India’s Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill (PTI Photo)

Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof believes India could opt for three spinners in the opening Test against Sri Lanka, with young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar potentially getting the nod ahead of uncapped off-spinner Saransh Jain.India will be without the retired Ravichandran Ashwin and injured Washington Sundar for the first Test, leaving Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav as the likely first-choice spinners. The bigger selection question is who joins them in the XI.Maharoof feels Suthar could have an advantage because of his ability to extract bounce from the surface. Sri Lankan pitches can offer assistance to spinners through bounce rather than simply producing substantial turn, making that quality particularly useful.Suthar made an impressive start to his international career, claiming seven wickets on his debut against Afghanistan. Jain, meanwhile, is yet to make his India debut but has also put himself in contention after touring Sri Lanka with India A.The 31-year-old off-spinner picked up seven wickets on that tour and also contributed an unbeaten 70 while batting at No. 7.However, Maharoof believes Suthar’s ability to generate bounce could outweigh the benefit of having an off-spinner for variation, even if that would leave India with three left-arm spinners.“If you ask me, I would be tempted to go with the two left-arm spinners as well as Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep is a frontrunner to start in Galle, especially considering his record and the number of wickets he took in the last Test against Afghanistan.“I see three spinners for India. Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and either Suthar or Jain. Ideally, you would like an off-spinner for variation, but I would not be surprised if Manav Suthar plays because his ability to get bounce off the surface could be very handy in Galle.”Maharoof expects India to go into the Test with a balanced attack comprising three spinners and two seamers.“Overall, looking at India’s bowling line-up, it is quite competitive, with two seamers and three spinners.”

Maharoof warns Sri Lanka about Rishabh Pant threat

Maharoof also singled out Rishabh Pant as a major threat for Sri Lanka, despite the wicketkeeper-batter’s modest returns in India’s three-day warm-up game in Colombo.Pant scored just two and 28 in the match, which India won by six wickets. However, Maharoof believes those scores should not give Sri Lanka any confidence ahead of the Test, given Pant’s ability to transform a match within a short period.“If I were in the Sri Lankan dressing room, I would be very worried about Rishabh Pant. He is a player who, within half an hour or 45 minutes, can completely change the game.“We have seen him do it in the past. He has that X-factor and has been given the licence to play his natural game. He is going to face a lot of left-arm spin and off-spin.Maharoof expects Sri Lanka to rely heavily on spin against Pant, predicting that the hosts will field two frontline spinners along with two part-time options. But he believes Pant’s unconventional approach could still make him difficult to contain.“Sri Lanka will surely go with two frontline spinners as well as two part-timers, but the way Pant scores runs, with his unorthodox style, he is going to be dangerous.”

Tony Romo is still sidelined by CBS weeks after the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback was arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated after being stopped while driving.

CBS Sports president David Berson confirmed Tuesday at “NFL on CBS” Media Day that the 46-year-old analyst remains on indefinite leave from the network following his July 23 arrest in Milwaukee.

“It’s an evolving situation and we are still assessing. There is no timetable or final decision at this time,” Berson said, the New York Post reports. “I hope you can respect and appreciate this is a personal matter and a legal one for Tony.”

Romo was arrested after allegedly performing poorly on field sobriety tests and was later cited for refusing an intoxication test. In body camera footage, he told deputies he had been at a golf course and was on his way “to visit grandma and grandpa.” Deputies also found an “open bottle of an alcoholic beverage” in the passenger side of Romo’s Jeep before it was towed.

CBS put Romo on leave “until further notice” on July 31 as more details about his arrest surfaced. J.J. Watt has since stepped in as CBS’ lead analyst alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz.

Berson also used Tuesday’s event to explain why the network decided to bench Romo before his legal case is resolved.

“We have to consider the impact on our image and our brand,” Berson said. “That’s very important to us. The focus should be and needs to be on our presentation and this great product and not on any others.

“Fortunately, we have a deep bench and everybody is stepping up,” he added.

A deputy told Romo he appeared impaired during the July traffic stop, citing his “red, glassy eyes” and the “odor of an intoxicating alcoholic beverage” as reasons for the suspicion. Romo was taken into custody, booked and later released by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.

