New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Former Australia head coach Darren Lehmann has backed his compatriot Justin Langer to clinch the vacant position of England’s men’s Test head coach, while revealing that he himself has not been approached for the high-profile job.The England Test coaching role fell vacant following the sacking of Brendon McCullum last week. Former England coach Andy Flower has already ruled out a return to the post due to his franchise commitments with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the…

New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Badminton Association of India (BAI) President and Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Saturday unveiled the official mascot, Peacko, and launched the official anthem for the BWF World Championships 2026, marking the final 30-day countdown for badminton’s biggest tournament to be held in New Delhi.Featuring PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, and India’s …

New York, July 18 (IANS) Mauricio Pochettino says he expects to decide his future as USA football head coach next week, with the USMNT hoping to keep the Argentine in charge despite the team’s disappointing FIFA World Cup campaign.The 54-year-old’s current contract expires after the tournament, but the federation has reportedly offered him a new four-year deal that would keep him at the helm until the end of the 2030 World Cup, according to the Daily Mail.Speaking to Spanish radio station Cadena…

New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Badminton Association of India (BAI) Secretary General Sanjay Mishra has expressed confidence that India’s emerging crop of shuttlers will sustain the country’s rise on the global stage, saying the federation’s focus on grassroots coaching, sports science, and junior development is aimed at building long-term success across disciplines.Mishra spoke to IANS on Saturday during the official mascot and anthem launch of the BWF World Championships 2026 at The Lalit in New De…

London, July 18 (IANS) England’s white-ball captain Harry Brook has urged his batters to learn from the rock-solid Joe Root, especially on how to rotate strike, ahead of their ODI series decider against India, to be played at Lord’s on Sunday.Root hit a match-winning 99 not out in Cardiff on Thursday to help England level the three-game series. The victory was a massive relief for England, who have been dismal in their ODI results of late, and raised concerns about their hyper-aggressive batting…

London, July 18 (IANS) India bowling coach Morne Morkel has thrown his weight behind Rohit Sharma ahead of the series-deciding third and final ODI against England at Lord’s, expressing complete faith in the veteran opener’s ability to overcome his lean patch and insisting there are “no worries or concerns” over his form.Rohit has endured a difficult run with the bat in the ongoing ODI series, managing modest scores in the first two matches. His struggles sparked speculation over his ODI future.H…

Madrid, July 18 (IANS) Spain legend Andres Iniesta believes stopping Lionel Messi completely will be almost impossible in Monday’s FIFA World Cup final against Argentina, urging La Roja to focus instead on imposing their own style of play and maintaining the confidence that has taken them to the title clash.Spain head into the final unbeaten after conceding just one goal in seven matches, while defending champions Argentina arrive as the tournament’s highest-scoring side, led by Messi’s eight go…

New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Former coach Pullela Gopichand believes PV Sindhu’s recent performances are a sign that the former world champion is rediscovering her rhythm, with the national coach expressing confidence that a major result is around the corner as she prepares to contest the Japan Open final against Akane Yamaguchi.Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the BWF World Championships 2026 mascot and anthem launch in New Delhi on Saturday, Gopichand welcomed Sindhu’s return to a title …

New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Two months ago, Yastika Bhatia stood at Mahakaal, one of India’s most revered temples, to offer her prayers before making her long-awaited international cricket comeback in May, coming after spending nearly 18 months on the sidelines after suffering an ACL injury.That knee injury picked up during the fag end of India’s preparatory camp for the 2025 ODI World Cup in Visakhapatnam took her to surgery and, subsequently, hours of rehab, as she saw India win the trophy at …

London, July 18 (IANS) Left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Harsh Dubey has been added to India’s squad for the third and final ODI against England, to be played at Lord’s on Sunday, as a replacement for the injured Washington Sundar, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Saturday.Sundar sustained a right hamstring injury during the second ODI at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, where England won, and has been ruled out of the series-deciding clash. IANS had previously reported that …