Sussex all-rounder Danny Lamb has retired from cricket at the age of 30 on medical advice. The right-arm medium pacer underwent neck discectomy and fusion surgery last month after sustaining a spinal-cord injury. Lamb played 26 first-class matches for Sussex, taking 59 wickets, and also appeared in 12 List A games and 25 T20s for the county.

His departure leaves Sussex short of seam-bowling all-round options for the remainder of the 2026 season. The county had relied on Lamb's ability to contribute with both bat and ball in the lower order across formats.

Devdutt Padikkal got the call when Sai Sudharsan was ruled out, and he made it count — 131 not out off 134 balls at number three on the first day in Galle. India closed on 288 for 2, and for the first time in two years, the No. 3 slot had a century to build on.

It wasn't flashy. Padikkal played without a real chance, grafting alongside KL Rahul (77) in a 150-run partnership that gave India a platform before rain shut down play. The innings is what the position has been missing: solidity when it matters.

Number three has been a weak link for India since it was last consistently held three years ago. Padikkal's unbeaten hundred doesn't automatically make him the long-term answer, but it does something more useful right now — it proves the spot doesn't need a permanent specialist. Whoever's in form, whoever suits the opposition, can bat there and have half a chance of building an innings.

Sarfaraz Khan has been recalled to India's Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka. The Mumbai batter replaces Sai Sudharsan, who was ruled out with a toe injury, and returns nearly two years after his previous appearance in November 2024.

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif urged Sarfaraz to forget the past and focus on contributing if he makes the playing XI for the first Test in Galle. Kaif said whoever convinced the decision-makers to bring Sarfaraz back for spin-friendly conditions deserves credit.

Sarfaraz last played a Test against New Zealand in Mumbai, where he scored 150 in the first innings of the series. His recall comes after scoring 92 in the first unofficial Test against England Lions during India A's tour in 2025.

Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai has been reprimanded and handed one demerit point after showing dissent at an umpire's decision in the second ODI against Ireland at Bready.

The incident happened during Afghanistan's innings in a rain-shortened 47-over match. Omarzai was given out in the 41st over, yet he stayed at the crease and made his displeasure clear with gestures.

He admitted the breach of Article 2.8 and accepted the sanction from match referee Dean Cosker. This is his first disciplinary point in 24 months. Afghanistan went on to win by 92 runs and lead the five-match series 2-0.

Legendary India captain Kapil Dev has advised Indian players to prioritise domestic cricket amid growing concerns over the young batters' ability to handle spin. India's Test team has faced a difficult phase in recent times, suffering home series defeats against New Zealand and South Africa. Kapil believes India's struggles against spin are partly linked to the lack of domestic cricket played by established players. The former captain feels regular multi-day matches would help the senior players sharpen their skills while also giving younger cricketers an opportunity to learn from them. He also raised concerns about the workload on India's fast bowlers, particularly with the increasing demands of T20 cricket. Kapil stressed that the BCCI must carefully monitor how much cricket is being given to fast bowlers to reduce the risk of injuries.

Barbados Tridents secured their second consecutive win in CPL 2026 after defending 178 in a rain-shortened 18-over match against Jamaica Kingsmen. Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Gudakesh Motie took five wickets between them.

Daniel Sams returned figures of 4 for 20 to break the middle order. Brandon King, Quinton de Kock and Sherfane Rutherford provided the batting platform for the Tridents. The Kingsmen fell short despite a late charge.

The result lifts Tridents to the top of the early season standings. The match was reduced due to rain but produced a decisive result within the shortened format.

Sunil Gavaskar said India's 1983 World Cup victory changed the outlook of Indian cricket and the rest of the cricketing world toward the country. He made the remarks during the '83 Legends Tour of Singapore, where the 1983 squad received a felicitation from the Mariners Cricket Club at the Singapore Indian Association ground.

Gavaskar noted that the win gave Indian players and administrators newfound confidence. He added that the IPL has shown the world what a well-organised tournament can achieve, with Indian franchise owners now lifting cricketing ecosystems in other countries.

Gavaskar also previewed India's upcoming two-Test series in Sri Lanka. He said the matches will not be easy, as Sri Lanka are a formidable team at home, and winning both would give India a strong start to their World Test Championship campaign.

India are set to field three left-arm spinners in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Bowling coach Morne Morkel said the combination offers distinct skills — Kuldeep brings wrist spin and attacking threat, Jadeja brings control and accuracy, and Suthar turns the ball more than the other two. Morkel added that the Galle surface traditionally assists spin as the match progresses, so the trio becomes a genuine attacking option.

The selection comes amid transition in India's spin department. Jadeja is in the twilight of his career, while Suthar took seven wickets on debut against Afghanistan. Former spinner Murali Kartik believes the series will test whether Kuldeep can finally emerge as the next spin leader after limited opportunities under previous regimes. India sit fifth in the World Test Championship standings and need strong results to stay in contention for the 2027 final.

Kapil Dev wants the BCCI to watch fast-bowling workloads more closely. The calendar is stacked with T20 cricket, and the body simply isn't built for that volume, he told the crowd at Bengaluru Blasters' JITO Premier League launch.

He also backed the board’s plan to send international players into domestic cricket. India’s recent trouble against spin in Tests, he said, stems partly from not playing enough multi-day cricket at home.

The team heads to Galle and Colombo on August 15 for two Tests against Sri Lanka, and Kapil Dev reckons they’ll need a different plan on the turning pitches.

B Sai Sudharsan won't play the two Tests against Sri Lanka. He hasn't shaken off the right toe stress reaction he picked up on the India A tour last month, where he scored two centuries. The BCCI says he's recovering at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and still under medical watch.

Sarfaraz Khan steps in for the first Test in Galle on August 15. Devdutt Padikkal, fresh off a century in the practice game, moves up to number three. Sudharsan hasn't appeared for India since the Mumbai Test against New Zealand in November 2024.

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif says he’s surprised the BCCI can’t land the best medical and rehab staff even with its money. The comments come after VVS Laxman revealed several candidates pulled out at the last minute for the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Sai Sudharsan’s toe injury has already ruled him out of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka that starts August 15. He joins Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar on the sidelines. Kaif points out that the board’s trouble locking down top physiotherapists is directly cutting into who’s available.

India will open the series in Galle missing several frontline players, and the gap has put fresh attention on how the BCCI runs its medical setup before a crowded calendar.

India's pace attack secured a 1-0 Test series win against Sri Lanka without Jasprit Bumrah. The bowlers maintained consistent pressure across both matches as India claimed the series. Bumrah's absence gave other pacers opportunities to prove their capabilities at Test level. The series performance demonstrated depth in India's fast bowling resources ahead of upcoming assignments. R Ashwin picked Bumrah over Virat Kohli in an all-time India bracket before selecting Sachin Tendulkar as the greatest Indian cricketer overall.