Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof feels rookie pacer Gurnoor Brar could be the ‘X-factor’ in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and says he would be tempted to hand the 26-year-old his Test debut in the two-match series against Sri Lanka, beginning in Galle on Saturday. Under pressure following a home series defeat to South Africa, fifth-placed India will be without pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah when they resume Test action with a two-match tour of Sri Lanka.

Mohammed Siraj is expected to lead the pace attack, but there is speculation over whether inexperienced Brar could make his Test debut, replacing Prasidh Krishna, who played in the last Test against Afghanistan.

“The ability to reverse-swing the ball, especially with the older ball, is something Bumrah brings, and that is going to be a massive miss for India,” Maharoof replied to a PTI query during a virtual media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network.

“That is where I think they could lack some wicket-taking ability. Mohammed Siraj is a good bowler, with all due respect to him, but when you compare the two fast bowlers, there is a bit of a difference.”

At the same time, the former pace-bowling all-rounder said he would be “tempted” to hand Brar a debut, especially because of the tall Punjab pacer’s raw pace, bounce and aggressive approach, particularly the way he troubled several Test squad batters during the warm-up match.

“I really like Gurnoor Brar. I think he can be the X-factor. He has the bounce, the pace and the fighting spirit. He can be nasty,” Maharoof said.

“If you watched the warm-up game, some of the deliveries he bowled to batters who are in the Test squad made them quite uneasy, and he even hit a couple of players on the body.

“If I were in the Indian think tank, I would be tempted to give Gurnoor a go. I know he has only played white-ball cricket for India, but he brings that X-factor. In short bursts, when you want to break a batter’s rhythm, he can be a lethal weapon.”

The tall Punjab pacer was picked for the Test squad despite having only a handful of First-Class matches and limited IPL experience.

The 26-year-old Brar subsequently made his ODI debut against Afghanistan and has picked up 11 wickets in six matches.

Brar also featured in India A’s tour of Sri Lanka last month, picking up a 10-wicket haul in the first match in Galle.

Suthar as third spinner

Maharoof says India will miss the now-retired Ravichandran Ashwin and the injured Washington Sundar, who is ruled out of the first Test, as Sri Lankan pitches often produce bounce for spinners rather than just turn.

While the duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav will be the first-choice spinners, there is a debate over the third spinner’s slot.

India have young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who claimed seven wickets on his debut against Afghanistan, while there is also uncapped 31-year-old off-spinner Saransh Jain, who toured Sri Lanka with India A, claimed seven wickets and also made an unbeaten 70 while batting at No. 7.

But Maharoof feels Suthar, with his ability to generate bounce, should have the edge, even if that means India field 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.

“Overall, looking at India’s bowling line-up, it is quite competitive, with two seamers and three spinners.”

India’s flamboyant wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant may be struggling at the moment, but Maharoof feels he could be dangerous and take the match away with his unorthodox technique.

Pant got out for 2 and 28 in the warm-up game that India won by six wickets in Colombo.

“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.

“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.”

Series prediction: 1-1 draw

The cricketer-turned-commentator further said India are a very strong side, particularly with Ravindra Jadeja batting at No. 7, and expects the all-rounder to have a major influence.

However, he predicted a 1-1 draw in the series, with Sri Lanka’s ‘King of Galle’, Prabath Jayasuriya, set to play a key role, especially with the crosswind expected to be a major factor at the venue.

“The biggest challenge for Indian batters will certainly be the spinners. I certainly feel Prabath Jayasuriya will be the biggest challenge for the Indian batters. He is our main weapon, while Asitha Fernando will be important with the fast bowling.

“We have nicknamed him the ‘King of Galle’ because of the number of wickets he has taken there.

“He knows how to bowl with the wind, and the wind is going to be a major factor in Galle because of the drift the spinners can generate.

“It is going to be a crosswind, so the Indian spinners will have to adapt quickly to that factor. How quickly they adjust to the wind is going to be massive,” added Maharoof, who played 22 Tests, 109 ODIs and eight T20Is for Sri Lanka.

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Another Wil has now made his way to Victoria and is expected to commence his latest campaign in the PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield.

