Sports Bulletin July 28: Divya Deshmukh Makes History, Jadeja Equals Sobers, Cricket Fraternity Slams England

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Sports Bulletin July 28: India's 19-year-old chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh stunned the world by clinching the Women's FIDE World Cup, defeating Koneru Humpy in a historic final.

In cricket, Ravindra Jadeja equalled Sir Garfield Sobers' iconic record, while Shubman Gill hailed India's fightback at Old Trafford. Test selection news also made headlines, with N Jagadeesan replacing the injured Pant and Jamie Overton joining England's squad.

Meanwhile, in football, England celebrated back-to-back Women's Euro titles. And off the field, Ashwin, Kapil, and Gambhir added their voices to trending cricket controversies. Check out the sports bulletin from July 28.

1. Divya Deshmukh crowned 2025 Women's FIDE World Cup champion

India's 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh etched her name in history by winning the FIDE Women's World Cup in Batumi, Georgia, defeating Indian legend Koneru Humpy in the final tiebreaks on Monday (July 28).

The teenager became only the fourth Indian woman to earn the grandmaster title. The final saw two hard-fought classical games end in draws before Humpy made a costly blunder in the second tiebreak, gifting Divya a historic victory.

"It was fate," said an emotional Divya, who had entered the tournament hoping merely for a GM norm but emerged with the title itself.

Despite being the underdog in the rapid tiebreaks - a format where Humpy is a reigning world champion - Divya displayed remarkable composure. Ranked 18th in the world compared to Humpy's 5th, she held her own against the experienced opponent, demonstrating maturity beyond her years.

2. England's "double standard" criticised by Ashwin, cricket fraternity

Former India cricketer R Ashwin criticised England's "double standards" after Ben Stokes offered an early handshake on Day 5 of the drawn fourth Test, even as Ravindra Jadeja (89*) and Washington Sundar (80*) neared their centuries. Ashwin slammed England's frustration, saying on his YouTube channel, "They played your bowlers all day. Now that they're near hundreds, you want to walk off? Why should they?"

The all-rounder also supported India's decision to play the full 15 overs, a sentiment echoed by former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. Gavaskar was heard saying on air, "I'd have kept batting to make a statement."

The incident sparked strong backing for India. Brad Haddin called England's move poor sportsmanship, praising India for "earning the right" to stay on. Former England skipper Alastair Cook said the decision gave India momentum for the final Test, while Nasser Hussain called Stokes' move to bowl Harry Brook after the handshake offer "silly."

3. N Jagadeesan replaces Pant in India squad for fifth Test at The Oval

Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper N Jagadeesan has received his maiden Test call-up for India ahead of the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval, starting Thursday. The 29-year-old replaces Rishabh Pant, who fractured his right foot during the first innings of the Old Trafford Test.

Jagadeesan, who secured his UK visa on Sunday, is expected to join the squad in London by Tuesday. He will serve as a back-up to Dhruv Jurel, who kept wickets in the third and fourth Tests in Pant's absence - the latter also missed the third game due to a finger injury.

Jagadeesan has been a consistent performer in the domestic circuit, topping Tamil Nadu's Ranji Trophy run charts for two successive seasons and remaining a regular in the India A setup.

4. Overton added to England squad for final India Test

England have added fast-bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton to their squad for the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval, as they look to close out the series with a 2-1 lead. The decision comes after a taxing fourth Test in Manchester, where Ben Stokes' side spent 143 overs in the field and were denied victory by India's resilient batting on day five.

5. Shubman Gill: "We Showed Why We Are a Great Team"

India captain Shubman Gill lauded his team's character after securing a dramatic draw in the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford. India, reeling at 0/2 in their second innings and trailing by over 300 runs, found strength in crucial partnerships-particularly Gill's own with KL Rahul-to mount an incredible comeback.

Hundreds from Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar ensured India didn't concede the series. Gill praised the team's mindset, noting how their resilience over 140 overs separated a great team from a good one. "To come from that position and draw shows belief and unity," he said proudly.

6. Jadeja equals Garry Sobers' Record

Ravindra Jadeja has matched Sir Garfield Sobers' legendary feat by scoring five 50-plus knocks at No.6 or lower in a single Test series in England - a record set in 1966. Jadeja achieved the feat in just eight innings during the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.

Jadeja - who slammed 107 in the second innings of the Manchester Test - now has nine 50+ scores in England at No.6 or lower - the joint-most by a visiting batter, again alongside Sobers.

The left-handed batter is also the third overseas cricketer to score over 1000 runs and take 30+ wickets in England, joining Sobers and Wilfred Rhodes. With 12 such scores in SENA countries, Jadeja now trails only MS Dhoni (13).

7. Ravindra Jadeja Ahead of Ben Stokes: Kapil Dev

England Test captain Ben Stokes may have joined the exclusive club of players with 7000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket, but legendary Indian all-rounder Kapil Dev believes the Englishman is not the greatest all-rounder of his time. According to the former India captain, that distinction belongs to none other than Ravindra Jadeja.

Speaking at a Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) event on Saturday (July 26), Kapil dismissed the notion that Stokes' statistical achievement automatically places him among the best of all time. "Stokes is a very good all-rounder, but I still feel Jadeja is ahead. He's been performing far better overall," Kapil said.

"I don't want to compare individuals, but purely on current form and consistency, Jadeja is delivering more. He is a match-winner with both bat and ball," Kapil added.

8. Birth Certificate Forgery Case: SC Quashes FIR Against Lakshya Sen

The Supreme Court of India has quashed the FIR against badminton star Lakshya Sen, his family, and coach U. Vimal Kumar, in a birth certificate forgery case. Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar ruled that continuing the proceedings would constitute an abuse of the legal process.

The judges claimed that the case lacked sufficient grounds and warned against the misuse of criminal law to harass individuals. The decision ends months of uncertainty for Sen, offering a clean slate as he continues his sporting career. The ruling underscores the judiciary's role in preventing legal harassment without substantive evidence.

9. Gambhir, Stokes differ on 'ridiculous' injury replacement player debate

England captain Ben Stokes and India head coach Gautam Gambhir offered opposing views on injury replacements in Test cricket. Stokes called the idea "ridiculous," arguing that injuries are part of the game and teams must play with their chosen XI. He warned of potential loopholes in allowing injury substitutes.

In contrast, Gambhir supported the concept, saying that if officials deem an injury serious enough, a replacement should be allowed. The debate arose after Rishabh Pant batted with a broken foot in the Manchester Test but couldn't keep wicket, with Dhruv Jurel stepping in. Gambhir emphasised fairness in a tightly contested series.

10. Women's Euro 2025 final: England beat Spain to win again

England clinched their second straight UEFA Women's Euro title, defeating Spain in a dramatic final in Switzerland. After trailing 1-0 at halftime due to a header from Spain's Mariona Caldentey, England fought back in the second half with a powerful equaliser from Alessia Russo.

Chloe Kelly, the 2022 final hero, played a pivotal role again-assisting Russo's goal and later converting the decisive penalty after a tense 1-1 draw led to a shootout. Despite Spain controlling large portions of the game, England's resilience once more proved decisive, securing back-to-back titles and confirming their dominance in European women's football.