KL Rahul is determined to add to the "great memories" of facing Zimbabwe when he returns as captain in a three-match ODI series.

Rahul has not played for almost three months after undergoing a hernia operation and suffering with COVID-19.

The batter has been passed fit to lead India at Harare Sports Club, where the opening match of the series will be staged on Thursday, with VVS Laxman stepping in as India head coach while Rahul Dravid takes a break.

Rahul scored an unbeaten century on his ODI debut at the same venue six years ago and is eager to make up for lost time.

He told reporters on Wednesday: "My ODI and T20I debut was in Harare. I got a 100 in my first game, so I have great memories here.

"Hopefully I can add on to those memories. Coming back here after so many years and getting the opportunity to lead your country, obviously when you look back, it's very pleasing.

"As a person you can see how much you've grown and how far you've come as a player. It gives me great joy. Hopefully I can add to those good memories and play some good cricket over the next week."

India suffered a 3-0 series defeat to South Africa in Rahul's only previous series as skipper, but the tourists will be expected to dish out a whitewash of their own in Harare.

Shikhar Dhawan captained India to a 3-0 clean sweep of West Indies in the 50-over format last month and the opener will be vice-captain as they look for a fourth consecutive series triumph.

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant are among the players who have been rested ahead of the Asia Cup. Shahbaz Ahmed will be hoping to make his debut after the all-rounder replaced the injured Washington Sundar.

Zimbabwe ended a three-year wait for an ODI series win by beating Bangladesh 2-1, but this will be a much bigger challenge. 

Regis Chakabva will skipper the hosts in the absence of Craig Ervine, who is out with a torn hamstring.

Chahar must make his mark

Deepak Chahar will make his long-awaited return after a six-month absence due to quad and back injuries.

With so much competition for places, the seamer will know he must take his chance. The 30-year-old was not included in India's Asia Cup squad, but he is on standby.

Raza key to Zimbabwe's hopes

Sikandar Raza was named player of the series in Zimbabwe's triumph over the Tigers this month.

The all-rounder scored two centuries, as well as taking five wickets, and Zimbabwe will look to him to contribute again with both bat and ball.

Rangers captain James Tavernier has reaffirmed his commitment to the Scottish Premiership giants by signing a new long-term deal.

The 30-year-old is into his eighth season at Ibrox and has been a regular in each of those, during which time he has helped Rangers win four trophies.

Tavernier, the last remaining player from Rangers' time in the lower divisions of Scottish football, was only under contract until the end of next season.

However, Rangers announced on Wednesday that the right-back has agreed fresh terms on a deal that will take him to a decade in Glasgow.

"I just want to spend more years here and have that security," Tavernier, who has made 353 appearances for Rangers, told the club's official website.

"It is such a great place to play football and I can't wait to see what the coming years have to bring.

"I am settled here, my family are settled here, so it was a no-brainer to get the contact extension over the line."

Tavernier skippered Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title two seasons ago and led the team in last season's Europa League final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.

He previously represented the likes of Newcastle United, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United, Wigan Athletic and Bristol City.

South Africa took control on a rain-affected opening day of the first Test against England as their pace attack fired at Lord's.

Just 32 overs were possible on Wednesday, yet there was enough time for the Proteas to reduce Ben Stokes' side to 116-6.

Anrich Nortje claimed 3-43 and the fit-again Kagiso Rabada took 2-36 in a ruthless display from the fast bowlers before the heavens opened in London.

Under-pressure opener Zak Crawley fell for only nine, with Alex Lees the first man to depart for five as Rabada struck twice early on his return from injury.

Joe Root was unable to provide any respite as he departed leg before to Marco Jansen (1-18) before Jonny Bairstow was clean bowled for a duck by Nortje.

Stokes (20) and Ollie Pope (61 not out) added 45 runs for the fifth wicket, but the captain was squared up by Nortje's final ball of the morning session and caught at third slip by Keegan Petersen.

Having lost five wickets prior to lunch, Ben Foakes became Nortje's third victim when he was cleaned up by a ripper and rain forced the end of play two deliveries later.

To cover the loss of overs on day one of the first Test in the three-match series, the remaining four days will now see 98 overs per day, with dry weather forecast.

England blown away by Proteas pace attack

The wicket of Foakes was Nortje's 50th in Test cricket in his 13th match, his raw pace proving far too hot for England's batters to handle.

Rabada was also hugely impressive a dominant display from the tourists and he is now five wickets away from 250 for South Africa.

