Four-Test-old all-rounder Jacob Bethell was awarded his maiden central contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) which offered two-year deals to 14 multi-format cricketers, including Test captain Ben Stokes and injury-plagued pacer Jofra Archer.
Samson, Bumrah help India tide over England challenge to reach second successive T20 WC final
Matthew Breetzke became the first player to score half centuries in each of his first five One-Day International appearances as South Africa beat England by five runs in the second ODI at Lord's on Thursday.
Australia stormed to an eight-wicket victory in the second Ashes Test on Sunday to take a 2-0 series lead as England succumbed on day four to a pace blitz from unlikely hero Michael Neser.
'We know we're behind the game again, in the situation we currently stand.'
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2026 after Game 38.
Images from Day 5 of the third Test between England and India at Lord's on Monday.
India's virtual T20 World Cup quarterfinal against West Indies at Eden Gardens will be played on the same pitch that produced the tournament's first 200-plus total, with dew and spin likely to play key roles.
With the series nicely poised at 1-1 going into the third Test, the narrative built around both the teams has changed significantly following India's 336-run routing of England at Edgbaston.
'We all know what he's capable of achieving in Test cricket and we hope that when the opportunity does arrive for him, he's able to recapture, and also improve on, what he's been able to do already in that form of the game.'
Kumar Sangakkara explains the decision to appoint Riyan Parag as captain of the Rajasthan Royals, highlighting his maturity and vision for the team.
Sanju Samson's century, Punjab Kings' record 265 chase, Rinku Singh's Super Over heroics and standout knocks from KL Rahul, Abhishek Sharma and Virat Kohli headline an action-packed Week 4 of IPL 2026.
Rajasthan Royals, after two consecutive defeats, aim to regain momentum against a struggling Lucknow Super Giants in their upcoming IPL match. Key concerns include the form of skipper Riyan Parag and the fragility of the middle order. Lucknow's bowling attack needs to find breakthroughs to counter Rajasthan's strong opening pair.
Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, both in good form, are set to clash in an IPL match. Rajasthan's explosive batting and Bengaluru's rejuvenated bowling are key factors.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2026 after Game 29.
Tom Banton and captain Harry Brook guided England to a thrilling win against Sri Lanka in the 2nd T20I to claim the series in Kandy.
Harbhajan Singh's comment on Jofra Archer's expensive spell drew accusations of racial insensitivity.
England will be heading into the T20 World Cup with a massive confidence boost following a series win across both white-ball formats in Sri Lanka under captaincy of young Harry Brook, who has switched his side's fortunes since taking over.
England 'quietly confident' heading into Ashes series, says Wood
Krunal Pandya's gritty 73 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar's all-round heroics (4/23, 7 not out) powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a nervy two-wicket victory and knocked Mumbai Indians out of the race for IPL playoffs in Raipur on Sunday.
Kolkata Knight Riders edged Lucknow Super Giants in a tense Super Over finish in Lucknow on Sunday, surviving a major batting collapse before holding their nerve in the decider to snatch a dramatic win in a clash between two struggling sides.
England have also included seamer Reece Topley, who they hope will have recovered from an ankle injury in time to play.
Starc reached his second fifty of the series in 73 balls, striking eight fours, before England finally struck back. Archer ended Lyon's resistance, trapping him plumb in front for 9, and Australia were soon bowled out for 371 in 91.2 overs.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 1st Ashes Test played in Perth on Friday.
Rishabh Pant and Ajinkya Rahane face increasing pressure as captains in the IPL, with their teams, Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders, struggling to find form and consistency.
Rajat Patidar's aggressive innings helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru reach a total of 201 for 8 against Rajasthan Royals in their IPL match, after a shaky start.
Mark Wood, who was one of England's standout bowlers in the 2021-22 series when he claimed 17 wickets, had been sidelined since February due to a knee injury and was hoping to build up match fitness in this week's warm-up match ahead of the Ashes.
England fast bowler Jofra Archer was ruled out of the Ashes series against Australia.
Jacob Bethell has represented England in 29 matches across all formats and will lead the team in the absence of the regular Test players.
A timely unbeaten 53 from vice-captain Rinku Singh and a fine spell from Varun Chakravarthy powered former champions Kolkata Knight Riders to their first win of IPL 2026.
As India weigh their options ahead of the second innings, all eyes remain on Pant
Pant equals Sehwag's six-hitting record, surpasses Rohit Sharma in WTC Test runs
Mumbai Indians will be looking to bounce back from their recent defeat when they face a confident Rajasthan Royals side in their upcoming IPL match. The Royals will be aiming to continue their winning streak.
England's bowling attack will struggle to bowl out Australia in the Ashes if they prepare flat wickets
Sanju Samson admits the pressure of securing a spot in India's T20 World Cup squad led to poor performance in the preceding series against New Zealand. He has since found form, crediting a return to basics and support from loved ones.
England on Tuesday named a 16-man squad for the Ashes series starting in Australia in November with Ben Stokes, who is currently nursing a shoulder injury, set to return to lead the side.
'The prospect of Konstas facing Jofra Archer with the first ball of the Ashes on November 21 -- potentially delivered at 155km/h -- doesn't feel like a fair fight.'
England fast bowler Jofra Archer is a doubt for the Ashes after he was ruled out for the remainder of IPL 2023 due to an elbow injur.
'KL was excellent in nullifying that early threat and played very straight.'
Ishan Kishan's sensational comeback and Sanju Samson's inconsistent displays with the bat will reignite debate over who should be Abhishek Sharma's preferred opening partner.
