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.
Kolkata, Apr 1 (PTI) Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Abhishek Nayar has thrown his weight firmly behind mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, insisting it is "inevitable" that the out-of-form mystery spinner will rediscover his touch despite a string of underwhelming outings. Chakravarthy's recent struggles have become a talking point, but Nayar maintained that the wrist spinner remains mentally strong and capable of overcoming yet another challenging phase in his career. "Over the years, he's gone through a lot of adversity. As a franchise, as a support staff, we back him. I don't think there's any issue," Nayar said on the eve of KKR's first home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad. "But yes, teams are playing him well. It doesn't mean he can't come back. It just means it's another challenge in his life, like he's had before. "And we are trying and we are hoping, and in every way backing him. I hope the fans of the world do too. Whether it's this game or in the future, it's inevitable that he will bounce back like he has in the past." The numbers however underline the concern. Chakravarthy endured a difficult T20 World Cup, conceding at an economy rate of 9.24 despite finishing with 14 wickets -- joint-highest alongside Jasprit Bumrah. His woes began from the South Africa match as he was taken to cleaners leaking 47 runs as India suffered a heavy defeat to South Africa. The trend continued in the IPL opener, where Mumbai Indians' Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton took him apart. The spinner returned wicketless figures of 0/48 as KKR failed to defend 210, slumping to a six-wicket defeat at the Wankhede. Yet, Nayar insisted that there is no dip in the bowler's mindset. "I honestly believe mentally he's in a very good space -- actually in a better space than he's been in previous years. "Yes, he's accomplished a lot over the past year, which has increased expectations. Everyone always knew Varun Chakravarthy is a terrific bowler, but the expectation has grown because of what he's done for India." Nayar also pointed to data to suggest that there has been no drastic change in Chakravarthy's bowling despite talks about his struggling lengths. "Statistically, he's pretty much bowled the same speeds that he always has. HawkEye suggests he's bowled the same lengths. But sometimes players just play you better than what you're doing." He also pointed out conditions at the Wankhede Stadium where even spinners found little assistance. "It was a very good pitch -- one that challenged all spinners. Ironically, only one wicket was taken by a spinner. "Varun bowls in phases where he's always going to be challenged. As an opposition, if you're planning against KKR, you're going to try and take him down. "There will be times when teams succeed and times when they don't. As a player, he understands that." While teams may look to target Chakravarthy, Nayar made it clear that KKR will continue to back him in key phases rather than shield him. "At times, you want to protect a bowler and use him when he can be more effective. But the nature of the game is to put your best players in positions to perform. "If he picks up wickets in those phases, he becomes a completely different bowler." Green for Russell ============= Nayar also addressed questions around their high-profile acquisition Cameron Green, who is yet to bowl due to workload management following back surgery -- an issue that has left them short on pace options. Nayar revealed that the franchise had gone all out for the Australian as a long-term successor to Andre Russell's all-round role. "When we went into the auction, it was simple -- if Russell wasn't there, who is the next best all-rounder in the world who can take that legacy forward in a different role? We felt Cameron Green could do that for us. "It's just unfortunate that he hasn't been able to bowl so far." He stressed that auction decisions are made with a long-term vision rather than immediate returns. "The idea of picking a player is not short-sighted. You look at what a player has done over the years and the skill set he possesses. "There are things that are not in your control -- injuries, fitness -- but we invest in what a player can bring at his best, and we know what Green can do." Pathirana update =========== On Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana, Nayar said clarity had emerged regarding his availability, with the bowler set to undergo fitness tests before joining the squad. "There's been a lot of clarity on the dates. We're hoping he can go through those fitness tests and the practice matches Sri Lanka Cricket has organised. "Once those formalities are done, fingers crossed, we'll have him with us," he signed off. PTI TAP KHS
Mumbai, December 4: As Team India prepares for the pink-ball day-night second Test against Australia at Adelaide Oval, all eyes will be on star India batter Virat Kohli, who has not only regained his form and confidence following a fine century at Perth but also holds an incredible record at the venue. Let's look at his records there. Virat Kohli's Record in Adelaide: A Look at How the Star Indian Batsman Has Performed at Adelaide Oval Ahead of IND vs AUS Pink-Ball Test in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. His first match as Test captain during the 2014 series that included a statement-making 1 ...Read More >
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 >
New Delhi: Harry Brook, England's rising star, has cemented his place as one of the world's top Test batters. He has moved up to second in the latest ICC Men's Test Batting Rankings following a brilliant 171-run performance in England's dominant eight-wicket victory over New Zealand in Christchurch. This remarkable knock propelled Brook two places higher in the rankings, pushing him ahead of India's Yashasvi Jaiswal, who slipped to fourth just days after reaching his career-best position. Brook now has 854 rating points, while New Zealand's Kane Williamson remains in third with consistent fift ...Read More >
Adelaide: India is all set to take on Australia in the second Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy starting from Friday at the Adelaide Oval. After a gap of 10 days between the first and the second Test, both the teams will be up against each other in whites. India are leading 1-0 in the series and they will aim to further extend their lead with another victory in the series. Curator reveals there will be 6 mm grass on the pitch While reflecting on the nature of the pitch, the pitch curator of the Adelaide Oval, Damian Hough has stated that it will be a balanced wicket. However, he has also me ...Read More >
