Devdutt Padikkal's childhood coach, Mohammad Naseeruddin, revealed the rigorous training regimen the cricketer underwent, including practising with Kookaburra balls on turning pitches, to prepare for the Sri Lankan spin attack ahead of the Test series.
Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has become the ninth Australian bowler to take 300 Test wickets, achieving the milestone during the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin with his 14th career five-wicket haul.
Gulveer Singh has made history by becoming the first Indian to win a 5000m medal at the Commonwealth Games, securing a bronze.
SC Delhi staged a remarkable second-half comeback, scoring five goals to defeat debutants FC Raengdai of Manipur 5-1 in the Durand Cup quarter-finals. After conceding an early goal, Joseph Sunny's brace, along with goals from Rodriguinho, Juan Sebastian Pena, and Augustine Lalrochana, secured their place in the semifinals.
India achieved its most productive day at the Commonwealth Games, securing a record-breaking seven gold medals in boxing, along with significant successes in judo and para track and field, propelling the nation to fourth place in the medal table.
Rishabh Pant's dismissal for 39 against Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle has once again brought his shot selection under intense scrutiny, with fans and former cricketers criticising his inability to convert starts into bigger scores.
Arun Vasu, president of the Surfing Federation of India, has been elected as the new head of the Asian Surfing Federation (ASF) after a supervised voting process. He succeeds Atsushi Sakai of Japan and aims to build on the legacy while promoting surfing and SUP across Asia.
Judoka Asmita Dey from Tripura has won a gold medal in the women's 48 kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, marking a historic first for an Indian woman judoka. Chief Minister Manik Saha and Sports Minister Tinku Roy congratulated Dey, highlighting her achievement as an inspiration for the nation.
Top-order batter B Sai Sudharsan has been ruled out of the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka due to a big toe injury. The injury, sustained during the India A tour last month, requires further healing time, leading to his withdrawal from the squad.
Young Indian cyclist Harshita Jakhar has made history by becoming the first Indian woman to participate in the Tour de France Femmes. The 19-year-old led a pack of international cyclists during a ceremonial start at Stage 2 of the prestigious race, an opportunity provided by the UCI World Cycling Talent programme. Jakhar, who aims for medals in future Asian Games, expressed her gratitude for the chance to ride in her dream event.
Sri Lanka have gone more than a decade since their last Test match win against India, having last beaten them in the Galle Test in 2015.
India's chief badminton coach Pullela Gopichand believes the sport's upcoming shift to a 15x3 scoring system will lead to some players being 'wiped off' due to the increased premium on speed, power, and mental strength.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh recounted an elaborate April Fool's Day prank in 2005 where he and Yuvraj Singh convinced then-captain Sourav Ganguly that he had publicly criticised his teammates, leading Ganguly to panic and offer to resign.
Indian shuttler Unnati Hooda defeated compatriot Devika Sihag in straight games to secure her spot in the Taipei Open semifinals. Hooda, the third seed, won a tightly contested first game before dominating the second to close out the match.
India's para shot putter Soman Rana won the gold gold medal in the men's F57 event para shot put event at the Commonwealth Games.
US President Donald Trump has publicly backed FIFA President Gianni Infantino, stating that replacing him would be a 'terrible mistake' and that the sport would 'never be as successful or profitable' without him, despite Infantino facing significant backlash and a battle to retain his position ahead of next year's presidential elections.
India spin legend Harbhajan Singh has lauded 15-year-old cricket prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling his audacious strokeplay unparalleled.
Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes believes that while bilateral ODI series may become fewer in the future, the 50-over format is unlikely to disappear entirely, with passionate fans continuing to support their teams.
Indian-origin chess prodigies Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, and Shreyas Royal, 17, have made history by winning the 2026 British Chess Championships. Bodhana became Britain's youngest-ever Women's chess champion, while Royal scooped the overall British title, establishing their status as emerging world-class talents.
Indian distance runner Parul Chaudhary finished 13th in the women's 5000m final at the Commonwealth Games, clocking 15:08.56. This result continues India's wait for a medal in this event at the Games. Chaudhary, a national record holder and Asian Games champion, had also missed a medal in her preferred 3000m steeplechase event.
