After three consecutive ducks against India, Ben Stokes hits ton

Before the Rajkot Test, Ben Stokes had recorded three consecutive ducks in his first three outings vs India in Tests in 2014.

Statistical highlights after the end of the second day’s play in the opening cricket Test between India and England in Rajkot on Thursday.

# England (537) have recorded their third highest total vs India in Tests in India – the top two being 652 for seven wickets declared at Chennai in January 1985 and 559 for eight wickets declared at Kanpur in February 1964.

# Moeen Ali has recorded his fourth century in Tests – his first against India – his first three were two vs Sri Lanka and one vs Pakistan. His outstanding 117 vs India is his first century in 21 innings (12 Tests) away from home.

Moeen’s previous highest score in Tests away from home was 68 vs Bangladesh at Chittagong in October 2016.

# Thanks to his century at Rajkot, Moeen’s overseas average in Tests is 26.38 – his tally being 475 in 21 innings.

# Ten England batsmen, including Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes, have registered hundreds vs India in India in their maiden Test.

Ravindra Jadeja (3/86) has produced his best bowling performance vs England in Tests in India – his second best vs England next only to the 3 for 52 at Southampton in July 2014.

# Jadeja enjoys an outstanding bowling average in Tests in India – his tally being 67 wickets (ave 18.02) in 13 Tests.

# Stuart Broad, for the first time in Tests, has batted as number eleven batsman. Just three other batsmen have batted at this position in their respective 100th Test – Makhaya Ntini, Glenn McGrath and James Anderson.

# Ravichandran Ashwin (46-3-167-2) has conceded 160 runs or more for the third time in a Test innings – his worst being 194 runs vs Australia at Adelaide in January 2012.

# Ben Stokes has produced an outstanding knock of 128 – his first hundred vs India and his fourth in Tests – one each against New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and India – all four centuries as number six batsman.

# Before the Rajkot Test, he had recorded three consecutive ducks in his first three outings vs India in Tests in 2014 – 0 at Nottingham and a PAIR – 0 & 0 at Lord’s.
India vs England 2016, Ind vs Eng 2016, India England Rajkot Test, Rajkot Test India England, Sourav Ganguly, Ganguly India England, Sourav Ganguly India, Cricket News, Cricket

# Jonny Bairstow has amassed 1164 runs at an average of 64.66 in 13 Tests (21 innings), including three centuries and five fifties, extending his record for most runs by a wicketkeeper in a calendar year in Tests.

# Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower and Bairstow are the only wicketkeepers to have accomplished the feat of recording 1000 runs in a calendar year in Tests. Flower had scored 1045 (ave 80.38) in 16 Test innings in 2000.

# Root, Moeen Ali and Stokes have provided the tenth instance when three players from a visiting side have recorded centuries in the same Test innings in India.

# The last instance for England batsmen scoring three hundreds in the same Test innings was vs Sri Lanka at Cardiff in May 2011 – Cook (133), Trott (203) and Bell (103 not out).

India vs England, 1st Test: Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara lead hosts’ charge

India end the third day's play at 319/4, they are still behind by 218 runs. Vijay and Pujara played two very good innings and barring the last two overs, it was India's day as they dominated the visitors.

BPL 2016 to begin on clean slate

After a unanimous decision to replay all the abandoned matches, all seven franchises will begin on a clean slate when the fourth edition of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) restarts from Tuesday (November 8).

The first four matches of BPL 2016 were washed out because of non-seasonal showers, caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, forcing the BPL Governing Council (GC) to reschedule the tournament. The GC was awaiting the franchises' approval to replay the matches that were abandoned on Friday (November 4) and Saturday (November 5), which they have now received.

During the emergency meeting on Saturday, called by the GC to deliberate on the changes to the schedule, Comilla Victorians and Rajshahi Kings, the teams that featured in the tournament opener on Friday, were undecided on replaying their match. However, a green signal from all the franchises has meant that all the matches will be replayed, with minor tweaks to the schedule.

According to ESPNCricinfo Comilla will face off against Rajshahi on November 30 while Rangpur Riders and Khulna Titans, the other teams whose match was washed out on the opening day, will play on November 10. Chittagong Vikings vs Barisal Bulls and Comilla Victorians vs Dhaka Dynamites were the two games washed out on November 5 and those matches will now take place on November 30.

The Barisal Bulls vs Khulna Titans match and Rangpur Riders vs Rajshahi Kings were the two matches that were to be played on November 8. The Bulls vs Titans game has been rescheduled to November 20 and will be played in Chittagong while Rangpur and Rajshahi will take on each other on November 28 in Dhaka.

Comilla, the defending champions, will play the first match against Chittagong on the rescheduled opening day, while Bulls will take on Dynamites in the second match of the day.

BCCI requests ECB to bear expenses on India tour

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has requested the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to bear the expenses of their team's 'travel, hotel accommodation and other arrangements' on the upcoming five-Test tour, due to start in Rajkot on Friday (November 9).

In a letter addressed to Phil Neal, the England cricket team manager, BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke explained the board's lehttps://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5011533492569144360#editor/target=post;postID=6166962621817346495gal complications and their inability to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) due to lack of directives from the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee, Indian Express reported on Friday (November 4).

"Dear Phil, I warmly welcome you for the upcoming cricket series. I am however at great pains to inform you that the BCCI is at present not in a position to execute the MoU between the Indian Cricket Board and the ECB. This is due to restrictions on execution of contracts imposed on the BCCI by a Court order," Shirke wrote.

The Lodha panel clearly stated on Thursday, that BCCI will need to furnish 'relevant details' with respect to implementation of the Lodha reforms for them to be able to make any payments.

"A committee has been appointed that is also to oversee financial transactions of the BCCI," Shirke said. "The BCCI has referred this issue to the committee appointed by the Supreme Court on 28.10.2016 itself and sought urgent permission for execution of the MoU. Thereafter I have also sent the hon'ble committee a request again today. However, the Committee while seeking further details a short while ago earlier today, has not yet granted us this permission," Shirke said, before writing to Neal.

"Certain courtesies such as hotel, travel and various other arrangements have been extended to you on arrival of the team in India. However, till the MoU is executed, the BCCI is not in a position to commit to paying for the same. Please make arrangements to remit such payments. The BCCI will inform you as and when further instructions are received by the BCCI from the Lodha Committee," the letter read.

"I apologise on behalf of the BCCI for inconvenience that is being caused," Shirke added.

