MUMBAI: New India coach Gautam Gambhir has backed star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to continue playing in the long term, even possibly at the 2027 Cricket World Cup in South Africa.
Gambhir begins his tenure as Indian men’s team coach this week with a tour of Sri Lanka that includes three T20s and three one-day internationals.
Kohli and Sharma had announced their T20 retirements after India’s World Cup triumph in the West Indies on June 29. While Kohli is 35 years old and Sharma is 37, Gambhir backed both to continue playing for India in tests and ODIs.
“I think they have shown what they can deliver on the big stage, whether it’s the T20 or ODI World Cup. One thing I can be very clear of is that both have a lot of cricket left in them,” Gambhir said on Monday. “With the Champions Trophy and a big tour of Australia (coming up), they will be motivated enough. And then, hopefully, if they can keep their fitness, the 2027 World Cup as well.”
Both Kohli and Sharma have been included in India’s ODI squad for the Sri Lanka tour, with the latter back leading the side.
Gambhir and Kohli have had highly publicized spats in the past, especially in the Indian Premier League.
The first came in 2013 when Gambhir was captain of Kolkata Knight Riders with another in 2023 when he was leading Lucknow SuperGiants. Kohli was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on both occasions.
“My relationship with Virat Kohli is not for the public. It may be good for TRP (during IPL), but it is between two mature individuals,” said Gambhir. “He is a thorough professional and a world class athlete, he is a world class player. I have always said that.
“On the field, everyone has the right to fight for their own team, but at the moment, we are representing India and I am sure we are going to be on the same page – to make India proud. I have huge respect for him as a player and it is going to continue. Hopefully, we can work together really well.”
Suryakumar Yadav has been named the new T20 captain, taking over from Sharma as India looks to build toward the 2026 World Cup, with young batting star Shubman Gill his vice-captain.
That shuts out Hardik Pandya, who was vice-captain at 2024 T20 World Cup. Pandya had also led India in T20s since 2022.
“Hardik is still a very important player for us. We want him to be fit and be the player he can be for India. Those all-round skills are very difficult to find and fitness obviously has been a challenge for him over the last few years, which makes things a little difficult for the coach or even the selectors,” said Ajit Agarkar, India’s chief selector.
“You obviously want a captain that is likely to play all the games. We (also) think Suryakumar Yadav is a deserving candidate and has the necessary qualities to succeed as captain. Over time we will see how he develops into this role as the next World Cup is only in 2026.”
Yadav, though, missed out on India’s ODI squad, with keeper-batter Rishabh Pant making a comeback to the format. Pant was involved in a car accident in December 2022 and missed 18 months before returning to India’s T20 side for the World Cup.
“We haven’t discussed Surya for ODIs at this point. Shreyas Iyer is back and Lokesh Rahul is back too (for ODIs),” Agarkar said. “They had a great World Cup (2023). Rishabh is back as well, so there is quality in the middle order.
“Regards to Rishabh again, before his unfortunate accident, he’s been a key player for us. Now that he’s back, you want to get him around the group again, playing again.”
Indian team officials are aiming to manage the workloads of different players through the upcoming season, with a tour of Australia beginning in November and the Champions Trophy early next year.
As such, star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been completely rested for the Sri Lanka tour after his stellar performances in the T20 World Cup.
“Workload management for someone like Bumrah is very important. He is a rare bowler that anyone would want. You want him to play important games,” said Gambhir.
India coach Gautam Gambhir backs Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma to play at 2027 Cricket World Cup
https://arab.news/zbb6n
India coach Gautam Gambhir backs Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma to play at 2027 Cricket World Cup
- Gambhir begins his tenure this week with a tour of Sri Lanka that includes three T20s and three one-day internationals
- Kohli and Sharma had announced their T20 retirements after India’s World Cup triumph in the West Indies on June 29
Saudi players arrive in China ahead of World Cup qualifier
- The Green Falcons face China on Tuesday in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 tournament, following a disappointing draw against Indonesia
DALIAN: The Saudi national team arrived in the Chinese city of Dalian on Friday ahead of their World Cup qualifier there next week.
The Green Falcons will face China on Tuesday night at the Dalian Suoyuwan Football Stadium, in the second game of the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
The Saudi squad wasted no time as they immediately began their preparations on Friday evening with a training session overseen by head coach Roberto Mancini. The players who participated in Thursday’s match against Indonesia took part in recovery training, while the rest engaged in general training exercises.
The previous day in Jeddah, Indonesia held the Saudis to a surprise 1-1 draw in the opening game of the third round of qualifiers. It was a case of two points dropped to the lowest-ranked team in Group C, not least because Salem Al-Dawsari had a penalty attempt saved with 11 minutes remaining.
Indonesia might be Asia’s most improved team of late, bolstered by the naturalization of several Europe-based players, but were nonetheless ranked 133 in the world, 77 places below their hosts.
The Saudi squad was greeted on arrival at the airport in Dalian by Jaber Rashid, a representative of the Kingdom’s embassy. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation president, Yasser Al-Misehal, thanked the embassy for the warm welcome and assistance it has provided to the team.