Romo attended high school in Burlington, Wisconsin, about 35 miles from Milwaukee, where he was arrested. He was back in the area to compete in the Wisconsin State Amateur golf tournament at West Bend Country Club, an event he has participated in since 2018.

The former quarterback spent his entire 13-year NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys from 2004 to 2016, earning four Pro Bowl selections. After retiring, he joined CBS Sports as the network’s lead NFL game analyst in April 2017, partnered with Nantz.

Romo remains Dallas’ all-time leader in touchdown passes with 248, while Dak Prescott surpassed him last season for the franchise record in career passing yards.

Romo has not publicly addressed his arrest or his future with CBS. He is due in court on September 21.

Trainer Gavin Bedggood is contemplating a couple of race options for Just Folk at Caulfield as the horse is being prepared for an early spring goal.

Just Folk is among the entries for the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m), which will be contested at weight-for-age this Saturday. He is also nominated for a benchmark 100 handicap (1600m), where he has been allocated 62kg.

These races are seen as potential lead-ups to a likely start in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on August 29. This event marks the official opening of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

The weather forecast for Saturday appears to be favourable for Just Folk, a galloper who thrives on wet tracks. When nominations closed on Monday, the track was rated a Heavy 9.

Of Just Folk’s ten career wins from 53 starts, five have been recorded on soft surfaces. He also has an additional nine placings from 21 attempts, with three of his wins coming on heavy ground and three top-three finishes from nine starts.

“The forecast looks promising for him to get his preferred ground,” Bedggood said.

“He ran super in the Winter Championship, and he went up and ran second in Sydney, in a Stakes race.”

“We just got beaten fair and square by a better horse on the day.”

Just Folk finished third in the Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Flemington on July 4, and subsequently ran second in the Winter Challenge (1500m) on July 18.

With Just Folk recently turning ten, Bedggood expressed his liking for the idea of competing for $200,000 in prize money in the Heatherlie Stakes, as Just Folk would likely possess a fitness edge over his rivals.

“I remember Dean Lester telling me, eight or nine years ago that the Heatherlie is a race that’s always won by the horse that’s come through winter, fit, and puts itself up on speed,” Bedggood stated.

“I would think that that’s his sort of race to be winning.It’s the Caulfield Cup kick-off for a lot of horses, and hopefully, he can be Johnny on the spot.”

“Looking at the forecast on Saturday, there’s a chance it will be wet and the way Caulfield has been racing as well, it might suit him too.”

Explore the betting sites for the upcoming PB Lawrence Stakes.

Cristiano Ronaldo poses with his partner, model Georgina Rodriguez(AP Photo)

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez are officially married, but a series of photographs circulating online claiming to show football stars such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane at the wedding are fake and AI-generated.Ronaldo confirmed his marriage to Rodríguez on Tuesday by sharing a photograph of the couple’s hands showing their wedding bands. The Portugal star captioned the post “C (heart) G”, confirming that the couple had tied the knot after almost a decade together.

Cristiano Ronaldo confirms marriage with long-time girlfriend, posts picture with rings

The announcement was quickly followed by a wave of images on social media supposedly showing some of football’s biggest names attending the ceremony. Among those featured in the viral photographs are Messi, Mbappé, Haaland and Kane.

AI-generated or digitally manipulated images

AI-generated or digitally manipulated images

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However, the images are not genuine photographs from Ronaldo and Rodríguez’s wedding. They are AI-generated or digitally manipulated images that have been circulated online as though they were authentic pictures from the ceremony.The confusion has been fuelled by the fact that Ronaldo and Rodríguez kept their wedding extremely private. The couple reportedly married in Cascais, Portugal, in an intimate ceremony attended by their five children. Ronaldo has so far shared only a simple photograph of the couple’s wedding bands to confirm the occasion.There is no evidence to suggest that Messi, Mbappé, Haaland, Kane or the other footballers seen in the viral images attended the wedding. The photographs circulating online should therefore not be treated as proof of their presence at the ceremony.Ronaldo and Rodríguez first met in 2016 when Rodríguez was working at a Gucci store in Madrid. The couple have remained together ever since, building a family and sharing several major milestones during Ronaldo’s career.Rodríguez announced their engagement on August 11, 2025, when she shared a photograph of her engagement ring on Instagram. Exactly one year later, Ronaldo confirmed that the couple had married.The wedding marks another major milestone for the pair, who have largely kept their personal life away from the spotlight despite their enormous global following.As the wedding photographs continue to circulate online, however, social media users should be careful not to mistake AI-generated content for genuine images. While Ronaldo and Rodríguez’s marriage is real, the viral photographs showing Messi, Mbappé, Haaland, Kane and other football stars at the ceremony are not authentic.

