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Joe Root became the third highest run scorer in test cricket on Friday (July 25, 2025) as he helped England reach 332-2, only 26 runs behind India.

Root was 63 not out at lunch on day 3 of the fourth test at Old Trafford, with Ollie Pope 70 not out.

The 34-year-old Root overtook India’s Rahul Dravid and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis in overall runs scored. Root’s current total is 13,322, needing 57 more runs to overtake Australia’s Ricky Ponting (13,378) but still far behind first-placed Sachin Tendulkar (15,921).

Of more importance for England was a commanding opening session in Manchester with the host heading for a substantial first-innings lead and hoping to clinch the five-match series, which it currently leads 2-1.

Resuming on 225-2 and replying to India’s first innings of 358, Root and Pope were both on half centuries as the visitors struggled to have any impact with the ball.

But Root’s day could have ended early when he survived nearly being run out on 22 following a miscommunication with Pope that left him way out of position when Ravindra Jadeja tried to capitalize. Before that Root narrowly avoided being out leg before wicket.

England scored 107 off 28 overs in the morning session.

England carried on its impressive batting from day 2 when it took control of the match with a blistering opening partnership of 166 by Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett.

Joe Root became the second highest career run-scorer in test cricket and hit his 38th century in the format as England reached 433-4 on Friday to lead India by 75 runs.

Root was 121 not out at tea on day 3 of the fourth test at Old Trafford, with England captain Ben Stokes 36 not out.

The 34-year-old Root, who had moved third on the all-time runs list in the opening session, overtook Australia’s Ricky Ponting (13,378) in the afternoon to go second. Root’s current total is 13,380 and still far behind first-placed Sachin Tendulkar (15,921).

Ponting, commentating on the match for Sky Sports, congratulated Root and said the Old Trafford crowd had “witnessed a moment in history.”

He then backed Root to become the all time No. 1.

“Just one more to go. The way his career has gone over the last five years, there’s absolutely no reason why not,” he said.

Of more importance for England was a commanding performance in Manchester with the host heading for a substantial first-innings lead and hoping to clinch the five-match series, which it currently leads 2-1.

Resuming on 225-2 and replying to India’s first innings of 358, Root and Ollie Pope were both on half centuries at lunch as the visitors struggled to have any impact with the ball.

Pope eventually went for 71 when caught by KL Rahul off Washington Sundar. And Sundar soon had his second wicket when Harry Brook (3) was stumped by Dhruv Jurel.

But England overcame that wobble with the Root and Stokes partnership.

England carried on its impressive batting from day 2 when it took control of the match with a blistering opening partnership of 166 by Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett.

Root’s landmark day could have ended early when he survived nearly being run out on 22 following a miscommunication with Pope that left him way out of position when Ravindra Jadeja tried to capitalize. Before that Root narrowly avoided being out leg before wicket. But that was long forgotten as Old Trafford stood to applaud his latest outstanding performance.

When N. Jagadeesan was preparing to leave for practice on Thursday in his hometown of Coimbatore, his focus would have been to get ready for the TNCA first division league next week. Little did he expect to be picked for the Indian team to be part of the fifth Test against England next week, replacing the injured Rishabh Pant.

“I was surprised when I got the call,” said Jagadeesan. “It is the most significant step of my career and a dream come true. I have grown up thinking about this very moment. It is a great feeling not just for me but my parents and coach (A.G. Guruswamy) as well.”

The Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batter has been rewarded for his consistent performances in the last two seasons of the Ranji Trophy, where he topped the run-charts for his side.

A key person behind the 29-year-old’s resurgence in recent times has been former India player Robin Uthappa. “We have known each other since our CSK days. A couple of years ago, after not being picked in the IPL, I felt I needed a mentor, and we got in touch. He has helped me a lot. He has given me a sense of security about how I feel as a cricketer.

“I have worked with him to improve my mindset in terms of goal-setting, manifesting and also technical aspects of the game, especially in T20 cricket. He has a lot of experience and has gone through ups and downs and knows how it works in international cricket,” explained Jagadeesan.