UEFA fines Roma $2.2m and warns Basaksehir of European ban in latest club finance rulings
- Basaksehir also were fined $111,000
- Fines of $66,500 for Aston Villa and $22,100 for Marseille were imposed for late delivery of accounts for the monitoring system once known as “Financial Fair Play”
GENEVA: UEFA fined Roma 2 million euros ($2.22 million) and threatened Istanbul Basaksehir with a one-year ban from European competitions in the latest rulings by club finance investigators on Friday.
Basaksehir also were fined 100,000 euros ($111,000).
Fines of 60,000 euros ($66,500) for Aston Villa and 20,000 euros ($22,100) for Marseille were imposed for late delivery of accounts for the monitoring system once known as “Financial Fair Play.”
Villa will play in the Champions League this season, likely earning at least 40 million euros ($44 million) in UEFA prize money. Marseille, which were fined by UEFA in 2022, did not qualify for any UEFA competition after reaching the Europa League semifinals last season.
FFP was approved by UEFA in 2009 to promote financial stability in top-level European soccer by evaluating revenue and spending by clubs which qualify for its competitions. It was amended two years ago and rebranded as “Financial Sustainability.”
Critics of the system have said it tries to limit investment by wealthy owners of emerging teams trying to challenge the established elite, and also has not been a deterrent to state-backed clubs Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
UEFA required clubs last season to spend no more than 90 percent of revenue on wages and transfer fees. The so-called “squad cost rule” is being phased in over three seasons toward a 70 percent limit.
“All clubs reported a squad cost ratio within the 90 percent limit applicable for the 2023-24 season,” UEFA said.
PSG, Inter Milan and AC Milan were among clubs fined in previous years which met financial targets last season, UEFA said.
Roma “slightly exceeded the intermediate target” and were fined, UEFA said. Roma will play in the Europa League this season which can pay clubs tens of millions of euros in UEFA prize money.
UEFA’s club finance monitoring panel judged Basaksehir “slightly breached the final target foreseen” last season.
The Turkish club will be barred from the next UEFA competition they qualify for in the next three seasons unless they comply with fresh financial targets. Basaksehir also can register just 23 senior players instead of 25 in the third-tier Conference League this season.
British cycling star Sarah Storey wins her 19th Paralympic gold
- The British cycling star won the women’s C4-5 road race for the fourth time straight for her 19th gold medal at a Paralympic Games
- “It doesn’t matter whether you’re in a bike race here at the Paralympics, at the Olympics, in a grand tour, you just have to trust your instincts and race,” said Storey
PARIS: Sarah Storey says every race is different. Yet, the outcome — gold medal — always seems the same.
The British cycling star won the women’s C4-5 road race for the fourth time straight for her 19th gold medal at a Paralympic Games.
But the 46-year-old Storey was pushed harder than ever on Friday as French teenager Heidi Gaugain almost snatched the victory in a dramatic finish in front of the flag-waving cheering home fans lining the streets in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois.
Gaugain, 19, made her break on the final climb of the 71-kilometer course and opened a promising lead.
The experienced Storey recovered in the final 100 meters to get her front wheel to the line first in 1 hour, 54 minutes, 24 seconds. Gaugain, just half a wheel behind, was left with her third silver medal of the Games.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re in a bike race here at the Paralympics, at the Olympics, in a grand tour, you just have to trust your instincts and race,” Storey told The Associated Press.
“And if you have as many tools in the toolkit as you can, you pull a different one out and win a bike race in a different way. And I’ve been so fortunate that I’ve always managed to find the right tool for the right race.”
Storey is taking part in her ninth Paralympics. After winning the C5 individual time trial on Wednesday, she became the only athlete from any sport to have won a medal at all nine editions going back to the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Storey was a swimmer then, winning the first of her gold medals in the pool. She switched to cycling after an ear infection at the 2004 Athens Paralympics stopped her swimming for months. Storey won the first of her Paralympic golds in cycling at the 2008 Beijing Games.
“Every single race is different, and you have to see how it plays out and make good judgment. And that’s what makes it exciting,” she said. “So it’s not easy to find motivation when there’s so many unknowns and you need to try and win a race. You don’t know what’s going to happen until it happens.”
Storey, who was born with a disabled left hand because her arm got entangled with the umbilical cord in the womb, has long campaigned for greater accessibility for people with disabilities.
“Paralympic athletes have been provided with incredible support and opportunity. And that’s the metaphor for society,” said Storey, who said disabled people can “thrive” if given opportunities and support.
“It’s about unpicking and unpacking how this is so incredible and why athletes are so well supported, and how you then translate that into something that can enable society. That enablement, that’s really key.”
Storey, who will be 47 next month, is not ruling out defending her titles at the next Paralympics in Los Angeles in 2028, though she acknowledged age’s impact.
“I was creaking before the race. Absolutely. But that’s normal, right?” she posed. “It’s about finding ways to manage the process of and the privilege of getting older as an athlete. And I wanted to be an athlete for as long as I possibly could. I never anticipated eight Games, let alone nine.”
