Zaheer stresses workload planning as injuries mount.
Zaheer Khan has seen enough rehab programmes to know when one breaks down. More than a dozen players are now working their way back at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, and the list keeps growing. Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan are already ruled out of the Sri Lanka Tests; Mohammed Shami is still nowhere near the selection conversation. Khan’s point is simple: the calendar doesn’t stretch just because the medical staff need more time.
Brar added 25 runs in the final over with four sixes and two boundaries against left-arm spin.
Gurnoor Brar hit four sixes in the final over of India's first innings against Sri Lanka Cricket XI, finishing unbeaten on 36 off 18 balls. The right-arm pacer launched left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera for consecutive maximums after Devdutt Padikkal took a single from the first ball.
Brar's 25-run over took India past 350 on the second day of the warm-up match in Colombo. Head coach Gautam Gambhir applauded the display from the dugout.
India declared at 357 for eight with Padikkal unbeaten on 142. Ravindra Jadeja scored 63 before retiring out and Manav Suthar made 41. The match gave India preparation time ahead of the first Test in Galle beginning August 15.
Lee said whether Sooryavanshi is 15 or 18 does not matter because the batter can clearly play at the highest level.
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.
Jay Shah's personal involvement helped complete the BCCI Centre of Excellence within two years after clearing legal and land hurdles.
The BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru turns two this week. Jay Shah had pushed the project through when he was secretary, and the current secretary, Devajit Saikia, says Shah personally sorted the legal blocks and regularised 40 acres that had sat idle.
VVS Laxman had already shifted base from Hyderabad to Bengaluru in December 2021, right after Rahul Dravid took over as India head coach. Laxman recalls Shah turning up for meetings with the architects and L&T engineers, walking the site and keeping the build on track.
Moving out of the old National Cricket Academy wasn't simple, but the new facility went from drawings to keys in just two years.
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.
Mohammad Kaif and Hanuma Vihari heaped praise on Dhruv Jurel after India's 1-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka.
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 clarified that the BCCI Centre of Excellence focuses on performance standards rather than rehabilitation during Sunday's media interaction.
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.
Kumar left his India comeback to selectors while continuing to play domestic cricket at 36.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar said he is available for India selection but will leave the decision to the selectors. The 36-year-old is playing in the UPT20 League for Lucknow Falcons after taking 28 wickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026.
Kumar last played for India in 2022 across ODIs and T20Is. He has taken 231 first-class wickets in 72 Ranji Trophy matches and last appeared in a Test in 2018.
He dismissed speculation about targeting the 2027 World Cup, stating that his job is to play cricket and that readiness is for selectors to judge. Kumar also backed Uttar Pradesh's speed hunt programme to develop pace bowling talent.
Dhami directed officials to help Pant acquire land after the India wicketkeeper appealed for assistance.
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 could not reach three figures as Pakistan lost early ground in the second Test.
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.
Sanat Sangwan’s exclusion despite 828 Ranji runs raises questions about North Zone’s selection priorities.
North Zone omitted Sanat Sangwan from their Duleep Trophy quarter-final squad despite his 828 runs in the previous Ranji Trophy season, the third-highest tally. The exclusion has prompted questions about selection criteria beyond aggregate runs.
Sangwan’s Ranji form placed him behind only Ravichandran Smaran and Ayush Doseja in the national run charts. North Zone instead chose players with lower seasonal totals but recent domestic experience.
Selectors have not publicly explained the decision. The omission suggests factors such as tactical fit, recent form in trial matches, or unstated workload management played a role.
Laxman rejected blame on the CoE and stressed its role in monitoring players beyond injury recovery.
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.
Afghanistan beat Ireland by 92 runs in the second ODI at Bready and booked their spot for the 2027 World Cup. West Indies can't reach the top nine in the ODI rankings before the September 2026 deadline, so they'll need the qualifiers again — their third straight cycle.
Ireland's own hopes died with the loss. They had to win all five matches to stay in contention, and the second ODI killed that chance. Zimbabwe and South Africa already hold automatic places as co-hosts.
West Indies play India in a three-match series in September and October, but even maximum points won't get them into the top nine before the cut-off.
Devdutt Padikkal's century in the practice match has locked him into the middle order for the Sri Lanka Tests.
Devdutt Padikkal scored an unbeaten 142 in India's warm-up match against a Sri Lanka XI in Colombo and has secured the No. 3 position for the two-Test series. The innings settled earlier concerns about middle-order stability ahead of the tour. Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers had flagged Padikkal's scoring areas as a potential edge in that slot on turning tracks.
