Australia head coach Andrew McDonald believes the perfect build-up to the 2027 Ashes would be Ben Stokes making a dramatic return from Test retirement, admitting it would create a "fairytale" storyline for one of cricket's biggest rivalries.Stokes called time on his Test career earlier this year after England's home series defeat against New Zealand, bringing an end to an eventful tenure as captain. His retirement followed a controversial period that also saw him suspended for the second Test of that series before returning for the finale and announcing his decision to step away from the longest format.McDonald hopes for a fairytale Ashes comebackSpeaking to SEN Radio, McDonald said the prospect of Stokes returning for one final Ashes campaign in England would be the ideal narrative ahead of the blockbuster series."The fairytale would be that he comes back out of retirement and takes on one more Ashes and builds a lot of hype on the way in. If you're looking at promoting that series, that's probably the angle that you would want, " McDonald said. McDonald added that he still believes the England all-rounder has enough left in the tank to compete at the highest level."To me, he's still got a lot of good cricket left in him. It'll be fascinating to see what happens," he added. New England coach could try to change his mindFollowing Stokes' retirement, England also parted ways with Brendon McCullum as Test head coach, despite the former New Zealand captain reportedly trying to convince him to continue. McDonald feels the appointment of a new Test coach could reopen the conversation."Whoever the new head coach is may have a conversation with him. We don't know the definitive reason behind his retirement. He may have simply decided his Test journey was over, but there could also be an opportunity for someone to persuade him to return, " McDonald opined. Stokes had explained at the time that retiring from Test cricket was "the best thing for me right now," although McDonald believes there is still room for a change of heart.Retirement followed controversyStokes' decision came after a turbulent end to his England career. Following England's victory in the opening Test against New Zealand at Lord's, Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson were suspended for the second Test after reportedly breaching the team's curfew by visiting a pub. While neither player was directly involved in an altercation that left a member of the team's security staff injured, both were disciplined by the England management.The pair returned for the final Test, with Stokes apologising to teammates before announcing that it would be his last appearance in Test cricket. Since retiring, the all-rounder has continued to play domestic one-day cricket for Durham and recently marked his return with a rapid century, suggesting he still has plenty to offer on the field. Ben Stokes' Test career in numbersCategoryRecordMatches122Runs7,273Batting Average34.46Highest Score258Test Centuries14Wickets252Bowling Average30.98Best Bowling6/22Five-wicket hauls6Catches115

Former Florida baseball star Harrison Bader's injury woes just got worse, much to the chagrin of his current MLB club, the San Francisco Giants. The 10-year MLB veteran has been out since May 29 battling left plantar fasciitis. He then exacerbated that injury in a scooter accident over the weekend, according to the Giants. Bader met with a foot and ankle specialist in Indianapolis on Monday, but the evaluation "was complicated by the fact that he had a scooter accident on Saturday night/early Sunday morning and further injured his same foot," according to the franchise's representative. "The impact of that injury changed the nature of his evaluation, which had originally been to determine the severity of the initial injury/condition," the Giants said.The center fielder then returned to San Francisco, where he was further examined again on the same day. He was expected to receive an MRI on Tuesday to "better understand the severity of the injuries sustained from the scooter accident," according to the club.San Francisco's manager Tony Vitello did not have specific details on Bader's weekend crash.Tony Vitello speaks on outfielder, Harrison Bader, who was involved in a scooter crash last weekend in Indianapolis while seeing a specialist for plantar fasciitis pic.twitter.com/cI1NiEsYc0 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) July 29, 2026Not Harrison Bader's first scooter accidentThe 32-year-old Bader was involved in a scooter accident while at Florida in 2014. He ended up earning a 19-game suspension for the incident. According to the Gainesville Police Department's incident report at the time, Bader hit a curb while on his scooter, then struck a parked Ford F-150 pickup truck. "Bader was found on the ground next to his scooter and was unresponsive," according to the report. He was transferred to Shands Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The report also stated there was a strong odor of alcohol when he was found.Harrison Bader's career in MLBBader