Shubman Gill called India's drawn second Test against Sri Lanka frustrating but praised his players' effort, cleared Mohammad Siraj of injury concerns and backed India's WTC qualification hopes.
Chief coach Amol Muzumdar lauded the Indian women's cricket team for their historic 270-run Test victory over England at Lord's, attributing the success to a blend of 'patience mixed with the right amount of aggression' and highlighting centurion Yastika Bhatia's 'special knock' and pacer Kranti Gaud's 'controlled line and length'.
Australia is set to host Bangladesh in a two-match Test series in the country's tropical north, marking the first time since 2003.
Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma ended his streak of missed cuts by making the weekend rounds at the Nexo Championship in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. His second round was highlighted by a spectacular hole-in-one on the sixth hole, contributing to his even-par 72 and a tied 22nd position. This performance offers Sharma a crucial opportunity to regain momentum on the DP World Tour.
Pakistan faces a daunting chase in the opening Test against West Indies in Tarouba, grappling with a recurring batting collapse issue that has plagued them over the last 10 months. After being bowled out for 282, losing seven wickets for 38 runs, they now hope their pace attack can limit West Indies' lead.
West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves made history by becoming the first bowler in Test cricket to take wickets in five consecutive maiden overs during the opening Test against Pakistan in Tarouba.
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.
Sri Lanka spinner Prabath Jayasuriya received a reprimand and one demerit point for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct by abusing cricket equipment after his dismissal on day two of the second Test against India.
India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, hosted both the Indian and Sri Lankan men's cricket teams at the India House in Colombo, emphasising cricket's role in strengthening bilateral ties ahead of their second Test match.
Teenage shooter Anvii Rathord won a bronze medal in the women's 10m air rifle at the ISSF Junior World Championship in Suhl, Germany. However, India's campaign was marred by a team disqualification due to a breach of equipment stiffness standards by Shambhavi Shravan Kshirsagar. Despite this setback, India continues to lead the medal tally. The championship also saw another Indian shooter, Vanshika Chaudhary, miss a potential gold due to a costly error.
The Indian senior men's football team will play an international friendly against Panama at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on September 26. This match against a FIFA World Cup-playing nation will be a significant test for the Blue Tigers, marking their return to Bengaluru after their SAFF Championship 2023 victory.
Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid is reportedly a contender for the England Test coach position, following Brendon McCullum's removal. Dravid, known for his meticulous approach, is considered an attractive candidate despite his stated preference against full-time coaching. Other prominent names like Andy Flower and Richard Dawson are also in consideration for the role.
The Sydney Morning Herald, on Monday, reported that plans for a nine-nation Test championship were under way and the ICC was set to give the concept a green light on Friday at a meeting in Auckland.
Gautam Gambhir, India's head coach, dismisses criticism over recent poor results, stating his sole focus is on winning trophies for the country.
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has issued a stern warning to the Indian team ahead of their crucial Test series against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan's Test team head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed has acknowledged ongoing fitness issues within the squad, despite a recent training camp. A new conditioning camp is planned to address these concerns before the team's crucial tours to the Caribbean and England. New Test captain Babar Azam is focused on improving fitness and discipline for better performance in red-ball cricket.
Already, the knives are out for Gautam Gambhir because of his poor record as coach in Test matches, and a potential defeat in Sri Lanka could prove to be the killer blow.
KL Rahul's patient half-century in the Galle Test against Sri Lanka highlights his evolving role as a consistent and strategic anchor for the Indian team. Despite a slower strike rate, his ability to stonewall spinners and build partnerships has been crucial, earning praise from coaches and teammates. This performance underscores his growing importance, especially after the departure of senior batters, as he aims to make a significant impact in the current Test series.
'We're going to play in a lot of different conditions over the next 12 months. It's going to require different efforts. It may not look like the traditional thing all the time.'
Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has resigned from the men's national selection committee and as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy.
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.
India have continued from their early success of a 2-0 win in the West Indies and are now on 240 points after wresting the maximum of 120 points in both their series.
Shubman Gill remains hopeful of India reaching the WTC final, but the team must win at least six of their remaining seven Tests.
Images from Day 6 of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand, at The Hampshire Bowl, in Southampton, on Wednesday.
Auqib Nabi's Surrey stint will provide crucial first-class exposure in England as the J&K pacer seeks to strengthen his case for India's Test squad for New Zealand.
The ICC launched the WTC last year to lend context to bilateral Test series, giving the format its standalone showpiece like the World Cup in other formats.
The most pressing issue for the governing ICC is what to do about the six Test series
Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons has cautioned his team to expect a strong comeback from Australia in the second Test after their surprising nine-wicket victory in the series opener. Simmons emphasised the need for continued high performance, while Australia's captain Pat Cummins acknowledged their poor performance in the first match and confirmed team changes for the upcoming game in Mackay.
A humanoid robot named Lightning, developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor, has reportedly run 100 meters in 9.32 seconds, surpassing Usain Bolt's human world record.
A world-class Test team can't afford to have a bowling attack that allows batters to feel comfortable. To be the world's best Test team, all departments of the game should be strong and striking.
As India prepares for their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka starting August 15, the team management faces critical decisions regarding their playing XI to bolster their World Test Championship 2027 final aspirations.
China's dominant table tennis team is preparing for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, bringing a mix of Olympic champions and young debutants. They are wary of the host nation Japan, particularly in the women's game, while also focusing on developing talent for the 2028 Olympics.
Babar Azam has returned to lead Pakistan's Test cricket team after Shan Masood was axed from the role.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir's standing in red-ball cricket faces a crucial test as the team embarks on a two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
England captain Joe Root has announced there will be no team curfew for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan, expressing trust in his players to act responsibly. This decision comes amidst recent scrutiny over the team's culture following several off-field incidents and player suspensions. Root, who returned to captaincy after Ben Stokes' retirement, believes players should be self-policing.
Australia is under pressure to secure a decisive victory in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay to level the two-match series, following an embarrassing nine-wicket loss in Darwin. The team has made personnel changes, including recalling Matt Renshaw, and is looking for a strong bounce-back performance. Meanwhile, Bangladesh, buoyed by their historic win and a successful shift to a pace-centred bowling attack, is confident of continuing their strong form and potentially sweeping the series.
Pakistan is reportedly considering replacing Shan Masood with Babar Azam as Test captain following a heavy defeat to Bangladesh. The Pakistan Cricket Board is under pressure to reinstate Azam.
England to host New Zealand for two Tests in June.
Rohit Sharma's ODI future was a major point of discussion during the review meeting, while also considering the recent fitness woes of key players like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.
South Africa reached the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time after a 1-0 win over South Korea.
