Gautam Gambhir and Harshit Rana (Agency Image)

Former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik Questions were raised on the Gautam Gambhir-led team management after fast bowler Harshit Rana was promoted earlier. Shivam Dubey During India’s disastrous batting performance in the third T20I against England at Trent Bridge. India’s target of 202 runs was quickly resolved after Axar Patel was out on the last ball of the fifth over, leaving the visitors at 52/5. Instead of sending Dubey, the team management opted to promote Harshit Rana, which was a move Karthik Left stunned during commentary. Karthik said on air, “Are you serious? Harshit Rana is ahead of Shivam Dubey? You can’t be serious.” Dubey eventually came to the crease after two overs but failed to save the innings, getting out after scoring only two runs in four balls. passion tongue. Karthik admitted that he did not understand the decision to delay Dubey’s arrival, suggesting that it has raised questions about the team’s trust in the all-rounder. He said, “Do they (team management) not trust Dubey enough to send him at this level? Instead, they have promoted Harshit Rana ahead of him. I am not sure this is the right way to do it.” The selection decision came during one of India’s worst ever batting performances in this format. Phil Salt smashed a blistering 70 off 44 balls as England collapsed to 201/7, while Sam Curran scored 41 off just 24 balls on the challenging surface at Trent Bridge. Despite Vaibhav Suryavanshi hitting two early sixes in his innings of 13 runs in five balls, India’s reply never gathered momentum. The visitors collapsed from 23/0 to 76 in just 11.4 overs, with Josh Tongue contributing 4/28 and Jofra Archer 3/29. The 125-run defeat was India’s biggest defeat by runs in T20 Internationals, surpassing its previous biggest defeat of 80 runs against New Zealand in 2019. This is also India’s second-lowest all-out score in the format. The defeat gave England a 2–0 lead in the five-match series after the opening match was washed out due to rain. India have now lost their last four T20 matches after a 2-0 series defeat in Ireland. captain Shreyas Iyer He described the performance as “atrocious” after the match and admitted that his team “completely needed to go back to the drawing board.” England captain Harry Brook praised his team’s all-round performance, saying, “We did well with the bat. It was wonderful to take him to the bowling.” To avoid losing the T20 series, India will now have to win the remaining two matches.

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan accused FIFA of letting Lionel Messi and Argentina remain at the World Cup after his team’s dramatic 3-2 defeat in the round of 16 on Tuesday, claiming the defending champions had “supported at every level” during their remarkable comeback.

Egypt looked set to pull off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history after taking a 2-0 lead and maintaining control until the closing stages. But Argentina staged a spectacular comeback, with Cristian Romero, Messi and Enzo Fernandez scoring three goals in 13 minutes. Win 3-2 and secure a place in the quarter-finals.

The collapse infuriated the Egyptian camp, with Hassan insisting his side had overpowered the world champions and were claiming The result was influenced by factors beyond football.

“We looked better than the defending champions, were better in everything, but the result was influenced by internal factors on the pitch and external factors off it,” Hasan told reporters after the match.

“Maybe they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Maybe they wanted Messi to stay in the race. In football, sometimes there are external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champion had support at every level.”

War decisions spark anger in Egypt

Egypt’s frustration was centered on a series of controversial moments, with the biggest flashpoint coming in the 59th minute when Mustafa Zico’s goal was ruled out by VAR, a decision Hassan believes changed the course of the match.

The spectators were also angry at the absence of a penalty after Mohamed Salah was fouled inside the box. He further argued that Alexis McAllister committed a foul in the build-up to Enzo Fernandez’s stoppage-time winner without any VAR intervention.

“It seems that there is pressure from Argentina on this result. We were objecting to the selection of the referee because of the French position.” [Argentina beat France in the 2022 World Cup final]But everyone has to suffer sometimes, and we suffered,” Hassan said.

“We haven’t seen respect or fair play. A penalty was disallowed, it wasn’t even checked by VAR, and our second goal, remarkably, for whatever reason, was disallowed. We’ve all seen shirts pulled back and not even VAR checked.”

“Life is unfair, normal life is unfair, so why isn’t there fairness in sports?”

