this summer, with the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke also arriving, leading to speculation Trossard could move on. Bayern Munich, Fenerbahce and Besiktas were just some of the clubs believed to be interested in Trossard, however, the 30-year-old ended up staying and has even been rewarded with a pay increase and a new contract that runs until 2027.

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  Arteta refused to let Trossard go

  The Arsenal manager spoke about the situation after the game at the Emirates and admitted there was "no chance" he would have sanctioned an exit for Trossard. He told reporters: "For me it was forbidden for him to leave. No chance. I know the player that he is, and surrounded with the players that we have, he's a player that is going to make a difference for us. I fully agree. It was one of the best games, so aggressive with and without the ball, so effective, he could have scored another one or two goals, and he was involved in so many positive actions. So that's what we need. As I said, I think individually the players were excellent today."

• Trossard enjoys 'perfect night' against Spurs

  Trossard could not hide his delight after victory over Spurs and admitted it was a perfect day for the Gunners. He told the club's media: "I enjoyed that a lot! I think it was important to get that goal. After that it gave us the edge to go on and score more goals, to create chances. I think we were dominant before, but obviously that gives you that extra bit of confidence to go and win the game. It was a perfect night for us. It was a really good game overall in every aspect, from defence to attack. We're really happy with all the goals we scored as well.

  "It was just joy. Everyone was cheering, there's not much to say about it. That's what we really wanted and it's nice that we could give this back to the fans. The atmosphere was amazing, it was so good, they pushed us forward as well. So yeah, it's a really good night today.”

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• Arsenal unbeaten when Trossard scores

  Trossard's goal continued an incredible record for the Belgian for Arsenal. The 30-year-old has now scored 32 goals for Arsenal and has never been on the losing side when he has found the back of the net for the Gunners. Arsenal have won 24 and drawn eight of the games in which Trossard has struck since his arrival at the club from Brighton in 2023.

Birmingham City players are being urged to take advantage of the fact that Tom Brady is on the other end of a phone line, with the NFL legend knowing what it takes to win it all. Former Blues striker Clinton Morrison has told GOAL, in an exclusive interview, why “big plans” for the future at St Andrew’s can see ambitious dreams turned into reality.

Super Bowl winner Brady is a stakeholder at St Andrew's

Seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady forms part of that project, having become a shock minority stakeholder back in 2023. The iconic New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback has taken more than a passing interest in the Blues since then – with several trips to England being enjoyed.

His debut campaign with Birmingham may have delivered relegation out of the Championship, but Chris Davies’ side captured the League One title in record-breaking style last season and are now looking to knock on the Premier League promotion door once more.

AdvertisementAmazon Prime VideoPositive influence: Why Brady is good for Birmingham

Brady will be doing his best to help the Blues down that path, with Morrison – speaking in association with Freebets.com, the home of best casino sites – telling GOAL when asked if the American’s presence remains positive and how he can help those in the West Midlands: “I think it’s good for the club. I have met him personally and I think the job he is doing at Birmingham is first class. It should inspire you. You have got one of the best players ever in the NFL, one of the most successful, and he is involved with your football club. If you are a professional footballer, I know it’s a different sport but if you can lean on him and ask for advice about mentality and what it takes to be successful – I know it’s a different game, but I would love it. I would love it if I had someone like that I could go and lean on, pick up the phone to or see around and have conversations with.

“For me, it’s been brilliant to have Tom Brady and to have him on board at Birmingham City alongside Wagner because getting them promoted from League One last season was fantastic, and now they are on a good run in the Championship. It was a bit sticky a month ago, but now they are on a good run. To have someone like Tom Brady in the building is fantastic.”

Morrison added on modern players being more open to advice from stars of other sports, with marginal gains forever being sought: “People will say ‘its a different sport’ and it is, but the mentality is about winning. That’s what he is, he’s a born winner, one of the best there has ever been. If you’ve not won stuff in your career, to listen to someone who is a winner and learn what it takes mentally, physically and the hard work you have to put in to do that, I think it’s fantastic.

