The race for the FIDE World Rapid Championship 2025 title is finely poised after nine gripping rounds, with Vladislav Artemiev and Hans Niemann emerging as joint leaders on 7.5 points. With just one decisive day left, the Open section has produced a compelling mix of elite consistency, dramatic upsets, and a tightly packed chasing group…
The Senior Badminton Nationals Championships in Vijayawada are set for an exciting finale, with local favourite Surya Charishma Tamiri and the fast-rising Tanvi Patri booking their places in the women’s singles final, while Rithvik Sanjeevi S and Bharat Raghav will battle it out for the men’s singles crown after dramatic semifinal victories on Saturday. Charishma,…
Few Indian cities can claim a relationship with professional hockey as deep and consequential as Ranchi. Since the launch of the Hockey India League (HIL) in 2013, the Jharkhand capital has emerged as one of the sport’s most influential hubs, defined by passionate crowds, elite infrastructure, and an uncanny ability to produce winning franchises. The…
International Master Goutham Krishna H, a 15-year-old student from Thiruvananthapuram, ended Day 1 with 4 points out of 5, tied with a group of established grandmasters and just half a point off the lead. The first day of the 2025 FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship in Doha followed a familiar script at the top of…
For decades, Indian Rugby existed on the fringes of the country’s sporting consciousness, sustained largely by pockets of grassroots enthusiasm rather than systemic support. In 2025, that reality changed decisively. Indian Rugby 7s delivered tangible progress across competitive performance, infrastructure, governance, and commercial viability. What emerged over the past year was not a fleeting surge,…
Harmanpreet Kaur reached a significant milestone in women’s international cricket on December 26, 2025, when she recorded her 77th victory as captain in Women’s T20 Internationals, surpassing Meg Lanning’s long-standing record of 76 wins. The landmark moment came during India’s eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third T20I at the Greenfield International Stadium in…
Indian Women continued their commanding run in the T20I series against Sri Lanka with an emphatic eight-wicket victory in the third match, completing the chase of 113 in just 13.2 overs. The result underlined India’s superiority across departments and was anchored by a dominant innings from Shafali Verma, whose unbeaten 79 off 42 balls made…
The impending exit of City Football Group (CFG) from Mumbai City FC is not just another ownership change in Indian football. It is a systemic warning perhaps the strongest yet that the professional football ecosystem in the country has reached a point of structural breakdown. When one of the world’s most sophisticated multi-club ownership models…
The Women’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL) returns for its second season with a renewed sense of purpose and promise. After a successful inaugural edition that re-established top-tier domestic league hockey for women in India, the 2025–26 season begins on December 28 in Ranchi, carrying bigger expectations, stronger squads and clearer competitive identities across teams….
The Indian Women’s League (IWL) has completed nearly a decade since its inception, and its journey from a short-term experimental tournament to a structured professional competition mirrors the broader evolution of women’s football in India. Introduced by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 2016, the IWL was conceived to fill a long-standing void the…
Two commanding wins in India vs Sri Lanka women in Visakhapatnam have only reinforced that belief as the five-match T20I series now moves to Thiruvananthapuram. There is a visible lightness about this Indian women’s team. The smiles are broader, the conversations more relaxed, and the confidence unmistakable. Ever since November 2, when India were crowned…
The chess calendar’s most unforgiving and electrifying event arrives at the end of every year with the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships, and Doha, Qatar, plays host to the 2025 edition. Over a few intense days, classical preparation gives way to instinct, speed, and nerve, as the world’s elite battle across rapid and blitz…
Indian football’s exclusion from Asia’s top two club competitions for the 2027–28 cycle is not a sudden collapse. It is the inevitable outcome of a decade of institutional drift, commercial complacency, and structural mismanagement. As of December 2025, India stands 14th in the AFC West Region and 25th overall, a position that strips Indian clubs…
After a strong third-place finish in the inaugural season of the Women’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL), Shrachi Bengal Tigers enter the 2025–26 campaign with renewed ambition and a squad built to challenge for the title. As the second season of the league gets underway on December 28, the Tigers appear better balanced, more experienced,…
Indian golf icon Jeev Milkha Singh rolled back the years in emphatic fashion as he clinched the IGPL Invitational Sri Lanka in Colombo, bringing the inaugural season of the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) to a memorable close. The victory marked Jeev’s first professional title in 13 years, ending a drought that stretched back to…
The 2026 international badminton calendar underlines India’s growing stature as one of the sport’s most important destinations. With elite global tournaments returning to Indian soil, the year represents not just competitive opportunity for Indian shuttlers, but also a statement of organisational confidence from the Badminton World Federation (BWF). From Grade 1 showpieces to key World…
Madhya Pradesh has long been a quiet contributor to Indian sport producing shooters, hockey players, paddlers and athletes who often went on to shine under other state banners. With its newly articulated Viksit Madhya Pradesh @2047 vision, the state is now attempting a decisive shift: from being a talent nursery to becoming a full-spectrum sports…
The 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Doha are more than the final elite event of the calendar year. They represent a moment of reckoning for modern chess a collision of generations, formats, and expectations. Hosted at the Qatar University Sports and Events Complex from December 25 to 30, the championships bring…
The confirmed exit of City Football Group (CFG) from Mumbai City FC is not merely a change in ownership it is a damning verdict on the institutional collapse of Indian professional football. When one of the world’s most sophisticated multi-club ownership models walks away after six years, the message is unambiguous: the ecosystem is structurally…
