Ajinkya Rahane's retirement prompts a reflection on his remarkable career, marked by India's historic Gabba triumph, his quiet leadership, and a lingering question: was he an under-achiever or simply under-appreciated in the Indian cricketing ecosystem?
The Indian Women's Hockey team delivered a commanding 6-0 victory over Chile in the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup semi-final, securing their place in the final. Navneet Kaur and Deepika scored two goals each, contributing to India's fourth consecutive win in the tournament.
'Being World No. 2 will give us good confidence when we compete at the Asian Games.'
Veteran Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane has announced his immediate retirement from all formats of international cricket, stating that the time is right for him to 'move on' after a career spanning over a decade.
India T20 vice-captain Tilak Varma stated that his batting approach is dictated by conditions and match situations, especially after the team's struggles with early wickets in the UK and Ireland. He emphasised the responsibility of playing for the country and adapting to overseas conditions after extensive play in Asia.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi's biggest strength lies in his ability to force top batters into errors while defending, rather than relying on raw pace.
Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer has expressed confidence in the team's preparations ahead of the T20I series against Zimbabwe, aiming for his first series win as captain. The tour is seen as a crucial opportunity for the team to acclimatise and perform, with young talents like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma also in the spotlight.
Goa's Venkata Chigurupati has earned his maiden India Under-19 call-up for the Sri Lanka tour after a standout season of 49 wickets and 380 runs, as the fast-bowling all-rounder sets his sights on the U-19 World Cup and a future in India's Test team.
Following her Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medal win, Indian boxer Preeti Pawar reflected on the learning experience that the event gave her ahead of the Asian Games this year and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, the boxing culture in her hometown Bhiwani, known as 'Mini Cuba' for producing world-class talent and the fulfillment of her baklava promise after her medal win in Glasgow.
India's Commonwealth Games 2026 medal winners, Gulveer Singh and Harjinder Kaur, received widespread praise from top Indian leaders including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Gulveer Singh made history by becoming the first Indian to win a medal in the men's 10,000m event, while Harjinder Kaur secured a silver in weightlifting. Their achievements were hailed as moments of national pride and inspiration for future athletes.
The Indian sub-junior boys' hockey team secured dominant victories against arch-rivals Pakistan (7-3) and hosts Oman (10-1) at the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship. Meanwhile, the Indian sub-junior girls' team fought hard but lost 3-6 to China in their Elite Pool match. The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup.
India's Under-19 women's team delivered a commanding all-round performance to defeat Sri Lanka by 120 runs in the first unofficial one-day match. Led by Ira Jadhav's 83 and Nidhi Mahto's half-century, India posted a strong total before their bowlers dismantled the Sri Lankan batting lineup.
Pacer Gurnoor Brar's impressive 10-wicket match haul and Sai Sudharsan's century led India A to a resounding 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka A in the second unofficial Test in Galle. This performance strengthens Brar's case for a Test debut in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, while other Test regulars also gained valuable game time.
India has once again topped the Athletics Integrity Unit's global list of dope offenders with 162 names, highlighting a significant doping problem in the country's sporting landscape. This led to the Athletics Federation of India being re-categorised to 'Category A' due to high doping risk, requiring more stringent testing.
India's selectors have included Gurnoor Brar and Manav Suthar in the national squad for the upcoming Test and ODI series against Afghanistan, recognising their pace and spin capabilities.
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor secured a significant victory in the Bankipur assembly bypoll, defeating the BJP candidate by over 19,000 votes. Kishor attributed his win to support from disgruntled members of major parties and potentially Gen Z protests, while firmly rejecting any future political alliances. He claimed the mandate was a wake-up call for the BJP-led government in Bihar and its Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, giving his party its maiden presence in the state assembly.
England inflicted a record T20 defeat on India, winning by 125 runs at Trent Bridge, with Josh Tongue taking 4-28 and Jofra Archer 3-29, to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
The India U-17 women's team achieved a historic milestone by qualifying for the quarterfinals of the AFC Under-17 Women's Asian Cup for the first time, following a dominant 4-0 victory over Lebanon. Pritika Barman scored twice, while Alva Devi Senjam and Joya added to the scoreline, securing India's place in the next round.
Ajinkya Rahane, known as 'Jinx', has retired from international cricket at 38, leaving behind a legacy of quiet resolve, exceptional captaincy, and crucial innings that often came when India needed them most.