Pope provides some hope

England have won their past four Tests, making this their best-such run since a five-match streak in 2018, but they already have their work cut out after a poor start at Lord's.

Pope provided the only positive with that his eighth Test half-century, though even then he had the fortune of being dropped by Peterson on 45.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been cautioned by Merseyside Police over an incident involving an Everton fan following Manchester United's defeat at Goodison Park last season.

A video emerged on social media of United forward Ronaldo appearing to smash a supporter's phone as he left the field after the Toffees' 1-0 Premier League win in April.

The Portugal captain issued an apology on Instagram, stating: "It's never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing.

"Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, patient and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game.

"I would like to apologise for my outburst and, if possible, I would like to invite this supporter to watch a game at Old Trafford as a sign of fair-play and sportsmanship.”

Ronaldo has now been interviewed by police and given a caution.

Merseyside Police said in a statement: "We can confirm that a 37-year-old man voluntarily attended and was interviewed under caution in relation to an allegation of assault and criminal damage.
 
"The allegation relates to an incident following the Everton v Manchester United football match at Goodison Park on Saturday 9 April.
 
"The matter has been dealt with by way of conditional caution. The matter has now concluded."

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner could leave United before the transfer window closes on September 1, with his future the subject of constant speculation just under a year after he returned to the club.

The Los Angeles Chargers have made Derwin James the highest-paid safety in NFL history after the two-time Pro Bowler reportedly agreed to a four-year, $76.5 million extension.

According to NFL.com, James will receive $42million in guaranteed money and is due $29m – a record for a defensive player – in the first year of the deal, which will start in 2023 and runs through 2026.

James was entering the final year of his rookie contract and was at training camp but not practising while negotiations were taking place.

The extension surpasses the four-year, $73m deal that Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick signed in June, while the $42m in guarantees is also a record for a safety. Seattle Seahawks star Jamal Adams received $38m guaranteed on the extension he signed last summer.

The 17th overall selection of the 2018 draft, James made an instant impact with a stellar rookie campaign in which he started all 16 games for the Chargers and compiled 105 tackles, three interceptions, 3.5 sacks and 13 passes defensed while earning All-Pro honours.

James appeared in only five games over the next two seasons due to injuries, including a meniscus tear in his knee that sidelined him for all of 2020.

The 26-year-old bounced back with a strong 2021 season in which he posted 118 tackles, two interceptions and two sacks in 15 games to garner his second career Pro Bowl nod.

Chargers coach Brandon Staley recently spoke of James' importance to the defence while lauding the 6-foot-2, 215-pound standout's versatility.

"I don't look at Derwin as a safety. I look at Derwin as an impact player," Staley told The Athletic.

"I think if you were just looking at him as a safety, that wouldn't be doing Derwin justice.

"When I see him, I'm like, 'that's a defensive back', because he can play anywhere. He can play either safety spot. He can play corner. He can rush the quarterback and make an impact as a blitzer. He can make an impact in man-to-man coverage. And then he can make an impact in zone defence, whether he's playing low or high. And he's our signal-caller and the heartbeat of our defence."

Chris Froome was "pretty heavily" affected by coronavirus and his preparations for the Vuelta a Espana have been disrupted as a result.

Froome competed at his 10th Tour de France in July but was forced to abandon the race after stage 17 when he tested positive for COVID-19.

The Israel-Premier Tech rider sat 26th overall, having achieved his best Tour stage result since 2018 when he finished third on stage 12 up the Alpe d'Huez.

Froome is a seven-time Grand Tour champion but has never been able to recover his peak performance since a crash at the 2019 Criterium du Dauphine, which left him in intensive care.

The 37-year-old now heads to Spain, where he won his first Grand Tour general classification jersey in 2011 but has revealed it has taken longer than he expected to recover from coronavirus.

Froome said in a press conference: "I felt as if I was coming into really good shape, certainly in the second and third week [of the Tour de France].

"So it was unfortunate to leave before the end of the race and not make it to Paris. But I think I was one of many who unfortunately got COVID.

"Unfortunately, it did affect me pretty heavily. I was symptomatic, probably for about 10 days. Then even after starting training, again, I was still really, really struggling to get the hard training done.

"I also had to follow the advice of the medical team, which was to not try and push it. I think a lot of people with COVID had made the mistake to try and start too early again. So it really did disrupt I guess my preparations for the Vuelta.

"I was really hoping to finish the Tour and then build on that condition almost immediately afterwards to get into the Vuelta. But unfortunately, with COVID, I wasn't able to do a lot of that work.

