Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will get a golden chance to improve upon his none too impressive first class numbers when East Zone take on the severely inexperienced North East Zone in the quarter-final of the Duleep Trophy.
Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra has offered insights into Shubman Gill's captaincy style, comparing him to Hardik Pandya and noting Gill's reserved yet keen approach to leadership. Nehra also discussed the uncertain future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the 2027 ODI World Cup, stating it's too early to predict. He also touched upon his own coaching ambitions and reflected on past World Cup losses.
Sri Lankan cricket officials are considering a balanced pitch for the second Test against India at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), moving away from a spin-friendly track. This decision aims to provide equal opportunities for both batters and bowlers, similar to the Galle pitch, and support their young batting lineup. The SSC pitch character has evolved over the years, with less home advantage since the retirement of legendary players.
India women's hockey team coach Sjoerd Marijne attributed his side's goalless draw against Australia, which led to their World Cup semi-final exit, to nerves and an inability to convert opportunities, despite calling the fifth-sixth place playoff a 'significant achievement'.
Donald Trump stated that Iran has been given a "last chance" to reach an agreement, revealing that the US paused a planned military strike after receiving requests from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Iran to pursue diplomacy instead.
Indian women's hockey team captain Savita Punia believes their recent FIH Nations Cup triumph has instilled the confidence needed to challenge top teams and secure a podium finish at the upcoming World Cup.
The 2026 Hockey World Cup saw Argentina break the Netherlands' dominance in women's hockey, while Germany successfully defended their men's title. The tournament, co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium, featured simultaneous men's and women's events, highlighting shifting hierarchies and India's mixed performance with promising women's results and disappointing men's outcomes.
Having registered a ninth-place finish in the 2023 edition held at Bhubaneswar, India will be aiming to bring the gold home, riding on the back of the momentum of two back-to-back Olympic bronze medals, an Asia Cup title win, two Asian Champions Trophy wins and an Asia Cup gold.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajiv Shukla on Sunday congratulated Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on becoming India's youngest international cricketer, saying the teenager earned his opportunity on merit.
Kris Srikkanth questioned whether India's star-studded Afghanistan squad was picked out of fear after recent defeats, arguing the series offered an ideal chance to blood promising youngsters.
Sarfaraz Khan has been recalled to India's Test squad for the two-match away series against Sri Lanka, starting August 15, following an injury to Sai Sudharsan. This recall comes after two years of consistent performance and a significant physical transformation, including shedding 17kg.
Indian football team head coach Khalid Jamil has strongly defended his decision to drop several established players for upcoming high-profile friendlies against Brazil, Uruguay, and Panama. Jamil stated that selections were based purely on merit and performance, part of a long-term strategy to build a team for the 2027 Asian Cup qualification. He also praised former captain Sunil Chhetri but ruled out his return.
Emma Navarro, the 26th seed, achieved her third top-10 victory of the year by defeating seventh seed Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-5 at the U.S. Open. Navarro's strong baseline play and Muchova's struggles with unforced errors contributed to the upset, propelling Navarro into the fourth round.
Barcelona secured a resounding 5-0 victory over hosts Valencia in their LaLiga clash, maintaining their perfect start to the new season. Fermin Lopez was instrumental with a goal and two assists, while Lamine Yamal scored twice, and Raphinha and Pedri also found the net. The win puts Barcelona at the top of the LaLiga table with 12 points from four games.
India is reportedly exploring an ODI series in South Africa before the 2027 World Cup, a move initiated by the team management to gain crucial exposure to conditions and fine-tune preparations for the tournament.
The Global Chess League's halfway stage saw significant upsets and dramatic finishes, with Triveni Continental Kings defeating table-toppers Alpine APL Pipers. Ganges Grandmasters secured a crucial win against PBG Alaskan Knights due to a last-second time violation, while CheQ Mumba Masters maintained their strong performance. These results have intensified the competition for the top two positions.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles scored a spectacular equaliser on his Everton debut in the dying moments of the game, securing a 2-2 draw against Manchester United after Benjamin Sesko had put United ahead late on.
Former India international and coach Soumyadeep Roy is set to join the national table tennis squad for the upcoming Asian Games as a personal coach, five years after being embroiled in a match-fixing controversy at the Tokyo Olympics. Despite the past issues and the suspension of the TTFI, Roy aims to guide his players and contribute to India's medal prospects.
Sachin Tendulkar remembered his father Ramesh's timeless lessons on honesty, character and avoiding shortcuts, while launching a fellowship to honour his legacy and expand opportunities for young professionals.
