Banton's 126 anchored England's series-clinching victory at The Oval.
Tom Banton scored 126 off 105 balls to lead England to a 223-run win over Sri Lanka in the third ODI at The Oval on Sunday. England posted 355 for seven and bowled Sri Lanka out for 132 to win the series 2-1.
Banton shared a 150-run third-wicket stand with captain Harry Brook, who scored 77. Jordan Cox added 76 from 52 balls. Liam Dawson took three for 17 and Gus Atkinson claimed two for 26.
Banton's innings included 16 fours and five sixes. It was his first ODI century in 53 limited-overs appearances for England. The margin is England's largest ODI win against Sri Lanka by runs.
Sunil Gavaskar said hamstring injuries show flaws in India's training approach and called for more match-specific preparation.
Sunil Gavaskar thinks India's hamstring injuries trace back to the way the team trains. He wants match fitness to count for more than gym work.
Gavaskar has also questioned why bowlers get limited net time under the banner of biomechanics. Bowlers need proper time in the middle, he said, if they're going to handle what international cricket actually throws at them.
Several players have sat out matches this season with hamstring trouble.
Zaheer Khan is being discussed as Agarkar's replacement if Laxman is appointed Director of Cricket instead.
Former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan has emerged as a top option to lead the BCCI selection committee if the board decides not to extend Ajit Agarkar's contract. Media reports suggest that VVS Laxman could be appointed Director of Cricket, with the BCCI likely to hold a meeting with Agarkar regarding his future once the Test series against Sri Lanka ends.
The report claimed that Laxman was initially considered to replace Agarkar but did not want to take up the position due to the amount of travelling involved. As a result, Laxman could be offered a brand new position while Zaheer could emerge as a top option depending on how the situation with Agarkar turns out. The BCCI office bearers are set to meet Agarkar after the Sri Lanka series to discuss his future.
Agarkar will complete three years as chairman in September and is eligible for a one-year extension. The meeting comes amid differences of opinion between the selectors and the BCCI regarding Rohit Sharma's future in the ODI team.
The BCCI office bearers are set to meet selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar after India's Test series against Sri Lanka to discuss his future, according to a report by The Indian Express. Agarkar will complete three years as chairman in September and is eligible for a one-year extension. The meeting comes amid differences of opinion between the selectors and the BCCI regarding Rohit Sharma's future. The selectors had reportedly informed Sharma that they were looking to replace him in the squad after the England series in July, but BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said Sharma will continue to represent the country as long as he is in the scheme of things. The BCCI wants the selectors to assess Sharma's future on a series-by-series basis in the lead-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri lauded Sharma for his century against England at Lord's, stating that the opener has shut everyone up on speculations about his future in the 50-over format.
Tanzid Hasan Tamim scored Bangladesh's first Test century in Australia as the visitors built a 153-run lead after bowling Australia out for 198 on day one.
Tanzid Hasan Tamim became the first Bangladesh batter to score a Test century in Australia as Bangladesh closed day two on 351 for six at the Marrara Oval in Darwin. The 25-year-old opener, playing only his second Test, made 101 off 197 balls and added 102 runs for the second wicket with Mominul Haque, who fell for 49, and 93 for the third wicket with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. Hasan Mahmud took six for 55 on day one to bowl Australia out for 198, their lowest total against Bangladesh, with Steve Smith top-scoring on 71. Josh Hazlewood claimed all four Bangladesh wickets to fall on day three and reached 300 Test wickets, becoming the ninth Australian to reach the mark. Bangladesh extended their lead to 228 runs before being dismissed for 426.
Shubman Gill highlighted the need for preparation time as India prepare to face Sri Lanka in the first Test at Galle on August 15.
India captain Shubman Gill said the team needs adequate preparation time before the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka begins in Galle on August 15. He stressed that players require time to adapt to conditions and formats as India aim to reach the World Test Championship final next year. The series forms part of India's WTC campaign.
Ravindra Jadeja stands two wickets away from 350 Test wickets and a place alongside Kapil Dev in the elite club. India will be without Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan for the series, with the captain confirming constant communication with both players over their fitness.
Selection choices include the inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav and Manav Suthar, while Dhruv Jurel is set to keep wicket ahead of Sarfaraz Khan. The team continues to rebuild after recent results.
Shubman Gill said India maintained constant contact with Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan before ruling them out of the Sri Lanka series.
India captain Shubman Gill confirmed that the team management is monitoring the fitness of Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan, who were ruled out of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Bumrah was withdrawn due to a knee injury, while Sudharsan failed to recover from a toe niggle despite repeated scans. Gill said constant monitoring helped the side make an informed decision not to risk either player.