Paul Pogba has been offered to terminate his contract by mutual consent at Monaco after struggling with injuries and regular game time at the French side

Monaco and Paul Pogba are in talks about terminating his contract after making just six appearances for the club. The Ligue 1 side had hoped to get Pogba back to his previous fitness but feel they have not been able to.

The 33-year-old sustained a hamstring injury on Monaco’s pre-season tour at St George’s Park on Tuesday, and there are worries that it may sideline him for several months. However, according to The Athletic, Monaco have been in talks with Pogba over the mutual termination of his contract for a number of weeks.

Former Manchester United midfielder Pogba joined Monaco on a two-year contract last summer, having been a free agent since leaving Juventus in November 2024. He made his debut for the French side in November 2025, his first appearance in 26 months after receiving a ban for breaching anti-doping regulations.

Pogba had initially been handed a four-year ban in February 2024 which looked like it would end his professional playing career. However, following an appeal, the ban was reduced to 18 months, meaning he was free to resume training in January 2025 and make his return to competitive action in March of that year.

In total, Pogba has played just six times for Monaco – all in Ligue 1 last season – and was present at Anfield for his side’s 3-2 win against Liverpool on Sunday. But he hasn’t featured for Monaco in pre-season after struggling for fitness and he might not now be involved for them again with talks over terminating his contract ongoing.

Last month, Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro cast doubt on Pogba’s future, hinting he could leave this summer. “Maybe he’ll leave, yes, maybe he’ll stay here, yes,” Scuro told a news conference. “That’s [Pogba’s future] a very complicated subject because we have a lot of respect for Paul. For the person first of all.

“When he first arrived here he was very positive, he worked, he helped the young players. But the truth is that the project didn’t go well last season. When we started this project during the summer, the expectations that we had were different to what happened.

“I think now, we must be fair to him, look at his preparation every week, to see how he has progressed, his physical level, his technical level. And after, that will be a decision for the coach. If the coach decides to give him game time or not. That depends completely on performances. We have the summer to see what Paul’s level will be.

“With Paul, the relationship has always been open, transparent. If, at a certain time, the player’s objectives and the club’s are different, we have to talk and find a solution. Performance will give all the answers we need.”

Pogba, who came through the ranks at United, returned to Old Trafford for £89.3million in 2016 after spending some time at Juventus. He went on to become an important asset for Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during his six-year spell back at the Reds, making more than 200 appearances in the process.

But Pogba would go on to leave United for a second time in 2022 after his contract expired and re-joined Juventus.

The organisers of the upcoming BWF World Championships in India have taken extensive steps to upgrade the venue, the Indira Gandhi Stadium, to avoid the embarrassment that rocked the India Open earlier this year.

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) — the venue’s owner — learnt their lesson the hard way. During the India Open in January, pigeons twice halted a second-round match between HS Prannoy and Loh Kean Yew. The subsequent complaints regarding hygiene and Delhi’s smog left the BAI in a difficult position.

With the BWF World Championships returning to India after 17 years, the organisers are leaving no stone unturned to avoid further controversies. They have put anti-bird measures in place and even roped in monkey whisperers to host the world-class event from August 17 to 23.

The vents have been sealed, wooden doors have been replaced with a double-door entry system, and an automatic outer door has been added ahead of the regular ones. Additionally, a non-toxic gel sourced from the US has been applied around the stadium’s ducting to keep birds and insects away, while portable machines that mimic predatory bird calls have been installed as a final layer of defence.

