From the electrifying victory of the Indian cricket team in the recent T20 series to the rising star power of young badminton sensations, India's sporting landscape is ablaze with action! This week alone saw record-breaking performances in the Pro Kabaddi League, showcasing the nation's unwavering passion for indigenous sports. The upcoming Asian Games are generating immense anticipation, with athletes across disciplines sharpening their skills and aiming for glory on the international stage. We delve into the crucial role of sports sponsorships in nurturing talent and boosting India's sporting infrastructure. Furthermore, debates rage on about the future of cricket's dominance in India's sporting ecosystem, with other sports like hockey and football vying for increased attention and investment. Stay updated on all the latest scores, match analyses, and exclusive interviews with your favorite athletes. Explore the dynamic world of Indian sports—from the bustling stadiums to the quiet dedication of rising stars—right here. Discover the stories that shape the nation’s sporting spirit and witness the unfolding drama of the sporting year.
Mumbai: Going into the England Test series starting at Leeds on June 20, India's biggest concern will be over how the Shubman Gill-led side will cope after the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Who will step up in the batting line-up? It's a place which demands a lot of acclimatisation by the batters. When the sun plays hide-and-seek, on most days in England one is facing the moving ball in the cold and gloom. The two India A unofficial Tests against England Lions would have helped ease some nerves in the Indian camp. After Karun Nair's double century in the first game, KL Rahul hit a stylish century on Day 1 of the second game in Northampton on Friday. Dilip Vengsarkar knows what it takes to do well in England, having scored three centuries at Lord's, cricket's spiritual home. "The fact is you have to get acclimatised to the conditions quickly," says Vengsarkar. "We were fortunate that we got to play a lot of County games ahead of the series and also in between Tests. It was good practice - moving ball, seaming conditions, cold and gloomy weather of England. Once you get acclimatised and have runs behind you, then it is a beautiful place to bat. They are excellent wickets to bat on," says the former India captain who played 116 Tests and toured England four times (1979, '82, '86 and '90). In a country where many sub-continent batters have struggled, Vengsarkar piled up 960 runs in 13 Tests, with four hundreds and four half-centuries at an average of 48. The high point was his two match-winning hundreds in India's 2-0 series win in 1986. The key for him was using the side games to get into rhythm. While India's main squad landed in England on June 6, Rahul made the effort to reach in time to play in the second India A game. The Karnataka batter benefitted. On his first day in the English summer, he crafted 116 while opening the batting. It was a satisfying effort on a green Chester-Le-Street pitch against a quality attack led by Test pacers Chris Woakes and Josh Tongue. Though he got a hundred, there was an important lesson for him in the end - you are never set in England. His first lapse in concentration ended his 273-minute vigil when he played away from the body to a good-length delivery from seamer George Hill to be caught at second slip. The ball was 61 overs old, but Hill's delivery swung to take the edge. Vengsakar's advice? "You have to adapt to conditions quickly, because even after 80 overs the ball keeps swinging in the air and off the wicket. So, you have to be careful not to play big shots because invariably the ball moves (and) then you are gone in the slips, or caught behind. You have to push the ball for ones, twos and threes. "It's important to stay side-on and not play big drives." While Rahul has cemented the opener's spot, the team management is undecided on the No.4 slot. Karun batted at No.3 in the first India A game in Canterbury, strengthening his case with a classy 204. Given the No.4 slot at Northampton, he scored 40 during an 84-run partnership with Rahul. It means he is seen as a possible candidate for the crucial middle-order spot. Experience matters For a team in transition, the experience of the two former Karnataka teammates could be vital. Rahul and Nair are both 33, but Nair is hoping to make a Test comeback after eight years, having played the last of his six Tests in 2017. On the last tour to England (2021-22), Rahul was part of a strong line-up of Kohli, Rohit, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. For a smooth transition, India need Rahul in the lead role this time. For a batter of his quality, an average of 33.58 in 58 Tests doesn't do justice. Being the most experienced batter in the side, the young team will look up to him. Those who have watched him from close say Rahul is extra-focussed now. He made an effort to stay in the zone in IPL, producing consistent scores (539 runs, avg 53.90). That focus was evident during Fiday's knock. The lesson for him from the last England tour is that when in form, make it count. In 2021, he made a difference in the first two Tests, but then his form tapered off. He started with 84, 26 and 129, but his scores in the remainder of the series were 5, 0, 8, 17 and 46. The first Test is at Headingley, where the ball swings. The high point of any series is Lord's, venue of the third Test. Not everyone has tasted success here, including Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar and Ricky Ponting. Rahul has. On India's last Test there, Rahul struck a majestic 129 to set up a memorable win. "When you play at Lord's and it is a full house, the atmosphere is electrifying. It could unnerve the best players while it could bring the best out in some who can hold their nerves," sums up Vengsarkar.