The seven-year-old arrived from Sydney last Saturday morning at trainer Ciaron Maher’s Ballarat stable. A decision on his participation on Saturday will be made after some work on Tuesday.

Joining Another Wil on the journey from Sydney were Light Infantry Man and Warnie.

Light Infantry Man is entered for the PB Lawrence on Saturday, along with a benchmark 100 handicap over 1600 metres. Warnie also holds an entry in the PB Lawrence and a nomination for the Regal Roller Stakes (1200m).

Kings Valley completes a quartet of entries for Saturday’s Group 2 1400m weight-for-age event, with a nomination also in a benchmark 90 handicap over 1400m.

Jack Turnbull, the National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, indicated that the Sydney team was satisfied with Another Wil’s preparation for his potential Saturday return.

Another Wil had three runs in Queensland, finishing fourth in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm second-up, before running last in the Stradbroke Handicap on a very wet Eagle Farm before his spell.

“We’ll probably give him a little bit of work on Tuesday, but he’s pretty much ready to go and then he can come to Cranbourne,” Turnbull said.

“He ran a really good race up in Queensland and because he had to go two weeks, two weeks, it probably just knocked the edge off him, and he was also on a very heavy track as well last time.

“He had six months off and then to come back and run the way he did, you know that he’s going to have improvement into this preparation.

“He spelled up there (Queensland), had some sun on his back, and we know he’s a very good horse at his best.”

A winner of nine of his 21 starts, including the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes over Saturday’s course and distance, Another Wil had only two starts last spring prior to spending more than six months on the sidelines.

“He had a couple of small niggles, and it was like he lost confidence and he got really keen, and when he was keen, he was running his races upside down and wasn’t finishing off,” Turnbull explained.

“He seems to have softened and relaxed a bit and at his best, and if he can get back to his best, he can mix it with the best milers.

“The beauty with a horse like him, there are so many options, and we may have to get a little bit crafty as to where we place him with his handicap mark.”

Kings Valley is on a path towards the Caulfield Cup, having secured a ballot exemption by winning the Mornington Cup in April.

Turnbull mentioned that Kings Valley is still supporting his winter coat and is being aimed to peak on Caulfield Cup Day in October.

“He’s quite a keen horse fresh and we’re conscious of that, but he’s likely to have four runs into the Caulfield Cup,” Turnbull said.

“He’s got his winter jacket on him, coming from Ballarat, but he was late last season dropping his coat.

“He’s going OK and it will be when we get him to a mile and further is when we will see him.”

“Light Infantry Man and Warnie both came down with Another Wil and are entered in a couple of races, and we’ll work out what suits them best.”

Among the 18 nominations for Saturday’s Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes are the Chris Waller trio Ohope Wins, Soul Of Spain and Wootton Verni, along with Desert Lightning and Evaporate.

Consider placing your bets on the PB Lawrence Stakes with leading racing odds providers.

The Delhi High Court has refused to grant bail to Olympian Sushil Kumar in the alleged murder case of former junior national wrestling champion Sagar Dhankar.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar dismissed the celebrated wrestler’s bail application on August 6, citing concerns over influencing witnesses raised by the Supreme Court when it cancelled his earlier bail, his conduct prior to arrest, the gravity of the offence and his capacity to influence the ongoing trial’s outcome.

The judge emphasised that while bail is ordinarily the rule and jail the exception, the offence in the present case was a “premeditated and gruesome assault resulting in death”, which is corroborated by recovery of a firearm, video evidence and a large body of material yet to be tested at trial.

Seeking relief, the counsel for the accused alleged that the deceased’s father, whose complaint led to the earlier cancellation of bail, has not supported the prosecution’s case in the trial.

It was therefore contended that the “change in circumstances”, along with the fact that Kumar had been in custody for over five years and only formal and official witnesses were left to be examined, entitled him to regular bail.

Delhi Police and Dhankar’s father opposed the bail application.

The court noted that the characterisation of Dhankar’s father’s testimony as unsupportive of the prosecution was disputed.

It further said that the Supreme Court, while cancelling the earlier bail, proceeded on the finding that Kumar had a considerable societal standing and influence and witnesses turned hostile every time he was extended temporary liberty. 

