India concluded its Asian Games campaign in Nagoya with a creditable fourth place, securing 85 medals, including 21 golds. The final days saw a surge in gold medals, notably from the cricket and hockey teams, and historic individual wins by 17-year-old archer Kumkum Mohod and golfer Pranavi Urs.
India's Pranav Soorma secured a gold medal in the discus throw at the Asian Para Games, setting a new Asian record in his debut major competition for the event. Compatriot Ram Ratan Singh won silver, ensuring a 1-2 finish for India in the combined F51/52/53 event. Soorma, who previously won gold in club throw, highlighted the technical challenges of adapting to discus throw and the extensive practice involved.
Indian kurash athlete Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games despite suffering a knee injury during her quarterfinal bout. She revealed that the injury hampered her performance in the semifinal, preventing a higher finish. Balhara, a two-time Asian Games medallist, also highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by Indian kurash athletes due to the lack of a recognised national federation and reliance on private support.
Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting in Ahmedabad to review India's preparations for hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games and its bid for the 2036 Olympic Games. The meeting, also attended by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat's Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi, highlighted the government's commitment to establishing India as a global sporting destination. Discussions also covered the 2029 World Police and Fire Games, set to be held in Ahmedabad.
Young Indian compound archer Chikitha Taniparthi clinched two gold medals at her Asian Games debut, fulfilling her father's long-held dream for her to pursue sports. Her journey involved significant financial sacrifices from her family and dedicated training, overcoming initial interest in karate to become a world youth champion and now a double Asian Games gold medallist.
Indian para-athletes continued their impressive performance at the Asian Para Games, adding 10 more medals, including three gold, to their tally on the third day of competitions. Ayush Verma, Praveen Kumar, and Sachin Khilari secured gold medals in their respective events, contributing to India's growing success.
The flag-hoisting ceremony for the Asian Games, involving India and five other contingents, was significantly delayed due to "miscommunication" between the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the local organising committee (ANAGOC). The disruption, which lasted over an hour, initially caused confusion and speculation about political issues, but organisers later clarified it was a communication breakdown, adding to existing organisational challenges for the event.
Defending champions India are set to face arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-stakes men's hockey semifinal at the Asian Games. The winner of the gold medal will secure a direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Prince William joined cricket legends Sourav Ganguly, Ajinkya Rahane, Brian Lara, Joe Root, and Harry Brook for a friendly tennis-ball match in London. This event served as a prelude to the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony, an environmental initiative launched by Prince William, which is set to debut in India next month in Mumbai. The cricketers highlighted the unifying spirit of the sport and its connection to environmental responsibility.
Vithya Ramraj won three medals at the Asian Games and broke P T Usha's 42-year-old record. Her twin Nithya, an international athlete herself, ruled out of the Games by an injury, looks back at their journey from a rented home to a podium finish.
Brazil's star-studded line-up, including Vinicius Jr and Marquinhos, is set to face India in a friendly match at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, with veteran goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu captaining the Indian side.
India continued its strong performance at the Asian Games, securing gold medals in both men's and women's Kabaddi, a historic silver in marathon by Sawan Barwal, and advancing to squash finals. The day also saw mixed results in shooting, athletics, and badminton, contributing to India's growing medal tally.
Star Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar underwent minor ligament reconstruction surgery on his right ankle in London following an injury sustained at the Asian Games last month. This marks his second major surgery, having previously missed the Paris Olympics due to a left knee injury in 2024. Sreeshankar is now targeting a return to competition next season, with his sights set on the 2027 World Championships and the LA 2028 Olympics.
Hockey Haryana secured the 16th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship title by defeating Hockey Madhya Pradesh 2-1 in a hard-fought Division 'A' final. Uttar Pradesh Hockey claimed the third spot by beating Hockey Punjab.
Indian kurash athlete Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games, becoming the most successful Indian in the sport at the event. Her achievement came despite suffering a knee injury during the quarterfinal, which was further targeted by her semifinal opponent. Balhara, who trains with boys at her uncle's academy due to the lack of a national federation, expressed disappointment over the injury preventing a higher finish.
India experienced a day of mixed results at the Asian Games, securing a gold medal in shooting through Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet, and a silver in men's 10,000m with Gulveer Singh. However, a major setback occurred with the unexpected early exit of top badminton men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. The nation also added several bronze medals in pole vault, shot put, table tennis, and assured more in squash, pushing its total medal count to 23.
Indian swimmers delivered a strong performance at the 2nd Asian Masters Swimming Championship in Bengaluru, securing multiple gold and silver medals across various age categories and events. Jay Prakash Ekbote won gold in the men's 50m butterfly, while S Feroz Mohamed triumphed in the men's 200m breaststroke. Indian women swimmers also excelled, with Jalaja Shirole and Loveleen Johal winning gold in their respective butterfly events.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved the use of pink balls in day-time Test matches on a trial basis, aiming to mitigate the frequent loss of overs due to fading light in the final session. This decision, applicable to series starting from October 1, allows for mutual agreement between teams to use the pink ball for the entire duration of a Test.
Quimcy D'Souza, a self-funded and self-coached Indian teqball player, competed at the Asian Games with the aim of popularising the sport in India. Despite narrowly missing out on two bronze medals, D'Souza views her journey as a crucial first step towards establishing teqball in the country and inspiring more athletes.
