S K Shukla

Fresh off their World Cup heroics for India, Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma have been retained by the JSW-GMR co-owned Delhi Capitals ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Mega Auction. The two young stars, who played pivotal roles in India’s maiden ICC Women’s World Cup triumph last month, will continue to form the…

Pukhraj Singh Gill Storms Ahead With a Seven-Shot Lead at IGPL Jamshedpur

Pukhraj Singh Gill produced another masterclass in consistency and control to extend his dominance at the IGPL Invitational Jamshedpur, firing a stunning 8-under 64 on Thursday to go with his opening 9-under 63. The 29-year-old from Ludhiana sits comfortably atop the leaderboard at 17-under 127 after two rounds, taking a commanding seven-shot lead at the…

WPL 2026 Mega Auction: Why Big Stars Were Released The Strategy Behind the Non-Retentions

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) is heading into its most complex and strategically charged auction yet. Ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction, several franchises took bold calls by releasing some of the league’s most well-known names decisions that surprised fans, stirred debates, and changed the dynamics of the upcoming season. On the surface, the…

Mumbai Indians WPL: A Core Intact, A Dynasty Under Pressure, and a Razor-Thin Auction Margin

For two years, the Mumbai Indians Women have represented the gold standard of WPL roster-building. Depth, balance, leadership, and well-defined roles allowed MI to lift titles in 2023 and 2025, establishing a culture of expectation rather than aspiration. But ahead of the WPL 2026 Mega Auction, MI face their biggest structural challenge yet. By choosing…

Delhi Capitals Retention Strategy Signals a Calculated Rebuild Ahead of WPL 2026 Auction

S K Shukla3 weeks ago010 mins

The Delhi Capitals have entered the WPL 2026 season at a crossroads. Three consecutive finals appearances have made them one of the most consistent sides in the league, yet the title has remained elusive. With the WPL retention rules allowing only five players to be kept and limiting overseas retention to two, Delhi were forced…

Indian Women Golfers Set for High-Stakes Test at Aramco China Championship 2025

As the Ladies European Tour (LET) heads into its decisive final stretch, all eyes turn to the Aramco China Championship 2025, beginning November 6 at the Mission Hills Resort in Shenzhen. For India’s four-player contingent Pranavi Urs, Avani Prashanth, Diksha Dagar, and Tvesa Malik the tournament represents a mix of opportunity, pressure, and strategic significance….

Jyoti Chouhan’s Return Signals East Bengal’s Continental Ambition

East Bengal FC’s signing of India international forward Jyoti Chouhan ahead of the 2025–26 season marks one of the most strategic acquisitions in the recent history of the Indian Women’s League. The move is not simply about bringing home a player who has excelled abroad; it represents a calculated step toward consolidating East Bengal’s domestic…

RCB Women Look to a New Era of Stability and Strategic Thinking Under Head Coach Malolan Rangarajan in WPL 2026

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) women’s team has entered a significant new phase in its evolution, appointing Malolan Rangarajan as Head Coach ahead of WPL 2026. While RCB’s decision was shaped in part by scheduling factors, the move signals more than just a replacement on the coaching bench. It represents a wider strategic shift toward…

WTT Champions Frankfurt: Manika Batra falls 0–3 to Annett Kaufmann in Round of 32

At the Süwag Energie Arena in Frankfurt, Manika Batra’s WTT Champions campaign ended at the first hurdle as the Indian No. 1 went down 0–3 to Germany’s rising star Annett Kaufmann in the women’s singles Round of 32. The straight-games defeat 5–11, 5–11, 7–11 told the story of a match in which Kaufmann’s early initiative,…

Super Cup 2025: Punjab FC Hold Their Nerve in Penalty Shootout to Beat Bengaluru FC and Reach Semi-Finals

Punjab FC booked their place in the semi-finals of the AIFF Super Cup 2025 after edging past Bengaluru FC 5–4 in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Wednesday night. After 90 minutes of intense, goalless football, it all came down to composure from the spot and it was Punjab…

Super Cup 2025: Bengaluru FC and Punjab FC Set for Winner-Takes-All Clash in Group C Decider

Group C of the AIFF Super Cup 2025 is poised for a decisive showdown tonight as Bengaluru FC and Punjab FC face off at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda in what effectively becomes a knockout match for a place in the semifinals. Both teams have been flawless so far, winning their first two…

WPL 2026 Retentions: Tough Calls Ahead as Teams Balance Legacy, Form, and Future

With the 2025 Women’s World Cup now concluded and India lifting the trophy on home soil, attention in women’s cricket swiftly returns to the Women’s Premier League (WPL). The WPL 2026 retentions deadline of November 5 precedes the mega auction later this month, and this window presents some of the most challenging decisions franchises will…