"Having said that, I have had a good past 10 days of training now. I'm a little bit unsure of where I'm at. I'm hoping just to survive the first week the best I can and look to really build into the race."

Froome has won the Vuelta twice, following up his success in 2011 with a triumph in 2017.

"The Vuelta is a really special race for me," he said. "The Vuelta is a race where back in 2011 I really had my breakthrough as a Grand Tour contender.

"It's a race where I love what the Vuelta tests in people. If you look at the GC battle of the Vuelta, it's brutal. Normally many more uphill finishes, many more mountain stages than other Grand Tours. It's a race that I've always enjoyed."

Timo Werner "lost a bit of the fun" playing under Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea after losing his place in the side ahead of returning to RB Leipzig.

Germany international Werner sealed a permanent move back to Leipzig last week, just two years on from joining Chelsea in a £47.5million (€50m) deal.

Werner struggled to live up his price tag at Stamford Bridge as he scored just 10 Premier League goals in 56 appearances, and 23 goals in 89 games overall.

The 26-year-old found playing time hard to come by in the 2021-22 campaign, starting just 15 out of a possible 38 league matches – only the 15th most of all Chelsea players.

After bringing an end to his Stamford Bridge stay, Werner has explained he opted for a return to Leipzig as he wants to play regularly again with an eye on Qatar 2022.

"For me, having fun playing football is the most important thing," Werner, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, told the Einfach mal Luppen podcast. 

"I was very successful at Chelsea, but in the end I lost a bit of the fun because I didn't play regularly any more.

"I think the coach's game system didn't suit me perfectly. So it was clear to me that I wanted to take a new step. I'm at an age where I want to play as much as I can."

As well as playing a part in last year's Champions League triumph, Werner also won the European Super Cup and Club World Cup with Chelsea.

Werner was spotted in the Stamford Bridge stands during Sunday's 2-2 draw with Tottenham and says he will forever be connected to the west London side.

"I really associate Chelsea with great successes – the greatest of my career," he said. "It'll always be a special club for me. I'll stay in contact with many players from the team."

Werner contributed to 40 goals in 89 appearances for Chelsea, which was bettered only by Mason Mount (46 goal involvements in 108 games) during his time at the club.

The ex-Stuttgart star netted just 36 minutes into his second debut for Leipzig in last week's meeting with Koln, scoring from his only attempt, yet it was only enough for a 2-2 draw.

"I would have liked a win to start," Werner said. "Still, I can't complain because the team have welcomed me back and I was involved right away.

"We have a great squad here and, if we improve further, we can achieve a lot with this team in terms of trophies."

Toto Wolff says it has been like "Groundhog Day" for Mercedes during a difficult 2022 Formula One season.

The Silver Arrows' run of eight consecutive constructors' titles appears to be coming to an end as they are third in the standings behind Red Bull and Ferrari.

Mercedes have not won a race this year, with George Russell fourth in the driver standings and Lewis Hamilton back in sixth.

Having dominated the sport so long, the Brackley-based team have struggled to adapt following the introduction of new technical regulations.

Mercedes team principal Wolff says it has been a rough ride this season.

"The truth is, it's just so painful and it's so difficult to live by your values and your doubt," Wolff told Autosport.

"You oscillate from depression to exuberance, and then the next day the other way around. And in a way that when you kind of think nothing that you do works, [it is] a bit of Groundhog Day. 

"Then you make steps forward by looking at things and finding out they don't function at all, and then you know what doesn't go, and you go the other way and it functions. 

"All the things I've preached, all the things that you read in books that it's so hard, that it is so important to lose in order to thrive. It's just lived in real life so far."

The F1 season resumes with the Belgian Grand Prix next week following a break.

Ruud van Nistelrooy was "proud" to be able to coach in front of his former Manchester United boss, Alex Ferguson, during PSV's Champions League play-off first leg against Rangers.

Ferguson was in attendance at Ibrox as the teams played out a 2-2 draw on Tuesday.

Antonio Colak equalised after Ibrahim Sangare's opener in the first half before Tom Lawrence gave the Scottish side the lead, though Van Nistelrooy's team had something to take back for the second leg next week after Armando Obispo headed in a leveller 12 minutes from time.

The former Netherlands striker was appointed as PSV head coach from the start of the season to replace Roger Schmidt, his first senior role in management.

Van Nistelrooy played 219 games for United in all competitions under Ferguson between 2001 and 2006, scoring 150 goals, and said at his post-match press conference it was a "proud moment" for him to be in the dugout knowing his former manager was watching on.