While Trent Boult was signed for Rs 12.50 crore, the Mumbai-based franchise spent an amount of Rs 9.25 crore to land Deepak Chahar. Mumbai Indians' have assembled a lethal pace attack at the two-day IPL 2025 auction held in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia). The five-time IPL champions had already retained their star pacer Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the auction. At the mega auction, MI decided to acquire the services of two other quality fast bowlers - Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar. While Boult was signed for Rs 12.50 crore, the Mumbai-based franchise spent Rs 9.25 crore to land Chahar. Reacting to the po ...Read More >
Brendon Kleynhans is a maths teacher at South African College School, one of the country's most prestigious alma maters. It luxuriates in the leafiness all around the most genteel part of Cape Town, with Newlands a mere long boundary away. If that brings to your mind's eye a slight, chinless, reticent, bespectacled individual sporting a combover, a pocket protector and - dread word - slacks who declines to step out of the safety of suburbia, you need that eye tested. "During camps it's half-pace," Kleynhans told Cricbuzz in the Kingsmead nets on Tuesday as the South Africans completed their ...Read More >
November 28, 2024: In the first Test against England at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand's Kane Williamson played a pivotal role, helping the hosts reach 319/8 at stumps on Day 1. Williamson, making his return to international cricket after injury, played a composed innings, narrowly missing out on his 33rd Test century, as he was dismissed for 93. His knock was crucial in steadying the Black Caps' innings, following an early setback where Devon Conway (2) was dismissed cheaply. Williamson formed key partnerships with Tom Latham (47), Rachin Ravindra (34), and Daryl Mitchell (19), an ...Read More >
India have only one worry ahead of the second Test against Australia in Adelaide, and it became more clouded after the pink-ball warm-up game on Sunday at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. India are all set to welcome back captain Rohit Sharma in the line-up, after having missed the opening Test, but ae yet to figure out his batting position. Rohit did not travel with the Indian team to Perth as he stayed back in Mumbai for the birth of his second child. He joined the Indian camp midway through the opening Test and played his first match on Sunday in the warm-up tie against Australia Prime Ministe ...Read More >
Australia lost the first Test by 295 runsAustralia faced their first Test defeat in PerthAustralia are looking to make a comeback in Adelaide Australia retained their 13-member squad for their second Test against India, confirmed selector and coach Andrew McDonald. On Monday, the Aussies lost the Perth Test by 295 runs to go 0-1 down in the five-match series against India. It was also the first time Australia lost at the Optus Stadium after winning four matches on the trot since 2018. McDonald, however, showed faith in their squad to make a turnaround in the Pink-Ball Test, starting December ...Read More >
Mumbai Indians (MI) made strategic moves in the IPL 2025 mega-auction, securing New Zealand pacer Trent Boult for ₹12.50 crore. MI owner Akash Ambani praised Boult’s invaluable skill in swinging the new ball, acknowledging the team’s struggles when he wasn’t playing for them in recent years. The franchise also acquired England’s Reece Topley for ₹75 lakh and New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner for ₹2 crore. MI further strengthened their spin department by signing young Afghan talent Allah Ghazanfar for ₹4.80 crore, who has impressed with his performances in international cricket. ...Read More >
Parth Jindal penned an emotional farewell note for Rishabh Pant who played nine years for the Delhi Capitals. After nine years with the Delhi franchise, Rishabh Pant will play for the Lucknow Super Giants in the upcoming IPL season. Delhi Capitals' co-owner Parth Jindal on Tuesday (November 26) lamented Rishabh Pant's departure from the franchise and hoped to reunite in the foreseeable future. Capitals had released their captain Pant ahead of the IPL mega auction where he drew a record bid of Rs 27 crore from LSG. DC even tried to get their captain back on day one of the auction but could no ...Read More >
