'All the venues are high-scoring venues. So what you need is pace.' 'You really want someone to come there and control the flow of runs in the death overs, whether you are setting a target or setting a target.' 'It is going to be the fast bowlers because at how many venues have you seen spinners bowling the death overs?'
For the 12th successive time, none could match up to India's regional might but the host country's record-breaking medal haul of 308 can hardly hide the fact that the standard of competition in the South Asian Games has failed to rise significantly.
This was due to the fact that they had already won the Khel Ratna, the country's highest sporting honour.
Heptathlete Swapna Barman added a dash of heroism to her historic gold medal
He is inarguably the greatest tennis player of all time but what makes Roger Federer, a revered sportsperson, a legend is his "warmth and care" for colleagues, which even touched Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza's life on a couple of occasions.
'He has two small children, think of the impact on them.' Mixed emotions in Indian sports fraternity after Sushil's arrest in murder case.
The Azlan Shah Cup is the latest sporting event to be hit by the deadly coronavirus, which has claimed more than 3,000 lives and infected 86,000 people across the world.
India's 572 athletes hope to return home with an overflowing treasure chest of medals.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Friday for the 2022 Winter Olympics and a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, bringing with him a deal to increase natural gas supplies to China amid rising tension with the West.
India's leading player Sharath Kamal overcame a sluggish start to beat Portugal's Tiago Apolonia in the men's singles second round, while the women challenge ended with Manika Batra and Sutirtha Mukherjee losing to their superior opponents at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday.
It was largely made possible by Manika Batra, who ended up winning four medals, the most by an Indian in Gold Coast.
Saqlain Mushtaq was associated with the England as spin consultant till World Cup last year. Both Moeen and Rashid have dismissed Virat Kohli six times each.
India's G Sathiyan continued his good show and qualified for the main draw of the men's singles event at the World Table Tennis Championships, in Suzhou, China.
Conceding that the performance of the Indian team in the Rio Olympics table tennis competition was not up to his expectations, former national coach Kamlesh Mehta, on Thursday, said it does not mean they should not have taken the flight to Brazil.
Ace doubles player Leander Paes and his big-serving partner Rohan Bopanna did not practise or play enough together to give themselves a decent chance to win a medal in the men's doubles event at the Rio Olympic Games, said the former's ex-partner Mahesh Bhupathi in Mumbai on Monday. "The (men's) doubles team was definitely under-prepared, in fact there no preparation - that's the right word. "They did not practise, did not play any matches together. Even when Leander and me were not playing on tour in 2004 and 2008 (Olympic Games in Athens and Beijing), we always came together, played a couple of tournaments together. That's what the Olympics demands," said Bhupathi at the Khar Gymkhana in Mumbai.
'Everyone's going to come out on few kilos (heavier).'
Mehuli Ghosh's effort will, however, not be considered as a world record, as the South Asian Games' results are not recognised by the international body (ISSF) for the purpose of records.
Asian Games gold medal-winning javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on Tuesday donated a total of Rs 3 lakh to the central and Haryana state relief funds to combat the coronavirus pandemic in India. Chopra is currently in self-isolation at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala after flying back from a training trip in Turkey.
Sharath along with G Sathiyan has been handed a tough draw in the men's singles competition.
Danish teenager Holger Rune fought back from a set down to beat hot favourite Novak Djokovic 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 and win his first Masters title in Paris on Sunday.
The Sports Authority of India has already drawn up the Standard Operating Procedure regarding resuming sporting activities.
Watching a grey-haired, smart-suited 56-year-old John McEnroe speak with mature insight about all-things tennis it seems odd to think that many feel that what the sport needs is a dose of the "superbrat" attitude of the brash New Yorker's youth.
World Championships bronze medallist Simranjit Kaur (60kg) and GeeBee Boxing silver medallist Dinesh Dagar (69kg) confirmed their places in the final, while Ankush Dahiya (64kg) and Ananta Pralhad Chopade (52kg) made it to the semi-finals.
Olympic trials: TTFI seeks MEA's help in getting visa for para contingent.
Power-hitting coaches will soon be the norm
The United States justified their status as favourites to outclass Italy in a one-sided final at the inaugural United Cup mixed team tournament on Sunday.
Sania Mirza's dream of playing alongside Roger Federer will be realised when the two team up for the mixed doubles in the third leg of the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) beginning on Saturday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday
Djokovic will be nowhere near the centre court after losing his bid to overturn a second visa cancellation.
The administrators are busy thrashing out resumption plans but with the COVID-19 pandemic showing no signs of slowing down, India's sportsperson are pleading for caution as discussion rages on whether competitions can resume by August. Top stars from various disciplines want the waiting period to continue, while others pointed out at the loss it would cause in terms of fitness and readiness.
Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra became the first Indian pairing to qualify for the mega event in Tokyo, beating World No. 8 duo of Sang-Su Lee and Jihee Jeon 4-2 in the final of the Asian Qualification Tournament in Doha.
Devendra Jhajharia, on Tuesday became the first para athlete to receive India's highest sporting honour -- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna -- along with hockey star Sardar Singh, who has endured trying times off the field in the last one year.
Manika Batra and Mouma Das made history by becoming the first Indian pair to reach the quarter-finals of the World Table Tennis Championships in Dusseldorf, on Thursday.
One of the most notable omissions from India's T20 World Cup squad, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal on Thursday asserted that he will be his wily, old wicket-taking self in the upcoming second leg of IPL in the UAE.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
Indian paddler G Sathiyan has qualified for his maiden Summer Games with a comfortable 4-0 win over Pakistan's Muhammad Rameez in the Asian Olympic Games Qualification Tournament in Doha.
The deadly COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented postponement as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Japanese government and the athletes world over agreed that Olympics in July-August this year could not have gone ahead in the present circumstances.
The 36-year-old Jhajharia, who is the first Indian to win two Paralympic gold medals, was the first choice of the awards selection committee.
Jos Buttler became only the sixth player in IPL history to score multiple centuries in the same season.
The Karnataka high court brought a stay on the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna to be conferred on tennis ace Sania Mirza on Wednesday following paralympian H Girisha's plea against it. The court also issued notice to the Centre on the development.