The TN vice-captain also felt that his promotion to the opening spot two years ago had helped him, considering he had a stable slot in the batting order.

As he now awaits his visa before joining the team, Jagadeesan adds, “I just want to be in the present, enjoy this moment and not get over excited.”

Sicyon, Positano, Skagen, Instructor and Wellington impressed when the horses were exercised here on Friday morning (July 25)

Inner sand:

600m: Bellavita (Srinath) 40. Strode out well.

1200m: Kalamitsi (Indrajeet) 1-22, 1,000/1-7.5, 600/40. In fine trim.

Outer sand:

600m: Indian Jack (Mark), Rudra (rb) 43. They finished level. Sekhmet (Chetan K) 46. Easy. Gordon (Vikrant) 45.5. Easy. Instructor (R. Pradeep) 40.5. Moved attractively. Crown Drive (-) 44. Moved freely.

1000m: Sweet Winner (R. Pradeep) 1-14.5, 600/43. Strode out well. Sherlock (rb), Prince Of Wales (Shinde) 1-15, 600/43.5. They finished level.

1200m: Bashir (Koshi K) 1-28, 1,000/1-13.5, 600/45. Moved well. Booster Shot (Darshan) 1-28.5, 1,000/1-13.5, 600/44. In fine shape. Skagen (Mark) 1-24, 1,000/1-10.5, 600/41.5. Pleased.

1400m: Sicyon (Shreyas) 1-37, 1,200/1-23, 1,000/1-9.5, 600/42. A fine display. Wellington (rb) 1-38.5, 1,200/1-24.5, 1,000/1-10.5, 600/43. Moved fluently. Magnetic (Akshay) 1-45.5, 1,200/1-30, 1,000/1-14.5, 600/45. Moved on the bit. Pledge (Akshay) 1-46.5, 1,200/1-29.5, 1,000/1-14.5, 600/43.5. In fine trim. Tolkien (R. Pradeep) 1-41.5, 1,200/1-26, 1,000/1-11, 600/42. Moved impressively.

1600m: Positano (Akshay) 1-51, 1,400/1-36.5, 1,200/1-23, 1,000/1-10, 600/43. In fine nick.

TVS Motor Company (TVSM) has extended its partnership with the Cambodian Premier League team, Angkor Tiger Football Club, for the 2025-26 season.

This year, TVS Motor will enhance its support to the club with the contribution of a TVS Kargo King 225cc auto. The club will use the vehicle for its operational purposes.

Angkor Tiger FC is based in the city of Siem Reap and Indian firm SkaSports holds a stake in it.

James Chan, senior vice-president, head of ASEAN region, TVSM, said: “TVS is proud to support a team that symbolises the spirit and ambition of Cambodia’s youth. Through our continued partnership with Angkor Tiger FC, we reaffirm our commitment to the people of Cambodia and their passion for progress.”

Akihiro Kato, owner and chairperson of Angkor Tiger FC, added: “We are excited to announce our continued partnership with TVS for the 2025-26 season. TVS has been an invaluable supporter of Angkor Tiger FC, and their commitment allows us to further strengthen our team and contribute to the growth of Cambodian football.”

The top-three players, Sumit Nagal, Karan Singh and Aryan Shah, have been selected to play the singles matches in the Davis Cup World Group-1 tie to be staged on indoor hard courts in Switzerland on September 12 and 13.

All the players were available for selection this time, and Yuki Bhambri and Sriram Balaji will feature in the doubles.

The selection committee of the All India Tennis Association, which met under the chairmanship of Nandan Bal, also announced three reserve players — Dhakshineswar Suresh, S. Mukund and Rithvik Bollipalli.

Rohit Rajpal and Ashutosh Singh will be the captain and coach respectively.

India has a 2-1 win-loss record against Switzerland, and has beaten it both at home and away.

The two teams met the last time in 1993 on the grass courts of South Club in Kolkata, when Ramesh Krishnan and Leander Paes helped the team win the tie 3-2. The two won their singles matches against Jakob Hlasek, and won the doubles in five sets against Hlasek and Marc Rosset.