“For me it’s a no-brainer to have someone like that in your football club, giving you advice, helping you and doing little things where you can get advice. Not every time does someone want to listen if they have not won stuff – which is not right but if you have won what he’s won, it’s brilliant to have on board.”

Birmingham's grand plan: New stadium, NFL games and concerts

With Brady on board, and starring in a documentary for Amazon Prime, Birmingham are aiming for the stars on and off the field. Asked if plans for a 60,000-seater stadium, NFL games and music concerts are feasible, Morrison said: “It’s all feasible. You see them doing it at Tottenham, that’s feasible. They have got good backing, they have got good owners that are ambitious and want to take the club to another level. It’s all feasible and good for the city of Birmingham and the football club.

“There are big plans but they wouldn’t be saying these things if it wasn’t feasible. It must be. I think these owners are genuine and have big plans. When they first came in they set out their plans for what they wanted for the football club and so far, so good. Things have gone according to plan. Long may it continue.”

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Getty/GOALBirmingham vs Wrexham: Who reaches the Premier League first?

Birmingham have built a rivalry of sorts with Wrexham over the course of the last 18 months, with the Red Dragons boasting Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac at their helm – with both sides earning promotion out of the third tier last season.

The big question now is: Who will reach the Premier League first? Morrison said when that poser was put to him: “That is the big question! It’s a difficult one. Wrexham have spent well, but so have Birmingham. I think, at the moment, Birmingham are probably better equipped to get promoted than Wrexham are. If you look at the players Birmingham got through the door, some have Premier League experience. So have Wrexham, I just think the way they are at the moment, Birmingham are better equipped.

“That was one of my picks at the start of the season, Birmingham to finish in the top six. I had Wrexham just outside. Wrexham have got some good players and good owners. The Championship is unpredictable. I can predict Birmingham to go up but that is probably more with my heart than my head because I played for the football club. Wrexham do have good players and a good manager so they will have a good chance – they will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season. I think the Championship is wide open.”

There is no separating Birmingham and Wrexham at present, with both sides picking up 21 points through 15 games this season. The Blues are sat slightly higher in the table – 11th compared to 13th – with only a four-point gap needing to be bridged in order to reach the play-off places.

Manchester United have been boosted by the news that key centre-back Lisandro Martinez has returned to full training after a long injury absence.

After a concerning start to the season, things really feel like they are falling into place for the Red Devils, following three wins in a row in the Premier League, including memorable victory away to rivals and champions Liverpool.

Ruben Amorim has overcome a hugely testing period and now feels like the right man to take United forward, and having as many players available as possible can only be a good thing, with one game a week this season and no European football helping in that respect.

One player who Amorim has had to do without for many months is Martinez, with the Argentina World Cup winner not featuring since damaging knee ligaments at the beginning of February, in a cruel blow for the defender.

The 27-year-old is arguably United’s strongest centre-back, so not having him available for such an extended period of time has been far from ideal, but ahead of the trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, some great news has emerged regarding his fitness.

Martinez to return to Man Utd action in November

Taking to X on Thursday, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Martinez is now back in training for Manchester United, aiming for a return on the pitch in November.

This is fantastic news for anyone of a United persuasion, with Martinez’s tenacity, quality and winning mentality such a loss over the past eight months or so. It has also left Amorim delighted, with the manager saying: “It’s really good. He gives use that edge in every training session, that is also really good for us.”

The Argentine is a hugely popular figure at Old Trafford, playing with so much passion, and Casemiro has heaped praise on him as a character.

“Licha is on the final straight. He is a soldier who works so hard. He is always in the gym working hard. He is a machine that works so hard. He is one of those players that loves to work hard. It is a pleasure to have him here, he works so much. We arrived [today] at 9am and it is now 4pm and he continues working.”

Where Lisandro Martinez ranks among Man Utd's highest-earning players

It is clearly going to take Martinez some time to get back to his very best, given the severity of his injury, but assuming he makes a full recovery and returns as the player of old eventually, he can continue to be a huge player for United for years to come.