Rishabh Pant could not get going in the warm-up and remains under pressure for the Tests in Galle and Colombo. Gautam Gambhir has been urged to give Pant freedom to play his natural game. The Sri Lanka series is an early chance to steady the middle order before harder assignments come later in the World Test Championship cycle.
Ravindra Jadeja batted at number four in India's warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI while Shubman Gill remained absent on day two.
Ravindra Jadeja walked in at number four after India lost their second wicket in the warm-up against Sri Lanka XI. Shubman Gill didn't bat on day two either — his continued absence forcing India to shuffle the order before the Test series even begins.
India reached 357 for eight in 90 overs at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground. Devdutt Padikkal went unbeaten on 142 after retiring on his century, while Jadeja chipped in 63 before retiring out. The match left India trailing by six runs heading into day three.
Gill's no-show in both warm-up innings raises questions about fitness or preparation strategy ahead of the Tests. If No.4 really is his slot in the series proper, he'll need to settle in fast.
Shakib Al Hasan said he will face court trials in Bangladesh if the government ensures his security, but ruled out a return to the national team.
Shakib Al Hasan is prepared to return to Bangladesh and face court trials if the government guarantees his security. The 39-year-old hasn't been home since 2024 and is currently playing for Jaffna Kings in the Lanka Premier League.
He faces charges alongside 147 others over an alleged murder during protests two years ago. After appearing at a press conference with former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, his house in Magura was attacked. Sports minister Aminul Haque has since withdrawn his support for any return, saying Shakib must follow the legal route.
Shakib ruled out playing for Bangladesh again, citing his age. He's still enjoying the game but cannot wait too long. Sheikh Hasina has been living in India since being sentenced to death in absentia for the crackdown that killed around 1,400 people.
India are set to lose another player for the Sri Lanka Test series as Sai Sudharsan is unlikely to recover from a toe injury in time. The left-handed batter is undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence after sustaining the injury during India A's tour of Sri Lanka last month.
Shaik Rasheed and Sarfaraz Khan have emerged as the frontrunners to replace Sudharsan. Rasheed recently toured with India A and contributed scores of 45, 63 and 20 in three innings. Sarfaraz has been at the Centre of Excellence for his fitness assessment for over a week. The selectors are reportedly worried about the lack of specialist batters in the squad.
Devdutt Padikkal scored 142 in the warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI and has strengthened his case for a place in the playing XI. India are already without Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana for the series beginning August 15 in Galle.
Devdutt Padikkal signals flexibility in batting position after earning Player of the Series honours against Sri Lanka.
Devdutt Padikkal expressed willingness to bat in any position after being named Player of the Series in India's 1-0 win over Sri Lanka. The left-hander scored 328 runs and registered two centuries during the Test series.
Padikkal said he was happy to score runs regardless of his batting order. Former India batter Ajay Jadeja stated that Padikkal could open or bat at number three for the national side in the future.
India drew the second Test after Sri Lanka reached 429 for nine in their second innings. Padikkal remains in contention for a spot in India's upcoming tour of New Zealand, where his flexibility could prove valuable to the team management.
Raheja's hundred came in a 149-run stand with Pradosh Ranjan Paul that secured Tiruppur's chase.
Tushar Raheja scored 102 off 52 balls, including eight sixes, to lead iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans to a seven-wicket victory over Chepauk Super Gillies in the TNPL on Friday. Raheja and Pradosh Ranjan Paul added 149 runs for the third wicket as Tiruppur chased down Chepauk's 205 with two overs remaining.
K. Aashiq had earlier scored 98 for Chepauk, but the home side could not defend their total. Left-arm spinner Mohan Prasath dismissed Mohana Prasath in a rare same-name dismissal during the match.
In the second game, Nellai Royal Kings defeated Dindigul Dragons by six wickets. Sonu Yadav took three for 24 and remained unbeaten on 19 as Nellai chased down 171 with 14 balls to spare.
Chahal's four-wicket haul ended a spell in which he had taken only six wickets in four previous matches.
Yuzvendra Chahal claimed four for 60 in nine overs to help Northamptonshire defeat Lancashire by 67 runs in the One-Day Cup on Sunday. Chahal dismissed Marcus Harris, Arav Shetty, Jack Blatherwick and Ollie Sutton as Lancashire were bowled out for 280 while chasing 348.
Kuldeep Yadav took one for 55 from ten overs for Yorkshire but could not prevent a 35-run defeat to Middlesex. Yorkshire restricted Middlesex to 247 but fell short in their chase.
Ashutosh Sharma had a difficult outing for Hampshire against Durham, scoring a four-ball duck and conceding 13 runs in two wicketless overs during a nine-wicket loss.