India beat Pakistan to win Asian Champions Trophy title

Goals from Rupinder Pal Singh (18th minute), Yousuf Affan (23rd) and Nikkin Thimmaiah (51st) helped India surmount the challenge from Pakistan, who rallied from two goals behind through strikes by Muhammad Aleem Bilal (26th) and Ali Shaan (38th) in the title clash of the fourth edition of tournament.

This was the first time the teams were meeting in the final of a continental tournament since India dethroned Pakistan as the Asian Games champions in Incheon, South Korea in 2014.
India had won the inaugural edition of the Asian Champions Trophy by defeating Pakistan in the final in 2011.

Pakistan reversed the result in the title contest the next year and went on to retain it in 2013 by defeating Japan in the final.

World No. 6 India were the favourites going into the tournament, but were without several seasoned players who had been rested to recuperate from injuries.

India went into the title contest at the Kuantan Hockey Stadium without ace custodian PR Sreejesh, who was rested due to pulled hamstring and Akash Chikte took the position under the bar.

India earned their first penalty corner in the seventh minute, but failed to make it count. Ace flicker Rupinder was on the spot, but Jasjit Singh Kular was allowed to take the shot in a tactical move. Jasjit's shot went wide of the left and posed no threat.

Pakistan had a chance to take the lead in the 12th minute when Muhammad Rizwan Jr picked up a long ball inside the Indian circle and had only the goalkeeper to beat from close range. Goalkeeper Chikte stepped up to tackle him from close and Rizwan Jr shot wide to muff the opportunity.

A cross from the right sailed across the Pakistan goal in the 11th minute without the Indian strikers being able to connect, while at the other end Muhammad Arslan Qadir's shy from a narrow angle was padded away by the Indian goalkeeper as the first quarter came to an end.

India broke the deadlock to score the first goal in the 18th minute on their second penalty corner as Rupinder sent a rasping drag-flick into the left side of the net. This was the 11 penalty corner conversion in the tournament by Rupinder, the highest goal-scorer in the tournament by a big margin.
Three minutes later, Nikkin Thimmaiah releyed a ball from Sardar Singh to Talwinder Singh on the left. Talwinder could not control his reverse drive and the ball went soaring over the cross-bar.

Seasoned Indian midfielder Sardar Singh was again in the picture as India increased the lead in the 23rd minute as he worked up on the right flank and put Ramandeep Singh in possession on top of the circle.

Ramandeep's cross was deflected in by Yousuf Affan into the boards to put India 2-0 up.
Under pressure, Pakistan responded by forcing their first penalty corner, which was converted by Muhammad Aleem Bilal in the 26th minute. Bilal sounded the boards with a low drag-flick that beat the goalkeeper.

Pakistan defence had no trouble in warding away India's attempts to send long diagonal balls into the circle and capitalised on a lapse by the Indian defence to draw 2-2 parity in the 38th minute. Ali Shan wasted no time in slapping the ball that had got deflected to him inside the scoring zone.

India had a goal disallowed on review in the 40th minute when the video umpire ruled that Kothajit Singh's shot from outside the circle went into the goal without a touch.

India wrested the lead back in the 51st minute when Sardar again shaped the goal-bearing move by working his way up on the left flank and gave a through pass to Thimmaiah, who beat Pakistan custodian Fareed Ahmed with a diagonal flick that ended inside the right goal-post.

Pakistan forced their second penalty corner in the 53rd minute, but the opportunity went abegging as the push could not be stopped.

In the final two minutes of play, all Indian players fell back into their territory to keep the last-gasp Pakistan attacks at bay.

Rio Olympics 2016: how to watch, live stream, schedule, and what to expect

Friday, August 5, marks the start of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

For months, people questioned whether the games would actually take place. Would the Olympic Park be ready in time? Would the Zika virus prove too dangerous for the athletes and spectators? Would the political turmoil and economic collapse bring the entire event to a standstill?

But now those questions come to an end as athletes, tourists, dignitaries, and journalists from around the world gather in Rio to kick off two weeks of sporting competition, in an Olympic Games expected to draw billions of viewers worldwide.

The 2016 Olympics will run from August 5 until August 21 and will feature 42 sports, 306 total events, 136 medals for women, and 161 medals for men. About 10,500 athletes are expected to compete at the Olympics in Rio, including the first Olympic team composed entirely of refugees.

Here is a guide to the next two weeks:

How to watch:

More than 2,000 hours of Olympic events are scheduled to air over the course of the next two weeks. While not all events will be aired on TV, NBC is slated to stream an additional 4,500 hours of Olympic coverage on its website, with concurrent streams for competitions going on at the same time. However, after a 30-minute grace period, NBC will require users to log on with their TV provider.

Rio 2016 also has an official YouTube page with clips.

The schedule:

Opening ceremony: Friday, August 5, at 7 pm Eastern at the Maracanã Stadium (NBC will stream the show at a one-hour delay on the East Coast, at 8 pm Eastern, and at a four-hour delay on the West Coast, at 8 pm Pacific)

While most of the events will start on or after the opening ceremony, the Olympic games kicked off on August 3 with soccer. The US women’s soccer team won its Olympic opening match against New Zealand. (The US men’s soccer team failed to qualify for the Olympics this year.)

The much-anticipated women’s gymnastics all-around final is scheduled for Thursday, August 11, at 3 pm Eastern.

Closing Ceremony: Sunday, August 21, at 7 pm Eastern at Maracanã Stadium

Here is the full schedule of sporting events.

What to expect:

The 2016 Rio Olympics comes at a difficult time for Brazil. As Vox’s Libby Nelson explained, Brazil is in a much different place than it was when it won the Olympics bid in the late 2000s. Then it had a growing economy and a shrinking unemployment rate. Since that time, the country has entered the worst recession in its history; the president, Dilma Rousseff, is awaiting impeachment trials for campaign finance corruption; and the country’s political foundation is still recovering from a separate, even larger multibillion-dollar corruption scandal involving many top government figures (not to mention the recent spread of Zika plaguing South America).

But even with these obstacles, and many others associated with building an Olympic Park from the ground up, the Rio Olympics also brings some high points: the introduction of the first refugee team, with 10 athletes from conflict zones across the globe competing in judo, swimming, and track and field; the introduction of rugby sevens to the Olympics; a final go at Olympic gold from American swimming favorite Michael Phelps; and a much-anticipated gymnastics matchup between 2012 American Olympic gold medal winner Gabby Douglas and first-time American Olympian Simone Biles.

