India's preparations for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka enter a crucial phase with a three-day warm-up match against a Sri Lanka XI beginning on Friday. The match was originally scheduled for four days but has been trimmed to three.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir told the team that every question must be answered before the first Test on August 15 in Galle. India last played Test cricket in June and need to reacquaint themselves with the longest format while adapting to Sri Lankan conditions.

Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the tour with injury. Auqib Nabi earned a maiden India call-up as his replacement. Washington Sundar's injury opened the door for Madhya Pradesh spinner Saransh Jain. Sai Sudharsan is expected to rejoin the squad before the first Test but will miss the warm-up.

Jordan Cox scored 73 on his Test debut as England took a commanding first-innings lead against Pakistan at Headingley. The 24-year-old fell short of a century despite batting at number three.

Cox was one of four England half-centurions in the innings. He said the team had hoped one batter would convert a start into a substantial score rather than multiple fifties.

England lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the opening Test by an innings and 103 runs. Sam Curran will miss the remainder of the summer after undergoing groin surgery.

Arshdeep Singh and spinner Abid Mushtaq starred as North Zone took a 64-run first-innings lead over West Zone in their Duleep Trophy quarter-final. North Zone were bowled out for 251 after half-centuries from Ayush Badoni and Anshul Kamboj.

West Zone reached 31 for two at stumps on day one, still needing substantial runs to avoid the follow-on. Arshdeep’s experience with the new ball restricted early scoring.

The match continues on day two with North Zone aiming to extend their advantage through the middle order.

Josh Hazlewood said Australia face several unknowns ahead of the Test series against Bangladesh, which begins in Darwin on August 13. The fast bowler noted that the Marrara Cricket Ground has not hosted a Test in 22 years, the pitch behaviour is unclear, and Bangladesh's approach in Australian conditions remains to be seen. He said plans may need to be adjusted during the game rather than relying solely on pre-match analysis. Hazlewood added that the pitch may offer less bounce and seam movement than typical Australian surfaces and could behave more like conditions in Bangladesh. The series is part of Australia's home summer but scheduled outside the usual November start.

England have named a 16-man squad for the first two Tests against Pakistan that begin August 19 at Headingley. Ollie Pope, Dan Lawrence and Sam Cook are back, while Jordan Cox steps in for the injured Jacob Bethell.

Joe Root leads England for the first time since his reappointment as permanent Test captain. Marcus Trescothick is interim coach until Stephen Fleming takes over for the South Africa series in December.

Six quicks are in the squad — Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Matthew Fisher and Ollie Robinson. Lawrence should bat at number six; his off-spin lets Root keep four frontline seamers at Headingley.

Jemimah Rodrigues has enjoyed the best campaign among four Indian players in The Hundred's group stage. She scored an unbeaten 42 off 34 balls to seal a five-wicket win over Deepti Sharma's Sunrisers Leeds, a match-winning 32 in a one-run victory against MI London, and an unbeaten 28 off 18 balls in a 24-run win over Birmingham Phoenix.

Rodrigues has also contributed in the field, with a direct-hit run-out of Freya Kemp proving decisive against Welsh Fire. Southern Brave sit top of the table despite a recent last-ball defeat to Welsh Fire, where Rodrigues made 25 off 21 balls.

Smriti Mandhana has scored 143 runs from four innings at an average of 47.66 after moving to Manchester Super Giants. Richa Ghosh has managed 47 runs from five matches, while Deepti Sharma has taken wickets and effected catches for Sunrisers Leeds.

Saurashtra fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat will return to England this week to resume his stint with Sussex in the County Championship. The former India left-arm pacer has been associated with the county since 2023 and will feature in the remainder of the red-ball campaign.

Unadkat is expected to play Sussex's remaining six fixtures, starting against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on August 20. He has claimed 57 wickets in 13 County matches at an average of 17.75, including one five-wicket haul. Sussex currently sit fifth in Division One.

Yuzvendra Chahal and Rahul Chahar are also featuring in this season's County Championship. Kuldeep Yadav and Manav Suthar are due to return after India's Test tour of Sri Lanka concludes.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has got a stay order against the directives by the Pakistan Information Commission to reveal details of its finances including audit reports, annual budgets and salaries and other perks given to players, coaches, selectors and officials. The Islamabad High Court on a petition filed by the PCB against the PIC order has suspended it until the next hearing on 22 September.

The PCB went to the IHC after the PIC made it clear they had to disclose all financial dealings and details under the Right to Known Information Act 2017. The PIC had issued the order to PCB on July 9. A single-member bench of Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar issued notices to respondents for September 22, 2026, while taking up the writ petition filed by the PCB through advocate Kashif Ali Malik.

The PCB contended that the impugned order was passed in excess of jurisdiction and in violation of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017. It argued that the Commission had failed to distinguish between information liable to proactive disclosure under Section 5 and information protected under statutory exemptions relating to personal privacy, confidential contractual arrangements, commercially sensitive data, and third-party interests.

Bangladesh Cricket Board officials haven't cleared Rishad Hossain to play SA20 2027 with Sunrisers Eastern Cape yet. The tournament schedule overlaps with the Bangladesh Premier League, and the BCB is still working through the calendar conflict.

Rishad became the first Bangladeshi player ever signed for SA20 after strong showings in the Big Bash League and Pakistan Super League. He's a domestic star chasing bigger overseas opportunities — but the board wants to make sure it doesn't come at the expense of the BPL.

No timeline on the final decision yet. The board is still assessing whether they'll allow the clash to stand.

Stephen Fleming has spoken to Michael Hussey about joining his England Test staff. The two spent 15 years together at Chennai Super Kings before Fleming took the England job.

Hussey is currently coaching Welsh Fire in The Hundred. He also worked as a consultant when England won the 2022 T20 World Cup. The ECB has yet to make a formal offer, but Fleming wants Hussey for the batting coach post.

Marcus Trescothick remains interim head coach for the three-Test series against Pakistan that starts August 19 at Headingley. Fleming takes over officially when England tour South Africa in December.