Indian bowlers stage late recovery as SLC XI reach 363/8 in warm-up c…

The Indian bowling attack endured a tough opening spell against Sri Lanka's emerging batting talent before a spin-led fightback, spearheaded by Kuldeep Yadav, restricted SLC XI to 363 for 8 on the opening day of their three-day warm-up match in Colombo on Friday.

As it is a friendly game, both teams will bat 90 overs on the first two days and split 45 overs each on the final day. Nonetheless, head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill, who sat out the day after suffering an impact injury in training, will have plenty to think about.

Playing red-ball cricket for the first time in five weeks, the pacers struggled for rhythm, while off-spinner Saransh Jain (0/54 in 11 overs) found it difficult to make an impact. Ravindra Jadeja picked up two wickets (2/64 in 15 overs) despite looking rusty, leaving Kuldeep (2/76 in 18 overs) and Manav Suthar (1/30 in 11 overs) as the standout slow bowlers. xsportfeed.life

Sri Lanka's emerging batters test India's attack

The day largely belonged to the young home batters on a flat Nondescripts Cricket Club surface that only began offering assistance to Kuldeep late in the evening.

Opener Nishan Fernando set the tone with a brisk 66 off 65 balls, comfortably taking on senior Indian pacers Mohammed Siraj (0/44) and Prasidh Krishna (0/32). Gurnoor Brar (1/49) proved to be the most threatening seam option. Fernando shared a 110-run opening stand with Ravindu Rasantha (71) before a mix-up ended his innings.

Later, left-handed batter Sonal Dinusha scored 52 off 72 balls, showing excellent technique to pick Kuldeep's variations and launching a straight six. Dinusha combined with Ramesh Mendis (32) for a swift 64-run seventh-wicket partnership, relying heavily on the slog-sweep.

India found success late as Kuldeep bowled well, dismissing Ahan Wickramasinghe via a top-edge sweep and trapping Anjala Bandara with a brilliant delivery. Suthar maintained disciplined control, deceiving Rasantha in flight before later bowling Dinusha with the second new ball.

India will face Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series starting on August 15 with a WTC final place on the line.

(With inputs from PTI)

Golaghat (Assam) [India], August 7 (ANI): Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain met the Assam flood-affected victims in Golaghat on Friday and expressed concern over the prevailing situation, describing the destruction as severe.

Notably, large parts of Assam’s Golaghat district remained inundated on Friday morning after the water levels of the Dhansiri and Doyang rivers continued to rise, forcing several families to leave their homes and take shelter in relief camps.

Borgohain, while speaking to ANI, said many people have lost their homes and are struggling without shelter, despite receiving food and clothing. She urged authorities to prioritise providing housing to help affected families recover.

“The conditions here are absolutely dire; we could see the devastation all along the way. Homes have been completely destroyed, there is nothing left, and the people are in a terrible state. Right now, they don’t even have a roof over their heads; they are forced to spend the night wherever they can find a spot. One wonders how or when things will get back to normal. It will take a long time for things to recover," she said.

“We just pray that the situation improves quickly and that these people find the strength to overcome this crisis. Shelter is the urgent need here. They are receiving plenty of food and clothing, but they have no homes to store these things in; that is the real problem. If the government could ensure they get housing as soon as possible, it would be a huge relief," she added.

At the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Borgohain secured her maiden CWG medal, settling for silver in the women’s 75kg boxing event, losing a closely fought final to Australia’s Emma-Sue Greentree.

At the final bell, both boxers raised their hands in confidence, believing they had done enough to claim the title. However, after a tense wait, the judges awarded the contest to Greentree by a 4-1 split decision, leaving Lovlina to add a Commonwealth Games silver medal to her distinguished international career, which so far includes an Olympic bronze, multiple World Championship medals including a gold, an Asian Games silver and multiple Asian Championships medals, including a gold. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Mohor Chaudhuri

The grand launch of the non-fiction show Bigg Boss Bangla unfolded in style at Taj Bengal, Kolkata. Revsportz was present on the occasion and could very well feel the excitement and anticipation surrounding a show that promises to blend high-voltage drama with twists and turns.

More so, because this edition carries added intrigue with Sourav Ganguly taking over as the host. The evening was witness to a conversation between the press and the ‘Prince of Calcutta’, with several sporting analogies being drawn to describe the new show and its proceedings.

In the media interaction, Ganguly spoke candidly about the chaos that defines the Bigg Boss House, drawing parallels with the unpredictability of a cricket dressing room.

He emphasised how handling strong personalities, navigating conflicts, and handling a group through crisis moments are all part of leadership—something he is accustomed to right from his cricket leadership days.

In an interesting exchange, Revsportz posed a compelling question: “who is or who should truly be the ‘Bigg Boss’ of a dressing room, the captain or the coach?” Ganguly’s response was clear and insightful. “In cricket, it’s the captain. Always. In football, it’s the coach. Different games have different skill sets and requirements. So in cricket, it’s the captain”, he mentioned without any hesitation.

From ruling the 22 yards as one of India’s most iconic captains to commanding the screen as a host, Ganguly has transitioned into this role quite seamlessly. Having previously hosted television shows, he brings both experience and authority to the format.

Much like a captain assessing conditions, managing egos, and making decisive calls under pressure for the benefit of the larger group, Ganguly is set to bring his trademark leadership into the house of Bigg Boss; calm amid chaos, yet firm when it is needed.

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The post Different games, different roles. But in cricket, it’s the captain — Sourav Ganguly on cricket-leadership being captain-driven appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.

Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane has urged Indian batters to adopt an aggressive mindset against Sri Lanka’s spin attack in the upcoming two-Test series starting August 15 in Galle.

"I think in Sri Lanka, the first day wicket generally is very good. But being top of the bowler as a batsman is very important. That's what I have learned in Sri Lanka. You cannot be too defensive," Rahane told PTI in an interview organised by ETPL.

He added that Sri Lanka’s home advantage and capable spin unit demand tactical dominance from the visiting batters.

"You have to probably be more proactive because they will have spin-friendly wickets, and Sri Lanka do have decent spinners in their side. And again, a home team is always a tough team to beat. Whatever I've learned playing cricket for so many years, you can't take anyone for granted. So it's all about, I think, having your own game plan as an individual and being proactive. Even in Test cricket, it's going to be the key," he added.

Rahane also highlighted how modern Test cricket has transformed with players regularly employing sweeps, ramps, and reverse hits.

"The game has evolved massively. Talking about Test cricket, you see now a lot many T20 players do play in Test cricket as well. The scoop, the laps, switch hit, reverse sweep are being played and that too consistently. I think it is a very good thing," he said.

Rahane open to IPL mentorship role

Despite stepping away from international duty, the 38-year-old remains keen to continue playing while eyeing future opportunities in team management.

"I still have a few years. I still want to play cricket. I don't want to put any number, but I can still play cricket for, you know, how much a year I want because I try to keep myself really fit and that's what I have learned over the years. It helps you a lot," he said. "And that's why I'm playing this league, the European T20 Premier League (ETPL). But again, mentoring any IPL team, I feel I'll be really good at it because the experience I have, I understand players' mentality really well."

(With inputs from PTI)