As the first South American country to host the Olympics, Brazil has a lot at stake. But with all the problems that have plagued the country in the runup to the games, expectations are low. And that might very well play in its favor.

India-West Indies T20Is in Florida could face logistical issues

The plan to conduct a three-match Twenty20 International series between India and West Indies at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida, where a six-day stint of the Caribbean Premier League 2016 is going on, in late August could run into logistical issues pertaining to dates and visa procurement.

The two cricket boards are reportedly eager to have the three fixtures between August 24 and 27, the only four dates when the stadium in Florida will be available.

According to a report on ESPNCricinfo, officials from both the boards are in Florida, holding a series of talks to arrive at a solution. The Indian team's current four-Test assignment in West Indies runs till August 22. The two cricket boards are reportedly eager to have the three fixtures between August 24 and 27, the only four dates when the Florida stadium will be available.

With very little time after the end of the Tests in West Indies, it could be tough for the two teams to get necessary visas on time. The stadium in Florida is also the home ground of Fort Lauderdale Strikers, the football team that plays in North American Soccer League, the second division in league soccer in the United States America. The Strikers' schedule begins from August 31 at home, narrowing the chances of playing the T20I series towards the end of the month.

There will be feasibility issues in September as well, as India's long home season kick-starts with a Test series against New Zealand, from September 22.

BCCI to convene for Special General Meeting on August 5

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has organised a Special General Meeting (SGM) with its affiliated members in Mumbai on August 5. With president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke scheduled to meet the Lodha panel on August 9 in New Delhi, the board will now discuss the the panel's recommendations that were ratified by a two-member bench of the Supreme Court. The board's lawyers are also expected to be present during the SGM.

"Yes, we have received an e-mail from the BCCI that there will be an SGM on August 5 at the Cricket Centre in Mumbai," a member of state unit told PTI on Tuesday (July 26). "The agenda is to discuss the implementation of the Supreme Court directives."

The court last week called for major changes in the structure and administration of the board and its affiliated state associations. The BCCI were also given a six month deadline to implement the changes. The major issues surrounding the implementations are expected to be discussed during the SGM so that the concerns can be conveyed to the committee by the president and secretary.

"I guess before meeting the Lodha panel in Delhi on August 9, the senior office-bearers will like to take the viewpoint of the senior state unit officials. One of the main bone of contention is the cumulative tenure part of 9 years for the office-bearers," a BCCI official said.

Ravichandran Ashwin reclaims top spot in ICC rankings for Test bowlers

Ravichandran Ashwin, Indian off spinner, has reclaimed top spot in the ICC rankings for Test bowlers following an exemplary performance in India's innings victory over West Indies in the first of the four-match Test series in Antigua. The 29-year-old spinner, who topped the year-end Test bowling rankings in 2015, was usurped by Yasir Shah following the leg spinner's 10-wicket exploits in Pakistan's win at Lord's last week.

Ashwin gained five ranking points for his seven-wicket haul at Antigua to open up a 44-point lead over Yasir, who conceded 46 points after an insipid showing in Pakistan's defeat at Old Trafford, which relegated him to the fifth spot. Ashwin, who also scored 113 in India's first innings, made gains in the batting rankings and strengthened his hold on the top spot among all-rounders as well.

Ashwin, only the third Indian to be top-ranked among all-rounders after Vinoo Mankad and Kapil Dev, now leads second-placed Shakib Al Hasan by 43 points in the all-rounders rankings.

In the batting standings, England's Joe Root powered to the second spot, behind Steve Smith, following innings of 254 and 71* at Old Trafford while Alastair Cook returned to the top-10 with knocks of 105 and 76* in the same Test. Virat Kohli, the Indian captain, who scored his maiden Test match double hundred in Antigua, climbed two places up to 12th.

Rio Olympics: Australia refuse to move into athletes village

Australia are refusing to move their athletes into the Rio Olympic Village because of concerns about the state of their accommodation.

Problems include "blocked toilets, leaking pipes and exposed wiring", according to team boss Kitty Chiller.

Chiller said she had raised concerns with local event organisers and the International Olympic Committee, and was "pushing hard for a solution".

Australian staff are in nearby hotels with the first athletes due on Monday.

Alternative accommodation for team members arriving over the next three days has been arranged.

The $1.5bn (£1.14bn) 31-building village has tennis courts, football pitches, seven swimming pools and will house 18,000 athletes and officials at the height of the Games, which start on 5 August, less than two weeks away.

Chiller, the head of Australia's Olympic delegation, said extra maintenance staff and more than 1,000 cleaners have been engaged to fix the problems but the faults, particularly the plumbing issues, have not been resolved.

She said in a statement on the Australian Olympic website: "Due to a variety of problems in the Village, including gas, electricity and plumbing, I have decided that no Australian team member will move into our allocated building.

"Problems include blocked toilets, leaking pipes, exposed wiring, darkened stairwells where no lighting has been installed and dirty floors in need of a massive clean."

Organisers have conceded there have been "teething troubles" and promised that crews would be "working 24 hours a day until the issues are resolved".

But Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes responded to Australian criticism by saying the Village is "more beautiful" than Sydney for the 2000 Games and that he was about to put "a kangaroo jumping outside" to "make them feel at home".

Kohli-Kumble partnership starts off on emphatic note

If ever you had to make a statement in your very first game, then this would definitely be it.

A big knock from the captain. A fighting fifty from a player struggling for form. A very successful experiment. Pacers taking wickets. Spinners taking wickets. Fielders holding on to tough chances.

It was the perfect game for Anil Kumble in his first ever game as the coach of the Indian team.

The former India captain was only recently appointed the head coach of the national side. Soon after, the practice sessions were in place, the plans detailed and the players picked. The team spoke highly of their new coach, and he returned the favour. It was the start of an exciting new era for the side, but the actual test was yet to begin.

India had a massive Test season coming up, starting with four Tests in the West Indies - a considerably weakened team, but against whom India had never managed to win more than once in a series.

In Antigua, India showed they meant business. They were here to win of course, and as expected they showcased the gulf in class between the two teams. But what was more important was for the team to win the kind of way they wanted to.

Kumble had mentioned that his main motive as coach will be to ensure that "all areas are covered - skill-wise, fitness-wise, strategy-wise - and prepare them so that they are able to go out there and assess any situation on their own."

With a record innings and 92-run triumph, the team underlined that all the areas were indeed covered.