Hardik Pandya played an excellent knock of 69 runs in 30 balls to lead Baroda to a three-wicket win over Tamil Nadu in a high-scoring Group B match at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Wednesday. Hardik's innings included four 4s and seven 6s. Out of those seven sixes, four came in the 17th over bowled by left-arm pacer Gurjapneet Singh. Chasing a stiff total of 222, Baroda was at 121 for 4 when Hardik came out to bat after the dismissal of his elder brother Krunal. The equation came down to 66 needed off 24 balls when Gurjapneet, a 6'3" seamer bought for Rs 2.2 crore by five-time Indian Prem ...Read More >
Williamson's impressive performance despite early setback Williamson walked out at his usual number three position after Devon Conway's early exit. NZ were earlier invited to bat. He soon found his groove and stitched a solid partnership with captain Tom Latham. While the likes of Latham, Rachin Ravindra, and Daryl Mitchell couldn't make the most of their starts, Williamson remained unfazed. His masterful navigation of the field was a treat to watch. Williamson's 93 off 197 balls took New Zealand past 220. He struck 10 fours in his knock. The Kiwi batter completed his 36th half-century in Te ...Read More >
NEW ZEALAND: A pair of former cricket legends Martin Crowe and Graham Thorpe will be honoured as New Zealand and England announced that future Test matches between the two sides will be played for the Crowe-Thorpe Trophy, according to ICC. The trophy will pay tribute to New Zealand legend Martin Crowe and England great Graham Thorpe, with the winner of all future series between the two countries to be awarded the trophy. Crowe made 17 Test centuries at an average of 45.36 across a 14-year international career last century, while Thorpe almost mirrored those stats with 16 Test hundreds with a ...Read More >
Tasmanian all-rounder Beau Webster is on the brink of making his Test debut, with reports indicating he has been included in Australia's squad for the second Test against India at the Adelaide Oval. Webster's call-up comes in the wake of Australia's crushing 295-run defeat in the series opener at Perth Stadium, with selectors drafting him as injury cover for Mitchell Marsh. The veteran all-rounder has been managing lingering fitness concerns and was reportedly "sore" following the Perth Test. "(Marsh) has been battling a couple of little niggles since the UK tour," Australian captain Pat Cum ...Read More >
Parth Jindal, co-owner of the Delhi Capitals, welcomed new purchase KL Rahul with open arms and vowed to treat the experienced India batter with 'love and respect'. Rahul had a controversial exit from his previous franchise Lucknow Super Giants. The post-match scenes from the last IPL - which captured LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka publicly having an outburst on his captain, Rahul - were indications of cracks forming between the two. They even met at a dinner soon after to sort everything out, but it only lasted a little while. Finally, when the franchise did not retain Rahul, it became clear that th ...Read More >
Allan Border expresses his disappointment over the team's inability to contain Virat Kohli during the first Test in Perth Melbourne: Expressing his disappointment over the team's inability to contain Virat Kohli during the first Test in Perth, former Australia captain Allan Border questioned the tactics of skipper Pat Cummins. Kohli, who had not scored a Test century in 18 months, roared back to form with an unbeaten 100 in the second innings as India secured a thumping 295-run victory over the hosts. "I was really disappointed in the way we let Kohli roll on to a hundred without much resist ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 29 (ANI): Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting lauded star Indian batter Virat Kohli for a century against Australia at Perth, pointing out how trusting his game during the second innings paid off well for him. After a terrible home Test season against Bangladesh and New Zealand, with horrific outings against the Kiwis in a losing cause, Virat rose above all critics, questioning and doubts with yet another magnificent ton at Perth's Optus Stadium. With this century, he shattered many records as a visiting batter and continued his love affair with playing in Aust ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 3 (ANI): Sophie Ecclestone's position as the premier T20I bowler is under threat, with her England teammate Sarah Glenn closing the gap in the latest ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings. Ecclestone, who took just two wickets in England's recent 3-0 series victory over South Africa, saw her lead at the top shrink to a mere 23 ratings points. Also Read | India vs Pakistan in Men's Junior Asia Cup 2024 Final! PR Sreejesh's Side Beats Malaysia 3-1 To Set Up Summit Clash Against Archrivals. Sarah Glenn emerged as a standout performer during the series, claiming five wick ...Read More >
