Sri Lanka's Sonal Dinusha scored an unbeaten 133, his second century of the match, to help the hosts salvage a draw against India in the second Test, denying them a series sweep.
The Indian table tennis team, featuring strong contenders like the men's doubles pair of Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar, has commenced its Asian Games campaign in Nagoya with aspirations of securing at least one medal. Both men's and women's teams are in Group F, facing Indonesia and other opponents. The team, a mix of experienced players and rising stars like Syndrela Das, is confident after acclimatising to the conditions.
Indian Teqball players Declan Marshall Gonsalves and Mohamed Anas Imran Beg were eliminated from the men's doubles medal race at the Asian Games in Nagoya after losing both their group matches. Despite strong domestic and some international success, the duo could not secure a win in their debut Asian Games appearance for the sport.
India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson admits that external criticism affects him, but he has developed the maturity and experience to manage it, while also supporting the team's leadership for making difficult selection decisions in the best interest of the squad.
The Indian men's hockey team was eliminated from the FIH World Cup semifinal race after a 3-5 loss to Argentina in a crucial pool match. India needed to win by at least two goals but struggled to find form against a strong Argentine side.
Eighteen-year-old Indian shooter Parth Mane secured a silver medal in the men's 10m air rifle team event at the Asian Games, marking his senior continental debut.
Indian boxer Parveen Hooda is set to compete in the Asian Games, aiming to win a medal after her previous bronze was revoked due to a WADA suspension for whereabouts failures. Her comeback journey has been marked by significant challenges, including changing weight categories multiple times, overcoming injuries, and adapting her training to a new division. Hooda is determined to prove herself and achieve a podium finish, viewing it as unfinished business.
India's women's hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne expressed satisfaction with the team's 6-1 victory over South Africa at the FIH Women's World Cup but emphasised the need for improved precision in passing and finishing. Despite topping their group, Marijne cautioned against complacency, highlighting the upcoming crucial match against England. He also praised forward Lalremsiami, who found added motivation from her Arjuna Award nomination.
The Indian women's cricket team declined to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi, a decision confirmed by BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla as a 'collective' stance. This follows a precedent set by the men's team after a terror attack, with the BCCI having communicated its position to the ACC in advance.
Olympic silver medallist Vijay Kumar has urged the 30-member Indian shooting contingent for the Asian Games to prioritise individual medals over team events. He also highlighted the need for significant improvements in coaching, advocating for more former international medallists in the system, and stressed the importance of better grassroots talent identification, drawing comparisons with China. Kumar also commented on the void left by coach Jaspal Rana's death and questioned recent selection policies.
Indian shooting star Manu Bhaker, a flagbearer at the Asian Games, has called upon her fellow athletes to concentrate on their performance and not be distracted by the organisational challenges and logistical issues marring the event's build-up. She emphasised that the opportunity is rare and should be seized with full dedication.
Indian tennis prodigy Manas Dhamne, 18, discusses his journey as a professional, highlighting the need to regain his instinct for closing out tight matches and achieving consistent performance. Despite recent challenges, Dhamne believes his game is strong and focuses on mental consistency and continuous improvement rather than major technical changes or specific ranking targets.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya felicitated the Indian weightlifting team for their strong performance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where they secured one gold, six silver, and one bronze medal.
Mamata Banerjee's faction of the Trinamool Congress announced support for the Congress candidate in the Nandigram assembly bypoll after its own candidate withdrew. This decision comes amidst a bitter dispute with the Election Commission over the freezing of TMC's traditional symbol and name, which Banerjee termed "arbitrary" and accused the BJP of trying to destroy opposition parties.
Quimcy D'Souza, a self-funded and self-coached Indian teqball player, competed at the Asian Games with the aim of popularising the sport in India. Despite narrowly missing out on two bronze medals, D'Souza views her journey as a crucial first step towards establishing teqball in the country and inspiring more athletes.
World junior champion Anahat Singh, now 18, is returning to the Asian Games with significantly higher stakes, as the women's singles gold medal offers direct Olympic qualification. Ranked world number 20, she is a strong medal contender and is embracing the pressure of competing for her country. Anahat faces formidable opponents like Satomi Watanbe and Sivasangari Subramaniam but is focused on refining her game and physical strength to achieve her goals.
Tejaswin Shankar has made history by becoming the first Indian to win a decathlon medal at the Commonwealth Games, securing a bronze with 7976 points. This achievement adds to his previous high jump bronze from the 2022 Birmingham Games.
India's top women's singles players, including Sahaja Yamalapalli, Vaishnavi Adkar, and Vaidehee Chaudhari, have been excluded from the Asian Games tennis squad after the Sports Ministry pruned the list, leaving the national challenge without its leading singles contenders.
Indian dressage rider Anush Agarwalla has voiced profound disappointment and hurt after being excluded from the upcoming Asian Games, despite being a gold medalist in the previous edition. He criticised the selection process as "unfair" and a "betrayal," stating he was never given a chance to compete, and called for a more transparent system in Indian sports.
Former RAW chief AS Dulat has released his debut novel, "Our Kind of Games," a fictional exploration of the Kashmir insurgency and the complexities of intelligence work. The book, which features a foreword by Farooq Abdullah, delves into the moral dilemmas faced by an intelligence officer in Srinagar during the early 1990s.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met with Indian men's and women's hockey teams and officials to review their recent World Cup performance. He urged them to move past the disappointment, identify shortcomings, and focus on the upcoming Asian Games to secure qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics. The minister also discussed the future of the Hockey India League.
