Karn Sharma announced his retirement from competitive cricket at 38, ending a nearly two-decade career highlighted by India appearances, 591 wickets and four IPL titles.
Former captain Rajpal Singh and veteran midfielder Ignace Tirkey were the notable omissions from an 18-member Indian hockey team announced for the FIH Men's Champions Challenge I from November 26 to December 4 in Johannesburg.
Forward Rajpal Singh will lead a young 18-member India squad in the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Ordos, China, from September 3 to 11.
At least six senior players, including former captain Rajpal Singh, are not in the team for the tournament, starting May 5, in Ipoh, Malaysia.
Defending champions Haryana trounced Bengal 8-0 to register their second consecutive victory in the 2nd Hockey India Senior Men's National Championship in Bangalore on Monday.
Starting their campaign in style, Maratha Warriors thrashed Chennai Veerans 4-1 in a one-sided match of the Premier Hockey League in Chandigarh on Friday.
The Indian hockey team succumbed to its second straight defeat, going down 2-4 in the final match to allow Argentina level the four-match Test series in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, on Friday. A shaky defence and a profligate forward line let down India as Sandeep Singh and his men squandered a 2-1 lead and conceded three second half goals to share honours in the four-match series, which they led 2-0 at the midway stage.
For DC, the onus will be on Prithvi Shaw and veteran Australian David Warner to provide a solid start.
A resurgent Delhi Capitals will look to exploit Kolkata Knight Riders' bowling vulnerabilities and ascend to top-four in the table during their Indian Premier League match in Kolkata on Monday.
Saddened by the financial hardship being faced by the hockey community amid the COVID-19 pandemic, former India captain Viren Rasquinha has raised Rs 22 lakh to be distributed as one-time benefit among players, coaches and groundsmen working at the grassroots level. The fund has been raised in just one week through a joint initiative of non-profit organisations Olympic Gold Quest, of which Rasquinha is a Director and CEO, and Go Sports Foundation. They named the initiative #LetsStickTogether.
India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Ranchi Rhinos' have retained most of the players.