With the countdown to the Hero Hockey India League (HIL) 2026 underway, Vedanta Kalinga Lancers have officially begun their pre-season preparations, assembling their Indian contingent at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The camp marks the first step in the franchise’s build-up towards the new season, with a renewed coaching setup and a clear focus on…
Indian football stands at one of the most critical junctions in its professional history. With the Indian Super League (ISL) caught in a web of legal uncertainty following the expiry of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) and ongoing judicial scrutiny, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been forced to reimagine how the country’s top-tier…
Aryan Roopa Anand produced a composed and resilient performance to retain his lead after the second round of the IGPL Invitational Sri Lanka, birdieing the final hole to stay narrowly ahead of a tightly packed leaderboard featuring seasoned champions, rising Indian stars, and an exceptional local amateur at the iconic Royal Colombo Golf Club. On…
Haryana’s Ramita Jindal and Himanshu Dhillon delivered a composed and authoritative performance to clinch the 10m air rifle mixed team gold medal at the 68th National Shooting Championship Competitions, NSCC 2025–26, held at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy. In a high-quality final, the Haryana pair overcame Maharashtra’s Arya Borse and Parth Mane 16–12, underlining…
The final week of the calendar year means only one thing for the chess world: the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships. As the global elite converges on Doha for the 2025 edition, the Open section once again takes centre stage, promising a week of high-octane chess, narrow margins, and relentless pressure. While a new…
After coming agonizingly close to glory in the inaugural edition, JSW Soorma Hockey Club enter the 2025–26 Women’s Hero Hockey India League with unfinished business on their minds. Having topped the points table last season before falling short in the final, the Ranchi-based side is determined to convert consistency into silverware as the league returns…
The 2025 competitive season will be remembered as a watershed moment for Indian U16 women’s national basketball programme, a year that combined results, structure, and belief into a rare alignment. Under the stewardship of head coach Anitha Pauldurai, India not only reclaimed continental relevance but did so with authority, finishing the season with an extraordinary…
When India’s junior men’s hockey team returned home with a bronze medal from the FIH Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup earlier this year, several young names caught the attention of followers of the sport. Among them was Sunil PB, a composed and hardworking defender whose performances stood out not just for their technical assurance, but…
The Davis Cup returns to Indian soil in February 2026, with Bengaluru set to host a high-profile Qualifiers tie between India and the Netherlands on February 7–8. The All India Tennis Association has named a balanced and experience-driven squad for the contest, as India prepare to take on one of the strongest teams in world…
India Women continued their emphatic dominance over Sri Lanka Women with a seven-wicket victory in the second T20I at Visakhapatnam on December 23, 2025, racing to a 2–0 lead in the five-match series. Chasing a modest target of 129, India reached the mark in just 11.5 overs, finishing at 129/3, with Shafali Verma producing a…
Navy shooter Kiran Ankush Jadhav delivered a performance built on composure and consistency to clinch the men’s 10m air rifle gold at the 68th National Shooting Championship Competitions (NSCC) at the MP State Shooting Academy. In a high-quality final featuring some of India’s most established rifle shooters, Jadhav held his nerve to finish on top…
Mohammad Farzan Sana’s rise within Japanese professional football is quietly becoming one of the most consequential developments in India’s ongoing search for midfield creativity. At just 21, the Chiba-born attacking midfielder, Faruzansana Mohamado has moved from academy promise to senior productivity, scoring three goals in eight appearances for Thespa Gunma in the J3 League during…
Ganges Grandmasters kept their Global Chess League (GCL) finals hopes alive with a commanding 12–3 victory over Fyers American Gambits on the final day of league action, while table toppers Triveni Continental Kings underlined their title credentials by edging past upGrad Mumba Masters 10–9. The twin results ensured a tense wait for the Grandmasters, whose…
Hou Yifan’s presence has always carried quiet authority, but on the penultimate day of the Global Chess League (GCL) league stage, her influence was decisive. The three-time women’s world champion delivered two wins with the black pieces to power Alpine SG Pipers to back-to-back victories, propelling them into second place and firmly into the finals…
Indian distance running witnessed a defining moment on Sunday as Seema produced a career-defining performance at the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata, clocking 1:26:04 to set a new national record in the women’s 25km event. Competing in a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, Seema not only clinched the Indian Elite Women’s title but also…
India’s premier long-distance runner Gulveer Singh delivered one of the standout performances of the domestic athletics season by rewriting the national record in the men’s 25km at the Tata Steel World 25K in Kolkata on Sunday. Competing in a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, Gulveer clocked a superb 1:12:06 to not only win the…
In a significant step towards building structured and sustainable pathways for women runners in India, Aspect Sports has announced a partnership with Pinkathon, the country’s largest women’s running movement. Under the collaboration, Aspect Sports comes on board as the Official Sports Partner, bringing its expertise in coaching, performance development and grassroots sport to Pinkathon’s expansive…
For the third consecutive year, India finished at the top of the global anti-doping charts not for excellence, but for violations. According to the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA data for 2024, India recorded 260 Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) from 7,113 samples, a positivity rate of 3.6 per cent, the highest among all major testing nations….
