Cricket legend Kapil Dev has cautioned against creating 'excessive hype' around 15-year-old Indian cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, drawing parallels with Vinod Kambli's career, and urged the media to give the young talent time to develop.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to Indian athletes who secured medals at the Asian Games. He specifically lauded Neeru Dhanda for her historic individual trap gold, the women's trap team for their silver, and the women's 4x400m relay squad for their gold-winning performance, highlighting their precision, speed, and teamwork.
Fresh from their record-extending Asia Cup triumph, defending champions India will begin their Asian Games title defence as overwhelming favourites against hosts Japan in the women's quarter-finals in Nagoya on Friday.
Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan secured two silver medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, winning an individual silver in the women's 10m air rifle event and contributing to a team silver. Her performance marks an encouraging start for India's shooting campaign, which aims to build on the success of the previous Hangzhou Asian Games.
India's junior men's hockey team successfully defended their Asia Cup title, defeating Korea 4-1 in the final in Moqi, China. This victory marks their record sixth continental crown and secures their spot in the upcoming World Cup. The team displayed a dominant performance with goals from Ajeet Yadav, Anmol Ekka, Prabhdeep Singh, and Ashu Maurya.
Srihari Nataraj secured a spot in the 50m backstroke final at the Asian Games, clocking 25.37 seconds. However, other Indian swimmers, including Rishabh Das, Akash Mani, Geetesh Shah, Danush Suresh, and the men's 4x200m freestyle relay team, failed to advance beyond the heats, marking a mixed day for India in the pool.
Australia A has announced a 14-member squad for their upcoming series against India A in Puducherry. The tour, featuring both four-day and one-day matches, is crucial for exposing players to subcontinental conditions and preparing them for future senior team tours to India, including a Test series next year. The squad includes several players with prior international experience.
Gautam Gambhir builds a lot of trust and confidence within the team, and every player knows their role and has clarity, said Shreyas Iyer, praising his head coach's man-management skills.
Following a successful campaign at the 2026 Asian Games, India women's boxing head coach Santiago Nieva is prioritising securing as many Olympic quotas as possible at the earliest for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, starting with the World Championships 2027 in Kazakhstan.
The Indian men's 4x200m freestyle relay team finished sixth in the final at the Commonwealth Games swimming competition. Despite improving their time significantly from the heats, the quartet of Dhakshan Shashikumar, Aneesh Sunil Kumar Gowda, Aryan Nehra, and Srihari Nataraj could not match the pace of leading nations like Australia, England, and Wales, highlighting the gap between India and traditional swimming powerhouses.
Indian tennis players, including top seed Dhakshineswar Suresh, Arnav Paparkar, and Sidharth Rawat, have successfully advanced to the second round of the men's singles at the Mumbai Open ITF M25 event. Several other Indian and international players also secured wins in both singles and doubles matches on Wednesday.
Five-time world champions Brazil are set to play India in an invitational friendly at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium, marking their first-ever international meeting. The match, while a spectacle for Indian fans, has drawn criticism regarding its cost and impact on Indian football development, with former captain Bhaichung Bhutia questioning its value over long-term investment. For Brazil, it's part of a rebuilding process, while India aims to gain invaluable experience against a top-tier team.
The Indian women's table tennis team secured a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against Singapore in the Asian Games Group F match, with Sreeja Akula and Yashaswini Ghorpade delivering crucial wins. In contrast, the Indian men's team suffered a 0-3 defeat to Iran in their Group F encounter.
India's men's and women's chess teams are set to defend their respective Chess Olympiad titles, with strong lineups featuring world champion D Gukesh and in-form R Praggnanandhaa for the men, and Koneru Humpy leading the top-seeded women's squad.
The Indian women's hockey team defeated defending champions China 1-0 to win their first Asian Games gold medal in 44 years, securing a direct berth for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Lalremsiami scored the winning goal, and goalkeeper Savita Punia made crucial saves.
Indian golfers Pranavi Urs and Saptak Talwar delivered impressive performances on the opening day of the Asian Games, with Urs lying second in the individual women's standings and Talwar tied third among men. The Indian women's team is tied sixth, while the men's team is tied fifth, setting a promising tone for the competition.
India's senior bridge teams, both A and B, have made an impressive start at the fifth Asia Cup Bridge Championship in Goa, positioning themselves among the top contenders after the opening day. While the senior teams excelled, the women's teams faced a challenging start.
The 20th Asian Games have officially commenced in Nagoya with a high-tech opening ceremony. India's 501-member contingent is led by flag bearers Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat, with some events already underway, including India's women's cricket team reaching the semifinals and a teqball bronze medal opportunity.
The India U17 men's football team secured a dominant 4-0 victory over hosts Myanmar in their second friendly match on Wednesday, concluding their tour on a high note. Captain Dallalmoun Gangte, an own goal, Kamgouhao Doungel, and Hrishikesh Charan Manavathi contributed to the scoreline, marking head coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo's first win. Both teams are preparing for the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers.
