Former Sri Lankan batter and veteran coach Roy Dias asserts that Test and ODI formats retain their relevance despite the rise of T20 cricket, advising young players to develop proper technique for success across all three versions.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal blasted a quickfire 61 from 46 balls before Mohammed Siraj smashed a match-winning 27 not out from 13 balls to power India to a six-wicket victory against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in the warm-up match.
What should have been a top-draw domestic red-ball clash to kick off the new season featuring some of India's Test stars has quickly turned into a lopsided contest, courtesy of a lifeless pitch heavily loaded in favour of the batters.
A five-storey boys' paying guest (PG) accommodation in Satya Niketan, South Delhi, collapsed, resulting in one fatality and trapping several individuals. Rescue operations are ongoing in the congested area, with locals citing ongoing basement construction and the building's age as potential factors.
The Indian players rest and rejuvenate in Galle before the first Test on Saturday.
India's javelin star Neeraj Chopra secured second place at the Lausanne Diamond League with an impressive throw of 88.05m, narrowly missing the top spot to Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage.
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak lauded the team's productive warm-up victory against Sri Lanka, highlighting strong performances from both batters and bowlers, including Shubman Gill's quick 44 and Devdutt Padikkal's unbeaten 142, which set a positive tone for the upcoming two-match Test series.
The Indian Coast Guard has launched a major search and rescue operation after a Panama-flagged bulk carrier, MV Ocean Winner, carrying 24 crew members, sank in the Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast. Two survivors have been rescued so far, with three ICG ships and the Indian Navy involved in the ongoing efforts.
A five-storey PG accommodation in Satya Niketan, South-West Delhi, collapsed, trapping numerous students and raising immediate concerns about building safety and construction standards in congested areas. Residents reported a "sudden tremor" and rushed to assist in rescue efforts, highlighting the precarious state of old buildings converted into student housing without proper maintenance or structural checks.
A 62-year-old cricket coach, Sumith Fernando, who mentored Kusal Mendis, died in Colombo following an altercation with two school players over drinking water during a match. A 17-year-old player has been arrested and placed under child probation custody.
The Duleep Trophy reaches its semifinal stage with defending champions Central Zone and last year's runners-up South Zone receiving direct entry. They will face East Zone and North Zone, respectively, who advanced after winning their quarterfinal matches. The upcoming clashes promise intense competition as teams battle for a spot in the final.
Sri Ramalayam Studios LLP is set to launch CODE, an ambitious film trilogy that reimagines the profound themes of the Mahabharata within an original science fiction narrative.
Manav Suthar, a left-arm spinner, delivered an exceptional four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in the first Test, attributing his success to a pre-series training stint at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. His performance, including dismissing Dinesh Chandimal with his first ball, was crucial in keeping the Lankans in check despite a strong partnership. Suthar also highlighted the learning experience from bowling alongside Ravindra Jadeja.
Keshav Maharaj hails Manav Suthar as a rare left-arm spin talent, praising his control and variations while backing him to carry India's Test spin legacy.
Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has achieved a rare feat in Test cricket, becoming only the fourth player in history to score over 4,000 runs and take 350 wickets. He joins an exclusive club alongside legends like Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, and Daniel Vettori, reaching the milestone during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
NPCI International and Uzbekistan's NIPC have partnered to enable UPI payments across Uzbekistan, allowing Indian tourists, business travellers, and students to make instant merchant payments using the UZQR code. This agreement, approved by RBI and CBU, integrates UPI with Uzbekistan's national payment system, HUMO, facilitating direct P2M payments from Indian bank accounts and reducing reliance on foreign exchange or international cards.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer believes K L Rahul performs best when not burdened by captaincy.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia addressed recent speculations regarding Rohit Sharma's future, chief selector Ajit Agarkar's contract extension, and VVS Laxman's potential appointment as director of cricket, dismissing all rumours after a review meeting.
India's services activity expanded in August, but the pace of growth cooled to the second-slowest since March 2022, despite stronger output and new business, according to the HSBC India Services PMI Business Activity Index.
Former Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Aakash Chopra discussed cricket selection, dismissing claims of regional discrimination and emphasising performance and hard work. They highlighted the launch of the Pro Star Cricket League (PSCL) Season 2 as a platform for emerging talent, particularly from regions like Jammu and Kashmir, and acknowledged the role of luck in a competitive environment.
Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana expressed her disbelief and happiness after surpassing legendary batter Mithali Raj to become the leading run-scorer in Women's Internationals, a feat she 'never imagined' achieving.
India is set to field a strong contingent at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with key athletes like PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, and Lovlina Borgohain leading the charge to defend titles in cricket, kabaddi, and men's hockey.
India, already qualified for the semifinals of the Women's Asia Cup, are set to face traditional rivals Pakistan in their final league game. While India is considered the overwhelming favourite, the match offers both teams an opportunity to fine-tune their strategies. India aims to strengthen its power-hitting and fast bowling, while Pakistan needs significant improvement in its batting to challenge stronger opponents.
A five-storey building in South Delhi's Satya Niketan area collapsed, trapping an estimated 30 to 50 students under the debris. Rescue operations are ongoing, with locals reporting calls from those trapped inside. The building, a PG accommodation, was reportedly undergoing basement construction and had a weak foundation. Residents expressed concerns about the age and maintenance of buildings in the area.
India Test captain Shubman Gill sustained two painful blows to his right hand during a training session in Colombo, just before a warm-up match against a Sri Lanka XI. Despite initial concerns, assessments suggest no serious damage, allowing Gill to continue preparations for the upcoming World Test Championship series.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner is preparing for a tough challenge against India's Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the upcoming five-match ODI series. Santner hopes the Indian stalwarts don't dominate on New Zealand pitches as they have in the past. He also discussed the importance of the series for World Cup preparations and the challenges of the two-Test series for a new-look Indian side.
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar expressed his bewilderment at how the current generation of cricketers, primarily raised on T20 cricket, has managed to seamlessly adapt to the rigorous demands of Test cricket. He compared their transition to pop singers mastering classical ragas, highlighting the significant technical and mental adjustments required. Manjrekar's comments come as young Indian players, many with IPL backgrounds, are actively participating in Test series, showcasing their versatility across formats.
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak clarified Kuldeep Yadav missed the second Test due to genuine viral fever, rejecting speculation that the team had any reason to fake illness.
Aakash Chopra believes India faces a challenging path to the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 final, even if they register a 2-0 series sweep in Sri Lanka.
A senior Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka has been stripped of his position following child abuse allegations. Pallegama Hemarathana was arrested and later bailed after being accused of abusing a 15-year-old girl. The Malwatta chapter of monks suspended him pending judicial proceedings.
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.
All-rounders Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy are expected to recover from their respective injuries and be available for selection for India's upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, providing a significant boost to the squad.
India's spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule confirmed that Kuldeep Yadav's absence from bowling in the second innings of the warm-up game against Sri Lanka Cricket XI was a precautionary measure to assess his body after a significant workload, allaying fitness concerns.
Harmanpreet Kaur says a winning culture is taking shape in the Indian women's cricket team as they prepare for the Asia Cup and Asian Games.
India captain Shubman Gill has indicated that Prasidh Krishna is likely to share the new ball with Mohammed Siraj in the upcoming first Test against Sri Lanka.
The BCCI has summoned Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar and V V S Laxman to Mumbai on Thursday to review India's disappointing performances in Ireland and England.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions in India reached Rs 29.8 lakh crore in August, approaching record levels. Volume also hit a new high of 24.51 billion transactions, driven by festive activities like Raksha Bandhan. The digital payment system continues its rapid growth, expanding its global presence to 11 countries, with further growth anticipated during the upcoming festive season and new use cases like credit on UPI.
Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has qualified for the prestigious Diamond League Finals in Brussels on September 5, securing his spot despite competing in only two events due to a lower back injury. He also remains on track to qualify for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest.
A source at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru has expressed significant concerns regarding players competing in the Indian Premier League while injured, attributing this to franchise and financial pressures, which subsequently complicates their rehabilitation and return to international cricket.
Sri Lankan opposition leaders are protesting the detention and alleged mistreatment of former state intelligence chief Suresh Sallay, who was hospitalised after a hunger strike. Sallay was arrested in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings investigation, and his wife has raised concerns about his treatment and restricted access.
