Sports / The Economic Times
Ind vs Eng live streaming: The India vs England T20I series kicks off on January 22 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The return of Mohammed Shami and Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy are highlights. England, under Brendon McCullum, will bring their aggressive Bazball style. Weather, player performances, and the head-to-head record of 13-11 in favor of India are key points.
Iga Swiatek convincingly defeated Emma Navarro at the Australian Open to secure a semi-final spot, overcoming a controversial point. Swiatek will face Madison Keys next, who triumphed over Elina Svitolina. Both players eye advancing to the Grand Slam final, demonstrating impressive form and determination.
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa achieved his third consecutive win, defeating Leon Luke Mendonca to lead the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament. D Gukesh drew against Alexey Sarana. P Harikrishna decisively overcame Max Warmerdam, and R Vaishali and Divya Deshmukh secured victories in the challengers' section. Arjun Erigaisi faced another loss to Vladimir Fedoseev.
Iga Swiatek's one-month suspension for failing a drug test will not be appealed by WADA, accepting her explanation of unintentional contamination from melatonin. Swiatek missed three tournaments but returned to competition, winning convincingly at the Australian Open. WADA considered her contamination justification plausible, ending a challenging period for the five-time Grand Slam champion.
In a challenging match at the Australian Open, defending champion Jannik Sinner wins against 13th-seeded Holger Rune to advance to the quarterfinals. Despite physical struggles and interruptions, Sinner prevails, highlighting his determination and skill on the court. Women's matches also see key advances, including Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek moving forward.
In preparation for the T20I series against England, vice-captain Axar Patel revealed India's strategy of utilizing multiple floaters in their batting order. While openers have fixed slots, positions from No. 3 to No. 7 remain flexible. Axar also emphasized the importance of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami's return, hoping his presence will bolster the team's performance.
India welcomes the inaugural World Pickleball League (WPL) from January 24 to February 2, 2024, at Mumbai's Cricket Club of India. The event features top-tier international players and teams owned by celebrities and corporate leaders. FanCode will exclusively live stream the matches, promising to captivate fans with dynamic pickleball action.
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will face off in the Australian Open quarterfinals for the first time. Alcaraz seeks to become the youngest man to achieve a career Grand Slam, while Djokovic aims for his 11th Melbourne title and 25th major singles championship overall. The head-to-head record slightly favors Djokovic.
Over 65,000 participants joined the 20th Tata Mumbai Marathon, highlighting India's growing running culture. The event included full and half marathons, with high participation in the Dream Run. Celebrities and NGOs also took part, raising significant funds for charity. Enhanced race support was noted, despite Mumbai's challenging conditions.
Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina shared his thoughts on the India-Pakistan clash in the upcoming Champions Trophy, recalling past performances and highlighting key factors. He expressed confidence in Virat Kohli's potential impact but acknowledged Pakistan's strong bowling attack and familiarity with Dubai's conditions. Raina stressed the importance of India's top-order batting and the passionate rivalry between the two teams.
Former India cricketer Suresh Raina says the absence of Suryakumar Yadav in the upcoming Champions Trophy will significantly impact the team's X-factor in the middle-order. He also expresses concerns over the fitness of key bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, suggesting Mohammed Siraj as a potential replacement.
Mo Farah, the legendary long-distance runner, visited India as the Ambassador for the Tata Mumbai Marathon. Speaking about India's potential Olympic bid, he highlighted the transformative power of sports. Farah praised the event's inclusivity and the growing participation of women, expressing admiration for India's progress in sports and societal change.
Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils enjoy a successful day at the Australian Open, both overcoming top-four opponents. Svitolina defeated Jasmine Paolini to advance to the last 16, while Monfils beat Taylor Fritz. The couple, who balance tennis with family life, celebrated their achievements together.
Jasprit Bumrah is included in India's squad for the Champions Trophy, subject to fitness. Yashasvi Jaiswal also gets a nod, while Mohammed Siraj misses out. Rohit Sharma explains the selection choices, citing the need for versatility. The squad features key players like Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant, with an emphasis on all-rounders.
Sanjay Takale, partnering with French co-driver Maxime Raud, made history as the first Indian to finish the Dakar Rally in the classic cars category. Competing in a Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ78, Takale finished an overall 10th in his class and 18th overall, marking a remarkable debut in the challenging 8000km rally.
Virat Kohli and KL Rahul have informed the BCCI medical team about their physical issues, making them unavailable for their respective domestic teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. BCCI has released new guidelines mandating the participation of players in domestic matches for national team selection, with exceptions only under extraordinary circumstances.
There are chances that right-arm seamer Jasprit Bumrah can make it to the Indian squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy which is scheduled to begin on February 19 in Pakistan and in the United Arab Emirates, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
Indias N Sriram Balaji and Mexicos Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela lost in the Australian Open men's doubles second round to Portugals Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral, with a scoreline of 6-7 (7), 6-4, 3-6. Meanwhile, Indias Rohan Bopanna and Chinas Zhang Shuai advanced to the mixed doubles round of 16.