Sri Lanka's head coach Gary Kirsten expressed satisfaction with his team's developing approach to Test cricket despite a loss to India. He highlighted the team's fight and resilience, particularly after a poor start in their first innings, and praised young batter Sonal Dinusha. Kirsten also provided an update on key player injuries ahead of the next Test.
Joe Root has been reappointed as England's Test captain, marking his return to the leadership role, while former New Zealand batter Stephen Fleming has been named the new head coach, following the departures of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
'I've seen a lot of meetings over the years, but this was the first time I've seen the deputy chief minister and the industries minister sit through something like this with 200 to 300 industrialists, local residents and politicians from both the ruling side and Opposition, all in the same room.'
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed his squad's hunger and motivation to win the Community Shield against Manchester City, aiming to start the new season with a trophy after a busy recruitment period.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu expressed disappointment after her pre-quarterfinal defeat at the World Championships, suggesting her opponent Wang Zhi Yi's mid-match cramps might have been tactical. Sindhu also reflected on her own performance, acknowledging the need for greater patience and improved stroke-making, while vowing to continue her pursuit of a sixth World Championships medal.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) CEO Raghuram Iyer announced a massive nationwide talent hunt targeting children aged 5 to 15 to identify and nurture future athletes, aiming for 30-40 medals at the 2036 Olympics.
India's Women's Hockey team, buoyed by a draw against China, is set to face South Africa in their second World Cup match. A win is crucial for their qualification hopes for the second round. Coach Sjoerd Marijne acknowledges areas for improvement, particularly in ball possession, despite strong performances from key players like Deepika and Navneet Kaur.
Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has described India as his 'second home,' stating he felt more welcomed and supported by Indian cricket fans than in Australia, attributing this strong connection to his IPL career and the country's appreciation for the sport.
India's vice-captain KL Rahul expressed his delight at the team's comprehensive 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle, stating that the team 'ticked most of the boxes' they had discussed prior to the match and gained significant confidence for future spin-dominated assignments.
Women's sports garnered 28.6 billion minutes of views in the U.S. in the first half of 2026, an 18% increase year-over-year, with advertising spend up 120% since 2022, according to a Nielsen report.
Indian javelin ace Neeraj Chopra is set to renew his rivalry with Sri Lankan star Rumesh Pathirage at the Lausanne Diamond League, with both athletes vying for a spot in the prestigious DL grand finale in Brussels.
'There's a lot of pressure on him, and there's a lot of pressure on this series as well, because it's crucial for India's chances in the WTC.'
India spin legend Harbhajan Singh has lauded 15-year-old cricket prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling his audacious strokeplay unparalleled.
'I'm talking about God, not some character in a film. That was the challenge that I had to bring out in Ranbir Kapoor's character. The costume was not important, what was important was a visual effect, where you look at him, there should be a certain kind of warmth in your heart.'
Andy Flower has ruled himself out of contention for the vacant England Test head coach position, saying he is happy in franchise cricket and intends to remain in his current roles.
Former India spinner Murali Kartik has emphasised the need for consistency and a clearly defined role for Kuldeep Yadav in the Test side, especially as Ravindra Jadeja approaches the end of his career. Kartik believes Kuldeep, despite being a match-winner, has not received the sustained backing needed to flourish in Test cricket under previous regimes.
Punjab Kings all-rounder Shashank Singh is set to play for Pondicherry in the 2026-27 domestic season after securing an NOC from the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh. Singh alleges a lack of support from Chhattisgarh during his injury recovery and claims he was unfairly excluded from state tournaments and camps, despite being a top domestic performer. He plans to focus on white-ball cricket moving forward.
'Ultimately, everything has to be shared. That's why you have that talent. To share it. Unless you share, it won't continue.'
Australia captain Pat Cummins has encouraged all-rounder Cameron Green to adopt an aggressive approach against Bangladesh in the upcoming Test series.
Selva Prabhu registered a best jump of 16.52m to finish third and take bronze.