” Whether the deposition of Ashok Dhankad (deceased’s father) does or does not support the prosecution is, moreover, a matter of appreciation of evidence that must await the outcome by the trial court. It cannot be treated as a change in circumstances sufficient to unlock the door that the Supreme Court closed,” the court said.

“In these circumstances, this court is not persuaded that the petitioner has made out a case either for a genuine change in circumstances within the meaning of the liberty reserved by the Supreme Court, or, independently, for the grant of regular bail,” it concluded.

Kumar was arrested in May 2021 and a sessions court granted him a week’s interim bail for his knee surgery on July 19, 2023.

On August 13, 2025, the Supreme Court cancelled bail to Kumar in the case by setting aside a high court order, noting that his “domineering influence” over witnesses or delaying the trial proceedings cannot be ruled out.

The high court had granted bail on March 4, 2025.

On February 6, a trial court refused to grant bail to Kumar, saying the possibility that the accused may influence witnesses “cannot be ruled out”.

The trial court, in October 2022, framed charges against Kumar under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections dealing with murder, criminal conspiracy, intimidation and rioting with a deadly weapon.

Charges were also framed under the provisions of the Arms Act.

The trial court had noted that after being abducted and brought to the stadium, Dhankar was severely assaulted by several accused persons with baseball and hockey sticks.

US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind FIFA president Gianni Infantino, warning the world football governing body that replacing the Swiss administrator would be a “terrible mistake” amid growing pressure for his removal.

Trump’s intervention comes after Infantino faced widespread criticism over a controversial proposal to sell stakes in future World Cup and Club World Cup revenues to private investors. Although the plan has since been withdrawn, the proposal has intensified scrutiny of Infantino’s leadership and triggered opposition from several football confederations.

Trump backs Infantino amid growing pressure

Trump expressed his support for Infantino in a post on his Truth Social platform, praising the FIFA president’s leadership and claiming the World Cup would not achieve the same level of success or profitability without him. 
“FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino,” Trump wrote.

He described Infantino as “fantastic” and credited him with presiding over what he called the most successful World Cup ever staged.

Trump’s comments come at a sensitive time for Infantino, who has faced mounting opposition following the fallout from the investment proposal.

Why is Infantino facing backlash?

The controversy centres on a FIFA proposal to create a subsidiary company that could be valued at around $20 billion and sell shares linked to the World Cup and Club World Cup.

The plan, which was first reported after details emerged in the media, was criticised because member associations and several football authorities were reportedly not consulted before it was put forward.

Opponents argued that FIFA’s flagship competition should not effectively become an investment asset for private capital.

The proposal was subsequently withdrawn, but the controversy has continued to fuel calls for greater transparency and accountability within FIFA.

Several continental football bodies and influential figures have since expressed opposition to Infantino, with some pushing for a change in FIFA’s leadership.

Trump and Infantino’s close relationship

Trump’s public intervention also adds another layer to the controversy because of his long-standing relationship with Infantino.

The two have developed a close association over recent years, with their relationship attracting attention during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Trump’s latest comments came only days after he said he had no prior knowledge of Infantino’s plan to commercialise stakes in World Cup-related assets.

Links to the proposed investment plan

The proposed investment vehicle was reportedly linked to Thrive Capital, the venture capital firm founded and led by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Reports had suggested that Thrive Capital could play a leading role in the proposed investor group, while there were also claims that officials from the Trump administration had been consulted about the project.

Trump, however, said he was not aware of the proposal before it became public.

The connection has added further political and financial scrutiny to a proposal that FIFA eventually withdrew.

Infantino’s World Cup legacy under scrutiny

Infantino’s supporters point to the commercial success and global expansion of the World Cup during his tenure as evidence of his leadership.

Trump echoed that argument in his latest message, saying Infantino had just overseen the most successful World Cup and warning that FIFA could struggle to replicate those results if he were removed.

The 2026 tournament was the first World Cup to feature 48 teams and was jointly hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

However, Infantino’s critics argue that FIFA’s growing commercial ambitions must be accompanied by greater transparency, particularly when major financial decisions involve the organisation’s biggest competitions.

What happens next?

Although the controversial investment proposal has been withdrawn, the debate surrounding Infantino’s leadership is unlikely to disappear immediately.

