England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bowl in the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, Manchester. India handed a debut to CSK pacer Anshul Kamboj, filling in for injured Nitish Kumar Reddy. With the series standing at 2-1 in England's favour, Shubman Gill's side must win to stay in contention. Rain delayed the start slightly, but the match resumed under overcast conditions. “We’re excited to see what Kamboj brings,” said coach Rahul Dravid. England eyes a series win; India looks to bounce back strongly. (PC: NDTV)

India begin the 4th Test against England at Manchester on July 23, aiming to avenge their narrow Lord’s loss. Skipper Shubman Gill, upset over England’s time-wasting tactics, said, “They came 90 seconds late with only seven minutes left.” India face an injury crisis with Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Arshdeep Singh unavailable. Debutant Anshul Kamboj is expected to replace them, while Rishabh Pant returns to strengthen the batting. England bring back Liam Dawson after 8 years. Rain is forecast across the match days, but tensions are high, with both teams expected to bring fire to a potentially decisive showdown. (PC: India Today)

India secured the 7th rank globally at the 66th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2025 held in Australia, matching its best-ever positions from 1998 and 2001. The six-member Indian team achieved its highest-ever team score of 193/252, winning three gold medals (Kanav Talwar, Aarav Gupta, Adhitya Mangudy), two silver (Abel George Mathew, Aadish Jain), and one bronze (Archit Manas). Competing among 630 students from 110 countries, this marks India’s strongest performance in its 35-year IMO history, continuing its streak of excellence with 12 golds earned between 2019 and 2025. (PC: India Today)

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh revisited the infamous 2008 IPL “slap‑gate” and shared that one moment continues to haunt him. In a heartfelt chat, he revealed how S Sreesanth’s daughter confronted him, saying, “You hit my father,” leaving him “heartbroken” and “on the verge of tears” . Despite offering 200 apologies over the years, Harbhajan admitted that he still felt remorse when the child refused to speak to him. He hopes she someday sees his true character and forgives him, striving to erase that regret from his legacy. (PC: X)  

Indian badminton players at the World University Games have alleged threats from officials after exposing gross mismanagement. Despite winning bronze in the mixed team event, six of the 12-member squad were barred from competing due to administrative errors. Players claimed they were warned their careers would be ruined upon return. Lack of training courts, shuttles, and no physiotherapist further highlighted poor planning. Injuries have now affected India’s chances in upcoming events. The controversy raises serious questions over athlete welfare and accountability within India’s sports administration, as young athletes call for reforms to prevent such future negligence. (PC: India Today)

Ignored India cricketer Sarfaraz Khan stunned fans by revealing he lost 17 kg in just over 2 months through strict diet control. His father Naushad Khan said Sarfaraz gave up rice, roti, sugar, and junk food, relying on green coffee, vegetables, grilled chicken, and eggs for his transformation. Despite scoring runs for India A in England, Sarfaraz was left out of the senior squad. His weight loss journey reflects his determination to improve fitness amid criticism. “We eat vegetables, green tea, green coffee, no rice or sugar,” Naushad said. Sarfaraz made his Test debut in February 2024. (PC: NDTV)

Ahead of India’s crucial 4th Test against England, Irfan Pathan has urged selectors to rethink team choices. He suggested Sai Sudharsan should replace Karun Nair, highlighting Nair’s poor run of form despite batting well. Pathan pointed out that England have struggled against left-handers and Sai’s return could offer India a tactical edge. On the bowling front, Pathan backed Prasidh Krishna over newcomer Anshul Kamboj, citing experience in key matches. India trail 1-2 in the five-match series, making the Manchester Test a must-win. Shubman Gill leads the side under scrutiny after India’s 22-run defeat at Lord’s. (PC: BCCI)

Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has criticised Test captain Shubman Gill, claiming he is trying to imitate Virat Kohli’s aggressive on-field behaviour. Tiwary said Gill’s confrontations during the Lord’s Test against England, including verbal spats with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, affected his batting as India slipped to a 2-1 series deficit. He argued Gill’s aggression was unnecessary and detracted from his performance, citing similar behaviour in the IPL. Tiwary urged Gill to focus on winning matches rather than verbal exchanges. India faces England in the crucial Manchester Test from July 23 as the series continues. (PC: India Today)

Koneru Humpy created history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the semifinals of the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup in Batumi. A draw against China's IM Song Yuxin in the second game sealed her progress after winning the first. Humpy now faces top seed Lei Tingjie in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Harika Dronavalli and Divya Deshmukh drew their first quarterfinal match, while Vaishali Rameshbabu’s impressive run ended against China’s Tan Zhongyi. The tournament’s top three will qualify for the Candidates. With Humpy’s feat, India is assured of representation in the upcoming Candidates. (PC: X)

India’s star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will play the fourth Test against England, starting July 23 at Old Trafford. The confirmation came from fellow pacer Mohammed Siraj during a press meet in Manchester. Bumrah had played the first and third Tests, and his spot in the fourth was uncertain. With India trailing 2-1 in the series, his return is a big boost. Siraj said, “Jassi bhai to khelege.” Both Bumrah and Siraj are leading wicket-takers in the series. India will hope to bounce back after a close loss at Lord’s and aim for a win at Old Trafford, where they’ve never won. (PC: X/@BCCI)