With the former prime minister stepping aside on Sunday night saying it was "simply not the right time" for his comeback, the prospect of a Diwali victory for Sunak cannot be ruled out.
Here is a compilation of some of the best photos from 2021...
Australia Test captain Tim Paine has apologised to New Zealand for writing the Black Caps off before their World Test Championship triumph against India.
A summary of Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Sehwag took a funny jibe at the ICC for hosting the World Test Championship final in the UK
There is only ever one aim for India in World Cups, to win, and T20 World Cup 2022 is no different.
Pujara's strike-rate has been a constant subject of debate for sometime now
Manchester United's Axel Tuanzebe, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, Chelsea's Reece James, West Bromwich Albion's Romaine Sawyers and Southampton's Alex Jankewitz have all been victims of online abuse
James Anderson is far from being done after becoming the first pacer to amass 600 Test wickets and he sees no reason why he can't enter the 700-club alongside Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan even though he has hit 38.
>The Indian cricketers, who have been picked for next month's World Test Championship final against New Zealand and the five-Test series in England, are looking to get their first dose of the vaccine ahead of their trip to the UK.
Images from Sunday's action in the Premier League.
Former captain Michael Vaughan cautioned England ahead of next month's three-match Test series, saying Pakistan is a better team than the West Indies in the traditional format and can shock the home team.
England named an unchanged squad for first match of the three-Test series against Pakistan that begins on August 5 in Manchester, the country's cricket Board (ECB) said on Wednesday. England beat West Indies 2-1 in the first international Test series since the COVID-19 pandemic suspended the sport in March, winning the third match by 269 runs on Tuesday.
Joint-leaders Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool both dropped points on a busy day of English Premier League action as Leicester City and Southampton narrowed the gap in what is shaping up to be one of the most open title races for years.
The famous win in the opening Test against England in Southampton was West Indies' first in the opening Test of an away series in almost 13 years and only their second Test win in England in 20 years.
"It's been such a privilege to play with and against some of the greats of the game and to have created so many memories and friendships along the way. But all good things must come to an end and the timing feels right for me."
Zak Crawley (117) and Joe Root (84) scored freely for an unbeaten 193-run second-wicket partnership, pushing England to 217 for 1 in North Sound on the island of Antigua, where stumps were drawn early due to a late afternoon tropical downpour.
Liverpool's Sadio Mane marked his return from injury with a late goal to break Norwich City's resistance and secure a 1-0 win on Saturday to extend his side's Premier League lead to 25 points.
Rain washed out an entire day's play for the second time in the ICC World Test Championship final in Southampton on Monday, diminishing hopes of a result in the India vs New Zealand contest.
A determined New Zealand bounced back in fine style on the third day to gain the upperhand in the World Test Championship final.
Images from Day 6 of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand, at The Hampshire Bowl, in Southampton, on Wednesday.
New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson said his team is pleased to keep things in the balance after India reached 146/3 on a rain-hit second day of the ICC World Test Championship final in Southampton on Saturday.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes will miss the remainder of the ongoing-three Test series against Pakistan for family reasons, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Sunday.
ECB England off-spinner Dom Bess described James Anderson as the greatest English player of all time after the 38-year-old moved within two wickets of becoming the first pace bowler to claim 600 Test victims.
Manchester City move a step closer to the Premier League title after a game in which both sides finished with 10 men.
'Rather than worrying too much about results, it's about trying to stick to a brand of cricket that we want to be proud of playing. I guess that's something that came out in the 2015 World Cup and it's flowed on from there.'
The Wedding Party will be performed in an elaborate Bollywood style, by 250 performers of all ages, from London, Birmingham, Leicester, Manchester, Southampton and Newcastle.
English Premier League matches have continued behind closed doors during the second lockdown announced on November 1. Supporters have not been allowed into sporting venues since the first lockdown was announced in March, barring a few exceptions.
'Ishant has had multiple stitches on his middle and fourth finger in his right hand. However it is not very serious'
Leicester City recorded the biggest ever English top-flight away win by beating 10-man Southampton 9-0 at a rain-sodden St Mary's to move up to second place in the Premier League on Friday.
What went wrong for India in the World Test Championship Final against New Zealand?
Misbah also felt that the top order of both teams would play a decisive role in the series as bowling of both teams was top class.
The BCCI on Monday shared a clip of the team's gym session on Twitter.
Suryakumar Yadav smashed a magnificent century but England held their nerve in a high-scoring thriller to win the third and final T20I by 17 runs and avoid the series sweep, in Nottingham, in Sunday.
Will Captain Virat Kohli continue to change the team for the 39th game in a row?
India's batting mainstay Rohit Sharma has no idea about the status of last month's abandoned fifth Test against England in Manchester but he is quite clear in his mind that his team 'won' the hard-fought series 2-1.
Rishi Sunak, the former UK chancellor of the exchequer, on Friday formally launched his leadership bid to succeed Boris Johnson as the new Conservative Party leader and future British prime minister.
Skipper Williamson cleared to play; spinner Patel included in 15-man squad
'We need to get Kane out as early as possible as that'll surely benefit the team.'
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hit back at Frank Lampard after his Chelsea counterpart suggested Video Assistant Referees (VAR) have favoured United his season. Lampard said United benefited from contentious VAR decisions and poor on-pitch decisions, commenting on how a "clear and obvious decision" went their way on Thursday when Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha was fouled but no penalty was awarded.
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