“I want to put it in beautiful words and say tough luck, but we’ve been treated unfairly, and that’s an injustice.”

‘I will never watch the World Cup again’

Hassan later doubled down on his criticism in an interview with beIN Sports, revealing what he told the referee after the final whistle and saying that the events had left him disillusioned with the tournament.

Hassan said, “I told the referee that what was happening was not fair. It is an undeserved victory for Argentina.”

“Once I return to my country and home, I will never watch the World Cup again, because there is no justice in this competition.”

The Egypt coach had already been booked during the match after displaying a FIFA anti-racism sign in protest of a refereeing decision, reflecting growing frustration on the touchline during Argentina’s comeback.

Hassan’s comments are expected to be investigated by FIFA, with the governing body also likely to review his comments after the match. The allegations have already sparked widespread debate and disciplinary action against the Egypt coach cannot be ruled out.

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India’s Sanju Samson with head coach Gautam Gambhir (PTI photo)

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir The growing debate has addressed sanju samsonHis absence from the T20 squad emphasizes that the wicketkeeper-batsman remains in the team’s plans despite being ruled out during the ongoing series against England. Samson’s omission has become the biggest talking point after India’s record 125-run defeat against England in the third T20I at Trent Bridge on Tuesday. The wicketkeeper-batsman, who was India’s Player of the Tournament during their successful T20 World Cup title defence, was dropped for the second T20I, did not play in the third match and has also been dropped from the squad for the Zimbabwe tour. After India’s defeat, Gambhir revealed that he had already spoken to Samson about his role in the team, while also making it clear that these discussions would remain private. Gambhir said, “The first thing is that the clarity that Sanju Samson needed has been given to him from my side. This is completely a conversation between the player and the head coach. This conversation is not going to come out.” The Indian coach insisted that Samson’s contribution has not been ignored, but said that current form will continue to influence selection decisions. “Regarding Sanju, we are very clear that what he has done for India is phenomenal and sometimes you just have to look at the form of a certain player. There is no hard and fast rule that he cannot make a comeback in this series.” Gambhir also defended India’s selection policy, saying that every player should keep earning his place in the national team. “International cricket is about results, so whatever we feel is the best combination to give a result, we play with that combination and that playing XI. I have always been a big believer that everyone has to earn their place and right to play for India.” India’s defeat at Trent Bridge was its biggest ever defeat in terms of runs in a T20 International. Chasing 202, the visitors were all out for just 76 runs in 11.4 overs after young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi was out for 13 runs. After the opening match was washed out due to rain, England won by 125 runs and took a 2–0 lead in the five-match series. The result also extended India’s struggles in the format, with the reigning T20 world champions now having lost their last four T20Is following a 2-0 series defeat in Ireland. captain Shreyas Iyer Described the batting performance as “atrocious” and admitted that the team needed to “completely go back to the drawing board” after the heavy defeat.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir insists Sanju Samson remains in contention despite his surprise omission from the playing XI after England beat India by 125 runs in the third T20 to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

This is India’s biggest defeat in terms of runs in T-20, due to which the investigation has intensified. team selection call. Chasing 202, India were bowled out for just 76 runs in 11.4 overs as Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue tore apart the batting line-up. losses also increased Shreyas Iyer’s failure to win in five matches as T20I captainIndia are still searching for answers after a disappointing performance which included four defeats and one match being washed out due to rain.

The biggest talking point has been the absence of Samson. The wicketkeeper-batsman was India’s Player of the Tournament during their successful T20 World Cup title defence, producing several match-winning performances. Yet, despite those exploits, he found himself on the sidelines during India’s difficult transition under Gambhir and Iyer.

England vs India 3rd T20I: highlight | report

Withdrawal is still possible

Speaking after the defeat, Gambhir dismissed suggestions that Samson had been left out of the team’s plans, revealing that he had already spoken to the batsman about his role.

Gambhir said, “The first thing is that the clarity that Sanju Samson needed has been given to him from my side. This is completely a conversation between the player and the head coach. This conversation is not going to come out.”

