Indian batter Devdutt Padikkal scored his maiden Test century against Sri Lanka in Galle, becoming the second Indian, and first Test centurion, to achieve this feat on Independence Day, joining Virat Kohli in an elite list.
Dhruv Jurel notched up an unbeaten 115 to propel India to a commanding 509 for 8 before they declared the first innings against Sri Lanka on day two of the second Test in Colombo.
India finished Day 2 on 460/9 after rain restricted play to just two sessions in the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Sunday.
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.
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.
Dhruv Jurel on Sunday said he was not under any "pressure" despite failing to notch up a fifty in his last seven innings, and thanked head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill for giving him confidence during the lean phase.
Indian para badminton star Pramod Bhagat clinched the men's singles SL3 gold medal at the British & Irish International, defeating compatriot Nitesh Kumar in the final. Bhagat also secured a bronze in mixed doubles. Tokyo Paralympic champion Krishna Nagar added a silver and two bronze medals to India's tally, highlighting a strong performance by the Indian contingent in Dublin.
Manav Suthar delivered a standout performance in just his second Test, taking 10 wickets as India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the opening match of the series.
India faced early pressure in the second Test against Sri Lanka, reaching 88 for two at lunch on day one. Openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal were dismissed after a solid start, with Devdutt Padikkal and Shubman Gill at the crease. The session also saw some on-field drama and a dropped catch.
Indian para-badminton players, including Tokyo Paralympic champion Krishna Nagar, delivered an outstanding performance at the French Para Badminton International, securing multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals across various categories.
India U-19 defeated Sri Lanka U-19 by 211 runs in the second Youth Test in Colombo, securing the two-match series 1-0, with leg-spinner Rohit Yadav and pacer C Venkata sharing seven wickets.
Indian squash players Ananya Narayanan, Pooja Arthi Raghu, and Anika Dubey secured victories in the women's first round of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Chennai. The tournament also saw international players from Sri Lanka, Egypt, Spain, Malaysia, Kuwait, and Scotland competing in both men's and women's categories.
Anvay Dravid, son of legendary Rahul Dravid, displayed his potential with a 67-ball 87, but opener Dimantha Mahavithana made an unbeaten 155 to guide Sri Lanka U-19 to an eight-wicket win over India U-19 in the second Youth ODI.
India's Om Semwal defeated Spain's Hugo Jaen in a hard-fought five-game match at the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Mumbai. Several other Indian players also advanced in both men's and women's categories, showcasing strong performances on home ground.
India's Dhairya Gogia stunned Hong Kong's Tse Ka Chun in the first round of the boys' U-13 section at the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Panzhihua, China.
Lionel Messi sparked injury concerns after he left the field in the 73rd minute of Inter Miami CF's 6-4 victory over Philadelphia Union
Pramod Bhagat secured one gold and two silver medals at the Spanish Para Badminton International 2024, leading a strong performance by the Indian contingent.
Indian para-badminton players, led by Pramod Bhagat, delivered a stellar performance at the Spanish Para Badminton International 2024, securing multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals across various categories.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received a signed Lionel Messi jersey and expressed his excitement on social media.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has revealed the team's Test strategy, indicating a preference for Sai Sudharsan at the No.3 spot and plans to develop four spinners for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour. Gambhir also addressed Rishabh Pant's vice-captaincy, stressing the need for better game situation awareness.
Rajasthan Royals opener Yashasvi Jaiswal entered an exclusive club after hitting a six off the first ball of the IPL match against Delhi Capitals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Friday. He became only the fifth batter in the league's history to achieve the feat.
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to participate in his sixth World Cup at the age of 41, as announced by Portugal coach Roberto Martinez.
Akash Deep and Harshit Rana are unlikely to be fit for the upcoming home series against Afghanistan and the white ball tour of United Kingdom as they are still some time away from getting fully match-fit, sources in BCCI said.
The official 26-man squads for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2026 after Game 62.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of T20 World Cup 2026 after Game 52.
Suraj Kumar Chand was the only Indian player to advance to the semi-finals of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour at the Indian Squash Academy.
Abhishek Sharma continues to lead the IPL 2026 MVPI table, highlighting a worrying trend where batters overwhelmingly dominate the top positions and only one bowler features in the top 20. Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2026 after Game 54.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of T20 World Cup 2026.
Pramod Bhagat, Sukant Kadam claim two gold a piece in Egypt
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of T20 World Cup 2026 after Game 48.
Ibrahim Zadran takes over the reins from Rashid Khan after Afghanistan's early ouster from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
England spinners seal Sri Lanka series sweep ahead of T20 World Cup
Pramod Bhagat secured the men's SL3 gold medal at the BWF Para World Championships, defeating Muhammad Al Imran of Indonesia in straight games in the final.
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.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2026 after Game 24.
Sri Lankan President thanks PM Sharif as India-Pakistan T20 WC clash to go ahead
New Zealand and Pakistan share a point after rain forces abandonment of their T20 World Cup Super 8 Group 2 clash in Colombo.
The 56-year-old served as the India batting coach from September 2019 to July 2024. He is a BCCI level 3 coach.
Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in T20 World Cup match to top Group B in Colombo