The Barcelona Olympics gold medallist Rosset won both his singles matches then.

The current Switzerland team, which lost the first round of qualifier to Spain, is expected to be selected from Jerome Kym (145), Marc-Andrea Huesler (170), Dominic Stricker (205), Mika Brunold (300), Alexander Ritschard (314), Jakub Paul (350) and Remy Bertola (352).

Nagal has slipped to a rank of 306, while Karan and Aryan are ranked 403 and 442 respectively.

Yuki is the highest ranked Indian doubles player at 35, and Balaji is at 75, two places above Rithvik.

Psychic Star, Heart and Pyrite showed out when the horses were exercised here on Friday (July 25) morning.

Inner sand:

600m: Alexandria (Zervan) 40. Moved freely. Reine Etoile (Ritesh) 1200/600m 40. Easy.

800m: Superstar (Kirtish) 52, 600/39. Moved well. Chagall (Ajinkya) 53, 600/40. Moved fluently. Don Julio (Gore) 57, 600/43. Easy. Red Mist (Ramswarup) 51, 600/38. Worked freely. House Of Lords (Umesh) 57, 600/43. Urged. Zafferano (Nirmal) 53, 600/40. Pressed. Giant Gold (Antony), Lord Murphy (Aditya) 52, 600/39. They moved level freely. Johnny Mac (Shahrukh) 51, 600/38. Urged. Duessenerg (Ajinkya) 55, 600/41. Easy. Charrise (Kirtish) 54, 600/40. Moved freely. Foujita (Shahrukh) 52, 600/39. Pushed. Coin Empress (app) 53, 600/40. Pressed. Neutralist (A. Gaikwad) 52, 600/39. Worked well. Bugatti (Kirtish) 54, 600/40. Easy. Dentetsu (Ritesh) 53, 600/40. Moved freely. Exciting (Kirtish) 54, 600/40. Moved fluently. Brasilier (Pranil) 55, 600/40. Easy. Silver Braid (Mosin), Arlington Heights (Hamir) 53, 600/39. They moved level freely. Santissimo (Kirtish) 53, 600/40. Good. Evaldo (rb) 56, 600/42. Easy.

1000m: Pyrite (Mosin) 1-6, 800/52, 600/38. Responded well. Mansa Musa (Kirtish) 1-7, 800/52, 600/40. Worked well. Adeya (rb) 1-9, 800/54, 600/41. Urged. Zaccharias (Kirtish) 1-10, 600/41. Easy. Oh Kay (rb) 1-12, 600/43. Easy. Heart (Yash) 1-7, 800/52, 600/39. Pleased. Duke Of Tuscany (A. Prakash), Odysseus (Neeraj) 1-8, 800/52, 600/38. Former started three lengths behind and finished level.

1200m: Oliver (Kirtish) 1-26, 600/42. Easy. Solidarity (Kirtish) 1-25, 800/54, 600/40. Moved freely. Siege Courageous (Neeraj) 1-26, 600/43. Easy. Machiavellian (Nirmal), Gold Bart (A. Prakash) 1-24, 800/53, 600/40. Both moved neck and neck freely. Dream Alliance (Nirmal) 1-24, 600/41. Pushed in the last part.

1400m: Psychic Star (Kirtish) 1-37, 1200/1-22, 1000/1-8, 800/53, 600/39. Moved attractively.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s under-fire pacer Yash Dayal has been accused of raping a minor in an FIR registered against him by Jaipur Police.

The 27-year-old cricketer from Uttar Pradesh is already facing charges of sexual exploitation from a woman in Ghaziabad who has alleged that Dayal abused her after promising to marry her during a five-year relationship.

SHO of Jaipur’s Sanganer Sadar police station Anil Jaiman said that the latest FIR was registered on Wednesday.

“FIR was registered against Yash Dayal for rape under relevant sections of POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) act and the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita),” he said in Jaipur on Friday (July 25, 2025).

