Sport

The BCCI is yet to finalise a title sponsor for India’s home matches after limited interest in the rights, reportedly due to the steep base price. Google Gemini, Spinny and SBI Life are among potential sponsors in discussions with the Board.

Gautam Gambhir dismissed criticism over India’s recent Test struggles, saying his priority remains winning trophies. The head coach backed Kuldeep Yadav and the five-bowler strategy, insisting India are undergoing a transition and rankings do not reflect their progress

Ben Stokes has criticised the exclusion of Headingley from the 2027 men’s Ashes schedule, calling the decision ‘shambolic’. The omission of northern venues has drawn backlash from players and commentators, with concerns raised over representation and accessibility of the iconic series

The BCCI is yet to finalise a title sponsor for the Indian cricket team’s home matches after limited response to its tender. Reports suggest brands including Google Gemini, Spinny and SBI Life are in discussions, with pricing emerging as a key hurdle

Chelsea forward Joao Pedro has signed a new contract that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2034. The Brazil international joined from Brighton in 2025 and helped Chelsea win the FIFA Club World Cup in his debut campaign.

Teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi faces a major red-ball and leadership challenge as the Duleep Trophy begins India’s domestic season. The tournament will also spotlight Mohammed Shami, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and several Test hopefuls seeking strong performances

India added three more medals at the U20 World Wrestling Championships in Slovakia, with Mansi Lather winning silver and Tanvi Gundesh Magdum and Komal taking bronze. Earlier, Kajal Dhochak claimed gold, while Tanu Sharma and Savita secured silver medals.

India aim to seal their first overseas Test series win in three years against Sri Lanka, with skipper Shubman Gill and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal under pressure to deliver big scores. Kuldeep Yadav’s place is also under scrutiny

Rahul Dravid has urged patience with 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, stressing the importance of regular red-ball cricket in his development. The former India captain believes the youngster can eventually become an all-format player for India if given enough time.

Mitchell Starc became the leading wicket-taker in World Test Championship history after claiming 6-12 against Bangladesh in Mackay. The Australia pacer moved past Pat Cummins to reach 230 WTC wickets and also topped the ongoing 2025-27 cycle.

Amritsar Soormas captain Abhishek Sharma said helping young teammates earn state and IPL opportunities would be the biggest reward in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League. He also stressed attacking cricket, self-belief and fearless decision-making while leading his hometown team.

Coco Gauff defeated No. 10 seed Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-2 to reach the Cincinnati Open semifinals. The No. 4 seed will face Sara Bejlek, who stunned former Australian Open champion Madison Keys in a thrilling three-set quarterfinal.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Britain's Jack Draper have withdrawn from the US Open due to injuries. Sinner's absence further disrupts his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz, while Draper's long-term arm injury adds to a depleted men's singles field

Pakistan were bowled out for 135 to suffer an innings and 103-run defeat against England in the first Test at Headingley. Ollie Robinson starred with 8/80 as England secured a dominant three-day victory and valuable World Test Championship points

India's women's hockey team suffered a 0-2 defeat to defending champions Netherlands in their opening second-stage match at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026. India now need to beat Australia and hope Netherlands defeat China to reach the semi-finals

Olympic bronze medallist Casey Kaufhold will headline a star-studded international field at the second edition of the Archery Premier League in Hyderabad from October 8. The tournament will feature 48 athletes, including Olympic and world champions from across the globe.

Badminton star Jwala Gutta said the revamped Khelo India Scheme could transform Indian sports by strengthening grassroots development and sustainability. Officials highlighted increased funding, expanded athlete support and Telangana’s growing network of Khelo India Centres during a media briefing in Hyderabad

Gujarat’s Vivaan Dave defeated Karnataka’s Atharva Nawarange in a thrilling five-game final to win the Youth Boys title at the UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Tournament in Kanpur. Maharashtra’s Divyanshi Bhowmick also claimed the Youth Girls Under-17 crown.

Telangana swimmer Suhas Preetham Mylari won gold in the men’s 50m backstroke event at the 52nd Junior National Aquatic Championship in Bhubaneswar. Training at Gachibowli Stadium under SATG, Suhas clocked 26.95 seconds to claim the top spot

Five centuries highlighted the HCA C-Division one-day league cricket championship in Hyderabad on Friday. Mokshith Jannu, B Amarnadh Reddy, Kethavath Tharun, Rahmatullah Pathan and Sri Charan Manyam Goud starred with the bat as several teams posted big totals

India will host the BRICS Youth Ministers’ Meeting and Sports Ministers’ Meeting in Visakhapatnam on August 22 and 23. The gatherings will bring together representatives from 11 member countries to discuss youth empowerment, sports cooperation, innovation and sustainable development

Joe Root reclaimed the record for most catches in Test cricket after taking his 219th catch during England’s first Test against Pakistan in Leeds. The England batter moved ahead of Steve Smith, with Rahul Dravid third on the all-time list

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty exited the BWF World Championships after losing to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in the men’s doubles quarter-finals. The defeat ended India’s campaign in the event, leaving Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand as lone representatives

Former Sri Lanka captain Hashan Tillakaratne has been appointed batting coach of the senior men’s national programme. The 1996 World Cup winner, who scored over 8,300 international runs, will work with players at the National High Performance Center until December 2027