The Times of India

Rishabh Pant's birthday happened to coincide with a remarkable comeback as the Rest of India triumphed over Jammu and Kashmir in the Irani Cup. Despite falling behind initially, the team rallied to secure a 167-run victory. Although Pant missed the action due to illness, he joined in the post-match festivities. Mukesh Kumar's exceptional bowling and young talent Ravichandran Smaran's innings were pivotal.

At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Kumkum Mohod and Sujeet Kalkal shone brightly, capturing the spotlight with their remarkable achievements. Mohod clinched three medals, including two golds, breaking South Korea's stronghold in archery. Meanwhile, Kalkal staged an impressive comeback to win gold in men's 65kg freestyle wrestling. Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha lauded their tenacity, announcing plans to celebrate their triumphs in an upcoming ceremony.

Kohli has confirmed that the 2027 edition will be his last ODI World Cup for India, meaning the team will have to find a replacement at No. 3, a position he has held for many years.

After the Asian Games, Abhinav Bindra called for a revolution in high-performance systems for Indian athletes. While acknowledging Indias notable successes, he insisted on a careful assessment of both triumphs and failures. With the Los Angeles Olympics approaching, Bindra pointed out the necessity of stable athlete growth and targeted training.

The 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya wrapped up showcasing extraordinary athletic talent, with a staggering 54 world records shattered. While there were complaints about accommodations and transportation, the Olympic Council of Asia celebrated a nearly 20% revenue increase. With around 17,000 athletes taking part, the event demonstrated the power of sports to unite.

Rohit scored 92 off 85 balls, with 10 fours and three sixes, in Indias third ODI against the West Indies. India lost the third ODI after the visitors successfully chased down 352, with captain Shai Hope scoring an unbeaten 162.

Yu Zidi, a 13-year-old swimmer from China, set multiple records and won three gold medals at the Asian Games. Puripol Boonson, a 20-year-old sprinter from Thailand, achieved a 100m-200m double with four record-breaking performances. Both athletes earned the titles of Female and Male Most Valuable Players for their remarkable achievements. Their performances established them as promising stars in Asian sports moving forward.

The 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya successfully ended with Qatar receiving the flag for the next event in 2030. India concluded the Games with 85 medals, including 21 gold, and finished fourth overall. China led the medal tally, securing its best performance outside its home territory. Despite organisational challenges, individual athletic performances celebrated the spirit of competition. As the Games transitioned to Doha, the focus shifted towards preparations for 2030.

Sanju Samson praised the seasoned players for their vital contributions in overcoming the challenges faced during the Asian Games final against Pakistan. India clinched victory by 19 runs, scoring 211 while Pakistan ended with 192. Samson highlighted the importance of experience in navigating weather interruptions, turning the India-Pakistan showdown into a crucial platform for their skills.

Gills first year as ODI captain has exposed Indias lack of settled resources ahead of next years World Cup. With injuries and form issues affecting the pace attack, he wants his strongest combination finalised soon, despite a disrupted New Zealand series. Gill is also assessing No. 8 options while demanding improvement in Indias fielding and bowling discipline.

India's coach reflects on the team's performance against Brazil, highlighting the importance of self-belief, concentration and experience after the defeat. He also backs goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, stressing that the team must learn from its mistakes.

India captain Shubman Gill reflects on the team's bowling struggles, fielding mistakes and preparations for the upcoming World Cup after the 3rd ODI. He also discusses player combinations, injuries and the performances of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.

Brazil coach reflects on the team's match against India, the performance of young players, the clean sheet and the incredible atmosphere at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium.

Football fans in Kolkata share their reactions and expectations ahead of the India vs Brazil clash. Fans talk about their excitement for the match, supporting their favourite teams and hopes for Indian football.

In the fourth instalment of TimesofIndia.com's series looking back at India's medal-winning campaigns at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Vantika Agrawal reflects on her women's team's bronze-medal journey. The 24-year-old discusses the setbacks against Poland and China, her individual bronze, the team's resilience, her limited exposure to elite tournaments, and her ambitions to break into the top circuit.

India's men's cricket team triumphed at the Asian Games 2026, capturing the gold medal with a decisive 19-run win over arch-rivals Pakistan at Korakuen Stadium. With a formidable score of 211 runs, powered by standout performances from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma, India showcased dominance. Although Pakistan's Hasan Nawaz fought valiantly with 96 runs, India's bowlers sealed the deal, underlining their title-winning prowess.

For much of its history, the world chess championship was not a title a player could simply qualify to challenge for. From SteinitzZukertort in 1886 to the long disputes involving Lasker, Capablanca and Rubinstein, challengers had to raise money, negotiate terms and persuade champions to play. As Gukesh prepares to defend his title against Sindarov in Geneva, the USD 2.5 million match offers a striking contrast: the challenger has earned his shot through a formal qualifying system.

India defended only eight of its 28 Hangzhou golds at Aichi-Nagoya, with 20 titles changing hands. All seven shooting golds and all six athletics titles were lost, but the gold medals were replaced from a wider pool. Thirteen came from events where India had won silver or bronze, or had not reached the podium. From Pranavi Urs to Lovlina Borgohain, the medal map changed even as traditional strengths remained again.

After battling viral fever and a rushed recovery, Neeru Dhanda arrived at the Asian Games 2026 with a dream of winning a medal. She left Aichi-Nagoya with three medals - two golds and a silver - and her sights now firmly set on the Los Angeles Olympics. With the World Championship in Doha her immediate target, Neeru wants to win an Olympic medal and end Indias long wait for a shotgun medal.

Shai Hope played a pivotal role in West Indies' remarkable success against India by scoring an unbeaten 162. His innings helped the team chase down a daunting target of 352 runs with ten balls to spare. After India's innings, bolstered by KL Rahuls 129, Hope drew inspiration from MS Dhoni to pace his batting.

India beat Pakistan by 19 runs in the Asian Games final, but controversy followed Saim Ayubs baby cradle send-off to 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Former Pakistan player Kamran Akmal criticised the gesture, saying players should focus on performances rather than social media attention. India posted 211/6, while Hasan Nawazs 96 couldnt prevent Pakistans defeat.

Hope overshadowed KL Rahuls counterattacking unbeaten 129 off 87 balls that propelled India to 351/7. Dew may have played a part, but Hopes experience tamed down Indias inexperienced bowling with consummate ease

In many ways, it was a historic occasion. Brazil hadn't faced a team as lower ranked than India in 28 years. India hadn't gone up against a team as higher ranked as Brazil since rankings were introduced in August 1993. It helps significantly that Kolkata raves over Brazil (and Argentina).

India moved up to fourth place in the Asian Games 2026 medal tally after a big medal-winning day on Saturday. India added five gold medals across wrestling, golf, hockey, cricket and archery to take their overall tally to 85 medals - 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.

India produced one of their biggest medal hauls of the Asian Games on Saturday, with gold medals coming in men's hockey, T20 cricket, wrestling, golf and archery. The men's hockey team capped the day by beating Malaysia 5-1 in the final to retain their Asian Games title and book a place at the 2028 Olympics. India's medal tally now stands at 85 medals - 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.

The Aichi-Nagoya campaign produced a mix of expected results and disappointments before India's strong finish changed the picture. As recently as Thursday, India were outside the top 10 in the medal table with only 10 gold medals.

India had never won successive Asian Games gold medals, making Saturday's final an opportunity to create history. Harmanpreet Singh-led India made the most of it as they successfully defended their title.