"If you look at it logically, that's probably the perfect finish which every team looks for," Kohli said after the win on Sunday (July 24). "The seamers usually dominate the first innings when you play away from home. The wicket tires out on day four and five. That's when the spinners come into play. In the first innings, spinners are taking couple of the breakthrough wickets. In the second innings, fast bowlers are doing this for you and then the spinners will open it up again.

"And the batsmen as well," he continued. "We have spoken about one thing, that we have the skill and ability to declare innings more often than not rather than struggling to get to 350 with our lower order. So that's the kind of mindset we need to play with. You know when you start off with five batsmen, obviously you need to take more responsibilities. I think they are all good enough to do that."

While the previous Indian sides were more content with having put in the right process, the Kohli-Kumble partnership has stressed on the results that need to be delivered. 'Learning curve' was something that had been stressed on a lot previously, but the current think-tank believes that the players who come to play for the national team are capable of delivering what is expected of them. That comes as a refreshing and much-needed change.

"As I've said before, we are not at a stage now where we need to come and improve. We should be ready enough in international cricket to start dominating Test matches and win those crucial situations and sessions. That's how we become a better team. If you think we are going to keep learning every series, learning every game, we will never get that hunger and that mindset to win games from difficult situations. We need to challenge ourselves a little bit, which this team has been willing to do and which is a wonderful sign," said Kohli.

But matching expectations could lead to complacency. When you get almost everything you want, it can be the easiest option - to put your feet up, tell everyone how well they've played and look forward to the next stint. But under Kumble and Kohli, things work differently. They want to ensure whatever little that didn't pan out isn't left to chance in the future.

"There was nothing out of the ordinary," Kohli said about how Kumble reacted to the win. "Having played for so long, I think he understands how the players feel about a victory. He congratulated everyone and gave special mention to the guys who made important contributions in the game. Might not be seen too much but those important breakthroughs, important moments are very crucial for the team to win. He understands that very nicely. It's a great start for him.

"It's all about creating good habits. It's very easy to give runs away easily, then you don't realise that you make bad habits along the way. You suddenly find out eventually when there's a very important moment in the game.

"I think a couple or areas with the bat we can improve especially is not losing wickets close to the breaks. Pujara was one, Shikhar was the other, just before tea and then myself soon after lunch on Day 2.See, these are the things, which if we have enough runs on the board and start scoring quickly, you tend to ignore. But I have that it in my mind pretty strongly, because every team will want to challenge you and will want to dry those runs out. So you have to capitalise those important moments so the team can't lose that momentum and start scoring runs again. We've lost wickets in those moments previously. That's one area I still think need to tighten up a little bit more if you want to be in complete control of things in all the sessions that we play. We've done really well in this game, but that's one area we have addressed before and we certainly want to improve on," Kohli added.

The attention to detail can only mean good things for Indian cricket and if the plans and execution can pan out this well, India will very soon be the team they want to be.

All-round Ashwin stars in India's biggest win in West Indies

India enjoyed a near perfect start under Anil Kumble as they walloped a hapless West Indies team by and innings and 92 runs in under four days at Antigua, on Sunday (July 24).

If their batsmen sparkled in the first innings of the Test, amassing 566 for 8 before declaring, and the fast bowlers came to the party in the second, it were the spinners that shone in the third and final innings of the game.

R Ashwin had gone wicket-less in the first innings as well as on the morning of the fourth day, but during the second session he was near unplayable - picking up his first ever five-wicket haul outside Asia. He ended with 7 for 83.

During the morning session, Marlon Samuels and Rajendra Chandrika shared a vital fifty-run stand as West Indies fought hard to stay alive in the first of the four-Test series. But the best stand of the innings came with the hosts eight down and staring at defeat. Carlos Brathwiate took the attack to the Indian spinners, and with Devendra Bishoo for company, stalled the Indians for 24.1 overs. The pair added 95 runs for the 9th wicket, but it only delayed the inevitable.

Day 4 at Antigua began with India striking early, Darren Bravo, facing Umesh Yadav, played away from the body and the edge was smartly taken by Ajinkya Rahane at gully.

Samuels enjoyed some luck early on, with an inside edge through to the wicketkeeper being ruled not out by the third umpire. The decision had been referred to Gregory Brathwaite after Saha had claimed a low catch. TV replays turned out to be inconclusive with Samuels's bat obstructing the view just when the Indian took the catch. The third umpire finally ruled in the batsman's favour, and Samuels was handed a lucky reprieve on 16.

The right-hander was particularly attacking against Ashwin, hitting the off-spinner for three fours in one over.

Rain held up play for a bit, giving India coach Anil Kumble the chance to run his plans over with the team again, but before they could resume the game, Lunch was called.

After a fighting first session, West Indies capitulated to spin as Ashwin triggered a collapse with some superb off-spin. From a decent position at 88 for 2 in the 36h over, the home side lost six wickets for just 44 runs and left themselves facing a massive innings defeat and a series deficit.

India's breakthrough in the second session came with a slice of luck. Chandrika hopped down the track to meet an Ashwin delivery, but missed the clip to the leg side. The ball did not seem to have met the bat on its way to Saha's gloves, but umpire Aleem Dar thought otherwise.

With the opening they were looking for, India went for the kill. Jermaine Blackwood bagged a pair in the Test, flicking the ball to a diving Virat Kohli on the leg side, while Marlon Samuels was undone by a brilliant delivery.

Ashwin used the strong wind, blowing from East to West, to his advantage and bowled the straighter one. Samuels played a tad inside the line, anticipating for the ball to spin, but it managed to beat the bat and hit the stumps. Samuels had held one side up with a fine fifty, and it needed a special delivery to remove him.

Roston Chase departed soon after, with his forward prod taking the inside edge and going to forward short-leg, where substitute fielder KL Rahul took a good, low catch. It was Ashwin's fourth wicket of the innings.

Shane Dowrich, who hit a solid fifty in the first innings, was trapped leg before by Mishra soon after as West indies slipped towards a big defeat.

Jason Holder became Ashwin's fifth victim, being bowled by another superb delivery from the off-spinner for 16. The West Indies captain was lured into the drive with a floated delivery, but the ball spun in and disturbed the stumps.

Carlos Brathwaite and Bishoo put together a defiant 95-run stand. Both players were severe against the spinners, hitting over the top and collecting boundaries freely. Ashwin finally broke through in the 78th over by getting Bishoo caught at mid-wicket for 45.

Three balls later, Ashwin wrapped up the match by bowling out Shannon Gabriel for four.