Man Utd now targeting Angelo Stiller as Jason Wilcox personal involvement revealed

Man United are looking to strengthen in the middle of the park, and Stiller has now emerged as a target.

ByDominic Lund Oct 31, 2025

He is tailor-made to thrive in Amorim’s back three, bringing the ball out with quality and purpose, and he even has the characteristics to potentially be a future captain of the Red Devils if Bruno Fernandes moves on before him, endearing himself to the fans with his love for the club.

He suffered the injury while attempting a catch on July 26 against Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Aug-2025Rovman Powell, the West Indies batter, was officially ruled out of the T20I series against Pakistan following the wrist injury he suffered during the preceding series against Australia. West Indies will not name a replacement.Powell, 32, sustained the injury while attempting a catch in the fourth T20I against Australia on July 26 in St Kitts. He did not feature in the fifth T20I against Australia following the injury, and neither was he part of the first T20I against Pakistan in Florida’s Lauderhill on July 31 that West Indies lost by 14 runs.West Indies and Pakistan face off again on August 2 and 4 in Lauderhill in the three-match T20I series. The two teams then fly to Tarouba in Trinidad & Tobago for a three-ODI series starting August 8. Powell is unlikely to feature in the West Indies ODI squad as he last played in the format in 2023.

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A Associação Nacional dos Árbitros de Futebol (ANAF) rebateu John Textor, dono da SAF do Botafogo, em relação às falas do americano sobre supostas gravações de árbitros reclamando por não terem recebido propina na última edição do Brasileirão.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBotafogoANÁLISE: Botafogo reforça elenco e quer afastar de vez os traumas de 2023Botafogo08/03/2024BotafogoTextor, dono da SAF do Botafogo, critica tentativa de veto ao gramado sintético: ‘Temos alta qualidade’Botafogo07/03/2024FinançasQual é o salário de Thiago Almada, alvo do Botafogo, no Atlanta United?Finanças07/03/2024

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A entidade classificou as falas de Textor como “infundadas e totalmente descabidas”, e pediu o banimento do sócio majoritário do Botafogo caso ele não apresente provas que sustentem suas alegações.

– Se John Textor não provar o que disse, ele tem que ser banido do futebol brasileiro! Não há outro caminho e, diante do que ele disse, as instituições precisam agir  – escreveu Salmo Valentim, presidente da ANAF.

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O empresário americano também defendeu o uso do gramado sintético após o Fluminense e a Federação Nacional dos Atletas Profissionais de Futebol (Fenapaf) sugerirem o veto a este tipo de grama.

VEJA A NOTA DA ANAF SOBRE AS DECLARAÇÕES DE JOHN TEXTOR

“Acusações de John Textor contra a arbitragem brasileira são irresponsáveis e levianas

A ANAF – Associação Nacional dos Árbitros de Futebol, repudia com veemência as acusações infundadas e totalmente descabidas do empresário John Textor, dono da SAF do Botafogo, que sabe-se lá por que não de hoje abriu “guerra” contra a arbitragem brasileira.

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Questionar a atuação dos árbitros no campo de jogo por uma falta não marcada, um pênalti deixado de ser assinalado ou uma advertência aplicada de maneira equivocada é uma coisa, afinal de contas somos seres humanos. Agora, dizer que na arbitragem brasileira há árbitros que se “vendem”, é uma acusação gravíssima que põe em xeque não só a categoria, como também toda a estrutura da CBF.

“SE JOHN TEXTOR NÃO PROVAR O QUE DISSE, ELE TEM QUE SER BANIDO DO FUTEBOL BRASILEIRO! NÃO HÁ OUTRO CAMINHO E, DIANTE DO QUE ELE DISSE, AS INSTITUIÇÕES PRECISAM AGIR”.

É inaceitável que um dirigente responsável por um dos mais importantes clubes do futebol nacional tome uma atitude pequena e lamentável como essa. Como representante legítima dos árbitros, a ANAF vai tomar todas as ações necessárias para que ele possa esclarecer suas declarações e iremos buscar todos os meios para que esse péssimo exemplo não se repita.

