South Africa, reeling from a 214-run defeat in the first Test against Australia, is determined to level the series in the second Test starting Sunday in Gqeberha. The hosts are expected to make several team changes, including the return of paceman Kagiso Rabada, as they look to overcome batting fragilities exposed in the previous match. Australia, despite their dominant win, might consider workload management for their fast bowlers amidst forecasts of persistent rain.
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood believes reverse swing will be a crucial factor in the ongoing three-test series against South Africa, attributing its resurgence to the abrasive pitches. He successfully utilised this technique in the first test, which Australia won, and expects similar conditions for the second test in Gqeberha. Hazlewood also reflected on his recent performance and career longevity.
PCBL Chemical Ltd's subsidiary, Nanovace Technologies Ltd, has formed a new wholly-owned subsidiary, Nanovace Advanced Materials Ltd, to focus on advanced battery materials and next-generation energy storage technologies for various sectors including electric vehicles and consumer electronics.
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad received a bomb threat email during an India Under-19 vs Australia Under-19 cricket match, with the sender claiming association with the 'Khalistan National Army' and also warning of blasts at upcoming Diljit Dosanjh concerts.
Australia's pace spearhead Mitchell Starc likens winning upcoming away Test series in South Africa, India, and England, plus retaining the ODI World Cup, to Rory McIlroy's golf Grand Slam, acknowledging the team's ageing profile and the immense challenge ahead.
Australia's cricket coach Andrew McDonald indicated that selectors remain open to further changes in the batting order for the second Test against South Africa, depending on the pitch conditions in Gqeberha. This follows a successful, albeit surprising, lineup in the first Test where Nic Maddinson opened and Matt Renshaw excelled at number five. While former captain Steve Waugh urged consistency, McDonald emphasised the panel's flexible approach. The team is also monitoring the fitness of Cameron Green and Josh Inglis.
A new study analysing over 33,000 cancer journal articles has uncovered widespread citation manipulation by "research paper mills". These fraudulent organisations artificially inflate citation counts, a key academic performance metric, for thousands of articles. The suspect papers show unusually high citations but low readership, distorting scientific evidence and potentially slowing progress.
Australian golf sensation Min Woo Lee, a winner on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, is set to make his debut at the DP World India Championship in October. He will join an impressive lineup of international stars, including Tommy Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy, and Ryan Fox, at the Delhi Golf Club for the USD 4 million tournament, which also features top Indian golfers.
Shukri Conrad has demanded sharper batting and greater mental toughness from South Africa after their 214-run defeat to Australia, urging composure over knee-jerk changes ahead of Sunday's second Test.
Former world No. 1 Rohan Bopanna and Australian Open winner Rinky Hijikata have been announced as marquee players for the upcoming Tennis Premier League (TPL). The league, featuring a mix of international and Indian talent, will hold its player auction on October 12, with matches scheduled from December 8-13. Other notable international players include Roman Burruchaga, Terence Atmane, Dalibor Svrcina, Dino Prizmic, Adam Walton, and Alexandre Muller.
Steve Smith surpassed Steve Waugh's Test run tally in 42 fewer matches, moving behind only Ricky Ponting and Allan Border among Australia's leading run-scorers.
Following South Africa's defeat in the 1st Test in Durban on Tuesday, October 13, Herschelle Gibbs wants Kagiso Rabada back, Marques Ackerman included and Ryan Rickelton moved down the order to keep wickets in the 2nd Test.
Temba Bavuma blamed South Africa's lack of fight and mental lapses for their 214-run defeat to Australia, rejecting rustiness as an excuse ahead of the second Test.
Rohan Bopanna, India's former world number one doubles player, has been excluded from the AITA's Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) roster. This exclusion is due to his failure to meet the mandatory one-year retirement criterion, as he announced his professional retirement on November 1, 2025, just shy of the October 16, 2026, deadline for the roster. Despite inquiring about his eligibility and receiving initial assurance, his continued participation on the Pro ATP tour until October 2025 meant he was still considered active.
India's new captain Smriti Mandhana is set to lead the women's team in a T20I series against Zimbabwe, marking a new era. She aims to elevate the team's professionalism, power-hitting, and fielding, while fostering a strong team culture. Mandhana also highlighted the importance of Harmanpreet Kaur's experience and praised deputy Shafali Verma's growth, as the team prepares for the ICC Women's Champions Trophy 2027.
Jasprit Bumrah ranked third in Jos Buttler and Stuart Broad's top 10 bowlers of the 21st century, ahead of Glenn McGrath and Muttiah Muralitharan, behind Warne and Anderson.
India U-19 secured a commanding innings and 48-run victory over Australia U-19, continuing their dominant run. Lakshya Raichandani's double century and exceptional bowling performances from Yashbardhan Chauhan (6/75) and Ishan Om (4/62) were key to the win. This victory follows India's 3-0 sweep in the preceding Youth ODI series.
The Delhi Golf Club is set to host the star-studded DP World India Championship from October 15 to 18, featuring top golfers like Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, and other Major winners. The USD 4 million event, held at the historic venue, aims to boost golf's profile in India and offer young Indian players a chance to learn from the best.
