BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia on Monday said the historic one-off T20 International between India and Japan this month will be a significant moment in cricket’s journey to become a global sport by connecting to a new audience.

India and Japan are set to lock horns for the first time in a historic T20I in Japan on September 22, ahead of the men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. The Games will start on September 19.

The match will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture. Played under the banner of the Suzuki Cup, it will commemorate the 75th anniversary of IndiaJapan diplomatic relations.

Saikia said the match is an effort of ICC chairman Jay Shah to take cricket to newer territories.

“Cricket’s global journey is being shaped by moments that take the game beyond its traditional boundaries. The IndiaJapan T20I match on 22nd September,’26 is one such moment taking international cricket to Japan, connecting with a new audience and strengthening the game’s presence in a region with immense potential,” Saikia wrote on ‘X’.

“It is also an opportunity to recognise the vision and groundwork laid by Shri Jay Shah during his tenure as BCCI Secretary, and now as ICC Chairman, in placing the global growth of cricket firmly at the heart of the sport’s future.

“From expanding cricket into new territories to building a stronger pathway towards the Olympic movement, the ambition has always been clear: make cricket more accessible, more inclusive and truly global,” he added.

Saikia said BCCI is committed to working towards making cricket a global sport.

“India-Japan is more than a cricket match. It represents the direction in which our sport is moving from a global ambition to a global reality,” he said.

“The journey has begun. And there is much more to come.” Ranked No.1, India are the reigning T20 World Cup champions, while Japan are placed 41st in ICC T20 rankings.

The match will also help India acclimatise to Japanese conditions and give them valuable game time to fine-tune combinations and build momentum ahead of the Asian Games.

Seeded directly into the knockout stage, India will begin their Asian Games campaign in the quarterfinals on September 28.

The Indian team will be led by Shreyas Iyer, with vice-captain Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi among the key names in the squad.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (BCCI Photo)

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner is expecting a tough challenge when India’s ODI specialists Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma return to New Zealand later this year. Kohli and Rohit now play only ODI cricket and will be back in action when India tour New Zealand for five ODIs, five T20Is and two Tests in October-November.Santner knows the experienced Indian batters have enjoyed playing in New Zealand in the past. He hopes that will not be the case this time.“It is going to be a challenge. They are still very good players as we have seen for a long time; masters of the ODI game. They have taken a liking to some New Zealand pitches in the past. Hopefully, not this time around,” Santner told PTI.“It is going to be a great series, no doubt. It is all a lead-up for the World Cup next year in ODIs. Everyone is trying to figure out their best team; what that might look like for October next year with limited games.”

New Zealand want to beat India at home

Santner said New Zealand’s first target will be to win the ODI series against India at home.The Blackcaps will play five ODIs against India, followed by three ODIs against Sri Lanka at home. They will then travel to England for World Cup preparations in September 2027.“We’ve got five (matches) against India, three against Sri Lanka at home and then it is World Cup prep in England (in September 2027), right before the World Cup,” he said.“(But) first things first, you want to win a series against India at home, which would be an awesome thing. Then it is (about) trying to find what the make-up might look like come October next year,” Santner added.

India tour of New Zealand: Full schedule

Series:5 T20Is5 ODIs2 Tests

Santner recalls India’s 3-0 Test loss

India and New Zealand last met in a Test series in India, with the Kiwis recording a historic 3-0 win. The result ended India’s unbeaten home Test run, which had lasted more than 12 years and 18 series.With India’s Test team now going through a change, Santner believes the two-Test series in New Zealand could be difficult for some of the new players.“I think what we spoke about before is trying to adapt quickly,” said Santner, who took 7/53 and 6/104 in the second Test at Pune to seal the series win, recalling the tour.“For a new-look India side, it is probably going to be the first time some players have been playing red-ball (cricket) in New Zealand, where the pitches will be a little bit foreign. They will probably do a bit more than they might do back home.”

‘Very well-rounded’ India squad

Santner, however, feels India’s current Test team is strong and has a good balance.He described the squad as “well-rounded” and said it has been “shaping up nicely”.“If you look at their squad, it is a very well-rounded squad. You throw (Jasprit) Bumrah back into the bowling attack, you have got (Mohammed) Siraj, (Prasidh) Krishna with the bounce. You have got (Ravindra) Jadeja and (Manav) Suthar to bowl spin. You have got probably a fourth seamer in there as well.”“It is shaping up nicely. I think it is going to be a great series. Traditionally, it can do a little bit in New Zealand at that time of the year,” Santner said.