Head coach V V S Laxman hailed the Indian team's 'champion's mindset' after they beat Pakistan to win the gold medal in the men's T20 cricket tournament at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.
India U-19 secured a commanding six-wicket victory over Australia U-19 in the third and final Youth ODI, completing a 3-0 series sweep. Skipper Lakshya Raichandani led the chase with an unbeaten 110, while Mohit Ulva and Manal Chauhan starred with the ball. The teams will now prepare for a two-match Youth Test series.
India has opened its Asian Games medal tally with two silvers in shooting, driven by Elavenil Valarivan's performance, and secured an unexpected podium finish in Mixed Martial Arts. The women's cricket team also advanced to the finals, aiming for a second consecutive gold.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated India's Asian Games medallists, praising their outstanding performances and specifically highlighting the women's hockey team's gold medal win after over four decades. India secured a strong position in the medals tally with a six-gold haul on the penultimate day, with Modi acknowledging individual achievements in wrestling, boxing, archery, sepaktakraw, and sailing.
The Kabaddi Champions League (KCL) Season 2 auction is set to take place on Saturday in New Delhi, featuring over 300 players and a total player purse of Rs 5 crore. Prominent players like Naveen Goyat, Sunil Malik, and Ayan Lochab, along with other Asian Games squad members, are expected to be key attractions for the 10 franchises, including new additions Kurukshetra Knights and Jhajjar Jaguars.
Rishabh Pant, recently excluded from India's white-ball squad, has been appointed captain of the Rest of India team for the upcoming Irani Cup match against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir.
Despite India's dominant Asia Cup victory, head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged fielding as an area for improvement, while dismissing concerns over the middle-order's performance.
India's largest bank, SBI, is investigating the suspected exposure of 3,897 customer records containing personally identifiable information on the dark web. The bank received alerts on October 16 and has initiated cyber incident response protocols, engaging an independent cybersecurity agency. While a detailed assessment is underway, SBI states the incident has not materially impacted its core business operations. This comes as CERT-In also warned last week about autonomous AI agents accessing confidential data and reported a compromise of eMudhra's private keys.
Test Twenty, cricket's new format, debuts in Colombo on November 14, with 160 young cricketers and boys' and girls' scores combining to decide one winner.
'But sometimes I am cuckoo in the head. I sit late at night, and I think of how I want to play and how I want to be as a cricketer.'
India's fencing contingent achieved remarkable success at the U-23 Commonwealth Fencing Championship in Lagos, Nigeria, securing a total of 17 medals, including four gold, four silver, and nine bronze. Indian fencers dominated both men's and women's individual events across Sabre, Foil, and Epee categories.
Teenaged Indian archer Kumkum Mohod made history at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games by winning India's first-ever women's individual recurve archery gold medal and securing an Olympic quota place. Her coach and association secretary highlight her dedication, academic inclination, and long-term goal of winning an Olympic medal, despite financial challenges.
Rohit Sharma has spoken about his long-standing bond with Virat Kohli, highlighting their strong relationship since their early international careers. He revealed they constantly help each other improve their game and share a deep camaraderie, despite changes in roles and less frequent meetings.
Argentina's men's hockey captain, Matias Rey, draws inspiration from football legend Lionel Messi as he leads his team in his sixth World Cup. Rey, like Messi, emphasizes the "never give up" philosophy learned from the national football team's success. The team, including goalkeeper Tomas Santiago, is preparing for a tough match against India, focusing on neutralizing key players like Harmanpreet Singh, while fans show their support by wearing Messi's jersey.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has called on her team to maintain simplicity and trust their inherent strengths as they prepare to face Sri Lanka in the Women's Asia Cup final, aiming to avenge their previous defeat.
The Sports Ministry has removed para-shooting coach Jai Prakash Nautiyal from India's Para Asian Games contingent following allegations of kickbacks and protests from athletes. The contingent of 166 athletes and 109 support staff is set to compete in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, starting October 18, with several prominent Paralympians included despite selection controversies.
Former cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara believes the Indian team is well-prepared for the slowish tracks expected in the upcoming T20I series against the West Indies, particularly the first match in Lucknow, thanks to their recent experience on challenging pitches at the Asian Games in Japan.
New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra is a doubtful starter for the upcoming T20 series against India due to a dislocated shoulder sustained during a promotional shoot. While initial medical assessments show no major structural damage, his return depends on rehabilitation. New Zealand Cricket and coach Rob Walter have indicated they will not rush his recovery, especially with a demanding schedule ahead.
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.
Roston Chase calls Shai Hope underrated after his 45-ball T20I century powered the West Indies to a record chase, strengthening the skipper's case ahead of the IPL mini-auction.
A vital aspect of captaincy is not the title, but the confidence that a captain plant in the hearts of their teammates. And both, Gill and Iyer, do this very well, points out K R Nayar.