According to Jaiman, the victim has alleged that the player raped her first in 2023 when she was 17 and a similar assault took place in April this year at a hotel in Sitapura area.

“She alleged that the cricketer had promised help and support in her career. He contacted her in April this year when he was in Jaipur for IPL and called her to the hotel where he allegedly raped her again,” the SHO said, adding that the matter was under investigation.

The player has not issued any statement on either of the two cases so far.

Dayal, a medium pacer, is a reasonably well-known bowler in the Indian domestic circuit. He made his debut for Uttar Pradesh in 2018 and has since played 27 first-class games, claiming 84 wickets. He has appeared in 71 T20 matches that have yielded 66 scalps.

Dayal started his IPL career with the Gujarat Titans in 2022 before moving to RCB, which bought him for ₹5 crore in the 2024 players’ auction. He was retained by the Bengaluru team for this year’s season too and was a key member of the trophy-winning outfit under Rajat Patidar.

In a first for Indian chess, the FIDE Women’s World Cup will have a winner from the country with Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh set to fight it out in what could be anybody’s game in the grand finale in Batumi on Saturday (July 26, 2025).

It’s the first in the event’s history that two Indians are facing each other in the final. Both Humpy and Deshmukh have qualified for the Women’s candidates’ tournament next year after reaching the final here.

When is Divya Deshmukh vs Koneru Humpy FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 final? 

On pure experience of playing big games, Humpy goes in the final as the favourite against compatriot Deshmukh.

Humpy held her nerves to score a come-from-behind victory in the semifinals over Tingjie Lei of China in the tiebreaker on Thursday, while Deshmukh defeated former world champion Zhongyi Tan — also of China — in the second game of the last-four stage match.

Grandmaster Humpy, 38, was the winner of the world women’s rapid tournament and also tied for first at the women’s grand prix in recent times and she has proved yet again that age is just a number. Her grit and determination has not faded one bit in the past many years.

“It’s one of the happiest moments for chess fans because now the title will go to India for sure. But of course, as a player, tomorrow will be quite a tough game as well — Divya has played tremendously well in this whole tournament,” Humpy told FIDE website.

At half the age of Humpy, International Master Deshmukh has already stunned as many as three players ranked in top ten in the event. Her first victim was second seed Jiner Zhu of China, before ousting D Harika.

The 19-year-old Nagpur-based Deshmukh then beat former women’s world champion Zhongyi Tan of China in the semifinals.

“I just need some sleep and some food, these days have been so anxious for me,” Deshmukh said after entering the final.

“I think I could have played much better. I was winning at a certain point and then it got complicated. I think I messed up in the middlegame and that I should have had a much smoother win,” she said about her semifinal match.

“She put up such a great fight at a certain point. I was just doubting if it was just a draw — I think I got lucky in the end.” Humpy was stretched to the tiebreaker in the pre quarterfinals by former world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk of Switzerland and she followed it up with a clinical performance against Yuxin Song.

Her best, thus far, was reserved for the semifinals as she outclassed top seed Tingjei Lei of China in the five minutes’ games after the players had reached a 3-3 deadlock.

“I played a bit shaky in the rapid, but she also gave a very good fight. It could have gone either way,” Humpy said about her semifinal opponent.

“It was a very tough match. Initially, I played quite badly with the Black pieces and she always had the advantage. After the loss (in Game 3), it was a very difficult situation, but I was able to come back.”

July 26, 2025 final will also be played over two classical games and if the results stand at 1-1, games of shorter duration will be played to determine the winner.

The minimum take away for finishing second here is $35,000 while the winner will take home USD 50000.

The additional bonus is qualification to the next Women’s Candidates tournament in which both the Indians have reserved their seats now. The 8-player Candidates tournament will decide the challenger for reigning world champion Wenjun Ju of China in the next world women’s championship match.

Humpy has the ability to sit through long games without making mistakes. Deshmukh, on the other hand, has an attacking style. It is going to be a battle of wits in the final that starts after a lone rest day.