‘Fight fire with fire’

Santner also spoke about how teams may need to approach Test cricket in New Zealand. He said batters may have to play their shots at times, while also being ready to defend and see off the new ball.He continued, “It could be trying to fight fire with fire, playing your shots. There might be times we need to sit back and let the bowlers go for a bit, try to get the shine off the ball. There is a lot that can go on in the Test matches in New Zealand. It is going to be an exciting series and one that we can’t wait for.”

Why only two Tests?

When asked why the India-New Zealand series has only two Tests, Santner pointed to New Zealand’s history of playing shorter Test series as well as financial factors.“For a long time, New Zealand played two-match series. There’s obviously the money side of it as well.”“I know it costs a lot to play Test cricket. (It is about) timing as well; white-ball brings in the crowds in New Zealand, it brings the money. That’s why I guess it is the 10-2 split.”However, Santner said playing India, even in a two-Test series, remains a major opportunity for New Zealand.“Whenever India come, even if it is only two Test matches, it is going to be exciting. Everyone wants to challenge themselves against the best in the world and they are up there. For us, it is going to be an important series like it is for India with the (World Test Championship) points that are on offer.”

If you struggle with a “chicken wing” in your golf swing, I’ve got good news: it can be fixed.

Part of the reason it is so important to take lessons from a great instructor is that the chicken wing is often a necessary compensation for an earlier issue in the swing. In other words, simply trying to eliminate the chicken wing may not fix the problem. You first need to understand why it is happening.

Here are five things you can do to fix your chicken-wing swing.

1. Try a split-hand drill

If you are looking for a quick fix, a split-hand drill can certainly help with the chicken wing. Because the hands are separated on the grip, the lead elbow will almost automatically fold and point down. This is the opposite of a chicken wing, where the elbows tend to separate as the club is pulled away from the ground. It’s a great drill to help you feel what the lead arm and elbow should be doing through impact and into the release.

2. Be willing to hit the ground

For the ball to get into the air when it is sitting on the ground, the club needs to hit the ground. Once you truly understand this, the chicken wing becomes a much less likely motion.

As the arms extend down toward the ground, the lead elbow should not pull in toward the body and away from the ground. Instead, the club should continue through the ball and into the turf. Learning to trust the club to strike the ground is an important part of eliminating the chicken wing.

3. Shallow the club

Chicken wings are often a necessary compensation for an over-the-top swing. When the downswing path comes from the outside, or over the top, the club tends to become too steep. In this situation, the chicken wing can actually be a bit of a “saver,” helping prevent the club from digging too deeply into the ground.

If this is your situation, check your grip and downswing path before simply trying to change the release and eliminate the chicken wing.

4. Check your posture

Another potential cause of the chicken wing is poor posture. A posture that is too squatty, rather than properly bowing forward from the hip joint and allowing the arms to hang naturally, can limit your ability to rotate and create depth in the backswing.

Once again, this can cause the downswing to become too steep, and the chicken wing can then act as a way to shallow that steep motion. Two wrongs can sometimes make a right, but that combination usually won’t be as consistent as it could be.

5. Relax your elbows

Keeping the elbows relaxed can really help you avoid a chicken wing. When the elbows, hands, and arms are soft and relaxed, they can fold naturally when they need to.

The lead elbow should fold and point down on the forward swing after the club has struck the ground. This allows the clubface to release rather than creating an inclination to lift the club or hold the face open. A proper grip certainly has a major influence here. But once your setup is good, allow your elbows, hands, and arms to remain relaxed throughout the swing.

Ishan Kishan (Image credit: BCCI Domestic)

Ishan Kishan produced a superb batting performance in difficult humid conditions as East Zone posted a huge 708 against South Zone on the second day of the Duleep Trophy final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday. Kishan scored a massive 270, once again showing the selectors his ability in red-ball cricket. Three national selectors were present to watch his innings.He batted for 522 minutes and faced 334 balls over nearly two days. His innings was the biggest highlight of a dominant East Zone batting display.

Kushagra provides strong support

Kumar Kushagra also played an important role, scoring his sixth first-class century.The 21-year-old made 101 off 132 balls, with eight fours and five sixes. He attacked the South Zone bowlers with shots on both sides of the wicket.However, he could not stay till the end. His casual pull against a short delivery from Tripurana Vijay ended in the hands of CV Milind at square leg.

