Deepika Kumari, India’s celebrated archer, secured her 18th World Cup medal, fueled by her Olympic aspirations. Despite past heartbreaks, she remains determined, focusing on rebuilding her fundamentals with a new coach and support. Kumari acknowledges the challenges in Indian archery, including high expectations and equipment costs, while looking forward to the LA 2028 Olympics and the inclusion of compound archery.
Vikram Singh, a disabled cricketer, tragically died on the Chhattisgarh Express en route to a tournament after experiencing severe pain. Despite urgent calls for medical assistance, help failed to arrive in time, leading to his death before reaching Mathura station. The incident has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about the Indian Railways’ emergency medical response capabilities for disabled passengers.
Indian compound archers faced disappointment at the Archery World Cup Stage 3, failing to secure medal round positions in individual events after a strong showing in Shanghai. Madhura Dhamangaonkar and Aditi Swami were ousted in the women’s section, while Rishabh Yadav’s quarter-final loss and Ojas Deotale’s first-round exit marked struggles in the men’s competition.
In a disappointing turn at the Indonesia Open Super 1000 tournament, India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were ousted in the quarterfinals. The former champions succumbed to Malaysia’s Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun, losing 19-21, 16-21. The Indian duo struggled with serves and defence, allowing the Malaysians to dominate with flat trajectory shots.
Mitchell Starc remains dedicated to Delhi Capitals in the IPL, despite opting out of the tournament’s resumption due to security concerns following events in Dharamsala. He cited unease before a match near the border and differing handling of the situation among teams as factors. Starc prioritized red-ball cricket and the upcoming World Test Championship final.
Following the tragic stampede at Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory parade, which resulted in 11 deaths and 75 injuries, Diageo, RCB’s parent company, has remained silent. On the ground, Bengaluru Police have arrested RCB’s marketing head and three others while the government have started an investigation led by a former Karnataka High Court judge.
Following Punjab Kings’ defeat in the IPL final, co-owner Preity Zinta addressed fans. She praised the team’s resilience and the performance of young Indian players. Zinta acknowledged the season’s challenges, including injuries and relocations. She thanked the ‘Sher Squad’ for their support. Zinta promised a stronger comeback in the next IPL season.
Star batter Shubman Gill is the new Test captain for Team India. He attended his first press conference with coach Gautam Gambhir on Thursday. Gill spoke about the responsibility of captaincy. He never imagined leading the team. India will play a five-match Test series in England. The series begins in June 2025. Rishabh Pant is the vice-captain.
Piyush Chawla, the veteran leg-spinner, has retired after two decades in Indian cricket. He represented India in both the 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI World Cups. Chawla thanks his family, IPL teams, and fans for their support. He played for Uttar Pradesh and various IPL franchises, including Kolkata Knight Riders.
Rohit Sharma revealed his father’s mixed reaction to his Test retirement, acknowledging his disappointment but also understanding. Sharma emphasized his father’s deep appreciation for Test cricket, recalling his detailed discussions about his Test innings, even more so than his ODI achievements.