The captain noted that the five-day nature of Test cricket requires players to be fully fit, unlike shorter formats. He said the team was disappointed to lose both players but added that the current squad of 15 retains the depth to compete. The first Test begins in Galle on August 15.
Morkel expects Rahul to guide the batting unit with his prior experience on turning Sri Lankan pitches.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel said KL Rahul's experience from the 2017 Sri Lanka tour and his consistent form as an opener will make him a central figure in the two-Test series beginning in Galle on August 15. Morkel expects Rahul to share his knowledge of local conditions during net sessions and team meetings.
Morkel also highlighted the challenge of heat and humidity for the Indian pace attack and said the Kookaburra ball's behaviour once it softens will determine how the quick bowlers create pressure. India have not played a Test since early June.
Rahul is the only current squad member who has played Tests in Sri Lanka in the last decade. Morkel said the team's early arrival and 10-day preparation window will help players develop individual game plans for the surfaces.
Kaushik takes over the Noida Kings with a proven record as both batter and leader in the UP T20 League.
Noida Kings have appointed Uttar Pradesh batter Madhav Kaushik as their captain for the fourth edition of the UP T20 League, which begins on August 14. Kaushik, who joined the franchise from Meerut Mavericks ahead of the 2024 season, previously led Meerut to the title in 2024 and the final in 2025.
Across the first three editions of the competition, Kaushik has scored 1,002 runs in 38 matches. His standout season came in 2024, when he made 366 runs in 12 matches at an average of 61 and a strike rate of 146.99.
In first-class cricket for Uttar Pradesh, Kaushik has scored 1,441 runs in 28 matches at an average of 37.92, including four centuries. The tournament will run until September 6 at venues in Lucknow and Greater Noida.
Babar Azam took a blow to his right hand and retired hurt on five, leaving Pakistan with questions ahead of next week's Test series.
Babar Azam was struck on the right hand by Hampshire seamer Manny Lumsden and walked off on five during the second day of the warm-up against the County Select XI at Beckenham. A team statement said he'll miss the rest of the fixture but will be back for practice in Leeds on Monday.
England spinner Shoaib Bashir claimed 4 for 76 as Pakistan were bowled out for 238, trailing by 67 on first innings. The County Select XI closed on 128 for 3, pushing their lead to 195.
The first Test starts at Headingley on August 19, with Lord's and Edgbaston still to come.
The ACSU imposed the fine and TNPL ban after the player was caught with an undeclared phone inside the restricted area during a match in Dindigul.
A Tamil Nadu all-rounder who played two Ranji Trophy matches last season has been fined ₹1 lakh by the BCCI's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit and barred from the rest of the Tamil Nadu Premier League. The ACSU found the undeclared phone on him inside the Players and Match Officials Area at NPR College ground in Natham, Dindigul on August 10.
The TNCA has told his franchise not to pick him until its own inquiry finishes. No bookmaker contact was found on the device; the breach is only about the phone being in a restricted zone.
He's been withdrawn from the franchise, and the other TNPL sides have been notified. The same ₹1 lakh fine went to Rajasthan Royals team manager Ravinder Singh Bhinder earlier this year for using a phone in the dugout during an IPL match.
Pratika Rawal has been called into India's Asian Games squad as a replacement for Jemimah Rodrigues. Rodrigues suffered a hamstring injury during The Hundred, which also ruled her out of the ongoing Women's Asia Cup.
Rawal earned her first senior call-up after impressing in domestic cricket and made her T20I debut in the ongoing Asia Cup. The Asian Games begin in two weeks in Nagoya, where India will defend its title against seven other teams.
The 21-year-old Rawal will join the squad immediately as India prepares for both the Asia Cup semi-final and the multi-nation tournament.
India play their 600th Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Independence Day. The team sits fifth in the World Test Championship table and needs consistent wins to reach the final.
India begin their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle on Saturday, marking the country's 600th Test match. Shubman Gill captains the side on the landmark occasion, with Gautam Gambhir as head coach.
India currently occupy fifth place on the World Test Championship points table — another sequence of dropped points would further reduce their chances of qualifying for the final. Gill said it's an honour to lead the side in the 600th Test and emphasized the team needs a strong performance to stay in contention.
India won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch described as favourable for a full day's play. Devdutt Padikkal replaces injured Sai Sudharsan in the XI.
Gill said Bumrah’s knee injury leaves a gap but gives other bowlers the chance to make their mark in Galle.