Kishan misses out on triple century

Kishan came close to joining the small group of batters who have scored triple centuries in the Duleep Trophy.Raman Lamba and Gagan Khoda are the only batters to have achieved the feat, in 1987 and 2001 respectively.Kishan eventually fell on 270, but his innings remained one of the most impressive knocks of the tournament.There was a touch of Virender Sehwag in his batting — he attacked with confidence, scored quickly when needed and made full use of the conditions.

A slower second hundred

Kishan reached his first century on Sunday in just 122 balls.His second hundred took longer, with the next 100 runs coming off 148 balls. The slowdown was not because of a difficult pitch or a special spell from the South Zone bowlers.Instead, Kishan appeared to be taking fewer risks, focusing on tiring out the bowlers and helping East Zone build a huge total.He completed his second first-class double century in 270 balls, hitting part-time spinner Devdutt Padikkal through the covers for a boundary.

Kishan attacks the spinners

After reaching 200, Kishan shifted gears again.He scored the next 50 runs in just 31 balls, taking on Shreyas Gopal and Tripurana Vijay.Both spinners were hit for two sixes each. Kishan scored 94 runs off 100 balls against Shreyas, while Vijay conceded 70 runs from 88 balls.Pulls and drives remained Kishan’s main scoring shots. He hit 22 fours through those strokes.

South Zone bowlers struggle

South Zone’s bowlers had very little impact for the second day in a row.Mohammed Siraj, their main fast bowler, could not trouble the East Zone batters as the flat pitch and high-quality batting made life difficult for the bowling attack.Kishan also had one uncomfortable moment when left-arm pacer CV Milind hit him on the abdomen. He received quick medical attention and continued batting.

Kishan walks off after 250

After a marathon innings, fatigue finally caught up with Kishan.He walked off the field retired hurt after scoring 250 off 301 balls, with 27 fours and seven sixes.His innings had already done most of the damage.East Zone added 106 runs in the first session and another 135 after lunch. Kishan also shared a 230-run partnership with Kushagra for the fifth wicket in just 290 balls.He then added 140 with Anukul Roy, who scored 40 off 86 balls, for the sixth wicket.

Kishan falls short of 300

Kishan returned to the middle after Mohammad Shami was dismissed early in the final session.With East Zone already in a dominant position, he had a chance to become only the third batter to score a triple century in the Duleep Trophy.But the landmark remained out of reach.Kishan hit Vijay, who finished with figures of 4/180, straight into the hands of Ravichandran Smaran near the sight screen.By then, however, Kishan had already done more than enough to put East Zone in a commanding position.

IndianapPrepVolleyball.com ranks Indiana high school volleyball teams via the Z-rating, a proprietary rating system similar to the NCAA’s RPI.

Here is the statewide top-25 for the week of Sept. 7, followed by the top-10 teams in each of the four classes.

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Complete ratings for all 388 teams (including strength of schedule ratings) can be found at IndianaPrepVolleyball.com.