The innings and 92-run victory is India's biggest outside Asia.

India in driver’s seat as West Indies follow on

A dominant India left West Indies staring at a possible innings defeat after they were bundled out for 243 to give the visitors a huge first-innings lead of 323 runs in the first cricket Test here today.
India enforced the follow-on after bowling out West Indies in the final session of day three in 90.2 overs.

At the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, the hosts were placed at 21/1 (13 overs) at stumps in their second innings, still trailing by 302 runs after the visitors had finished their first innings at 566/8 declared.
Returning from a one and a half year injury layoff, Mohammad Shami (4-66) had done the damage before tea, and Umesh Yadav (4-41) continued afterwards, as the hosts were bowled out with 13 overs remaining in the day. But that was after Shane Dowrich (57 not out, 10 fours) and skipper Jason Holder (36) put on 69 runs for the 8th wicket.

They looked good in the middle and kept the scoreboard ticking for the duration of their partnership, with the West Indies’ 200-mark coming up in the 81st over and their 50-run stand coming off 80 balls.

The new ball was taken thereafter, with R Ashwin (0-43) starting but he soon gave way to Yadav and Shami. Dowrich meanwhile got to his 2nd Test half-century off 75 balls, even as runs started flowing owing to the hardness of the new ball.

But it didn’t last long as Yadav finally induced an edge off Holder in the 86th over, caught behind by keeper Wriddhiman Saha. It was his sixth dismissal of the innings and he equalled the Indian record held by both Farokh Engineer and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Yadav then bowled Carlos Brathwaite (0) off the very first ball, as the burly batsman shouldered arms to an incoming delivery. Amit Mishra (2-43) then ended the resistance and bowled Shannon Gabriel (2).

Trailing by 323 runs, the West Indies were asked to follow on, and Ishant Sharma (1-3) managed to remove the in-form Kraigg Brathwaite (2) in the very first over, trapping him LBW. Thereafter, Rajendra Chandrika (9 batting) and Darren Bravo (10 batting) successfully negotiated the remaining overs without further loss.

Earlier, post lunch, it was an improved display by the Indian bowlers who looked to change their line and length from the morning. And the change could be seen almost immediately as Shami started proceedings after the break. He kept both Brathwaite (74 runs) and Marlon Samuels (1) guessing, inducing an edge off the latter in the 49th over.

Four deliveries later, it became a double blow, as Jermaine Blackwood (0) was unable to fend off a sharp rising delivery and was caught at gully by Ajinkya Rahane.

Mohammed Shami turns the screw on West Indies

Virat Kohli has spoken about his admiration for Mohammed Shami's bowling abilities a couple of times already. The Indian captain sees Shami as the perfect bowler in Tests, one who can stick to plans and prise out wickets when needed. From the way the ball is release to where it is pitched and to what it does after, Shami's bowling displays, so it seems, have left Kohli in awe.

"He is a gun bowler, the areas he hits is what you need in Test cricket the attacking lengths and he has the ability to get batsmen out at any stage of the game which is very pleasing in test cricket and important for a captain. So, Shami being back in the side obviously gives us a lot of options. The guy can bowl with the new and old ball, reverse swing, he can come round the wicket, use bouncers and use his space well. I think as a fast bowler he is a complete package," Kohli had said of Shami.

On Saturday (July 23), the pacer gave his captain more reasons to be proud of his 'gun' bowler. Shami removed three West Indies batsmen in addition to the one he had already dismissed last evening.

Rajendra Chandrika and Kraigg Brathwaite were dogged during their opening stand, playing cautiously and trying to ensure they gave India no reasons for cheer late in the day. After Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav failed to make an impact, Kohli turned to Shami. And in three overs, the pacer had got Chandrika to edge behind.

The next morning, Shami was not as successful even though he did most things right. Nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo survived quite a few close calls, but was eventually dismissed by Amit Mishra.

When the next partnership between Kraigg and Darren Bravo was starting to flourish, Kohli turned to Shami again. And yet again, Shami delivered. Heimmediatelyswitched to around the wicket when Bravo came on strike. It was the third ball of his new spell, and Shami had Bravo walking back to the pavilion.

Soon after the Lunch break, Shami was into his element. He had Marlon Samuels out cheaply. It was his 50th Test wicket, and he became the joint-fastest Indian pacer (24 Innings) to get there. Shami celebrated that achievement with another superb delivery, getting Jermaine Blackwood out for a duck. It was his fourth wicket of the innings, and the hosts were in complete disarray.

On the kind of pitch where bowlers have really struggled, Shami was prospering. No wonder Kohli is all praise for him. As he demonstrated today, Shami understands how to alter his plans according to the pitch. He plugged away outside the off-stump and reaped rewards. He hit the nagging length consistently and made it hard for batsmen to score. And when the pitch did offer some help, he ensured it was in the kind of area to trouble the batsmen.

Shami's abilities to do just this was also noted by the Indian captain.

"Shami is obviously a really skillful guy, we all know that. He has a lot of ability with the ball, the way he bowls, the way the ball is released, where he pitches the ball - it is more or less perfect for Test cricket. The lines and the lengths he bowls are always attacking, no matter what the wicket is. And the best thing about him is that if it is seaming and it is swinging, he will bowl you the conventional lines and lengths but if it is reverse-swinging, he knows exactly where to bring in the ball from. He has a great sense and a feel of how to get batsmen out," Kohli had said in Bengaluru before the team's departure.

Umesh Yadav, who picked up four wickets on Day 3, speaking about Shami at the post-day press conference, waxed lyrical about his pace partner. He said there was no need for him to "light a lamp in the dark" as far as Shami is concerned.

"He is a natural bowler. He is a smart bowler and he has inswing, outswing, a good bouncer. He is a complete bowler and I don't think there is a need to even compliment him. He is a very talented bowler," Umesh said.

Much of the showers of praise for Shami have come from even before he bowled his first ball in Antigua. Now with the kind of performance he put in on Saturday, it is only bound to increase.

The Indian team is excited, and understandably, about having a fit Shami back in the side, and he's starting to show why.

SHOCKING! Star wrestler Narsingh Yadav fails dope test, Rio participation doubtful

Barely 10 days before the start of the Olympics, India suffered a huge embarrassment as 74kg freestyle wrestler Narsingh Yadav failed a dope test conducted by NADA, a development which has cast doubt on his participation in Rio Games.

Narsingh was selected for the Rio Olympics in controversial circumstances.

