South Africa’s long-awaited ICC breakthrough came at Lord’s on June 14, 2025, as Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada, veterans of the 2014 U‑19 triumph, delivered a masterclass to lift the World Test Championship title—ending a 27‑year drought. Markram’s blazing 136 in the chase, built on a shaky first innings duck, anchored a five‑wicket victory, with Kyle Verreynne sealing the win. Rabada was equally dominant, claiming nine wickets across both innings and dismantling Australia’s batting lineup. Temba Bavuma’s gritty 66 and David Bedingham’s solid contributions steadied early nerves. The Proteas shed their “chokers” tag with a performance rich in talent, composure and youthful vision finally realised on cricket’s grandest stage. (PC: The Telegraph, The Times of India & India Times)

King Charles III has conferred a knighthood on David Beckham, elevating him to Sir David Beckham—with his wife, Victoria, now Lady Beckham—as part of the 2025 Birthday Honours . The honour recognizes Beckham’s exceptional football career—including six Premier League titles with Manchester United, over 100 England caps (59 as captain), and pioneering roles in Spain, the U.S., and France—alongside his extensive charitable work as a UNICEF ambassador and involvement with The King’s Foundation . After receiving an OBE in 2003, Beckham’s knighthood marks the culmination of years of public service and sporting legacy. An investiture ceremony date will be announced. (PC: Getty Images)

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir unexpectedly returned home on June 12, 2025, after his mother suffered a heart attack on June 11 and was admitted to an ICU in New Delhi . Gambhir had been in England preparing the national squad and overseeing India A’s intra-squad match ahead of the five-Test series against England. With his absence, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, alongside Sitanshu Kotak and Morne Morkel, stepped in to oversee training. Gambhir will remain by his mother’s side, planning to rejoin the team in time for the first Test in Leeds commencing June 20. (PC: ANI)

India’s rising shooting star Suruchi Inder Singh secured the gold medal in the women’s 10 m Air Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, marking her third consecutive World Cup gold in 2025 (following Buenos Aires and Lima) . Born in April 2006 in Haryana, Suruchi fired a clean final to top the podium, reinforcing her status as one of the world’s most promising young pistol shooters. Coached by Suresh Singh, she continues to build India’s strong showing in shooting and is expected to be a key contender in upcoming Olympics and qualification rounds. (PC: X)

India head coach Gautam Gambhir rushed back home from England due to a family emergency after his mother, Seema Gambhir, suffered a heart attack and was admitted to the ICU, as reported by RevSportz. He missed the India vs India A intra-squad match in Kent and is expected to rejoin the team ahead of the first Test against England in Leeds on June 20. Batting coach Sitangshu Kotak and bowling coach Morne Morkel are managing the squad in his absence. Gambhir’s leadership is crucial amid India's transition post the retirement of Ashwin, Rohit, and Kohli. Key selection dilemmas include Jadeja vs Kuldeep and seam options for English conditions. (PC: Crictoday)

India’s Test head coach Gautam Gambhir delivered a powerful message ahead of the five-match series against England starting from June 20. With stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin retired, the team faces either a void or “a phenomenal opportunity to do something special”. In a BCCI‑released huddle video, he urged players to embrace hunger, passion and sacrifices, fighting in every session, every hour, every ball and enjoy playing for the country, with no greater honour. Gambhir’s stark choice emphasises that this new era, led by Shubman Gill, can seize a momentous tour despite the absence of experienced predecessors. (PC: X/BCCI)

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has criticised the BCCI’s team selection for the England Test series, expressing disappointment over Shreyas Iyer's exclusion. Ganguly said Iyer, who was the top scorer for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, has had a “fantastic” year and deserved a place in the squad, especially in the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. “He is not the player who got left out,” Ganguly told RevSportz. Meanwhile, 19-year-old England pacer Eddie Jack, who dismissed KL Rahul in a warm-up match, has been invited to practice with England’s senior squad ahead of the June 20 Headingley Test. (PC: NDTV)

The Karnataka government told the High Court that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and BCCI are responsible for the Bengaluru stampede that killed 11 people outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The state alleged RCB invited fans without permissions or crowd management plans, calling the event “illegal.” Advocate General said social media posts misled lakhs to gather, though the stadium seats only 33,000. No government approvals were taken, and responsibilities under a BCCI-RCB security deal were ignored. RCB's marketing head allegedly tried to flee. CID now leads the probe. The state accuses RCB of seeking publicity at the cost of public safety. (PC: India Today)

Ahead of the five-Test England series starting June 20, concerns loom over Jasprit Bumrah’s workload. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed Bumrah may not play all matches. Gautam Gambhir and ex-NCA physio Ashish Kaushik warned against “under bowling,” saying workload must be consistent across bowling, training, and conditioning. Bumrah's fitness remains key after his back injury during the Australia series. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh is training in Kent, hoping for his Test debut. The left-arm pacer, returning to red-ball cricket after IPL 2025, said he is regaining rhythm and preparing to increase intensity in the tour match against India A on June 13. (PC; BCCI)

United Spirits, which owns IPL 2025 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), responded to reports of a potential stake sale, calling them “speculative.” “Like to clarify that the aforesaid media reports are speculative in nature and it is not pursuing any such discussions,” the company told the Bombay Stock Exchange. The clarification came after shares rose over 3% and social media buzzed with rumours following RCB's maiden IPL title. Meanwhile, Lalit Modi condemned the June 4 Bengaluru victory parade stampede that killed 11. “This should never have happened,” he told IANS, calling the event “poorly planned and executed” by both RCB and authorities. (PC: NDTV)