The World Tennis League (WTL) has built its reputation on star power, fast-paced sets and unforgiving margins. Yet, on a night dominated by marquee names and global champions at Bengaluru’s S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium, it was two Indian singles performances that truly shifted the narrative. Sumit Nagal and Dhakshineswar Suresh delivered composed, fearless wins over…
India’s premier men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, delivered a landmark performance at the BWF World Tour Finals 2025, becoming the first Indian men’s doubles duo to qualify for the semifinals of the prestigious season-ending tournament. The world No. 3 pair sealed their place in the last four with a stirring 17–21, 21–18,…
Nineteen-year-old Kajol Hubert D’Souza became the first Indian footballer to score a hat-trick for a Saudi Arabian club, achieving the feat for Al-Amal SC in a Saudi Women’s First Division League fixture against Al-Angaa. Indian women’s football has long searched for a breakthrough moment that goes beyond symbolic progress and reflects genuine integration into the…
Pipers defeated Continental Kings 12-8, Alaskan Knights got the better of Fyers American Gambits 9-7, upGrad Mumba Masters beat Ganges Grandmasters 11-6 at GCL Fabiano Caruana produced a moment of elite composure under extreme pressure to halt Alireza Firouzja’s unbeaten run on the icon board, anchoring Alpine SG Pipers to a statement 12-8 win over…
Meghalaya’s sporting ambitions are set to take a transformative leap with the construction of the Mawkhanu Football Stadium Complex at New Shillong Township. Conceived as a 40,000-seater, FIFA-compliant, purpose-built football arena, the project represents one of the most significant sports infrastructure investments in Indian football history and the largest of its kind in the North…
International wrestling is set to enter a decisive new phase from January 1, 2026, as United World Wrestling (UWW) rolls out a comprehensive set of rule amendments aimed at reshaping how bouts are contested, officiated, and ultimately decided. While rule changes are nothing new in the sport’s long history, this latest package stands out for…
The BWF World Tour Finals 2025 in Hangzhou represents both a reward and a reckoning for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. As India’s only representatives at the season-ending championship, the world No. 3 men’s doubles pair arrive on the back of a turbulent yet resilient season, only to be placed in what is widely acknowledged…
The World Tennis League (WTL) is set for a defining moment as it stages its fourth season in India for the first time, with Bengaluru hosting the mixed-team exhibition tournament from December 17 to 20, 2025. The move from the UAE to India marks a strategic shift for the league, signalling its intent to tap…
The question has been asked repeatedly since Lionel Messi’s visit to India: how can ₹150 crore be mobilised to bring a global icon for a few days, while Indian football continues to struggle for funding, structure and belief? It sounds like an obvious indictment of priorities. But it is also an incomplete question. The harder,…
Google’s decision to introduce a dedicated YouTube TV Sports Plan (YTSP) in early 2026 marks one of the most consequential shifts in the modern pay-TV ecosystem. Framed as part of a broader initiative called “YouTube TV Plans,” the move signals the end of the one-size-fits-all bundle and the arrival of a more surgical, data-driven approach…
The India men’s hockey team’s 2025 season was deliberately structured around three bilateral tours Ireland, Australia and South Africa designed less for headline results and more for high-quality evaluation. Under chief coach Craig Fulton, these series were positioned as competitive checkpoints between demanding legs of the FIH Pro League and as decisive selection windows ahead…
Lionel Messi’s visit to India was never just about football. It was about symbolism, aspiration, commercial appeal, and the familiar Indian tendency to gravitate towards icons rather than systems. The spectacle drew massive attention, packed venues, sponsors, politicians, and headlines but once the noise fades, the more important question remains: what, if anything, will actually…
The third season of the Global Chess League, GCL Season 3 burst into life at the iconic Royal Opera House with emphatic statements from two title contenders. upGrad Mumba Masters thrilled the home crowd with a commanding 17–4 victory over Ganges Grandmasters, while defending champions Triveni Continental Kings opened their campaign with a hard-fought 9–7…
