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Birmingham:ReturningcaptainJoeRootbelievesEnglandhavesuccessfullysteadiedtheshipfollowingaturbulentsummer,cappingoffacompleteturnaroundwitha3-0TestseriessweepoverPakistan. TakingbackthecaptaincyinJuneafterBenStokes’suddeninternationalretirement,Root-alongsideinterimheadcoachMarcusTrescothick-guidedEnglandtothreedecisivevictoriesatHeadingley,Lord’s,andEdgbaston.TheclinicalperformancesofferstabilityjustasincomingheadcoachStephenFlemingpreparestotakeoverred-balldutiesfromBrendonMcCullum. Reflectingontheteam’srecoveryafterscoringanunbeaten62inSaturday’seight-wicketvictory,Rootacknowledgedtheoff-fielddisruptionthatprecededtheseries. “There’sbeenalotofchaosaroundthisseriesbeforeaballwasbowled,”theskippersaidafterhittinganunbeaten62inSaturday’seight-wicketwinatEdgbaston. “Ithinkthewaywe’vehandleditonandoffthefield,thewayeveryoneunderstandswhatisexpectedofthem,bothasaplayerandhowwewanttocarryourselves,isareallygoodthing. “It’sbeenaveryunusualsummer,hasn’tit?There’sbeenalotofdifferentthingshappen.Wehadaresignationmid-series,therehasbeenafewoff-fieldincidentsandwe’vegotanewcoach. “Whetheryoucallitchaos,whetheryoucallitunusual,whetheryoucallitunsettling,allofthosearefair. “Butultimately,thethingthatIcareaboutandthemostimportantthingiswhathappensfromthat.Ithinkthewaythatwe’verespondedtothathasbeenexcellent.” ThesummerhadthreatenedtoderailafterStokesannouncedhisdeparturemid-waythrougha2-1serieslosstoNewZealand-aseriesmarkedbydisciplinaryactionsinvolvinganightclubvisitwithGusAtkinson.ThefalloutledtoMcCullumlosinghisred-ballmandate.ScrutinymountedfurtheraheadofthesecondTestagainstPakistanwhenbowlerBrydonCarsewasremovedfromthesquadfollowinganincidentoutsideanightclub. Addressingthebroaderpushtorestorestandardswithinthesquad,Rootemphasisedthatrebuildingtrustandteamdisciplineremainsanongoingeffort. “Whenyou’retryingtobuildacultureitdoesn’thappenovernightanditdoesn’thappenoverthecourseofthreeorfourweeks,”saidtheYorkshireman. “It’sgoingtotaketimetokeepworkingatthat,livingitdayinanddayout,andthat’ssomethingwe’llcontinuetokeepworkingat.We’vemadesomereallygoodstridesintherightdirection.”

American Christian Harrison and British partner Neal Skupski secured their maiden US Open men’s doubles title by defeating German sixth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-4, 7-6(6) at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday. The fifth-seeded pair, who also won the Australian Open earlier in 2026, navigated the US Open draw without losing a set … Read more

Elena Rybakina delivered a devastating display to dethrone two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka with a 6-4 5-7 6-2 win in the U.S. Open final on Saturday, earning a third Grand Slam crown to accompany her ascent to world number one. The Russian-born Kazakh’s icy composure on the grand stage helped her snap Sabalenka’s 20-match winning … Read more

Aryna Sabalenka smashed a racquet and then binned it in the locker room after losing the US Open women’s singles final to Elena Rybakina in New York. It was an understandable release of emotion from the Belarusian. Over the course of the final Grand Slam of the year, Sabalenka also lost her spot as world … Read more

England’s summer comes to an end with a convincing 3-0 Test whitewash of Pakistan at Edgbaston on Saturday. It’s been a shambolic summer to all intents and purposes. Ben Stokes retired in the middle of the series against New Zealand, which England eventually lost 2-1. Brendon McCullum was sacked from the Test head coach role. … Read more

Aryna Sabalenka has faced criticism from tennis fans after comments about Elena Rybakina taking over the world No.1 ranking following her heartbreaking US Open final defeat. Sabalenka lost 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to Rybakina at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with the result ending her 99-week reign at the top of the WTA rankings. Sabalenka had entered the … Read more

Mike Hesson, who was parachuted to England for the third and final Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Saturday, said that he would be open to becoming the Pakistan red-ball coach on a permanent basis if offered the job. His remarks came after Pakistan went down by eight wickets in the final game of the three-match … Read more

Star Indian player and one of the finest batters of all time, Devdutt Padikkal will look to use his experience as a domestic captain when he leads India A for the first time in the upcoming four-day matches against Australia A in Puducherry. Padikkal became Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy captain in the 2025-26 season, taking over … Read more

Arsenal have secured a major breakthrough by confirming a pre-contract agreement for the highly rated 17-year-old Georgian talent Andria Bartishvili, set to join the Gunners in July 2027. Currently playing for Kolkheti 1913 and on loan at Iberia 1999, Bartishvili’s style has drawn comparisons to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, marking him as a promising addition to Arsenal’s … Read more

Daryl Mitchell’s 352-run haul in that three-match series, which included scores of 84, 131 not out and 137, earned him the Player of the Series award and propelled him to the summit of the ODI rankings. Mitchell’s peak rating of 845 points represented the second-highest tally ever recorded by a New Zealand ODI batter, with … Read more