“The January event, the India Open, we had our job cut out… so we had to improve it and we were given this task. We actually started planning from February itself on how we can improve the overall situation of this stadium as this is a pretty old stadium. The infrastructure is obviously quite old. So we just wanted to refurbish it and also represent it as a new and good thing,” SAI Executive Director Ambar Pratap Singh told reporters.

“So as you’ve be seeing, it’s not just structural upgradation that have been done, a lot of soft upgradation has also been done. One, I would like them to see is the lake. We have a lake and we have tried to improve it. By the start of the event, you will see a beautiful lake just across the stadium. These are some of the soft upgrades that have been done along with structural upgrades where the roof was treated, a lot of expansion joints were treated.

“A lot of chairs are new, many of them have been rubbed and polished properly. The buildings have been painted. As far as the pigeons are concerned, there was concern inside the arena. We have introduced innovative ways to deal with it.

“It includes machines which have been imported from the US. It has also to do with a lot of non-toxic gel, a technology which repels pigeons,” he added.

He said it was a joint effort between SAI, CPWD, and BAI, and that the Badminton World Federation was happy with the work done and the condition of the venue. 

“Many works have been done together by a newly-constituted engineering division. SAI now has come up with a specialised engineering division of its own. The engineering division have taken up some works, others have been taken up by the CPWD and now it has been taken over by BAI. We have given the venue to them and they will be further beautifying it, making it ready for the tournament.

“The BWF is pretty happy and satisfied with the work,” he said during a guided tour of the venue for mediapersons accompanied by BAI secretary general Sanjay Mishra.

Singh said they are in regular touch with MCD to keep stray dogs and monkey away from the venue.

“We have introduced double doors, automatic closing system… now it is not possible for monkeys to enter the arena. As far as the whole campus is concerned, there can be a possibility (of stray monkeys) but we are in touch with the MCD.

“For dogs also we are regularly in touch with the MCD. They will do whatever is there to be done… send them (dogs) to shelters.” 
He declined to reveal the expenditure for the renovation, stating that the BWF was satisfied with the court lighting and drift control.

“That (court lighting and drift control) has been done by specialists from the BWF. These are technical things BWF has to do, so that was sorted and they’re absolutely satisfied that the drift has been managed.

“At the India Open also, the BWF had no problem with the lighting. There was a little bit of shadow (on the court) during the India Open. We have resolved it. An expert will come from Indonesia to test the facility but BWF is satisfied,” the official said.

“Besides, roof leakages have been sorted. This is a very old building and roof leakage was a big issue but the engineering team has done a wonderful job so far. We have had heavy rains in the past few days and we have been tested.

A Women’s Champion announced on tonight’s WWE show that she was medically not cleared to compete in the ring. She was involved in a brutal tag team match last week.

The name being discussed is Kendal Grey. She won the NXT Women’s Championship from Lola Vice in the main event of The Great American Bash 2026. The win marked Grey’s first title victory in WWE’s black-and-silver brand. Last Tuesday, the 25-year-old put her gold on the line against Vice in an Underground match.

Kendal Grey was exhausted in the final stages of the contest. However, Wren Sinclair motivated her to fight through the pain. Grey ultimately applied the armbar submission on Vice, forcing her to tap out.

This week on WWE NXT, a backstage segment featured a doctor checking on Grey. He taped up the champion’s ear, meaning she got hurt in her title match against Vice. The angle was followed by Kali Armstrong calling out Grey. However, she was interrupted by Kelani Jordan.

Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair arrived with a contract and joined the duo in the ring. During the segment, it was revealed that the NXT Women’s Champion was medically not cleared to compete. However, she handed the contract for a future title shot to Jordan, confirming a match between the two at Heatwave 2026.

Kali Armstrong was displeased with the development, and she initiated a brawl. She took out Grey to make a strong statement and stake her claim to the NXT Women’s Championship. The promo segment also confirmed that Grey will defend her gold against Armstrong if she manages to beat Jordan in their upcoming title match at Heatwave.

Kelani Jordan has been part of WWE NXT since June 2023. Surprisingly, the title match at Heatwave will mark her first televised singles bout for the NXT Women’s Championship. Fans must stay tuned to find out if she can finally achieve her goal and become a world champion.