IndianaPrepVolleyball.com Top 25

1. Fort Wayne Carroll, 4A, 13-0, 25.00

2. Westfield, 4A, 10-1, 24.18

3. Chesterton, 4A, 13-3, 23.68

4. Hamilton Southeastern, 4A, 11-1, 23.62

5. Bloomington South, 4A, 12-0, 23.52

8. Yorktown, 4A, 10-1, 23.16

9. Plainfield, 4A, 10-2, 23.06

10. West Lafayette Harrison, 4A, 12-3, 23.05

11. Center Grove, 4A, 9-2, 22.84

12. New Palestine, 4A, 10-0, 22.79

13. Providence, 3A, 13-5, 22.68

14. Perry Central, 2A, 16-0, 22.60

16. Lawrence North, 4A, 9-4, 22.55

17. Batesville, 3A, 7-2, 22.51

18. Northview, 3A, 8-4, 22.50

19. Tri-West, 3A, 10-2, 22.32

20. Zionsville, 4A, 9-4, 22.26

21. Lake Central, 4A, 5-4, 22.20

22. Winchester, 2A, 13-0, 22.10

23. Indianapolis Lutheran, 1A, 11-2, 22.06

24. Barr-Reeve, 3A, 11-2, 22.00

25. Cathedral, 3A, 7-5, 21.87

Class 4A

1. Fort Wayne Carroll, 13-0, 25.00

2. Westfield, 10-1, 24.18

3. Chesterton, 13-3, 23.68

4. Hamilton Southeastern, 11-1, 23.62

5. Bloomington South, 12-0, 23.52

6. Penn, 13-2, 23.46

7. Carmel, 9-1, 23.25

8. Yorktown, 10-1, 23.16

9. Plainfield, 10-2, 23.06

10. West Lafayette Harrison, 12-3, 23.05

Class 3A

1. Providence, 13-5, 22.68

2. Batesville, 7-2, 22.51

3. Northview, 8-4, 22.50

4. Tri-West, 10-2, 22.32

5. Barr-Reeve, 11-2, 22.00

6. Cathedral, 7-5, 21.87

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7. Bishop Noll, 11-4, 21.67

8. West Noble, 10-1, 21.59

9. Jasper, 10-3, 21.56

10. Greensburg, 6-0, 21.54

Class 2A

1. Perry Central, 16-0, 22.60

2. Winchester, 13-0, 22.10

3. Southwood, 7-0, 21.85

4. Adams Central, 12-2, 21.33

5. Lapel, 12-0, 21.31

6. Muncie Burris, 7-1, 21.22

7. Trinity Lutheran, 6-6, 20.89

8. South Adams, 6-2, 20.68

9. Tell City, 8-1, 20.66

10. Union County, 9-4, 20.64

Class 1A

1. Indianapolis Lutheran, 11-2, 22.06

2. Southern Wells, 10-2, 21.62

3. Tecumseh, 7-3, 21.34

4. Morgan Township, 9-2, 21.31

5. Covington, 9-2, 21.26

6. South Newton, 9-1, 20.99

7. Marquette Catholic, 10-0, 20.70

8. Shoals, 12-1, 20.58

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9. Greenwood Christian, 7-4, 20.54

10. Blackhawk Christian, 12-3, 20.42

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school volleyball rankings: Carroll, Westfield top latest Z-ratings

Teofimo Lopez does not rule out a competitive 12-round battle, or even an upset, when Ryan Garcia defends his WBC world title against Conor Benn.

The pair will square off at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena this weekend, with Garcia making a first title defence after dethroning Mario Barrios in February.

This unanimous decision victory followed a far less impressive performance against Rolando Romero, who dropped and outpointed ‘King Ry’ in May 2025.

With that particular defeat arriving at the completion of a year-long doping ban, though, many believe Garcia is now back to his best and should be considered a sizable favourite against Benn.

Such pre-fight assessments can partly be explained by the fact that Benn has not made 147lbs since 2022, before testing positive for banned substance clomifene later that year.

But while Lopez agrees that the 29-year-old should be considered an underdog, the newly-crowned WBA welterweight champion has told Fight Hub TV that he is hardly sure of a dominant Garcia victory.

“There could be an upset. You see the pictures [of Benn looking depleted]; you see how his facial structure looks and everything like that.

“I think a lot of people are focusing more on those things than [on] the skills. It should be a competitive fight. I think Ryan Garcia has a greater chance of winning this fight than Conor Benn. However, this is boxing and anything goes.”

Lopez went on to highlight the speed of Garcia, while also acknowledging the fact that Benn has not made 147lbs in over four years.

At the same time, though, ‘The Takeover’ admitted that Benn could hear the final bell on account of his durability and pride.

Should the Brit manage to spring the upset, he has already made it clear that he will be vacating the belt to move up in weight, perhaps as high as 168lbs, due to the “brutal” cut he has faced to make 147.

Andy Gray is to make his return to UK commentary for the first time since he was sacked by Sky Sports for sexist and derogatory comments when he worked for the broadcaster.

The former Everton player most recently worked for beIN Sports in Qatar, after he was fired from Sky Sports and longtime colleague Richard Keys resigned over a row sparked by sexist comments during a broadcast for 2011.

Since the expiry of their beIN Sports contract at the end of last season both Gray and Keys have returned to the UK, setting up a podcast together entitled Keys & Gray Unleashed.

Gray has also embarked on a return to commentary for TalkSport’s coverage of this season’s Champions League.

The 70-year-old will co-commentate alongside Jim Proudfoot on Liverpool’s group stage opener against Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday.

He told the Daily Mail last month that he’d “like to think” he could return to the airwaves. “Not television, maybe, but radio. Just to see what it feels like again. I would like that.”

Keys and Gray were fixtures of Sky Sports’ coverage in the early 2000s before they both departed after being recorded making derogatory remarks about assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis and the ability of female match officials in 2011, while further evidence then emerged of misogynistic remarks by both men.