Friday’s close finish and the fight with emerging star Gaugain set the stage for more contests.
“You put yourself out there every time you get on the start line,” Storey said. “I keep doing that and keep finding ways to win a bike race. So, yeah, long may that continue.”
England’s new coach may only have two games to prove he’s up to the job
- Interim head coach Lee Carsley takes charge of his first game for the national team against Ireland after Gareth Southgate stepped down following the European Championship
- “He’s a great manager tactically, man-management is great,” said Morgan Gibbs-White, who has been called up for Carsley’s first squad
MANCHESTER, England: A new era for England’s soccer team begins on Saturday. How long it will last is unknown.
Interim head coach Lee Carsley takes charge of his first game for the national team against Ireland after Gareth Southgate stepped down following the European Championship.
Carsley, who stepped up from coaching the Under-21s, will take up the role for the upcoming UEFA Nations League games against Ireland and Finland, but could remain in the position for longer if the search for Southgate’s permanent successor extends beyond the next international break in October.
In that time, the 50-year-old Carsley may even put himself in the frame.
“He’s a great manager tactically, man-management is great. ... I feel like it suits him perfectly,” said Morgan Gibbs-White, who has been called up for Carsley’s first squad.
Gibbs-White, a Nottingham Forest midfielder, was part of England’s Under-21 European Championship winning squad, which Carsley coached to the title last year.
Southgate ended his eight-year reign as England manager after the loss to Spain in the final of Euro 2024. He led the team to back-to-back Euros finals and the semifinals of the World Cup in 2018 but failed to end England’s wait for a first trophy since the World Cup in 1966.
The English Football Association has set a high benchmark for his replacement and said in July it had already identified several candidates.
It said the job was to “win a major tournament and be consistently ranked as one of the top teams in the world.”
The FA said its next head coach would have “significant experience of English football, with a strong track record delivering results in the Premier League and/or leading international competitions.”
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was quickly mentioned as a potential contender, though he has said he wants to take a year out after stepping down from his position at Anfield at the end of last season.
The closing date for applications was Aug. 2, but with no candidate in place ahead of England’s first games since the Euros, Carsley was given the job on an interim basis.
While Carsley has no experience as a Premier League manager, he is respected for his work developing young players, having been part of Manchester City’s successful academy.
England’s success at the U21s Euros last year was the first time since 1984 that they had won the competition. Whether the FA would consider that among the “leading international competitions” it wants its next head coach to have experience in remains to be seen. But Carsley is in position and will know Southgate’s own ascension to the job came after he was initially named as interim in 2016.
That makes the games against Ireland and Finland potential auditions for him to put forward his credentials. Saturday’s game is in Dublin. Finland visit Wembley Stadium on Tuesday.
He is without star players like Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, but has picked some exciting young talent.
Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes and Noni Madueke — all uncapped — were part of that U21s Euro-winning squad, along with Anthony Gordon and Levi Colwill.
Gomes describes Carsley’s style as “very attacking, but also (with) a huge emphasis on defense.”
He also speaks highly of Carsley’s personal touch.
“He’s a very fair coach. He’s very, very honest and direct in his approach and he’s very close to the squad,” Gomes said. “It helps as a player when a coach takes interest in a player, not just on the pitch, but off the pitch.”
New Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson is aiming to make his own statement in his first game in charge.
He already played a part in shocking England once. Hallgimsson was Iceland’s co-manager with Lars Lagerback when the team beat England 2-1 in the last 16 at Euro 2016.
“I hope we will have the same result tomorrow, of course,” he said Friday. “Everything we did that night succeeded, whether it was tactical, taking our chances, defending our goal, and nothing England tried that night succeeded, so it was just one of those days.
“Hopefully it will come again tomorrow. But we know, even if we have our best game, it still isn’t sure it will lead into a victory against a good team like England.”
Oliver Bearman back in F1 with Haas as replacement for suspended Kevin Magnussen
- The 19-year-old Bearman usually races in Formula 2 but was impressive as he finished in seventh place in his F1 debut for Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in March
KANNAPOLIS: British teenager Oliver Bearman is returning to Formula 1 ahead of schedule after the Haas team said Friday he will replace the suspended Kevin Magnussen for next week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Bearman signed in July to race for Haas in 2025 but he’ll make an early appearance with his new team in Baku next week because Magnussen is serving a one-race suspension for accumulating too many penalty points.
The 19-year-old Bearman usually races in Formula 2 but was impressive as he finished in seventh place in his F1 debut for Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in March after Carlos Sainz Jr. was sidelined with appendicitis.
“It’s definitely more of a challenge stepping in to race as a reserve driver, with limited prep-time and so on, but I’m in the fortunate position of having done it earlier in the year with Scuderia Ferrari, so I can at least call on that experience,” Bearman said Friday in a Haas statement.
Bearman, who is a Ferrari academy driver, is one of two reserve drivers at Haas this year. The other, Pietro Fittipaldi, competes in IndyCar, which has a race next week in Nashville.
