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: Some one-on-one battles have the power to shape the course of a team contest. Especially when bowlers begin to play with a key batter's psyche -- whether it was Shane Warne leaving Daryll Cullinan in a tailspin, Glenn McGrath rolling over Micheal Atherton, Zaheer Khan making short work of Graeme Smith... the list is a long one. But few did it like Jasprit Bumrah versus Usman Khwaja during the last Australian summer. "I was just getting Bumrah'ed," Khwaja would say after six dismissals across eight innings. English wicket-keeper batter Jamie Smith is already in awe of Bumrah. "Hopefully, (bat) down at No. 7, I can watch other lads go and face him first," he said. That's the effect Bumrah can have on his opponents. India's No1 pacer can well find a new bunny on the England tour but that is only if his body supports him. To his credit, on returning to T20 action in the IPL after back troubles in the Sydney Test match in January, the speedster has looked fit but the five-Test series in England will be his real challenge. "Any adaptation to new weather conditions takes about 10 days to two weeks when you are switching formats," said Ramji Srinivasan, former strength and conditioning coach of the Indian team. "Moving from T20 to Test cricket is tricky because your workload can go up four to five times from 4-overs-a-day, spells are longer. Your acute workload has to be built gradually, until you reach a stage when you are bowling in the nets with near-match intensity and volume as you do in a match." Having recovered from a stress reaction in his lower back - a precursor to a stress fracture, it's clear Bumrah will not play all five Tests. Australia will probably be the last and only time in his 45-Test career that Bumrah attempted to play five Tests in a series. His impact was freakish -- 32 wickets at an average of 13.06 and a strike rate of 28.3; the best for any Indian bowler in an away series. But by taking almost 25% of bowling load among 9 Indian bowlers used during the series, his workload management was botched up and he failed to complete the final Test. "A lot of injuries happen because of overloading," said Srinivasan. "In the lead up to the England series, the balls he will bowl, at what speed, how many days in a week, distance he will cover, his throws in fielding, everything must be considered. Only the physios and trainer cannot decide. The head coach, fielding coach, the bowling coach, physio, S&C, all have to be involved in designing a program. For someone like Bumrah, you need the right customised concoction." Alternate Tests? Bumrah has been consulting with New Zealand-based orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Rowan Schouten who operated on his back in 2023. Among alternatives suggested to manage his workload, there is one that will only see Bumrah to play alternate Test matches, HT learned. This may change based on how Bumrah's body holds up. The team management would also factor in the week-long break before the second and fourth Test of the series. "We haven't taken that call, which three games is he going to play," Gambhir said during India's pre-departure press conference on Thursday. "We are going to have a discussion with him. A lot will depend on the results of the series, where the series is heading." Without a sports science head -- BCCI is yet to fill a vacancy -- Bumrah's understanding of his own body's coping mechanism in consultation with on-tour physios will guide the team management on utilising their pace ace. Although the selectors have packed the squad with six more pace bowling options, India with and without Bumrah is like chalk and cheese. In Tests that he has played since making his debut, Bumrah has picked up nearly double the wickets (205 at Avg of 19.4) to second-placed R Ashwin. In SENA countries, his wickets, average and strike rate are well above other Indian pacers across generations Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Zaheer Khan and Kapil Dev. Where Bumrah falls short is continuity. The fast bowler has missed nearly 35% of the Tests India has played since debut. Given his importance to India's fortunes across formats, he will continue to pick and choose. It will also be interesting to see how young captain Shubman Gill utilises his leading fast bowler in the long series given that even the number of short bursts will need to be controlled. With the series on the line, Rohit Sharma used Bumrah in nine short bursts on Day four of the Melbourne Test. Overworked and spent, Bumrah told his captain, "Bas, ab aur nahi lag raha zor (Enough, I can't push it anymore)." As Shane Watson, former Australian bowling all-rounder, recently told HT, "India can't push the breaking point with Bumrah again."
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 >
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 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 >
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 >
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 >
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 >