National Anti-Doping Director General Navin Agarwal confirmed that Narsingh's 'B' sample also tested positive for a banned steroid and he appeared before a NADA disciplinary panel on Saturday.

"Yes, he (Narsingh) tested positive for a banned steroid. His B sample was also found to be positive. Narsingh was personally present when his B sample was opened," NADA DG told PTI on Sunday.

"He appeared before a disciplinary panel yesterday. The panel sought for more reports regarding the matter. We will proceed further and I am hoping that the panel will proceed quickly. Till then we will have to wait," he added.

Asked if Narsingh will miss the Rio Olympics, Agarwal said, "It is too early to comment in that regard. We will try to complete the whole thing quickly. I cannot speculate on that."

Interestingly, Narsingh was selected for the Rio Olympics in controversial circumstances as double Olympic medallist Sushil Singh had also staked his claim to represent the country in 74kg freestyle.

But Narsingh was favoured as he had earned the Olympic quota in the World Championships last year.

Narsingh had to fight a lengthy legal battle with two-time Olympics medallist Sushil, also in the same category, to get the chance to compete for India at the Olympics.​

Virat Kohli double and Ashwin ton India on top in Antigua

Virat Kohli fell shortly after scoring his first ever double hundred as the Indian Test skipper was dismissed by Gabriel first ball after Lunch. Batting on 200, Kohli was bowled by the seamer. It was the skipper’s session as he, along with Ashwin, piled on the runs in the opening session of the day’s play. The duo swelled the total to 404/4 from the overnight total of 302/4.

West Indies looked a tired lot with the ball as they failed to create chances with the new ball in the morning session. The shoulders were dropping as the Indian pair continued to pile on the runs, at a very brisk pace in Antigua. While the focus remained on Kohli, Ashwin quietly went about doing business as he scored a crucial fifty, and then a hundred, in the process. He also shared a record 168-run fifth-wicket stand with the skipper at this venue. Celebrations were in plenty as one and all raised from their seats to applaud Kohli’s effort. Kumble was out with his camera while Viv Richards was all smiles from the stands. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar too was very pleased from the commentary box. After declaring at 566/8, India reduced hosts to 31/1 at stumps.

West Indies, in reply to India's 566/8 (decl), end the day's play at 31/1. Mohammed Shami picked the only hosts wicket to fall on the day.

With maiden double hundred Virat Kohli joins league of extraordinary gentlemen

Run-machine Virat Kohli reached yet another career-milestone in the Antigua Test on Friday when he slammed his first double hundred in international cricket.

India skipper Virat Kohli reached a significant career milestone on Friday as he scored his maiden double century in Test cricket during Day 2 of the first Test against West Indies at Antigua. In the process he broke Mohammad Azharuddin's 26-year-old record to become the first Indian captain to score a double hundred overseas. Azhar's 192 against New Zealand in Auckland in 1990 was the previous best by an Indian captain outside the country.

Kohli's previous highest score in Tests was 169 against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2014. The right-hander is in the form of his life at present and is leading India for the first time in a Test series in the Caribbean. Notably, Kohli had made his Test debut in the West Indies five years back but had failed to make a mark then, averaging just 15.20 in five innings.

Kohli got to the milestone in 281 balls, looked upwards to thank the almighty and raised his bat towards the Indian dressing room. He got to the mark with the help of 24 boundaries and at a strike rate of 71.

Kohli, however, paid the price for a brief period of lapse of concentration. The skipper played on a delivery from Shannon Gabriel right after the lunch break to walk back without adding anything to his score. Kohli had hit 24 boundaries in his gutsy innings. Ashwin carried on from where Kohli left and helped India declare on 566/8 after which Mohammed Shami drew first blood to reduce West Indies to 31/1 at stumps on Day 1.
The 27-year-old has put India in the driver's seat in the first Test, thanks to his magnificent knock. Kohli also completed 3000 runsin Test cricket during his knock on the first day.

Kohli has been a part of two century stands during his innings and received good support from his teammates in the middle. He first stitched a 105-run partnership with opener Shikhar Dhawan (84) for the third wicket and then added 168-runs with all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin (64 not out) for the fifth wicket.

Kohli, who made his international debut in an ODI against Sri Lanka at Dambulla in 2008, is now eighth in the list of most international runs scored by an Indian cricketer. He has amassed 7212 runs in 171 ODIs and 1641 runs in 43 T20 matches, along with over 3000 runs in Test cricket.

Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar to fly to Rio for meet the Indian Olympic squad

Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar will travel to the Rio Olympics after being invited by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach along with other eminent global personalities.

Tendulkar, who is an Indian Olympic Association goodwill ambassador, will leave for the Brazilian city on August 2 and also meet the Indian contingent during his trip.

“This will be Tendulkar’s first visit to the Olympics games. He would be leaving for Rio de Janeiro on 2 August, during his visit he would also be meeting the Indian contingent to wish them well for the games,” a source close to Tendulkar said.

“Sachin recently visited the government hospital in Mumbai to get a yellow fever vaccination which is mandatory for countries like Brazil,” he added.

Tendulkar, who underwent a knee surgery in London recently, is expected to be reasonably fit to travel to Rio and is keen to go there to support Team India.

His trip to Rio comes amid speculation that cricket could be included in the 2024 Games roster.
In his role as goodwill ambassador with the IOA, Tendulkar met the Rio-bound Indian wrestling contingent -- comprising Narsingh Yadav, Vinesh Phogat, Babita Kumari, Sakshi Malik, Ravinder Khatri, and Hardeep -- and also posted videos on his facebook page, profiling the athletes who have qualified for the Games.

Tendulkar is also an active member of the Parliament’s upper house -- the Rajya Sabha.

Kohli ton gives India shot at domination

In the lead-up to this series, India's captain Virat Kohli arranged a meeting with Viv Richards to take his blessings, in the words of Richards. On the first day of the series, at a ground named after Richards, Kohli showed all the intent that was a hallmark of Richards. He picked five bowlers, going for specialists ahead of those who can bat; he went with Shikhar Dhawan, who brings the possibility of quicker runs than KL Rahul; and he chose to bat when the first session on this pitch was the only one expected to offer bowlers any assistance on the first three days.

