Rock star Elton John led the tributes to former England manager Graham Taylor on Thursday, saying the man he saw as a brother had turned his beloved team Watford into a European contender.

Newly knighted Andy Murray will bid to end a run of heartbreaking defeats at the Australian Open and see off his chief rival Novak Djokovic as he enters his first Grand Slam tournament as world number one.

England captain Eoin Morgan has said it will be a big challenge for the visitors to beat India at home but they are ready for the "special experience" that awaits them in the upcoming limited overs series.

Wayne Rooney still has an important role to play in manager Gareth Southgate's England squad, former national manager Roy Hodgson has said after the striker's leadership was recently called into question.

England captain Alastair Cook heads home for Christmas with calls for his resignation ringing in his ears after what turned into an embarrassing subcontinental tour.

The prolific Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson all enhanced their burgeoning reputations in 2016 but, aided by the screams of commentator Ian Bishop to "remember the name", the year will forever belong to Carlos Brathwaite.

England openers Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings survived some nervy moments on the final morning of the fifth Test against India on Tuesday as the tourists look to bat out the day and prevent a 4-0 series defeat.

The Football Associations of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have been fined for displaying poppies during World Cup qualifiers last month, world soccer's governing body said on Monday.

India's Karun Nair struck his maiden Test century to keep the hosts on course for a handy first-innings lead against England on day four of the final Test on Monday.

India's makeshift opening pair of Lokesh Rahul and Parthiv Patel struck fifties to lead the hosts' strong reply to England's first innings total of 477 on day three of the fifth and final Test on Sunday.

The England and Indian training sessions were cancelled Wednesday owing to unfit ground conditions at the MA Chidambaram stadium in cyclone-battered Chennai which hosts the fifth and final Test from Friday.

A rampant India will look to create history in the fifth and final Test against England from Friday by piling more misery on Alastair Cook in what could be his last outing as the tourists' skipper.

England captain Alastair Cook said Monday Joe Root was ready to take over as skipper but that no decision on his own future would be taken until the new year.

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin tore through England's lower order Monday as the hosts won the fourth Test in Mumbai by an innings and 36 runs, clinching the series 3-0.

India's Virat Kohli smashed his third double century of the year when he notched 200 runs on day four of the fourth Test against England in Mumbai on Sunday.

India were 62 for one at tea on the second day of the fourth Test against England after the tourists posted 400 in their first innings on Friday.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for "zero tolerance" of child abuse in football and promised to look into ways the global governing body can do more to prevent it in the wake of the scandal sweeping the game in England.

England captain Alastair Cook won the toss and chose to bat in the must-win fourth Test against India in Mumbai on Thursday.

Eoin Morgan returns to captain England in both the One Day International and Twenty20 series with India after opting out of the Bangladesh part of the tour over security fears.

Discussions over whether Australia will host England in a first day-night Ashes cricket Test next year are taking place but nothing has been decided yet, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Thursday.