Indian all-rounder Axar Patel achieved a significant milestone, becoming the first Indian spinner and fourth overall bowler to take 100 T20I wickets during the second T20I against England. Despite his record-breaking performance and a competitive total set by India, England secured a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Rohit Sharma's century at Lord's not only secured a victory for India but also effectively ended speculation about his ODI future.
Following a stunning T20I series triumph against World champions India, Ireland coach Heinrich Malan has stepped down from his role.
Manolo Marquez, a highly successful coach in Indian football, has been appointed as the new head coach for Mumbai City FC on a one-year contract for the 2026-2027 season. Marquez brings a wealth of experience, including leading Hyderabad FC to an ISL Cup title and coaching the Indian national team.
A US federal judge has permanently dismissed the criminal securities-fraud case against Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar, closing nearly two years of prosecution without a trial. Gautam Adani stated, "Truth has prevailed," in response to the ruling.
It remains to be seen if India will fall back on Sanju Samson to revive their sagging fortunes with a revamped batting order in the must-win fourth T20 International in Bristol on Thursday.
Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas has expressed strong belief in Indian batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, stating they still have significant contributions to make and should feature in upcoming ODI World Cups. He emphasised their skill, experience, and fitness as key factors, dismissing age as a barrier. Abbas also touched upon the importance of traditional batting techniques and offered thoughts on Pakistan cricket.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced a fresh investigation into the 2024 rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The decision follows a request from the victim's mother, now a BJP MLA, and includes a separate probe into alleged cremation irregularities. Adhikari criticised previous police handling and vowed to ensure justice, despite a CBI investigation having already led to a conviction.
Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg has issued an apology for the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post, while company executives acknowledged significant content moderation failures, including issues with child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, and the paid boosting of certain content.
Maruti Suzuki India's CFO, Arnab Roy, has urged the central government to introduce an amnesty scheme or an 'as-is' settlement option to resolve past indirect tax disputes, aiming to clear legacy litigation and foster growth in the automotive industry. Roy emphasised the need for a 'smarter way to address the past' to provide long-term certainty for businesses.
Goa's Abhinav Tejrana has been named in the South Zone squad for the prestigious Duleep Trophy, making him the only cricketer from Goa to achieve this distinction this year, a selection attributed to his consistent high-scoring performances in recent seasons.
India's Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh secured a thrilling tie-breaker victory over Tonga in the Lawn Bowls women's pairs event at the Commonwealth Games 2026, maintaining their top position in the section.
India, led by Shreyas Iyer, aims to secure an unassailable lead against Zimbabwe in the second T20I after a convincing seven-wicket victory in the opener. Young talents like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Mayank Yadav were instrumental in the first match, showcasing strong batting and pace bowling performances.
India's campaign in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup ended after a six-wicket loss to Australia at Lord's. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur admitted the team did not play to its standards and called for a "rethink" on their performance against top teams. Australian captain Sophie Molineux praised Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner for their match-winning partnership.
Divya Nair remembers the work friendships that proved some of life's strongest bonds are built beyond the cubicle.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has lauded teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling him an "unbelievable" talent for his fearless approach to cricket. Harbhajan highlighted Sooryavanshi's confidence, recalling an instance where the young batsman declared he would smash the first ball of his IPL career, and then proceeded to hit a six.
'You can't put an an arm around Naseer sir and say, "sir, ek aur take karte hain". You got to be clear why you want it.'
Sanfida Nongrum's second-half strike sent India into the SAFF Women's Championship final, but coach Crispin Chhetri criticised his side's attitude and admitted Bhutan 'deserved to win' after a scrappy 1-0 semi-final victory.
Kranti Gaud announced herself on the Test stage with a stunning maiden five-wicket haul, while Smriti Mandhana's unbeaten fifty put India firmly in control against England.
India's Women's T20 World Cup campaign ended in another group-stage exit, putting Harmanpreet Kaur's captaincy under scrutiny and exposing issues with team selection, batting approach, bowling balance and fielding that could trigger a major reset.
India pacer Mayank Yadav has described the two-year injury-enforced absence from international cricket as the most difficult phase of his young career, admitting that battling repeated setbacks at the age of 22-23 tested him mentally.