India 302 for 4 (Kohli 143*, Dhawan 84, Bishoo 3-108) v West Indies Day 1

Most importantly, with India in a spot of bother at 74 for 2 and struggling to score freely, Kohli batted with similar intent, albeit against a limited attack that must have been close to tiring out. He scored an unbeaten 143, his 12th Test century and his first against West Indies, to put India in a position to dominate, a goal they seemed to have set themselves at the start of the series. To make it better for Kohli, his selection of Dhawan paid off. Some considered Dhawan lucky to be playing this Test, he enjoyed some luck against testing bowling at the start of the innings, but he helped India keep a disciplined West Indies attack at bay with his first half-century in eight innings. The two added 105 in 27.1 overs; the previous 74 runs had taken 27.4 overs.

India would have expected to work hard for their runs on a slow pitch surrounded by a slow outfield in North Sound, but hands in front of helmets as protective action wouldn't have been on the agenda. In their first Test under new bowling coach Roddy Estwick, the West Indies attack, thin on numbers but displaying tenacity, tested the Indian top order in the first session. Shannon Gabriel, making a Test comeback after good returns in the ODI triangular series earlier this season, rattled the openers with his pace, accounting for M Vijay with a bouncer, but Dhawan was prepared to fight before capitalising on the second string, an older ball and falling intensity.

Play began along expected lines. As opposed to India's intent, West Indies took the safer route given their limited resources: they picked the extra batsman, debutant Roston Chase, and chose Jason Holder, who on many sheets was marked as an allrounder, to share the new ball. India were expected to look for runs, and relatively quick runs, while West Indies were expected to frustrate India. On the field, it was going to be a test of execution and endurance for West Indies.

The execution was near perfect before lunch. In his first spell of 4-2-6-1, Gabriel roughed up both Dhawan and Vijay. Dhawan had the worse of the exchanges, top-edging Holder before fending hopelessly four times in a row against Gabriel. Vijay edged the second bouncer he faced for Kraigg Brathwaite to juggle a catch at second slip. Holder - first spell of 5-2-10-0 - played his part in making Gabriel effective, and Carlos Brathwaite followed it up with a spell of six overs for six runs.

Dhawan might have had a problem against the short ball, but his discipline outside off and his will to make the bowlers get his wicket stood out. He refused to fall for the sucker delivery after the short ones, shelving his cover drive - playing only seven of them - and indulging only in the late cut off the part-timer Chase, who bowled economical overs of offspin in the first session. Unlike Cheteshwar Pujara, who got stuck and fell for 16 off 67 after a 60-run second-wicket partnership, Dhawan kept finding a way to score. While it was the late cut at the start - 14 runs off five attempts - he began to use his feet towards the end of the first session. He went into lunch with 29 off his last 26 balls, and would come back to get himself in before opening up again.

Pujara, though, fell immediately after lunch, getting a leading edge off a short legbreak from the returning Devendra Bishoo. The wicket changed the complexion of the day's play. With Kohli came the intent to score runs. The flat and slow pitch didn't call for a watertight technique, so Kohli could take a few liberties, but his attitude of looking to score first before falling back on other options exposed the limited West Indies attack.

Until then, West Indies had kept India quiet by bowling well outside off, but Kohli began driving, a shot that can be dangerous early in the innings in some conditions, but not in Antigua. There was no seam, no unfriendly bounce, and the ball was too old to swing. As if a sign of how the West Indies concentration was being tested, Kohli's first boundary came through a misfield, from Marlon Samuels.

Dhawan began to find more authority in his cuts. He upper-cut Gabriel for a six, swept Bishoo and stopped missing chances for singles. All through, Kohli kept driving imperiously. In the 34th over, the run rate reached three for the first time since the third over. The two kept picking ones and twos effortlessly. At one point Kohli pinched a single to Gabriel at mid-off, and told his partner, "He is very tired." Before you realised it, Kohli had followed Dhawan to a half-century, bringing it up off the 75th ball he faced. Bishoo, though, came back just before tea to trap Dhawan lbw on the sweep.

Kohli added 57 with an enterprising Ajinkya Rahane, who like Pujara, saw a short legbreak, shaped to pull but didn't manage to adjust as the ball stopped and bounced at him. In another sign of intent, India had R Ashwin batting at No. 6, ahead of Wriddhiman Saha. West Indies continued with their conservative approach, happy to slow India down, not taking the new ball and getting in some quiet overs before stumps as Kohli and Ashwin added an unbeaten 66 runs.

Kohli brought up what had looked like an inevitable century. Only once was there alarm during his innings. After a mini quiet period, he drove at a wide Brathwaite delivery. The edge flew wide of gully. On this pitch, such a drive to prevent the bowlers from bowling quiet overs wide outside off was a risk worth taking. As was playing five bowlers. Kohli was prepared to take both.

Nepal record historic win at Lord's

Back in 1816, the East India Company, that had annexed most parts of the subcontinent, tried their luck in furthering their rule to the Kingdom of Nepal. Not too pleased with the move of the British annexing their bordering states, the Anglo-Nepal war ensued and the mightier men from the west were soundly beaten. The attackers had underestimated the might of the Nepali, and eventually ended up signing the Sugauli Treaty, under which Nepal were given back portions of present-day Sikkim and Terai.

Apart from the fact that the war led to stories of Gorkha's valour gaining fame, it also resulted in a lasting friendship between the two countries, with Nepal offering support to the British during the two World Wars.

On Wednesday (July 20), 200 years down the line, in a match that was played to honour the friendship between the two countries, Nepal - cricketing amateurs - defeated Marylebone Cricket Club - the guardians of cricket - in their own game at their self-confessed Mecca, Lord's.

Yet again, the men from Britain possibly underestimated the might of Nepal.

A crowd of over 9,000 had gathered to witness the match, the louder portion of which had come out in support of the visiting side. However, due to the rules of the ground, efforts to unfurl the Nepal flag were turned down. The proceeds of the match, 10 Sterling Pounds per ticket, were set to be given as an aid for rebuilding work in Nepal after last year's earthquake.

Paras Khadka, Nepal's captain, won the toss and elected to bat.

John Stevenson, MCC head of cricket, had vouched that a strong line-up that will play an 'entertaining brand of cricket in the future' would be put up against Nepal. But as it turned out, their best weren't good enough against the Asian side that is making strong progress among Associate Nations in cricket.

Anil Mandal got Nepal off to a good start, stroking two boundaries off the first over. However, with a few wickets falling early on in the match, the visitors adopted a cautious approach. The scoring rate came down, but a few steady partnerships helped them keep the momentum going.