India captain Shubman Gill told his bowlers that Jasprit Bumrah’s absence creates an opportunity for them to step up in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka that starts in Galle on Saturday. Bumrah was ruled out after failing to recover from the left knee injury he picked up during the ODI series in England last month.
Gill said the side must create wicket-taking opportunities on subcontinent pitches, especially on days one and two when the surface offers little assistance. He named Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar and uncapped Auqib Nabi among the pace options, while Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar lead the spin choices.
The two-match series counts towards the World Test Championship. India sit fifth on the points table and need several wins to reach the final. The second Test begins in Colombo on August 23.
Harbhajan argued that modern batters lack the patience to build big Test innings and that IPL incentives have accelerated the shift.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh thinks the T20 era has chipped away at the patience needed for long Test innings. He reckons triple centuries have dried up because players chase shots instead of settling in.
Earlier generations turned out multiple triple-centurions — Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, Virender Sehwag, Matthew Hayden among them. Australia led the way in the early 2000s, pushing scoring rates higher while the rest caught up.
Now the IPL pulls the brightest young talent toward white-ball cricket, where recognition and big contracts arrive quicker.
Porel was arrested on August 11 following a Calcutta High Court directive and remains in judicial custody.
Delhi Capitals and Bengal wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel was denied bail and sent to judicial custody for 14 days by the Chinsurah Court on Friday. The 23-year-old faces allegations of sexual relations under the pretext of marriage. Porel was arrested on August 11 after the Calcutta High Court directed police to take him into custody.
The case stems from a complaint filed at Mogra Police Station on June 23 by a medical student from Karnataka. The complainant alleged that she and Porel had been in a relationship for three and a half years and that he had established a physical relationship with her after promising to marry her. The complaint also levelled allegations of physical and mental abuse, threats and misuse of private photographs and videos.
Porel has denied wrongdoing. The case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. The Calcutta High Court deferred further hearing of the woman's petition until September 14 after the West Bengal government sought more time to proceed with the investigation.
Twining takes charge of Renegades while maintaining his Australia assistant coach duties.
Melbourne Renegades have named Ashley Twining as their WBBL head coach. He's been an assistant with the Australia women's team across formats, and he'll keep that role once the tournament ends.
The 2026-27 season is the target. Renegades came last last time and need to climb the table, so they're bringing Twining in early to start the rebuild.
He'll juggle both jobs through the domestic window, splitting his time between national duties and the franchise.
The Galle pitch is expected to offer gradual turn rather than sharp spin from day one, prompting India to consider three spinners.
Two days before the first Test, word from both camps suggests the Galle pitch is not the usual dry turner and may not offer sharp spin from the opening day. Recent history indicates that for the first couple of days, Galle is a batting paradise, with gradual turn offered as the game progresses. India bowling coach Morne Morkel said something will start to happen as the match goes on. This leaves India with a choice between three spinners or three fast bowlers. As things stand, the former is the more reliable option because it adds batting depth. If the spin attack remains as expected, it could be a rare instance where the visitors field all left-arm spinners. The last Test at this venue saw two 450-plus totals, four hundreds and four half-centuries.
Morne Morkel says India will rely on KL Rahul's experience from the 2017 Sri Lanka tour to navigate conditions in Galle.
India's bowling coach Morne Morkel has identified KL Rahul as a key resource for the team in Sri Lanka, citing his experience from the 2017 tour and his consistent form as an opener in recent years. Rahul is the only member of the current squad who played Tests on the island in the last decade. Morkel expects Rahul to share his knowledge of local conditions during net sessions and team meetings. The 33-year-old has averaged 42 as an opener over the past five years and scored multiple centuries on difficult overseas pitches. His presence offers both batting stability and tactical insight that younger players lack. India arrived in Galle ten days before the first Test specifically to allow players time to adapt to the conditions.
Hasan Mahmud's 6-55 dismantles Australia for 198 on day one in Darwin, while Bangladesh reach 96-1 and trail by just 102.
Hasan Mahmud claimed career-best figures of 6-55 to bowl Australia out for 198 on the opening day of the first Test in Darwin. Steve Smith top-scored with 71 after a reprieve early on, but Bangladesh's pace attack suffocated the hosts on a tricky surface.
Mahmud became the first Bangladesh bowler to take six wickets against Australia in Test cricket. While he was getting among the runs, Taskin Ahmed notched 300 international wickets during the innings — a milestone that underscores how long Bangladesh's attack has been grinding away.
Bangladesh reached 96-1 at stumps, trailing by 102 runs. They've seized control of day one and hold all the momentum heading into day two.