The Indian coach reiterated that Samson’s contribution has not been forgotten, but also said that current form will continue to impact selection.

“Regarding Sanju, we are very clear that what he has done for India is phenomenal and sometimes you just have to look at the form of a certain player. There is no hard and fast rule that he cannot make a comeback in this series.”

Gambhir also defended the team’s selection philosophy, saying that every player should keep earning his place.

“International cricket is about results, so whatever we feel is the best combination to give results, we play with that combination and the final XI. I have always been a big believer that everyone needs to earn their place and right to play for India.”

Adaptability under the spotlight

With India struggling throughout the tour, Gambhir admitted that the team had failed to adapt to the conditions, a concern that was reflected in the results against both Ireland and England.

“In terms of adaptability, obviously we haven’t adapted well. That’s the reality, whether it’s Ireland or England. If we had adapted well or played better cricket, maybe we wouldn’t have lost four games in a row.”

The crushing defeat in Bristol has further increased the debate over India’s team composition. While Gambhir has made it clear that Samson’s international career is far from over, India’s continued struggles mean that every selection call will remain under the microscope until results start improving.

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Shreyas IyerHis luck has been shining at the time of the toss, while the wait continues for his first win as India’s full-time T20I captain. The 31-year-old won his fifth consecutive toss in T20Is after electing to field against England in the third T20I at Trent Bridge on Tuesday. By doing so, Iyer joined the elite list of Indian captains to win five consecutive toss in the shortest format.ms dhoni The record of winning seven consecutive toss between May 2010 and February 2012 still stands Virat Kohli Won six in a row during 2019. Rohit won five consecutive tosses between February 2020 and February 2022, which Iyer has now equaled.Most consecutive tosses won by an Indian captain in T20Is

However, the streak of winning the toss has done little to change India’s fortunes on the field.Since taking over as India’s full-time T20I captain after the 2026 T20 World Cup, Iyer is yet to register his first win. India faced consecutive defeats against Ireland before the opening T20 match against England was washed out due to rain. They then lost the second T20I in Manchester, making Iyer winless in his first four matches as captain before the Trent Bridge clash.

Playing XI for India vs England 3rd T20 match

England (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Harry Brook(c), Jacob Bethel, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Josh TongueIndia (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (w), Shreyas Iyer (c), Shivam Dubey, Tilak Verma, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakraborty.Fast bowler Prince Yadav has been included in the team in place of leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi, who had a poor performance in the last match.

AB de Villiers (left) and Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers on TOI Sports’ Bombay Sports Exchange Podcast

Former batsman of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) AB de Villiers has revealed that before walking away from the game in 2021, Virat Kohli had tried to convince him not to retire from franchise cricket.Speaking on TOI Sports’ Bombay Sports Exchange podcast, de Villiers said Kohli tried to change his mind, but he had already decided it was the right time to move on. When de Villiers was asked whether Kohli had tried to stop him, he said, “Yes. He tried.”The South African great retired from international cricket in 2018 after helping his team defeat India and Australia on home soil. He continued to play franchise cricket, including for RCB in the Indian Premier League (IPL), before retiring from all formats of the game in 2021.“I walked away from international cricket exactly when I wanted to (2018). We had beaten India and Australia on home soil and I went away very excited.”“Then I decided I would continue playing some T20 tournaments, travel the world with my family, take them to the IPL, take them to England for the Blast, Australia for the Big Bash and a few other tournaments. When I finally felt ready, I called it quits one day (from franchise cricket, too, in 2021).”De Villiers said that his retirement from the IPL was not a sudden decision and he had been thinking about it during his last season.De Villiers said, “It took time. This idea was in my mind throughout the final season. Eventually, I went to Virat and said, ‘I’m done’.”De Villiers also talked about the pressure of playing in front of a packed crowd at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, with fans chanting his name.“That can also be tiring. Those moments also lead to sleepless nights. It’s not all sunshine and roses. There are tough moments too. The expectations and pressure you put on yourself can be suffocating at times. I’ve talked about it before. I’m incredibly proud of what I achieved. But before big matches, I would often struggle to sleep. I was so focused on making an impact for the team that I had to just be myself. It seemed difficult to live. So it was not always easy,” de Villiers said on TOI Sports’ Bombay Sports Exchange podcast.Reflecting on life after retirement, he said that the joy of success does not last long, even for the greatest players.“Of course, I miss those moments. When everything clicked and the crowd helped me enter that arena, it was an incredible feeling. But success disappears very quickly. Every champion will tell you the same thing. You win the biggest trophy, and an hour later you are already asking yourself, “Now what?” Then your focus immediately shifts to the next trophy. You are never completely satisfied with those achievements. Having said that, I no longer enjoy those I can look back on the memories with immense gratitude.“

