Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised that India's Olympic performance can significantly improve by increasing participation in sports where the nation currently lacks representation. Speaking at the Khelo India Dialogue, Modi highlighted that India competes in only half of the Olympic sports, leading to a missed opportunity for medals. He also reiterated his vision for sports as a nation-building process, not just about winning medals, and mentioned a nationwide talent hunt for young children.
Veteran Indian golfer Rashid Khan secured his 15th professional title by winning the Telangana Open, ending a seven-year wait for victory. Khan closed with a five-under 67 to finish at 23-under 265, three strokes ahead of runner-up Honey Baisoya. This win marks his 11th victory on the DP World PGTI and significantly boosts his position on the Order of Merit.
Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Akhil Kumar believes India's women pugilists are a stronger bet for an Olympic medal than their male counterparts and should be prioritised in the overall planning for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, following their record-shattering Commonwealth Games performance.
Indian golfer Pukhraj Singh Gill finished tied-19th at the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament, significantly improving his chances of securing an Asian Tour card for 2027. He is now ninth in the Asian Development Tour Order of Merit with one event remaining, with the top 10 earning cards.
Carlos Alcaraz is set to defend his U.S. Open title after a nearly five-month injury layoff, with expectations high despite limited match practice as he aims for a third New York crown.
Former Barcelona star Xavi Hernandez has been appointed as the new coach of the Netherlands national football team, signing a four-year deal. He has pledged to implement an attractive, dominant style of play while instilling a strong desire to win. Xavi aims to build a cohesive team from talented players and is ready to face the pressure of his new role, starting with a Nations League match against Germany.
Indian lawn bowls duo Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh defeated Tonga 2-0 in a tie-breaker during the women's pairs sectional play at the Commonwealth Games, maintaining their strong performance and staying on track for a semifinal berth.
Legendary Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh expressed strong frustration over India's poor performance at the FIH World Cup, criticising the team's 'underwhelming showing' and demanding accountability. He questioned the 'learning experience' narrative and highlighted issues in both men's and women's team management, urging a focus on winning rather than just playing good hockey.
As the U.S. Open approaches, the women's draw is packed with Grand Slam winners, rising stars, and hungry contenders, including Naomi Osaka, Elena Rybakina, Linda Noskova, Amanda Anisimova, Mirra Andreeva, Jessica Pegula, and Marta Kostyuk, all vying for a deep run in New York.
Former India captain Climax Lawrence has predicted Spain to lift the FIFA World Cup, praising their tactical discipline and fitness.
Liverpool survived a Nottingham Forest scare with Victor Munoz's late equaliser, but Andoni Iraola remains without a Premier League win after two games in charge.
Nyck de Vries secured his second victory of the 2025-26 FIA Formula E World Championship season at the Tokyo E-Prix, leading Mahindra Racing to a significant points haul. Despite starting fifth, de Vries navigated challenging wet-dry conditions and a late-race red flag to clinch the win. This result propels him to ninth in the drivers' standings and positions Mahindra Racing just one point behind third place in the teams' championship with two rounds remaining.
Former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja has issued a stark warning that the national team's consistent poor performances are causing a significant decline in its fan base. He emphasised that while fans don't expect wins every time, they demand a fighting spirit and competitive attitude, which the team is currently lacking, leading to growing disinterest among supporters.
Former poll strategist Prashant Kishor made a stunning electoral debut by winning Bihar's Bankipur assembly seat, a long-held BJP bastion. Concurrently, the Congress retained the Datia assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh, while the BJP successfully held onto the Manjalpur seat in Gujarat, showcasing mixed results for the ruling and opposition parties in these crucial by-elections.
East Bengal's women's team secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Rajshahi Stars FC of Bangladesh in their AFC Women's Champions League Preliminary Round opener, with Olivia Anokye scoring a brace and India internationals Astam Oraon and Soumya Guguloth adding to the tally.
Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu secured her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold, breaking records in the women's 48kg weightlifting. Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi also added silver medals, contributing to India's growing tally at the Games.
The KSLTA World Tennis Junior J30 Bengaluru tournament saw strong performances from young Indian players on its opening day. Top seed Riya Gangamma Pudiyokkada advanced, while several unseeded players caused significant upsets in both the boys' and girls' categories, highlighting emerging talent.
Frenchman Alireza Firouzja has won the fourth edition of the Chennai Grand Masters chess tournament, securing the title with a draw against Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi in the final round. Firouzja finished with 4.5 points, taking home a prize purse of Rs 25 lakh.