A arbitragem brasileira é formada por homens e mulheres de bem! E John Textor deveria ao invés de atacá-la, trabalhar e cobrar da CBF sua profissionalização. Isso é melhor do que falar besteiras, sem provas, na imprensa.”

Salmo Valentim

Presidente da ANAF

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BotafogoJohn Textor

New Zealand allrounder Zak Foulkes has had a whirlwind few months. The 23-year-old bagged 9 for 75, the best figures by a New Zealand bowler on Test debut, in Bulawayo in August and then in his first ODI bowling innings, made Joe Root look silly with his inswinger in Mount Maunganui in October. He is set to close out the year with his first Test, against West Indies, at Hagley Oval, his home ground for Canterbury in domestic cricket.Foulkes’ family has made plans to come down to Hagley Oval and savour the occasion. “Yeah, a few friends and family coming down tomorrow, which will be cool,” Foulkes said. “Yeah, obviously first Test match out in front of them, which will be really cool. A really special moment for me and my family.”Obviously watched a lot of Test cricket out on this venue. Yeah, being on the other side of the road this time would be very cool, very rewarding.”Related

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• 'Boult-ish' Foulkes is adding breadth to NZ's pace depth

Foulkes hails from a cricketing family – his father Glen and his brothers Liam and Robbie have all represented Canterbury Country. Robbie, a top-order batter, also played for New Zealand in the 2024 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa. Liam now works for Cricket Ireland as their national game development manager.Zak was also a top-order batter before bowling, more specifically swing bowling, became his primary skill. He opened the batting for Canterbury on first-class debut, but that didn’t go down too well. He has since climbed up the ranks in domestic cricket and emerged as a genuine swing bowler in international cricket.”There’s a running joke at the moment that Jacob Duffy is actually developing a wee inswing,” Foulkes laughed. “So yeah, just trying to tell him to stay in his lane a little bit. Yeah, definitely a little bit of a point of difference between the other guys [with my ability to swing the ball].”That swing has brought him success for Canterbury at Hagley Oval and he’s now preparing to harness it for New Zealand in Test cricket. “I think Test cricket is probably my No. 1 goal,” Foulkes said. “It has been for a while. I think there’s just nothing more rewarding than a red-ball win. All the toil, all the hard work that goes into it. Yeah, it’s very rewarding when you get a win.””Obviously when everyone is available there’s not too many spots up for grabs,” Zak Foulkes says of the future•Getty Images

No Kyle Jamieson. No Will O’Rourke. No Ben Sears. No Matt Fisher. No problem for New Zealand. Foulkes and Duffy, who also made his Test debut in Zimbabwe, have made a fairly seamless transition from domestic to international cricket while Central Districts fast bowler Blair Tickner has made a remarkable comeback after being out in the wilderness.”Yeah, I think we’re in a great space,” Foulkes said. “Obviously when everyone is available there’s not too many spots up for grabs. It sort of fits itself, almost. Yeah, but I guess being fast bowlers, we know there’s going to be injuries. So we have to build that depth and I think we’re in a good spot at the moment as New Zealand cricket.”Does the rise to the top feel like a blur for Foulkes? “It’s all happened pretty quickly really,” he said. “I had a big winter, had a few A tours and ended up in the UK. And then Zimbabwe obviously, where I debuted, which was cool. And then we’ve been on a little bit of a white-ball diet from then. Yeah, it’s now going to be nice to strap on the whites and bowl with the red ball for a change.”Foulkes suggested that he wasn’t expecting to play this home Test, but a surfeit of injuries has opened up another opportunity for him. He’s ready for it, with support from a cricket-mad family.