Just days after setting tongues wagging in the US by crossing paths with rap royalty Travis Scott, India’s elite batting maestro Shubman Gill has created another viral sensation, this time by planning a classic cricket takeover inside the ultra-exclusive confines of the Formula One paddock.

Before leading the national team in the much-awaited three-match One Day International series against England later this month, Shubman Gill used his free time to soak up the high-octane environment. The prestigious British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

However, it was not just a regular celebrity appearance for the Indian captain. Dressed in a green linen shirt and pristine white trousers, Gill was captured in a behind-the-scenes video giving a surprise visit to the Mercedes AMG Petronas garage. The encounter quickly turned into an epic sporting crossover when Gill linked up with Mercedes’ unprecedented 19-year-old championship leader, Kimi Antonelli.

The teenage racing genius replaced his usual steering wheel with a cricket bat, and engaged in a lively, impromptu bout of “corridor cricket” in the Mercedes garage. Organized through a high-profile, global promotional campaign supported by powerhouse brands Nike and Beats by Dre, the casual hit-out highlighted the brilliant fusion of two completely different sporting universes.

For Antonelli, the light-hearted banter with Gil provided a welcome, invigorating distraction during a weekend that would ultimately test his immense mental resolve on the tarmac. The Italian sensation has enjoyed an absolutely historic rise during the 2026 campaign, leading the World Drivers’ Championship standings in his debut season with five Grand Prix wins already.

The teenager demonstrated his blinding speed early on Saturday, completely dominating the field to hunt down seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for a sensational sprint race victory before storming to an impressive pole position for Sunday’s main event.

Unfortunately for the young championship leader, his dazzling pace was exposed during Sunday’s dramatic Grand Prix. After handing the lead to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc from the starting grid, Antonelli fought valiantly on the fresh rubber and looked set to mount a late-race charge for the top step of the podium. However, disaster struck cruelly on lap 41 when front-left wheel shield failure severely hampered his downforce. Forced to make two extra pit stops and slapped with a track-limits penalty, Antonelli finished in a heartbreaking 15th place after a late crash by Max Verstappen ended the race under a safety car.

Leclerc happily took advantage of mechanical misfortune to record a clinical victory and hold off the late-charging Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who completed the podium. Although Antonelli’s championship lead dropped to 25 points over teammate Russell, his status as motorsport’s next global megastar remains completely undisputed.

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Indian batsman Sanju Samson (PTI photo)

Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed concern about sanju samsonIndia’s sudden decline in the T20I rankings is raising questions about whether external pressure and social media stories are beginning to influence selection decisions. There has been a dramatic change in the fortunes of Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament during India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year. After registering three consecutive single-digit scores against Ireland and England, he was left out of the playing eleven in Manchester, with teenage opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi being handed his much-awaited international debut. India lost the match by four wickets, while Suryavanshi could score only 14 runs. The wicketkeeper-batsman’s struggles continued as he was dropped from India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, with Prabhsimran Singh getting the call-up after an impressive IPL 2026 campaign for Punjab Kings. speaking on his youtube channel matter of luxuryAshwin admitted that he was surprised by how quickly Samson was sidelined despite his recent contributions. “Right now, I am worried. I am worried because Sanju Samson has been dropped from the team so soon. What will Sanju be thinking now? How motivated will he be when he goes to practice in the nets?” Ashwin said. The former spinner also suggested that India might consider shuffling the batting order rather than leaving out Samson completely. With Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ishan Kishan being left-handers, Ashwin felt that Samson could slot in at No. 3. “At the moment, you already have three left-handers in the top order: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ishan Kishan. Now, they will consider Sanju for No. 3, I am telling you. Everyone including the coaching staff and Gautam Gambhir knows that this is not fair to Sanju. So now they have to handle the situation somehow.” Ashwin acknowledged that tough decisions are part of international cricket, but argued that players who have consistently repaid the team’s faith in them deserve to play longer before being dropped. In his view, Samson had earned that support through his performance. The veteran also raised broader concerns over whether outside opinion was beginning to shape decisions within the Indian system. His selection was widely demanded by fans after Suryavanshi’s record-breaking IPL season, and Ashwin questioned whether public sentiment took place in the selection process. “I am worried about one thing. Is the social media chatter and all the external noise making its way into the team? Is it influencing the decision-making? I have been watching cricket for a long time and I have seen many leaders in the Indian team.” He never allowed outside noise to enter the dressing room and that’s how it should be,” he said.

