Sports Archives - Page 18 of 28

22 Jul

Pant to Return as Wicketkeeper for Fourth Test, Akash Deep Ruled Out

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSportsIndia vs England, Old Trafford Test, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill

MANCHESTER, July 22, 2025 — In a major boost for Team India ahead of the fourth Test against England, captain Shubman Gill confirmed that Rishabh Pant will return to wicketkeeping duties. Pant had sustained a finger injury during the third Test at Lord’s, which limited his time behind the stumps. However, after a full two-hour training session on Monday, the dynamic left-hander has been deemed fit to take up the gloves once again when play begins at Old Trafford on Wednesday.This update comes amid a series of injury setbacks for the Indian side. All-rounder Nitish Reddy has been ruled out…

21 Jul

Nitish Kumar Reddy Ruled Out of England Series, Arshdeep Singh Misses Fourth Test

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSportsAnshul Kamboj, Arshdeep Singh out, India vs England Test series, Nitish Kumar Reddy injury

National Times Bureau, July 21, 2025: India's campaign in the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy faced a setback as all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against England due to a knee injury. Reddy sustained the injury during a gym training session on Sunday. Scans later confirmed ligament damage in his left knee. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the development on Monday, stating that Reddy, who played in the second and third Tests, will return home. “Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the remaining two Tests owing…

20 Jul

CM Mann Bids Tearful Farewell to Marathon Legend Fauja Singh, Announces Tributes in His Honour

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, Sports, TrendingBhagwant Mann, Fauja Singh, Punjab

Jalandhar (National Times): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, along with thousands of mourners, paid an emotional farewell to Fauja Singh, the world-renowned centenarian marathon runner, who passed away on July 14 after being struck by a speeding vehicle in his native village. The cremation, held in Fauja Singh's ancestral village, drew an outpouring of grief from the public, sports enthusiasts, and government officials alike. CM Mann placed floral wreaths on the body and hailed Singh’s life as an enduring example of perseverance and discipline. “A Symbol of Patience and Strength” Remembering Fauja Singh as the world’s oldest marathon runner,…

20 Jul

India-Pakistan Match at World Championship of Legends Cancelled Following Player Withdrawals

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Sports, Trending, World NewsIndia, Pakistan, World Championship of Legends

Birmingham (National Times): The highly anticipated India vs Pakistan fixture at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) has been officially cancelled after several Indian players opted out of the game, citing geopolitical concerns. The WCL organisers issued a public apology for disappointing fans and unintentionally hurting sentiments. In an official statement, the WCL explained that the India-Pakistan match was scheduled with the intention of recreating joyful moments for cricket lovers, inspired by a recent friendly volleyball match between the two nations. However, the tournament acknowledged that this move unintentionally caused discomfort among the Indian cricket legends and their supporters. “As…

19 Jul

New Sports Governance Bill Set to Usher in Reform Era, Says Kiren Rijiju

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, SportsIOA, Kiren Rijiju, Mansukh Mandaviya, National Sports Governance Bill, NSFs, sports reform

New Delhi, July 17, 2025 — Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has expressed confidence that the upcoming National Sports Governance Bill, scheduled to be tabled in the monsoon session of Parliament, will mark the beginning of a transformative era for sports governance in India.Rijiju, who previously served as Union Sports Minister from 2019 to 2021, played a role in initiating dialogue around the bill. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for sports reforms and said the legislation is set to bring transparency, accountability, and a fresh structure to how sports bodies function in the country.The bill proposes a regulatory…

19 Jul

Arjun Erigaisi’s Remarkable Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Run Ends in Semis; Niemann Reaches Final

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSportsArjun Erigaisi, Fabiano Caruana, Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Hans Niemann, Levon Aronian

Weissenhaus, Germany, July 19 — Arjun Erigaisi's historic march at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam came to a halt in the semifinals after a 0-2 loss to Levon Aronian. Despite the setback, the 20-year-old grandmaster etched his name in history as the first Indian to reach the final four of this elite event, highlighted by wins over Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura in earlier rounds.Erigaisi entered the semifinals high on momentum, having stunned Carlsen in a play-off and then dispatched Nakamura with confident play. Against Aronian, however, the Indian star faltered at critical moments. The first game saw Arjun fail…

18 Jul

Arjun Erigaisi Powers Into Semis, Praggnanandhaa Falls to Caruana in Freestyle Grand Slam

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSportsArjun Erigaisi, Fabiano Caruana, Freestyle Grand Slam Tour, Magnus Carlsen, Praggnanandhaa

National Times Bureau, July 18, 2025: Chennai’s Arjun Erigaisi stormed into the semifinals of the prestigious USD 750,000 Freestyle Grand Slam Tour with a dominant victory over Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov. The 20-year-old Indian Grandmaster secured the match 1.5-0.5, displaying top form and clinical precision.In contrast, fellow Indian star R Praggnanandhaa bowed out of the title race after a marathon 3-4 loss to the USA’s Fabiano Caruana. The seven-game thriller saw Praggnanandhaa take the lead on three occasions, but Caruana’s resilience helped him snatch victory in the decider.Arjun was unstoppable against Abdusattorov, maintaining an edge from the opening in both games.…

17 Jul

Praggnanandhaa Stuns Carlsen, Enters Freestyle Grand Slam Quarterfinals with Erigaisi

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSportsArjun Erigaisi, Freestyle Grand Slam Tour, Magnus Carlsen, R Praggnanandhaa

National Times Bureau, July 17: R Praggnanandhaa pulled off a stunning win against world number one Magnus Carlsen, advancing to the top-bracket quarterfinals of the USD 750,000 Freestyle Grand Slam Tour. Fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi also secured a quarterfinal spot, marking a strong showing for India in the prestigious chess event.The 19-year-old Praggnanandhaa displayed precise tactical play from the outset, seizing the initiative and keeping the pressure on Carlsen. Despite the Norwegian getting some chances, the Indian teenager broke through with creative piece play, securing a memorable win.Carlsen’s defeat sparked a downward spiral. He lost to Wesley So in the…

16 Jul

PV Sindhu Suffers First-Round Exit at Japan Open, Lakshya Sen and Doubles Pair Advance

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSportsbadminton, Japan Open 2025, Lakshya Sen, PV Sindhu

Tokyo, July 16: India’s star shuttler and two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu’s struggles in 2025 continued as she crashed out of the Japan Open in the first round on Wednesday, losing in straight games to South Korea’s Sim Yu Jin.Playing her first match since the Indonesia Open in June, Sindhu, currently ranked 16th in the world, fell 15-21, 14-21 to the world number 14 Sim, marking her first-ever loss in four meetings against the Korean opponent.Sindhu began the match on a shaky note, quickly trailing 3-9 in the opening game. Although she clawed back to narrow the gap at 13-12,…

16 Jul

Virat Kohli Becomes First Batter to Cross 900 Rating Points in All Formats of Cricket

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSports900 rating points, cricket records, ICC rankings, India cricket, Virat Kohli

New Delhi, July 16, 2025: Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli has scripted yet another chapter in cricketing history, becoming the first batter ever to cross the 900-point mark in ICC Men’s Cricket Rankings across all formats of the game, following an update to his T20I rating on Wednesday.The International Cricket Council (ICC) revised Kohli’s all-time T20I best rating from 897 to 909 points, according to Wisden. This places him third on the list of highest T20I ratings ever, behind compatriot Suryakumar Yadav (912) and England’s Dawid Malan (919).With this milestone, Kohli has now achieved the rare feat of breaching the…