Ben Stokes produced an all-round performance for the ages at Old Trafford, Manchester, becoming only the third all-rounder in Test history – after Sir Garfield Sobers and Jacques Kallis – to achieve the double of 7,000 runs and 200 wickets.

England captain reached the milestone in signature fashion, launching a splendid six early on Day 4, before crafting a gritty 141 that ended his two-year wait for a Test century, his last coming during the Ashes in July 2023.

Battling cramps on day 3, the 34-year-old briefly left the field but returned after Jamie Smith’s dismissal to finish with a flourish, scoring his last 41 runs off just 34 balls with three towering sixes. As he walked off, the crowd rose to give him a standing ovation.

Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas has revealed Lionel Messi is ‘very upset’ after being given a one-game ban for missing out on the Major league Soccer (MLS) All-Star game, a punishment which he believes is ‘draconian.’

Messi and Jordi Alba will miss the game against MLS Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati on Sunday (IST) as MLS rules state that any player who does not participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in his club's next match.

"Lionel Messi is very upset, like we all are in the club, with the fact that they won't be able to play tomorrow night. But I think what we have to do as a club is to get together as one, have an attitude that is us against the world," Mas said at a news conference.

Inter Miami have announced the signing of Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid. De Paul will initially join the Club on loan through the 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season, with an option to make the transfer permanent through the 2029 season.

A FIFA World Cup winner and two-time Copa América winner, regarded as one of the best in the world in his position, brings world-class quality to the midfield and adds elite, title-winning experience to the squad. The 31-year-old, nicknamed El Motorcito (the little engine) for his tireless work rate, will join the squad and begin training with the team.

“What brings me to Inter Miami is the desire to compete, win titles, to write the pages in the Club’s history,” said De Paul. “It's a Club that is shaping up to be great, to have a long history, so that many people follow this incredible team.”

Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has credited the Indian Premier League (IPL) for playing a transformative role in his career and in shaping the modern era of cricket.

Reflecting on his IPL journey, Bravo said the league has significantly impacted players worldwide — both financially and in terms of skill development — transforming the landscape of professional cricket.

"IPL hasn’t only helped me; it has helped every cricketer playing the game today — financially and skill-wise," Bravo told IANS. "I’m proud to have played for two of the most successful franchises and to be remembered as one of the best."

Bravo, a key figure for Chennai Super Kings and a former player for Mumbai Indians, remains one of the most decorated overseas cricketers in IPL history. Known for his signature flair, death-over expertise, and dynamic presence, the Trinidadian all-rounder carved a lasting niche in the T20 format. He also served as a mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2025 edition of the tournament.

In a landmark innings at Old Trafford, Joe Root etched his name deeper into cricketing history, becoming the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket. His unbeaten 121 against India in the fourth Test not only steadied England’s innings but also saw him surpass some of the sport’s greatest legends.

Coming in at 197/2 after a strong opening partnership, Root immediately anchored the innings. His fluent knock, spread across two days, showcased patience and class. As he nudged and drove past the Indian attack, he overtook Rahul Dravid (13,288 runs), Jacques Kallis (13,289), and eventually Ricky Ponting (13,378) — climbing from fifth to second on the all-time run-scorers list.

Former India batter Manoj Tiwary is very critical of India's position in the ongoing fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, stating that the team is in no position to even salvage a draw, let alone push for a win.

Unbeaten fifties from Ollie Pope and Joe Root have put England on the verge of taking a first innings lead in the ongoing fourth Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test against India at Old Trafford on Friday. At lunch, England reached 332/2 in 74 overs and trail India by just 26 runs, with Pope and Root unbeaten on 70 and 63 respectively.

Former England cricketer David Lloyd revealed that the common consensus of the ‘legends lounge’ at Old Trafford was that India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was ‘milking his injury’ when he walked out to bat on Day 2 of the fourth Test.

Pant was batting at 37 on Day 1 when he was injured while attempting to reverse sweep a Chris Woakes yorker, which ended up hitting him on the toe and resulted in a reported fracture on his right foot. Despite the injury, he returned to bat after Shardul Thakur’s dismissal and received thunderous applause in Manchester, but Lloyd believes Pant should have been timed out.

The Indian men’s hockey team is set to tour Australia in August for a four-match series, set to be held at the Perth Hockey Stadium from August 15 to 21.

The series promises to be a highly competitive contest, featuring eighth-ranked India taking on sixth-ranked Australia. The matches will be played on August 15, 16, 19, and 21.

The two sides recently faced each other in the FIH Pro League 2024–25 in Europe, where Australia edged India 3–2 in both legs. However, India had earlier scripted a memorable 3–2 victory over the Kookaburras at the 2024 Paris Olympics — their first Olympic win over Australia since the 1972 Munich Games.

While recent encounters have been closely fought, Australia have historically held the edge in the rivalry, winning 35 of the 51 matches played between the two teams since 2013. India have won nine times, with seven matches ending in draws.

New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell has been named as a replacement for injured Glenn Phillips for the first Test against Zimbabwe.

Phillips suffered the injury during the Major League Cricket (MLC) final and was assessed on arrival in Zimbabwe and required a number of weeks to rehabilitate.

Bracewell, who was not considered in the original squad due to his commitments with The Hundred overlapping with the two-Test series in Bulawayo, set to make a return in the BlackCaps red-ball lineup for the first time since 2023.

The 34-year old, who last featured in a Test match during Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand in 2023, will depart Zimbabwe after the conclusion of the first Test and join the Southern Brave ahead of their first game.

Having made his debut in the longest format back in 2022, Bracewell has 24 wickets and 259 runs to his name from eight matches. New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said Bracewell is a strong replacement for Phillips.