Keys was recorded saying: “Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her (Massey-Ellis),” with Gray replying: “Yeah, I know. Can you believe that? Female linesman. Forget what I said – they probably don’t know the offside rule.” He then added: “Why is there a female linesman? Somebody’s f***** up big.”

Footage then emerged of Gray making a lewd comment to presenter Charlotte Jackson, prompting his firing, while Keys was criticised for disparaging remarks he made to Jamie Redknapp about an ex-girlfriend.

The esteemed Melbourne Cup winner, Half Yours, is poised to begin its championship defence in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington.

The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained stayer is once again being targeted for this year’s Melbourne Cup (3200m), scheduled to take place at Flemington on November 3.

Jamie Melham, who achieved a historic Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double as the first female jockey to do so, will partner the stayer in its first-up run over 1600 metres at weight-for-age this Saturday.

During the previous campaign, some observers questioned Half Yours’s form. It raced first-up in Sydney before a three-race stint in Queensland, the final of which was the Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm in June, where the gelding finished fourth.

Half Yours spent time spelling in Queensland before returning to the McEvoy stable at Flemington early last month to prepare for its racing comeback.

Following two jump-outs at Flemington, Half Yours is considered ready for its return. Tony McEvoy indicated that while the most recent trial, a fourth-place finish over 1000 metres, might have appeared disappointing visually, the team was pleased with the outcome.

“I was really happy with his trial,” McEvoy commented.

“If you put him in a 1000-metre race, he would get completely run off his legs and they ran it like a race.

“It wasn’t like a normal trial and he got chasing.

“They were also trials at Flemington where they finish on a bend, so it’s very hard for horses to make ground on a bend.

“Whilst it didn’t look impressive, I thought he moved well, trialled nicely and the horse is telling us he’s going very well while his coat is coming better by the day.

“All the data that we collate on him is normal.

“He certainly hasn’t gone backwards.”

Following its initial run on Saturday, Half Yours is expected to contest the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 3, a race where it previously finished fourth before capturing the Caulfield Cup.

The Group 1 Cox Plate, which will be hosted at Flemington this year, will serve as the concluding race in Half Yours’s preparation for the Melbourne Cup.

Check out the best betting markets for the race from various providers.

Oba Femi’s match against Bron Breakker at Sunday Night’s Main Event did not reach a proper conclusion, thanks to the returning Bronson Reed. The Aus-Zilla made his first appearance since February and destroyed The Ruler with multiple Tsunamis.

Femi’s night ended with him staring at the lights, writhing in pain. Reed’s return has strengthened The Vision once again, and The Ruler will need some backup to counter the numbers advantage.

Here are four WWE Superstars who could help Oba Femi against Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.

#4. Je’Von Evans

Je’Von Evans has a direct reason to have problems with The Vision. Logan Paul previously tried to recruit Evans into the faction. The Young OG turned down the offer, and Bron Breakker later attacked him during his match against Austin Theory.

The Street Profits came to Evans’ aid after the attack. However, that was not the end of his issues with The Vision. Breakker and Theory later defeated Evans and Dragon Lee in July.

Evans therefore knows what Breakker and The Vision are capable of. If the two try to take advantage of Femi again, Evans could step in. It would also give Evans another chance to stand against a group he has already rejected. Moreover, Evans and Femi share plenty of history from their time in NXT, which could also come into play.

#3. & #2. The Street Profits

The Street Profits could be another natural choice to help Oba Femi. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins have been dealing with The Vision for much of 2026. Their issues with the group have already led to several confrontations, and they eventually won the World Tag Team Championship from Breakker and Austin Theory, only to drop it back to the heel duo.

That history gives them a clear reason to get involved. If Breakker and Bronson Reed use their numbers to overwhelm Femi, Ford and Dawkins could come out to even things up.

Moreover, helping Femi could give The Street Profits another chance to get at Breakker and Theory. Their involvement would also keep the rivalry between the two sides going.

#1. Seth Rollins could help Oba Femi

The current situation could give Seth Rollins a perfect reason to return. The Visionary has been away from television since losing to Roman Reigns at SummerSlam.

Rollins is no stranger to The Vision. The Architect picked Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed to be part of the group. However, Breakker turned on Rollins and kicked him out, and Reed stayed with The Dog.

Rollins had a heated feud with the group and a trilogy of matches against Breakker earlier this year. However, Reed was absent during all of it. Now that the Australian powerhouse has returned, The Visionary could resume his feud with the group that he created and help Oba Femi against Breakker and Reed.