India’s star batter Virat Kohli, ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, reflected on his memorable century on Perth’s challenging pitch during the 2018/19 series, calling it his best knock in Australia. However, Kohli faces immense pressure this series, struggling with form after scoring just 488 runs in 2024 at an average of 20.33. Once a dominant force in Test cricket, his performance has dipped since 2020, raising questions about his place in the team. With the five-Test series kicking off in Perth on November 22, Kohli aims to rediscover his magic on Australian soil and silence his c ...Read More >
Get latest articles and stories on Sports at LatestLY. Kiwi batter Kane Williamson helped New Zealand seat in the driver's seat of the first Test match against England at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Thursday. Christchurch [New Zealand], November 28 (ANI): Kiwi batter Kane Williamson helped New Zealand seat in the driver's seat of the first Test match against England at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Thursday. At Day 01 stumps, New Zealand stood at 319/8 with Glenn Phillips (41*) and Tim Southee (10*) unbeaten on the crease. Also Read | Pakistan vs Zimbabwe Live Score Updates of 3rd ODI 2 ...Read More >
New Delhi : Ahead of the second Test against Australia, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh recollected his memories of playing against Aussies and said the battle between the teams forced them to put in extra effort on the field. After the Ashes rivalry in red-ball cricket, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has gained much popularity among cricket fanatics with India not losing the series since 2016. "It was our job. We were playing to win against Australia. You get to know how good of a player you are when you play against a bigger team like Australia, and Australia was a very good team. They we ...Read More >
In a remarkable feat during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Gujarat's Urvil Patel smashed a 28-ball century, making him the fastest Indian to achieve the milestone and the second-fastest in T20 history. Patel’s explosive knock of 113* off 35 balls helped Gujarat chase down 156 in just 10.2 overs. His innings featured 7 boundaries and 12 sixes, including 24 runs off 5 balls against Tripura captain Mandeep Singh. This innings broke Rishabh Pant’s previous record of 32 balls for the fastest T20 century by an Indian. Patel's power hitting has certainly added a new chapter to T20 cricket history! ...Read More >
Australia faces mounting pressure ahead of the second Test against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with concerns over Marnus Labuschagne's form. Labuschagne has scored just 123 runs in his last 10 Test innings, sparking calls for his exclusion. Former pacer Mitchell Johnson suggests dropping him for domestic cricket, while young talent Sam Konstas impresses with a century in a warmup match. However, ex-England captain Michael Vaughan advises stability, warning against lineup changes that could disrupt team cohesion. He believes the Day-Night Test in Adelaide offers Labuschagne a chance to ...Read More >
Indore, December 3 (IANS): Gujarat opener Urvil Patel on Tuesday smashed his second T20 century in just six days, in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Uttarakhand at the Emerald High School Ground. Patel blazed to a 36-ball hundred, leading Gujarat to a commanding eight-wicket victory in just 13.1 overs. Patel's century made him the first batter in T20 cricket history to notch up two hundreds in fewer than 40 balls. This milestone comes hot on the heels of his record-breaking 28-ball century last week against Tripura on the same ground. Chasing a target of 183, Patel unleashed a breathtaki ...Read More >
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat in the second ODI against Pakistan in Bulawayo on November 26. Pakistan made two changes to their squad after losing the first match by 80 runs on the DLS method. Tayyab Tahir and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed made their ODI debuts, replacing Haseebullah Khan and Mohammad Hasnain. Pakistan's key players, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Babar Azam, were rested as they tested bench strength ahead of next year's Champions Trophy. Zimbabwe, after their impressive win, retained their winning combination for the match. The third ODI will be held in Bulawayo on Thu ...Read More >