Ravichandran Ashwin crowned Sachin Tendulkar India's greatest cricketer in his all-time bracket, while making surprise calls by choosing Sehwag over Dhoni and Bumrah over Virat Kohli.
Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal was defeated in straight sets by top seed Arthur Gea in the opening round of the US Open qualifying tournament, extending his streak of not reaching a Grand Slam main draw to seven events. Nagal will now focus on the upcoming Davis Cup clash.
After securing her first title of the season at the Cincinnati Open, American tennis star Coco Gauff is brimming with confidence and aiming for a championship run at the US Open, seeking her third Grand Slam crown.
Lewis Hamilton expressed frustration with Ferrari's strategy at the Dutch Grand Prix, believing that a delayed pit stop for teammate Charles Leclerc cost him a podium finish. Hamilton, who finished fourth, stated that the time lost behind Leclerc ultimately made the difference in his pursuit of a top-three spot.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy felicitated badminton players Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly for their bronze medal win at the World Championships. The meeting also included national coach Pullela Gopichand and IT Minister D Sridhar Babu.
Deep Dasgupta said Sourav Ganguly's "I am the king" mindset transformed India's response to sledging, encouraging teammates to openly give back instead of silently channelling their anger.
Celtic suffered a devastating exit from the Champions League after squandering a four-goal aggregate lead against Austrian side LASK, losing 5-4 overall.
Jose Mourinho praised Kylian Mbappe's relentless hunger to make history at Real Madrid after his hat-trick inspired a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad at Santiago Bernabeu.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Seema Kaliramna is leveraging her doctoral research on imagery and positive self-talk to gain a competitive advantage in discus throwing. Her academic pursuits at Chaudhary Bansi Lal University are directly applied to her training and mental preparation, helping her achieve success like her recent Glasgow CWG medal and focus on the upcoming Asian Games.
The Indian women's wrestling contingent achieved significant success at the U-20 World Wrestling Championship in Bratislava, securing three medals. Mansi Lather earned a silver medal in the 68kg category, while Tanvi Magdum (57kg) and Komal (59kg) each contributed with bronze medals, showcasing India's growing prowess in junior wrestling.
Novak Djokovic enters the US Open with renewed hopes of a record 25th Grand Slam, boosted by Sinner's injury and Alcaraz's uncertain return, but faces Zverev.
A world-class Test team can't afford to have a bowling attack that allows batters to feel comfortable. To be the world's best Test team, all departments of the game should be strong and striking.
Anthony Andrews, the highly successful coach of East Bengal FC, has been appointed as the assistant coach for the India Under-17 women's national team. He joins the team in Tashkent for friendly matches ahead of the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers, bringing his extensive experience and winning record, including four IWL titles and continental success with East Bengal.
Emami Group has officially concluded its role as an investor and manager in East Bengal Football Club, transferring all shares and voting rights back to the club. The group will, however, continue its association with East Bengal FC as a sponsor, reaffirming its commitment to Indian football. This transition follows a successful period for the club under Emami's ownership, marked by significant victories for both men's and women's teams.
Leeds United defeated Nottingham Forest 2-0 to advance to the third round of the League Cup, marking their second victory over Forest in four days.
India's Mayank Chakraborty and Pratitee Bordoloi secured gold medals in the Open and Girls categories, respectively, at the Asian Junior Classical Chess Championship, leading the host nation to a memorable double victory and a total of four medals.
Shubman Gill hailed Sri Lanka's gritty resistance after Sonal Dinusha's second century forced India to settle for a draw in the second Test.
Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra has announced he will miss the remainder of the 2026 season, including the Asian Games, after sustaining a ligament tear in his ankle during training. This injury is a significant setback for India's athletics campaign.
India secured their three-match Twenty20 international series against Zimbabwe with a dominant 90-run victory in the second match at Harare Sports Club, marking new T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer's first series win.
Bayern Munich, the reigning domestic double winners, secured the German Supercup by defeating hosts Borussia Dortmund 2-1, with Michael Olise contributing a goal and an assist in a dominant performance.
Shubman Gill remains hopeful of India reaching the WTC final, but the team must win at least six of their remaining seven Tests.
The India Under-20 men's football team secured a 1-0 victory over Yemen in their second friendly match in Bengaluru. Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam scored the decisive goal. This win comes as the Blue Colts prepare for the upcoming AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers in Uzbekistan, scheduled from August 31 to September 6.