Super Cup 2025: Winner Takes All as Punjab FC and Bengaluru FC Battle for Semifinal Spot

S K Shukla3 weeks ago05 mins

Punjab FC and Bengaluru FC are set for a high-stakes showdown in Group C of the AIFF Super Cup 2025 on Wednesday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda. With both teams level on six points and identical goal differences after two matches, the final group-stage fixture will determine who progresses to the semifinals. In…

The Intuit Dome Deal and the New Commercial Era of the Olympic Games

S K Shukla3 weeks ago010 mins

The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games are set to redefine how major sporting events are financed and presented. For the first time in Olympic history, venue naming rights will be permitted during the Games, marking a significant departure from a century of tradition under the International Olympic Committee’s long-standing “clean venue” policy….

FIDE World Cup 2025: Pranav and Arjun win with black; Vidit survives Oro scare

S K Shukla3 weeks ago06 mins

World Junior Champion V Pranav and India’s top-rated Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi scored important victories with the black pieces, while Vidit Gujrathi was forced to dig deep to hold a draw against 12-year-old Argentine prodigy Faustino Oro in the first game of Round 2 of the FIDE World Cup 2025 on Tuesday. The single-elimination event, held…

Unnati Hooda Enters Top30 in BWF Badminton Rankings

The latest BWF World Badminton Rankings updates following the October 2025 tournament window represent one of the most strategically productive phases for Indian badminton this season. A combination of deep runs at the Hylo Open Super 500 and title-winning performances in the Mangalore India International Challenge resulted in notable upward movements across all five disciplines….

India’s Golden Generation: Women in Blue Lift Historic World Cup Crown

S K Shukla3 weeks ago010 mins

It was a night Indian sport will never forget one that transcended scoreboards and statistics to become a symbol of resilience, redemption, and belief. Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, India’s women’s cricket team scripted history at the DY Patil Stadium, defeating South Africa in the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup final to clinch their…

Indian U16 Women Volleyball Team: Lessons from Amman and a Call for Systemic Reform

S K Shukla3 weeks ago010 mins

Indian U16 Women Volleyball campaign at the 2025 Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship in Amman, Jordan, ended without a single win. But beyond the scoreboard, it served as a mirror reflecting the state of India’s volleyball ecosystem one that still struggles with administrative fragility, technical inefficiency, and a lack of long-term developmental structure. For the…

Strategic Ascent: How Asian Women Redefined Global Sports

For decades, the world of women’s team sports was shaped by European, North American, and Soviet dominance. But over 63 years, Asian nations have methodically dismantled this hierarchy, claiming six historic World Cup titles that collectively mark one of the most compelling transformations in global sports. From Japan’s disciplined volleyball triumph in 1962 to India’s…

Deepti Sharma: The All-Round Masterpiece That Defined India’s World Cup Glory

S K Shukla3 weeks ago3 weeks ago010 mins

In the story of India’s 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup triumph, one name stands tallest Deepti Sharma. Her campaign was not just a series of standout performances; it was a complete redefinition of what it means to be an all-rounder on the world stage. Across nine matches, she scored 215 runs and took 22 wickets,…

ATP 250 Metz 2025: Bollipalli and Kadhe Stun Top Seeds Zieliński–Göransson to Enter Quarterfinals

Indian tennis continues to ride a wave of doubles success on the ATP circuit, and the latest chapter was written in emphatic fashion. The unseeded duo of Rithvik Bollipalli and Arjun Kadhe pulled off a sensational upset at the ATP 250 Metz, toppling the tournament’s No.1 seeds Jan Zieliński (Poland) and André Göransson (Sweden) 3-6,…

FIDE World Cup 2025: Narayanan, Diptayan, and Aronyak Storm into Second Round

S K Shukla3 weeks ago010 mins

Indian chess continued its impressive showing at the FIDE World Cup 2025, with GM Narayanan S L, GM Diptayan Ghosh, and IM Aronyak Ghosh clinching their spots in the second round after a thrilling day of rapid tiebreak action in Panaji on Monday. Following six Indian players’ progression on Sunday, the trio’s victories took India’s…

Dhakshineswar Suresh Survives an Epic! Battles Injury and Emotion to Edge Past Luca Pow in Knoxville Thriller

In one of the most dramatic qualification matches of the season, India’s Dhakshineswar Suresh produced a display of grit, heart, and defiance to outlast Great Britain’s Luca Pow 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(4) in the opening qualifying round of the Knoxville Challenger. The two-hour contest had everything momentum swings, injury struggles, and emotional undertones as two college…