New Zealand's veteran fast bowler, Tim Southee, has announced his retirement from Test cricket. The 35-year-old cricketer will play his last match on home soil in Hamilton next month, which will be the third and final Test of England's tour of New Zealand. Meanwhile, the pacer has enjoyed operating against the Brits in whites. Here we decode his Test numbers against England. As per ESPNcricinfo, Southee has claimed 72 wickets across 19 Tests against the English side at a higher average of 34.81. The tally includes four fifers and a match 10-wicket haul. Richard Hadlee (97) is the only Kiwi bo ...Read More >
New Delhi: The IPL 2025 mega auction has concluded, with all teams finalizing their squads of at least 18 players. As is often the case, the RCB management finds itself under scrutiny for its player selections. Retaining only three players -- Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal -- RCB entered the auction with three RTM (Right to Match) cards but opted to use just one, securing Swapnil Singh. Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif expressed his thoughts on RCB's decision to let Will Jacks go to Mumbai Indians for ₹5.25 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. Kaif termed it a "massive miss" for RC ...Read More >
India is gearing up for the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Adelaide, a Pink Ball Day-Night match set to begin December 6. Cheteshwar Pujara discussed the challenges of adapting to the pink ball, emphasizing the need for faster footwork and quicker reactions due to the ball's quicker movement. Australia’s strong undefeated record with the pink ball adds extra intensity to the contest. However, Pujara remains confident in India's ability to perform, especially after their strong win in the first Test. Fans can expect an exciting and closely contested match as the ...Read More >
Delhi Capitals made a strong impression at the IPL 2025 Mega Auction, assembling a well-balanced squad for the upcoming season. Key signings included former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis (Rs 2 crore), India pacer Mukesh Kumar (Rs 8 crore - RTM), and Sri Lankan bowler Dushmantha Chameera (Rs 75 lakh). The team also secured uncapped talents like Donovan Ferreira and Ajay Mandal. Co-owner Parth Jindal hailed the squad as “balanced,” while head coach Hemang Badani expressed confidence in their Indian core. Delhi Capitals’ full squad now includes big names like KL Rahul, Mitchell Starc, and T ...Read More >
The IPL 2025 mega auction, held on November 24-25 in Jeddah, saw a record-breaking total of Rs 639.15 crore spent by 10 teams on acquiring 182 players. Among the 577 players up for grabs, 13 Australians were sold, with pacer Josh Hazlewood fetching the highest bid at Rs. 12.50 crore from Royal Challengers Bangalore. Other notable signings included Mitchell Starc (Rs. 11.75 crore, Delhi Capitals), Marcus Stoinis (Rs. 11 crore, Punjab Kings), and Mitchell Marsh (Rs. 3.4 crore, Lucknow Super Giants). Punjab Kings made a significant splash, purchasing five Australian players, including Glenn Maxwe ...Read More >
The IPL 2025 auction in Jeddah saw records shattered, with Indian players dominating the headlines. Arshdeep Singh broke Yuvraj Singh's nine-year-old auction record, fetching ₹18 crore, only for Shreyas Iyer to surpass it with ₹26.75 crore. Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player, bought for ₹27 crore by Lucknow Super Giants. However, Jitesh Sharma's IPL salary hike was the talk of the auction, as he secured ₹11 crore, a staggering 5500% increase from his previous ₹20 lakh. Royal Challengers Bengaluru picked him up as a wicketkeeper-batter to replace Dinesh Karthik. Other big earners inc ...Read More >
1. PCB reiterates stance on Champions Trophy, not willing to accept hybrid model The PCB has come forward and made it clear to the ICC that they will not accept the much-debated hybrid model of the tournament. (READ MORE) 2. 'Lalit, where is my Porsche?' - Lalit Modi narrates tale of gifting luxury automobile to Yuvraj Singh In a recent discussion, he recounted an episode from 2007 which involved former World Cup-winning Indian legend, Yuvraj Singh. (READ MORE) 3. Batter gets dismissed in bizarre fashion after cell phone falls on stumps The unusual mode of dismissal occurred during a Gram ...Read More >
Get latest articles and stories on Sports at LatestLY. Cheteshwar Pujara wants K L Rahul to open the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in the second Test against Australia despite the arrival of skipper Rohit Sharma. Canberra, Nov 29 (PTI) Cheteshwar Pujara wants K L Rahul to open the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in the second Test against Australia despite the arrival of skipper Rohit Sharma. Rohit's absence in the series opener in Perth allowed India to move Rahul to the top of the order from the middle order. Also Read | La Liga 2024-25: Straightforward Matches for Real Madrid, Ba ...Read More >