While world No 3 India had a disappointing T20 World Cup in October, failing to make it past the group stage, the sixth-ranked West Indies made their way to the semifinal where they lost to runner-up New Zealand. "They're the top four for a reason because they probably are a better team and have better records. But at the same time I feel like every team is really starting to compete now," Matthews said when asked if the gap between top-ranked teams and those in the bottom was big. "When you lo ...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 >
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 >
Get latest articles and stories on Sports at LatestLY. Pakistan will play its share of matches in next year's inaugural blind women's T20 World Cup in either Nepal or Sri Lanka after a hybrid model for the event was finalised at the World Blind Cricket Council's (WBCC) Annual General Meeting in Multan. New Delhi, Dec 3 (PTI) Pakistan will play its share of matches in next year's inaugural blind women's T20 World Cup in either Nepal or Sri Lanka after a hybrid model for the event was finalised at the World Blind Cricket Council's (WBCC) Annual General Meeting in Multan. The development comes ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], : Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh reflected on the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia and said that now it's Rohit Sharma's side to turn the tables. Travis Head's scintillating century at home, accompanied by brilliant bowling performances from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins led Australia to a 10-wicket win at the Adelaide Oval in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Speaking exclusively to Star Sports, Harbhajan Singh said that India's best chances to win in the upcoming matches will be in Sydney and Melbourne. He added that both teams h ...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 >
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 >
New Delhi: After an exhilarating win in Perth, India faced a harsh reality when Australia decisively triumphed by 10 wickets in the second Test held at Adelaide Oval. This result has leveled the series at 1-1, setting up an important third Test at the Gabba, which is known to be one of Australia's toughest venues. India's batting lineup struggled in Adelaide, folding for just 180 and 175 runs in their two innings. To regain the upper hand in the series, Indian batsmen need to learn from their errors and put up a strong total that their bowlers can defend against the Australian attack. As Ind ...Read More >
When we lost 4 wickets in the powerplay, our batting collapsed and that's where we lost the game - Bengal captain after loss India National Cricket Team pacer Mohammed Shami achieved a massive feat in the history of the T20 cricket. The premier pacer completed 200 wickets in the shortest format of the game, becoming the 34th player to achieve the milestone. Mohammed Shami achieved the feat during the game against Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25. The match between Bengal and the Kr ...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 >
Surat, 13 December 2024: The Big Cricket League continued to thrill cricket fans as the Southern Spartans showcased their dominance against the Rajasthan Regals in the first game of the day. Winning the toss and electing to field, the Spartans' bowlers, led by Abhimanyu Mithun, restricted the Regals to a below-par score. The Regals had a shaky start, losing opener S Srinivas early for a struggling 3 off 8 balls. Sri Lankan legend T Dilshan played a steady hand, scoring 33 off 32 balls, but found ...Read More >
Chris Silverwood has been appointed as Essex's new Director of Cricket, completing a return to the Club with whom he won the 2017 County Championship title. Silverwood, 49, succeeds Anthony McGrath after seven years away, and will begin the role in mid-December. He previously spent eight seasons on the Eagles coaching staff, two of which were as Head Coach, before departing to become England Men's fast bowling coach after the 2017 title triumph. Silverwood was initially appointed as bowling coach at The Cloud County Ground in 2010, and six years later, oversaw promotion to Division One in h ...Read More >
Bengaluru [India], : For Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar who will be returning to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad for the second time after being picked in the Indian Premier League 2025 auction, feels, it is more than just a professional opportunity it is a heartfelt homecoming and a very special one. Interestingly, both the players have worn the RCB jersey before but never shouldered the bowling responsibilities at the 'Chinnaswamy' in any of the past seasons of IPL. Both are eager ...Read More >
Brisbane: Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar has called out the double standards of the Australian cricket pundits for their criticism of Mohammed Siraj's aggressive send-off to Travis Head in the Day/Night Test in Adelaide. Siraj and Head were at loggerheads after the Indian pacer got the Australian centurion bowled and gave him a send-off. While Head said that Siraj's reaction was uncalled for, the Indian pacer on his part countered that the southpaw never said "well bowled" which he claimed to have told the media. ICC warned Head and Siraj was fined 20 per cent of his match fee but what has irk ...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 >
Bengaluru, Dec 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who will be returning to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squad for the second time after being picked in the IPL 2025 auction, feel it's more than just a professional opportunity but a heartfelt homecoming. Interestingly, both the players have worn the RCB jersey before but never shouldered the bowling responsibilities at the 'Chinnaswamy' in any of the past seasons of IPL. Both are eager to change this piece of history and aim to create new memories in Bangaluru's beloved cricket fortress. Bhuvneshwar, who began h ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) It will be a two-way fight between incumbent Arun Jaitley and former India cricketer Kirti Azad for the president's post in the three-day DDCA elections beginning here on Friday. The results will be declared on December 16. The Jaitley-led panel holds significant clout among the 3748 members likely to vote in the elections. Also Read | India Women's Cricket Team Fined For Slow Over-Rate in Second ODI Against Australia. Azad, a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning India team and sitting Trinamool Congress MP from Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency, is confident of change ...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 >