India faces a challenging Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya with a significantly smaller contingent of 168 athletes, down from 303. While aiming to build on its record 111-medal haul from the last Games, selection disputes in para-shooting and para-cycling, coupled with reduced athlete numbers in key disciplines like para-athletics, pose hurdles. Despite these challenges, star athletes across para-athletics, archery, para-badminton, shooting, and table tennis are expected to lead India's medal charge.
Indian skeet shooter Anantjeet Singh Naruka has positioned himself strongly for the Asian Games final, tying for the lead after four qualification rounds. While other Indian male shooters struggled, Naruka's performance offers hope. In women's skeet, Raiza Dhillon and Parinaaz Dhaliwal are also in contention for individual medals, and the women's team holds a bronze medal position, though facing tough competition. The final qualification rounds are crucial for India's medal aspirations.
Gautam Gambhir builds a lot of trust and confidence within the team, and every player knows their role and has clarity, said Shreyas Iyer, praising his head coach's man-management skills.
This article provides a comprehensive schedule for Indian athletes competing at the Asian Games on September 26, 2023. It details events across various sports including athletics, badminton, kabaddi, boxing, hockey, and more, with specific timings in IST.
India-Pakistan clashes in cricket and hockey drew big audiences at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, helping fuel stronger viewership and a 20% revenue rise.
Defending champions India secured a dominant 10-0 victory over Bangladesh in their final Asian Games group fixture, with captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring a hat-trick, setting up a highly anticipated semi-final clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 1.
Indian golfers Pranavi Urs and Saptak Talwar delivered impressive performances on the opening day of the Asian Games, with Urs lying second in the individual women's standings and Talwar tied third among men. The Indian women's team is tied sixth, while the men's team is tied fifth, setting a promising tone for the competition.
India's batting strength, highlighted by centuries from Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, is set to face the West Indies in the second ODI to seal the series. However, the team's pace-bowling combination remains a significant concern, particularly after the unsuccessful experiment with Nitish Kumar Reddy. The match is crucial for the West Indies, who are looking to keep the series alive and build confidence for upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Apple has removed the offline messaging app Bitchat from its India App Store following a demand from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Developed by Jack Dorsey, Bitchat faced scrutiny under Section 69(A) of the IT Act, 2000, due to concerns about its potential misuse by anti-national elements and for evading lawful surveillance, especially during public disorder. This marks the second time the app has faced government action in India.
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has made an emotional appeal for financial support for Caribbean cricket, hoping that a competitive series against India will attract sponsors and alleviate the financial struggles faced by the team under the current ICC revenue-sharing model.
Hockey India is embroiled in a significant internal dispute between President Dilip Tirkey and Secretary Bhola Nath Singh, primarily stemming from an unauthorised jersey colour change. An emergent Executive Board meeting has been called to address this conflict, discuss the restructuring of the Hockey India League (HIL) into a joint venture with franchises, finalise election dates, and deliberate on hosting Asian Champions Trophy events. The meeting also aims to address a show-cause notice issued to the Director General.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay congratulated para-athlete Sivarajan Solaimalai for winning a silver medal at the fifth Asian Para Games and announced a Rs 50 lakh cash incentive. The government praised Solaimalai's dedication, highlighting his achievement as an inspiration for other aspiring athletes.
Para-shooter Rakesh Nidagundi, fresh from winning India's first rifle team medal at the World Shooting Para Sport World Championships, is now aiming for a gold medal at his debut Para Asian Games in Japan. He shared his journey, including early financial struggles and the crucial support he received from the Vijayi Bharat Foundation.
Industry experts advocate for India to develop its own artificial intelligence (AI) safety framework, distinct from US or EU models, to address unique challenges like deepfakes and cyberattacks. They call for a comprehensive commitment involving all stakeholders and a hybrid regulatory approach combining voluntary and binding measures, as the Indian government also considers new AI regulations.
West Indies head coach Darren Sammy expresses confidence in his team's ability to secure an ODI series victory in India, a feat not achieved in 24 years. Despite their 10th ODI ranking, Sammy believes the team has made significant progress and highlights key players like Shai Hope, Amir Jangoo, Sherfane Rutherford, Alzarri Joseph, and young wrist-spinner Vitel Lawes as potential game-changers against Shubman Gill's side.
India's shooting campaign at the Asian Games faced a setback as Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane finished fourth in the 10m air rifle mixed team final, extending the country's wait for a gold medal. Despite strong qualification, the Indian pair struggled in the final, while China secured gold with a world record. This follows other near-misses for India, highlighting the intense competition and the need to convert strong starts into medals. The focus now shifts to upcoming events, including Manu Bhaker's participation.
India's wrestling campaign at the Asian Games will be spearheaded by Sujeet Kalkal, Antim Panghal, and Aman Sehrawat, all of whom face challenging draws. Sujeet is in red-hot form but could meet Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka, while Antim Panghal eyes a strong performance against Zhang Jin. Olympic medallist Aman Sehrawat also has a tough path, potentially facing another Olympic medallist early on. The wider Indian contingent also features medal hopefuls across freestyle, women's, and Greco-Roman categories.
Indian rowers Satnam Singh and Salman Khan secured a historic bronze medal in the men's double sculls at the Asian Games, marking India's first-ever medal in this event. Despite the achievement, both athletes expressed mixed feelings due to last-minute crew changes that they believe affected their performance. The bronze was a saving grace for the Indian team, which otherwise delivered one of its worst Asian Games rowing performances, equalling previous low tallies. The controversy surrounding team selections and the impact of weather disruptions on the competition schedule were also highlighted.