Trump’s intervention could add another dimension to the dispute, particularly given the political and commercial significance of the United States to FIFA and the organisation’s relationship with the US administration.

For now, Infantino retains his position, while the controversy has shifted from the proposed investment itself to wider questions over governance, transparency and the future direction of FIFA.

The Big 12 doesn’t get respect on the national stage.

In some ways, it’s deserved. Last year, Texas Tech’s ugly Playoff performance against Oregon damaged the league’s reputation.

But the national narrative misses what makes the league different: its competitiveness. Every game is a battle, and the margins are razor thin.

There’s a Playoff spot up for grabs and every season is wide open. A program can quickly rise or fall over a short span of years.

Here’s my preview for the 2026 Big 12 Season.

Contender: Utah

Morgan Scalley takes over as head coach after waiting in the wings for years. Since 2016, Scalley had been Utah’s defensive coordinator and helped shape the identity of the program.

Now, he’s the lead man and returns star quarterback Devon Dampier. Named the 2025 Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year, Dampier led the Utes to 11 wins last season.

The transition from Kyle Whittingham wasn’t exactly clean-cut. But it’s water under the bridge. The expectations around Utah are real. The new era begins.

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Contender: Arizona

Noah Fifita enters his redshirt senior season with momentum. The Wildcats won nine games last year and return coordinators on both sides of the ball. Wide receiver Tre Spivey is set for a productive year and could emerge as a star.

But there are questions on defense. The secondary lost several key players that must be replaced. Brent Brennan did his part by keeping defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales on the staff.

If contributors step up in the defensive backfield, Arizona could be competitive in the Big 12 title race.

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The Rest of the Big 12

Arizona State

Kenny Dillingham hit the portal hard over the offseason. Arizona State’s transfer class is ranked No. 22 nationally, per 247Sports. But all eyes are on the quarterback.

Sam Leavitt left for LSU, and Dillingham brought in two transfers. Cutter Boley started 11 games for Kentucky and compiled a 4-7 record. Mikey Keene has 35 starts to his name after spending two years at UCF and two years at Fresno State.

Getting the quarterback battle resolved early in the season will be crucial. Because if the questions at quarterback are answered, ASU has the roster to be competitive in every Big 12 game it plays this year.

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Colorado

The hype around Colorado has faded. The three wins last season were the fewest of Deion Sanders’ coaching career. But star offensive coordinator Brennan Marion was brought in to revamp the offense.

The former head coach of Sacramento State, Marion’s innovative system should result in a higher-scoring CU offense. Sophomore quarterback Julian Lewis figures to thrive within the scheme.

But there are questions on defense and the general trajectory of the program doesn’t inspire confidence. As far as preseason expectations go, there are none for Colorado.

Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.

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ARC Raiders Trials is back with Season 5 Week 6, and the latest set of challenges involves a ton of scavenging activities as well as hunting flying ARCs with weapons and throwables. Raiders must head topside to specific maps and uncover loot from specific points of interest. This week’s activities include a few recurring challenges alongside a few newer ones.

This article sheds light on the best ways to obtain three stars in Season 5 Week 6 of ARC Raiders Trials.

ARC Raiders Trials Season 5 Week 6 (August 11 – 18, 2026): How to get 3 stars in every challenge

Let us take a look at all the challenges players must complete this week in ARC Raiders Trials:

• Search ARC Probes, Couriers, and Assessors
• Loot bird’s nests
• Damage Flying ARC using Snap Blast
• Open containers on the beach in Riven Tides
• Damage Flying ARC using Hullcracker

1) Best ways to open ARC probes during Season 5 Week 6

The first challenge in this week’s Trials activity requires Raiders to interact with ARC Probes. Since Assessors found during Close Scrutiny are much riskier due to the presence of multiple Vaporizers and flying ARC threats, we chose a safer route so players can complete this challenge with three stars.

