Sports news

Jadhav’s rags-to-riches story

Ever since Kedar Jadhav started hitting the nets at the P.Y.C. Hindu Gymkhana here regularly, the training sessions have invariably been followed by coffee at Vaishali, one of the most popular hangouts in his hometown. As he rose through the ranks — from breaking into Maharashtra’s Ranji squad al

Amla hits century in 100th Test

Hashim Amla made a century in his 100th Test as he and J.P. Duminy put South Africa in command on the first day of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka on Thursday. South Africa reached 338 for three at the close of play, with Amla unbeaten on 124 at the Wanderers Stadium. Duminy made 15

MS Dhoni is still a leader in the team: Anil Kumble

Team India coach Anil Kumble paid a glowing tribute to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who stepped down from limited-overs captaincy last week, and said one of the highlights of his leadership tenure was the apt handling of senior players in the team. Dhoni became India’s captain in all formats when Kumble re

Against quality attack on big stage, Rishabh Pant shows he belongs

SO HYPERBOLIC have been his achievements and the plaudits that’ve followed them in the last few months that it’s understandable if many thought Rishabh Pant was ‘too good to be true’. That yes, he had scored all those runs and that too at a breakneck pace, but he still couldn’t be that good could he

I have not thought about anything: Ganguly

Kolkata: Sourav Ganguly today said that he has not thought about his future plan as yet after the Lodha Panel made it clear that he will have to serve a compulsory ‘cooling off’ period of three years after June if he wants to become an office bearer of the BCCI or the state units. “I have not tho

Football World Cup 2026 to have 48 teams

FIFA has voted to expand the World Cup to 48 teams from its current 32, brushing aside concerns that the expansion would lower the overall standard of the tournament, and make it too long and unwieldy. The governing body of football said on its Twitter feed that the FIFA Council, its decision-mak

Dhoni’s decision to make me open was career changing: Rohit

He has been one of India’s most dependable batsman in ODIs and Rohit Sharma feels that outgoing captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s “decision” to make him open the batting in 50-over format was a “career-changing move”. “I believe the decision to open in ODIs changed my career and it was a decision ta

Change of guard seems a seamless affair

Virat Kohli may have been in charge of India’s team. But ahead of the belligerent batsman’s first training session as captain of India across all three formats, it was his predecessor who continued to hog the limelight. As the India cricketers exited the team bus at the Maharashtra Cricket Associ

Hashim Amla probably last South African to play 100th Test, feels Faf du Plessis

Heaping praises on Hashim Amla, South Africa's Test skipper Faf du Plessis said the prolific batsman could be the last Protea to play 100 Tests. The 33-year-old Amla is set to make his 100th Test appearance in the third and final match against Sri Lanka on Thursday, which du Plessis termed as som

The Yuvraj recall — part of a specific team plan

We know Surinder Amarnath was compelled to become a left-hander by his father, Lala Amarnath, because of the need of the times. Surinder adapted and delivered with a century on Test debut. Can one train to become an all-rounder? “No,” insists former India leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani. “You have t

Azharuddin to contest for HCA chief post

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin has decided to file his nomination for the post of president in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). “I am on way to the HCA office,” Azharuddin told The Hindu on Tuesday. Citing the Lodha Panel Recommendations that have paved the way for new faces

Dhoni holds court as Brabourne’s leading man

At the end of the 41st over of the India-A innings, the spectators who had thronged the Brabourne Stadium on Tuesday rose to their feet. More than acknowledging Ambati Rayudu’s effortless hundred, the Mumbaikars were going berserk in anticipation of the man for whom Rayudu was retiring. With j

Morgan sees ODIs as a different ball game

MUMBAI: The last time England played an ODI series, last October in Bangladesh, Jos Buttler was stand-in captain with Eoin Morgan — the man who has led England’s revival in the limited-over formats — pulling out along with opener Alex Hales, citing security reasons. Naturally, more than England’s

Williamson joins Kohli in ICC top-5 of all three formats

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has become the second batsman after Indian skipper Virat Kohli to feature in the top-five of the ICC rankings for all three formats by climbing to fourth in the latest Twenty20 list issued in Dubai on Monday. Williamson has broken into the top five after a good

Cristiano Ronaldo wins FIFA best player award for 4th time

Cristiano Ronaldo received FIFA’s best player award for the fourth time on Monday, after Portugal and Real Madrid won both major European titles in 2016. “2016 was the best year of my career,” Ronaldo said in Portuguese in his acceptance speech, which he began by exclaiming “Wow, wow, wow.” Ro

Ponting named assistant coach for Sri Lanka T20Is

Ricky Ponting, the former Australia captain, has been named the assistant coach for the three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series against Sri Lanka, Cricket Australia announced on Sunday (January 1). The board have already named Justin Langer as the head coach and Jason Gillespie as the bowli

Flashback 2016: Team India finish year with most international wins

New Delhi, Jan 1: Team India under the the leadership of limited overs' captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Test skipper Virat Kohli ended the year 2016 at the top. Indian cricket team had remarkable year in 2016 in all three formats while the best performance came out in Tests. With 31 wins, Tea

I take a lot of inspiration from Cristiano Ronaldo: Virat Kohli

Every individual has flaws but the ones who can successfully work around their chinks, can attain high level of consistency desirable from a top quality cricketer, feels Indian Test captain Virat Kohli. With 1215 runs in Tests and over 2500 plus runs across all formats in 2016, Virat has been a s