Brett Lee has said the debate over whether Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is 15 or older misses the point about the teenager's ability. The former Australia fast bowler said the focus should remain on what the batter has already achieved rather than his age.

Sooryavanshi scored 776 runs in 16 IPL matches for Rajasthan Royals and was named Player of the Series during India's T20I tour of Zimbabwe. Lee praised the left-hander's power and shot selection against express pace in the IPL.

Lee said the biggest challenge for Sooryavanshi will be handling the attention and expectations that come with rapid success rather than maintaining form or improving his batting.

Anaya Bangar has been granted approval to play domestic cricket in Australia. The former Mumbai U-19 player trained and competed as a top-order batter and all-rounder in Mumbai's youth divisions alongside Sarfaraz Khan and Musheer Khan.

Bangar's father Sanjay Bangar is a former India all-rounder and national team batting coach. The approval opens a pathway for Bangar to participate in Australian domestic competitions.

Bangar previously played alongside several current India players during youth-level cricket in Mumbai. The move represents a significant step in the batter's career progression.

Former India batters Mohammad Kaif and Hanuma Vihari praised Dhruv Jurel after India's 1-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka. Kaif said spectators might pay specifically to watch Jurel bat, while Vihari stated that Jurel's technique is good enough for a number four position in the Test order. The 25-year-old scored a century in Colombo during the second Test.

Jurel's century celebration included displaying a 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' tattoo that drew attention from spectators and media. The wicketkeeper-batter has emerged as a viable option alongside Rishabh Pant in India's Test middle order. Former opener Aakash Chopra argued that India does not need to choose between Pant and Jurel after the series.

Both players have shown they can contribute at the highest level in different situations. Jurel now stands as one of the finds of the Sri Lanka series, with selectors facing a selection choice for upcoming assignments.

VVS Laxman spoke at the BCCI Centre of Excellence on Sunday, and he drew a line: the facility is not a place for players to recover from injuries. His tenure as head ends later this year, and he was answering questions about India's recurring fitness issues.

Laxman dismissed talk of a disconnect between the CoE, the team management and the selectors. Fitness reports reach the selection committee, he said, and players stay out until they clear the set benchmarks.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia pointed out that selections are made three to four weeks before a tour, when full fitness status is still unclear. The head of sports science and medicine post has sat empty since Nitin Patel left in March 2025.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has assured Rishabh Pant that officials will contact him soon to assist with land acquisition in the state. Pant had requested help on social media to buy land so he can move his base from Delhi to his native state.

The 28-year-old said he has spent three years searching without success and wants to purchase the land from the government at official rates rather than receive it as a gift. Pant was born in Roorkee in Uttarakhand's Haridwar district before moving to Delhi to pursue cricket professionally. He recently emerged as Uttarakhand's highest individual taxpayer after paying Rs 23.84 crore in income tax for 2025-26.

Dhami described Pant as the pride of Uttarakhand and said the matter had been referred to the concerned authorities. Pant is currently in Sri Lanka with the Indian Test squad ahead of the two-match series beginning August 15. He was traded by Lucknow Super Giants and will represent Delhi Capitals in IPL 2027.

Babar Azam failed to end his Test century drought as Pakistan were dismissed for 282 on the second day of the second Test against West Indies in Kingston. West Indies reached 126 for seven at stumps, with Mohammad Abbas taking three wickets for 14 runs in 13 overs to restrict the hosts.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood was ruled out of the match with a fractured finger sustained during the first Test in Trinidad, where he was struck by a delivery from Jayden Seales. Pakistan lost the opening match by 90 runs and now trail the series 1-0.

The second Test began on 15 February. Pakistan have not won a Test series in the Caribbean since 2016.

Liam Livingstone and Dewald Brevis shared a 103-run partnership to help London Spirit defeat Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred. Livingstone scored 66 off 30 balls, while Brevis contributed significantly in the stand that ended Spirit's losing streak at Lord's. The partnership included several large sixes and allowed Spirit to chase down the target with overs to spare. The result keeps Spirit in contention in the competition.

Sir Garry Sobers played for Norton Cricket Club in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire League during the summers of 1964, 1965 and 1967 because overseas players could not easily join county sides at the time. His brother Gerry kept wicket for the club, and fast bowler Wes Hall also appeared as a guest.

Sobers toured England with the West Indies in 1963 and 1966. A local player recalled one of his sixes landing in the car park, which discouraged spectators from parking there during matches.

Sobers was described as approachable as he was gifted during his time at the club.

Yashasvi Jaiswal's three-ball duck in the second innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka has highlighted a worrying trend in his aggressive strokeplay. The left-handed opener was dismissed early after attempting an attacking shot on a difficult pitch.

Jaiswal joined an exclusive Test cricket club earlier in the match when he reached a significant milestone. However, the quick dismissal in the second innings raised questions about his shot selection under pressure.

India's series against Sri Lanka continues with the second Test after the Galle match concludes. Jaiswal will need to balance his natural aggression with the demands of the conditions in the remaining fixtures.

VVS Laxman defended the BCCI Centre of Excellence after several India players were ruled out of the Sri Lanka Test series with injuries. He said the facility's role extends beyond rehabilitation and includes monitoring systems that assess players continuously.

Jasprit Bumrah and B Sai Sudharsan were named in the squad subject to fitness but withdrew after assessments. Laxman said the CoE uses multiple parameters, including the Bronco test, rather than relying solely on conventional fitness tests.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia visited the CoE on Sunday to review the rehabilitation programme. Laxman stated there is seamless communication between the CoE, team management and selectors, and that injuries are an unavoidable part of a player's career.