India is set to face England in a critical FIH Men's Hockey World Cup Pool D match, aiming to overcome a 32-year World Cup drought against their European rivals. Following an opening win against Wales, India seeks to improve its performance, particularly in open play finishing, against a strong England side that started with a dominant victory over Pakistan. The outcome of this match is crucial for both teams' progression to the knockout stages.
The Paradise is a mind-numbingly senseless, hellish cycle of violence, gore, and torture porn that makes you question if everyone involved in the film harbours some sort of bloodlust, complains Sreeju Sudhakaran
Indian archer Sahil Jadhav, preparing for the Asian Games, has found valuable insights into managing pressure and staying focused from former Australian cricketer Shane Watson's self-help book, 'The Winner's Mindset'.
Anthony Andrews, a highly successful coach in Indian women's football, has been appointed as the assistant coach for the India U17 women's national team. He will continue his dual role with East Bengal FC while preparing the Young Tigresses for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir has clarified that young batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will need to wait for his T20I debut, prioritising consistent performers like Sanju Samson. Gambhir also addressed the impact of the Asian Games on the ODI squad selection for the upcoming West Indies series, highlighting opportunities for new talent.
India's Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi and her Ukrainian partner Antonina Sushkova concluded their impressive run at the US Open junior girls' doubles, losing in the semifinals to American twins Annika and Kristina Penickova. Despite the loss, their unseeded journey included significant upsets against seeded pairs.
Kerala's Ancy Sojan clinched the women's long jump title at the Indian Athletics Series Final, expressing strong confidence for the upcoming Asian Games where she aims to win gold and experience the national anthem on the podium.
India's women's hockey team delivered a dominant performance, defeating South Africa 6-1 in their second Pool D match of the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup. Six different players scored for India, with a prolific third quarter sealing the rout. This emphatic win significantly strengthens India's chances of advancing, placing them atop Pool D on goal difference ahead of their crucial final pool match against England.
The successful hosting of the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi has provided a significant boost to the BJP, offering a timely opportunity to strengthen its narrative against the opposition ahead of crucial assembly elections next year. BJP sources highlight the BRICS grouping's strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and the consensus declaration as major diplomatic victories for the Modi government, countering criticisms of its foreign policy. The party plans to leverage these outcomes during its month-long Seva Sankalp campaign to connect with various sections of society.
Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh states that the Indian hockey team has overcome its past late-game vulnerabilities against Pakistan, attributing this to significant improvements in fitness, game awareness, and decision-making. He notes that matches against Pakistan are no longer as challenging as they once were, though he stresses the need for defensive discipline against stronger European teams in the upcoming World Cup.
Former West Bengal Chief Minister's faction has announced support for the Congress candidate in the Nandigram assembly bypoll, marking a significant shift in state politics. This move comes amidst an internal party dispute within the Trinamool Congress and is seen as an attempt to consolidate anti-BJP votes and strengthen the INDIA bloc, despite a history of acrimonious rivalry between the two parties.
Pakistan hockey legend Samiullah Khan has advised his team to focus on a strong defence and avoid conceding penalty corners in their crucial FIH World Cup match against India. He also highlighted the need for a long-term vision in Pakistan hockey, similar to India's transformation, and lamented the fading intensity of the historic rivalry.
Indian football icon I M Vijayan has voiced his enthusiasm for the upcoming India-Brazil international friendly in Kolkata on October 3. He believes the visit by the five-time World Cup champions will provide invaluable experience and lasting memories for young Indian players, significantly boosting the sport's profile and attracting global attention to Indian football.
Kolkata's Viraj Madappa overcame a three-shot deficit with a bogey-free 64 in the final round to win the Rs 1 crore Chennai Open golf tournament. This marks his fourth professional title, earning him Rs 15 lakh and significantly improving his standing on the DP World PGTI Order of Merit. Ajeetesh Sandhu finished runner-up, while Amardeep Malik and Rashid Khan also secured top positions.
India, having already secured the T20 series against Afghanistan, is likely to experiment with its playing XI in the third and final match in New Delhi. This provides an opportunity for players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and others on the bench to get game time before the Asian Games, while Afghanistan aims for an improved performance to boost morale.
Pakistan hockey legend Samiullah Khan has advised his team to focus on a strong defence and avoid conceding penalty corners in their crucial FIH World Cup pool match against India. He also highlighted the need for a long-term vision in Pakistan hockey, similar to India's transformation, and lamented the fading intensity of the historic rivalry, urging both teams to bring back skill and artistry to attract fans.
The Supreme Court has issued a landmark directive against immediate arrests in Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act cases where the accused is a parent or family member living with the child, and a matrimonial dispute exists. The ruling mandates psychological evaluation of the child by experts before police or courts form an opinion to arrest, aiming to prevent the misuse of the law in estranged couple cases.
Former badminton coach Vimal Kumar expresses optimism about India's medal prospects at the upcoming Asian Games, suggesting they can surpass their previous tally of three. He stresses the critical need for Indian singles players, including Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty, to overcome inconsistencies and deliver under pressure. Kumar also highlights the challenges posed by the new 15-point format and the highly competitive nature of men's singles badminton.
Two-time finalists India are placed fifth and face a challenging path to secure a top-two finish.
