Sports Bulletin For July 29: From Gautam Gambhir's Ugly Spat With Oval Spat To Arshdeep Singh's Test Debut

Sports Bulletin For July 29: From Gautam Gambhir's spat with Oval ground staff to Arshdeep Singh's likely Test debut, it's been a day full of action. PV Sindhu set a smash speed record, Nat Sciver-Brunt overtook Smriti Mandhana in ODI rankings, and Australia completed a historic T20I sweep.

Meanwhile, Avinash Sable's injury rules him out of the World Championships, and speculation grows around Messi's Saudi move.

1) Gautam Gambhir Clashes with Oval Ground Staff Ahead of 5th Test, Tensions Soar Before Decider: Report

Tensions ran high at The Oval on Tuesday when India head coach Gautam Gambhir became involved in a heated dispute with the ground staff, merely two days ahead of the crucial fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The incident is believed to have been triggered by Gambhir's frustration with the training arrangements provided to the Indian team after they landed in London.

2) Arshdeep Singh Set For India Debut In 5th Test: Report

Arshdeep Singh is poised to make his Test debut as India gear up for the fifth and final match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, starting July 31 at The Oval. The left-arm pacer, who was previously ruled out due to a hand injury that required stitches, has returned to full fitness. According to a report by the Times of India, India are likely to include Arshdeep in the playing XI for the final Test, giving him his maiden appearance in the longest format.

3) India Grouped With Japan, Vietnam & Chinese Taipei At 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup

The Indian women's football team has been placed in a group alongside Japan, Vietnam, and Chinese Taipei for the upcoming AFC Women's Asian Cup, which will be held in Australia.

4) PV Sindhu Creates Brilliant Record At China Open, Registers Fastest Smash

Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, who has endured a tough run with no titles in the past seven months, finally found a silver lining at the China Open. Despite an early exit, Sindhu recorded the fastest smash in the women's singles category, clocking an impressive 397.2 kph.

Currently ranked 15th in the world, Sindhu entered her second-round clash against fellow Indian Unnati Hooda after a convincing win over Japan's Tomoka Miyazaki. However, she was eventually overwhelmed by Unnati's pace, accuracy, and relentless intensity, bringing her China Open campaign to an end.

5) Nat Sciver-Brunt Replaces Smriti Mandhana As World's Top-Ranked ODI Batter

England skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt has reclaimed the No. 1 position in the latest ICC Women's ODI Player Rankings, overtaking India's Smriti Mandhana. The updated rankings were released on Tuesday.

Sciver-Brunt, who last held the top spot in 2023, returned to the summit after scoring a series-topping 160 runs in the recent three-match ODI series against India. Meanwhile, Indian batters Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues also made notable progress in the rankings.

6) Duleep Trophy To Be Held In Bengaluru, Two Teams Directly Seeded Into Semis: Report

According to a report by Cricbuzz, the Indian domestic cricket season is set to kick off with the Duleep Trophy, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru from August 28 to September 15. The tournament, which has returned to its inter-zonal format, will follow a knockout structure. Matches are slated to take place at the Centre of Excellence grounds.

7) Australia Cricket Team Script Huge T20I Feat

Australia's men's cricket team made history on Tuesday, July 29, by becoming the first side to complete a 5-0 clean sweep in a five-match T20I series against a Test-playing nation. The 2021 T20 World Cup champions dominated the West Indies in a series held from July 21 to 29, winning all five matches under the captaincy of Mitchell Marsh.

While several teams have previously clinched T20I series against Test nations with a 4-1 margin, none had achieved a flawless 5-0 result in such a series until now.

8) Finland Bowler Creates History, Picks Fastest 5-Wicket Haul In T20Is

Finland's right-arm medium pacer Mahesh Tambe made history in Tallinn on Sunday, July 27, by claiming the fastest five-wicket haul in T20I cricket, dismantling half of the Estonian batting lineup in just eight deliveries.

9) Messi Might Come To Al-Ahly: Riyad Mahrez

Al-Ahly winger Riyad Mahrez has expressed that it would be a dream come true to play alongside Lionel Messi if the Argentine were to join the Saudi Pro League. Mahrez envisions Messi as the playmaker with himself operating from the wing. Speculation around Messi's potential move to Saudi Arabia has grown in recent weeks.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr as a free agent in January 2023, played a major role in elevating the league's profile. He has claimed that the Saudi Pro League now ranks among the top five globally, even surpassing Ligue 1 and Major League Soccer.

10) Avinash Sable Undergoes ACL Surgery In Mumbai, To Miss World Championships

Asian Games gold medallist Avinash Sable underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ACL and meniscus, injuries he sustained during the recent Monaco Diamond League event. Recovery from such injuries typically takes several months, ruling him out of competition for a while.

As a result, Sable will be forced to miss the upcoming World Athletics Championships, scheduled for September in Tokyo.