Indian Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin concluded their campaign at the Esports World Cup Chess tournament in the quarterfinals, securing top-eight finishes. Erigaisi was eliminated by Hikaru Nakamura in an Armageddon tiebreak, while Sarin lost to defending champion Magnus Carlsen. Their performance marks India's strongest showing in the event, with both players earning USD 75,000 each from the substantial prize pool.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced stringent new policy guidelines, mandating ambulances deployed on national highways to reach accident sites within a 10-km radius in 10 minutes and transfer victims to the nearest hospital within one hour, with penalties for non-compliance.
Indian golfer Pranavi Urs finished tied-38th at the VP Bank Swiss Ladies event, while England's Eleanor Givens secured her maiden Ladies European Tour title after 15 seasons and 210 starts, rallying from behind on the final day.
Govinda has strongly reacted to his wife Sunita Ahuja's recent comments regarding his public appearances with Roopa co-star Komal Rani Swarnkar, accusing her of attempting to damage his reputation and sabotage his film comeback.
In a no-filter conversation with Rediff's Rishika Shah, Miss India World Nikita Porwal has a few confessions to make.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka was defeated 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 by Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round of the Canadian Open, a significant setback in her U.S. Open preparations.
Indian hockey fans, including a significant diaspora presence and supporters from abroad, created a vibrant, festive atmosphere in Amstelveen for the World Cup opener against Wales on Independence Day, driven by increased expectations following recent Olympic successes.
New Delhi must look for formal, institutional statements issued directly from Washington rather than rely on casual pronouncements meant for local audiences, notes Ambassador Rajasekhar.
Elena Rybakina mounted a stunning comeback from a set and a break down to defeat Naomi Osaka in a hard-fought Canadian Open quarter-final, setting up a semi-final clash with Coco Gauff.
An NSCN(IM) insurgent surrendered to police in Arunachal Pradesh's Changlang district, along with weapons and ammunition.
Om Prakash Chouhan has taken the opening-round lead at the Rs 1 crore Coal India Open in Kolkata, delivering a spectacular eight-under 62. His impressive performance included a hole-in-one and an eagle, giving him a one-shot advantage over former Asian Tour winner Ajeetesh Sandhu.
President Donald Trump described the chaotic moments after a gunman opened fire at the Washington Hilton hotel during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, leading to his evacuation by the Secret Service.
Indian skeet shooter Maheshwari Chauhan, who narrowly missed a medal at the Paris Olympics, is now leveraging that experience to prepare for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan. She finished fourth in the mixed team skeet event and is currently part of a national preparatory camp.
Eleven-year-old Indian karting sensation Atiqa Mir has achieved impressive top-10 finishes in Round 4 of the FIA European Championship, becoming the youngest Indian to do so. She secured ninth and J10th place in heat races, qualifying P11 just 0.13 seconds off the fastest time. Her father, Asif Mir, believes she exceeded expectations and is poised for a full championship challenge next year.
Indian squash sensation Anahat Singh has made history by becoming the first Indian since Joshna Chinappa in 2005 to reach the World Junior Squash Championship final.
August is going to be a special month for Bollywood, thanks to the Independence Day weekend, which will see a couple of big releases.
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has lauded young Indian batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, highlighting his courage, mental strength, and ability to perform under pressure. Hayden believes the 15-year-old has the potential to excel in both short and long formats of cricket, despite his recent T20I and IPL successes. Sooryavanshi's impressive performances, including a Player of the Series award in T20Is and a record-breaking IPL season, underscore his immense talent.
Bowling coach Morne Morkel has indicated that India might field three left-arm spinners - Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Manav Suthar - in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Norwegian middle-distance runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen secured his seventh European Athletics Championships gold, winning the 5,000 metres title in a thrilling sprint finish, just months after Achilles surgery.
Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda, Simran Singhi, and Kavipriya Selvam are set to make their BWF World Championships debut as India hosts the prestigious badminton event after 17 years, offering a significant platform for these rising stars.
