'Sorry': Why Brendon McCullum apologised to England fans

Brendon McCullum has apologised to England fans after his removal as Test coach. He accepted the decision, stating the team's results were not good enough. McCullum admitted disappointment over failing to win major series against India and Australia. He took full responsibility for the team's culture and tactical performances. The former New Zealand captain will continue as England's white-ball coach.

Dakar [Senegal], July 14 (ANI): Senegal Football Federation (FSF) president Abdoulaye Fall has claimed that the national team’s doctor was “trained as a gynaecologist", saying the revelation raised concerns among players during the FIFA World Cup 2026 and forced the federation to bring in additional medical expertise, reported Reuters.

Reviewing Senegal’s disappointing World Cup campaign at a press conference on Monday, Fall said the issue came to light late in the tournament and affected the players’ confidence in the medical support available to them. forumteam.blog

“Based on the feedback I received, the players were not sufficiently reassured about being supported by him," Fall said, according to Reuters.

According to the federation chief, steps were taken to strengthen the team’s medical support during the tournament.

“We had to find convincing expertise so they could feel reassured, because health comes before everything," said Fall.

The claims were swiftly rejected by the Senegalese Association of Sports Medicine, which described the allegations as “unfounded and defamatory" in a statement issued later on Monday.

The association said team doctor Abderahmane Fediore holds a specialist diploma in sports medicine and sports biology from the Faculty of Medicine at Cheikh Anta Diop University.

It also noted that he previously headed the physiotherapy department at Fann Hospital and has served as Senegal’s national team doctor since 2017, working at three FIFA World Cups and five Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

The controversy comes just days after the FSF dismissed head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw following Senegal’s disappointing World Cup campaign.

Under Thiaw, Senegal had emerged as one of Africa’s strongest national teams, completing their FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign unbeaten before lifting the Africa Cup of Nations title by defeating Morocco in the final.

However, the Lions of Teranga failed to live up to expectations at the FIFA World Cup 2026. They lost their opening two group-stage matches to France and Norway, but defeated Iraq 5-0 to enter the Round of 32 where they lost to Belgium 2-3 in extra time.

Thiaw, who represented Senegal as a player during the country’s historic run to the 2002 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals, was relieved of his duties on Saturday last week. The FSF is yet to announce his replacement, with preparations now set to shift towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup 2030. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

As the dust settles on the 0-4 whitewash and the miserable last 25 days of T20 cricket for the world champions, thoughts will inevitably turn to the ODIs and the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The series has been marketed around their comeback, and every game is sold out. Kohli and Rohit could well play their last match at Lord’s on 19 July, and it promises to be a special occasion. Edgbaston, too, will be awash with blue on Tuesday, and the promotional material makes it evident that Indian supporters will outnumber the English.

Watching the two superstars is a huge attraction, and understandably so. The host broadcaster has built its campaign around them, and it is equally true that their presence will exert a calming influence in the dressing room.

And yet, you cannot help wondering whether they are the two most important players in this Indian team.

As I watched the final T20I in Southampton, my mind drifted back to the World Cup semi-final at the Wankhede. England’s batters were taking India apart in Southampton much as they had threatened to do in Mumbai in March. There was, however, one crucial difference. India had Jasprit Bumrah.

With England needing 15 an over from the final three overs on a batting-friendly surface, they were very much in the contest. But Bumrah produced yorker after yorker, conceding just six runs in his final over. It was an exhibition of fast bowling of the highest quality and one of the defining spells that carried India to the T20 World Cup title.

That cushion was missing throughout the T20I series in England. Every time India came under pressure, they appeared rattled. There was no control, and there was no Bumrah.

Now that he is back for the ODIs, things could once again be very different. More than Kohli or Rohit, perhaps, it is Bumrah who is India’s true X-factor and go-to man. Time and again, he has been the one to deliver when the pressure is greatest. His presence alone brings calm to the dressing room and gives captain Shubman Gill the option of wresting back momentum when the game begins to slip away.

Bumrah is not a brand in the way Virat or Rohit are. His face will not be the first on a series poster. And yet he may well be the single most important cog in the Indian wheel.

So, while I will certainly look forward to watching Kohliand Rohit – and there will be plenty of emotion in seeing them at Lord’s after covering their entire careers –India’s chances of winning this series may ultimately rest on Bumrah. He will have to control the death overs, lead the bowling attack and do so with the confidence that has become his hallmark.

Looking further ahead, he will also be India’s most important player at the 2027 World Cup in South Africa. Which is precisely why India must protect him in every way possible.

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The post Bumrah, Not the Big Two, Could Hold the Key to India’s ODI Revival appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.

Vantage Studios, a Ubisoft company, have announced launch day results with the release of Assassin’s CreedBlack Flag Resynced, the latest instalment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, released on 9th July. With 2 million copies of the game sold on its first day, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced has made a strong start.

This trend is expected to continue as players across the world get their hands on the game. The game ranked Top 1 on Twitch on 9^th July and reached a peak of 99,451 concurrent players on Steam within 24 hours of launch, making it the highest concurrent player count ever recorded for an Assassin’s Creed title on the platform.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Sails Past 2 Million Sales

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is also received positively by critics, with an 85% review score on Open Critic and 84% review score on Metacritic, making it the highest rated Assassin’s Creed game since the launch of the original Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag.

Dash my Buttons… Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has already passed 2 million copies sold!

Whether you're sailing with us again, or stepping aboard the Jackdaw for the first time: THANK YOU from the bottom of ARR hearts. pic.twitter.com/3badNwSqVp

— Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) July 10, 2026

This includes reviewers like IGN scoring Resynced 9/10 and declaring it “bigger and better in all the ways that matter”. The technical achievement has also been praised by specialists such as Digital Foundry, referring to it as “One of the most effective remakes we’ve ever seen.”. The game is also well-received by players with a current rating of 4.79/5 on the PlayStation Store, 4.7/5 on the Xbox Store and Mostly Positive reviews on Steam.

Black Flag has always held a special place in the heart of the community, and ours.” said Martin Schelling, Head of Assassin’s Creed Brand. ”Bringing it back with Resynced was a promise to that passion for Edward’s adventures, and to the unique sense of freedom players experienced back then. Seeing so many players set sail on day one, along with the great reviews from critics, is the greatest reward we could have hoped for.”

A testament to Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, originally released in 2013, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, led by Ubisoft Singapore, is a faithful remake rebuilt from the ground up and powered by the latest Anvil engine. The game features stunning updated visuals and enriched gameplay, including parry‑driven combat, improved stealth and parkour, deeper naval mechanics, and new narrative content.

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Set during the Golden Age of Piracy, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced invites players to sail the Caribbean as Edward Kenway, a rebellious pirate captain drawn into the centuries-old conflict between Assassins and Templars. As Edward pursues glory and fortune, he crosses paths with legendary figures such as Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, and Calico Jack, while the fate of everything the pirates have built hangs in the balance.

The game is available on Ubisoft+, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, as well as Windows PC through the Ubisoft Store, Steam (Steam Deck verified) and the Epic Games Store.

The post Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Sails Past 2 Million Sales at Launch Amidst Glowing Reviews appeared first on Inside Sport India.