Teenaged Indian archer Kumkum Mohod made history at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games by winning India's first-ever women's individual recurve archery gold medal and securing an Olympic quota place. Her coach and association secretary highlight her dedication, academic inclination, and long-term goal of winning an Olympic medal, despite financial challenges.
If India's medal tally ultimately falls significantly short of Hangzhou, the conversation should not stop with the athletes or coaches. It should extend to a much more uncomfortable institutional question: After years of increased investment, programmes, infrastructure and policy attention, where exactly is the system failing to convert that investment into medals, champions and depth across sports? asks Jaydeep Ray.
India's Rudrankksh Patil, Himanshu Dhillon, and Parth Mane secured a silver medal in the men's 10m air rifle team event at the Asian Games. The young trio displayed composure, with debutant Parth Mane's performance being particularly noteworthy, contributing to India's growing medal tally in shooting.
India failed to qualify for the Davis Cup Final 8 after losing 3-1 to Korea in the Qualifier Round 2 tie. Despite a fighting doubles victory by Dhakshineswar Suresh and N Sriram Balaji, Sumit Nagal's defeat in the reverse singles sealed India's fate, making Korea the first Asian team to reach the knockout stage under the new format.
India Test captain Shubman Gill is taking an unprecedented step to prepare for the upcoming red-ball series in New Zealand by personally funding four to five net bowlers to accompany him on the tour. This move highlights his dedication to Test cricket, especially as he balances ODI commitments and skips India A matches, opting instead for a Ranji Trophy fixture before his early departure to acclimatise.
Ishan Kishan's explosive unbeaten 80 and Jasprit Bumrah's two wicket burst were instrumental in guiding India to a 124-run win over Sri Lanka in the Asian Games men's cricket semifinal on Thursday.
A two-day weekend would help employees recover physically and mentally. They would return better prepared for branch work that demands patience, judgment, and accuracy, asserts Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
Former Chennai Super Kings bowling coach Eric Simons and fielding coach James Foster have departed the IPL franchise to join England's Test team's backroom staff, following Stephen Fleming's appointment as the national side's head coach.
India's women's badminton team, led by PV Sindhu, secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Kazakhstan at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. This win propels them into a challenging quarterfinal match against hosts Japan, a team boasting several top-ranked players.
The Kabaddi Champions League (KCL) is set to host its Season 2 player auction on October 17 in New Delhi. Over 300 players, including Asian Games medallists and national team members, will be auctioned for a total purse of Rs 5 crore, distributed among 10 teams. The league has also expanded with two new franchises.
Defending champions India, after two dominant wins, are set to face a significant challenge against South Korea in their third Pool A match at the Asian Games. The team aims to secure a gold medal to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, overcoming recent World Cup disappointment. Despite strong offensive performances, concerns remain regarding penalty corner conversions and defensive solidity as they prepare for tougher opponents.
Indian cricket fans travelled thousands of kilometres, paying exorbitant prices for tickets and travel, to witness the India-Pakistan men's cricket final at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a stadium back home.
The Indian women's table tennis team secured a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against Singapore in the Asian Games Group F match, with Sreeja Akula and Yashaswini Ghorpade delivering crucial wins. In contrast, the Indian men's team suffered a 0-3 defeat to Iran in their Group F encounter.
India's shooting campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games commenced with a strong performance, securing two silver medals in the women's 10m air rifle event. Experienced shooter Elavenil Valarivan was instrumental, winning an individual silver and contributing to a team silver alongside Sonam Uttam Maskar and debutant Vidarsa Vinod. While Elavenil narrowly missed individual gold, her performance, coupled with the team's success, provided an encouraging start for India.
India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson, a self-proclaimed ardent fan of Rajinikanth, has booked an entire cinema hall for the superstar's latest release, 'Jailer 2', to watch with his family, friends, and several Tamil-speaking Indian teammates and support staff.
Yuvraj Singh, Delhi Capitals' assistant and batting coach, has joined forces with head coach Sourav Ganguly to instill belief within the team, aiming for an IPL playoff spot and ultimately the championship. Yuvraj emphasises self-belief, strategic team combination, and a strong team environment, drawing lessons from his playing days with Ganguly.
Former chief selector M S K Prasad wants Mohammed Shami considered for the New Zealand series and the 2027 ODI World Cup while former bowling coach Bharat Arun says the pacer has nothing left to prove.
Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer has assured young talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi that opportunities will come if he remains consistent, while also reflecting on India's high-scoring T20I series against West Indies, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Indian shooters Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil secured individual silver and bronze medals respectively in the men's 10m air rifle event at the Asian Games. India also won a team silver, contributing to the nation's growing medal tally in the continental competition.
Satnam Singh and Salman Khan secured India's first-ever men's double sculls bronze medal at the Asian Games in Nagoya, a significant achievement amidst a backdrop of internal team controversy regarding last-minute crew changes. The performance, however, highlighted one of India's worst rowing showings in Asian Games history, equalling previous low tallies.
Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi made his international debut for India in the second ODI against West Indies in Guwahati, becoming the third player from J&K to play for India in ODIs.
Indian pacers Nandani Sharma and Kranti Gaud have made significant advancements in the ICC Women's T20 Rankings following India's 2-0 series lead over Zimbabwe. Sharma climbed 26 places to 45th, while Gaud moved up nine spots to 43rd. Batters Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma also maintained or improved their positions.