Alick Athanaze, Justin Greaves, Brandon King, Khary Pierre and Jomel Warrican all bring with them qualities that could stand West Indies in good stead in India

Deivarayan Muthu29-Sep-2025Alick AthanazeThe 26-year-old left-hand batter from Dominica has impressed a number of greats from the Caribbean, including Brian Lara and Ian Bishop, as well as those elsewhere. After he made his Test debut at his home ground in 2023, where he made 47 and 28, R Ashwin, who played in that fixture, picked him among a group of players who could dominate the next decade. While Athanze has scored only four fifties in 25 innings, his ceiling is high and he is being seen as a future all-format regular for West Indies.In the 2018 Under-19 World Cup, he had emerged as the highest run-getter, with 418 runs in six innings at an average of over 100, with Shubman Gill behind him (372 runs in five innings). Athanaze has grown to become one of the better players of spin in this Test squad: he stood up to Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz during his 90 against Bangladesh in North Sound last year.Jomel Warrican was a revelation on West Indies’ tour of Pakistan earlier this year•PCBJomel WarricanA left-arm fingerspinner who tosses the ball up and also gets it to fizz through, Jomel Warrican is now West Indies’ first-choice specialist spinner, especially after leading West Indies to their first Test win in Pakistan after 34 years with a match haul of nine wickets in Multan in January this year. His pace variations and accuracy stood out during the two-Test series in Pakistan, where he claimed the Player-of-the-Match award for his 19 wickets at an absurd average of nine.He will, of course, face a stiffer challenge in India and will be expected to bowl long spells in conditions that might be conducive to his style of bowling. He is also West Indies’ Test vice-captain and can contribute with the bat lower down the order too.Khary Pierre is 34, has never played Test cricket, but is tipped to be West Indies’ second spinner in the India Tests•Getty ImagesKhary PierreWith Motie getting a break, Khary Pierre, who turned 34 last week, is set to make his Test debut in India as West Indies’ second specialist spinner. If he gets his maiden cap in Ahmedabad, he will become the oldest player to debut for West Indies in the longest format since 1973.Like his senior partner Warrican, Pierre is adept at keeping the stumps in play and varying his pace, though he doesn’t give the ball a big rip. His recent form in the West Indies championship – he bagged a chart-topping 41 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 13.56 – strengthened his case for a maiden Test call-up though he isn’t exactly young. Pierre works closely with Akeal Hosein, another left-arm spinner from Trinidad, and is a multiple CPL winner with St Lucia Kings and Trinbago Knight Riders. He is also electric in the field, which Jamal Smith, CWI’s senior talent manager, acknowledged at a press conference earlier this month.Brandon King is still largely unproven in Test cricket•AFP/Getty ImagesBrandon KingBrandon King is the CPL’s batting royalty – his unbeaten 132 is the highest score in the league and his unbeaten 83 off 50 balls led Jamaica Tallawahs to the title in 2022. He has since become a T20 globetrotter and was recently picked by Joburg Super Kings in the SA20 auction, but is unproven in Test cricket. He has played just three Tests so far and his first-class average of 33.56 is not flash.But then again, West Indies don’t quite have the depth that India and some other countries possess, and with Brathwaite falling out of favour, King, 30, might open the batting along with the returning Chanderpaul in the first Test in Ahmedabad. He is proficient against pace and his biggest challenge will be against India’s spinners in potentially spin-friendly conditions. If he manages to counter Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav, he might boost his Test and IPL prospects.Justin Greaves hasn’t passed 40 in 13 innings since scoring his maiden Test century but his seam-ups provide balance to the XI•Cricket West IndiesJustin GreavesIn Shamar Joseph Test at the Gabba in 2024, Justin Greaves had scored a steady 33 in the second innings and in his next Test, at home, against Bangladesh, he made his maiden Test hundred to go with two wickets.Greaves, however, hasn’t passed 40 in 13 innings since but his seam-ups have provided balance to the XI. Against Australia, he picked up nine wickets in three games and could have a role to play as West Indies’ third seamer in India, with Pierre likely to play at the expense of a frontline seamer. Having missed CPL 2025 with injury, Greaves will have to shake off the rust and adapt quickly to Indian conditions.