Gyanendra Malla (39) and Khadka (30) helped Nepal go past 100 with eight wickets in hand. However, they lost the plot soon after the duo was dismissed. Left-arm spinner Mark Reingold strangled the scoring rate from thereon. After looking well-set to go past the 250-run mark, Nepal were eventually restricted to 217 for 8.

MCC got off to a slow start in the chase, playing out consecutive maiden overs. By the 25th over, the required run-rate had crept up over a run a ball. Barring George Adair, who scored a well-paced 122-ball century, the rest of the batting order failed to provide the kind of 'entertaining brand of cricket' that Stevenson had promised. Steve Clarke and Richard Wilkinson were the only other batsmen to record a two-digit score in the innings.

The lower order crumbled quickly under the pressure of an ever-creeping required rate and the hosts folded up for 176, handing Nepal a 41-run win.

"Boys were excited, a little bit nervous as well - you can understand, playing at Lord's just doesn't happen everyday," Khadka, the elated skipper, said following the win. "I think we managed to hold ourselves pretty well. Everybody contributed bits and pieces, overall it was very good. Batting, we were 20-30 runs short but the boys kept digging in, the wicket wasn't that easy and the bowlers were very, very disciplined and that was one of the key factors for us to win today."

Pubudu Dassanayake too was joyous with the win and added, "These boys, the amount of work they put in, they deserve this, to come and play a game here. They make a lot of sacrifices and fight always."

In war or joy, history repeated itself.

Rafael Nadal makes Rio Olympic entry list

Paris - Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal was included on the entry list for the Olympic Games tennis tournament on Friday after appealing to the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

The 14-time Grand Slam champion had not met the qualifying criteria, which involves a set number of Davis Cup appearances in an Olympic cycle, for next month's Games in Rio.

World number four Nadal hasn't played since a wrist injury forced him to withdraw from the French Open and also ruled him out of Wimbledon.

Nadal was the gold medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics but missed the 2012 London Games because of a knee injury.

He is due to carry Spain's flag at the opening ceremony in Rio on August 5.

Reigning champions Andy Murray and Serena Williams will defend their Olympic titles on the Rio hard courts, the ITF had already confirmed.

Top stars including world number one Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are also playing in Brazil.

However, Maria Sharapova misses Rio due to her doping suspension as does fellow former world number one Victoria Azarenka who revealed Friday that she is pregnant.

Lionel Messi handed jail term in Spain for tax fraud

Argentina and Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax fraud.

His father, Jorge Messi, was also given a jail term for defrauding Spain of €4.1m (£3.5m; $4.5m) between 2007 and 2009.

They also face millions of euros in fines for using tax havens in Belize and Uruguay to conceal earnings from image rights.

However, neither man is expected to serve time in jail.
Under the Spanish system, prison terms of under two years can be served under probation.

'I knew nothing', Messi tells court

Messi retires from international football
Is Messi best of all time?
How Messi reached his 500-goal milestone

Quizz: How well do you know Messi?

The footballer and his father were found guilty of three counts of tax fraud in Wednesday's ruling by the court in Barcelona.

As well as the jail terms, Messi was fined about €2m and his father €1.5m. They made a voluntary €5m "corrective payment", equal to the alleged unpaid tax plus interest, in August 2013.
The sentence can be appealed against via the Spanish supreme court.

Having fun can help ride tough times - MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni stressed on the need to "have fun" and "back each other" in his motivational speech to the Indian team on the penultimate day of their training camp.

"Most of us started cricket when we were five. I think this is the period where Indian cricket will move forward," he said. "Last two-three years, we were talking about the youngsters getting into the Test arena. Now, we have a set of batsmen and a pool of bowlers. That is why this coming phase will be very interesting."

Dhoni emphasised bringing back the fun element to their game. "Make sure you have a lot of fun, because in Indian cricket, it is something we don't do often. Cricket is too much for us. For a lot of us, if you take cricket out of our personal lives, there is not much left. But it is important to have fun."

Football seeks to tackle Brexit fallout

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the mercurial Sweden striker, was the first high-profile footballer to feel the bite from Brexit — by the time he signed for Manchester United last week, his sterling-denominated pay packet was worth roughly 10 per cent less against the dollar.
Ibrahimovic did not balk at his deal — reportedly worth £220,000 a week — and currency fluctuations were not discussed at length during his negotiations.

But other clubs are taking advice on how Brexit will change how they sign players and the sharp fall in the pound will land clubs with higher bills for foreign players this summer.
“If there is a euro amount to a player’s buyout clause, that amount has become more expensive and has potentially scuppered deals,” said Daniel Geey, a sports lawyer at Sheridans.
One person close to a championship club said an Italian player demanded an increase in wages following Brexit because of the disadvantage of being paid in pounds. The deal subsequently fell through.
The summer transfer window — the three-month period when clubs can acquire players — opened in June. Clubs are expected to spend lavishly, since all 20 Premier League clubs can look forward to at least £100m of television rights revenue from a new £5.1bn deal with Sky and BT.
Last season, a record £1.045bn was spent in transfer fees in the Premier League, according to Deloitte.
The biggest clubs are hedged against currency, earning euros from playing in European competition and dollars from international sponsorship deals. But smaller clubs could feel stretched by the drop in the pound.
Beyond the summer, there could be issues over recruiting younger players, with EU rules currently allowing 16 to 18-year-olds from the EU to join youth academies in Britain. Cesc Fabregas, for example, joined Arsenal in 2003 aged 16 from Barcelona.
“Right now, currency is the big issue,” said a senior executive at one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs. “The bigger story is about player acquisition, transfers and player development. Everything will depend on the political settlement.”

If the rules for non-EU visas are applied to all countries after Brexit, it could also stop promising youngsters who joined the Premier League before they started playing for their national team, a key criteria.
These work permit rules could have excluded entry to some of last season’s most successful players, such as Frenchmen Dimitri Payet of West Ham, N’Golo Kante of Leicester City and Anthony Martial of Manchester United.
Brexit could also change Britain’s status as one of the power brokers of world football. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland together have a combined 50 per cent of the vote at the International Football Association Board, the global game’s pre-eminent rulemaking body. This gives the so-called “home” nations an effective veto over the laws of the game.
Stefan Szymanski, author of Money and Football: A Soccernomics Guide, said this special status was afforded to Britain decades ago and left unchallenged because of the stability these closely-connected countries provide.
He said: “There could be a movement that says, while we’re in the process of downgrading [the UK’s] status in the world, why don’t we remove some of these anachronisms as well?”