India’s Golden Run: How Harmanpreet Kaur’s Team Conquered the 2025 ICC Women World Cup

S K Shukla3 weeks ago3 weeks ago010 mins

The 2025 ICC Women World Cup will forever be remembered as the tournament where Indian women’s cricket finally fulfilled its destiny. After two decades of near-misses heartbreaks in 2005 and 2017, semifinals in 2022 Harmanpreet Kaur’s side lifted India’s first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup on home soil, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the…

Super Cup 2025-26: Bengaluru FC Crush Gokulam Kerala 4–0 to Set Up Winner-Takes-All Clash With Punjab FC

S K Shukla4 weeks ago3 weeks ago010 mins

Bengaluru FC produced a masterclass in control and attacking precision to defeat Gokulam Kerala FC 4–0 in their Group C encounter of the AIFF Super Cup 2025–26 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Margao. With this emphatic win, the Blues climbed to the top of the table alongside Punjab FC, both teams locked on six points…

FIDE World Cup 2025: Ganguly, Sadhwani, Karthik, Pranesh Advance; Aronyak Forces Tiebreak with Impressive Win

S K Shukla4 weeks ago3 weeks ago010 mins

It was a day of contrasting emotions for the Indian contingent at the FIDE World Cup 2025, as a blend of seasoned campaigners and emerging stars made strong strides in the opening round. Veteran GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly, along with GM Raunak Sadhwani, GM Karthik Venkataraman, and M Pranesh, secured their berths in the second…

Super Cup 2025–26: Punjab FC and Bengaluru FC Aim for Control as Group C Hits the Boiling Point

S K Shukla4 weeks ago011 mins

Group C of the AIFF Super Cup 2025–26 has evolved into a tactical chessboard where every goal counts as much as every point. With both Punjab FC (PFC) and Bengaluru FC (BFC) sitting atop the table after opening victories, Sunday’s double-header promises to shape the semi-final equation decisively. On one side, PFC face Mohammedan SC…

Inter Kashi 0–2 Jamshedpur FC: AIFF Super Cup 2025: Bouli header and Manvir finish seal Red Miners’ confident close to group campaign

Jamshedpur FC ended their AIFF Super Cup 2025 group campaign on a high note with a composed 2–0 win over newly promoted Inter Kashi at the GMC Bambolim Stadium in Bambolim, North Goa. The result gave the Red Miners a morale-boosting performance to take away from a compact group stage; for Inter Kashi, the evening…

FIDE World Cup 2025: Pranav, Pranesh, Ganguly Shine as India Make Confident Start; Divya Deshmukh Falls After Brave Fight

India’s campaign at the FIDE World Cup 2025 began on a promising note as World Junior champion GM Pranav V, GM Pranesh M, and veteran GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly scored impressive opening-round victories, while Women’s World Cup winner GM Divya Deshmukh went down fighting against Greece’s GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis in her first game on Saturday….

FC Goa March into Super Cup Semifinals as Group B Dominators Northeast, Jamshedpur, and Inter Kashi Left to Reflect

S K Shukla4 weeks ago011 mins

The AIFF Super Cup 2025–26 has already produced its first dominant storyline FC Goa have sealed their place in the semifinals with a game to spare. After two clinical wins in Group B, the Goan side stand unchallenged atop the table with six points and a perfect goal record of 5-0, leaving NorthEast United FC,…

AIFF Super Cup 2025: Dempo’s Campaign Ends in 1–1 Draw Against Chennaiyin in Bambolim

S K Shukla4 weeks ago010 mins

Dempo SC’s faint hopes of qualifying for the AIFF Super Cup 2025 semifinals came to an end on Friday after they were held to a 1–1 draw by Chennaiyin FC in their final Group A encounter at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim. In a match defined by two first-half goals of contrasting beauty, Shubham…

14-Year-Old Tanvi Patri Stuns World No. 55 Ishika Jaiswal to Enter Semifinals at Mangalore International Challenge

At just 14 years old, Tanvi Patri (World No. 343) produced the biggest result of her young career, stunning top seed and World No. 55 Ishika Jaiswal of the USA in straight games 21–19, 21–18 to reach the semifinals of the Mangalore India International Challenge 2025. The victory wasn’t just another upset it was a…

FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa: How India Became the New Center of Global Chess

S K Shukla4 weeks ago011 mins

When the first pawn moves across the board at the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa, it will symbolize more than the start of a chess tournament. It will mark the culmination of a two-decade journey that has turned India from a one-man chess nation into the sport’s new epicenter of global power. For the…