Dasun Shanaka smashed the fastest century in Caribbean Premier League history, an unbeaten 121 off just 43 balls, leading St Kitts and Nevis Patriots to a record 137-run victory over St Lucia Kings. This dominant performance significantly boosted the Patriots' net run rate and kept their playoff hopes alive, while Jeremiah Louis secured a maiden five-wicket haul.
'You will see Munna in his all guns blazing avatar.'
Reigning world champion Sheetal Devi has secured a medal for India by reaching the women's compound individual final at the World Archery Para Series.
The captains of India and Pakistan women's cricket teams, Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana, once again refrained from shaking hands at the toss during their Women's Asia Cup 2026 match in Dubai.
Innocent Kaia's career-best 72 runs led Zimbabwe to a five-wicket victory over hosts Namibia in the Twenty20 tri-series, keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the weekend final against South Africa.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has implemented a new two-stage trial system for the 2026 Senior World Championships. This policy allows wrestlers participating in the Asian Games to also compete for a spot in the World Championships team through a "final trial," addressing the overlap between the two major events. The first phase of trials is scheduled for September 14-15, with specific provisions for certain weight categories and U23 championships.
Actor Shagun Sharma's challenging journey on the popular stunt-based reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 has concluded after she was eliminated in a task against fellow contestants Harsh Gujral and Jasmin Bhasin.
Karun Nair, despite scoring a century in a local tournament, was controversially excluded from the South Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy final. This decision has drawn attention given South Zone's struggles against East Zone. Coach Vikram Verma cited team combination and "personal reasons" for Nair's absence, but his subsequent participation in another match suggests deeper issues.
Shubman Gill called India's drawn second Test against Sri Lanka frustrating but praised his players' effort, cleared Mohammad Siraj of injury concerns and backed India's WTC qualification hopes.
The Supreme Court has suspended the sentence of Hopeson Nignshen, a self-styled NSCN(M) "lieutenant", who was convicted for the abduction and killing of three Manipur government officials in 2009. Nignshen has been incarcerated for over 17 years, and his appeal is still pending. The suspension comes with the condition that he remains within Delhi until his appeal is disposed of.
India's Dhruv Sitwala won a silver medal at the Pan Am Cup billiards championship in Winnipeg, Canada, after losing to Singapore's Peter Gilchrist in the final. Despite an early lead, Sitwala couldn't maintain his advantage against Gilchrist's strong performance.
American 10th seed Amanda Anisimova was defeated by Austrian Anastasia Potapova in the third round of the U.S. Open. Potapova secured a 6-2, 7-5 victory, reaching the fourth round for the first time, while Anisimova struggled with unforced errors and failed to replicate her previous year's success.
Devdutt Padikkal struck his second century of the series, capitalising on Sri Lanka's early dropped chances to make 117 and steer India towards a strong first-innings total.
Karnataka batter Devdutt Padikkal discusses his approach to cementing a place in the Indian Test XI, acknowledging limited opportunities despite his recent back-to-back hundreds in Sri Lanka. He emphasises the importance of consistent performance and his readiness to seize opportunities, drawing insights from conversations with Rahul Dravid.
Former Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq has criticised the differential treatment of foreign and local coaches in Pakistan cricket, stating that foreign coaches enjoy more authority and less scrutiny. He also highlighted the need for consistency, patience, and long-term planning, drawing comparisons with India's successful cricket development model.
The Global Chess League commenced with defending champions Alpine APL Pipers securing a 10-8 victory over Mumba Masters, spearheaded by Magnus Carlsen.
Bukayo Saka's second-half goal secured a 1-0 victory for Arsenal against Aston Villa, marking their second consecutive win in the Premier League season.
Former India captain Sunil Chhetri admitted to feeling "a little jealous" about the current national team getting the chance to play against footballing powerhouses Brazil and Uruguay, an opportunity he never had during his extensive international career. He expressed excitement for the team while also backing the coach's selection decisions and encouraging the young talent.
Mukesh Kumar, the Bengal pacer, has delivered an impressive performance in the Duleep Trophy, taking 11 wickets and expressing the critical importance of the ongoing domestic season for his potential India comeback. He detailed his strategic bowling approach on challenging pitches and the team's tactics for managing the hot conditions, while also providing an update on teammate Anukul Roy's injury.
Ishan Kishan top-scored with a splendid knock of 270 to power East Zone to a mammoth first innings total of 708 in their first innings on Day 2 against South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final.
