"Reach and revenue" has been Narinder Batra's agenda going into the polls and soon after becoming the first non-European President of the International Hockey Federation, the veteran Indian sports administrator vowed to take the game across the globe. Batra, who is the Hockey India President, defeated David Balbirnie of Ireland and Australia's Ken Read to become the 12th FIH President -- the first Asian to grab the post in the world body's 92-year-old history. Batra got 68 votes in his favour while Balbirnie and Read managed 29 and 13 votes respectively. Out of 118 voters, only 110 voted while eight abstained.
Leaking late goals has been something of an Achilles' heel for the Indian hockey team but captain Sardar Singh believes his team have addressed the issue as they head to Rio looking for the country's first Olympic medal in 36 years. Once-mighty India are the most decorated nation in the sport's Olympic history but the South Asians collected the last of their eight gold medals way back at the Moscow Games in 1980. Having failed to qualify for the Beijing Games in 2008, the team representing a nation of 1.3 billion people did recover to seal a spot at the London Games four years later only to finish last among the 12 countries taking part.
A resurgent Indian hockey team, with its penetrative attack and solid defence, can actually challenge for the top spot in the Champions Trophy.
Indian hockey coach Michael Nobbs praised his defenders for playing a fine game despite the 0-3 loss to defending champions Australia in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy in Melbourne on Saturday.
'I believe there will be some treatment (of coronavirus) by September or October this year. We (India) have to plan ourselves thinking that Olympics will be held.'
India's top-five finish not a given this time
Indian men's hockey captain Sardar Singh was officially reprimanded for inappropriate physical conduct against an opposition player during his side's group match against Australia at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Spin bowling and its "dynamic" batting line-up will be key to India's success in the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, while a top-two finish is highly unlikely for struggling Australia, feels former Oz leg-spinner Stuart MacGill.
India has much to be proud of and celebrate. But there is also much that is wrong, much that looks dangerous. Employment, current account deficit, rural distress, agricultural productivity are all in deep crisis, points out Shekhar Gupta.
A summary of Indian athletes' performance on Wednesday, Day 6 of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Asian champions India have never won the Champions Trophy in its last 36 editions but will be hoping to claim the feat in the tournament's last edition.
Indian captain PR Sreejesh's lacklustre show under the bar saw the team succumb to a 1-2 defeat by Belgium in the 36th Hero Champions Trophy at the Lee Valley Hockey Centre in London.
Sporting world lost some of its favourite stars this year.
We asked you Dear Readers for your memories, photographs and videos of your meeting with M S Dhoni.
Aiming to keep their perfect record at the Commonwealth Games intact, defending champions Australia on Wednesday announced a 16-member hockey squad for the October 3-14 mega-event in Delhi.
Hockey legend Ashok Kumar reckons India would have won a medal had the Olympics been held this year but the break in momentum will make a big difference now that the Games are pushed to 2021.
The Indian team are in Pool B along with Pakistan, Malaysia, Wales, England, and will begin their campaign on April 7 against Pakistan.
Check out India's schedule on Day 6 of the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, on Tuesday.
Ace midfielder Sardar Singh will lead a full strength Indian men's hockey team in the 24th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia from April 5 to 12.
Check out India's report card on the fifth day of the 2016 Olympics.
Senior India hockey player Gurbaj Singh was suspended for nine months on Monday for allegedly indulging in groupism and creating disharmony within the team.
The Indian hockey team's stand-in captain and goalkeeper P R Sreejesh says the Champions Trophy in England and the following six-nation hockey tournament in Spain will give his side the opportunity to test players' mental strength ahead of the Rio Olympic Games.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
Check out India's schedule on Day 4 of the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, on Sunday.
Manpreet Singh will lead an 18-member Indian junior men's hockey team in the second Sultan of Johar Cup, in Malaysia, from November 11 to 18. Kothajit Singh is vice-captain of the side. India's opening match is against Australia on November 11.
I tried to reason in my mind that wouldn't beating Pakistan again and again -- in the league matches and in the knockouts if they made it -- be a better tribute to our martyred soldiers? A revealing excerpt from Vinod Rai's Not Just A Nightwatchman: My Innings In The BCCI.
Rupinder Pal Singh said defence will be his top priority as he looks to make a fresh start during India's campaign at the Hockey World League Final in Bhubaneswar.
Indian women hockey could never recover from three early setbacks and ended up losing the Hawke's Bay Cup quarter-final 1-3 to Japan, in Hastings, on Thursday.
Held on the first day of Spring by the Chinese calendar, it began with a performance by dancers waving glowing green stalks to convey the vitality of the season, followed by an explosion of white and green fireworks that spelled the word "Spring".
An injury-hit India proved no match to defending champions Australia as they lost 0-3 in a lop-sided semi-final of the Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Melbourne on Saturday.
The six-member committee, constituted by Sports Authority of India (SAI) to study the proposals of Indian hockey coach Terry Walsh, met the Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday.
Check out the BEST Images from Day 7 of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
Olympic gold medallists The Netherlands defeated Australia 2-0 in the title showdown to clinch the women's hockey World Cup at the Kyocera Stadium in The Hague on Saturday.
The Indian contingent's schedule at the Rio Olympics for Thursday.
India, eying their maiden Champions Trophy title, had earlier crushed bitter-rivals Pakistan 4-0 in their campaign opener on Saturrday.
India's 16-member squad for Rio Olympics was announced on Tuesday in New Delhi. Goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will lead the side with SV Sunil as the vice captain.
Pakistan's hopes of hosting the Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament received another jolt as Britain, the replacement for Australia, expressed unwillingness to tour the country.
As the curtains come down at the Tokyo Olympics, here's a glance at the medallists and those who came within touching distance of glory.
India hockey coach Paul van Ass said inability to handle fast-paced attack resulted in his side's capitulation against World champions Australia in the FIH World League semi-finals in Antwerp.
The Indian contingent's schedule at the Rio Olympics for Wednesday.