India will travel to Zimbabwe later this month for a three-match T20 series in Harare on July 23, 25 and 27. Samson’s absence from the team is another blow for the 31-year-old, who has been replaced by Prabhsimran Singh after his strong domestic and IPL performances.

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino refused to blame the controversy over Folarin Balogun’s availability for his team’s 4-1 World Cup defeat to Belgium on Monday, although he admitted he was “disappointed” and “disappointed” by the reaction.

Preparations for the match in Seattle were affected by FIFA’s decision to clear Balogun to play despite the striker receiving a red card in the previous round. The decision comes after reports that US President Donald Trump had contacted FIFA, although football’s governing body insisted its disciplinary decision was taken independently.

Belgium challenged the decision before the appeal was rejected, prompting Pochettino’s repeated defense Availability of Balogun In the days before the knockout match.

After the defeat, however, the Argentine made it clear that the off-field noise had no impact on his team’s performance.

“Today we were not good. We don’t need to look for excuses,” Pochettino said. “Whatever was happening around was around, but it was not a situation that affected us. I think it had no impact on our performance. It is not an excuse, and we cannot make any excuses. It was not our day.”

usa vs belgium, FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16: highlight

Pochettino acknowledged that he was personally hurt by the criticism that followed FIFA’s decision, adding that he simply respected the governing body’s decision.

He accused critics of “mixing” politics with FIFA’s disciplinary process, saying, “I am very disappointed and disappointed with the people who should understand this situation.”

“But personally, what does that mean? If my position is ‘I’m the head coach, this is the rule that a player can be available’ to be insulted or receive a lot of bad messages or threats?”

“My position was to train the team, and if you have Balogun available because the FIFA disciplinary committee has allowed you to have the player, it is not a problem. Personally I feel very disappointed with a lot of people.”

‘We are not good as a team’

On the field, the United States failed to repeat the performances that had taken them through the group stage and knockout rounds. Belgium dominated the competition’s major matches, with the hosts unable to recover after conceding two consecutive goals.

“As a team we didn’t show our real quality,” Pochettino said.

“We never got into the game. Belgium was better than us and that’s all.”

The Americans briefly found a way back into the contest when Malik Tillman equalized, but Belgium quickly restored the lead before falling behind in the second half.

“Even when we scored a goal, in the next action we scored a goal,” Pochettino said. “Normally you can’t accept in that moment.”

“It was a very bad day. It was not our day, collectively or individually. In a tournament like the World Cup, when it happens in the knockout stage, you are out and you need to go home.”

Balogun, the United States’ leading scorer in the tournament with three goals, started against Belgium, but struggled to impact the game as the co-hosts suffered their heaviest defeat of the competition.

Pochettino also remained uncertain about his future. His contract expires after the World Cup, although he has reportedly been offered an extension and has also been linked with a return to European club football.

“Now let’s take some rest, think, talk and then see what decision is taken from the federation and our side,” he said.

Despite the disappointing exit, Pochettino insisted that the team had laid the foundation for the future.

“We need to continue to improve,” he said. “But I’m proud. I think we’ve set principles for the future.”

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