was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 2015 MLB Draft with the 100th overall pick and made his MLB debut with the same team in 2017. Over his decade in the big leagues, Bader has slashed .244/.309/.400 with 93 home runs and 336 RBIs while winning a Gold Glove Award with the Cardinals in 2021.After leaving St. Louis, where he spent five-plus seasons, Bader went on to split two seasons with the New York Yankees, followed by stints with the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively, before joining the Giants as a free agent. This year, the Gator alumnus has played in just 30 games, slashing .170/.198/.358 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in 111 plate appearances. Follow us@GatorsWireon X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page onFacebookto follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Former Gator Harrison Bader injured again, this time on a scooter

The Detroit Lions will have one of the best offenses in the NFL in the virtual world, anyway.EA's Madden NFL 27 video game released offensive ratings for skill position players on Wednesday, July 29, and several Lions are prominently placed among the NFL's best. The most notable placements for Lions players are at running back and wide receiver, where running back Jahmyr Gibbs (98 overall) and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (95 overall) are ranked No. 1 and No. 4 at their respective positions.Two other Lions offensive standouts will rank highly in the game, with tight end Sam LaPorta (88 overall) and quarterback Jared Goff (88 overall) rank as the No. 7 and No. 10 tight end and quarterback, respectively. Though in a potential blow for Lions fans, Los Angeles Rams quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford is ranked as the No. 1 quarterback and one of just six players with a 99 overall rating in the game.Though Goff is listed as a top-10 quarterback, he is not the highest-rated NFC North quarterback in the game. That title belongs to Chicago Bears quarterback (and cover athlete) Caleb Williams, who comes in at No. 9 at 90 overall.With so much virtual offensive firepower, the Lions are ranked as the No. 2 offense in the game at 91 overall, with the Rams topping them at 93 overall. And though Madden has not yet released its defensive ratings, fans should expect high marks for edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and linebacker Jack Campbell.Madden NFL 27 launches worldwide on Thursday, Aug. 13, the day of Detroit's first preseason game. Need to catch up on the news during your lunch break?Sign up for our Sports Briefing newsletterto get daily summaries of Detroit sports!You can reach Christian atcromo@freepress.com.This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs top-rated RB in Madden NFL 27

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs reported to training camp but was not on the field with teammates for their first practice on Wednesday as his agent and the franchise work on negotiating a new deal.Lions coach Dan Campbell said he did not have an update on talks.You guys know how we feel about Gibbs, Campbell said.A message seeking comment was left with Gibbs' agent, Todd France.This is both sides working through something, Campbell said.The Lions have signed many of their top players to contract extensions, including linebacker Jack Campbell in May.Gibbs, who has been a Pro Bowl player in each of his first three NFL seasons, seems to be next in line.His contract calls for him to make a little more than $1 million in base salary with a $2 million-plus roster bonus this season. The Lions picked up the fifth season of Gibbs' contract in April and he is scheduled to make $14.29 million in 2027.Since Detroit drafted the former Alabama star at No. 12 overall in 2023, he has run for 3,580 yards with 39 touchdowns and has 181 receptions for 1,449 yards and 10 touchdowns.Gibbs is the one of four players in league history to gain at least 4,500 yards from scrimmage and score 45-plus touchdowns through three seasons, joining Hall of Famers Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson and Barry Sanders, a former Lions star.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has cemented its status as the most valuable franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL), becoming the first cricket team in history to breach the US$300 million brand value mark.According to global investment bank Houlihan Lokeys 2026 IPL Brand Valuation Study, RCB retained its No. 1 ranking with a brand valuation of US$312 million (approx. Rs 2,600 crore), marking a 16% jump from US$269 million in 2025.The report highlights that RCBs steep valuation curve reflects the compounding impact of sustained on-field performance, industry-leading fan engagement, and a digitally mature commercial ecosystem.The valuation benchmark comes on the heels of a landmark ownership transaction earlier this year, in which RCB was acquired by a consortium comprising Blackstone, Bolt Ventures, Aditya Birla Group, and Times of India Group at a reported valuation of US$1.78 billion the most