Indian javelin thrower Yashvir Singh credited Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra's last-second advice for his bronze medal-winning throw of 85.41m at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, a personal best that propelled him from seventh to third place.
India faces a tough challenge against world No. 3 England in a crucial FIH Men's Hockey World Cup Pool D match. India, coming off a win against Wales, needs to improve its open play finishing and overcome a 32-year World Cup jinx against England. The outcome will significantly impact their path to the knockout stages.
Kuldeep Yadav will look towards the Sri Lanka series as his big opportunity to finally seal his place as India's No 1 spinner in Tests.
Women's sports garnered 28.6 billion minutes of views in the U.S. in the first half of 2026, an 18% increase year-over-year, with advertising spend up 120% since 2022, according to a Nielsen report.
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu and reigning men's doubles champion Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will headline the Indian badminton squad at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The Dubai-born model-turned-actor, who also went viral as the internet's favourite Champions Trophy 'mystery girl', doesn't just collect fashion moments; she collects handbags most of us will only ever see behind luxury store windows.
Judoka Ishroop Narang gave her all in the bronze medal play-off but lost to Canadian Coralie Godbout by yuko as India's judo campaign ended at the Commonwealth Games without any medal.
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak lauded the team's productive warm-up victory against Sri Lanka, highlighting strong performances from both batters and bowlers, including Shubman Gill's quick 44 and Devdutt Padikkal's unbeaten 142, which set a positive tone for the upcoming two-match Test series.
Subedar Hokato Sema lost his leg in a mine blast on the Line of Control. Today he is a champion para shot-putter and among the most decorated para soldier-athletes.
National record holder Lovepreet Singh secured a silver medal in the men's +110kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games, setting a new Games record in the snatch category. He finished just one kilogram behind New Zealand's David Andrew Liti, who claimed gold.
'We're going to play in a lot of different conditions over the next 12 months. It's going to require different efforts. It may not look like the traditional thing all the time.'
Indian weightlifter Lovepreet Singh secured a silver medal in the men's +110kg category at the Commonwealth Games, setting a new snatch record. He finished just one kilogram behind New Zealand's David Andrew Liti, who made a remarkable comeback in the clean and jerk to clinch gold. This medal contributed to India's successful weightlifting campaign, which concluded with eight medals.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has voiced strong support for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup, emphasising that performance, not age, should be the primary criterion for selection.
Indian triple jumpers Praveen Chitravel and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran secured silver and bronze medals respectively at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, with Chitravel jumping 16.58m and Thirumaran 16.52m. Jamaica's Jordan Scott won gold, while Ramesh Shanmugam finished seventh in the para athletics segment.
Ridhima Dilawari shot a superb 5-under 67 to take a three-shot lead in the opening round of Leg 12 of the Women's Pro Golf Tour. Three players are tied for second, while several other experienced golfers are further behind.
Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra secured a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with a season-best throw of 85.83m. Debutant Yashvir Singh surprised with a personal best of 85.41m on his final attempt, earning a bronze medal. Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won gold with an 89.75m throw despite challenging cold and windy conditions.
Indian boxers have delivered their best-ever performance at a single edition of the Commonwealth Games, securing a record seven gold medals in Glasgow, surpassing their previous best of three golds.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu extended their congratulations to Indian athletes Neeraj Chopra, Yash Vir Singh, Yamini Maurya, and Tejaswin Shankar for their medal-winning performances at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026, praising their dedication and historic achievements.
Former Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane revealed that Virat Kohli would never share the 'secrets and calculations' behind his masterful white-ball chasing abilities, even with teammates. Rahane also highlighted the strong camaraderie and complementary playing styles that made their Test partnership successful.
Indian badminton players Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma have successfully advanced to the women's singles semifinals of the Taipei Open. While Hooda secured a straight-game victory over fellow Indian Devika Sihag, Sharma triumphed in a tough three-game match against Thailand's Supanida Katethong. However, Kiran George faced defeat in the men's singles quarterfinal.