Triple Gold Glory: India Reigns Supreme in Beach Wrestling at the Asian Youth Games 2025

India’s young wrestlers delivered a historic performance at the Asian Youth Games, dominating the sands of Sanya with a record-breaking haul of three gold and two silver medals in beach wrestling. The stellar show not only placed India atop the medal standings but also underlined the nation’s growing strength in alternative wrestling formats. It was…

AIFF Super Cup 2025: Kerala Blasters FC edge 10-man Rajasthan United 1–0 in a dramatic Group D opener

S K Shukla4 weeks ago3 weeks ago08 mins

Kerala Blasters FC began their AIFF Super Cup 2025 campaign with a hard-fought 1–0 win over a spirited Rajasthan United FC side at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim. Despite playing against 10 men for most of the second half, the Blasters were pushed to the limit before Koldo Obieta’s 87th-minute header finally broke the…

Lakshya Sen Storms into Hylo Open 2025 Quarterfinals with Commanding Win

India’s top men’s singles shuttler Lakshya Sen continued his resurgence on the BWF World Tour with a commanding victory over compatriot Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian to storm into the quarterfinals of the Hylo Open 2025. The 24-year-old defeated Sankar in straight games, 21-14, 21-11, in just 37 minutes at the Saarlandhalle Arena in Saarbrücken, Germany, to…

India’s Golden Surge in the Ring: Khushi, Ahaana, and Chandrika Crowned Asian Youth Games Champions; Lanchenba Wins Silver

India’s young boxing contingent delivered one of its finest performances at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, with three gold medals and one silver adding to the nation’s growing dominance in youth boxing. The trio of Khushi Chand, Ahaana Sharma, and Chandrika Pujari clinched top honours in their respective weight categories, while Lanchenba Moibungkhongbam…

Lakshya Sen, Sankar Subramanian, and Ayush Shetty Power India’s Strong Start at Hylo Open; Rohan & Ruthvika Advance in Mixed Doubles

S K Shukla4 weeks ago07 mins

India’s campaign at the Hylo Open 2025 began on a blazing note as Lakshya Sen, Sankar Subramanian Muthusamy, Ayush Shetty, and Kiran George all entered the men’s singles Round of 16, while the mixed doubles pair Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde also advanced with a commanding win. It was a near-perfect day for India,…

India Finish Wrestling Campaign in Style: 3 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze at Asian Youth Games

India’s young wrestlers capped off a remarkable campaign at the 2025 Asian Youth Games, finishing with a rich haul of three gold, two silver, and two bronze medals. The week-long wrestling competition in Tashkent saw several of India’s brightest teenage talents stamp their authority on the continental stage, displaying technical excellence, resilience, and a hunger…

Sahaja Yamalapalli and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty Register Historic Wins at Chennai Open 2025

Indian tennis had a day to celebrate at the SDAT Stadium as Sahaja Yamalapalli and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, the country’s top two ranked women’s singles players, recorded their first-ever WTA 250 main draw victories at the Chennai Open 2025. After two days disrupted by rain, the sun finally broke through, shining on a day of milestones…

Super Cup Thriller in Bambolim: Jamshedpur FC Stage Dramatic Comeback to Hold NorthEast United 2-2

S K Shukla4 weeks ago4 weeks ago09 mins

Jamshedpur FC mounted a stirring late comeback to hold NorthEast United FC to a thrilling 2-2 draw in their AIFF Super Cup 2025–26 Group B clash at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim on Wednesday. In a rain-soaked evening that tested both teams’ resolve, the Men of Steel overturned a two-goal deficit, thanks to second-half…

India’s Bid to Host the 2028 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships: A Strategic Leap for Indian Sport

S K Shukla4 weeks ago012 mins

India has taken a major strategic stride in international athletics by officially submitting its bid to host the 2028 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships (AIAC) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The proposal, filed by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), marks the first time India has sought to stage the continental indoor meet a move that signals both…

Asian Youth Games 2025 Wrestling: Four Indians enter gold medal bouts, two to fight for bronze

S K Shukla4 weeks ago4 weeks ago08 mins

India’s wrestling contingent continued its impressive run at the Asian Youth Games 2025, with four wrestlers advancing to the gold medal matches and two others securing spots in bronze medal bouts. The young Indian grapplers showed remarkable skill, control, and composure across both boys’ and girls’ divisions, marking another strong day for the team in…

Sankar, Shriyanshi, and Rakshita Shine as India’s Dream Day Unfolds at HYLO Open 2025