expensive single-franchise transaction in IPL history.Franchise valuations have reached new highsThe record valuation growth of IPL franchises reflects the leagues transformation into a globally recognised sports and entertainment asset, according to Houlihan Lokey.Crickets evolution into a globally owned, institutionally backed asset class has accelerated further in 2026, with the IPL continuing to redefine the global sports landscape, said Harsh Talikoti, Director in Houlihan Lokeys Financial and Valuation Advisory business.What the market confirmed this year, through landmark franchise transactions, is the extent to which the league can attract the caliber of global, institutional, and strategic capital it was built to draw. Franchise valuations have reached new highs, private capital participation has accelerated, and the leagues commercial ecosystem continues to diversify, he added.Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia highlighted how the perception of IPL franchises has evolved: Theyre no longer seen as cricket teams that play for two months every year. Theyre increasingly being viewed as long-term sports and entertainment businesses.Centralised media rights, revenue sharing, and financial discipline have created a model thats stable and sustainable. That gives owners the confidence to invest for the long term, he further added.RCBs fanbase intensity and connection are unparalleledHighlighting the reasoning behind the marquee acquisition, Satyan Gajwani, co-owner of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chairman at Times Internet, noted the unmatched strength of the franchise's community.We were actively engaged in the processes for both the RCB and Rajasthan Royals, and both are great assets. Across the league, however, RCBs fanbase intensity and connection are unparalleled, which made this a special opportunity, said Satyan Gajwani.Emphasising the long-term runway for Indian cricket as a global asset class, Gajwani added: Overall, we are strong believers in the growth potential of cricket as a global sport, and exposure at both the media level and the IP level fits that thesis. The IPL has the attention of the NFL with a fraction of its monetization, and as Indian per-capita income grows and connected TV penetration increases, we expect monetization to match up to attention. We are very grateful to be able to work with exceptional partners on RCB, and we all believe in both the opportunity for the IPL to continue to grow, as well as for RCB to create a real global brand and fan equity.IPL business enterprise reaches $20.6 billionRCBs surge comes amid record growth for the league as a whole. The IPLs overall business enterprise value grew 11.4% year-on-year to US$20.6 billion, while its standalone brand value rose 10.3% to US$4.3 billion.Behind RCB in the brand value rankings were Mumbai Indians at No. 2 (US$264 million; +7.9%) and Kolkata Knight Riders at No. 3 (US$245.0 million; +7.9%).The report attributed the league's overall valuation boom to growing institutional investor confidence, rapid Connected TV (CTV) adoption, and strong revenue visibility, as global capital increasingly views IPL franchises as long-term sports and entertainment powerhouses.

The offense and defense Madden rankings roll out Wednesday, July 29, but Cardinals All-Pro tight end Trey McBride made news earlier this week by joining the 99 club.The rankings have McBride in rarefied air. He joins a select set of stars with a 99 overall rating in the iconic video game, the highest number possible."I mean, shoot, that's pretty cool, right?" McBride said. "I've played this game for a long time, I grew up playing Madden, and to get that recognition is pretty special."Joining McBride are Rams standouts Myles Garrett and Matthew Stafford, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase.At tight end, McBride leads the San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (96) and the Las Vegas Raiders' Brock Bowers (93). The most recent tight end to achieve a 99 overall rating was the Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce, who achieved the rating two years ago.Since his selection in the second round of the 2022 draft, McBride has gradually ascended into being the best pass-catching tight end in the NFL. He had a quiet rookie season, followed by a breakout 825-yard campaign in 2023. In 2024, he topped the 1,000-yard mark for the first time but strangely hauled in just two receiving touchdowns. Then, last season, he put it all together, with 126 catches for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns. Each mark was the highest in the league at the position.His challenge now will be replicating that production in a new offense under head coach Mike LaFleur, who replaced offensive coordinator Drew Petzing as the Cardinals' offensive playcaller.For the Cardinals, it's crucial that McBride does just that. On a team with few other established stars, he provides a shining beacon of hope.This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cardinals tight end Trey McBride joins an elite Madden club