"Oh, my goodness no, one per cent, maybe, one per cent," he said when asked if he would like to be half as good a manager as Ferguson. 

"It was a proud moment for me that he actually watched me coach my team and manage my team and I'm glad as well. I spoke to him just briefly. He's well, he's looking great. He's doing well, his family as well. So it's great to see him.

"That he sees me down the touchline at Ibrox for me is a proud moment."

The 46-year-old also explained how much he had learned from Ferguson, who won 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four EFL Cups and two Champions Leagues during his long tenure at Old Trafford before retiring in 2013.

"The thing is, as a player, you learn an unbelievable amount of things from him," he said. "And when you start to develop yourself as a coach then obviously you look back at moments.

"'Where were the managers I had? What did they do, and how did they form a team?' And the style of play and managing an individual, and he's such an example in that sense."

Van Nistelrooy, whose 44 goals in all competitions in the 2002-03 season still stands as a record for a Premier League player in a single campaign, was happy enough with his team's effort in the first leg in Glasgow, and is glad to have home advantage with the scores level ahead of next week's reverse fixture.

"We know what it is like with a great support behind us," he added. "That was today as well for Rangers. During some spells in the game the crowd lifted the team in such a way that is hard. I mean, you really notice it. There are not many places where you feel it like this.

"Of course, next week we will have that support. But both teams are very level in quality and with playing styles. It is reduced to one game now with the final at home. We have to prepare and be at our best."

Mark Robinson accepts New Zealand Rugby made mistakes with the way they handled uncertainty over All Blacks head coach Ian Foster's future.

The NZ Rugby board on Wednesday gave Foster their "full support" to stay on until the Rugby World Cup in France next year and appointed Joe Schmidt as his assistant.

That announcement came just a few days after NZ Rugby chief executive Robinson stated that the governing body would "take stock" and hold a debrief following a 35-23 Rugby Championship win over South Africa on Saturday.

The win over the world champions at Ellis Park came after the All Blacks had suffered five defeats in six Tests and sunk to a new low of fifth in the world rankings.

Robinson had only guaranteed that Foster would remain head coach for the tour of South Africa and he admits NZ Rugby did not handle the situation as well as they could have done.

"We acknowledge we haven't got everything right, we're not hiding from that," he said during a press conference in Auckland.

"Aspects of the sequencing in how we interacted with media and the public is something we could have done differently."

Robinson added that "clearly some aspects of the interface between the media and the public wasn’t as good as it could be."

He also conceded: "There's a few things we've done in recent times that could have been done better."

Robinson felt NZ Rugby had a difficult balancing act.

He said: "People want to hear what's going on, they want engagement and access and openness. When you attempt to achieve that, but you're not in a position to really say a lot, then the flip side is you are criticised for doing that. We are always learning.’"

When asked if stating that NZ Rugby would "take stock" following the win in Johannesburg last weekend added "fuel to the fire", Robison replied: "Hindsight's wonderful, isn't it?

"We were attempting to respond to a general demand to be want to be more open and want to be more transparent and give as much as we can possibly can at a time when people are curious, and we don't always make the right decisions.

"It's difficult, isn't it, if you don't say things and think of the best interests of the team and wait till they're out of the country, you're criticised for going missing in action.

"But if you turn up and do have something to say when you're not in strong position to say a lot of things, you get criticised for having to be in a position where you're not saying anything."

Manchester United fans might have got their hopes up over a new billionaire owner, but it would seem the chances of Elon Musk investing in the club are slim.

South African-born American businessman Musk, who among his many ventures is the founder of SpaceX and chief executive of Tesla, caused a stir on Tuesday by claiming he was going to buy United.

The club's fanbase have long wanted its current owners, the Glazer family, who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, to sell up, with many supporters and pundits blaming the team's failures in the post Alex Ferguson era on sub-par investment.

Just three days after United suffered a humbling 4-0 defeat at Brentford, Musk wrote on Twitter: "I'm buying Manchester United ur [you're] welcome."

In the wake of Musk's first tweet, United's share price spiked by close to 17 per cent before settling slightly after the US pre-market trade.

Yet when asked if he seriously intended to purchase United, Musk responded: "No, this is a long-running joke on Twitter. I'm not buying any sports teams."

However, Musk did not fully close the door.

"Although, if it were any team, it would be Man U," the 51-year-old went on to write. "They were my fav team as a kid."