Harjinder Kaur finished ninth in the women's 69kg weightlifting event at the Asian Games, marking a disappointing end to India's campaign. Her combined effort was 204kg, significantly behind gold medallist Song Kuk-hyang who set new world records. India concluded the weightlifting events with one silver medal won by Mirabai Chanu.
Kolkata's passionate football fans have shown immense enthusiasm for the upcoming India-Brazil friendly, with lower-priced tickets selling out within an hour of going online. India is set to play five-time world champions Brazil on October 3, followed by a match against two-time world champions Uruguay, providing a significant test for the Indian squad ahead of crucial Asian Cup qualifiers.
Pranavi Sharath Urs delivered an exceptional 7-under 63 at the Asian Games golf competition, placing her in sole second position individually and elevating the Indian women's team to bronze medal contention. Her performance, marked by clean ball-striking and aggressive play, has created significant momentum for India's medal aspirations in both individual and team events.
Indian wrestling coach Virender Dahiya and wrestler Antim Panghal have expressed strong confidence in the national team's preparation and potential for the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Dahiya believes the team will significantly improve on its previous medal tally, while Panghal highlights the strong team cohesion and gold medal aspirations. The squad features a mix of experienced and young talent, aiming to overcome strong regional competitors.
India's canoeing team concluded its Asian Games campaign without securing any medals, a decline from their bronze-medal performance in the previous Hangzhou edition. The absence of the men's canoe double 1000m event, where India previously medalled, impacted their prospects.
Indian men's hockey head coach Craig Fulton revealed that the hard-fought semi-final victory over arch-rivals Pakistan significantly boosted the team's confidence, leading to their dominant 5-1 win against Malaysia in the Asian Games final and securing a berth for the 2028 Olympics.
India achieved a remarkable six-gold haul on the penultimate day of the Asian Games, surging to fifth place with 76 medals. Key victories included the women's hockey team securing gold and Olympic qualification, historic boxing golds from Lovlina Borgohain, Parveen Hooda, and Ankush Panghal, a wrestling gold by Sujeet Kalkal, and maiden recurve archery gold. This strong finish significantly bolstered India's overall campaign.
Defending champions India, currently unbeaten in the men's hockey Pool A at the Asian Games, are set to face hosts Japan in a crucial match. Both teams have won all their games, but India holds a superior goal difference. The winner of this match will secure the top spot in the pool and a direct semifinal berth, with India's forwards showing exceptional form.
Quimcy Dsouza has taken an unusual route to the Asian Games, moving from athletics and football to becoming one of India's leading Teqball players.
After India's defeat despite scoring 249, Gautam Gambhir says only the openers are permanent in T20 cricket and backs a flexible batting order.
The Indian men's volleyball team's hopes of ending a 40-year medal drought at the Asian Games were crushed after a 0-3 defeat to arch-rivals Pakistan in the quarterfinals. India, despite an all-win record in the group stage, failed to secure a podium finish.
Indian women's boxing head coach Santiago Nieva is confident the team can secure an elusive gold medal at the upcoming Asian Games, building on their strong performance at the Commonwealth Games. Despite facing tough competition from powerhouses like China and Kazakhstan, Nieva believes the current squad is the best the country has seen and is capable of overcoming challenges, including previous struggles against Chinese opponents, by focusing on controlling bouts.
The Indian men's volleyball team secured its second consecutive victory at the Asian Games, defeating Hong Kong, China 3-0 in a Pool C preliminary round match.
Indian women's hockey team chief coach Sjoerd Marijne shares insights into the team's historic Asian Games gold medal victory, revealing his "eye of a tiger" message that inspired the players.
India will take on Pakistan in the table tennis men's and women's team event at the Asian Games on Monday.
The Japan Cricket Association (JCA) is set to host its first-ever T20I against reigning world champions India, a landmark event expected to significantly elevate cricket's profile and drive its long-term growth in Japan, according to JCA COO Alan Curr.
India trap coach Peter Wilson explains his wild medal pledges after Neeru Dhanda's Asian Games gold, recalling his bald-headed celebration in 2025.
Indian squash player Abhay Singh expressed disappointment despite winning two medals at the Asian Games, particularly with the men's team bronze, feeling it was a missed opportunity for gold. He also aims for gold in individual events and is now focused on qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
India's P V Sindhu, a double Olympic medallist, overcame a strong challenge from Thailand's Supanida Katethong in a three-game thriller at the French Open Super 750 badminton tournament on Wednesday. Sindhu won 21-14, 8-21, 23-21, admitting it was not her best performance but expressing relief at advancing. In other matches, Unnati Hooda exited, while Ayush Shetty defeated Kidambi Srikanth, and Lakshya Sen gave a walkover.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) CEO Raghuram Iyer announced a massive nationwide talent hunt targeting children aged 5 to 15 to identify and nurture future athletes, aiming for 30-40 medals at the 2036 Olympics.
Defending champions India's men's kabaddi team secured a dominant 37-21 victory over Chinese Taipei, advancing to the semi-finals of the Asian Games with an unbeaten record in Group A.
