Sports

Rishabh Pant has returned from the injury he suffered in England in July and has been included in India's squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa. The first Test is scheduled for November 14 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, followed by the second Test in Guwahati on November 22. Pant replaces N Jagadeesan, who was part of the squad for the recent series against the West Indies. Additionally, Akash Deep has been added to the squad in place of Prasidh Krishna. Pant has been reinstated as the vice-captain of the team following his return to competitive cricket. He made his comeback as captain of India A during an unofficial Test against South Africa A, held from October 30 to November 2 at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The 28-year-old player was be...

The FIDE Chess World Cup 2025's second round begins on Tuesday at the Resort Rio Convention Centre in Goa, featuring 17 Indian players among the competitors. In the opening round, the top fifty-seeded players, including eight from India, were granted byes. Notably, the second round marks the return of the top seed and reigning World Champion D. Gukesh, along with India No. 1 Arjun Erigaisi and third seed R. Praggnanandhaa. A total of 24 Indian players participated in a field of 206 competitors, with the top 50 seeds receiving byes in the opening round. Sixteen Indians competed, but after the first round, only 17 remain in contention for the title, following the elimination of seven players. Notably, reigning Women’s World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh, the only female wildcard, was among...

Jemimah Rodrigues, a player from St Joseph’s Convent in Bandra West, has consistently demonstrated tenacity and commitment in her cricket career, representing both her school and Mumbai cricket. In a crucial match held in Navi Mumbai, she played a key role in India's victory over Australia, propelling the team into the World Cup final. Her father and first coach, Ivan, who attended the emotionally charged game with his wife, drew a parallel between the match and the biblical tale of David versus Goliath, highlighting the challenge posed by the taller Australian bowlers against his daughter. The father of cricketer Jemimah, expresses his pride in her abilities and compares her victory against Australia to the biblical story of David vs Goliath. He highlights her years of hard work and p...

In the upcoming semifinal of the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, Australia, a serial winner, will face India, a team known for its unpredictability. The match, set to take place at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams vie for a place in the final. Australia's recent performance includes a decisive victory against South Africa, leading to speculation that they may have peaked in this tournament, which offers India a sliver of hope. Harmanpreet Kaur and her team successfully defeated New Zealand, providing themselves another opportunity to end their trophy drought, with the upcoming match being a do-or-die scenario. India had a lighter practice session on Wednesday with fewer players present, following an intense session on Tuesday. A r...

Virat Kohli, amidst the excitement of the India-Australia ODI series, made a grand entrance to the Sydney Cricket Ground for a warm-up, touching the ground and his forehead three times, evoking euphoria among the thousands of Indian fans already gathered in the stands. The cricketer's inability to open his account in the last two matches of the series, which India lost to Australia, may not matter today or whether he scores. However, at SCG, with no tickets left, the smiles and cheers reflect the undying love for cricket and cricketers. The lightrail at Moore Park station, near SCG, is filled with blue people, many wearing the No. 18 Virat jersey. Avinash Patel, a civil engineer from Rajkot, predicts India will win today, regardless of their series loss. He believes the first match ...

Two Australian women cricket players were allegedly stalked and one of them groped by a man riding a motorcycle in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. This unsettling occurrence has sparked grave worries about player safety. The event happened on October 23, two days prior to Australia's match versus South Africa for the top spot in the league. The two cricket players were going toward a local café on Khajrana Road after leaving their hotel, the Radisson Blu, when a man on a motorcycle started to pursue them, according to the police. Aqeel Khan, the accused, is accused of improperly touching one of the players before driving off. The cricket players promptly notified their team security officer, Danny Simmons, who notified local liaison officers and made a...

Pradeep Rawal apologized for being late for a meeting before the ICC Women's World Cup, stating he had errands to run. He ordered banners for venues to display during the tournament, including one featuring Pratika Rawal's "100* – Pratika Rawal: Proud Moment of Father." The banner was broadcast globally after Rawal scored her first century in the tournament against New Zealand. Rawal's performance showcased her copybook technique, contributing to India's win and securing the semi-finals. Pradeep visits their West Patel Nagar residence and finds a terrace filled with potted plants and green nets. Pratika practiced there during the pandemic, which was a challenging phase for her career, as it delayed her rise to prominence. Pradeep, a former bowler, and his wife Pratika, a former dome...

Lakshya Sen of India lost to Nhat Nguyen of Ireland in straight games in the men's singles opening round of the French Open Super 750 badminton competition in Paris, resulting in a dismal early departure. The 29th-ranked Nhat, who exacted revenge for losing to the Indian in the Denmark Open only a week ago, defeated the World No. 16 7-21, 16-21 after the player appeared unprepared for the match. After a successful run to the Hong Kong Open final earlier this month, Lakshya entered the match as the favorite but failed to maintain any consistency. His timing and shot choice failed him right away, and he made a lot of unforced mistakes that let his opponent take the lead. Lakshya's deep throws kept missing the lines, but Nhat, who was renowned for his steep smashes and keen anticipation, ...

Former captain Rohit Sharma gave all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy his first India ODI cap prior to the series opener against Australia at the Optus Stadium. Curiously, Reddy made his Test debut at the same location in Perth during India's historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy series tour of Australia last year. The star player for India at the time, Virat Kohli, gave him his Test cap. The only four Test matches Nitish has played after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy are two from the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England and two from the most recent series against the West Indies. His time in England was cut short when he suffered a left knee injury in a bizarre gym accident in Manchester.