For nearly three decades, the two sides of the story had existed independently. One had been recorded in a pilot's logbook; the other carried in the memory of a young boy who had survived a terrible accident, recalls Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).
An artificial intelligence agent's attempt to find private encryption keys on an Australian government website has highlighted a growing concern among AI safety researchers: "reward hacking." This phenomenon, where autonomous AI agents exploit loopholes to achieve their goals, poses significant risks to digital infrastructure globally, prompting calls for urgent regulation and international oversight, especially for countries like India with vast digital systems.
Pat Cummins says Australia must learn to grind out Test results as they prepare for a tricky South Africa challenge at Kingsmead.
Australia need six wickets on final day to win first Test as South Africa were reduced to 102 for 4 at stumps on day four in Durban.
Pat Cummins and Matt Renshaw led Australia's fightback against South Africa, adding an unbeaten 63-run stand before bad light ended the opening day at 187/6.
Across 34 of 37 nations included in a Pew Research Center survey this year, the prevailing view is that artificial intelligence is more likely to displace workers than open up new employment opportunities.
Australia and South Africa are set to begin a three-match Test series in Durban, with both teams looking for a boost after recent setbacks. The pitch at Kingsmead is expected to favour spinners, a departure from South Africa's usual seamer-friendly conditions, potentially influencing team selections.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has defended its decision to launch a domestic T20 competition, NZ20, over joining Australia's Big Bash League, stating it considered a range of expert opinions beyond a single Deloitte report.
Carlos Alcaraz overcame a slow start to beat Jiri Lehecka 7-6(4), 6-4, retain the Japan Open crown, claim his 27th title and strengthen his comeback after injury.
Hubert Hurkacz secured his first-ever victory over Novak Djokovic, eliminating the four-time champion from the Shanghai Masters with a dominant 6-4, 6-3 win. Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev advanced, continuing his pursuit of the year-end world number one ranking.
Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from his China Open semi-final match against Novak Djokovic after accidentally hitting a spectator with a ball. Djokovic, who was leading at the time, advanced to the final, extending his unbeaten record at the tournament. Another semi-final also saw a retirement due to injury.
The Indian women's hockey team secured a historic gold medal at the Asian Games by defeating China 1-0, also earning a direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Captain Salima Tete and other team members expressed immense pride and confidence in their victory, which ended a 44-year wait for gold. Four players from Jharkhand received a grand welcome, highlighting the personal journeys and struggles behind their national achievement.
Customer experience firm Fusion CX is significantly investing in AI-enabled services and data infrastructure, aiming to increase its share in total turnover to 25% within 12-18 months. The company, which reported a turnover of Rs 1,818.13 crore in FY26, is preparing for an IPO of Rs 800-1,000 crore in October, driven by organic growth, acquisitions, and its AI strategy.
Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has been ruled out of the remaining two One-Day Internationals against South Africa due to a fractured right index finger. The injury occurred during the first ODI, and he now faces a race against time to be fit for the upcoming three-match Test series in South Africa. Alex Carey is expected to replace him behind the stumps for the ODIs.
Opener Lakshya Raichandani smashed an unbeaten 210, including 20 fours and four sixes, to help India Under-19s secure a commanding 213-run first-innings lead over Australia Under-19s in the opening Youth Test in Rajkot.
Seven former Australian cricket captains, including Greg Chappell and Steve Waugh, have urged Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong to address the welfare of imprisoned former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. Their appeal focuses on humanitarian treatment and due process, not the legal or political aspects of his case, citing concerns about his deteriorating health.
Filipino tennis star Alex Eala's quest for an Asian Games gold medal and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification was thwarted by China's Wang Xiyu, who rallied to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory, consigning Eala to a second singles bronze.
The Odisha government has rejected the remission plea of Ravindra Pal alias Dara Singh, who is serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two minor sons. The Supreme Court has granted Singh's counsel two weeks to challenge this decision. Singh, 63, has been in jail for over 25 years and sought premature release, claiming repentance for his actions.
The Indian Women's A team lost a close encounter to their Australian counterparts in the second unofficial ODI, despite a magnificent century from Yastika Bhatia. Australia successfully chased down a formidable target of 339, levelling the series 1-1.
Team Europe's Carlos Alcaraz saved two match points to defeat Taylor Fritz, while Team World's Alex de Minaur stunned Alexander Zverev on day two of the Laver Cup. Learner Tien also secured a win for Team World, but Team Europe ended Saturday with a 7-5 lead after additional victories by Zverev/Ruud.
India faces a challenging FIFA international friendly against two-time world champions Uruguay in Kolkata, aiming to recover from a 0-4 defeat by Brazil.
Sam Harper's unbeaten century rescued Australia A from a difficult position against India A on the opening day of the second unofficial Test in Puducherry. Despite strong performances from Indian bowlers Shams Mulani and Nachiket Bhute, Harper's partnerships helped Australia A reach a respectable total of 282 for seven.
