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England’s Sam Curran. File photo: Action Images via Reuters. Sam Curran said that he would welcome the ​chance to fill the gap ‌left by Ben Stokes as ​England search for seam-bowling ⁠all-rounder options following the test captain’s retirement.When asked whether he would ‌welcome the opportunity, Curran told BBC Sport on ‌Friday (July 3, 2026), “Yeah, of course.”But it’s one ‌of ⁠those things where I ⁠just want to try to perform my best, and whenever the time ​comes, they decide ‌whoever is going to replace Stokesy – playing for England is amazing and I’m a ‌competitive guy.””When I’ve got a ​ball…

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal. FIle. | Photo Credit: ANI Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday (July 4, 2026) said negotiations for a proposed India-Peru free trade agreement (FTA) are unlikely to conclude anytime soon, citing concerns over market access in certain products.”There are certain concerns. There are many products where we cannot offer them market access. I do not see Peru FTA happening very soon,” he told reporters in New Delhi on the sidelines of the 17th Toy Biz International B2B Exhibition.Negotiations for the proposed India-Peru FTA started in 2017.On India-Canada FTA, the Minister…

After the first month of this year’s monsoon ended in a massive 40% deficit, the India Meteorological Department has forecast that rainfall in July will also be “below normal” or less than 94% of what is usual for the month.  “Below-normal rainfall can pose significant challenges for agriculture, water resources, hydropower generation, ecosystem sustainability, and drinking water availability,” the agency warned. The outlook for July comes on the back of weak rainfall in June.Data from the IMD showed rainfall in June was 99.5 mm against a long-period average of 165.3 mm, a fall of 39.8% from normal across all four meteorological subdivisions. The…

The story so far: The stage appears set for a summer of discontent yet again, as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are heading for a political confrontation over the Mekedatu drinking water project across river Cauvery, proposed by the former. Within days of Tamil Nadu Assembly’s resolution against the project, Karnataka’s legislative assembly is set to counter it with a resolution seeking the project’s early implementation and clearances from the Centre.T.N. Assembly unanimously adopts resolution against Karnataka government’s Mekedatu dam proposalAs Karnataka heads into an election year in 2023, the Mekedatu issue has been resonating within Karnataka and in Tamil Nadu…

With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi breathing down his neck, Sanju Samson will be under pressure to turn the frequent busts in his performance graph into consistent booms as India take on England in the second T20 International in Manchester on Saturday (July 4, 2026).The first game was abandoned after India posted a healthy 189 for 7 at the Chester-Le-Street in Durham, riding on half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and skipper Shreyas Iyer.However, the focus of attention during the next few games would be Sanju Samson and whether he can weather the Sooryavanshi storm that is building up on the sidelines.In an alternate universe,…

Promising debuts of keenly tracked young cricketers at the highest level tend to linger in the memory for long. They act as a tantalising prelude to the career ahead, and invite lofty expectations from an entourage of admirers.It need not always be a three-figure score or five-wicket haul that instigates this rush of excitement; sometimes a sumptuous cover-drive racing across the turf, an in-swinging yorker detonating the stumps or a big-spinning delivery breaching bat and pad is enough.A debut to savourLast month, Manav Suthar’s Test debut against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh contained many ingredients worthy of such enthusiasm.Statistically, the 23-year-old…

Clare Taylor played at the World Cup for England in football and cricket. She had a longer career in cricket, in which she claimed more than 100 international wickets with her pace bowling. The 61-year-old is now a part of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit. Excerpts from an interview Taylor gave The Hindu at Old Trafford, during the T20 Women’s World Cup:Your earliest memories of sport? Are they from football or cricket?Definitely football. Just where I lived, Huddersfield, we had a grass area. And I have to admit to being a Liverpool fan; we had players like Kevin Keegan, Terry McDermott…And…

Ashwanth is a mystery spinner and left-handed batter. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Ashwanth Valthapa was the costliest buy at the TNPL 2026 player auction when four-time champion Chepauk Super Gillies forked out ₹14.45 lakh.The 25-year-old has played three ODIs and one T20I for the UAE but has shifted base to Chennai. A mystery spinner and left-handed batter, Ashwanth recently scored a century in the TNCA first division league for Swaraj CC.The other high-profile buys were U. Mukilesh, whom Nellai Royal Kings acquired for ₹13.70 lakh, and former TN Ranji Player Siddarth Mahadevan (earlier known as Bharath Shankar), whom Madurai Panthers acquired for ₹8.70 lakh.The Panthers also secured promising mystery spinner Rohan Ravi Bhutra for ₹55,000. The 24-year-old has been a net bowler for Gujarat Titans in the IPL and was previously part of Dindigul Dragons.Meanwhile, two teams…

South Africa’s Tazmin Brits is in London now for the Women’s T20 World Cup. | Photo Credit: Reuters It was just a few days ago that the ICC and IOC confirmed cricket’s qualification pathway for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Among those teams that have made it is South Africa.Tazmin Brits is hoping she will be in that South African team for the Olympics. She had feared her Olympics dreams had died when a terrible road accident ruled her out of the London Olympics of 2012. Her primary sport then was athletics, and she was a javelin thrower.She is…

England’s Heather Knight. | Photo Credit: Reuters Heather Knight led England to victory in the 2017 World Cup, after beating India in the final at Lord’s. She is gearing up for another Lord’s final.But for her tenacity, grit and class, England may have struggled to earn that ticket to the T20 World Cup final. The top-order had been dismantled with the new ball by the South African quicks, but she stayed calm and firm, lending admirable support to skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt, who came up with another of her big match-winning knocks in the shortest format.Knight had every reason to smile…