The Times of India

Virender Sehwag draws parallels between his explosive batting style and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's fearless gameplay. The 15-year-old prodigy has made waves in T20Is, showcasing an impressive strike rate and accumulating runs effortlessly. Sehwag emphasises that age should take a backseat to performance at higher levels of cricket, especially with seasoned competitors like Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma vying for opening positions.

Brendan Allen is looking to extend his three-fight winning streak against Christian Leroy Duncan as he continues to push for a UFC middleweight title shot. The American talks about a proposed fight with Dricus du Plessis that fell through, why he prefers to stay active and what he needs to do to get closer to the belt.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir addresses the team's bowling concerns after the defeat against West Indies in the T20I clash. Gambhir discusses India's inability to defend 250, the impact of dew and flat pitches, Shivam Dube's role in the batting order, and the need to keep improving against dangerous opponents. He also credits the West Indies batters for their match-winning performance and explains India's flexible approach to batting in T20 cricket.

Wasim Jaffer has raised eyebrows over Yashasvi Jaiswals late venture into wicketkeeping practice as he gears up for the Ranji Trophy. Jaffer pointed out the difficulty of mastering wicketkeeping, particularly without foundational training. He recommends that Jaiswal focus on his batting skills instead, especially since he aims to secure a spot on India's white-ball teams.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar questioned India's bowling choices after their six-wicket defeat to the West Indies in Ranchi. He felt Mayank Yadav or Arshdeep Singh should have bowled the 18th over instead of Axar Patel. Gavaskar also suggested Kuldeep Yadav would have been a better option than Shivam Dube earlier, as India failed to defend 249 runs.

Mayank Yadav finished with three wickets in three overs but conceded 36 runs at an economy rate of 12.00. Despite his early strikes, India failed to defend 249 as the West Indies chased down the target to win by six wickets.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay honoured the state's 2026 Chess Olympiad medallists, distributing Rs 60 lakh among five recipients. D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa received Rs 15 lakh each, while Savitha Shri, R Vaishali and captain Srinath Narayanan were awarded Rs 10 lakh each. The state also launched its Dream Olympics 2036 scheme to support athletes with training and nutrition costs.

The West Indies chased down a target of 250 in just 18.3 overs to register their highest successful T20I chase against India and level the five-match series 1-1. Shai Hope scored an unbeaten 102, while Sherfane Rutherford made 84 to lead the visitors to victory.

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson criticised Gautam Gambhir for frequently changing Indias playing XI and batting order, saying it affects team consistency. However, he praised Gambhir for backing players like Sanju Samson. Meanwhile, West Indies defeated India by six wickets after chasing 250, with Shai Hope scoring an unbeaten 102 to level the five-match T20I series at 1-1.

Australia's 18-member squad has an average age of around 32.6, with only three players under 30.

Hope and Sherfane Rutherford turned the match on its head with a 120-run stand for the fourth wicket. Rutherford smashed 84 off 37 balls, while Hope remained unbeaten on 102 off 45 as the West Indies chased down India's 250-run target with nine balls to spare.

Sahibzada Farhan made a remarkable debut as captain, scoring 89 runs and guiding Pakistan to an impressive win over Sri Lanka, successfully chasing down 183. The aggressive pairing with Maaz Sadaqat shone through, sealing victory with seven balls left in the first T20I. Sri Lanka had set a competitive stage, thanks to Lahiru Udara's 91 runs. The anticipation builds for the upcoming matches scheduled in Rawalpindi.

India showcased their batting prowess against the West Indies, amassing an unprecedented T20I total of 249 runs. The highlight of the match was Sanju Samson, who electrified the crowd with an explosive 82 runs from 41 balls. Significant input from Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer, alongside Tilak Varma's not-out 44, fortified India's position.

Pakistan has officially withdrawn from the men's Asian Champions Trophy scheduled for late October. Bangladesh will step in as Pakistan's replacement, with matches starting on October 27. The tournament will include major teams like India, Malaysia, and Japan, competing in a round-robin format. India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh after winning the Asian Games gold medal.

Latif was himself nicknamed Nana after the actor, a connection that former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali also recalled while paying tribute to Patekar.

India's compound archers have made landmark strides by attaining the first Olympic quota in their category, thanks to their exceptional performance at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games where they earned three golds and a bronze medal. Despite their triumph, coach Dave Cousins has encountered troubling salary delays, raising issues for the Archery Association of India and the Sports Authority of India.

Kumkum Mohod won the women's individual recurve gold medal at the Asian Games. She defeated South Koreas Oh Yejin in a closely contested final. Kumkum also won gold in the recurve team event and silver in the mixed team event. Her success has secured a quota place for India at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. She aims to achieve her ultimate goal of winning Olympic gold in the future.

Ritu Negi, the celebrated captain of the kabaddi team, has been overlooked for a cash reward following the women's gold medal win at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. While her teammates received acknowledgments, her exclusion has raised serious concerns about recognition for athletes, especially after marriage. The Sports Minister has committed to reviewing this oversight and ensuring that Ritu's remarkable contributions are appropriately honored.