Recommended loadout:

• Anvil / Bettina
• 4 stacks of Heavy Ammo
• Light / Medium Shield
• Shield Rechargers
• Herbal Bandages
• 30 Adrenaline Shots (optional)

Recommended strat:

• Head to the Spaceport map and find the closest probe to your spawn location.
• Use the map listed above to follow the route and interact with Probes.
• Take note of all the elevator timings to set a proper path through the map.
• Breach every possible ARC probe to acquire Trials score. It is not a compulsion to loot all the items inside Probes or Couriers.
• Utilize at least 30 Adrenaline Shots to keep sprinting from one Probe to the next.
• Interact with already breached containers to acquire bonus Trials points
• Repeat this until you reach the 4000 score threshold.

2) Best way to loot bird’s nests during Season 5 Week 6

For the second challenge in Season 5 Week 6 ARC Raiders Trials, we head to Buried City during the Bird City map condition. During this event, you must interact with Bird nests across multiple rooftops to acquire Trial scores. Here is a recommended loadout and route to ensure you grab all nests for the best Trials scores.

Recommended Loadout:

• Anvil / Ferro
• Any PvP weapon of choice
• Light / Medium Shield
• Shield Rechargers
• Herbal Bandages
• 15x Adrenaline Shots (optional)
• 6x Ziplines (optional)
• Snap Hook (optional)

Recommended strat:

• Head to the Buried City during Bird City map condition, and climb to your nearest roof with bird nests.
• Interact with the nests and then follow the loop around these Points of Interest.
• Plaza Rosa > Church Ruins > Piazza Arbusto > Town Hall > Corso Da Vinci > Santa Maria Houses > Main Street.
• Make sure to set up Ziplines or use Snap Hook to maintain your elevated position on the rooftops.
• Watch out for Rockeeteers and keep a couple of Wolfpacks ready in case of an emergency.
• Do note that Bird nests do not respawn, so you must interact with empty nests if necessary to grab the Trials score

3) Best way to damage Flying ARC using Snap Blast for Season 5 Week 6

Snap Blast is an uncommon rarity throwable item that deals 70 damage and has a range of 7.5m. This week, you must use these throwables to damage Flying ARCs. Here is the crafting recipe for Snap Blasts:

• 2X Crude Explosives
• 1x Magnet

You obtain 3 points per 1 damage dealt to a flying ARC using the Snap Blast. This means that one Snap Blast will net you around 210 points. Therefore, you will need almost 20 Snap Blasts to earn 4000 points or three stars in this challenge.

4) Best ways to open containers on the beach in Riven Tides for Season 5 Week 6

For this specific activity in ARC Raiders Trials, one must open containers in the beachfront area of the Riven Tides map. This activity can be completed using a free loadout, as Raiders just need to interact with containers to attain points.

Recommended Loadout:

• Anvil
• 2 Stacks of Ammo
• Light
• Shield Rechargers
• Bandages
• Dockmaster’s Detector (x2)

Your primary objective is to head to the beach on the north side of the Wavebreaker and Port Authority building. Use the Dockmaster’s Detector to uncover containers and interact with them. Do note that sometimes, unearthing items will reveal mines. Do not try to dodge out of the way. Instead, defuse the mine and look for another container.

Each container awards 200 Points. Therefore, you must unearth and interact with 20 containers to acquire 3 stars or 4000 Trials points.

5) Best ways to damage ARCs inside the walls during Season 5 Week 6

This week, Raiders must damage flying ARCs with Hullcrackers. Doing so is quite easy but requires a decent chunk of money for the full loadout. Let us take a look at the recommended loadout and strategy.

Recommended loadout:

• Renegade
• Hullcracker
• 3 stacks of ammunition each
• 2x Wolfpacks (optional)
• Snitch Scanners (optional)
• Medium Shield
• Shield Rechargers / Surge Shield Rechargers
• Herbal Bandages / Sterilized Bandage / Vita Spray

Recommended strat:

• Head to the Spaceport and go inside the walls. Make your way to the Launch Towers.
• Start shooting all the flying ARCs you can spot. Use your Renegade to lure flying ARCs in the distance and then finish them off with Hullcracker once they are close
• Raiders can also trigger Snitches or Snitch Scanners to call for backup. This way, an additional flying ARC will spawn.
• You can also lure Rocketeers or Vaporizers, but that introduces a ton of risk with higher chances of failure.

You earn 1 point for 1 damage dealt to flying ARCs using Hullcracker. Therefore, you must deal 4000 damage to earn three stars in this ARC Raiders Trial activity.

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