Indore, Jan 23 (PTI) With a series sweep in sight, the middle order will be eager to give a better account of themselves as the Indian team management contemplates rotating its bowlers in the third and final ODI against New Zealand here on Tuesday. Opener Shubman Gill has been in excellent form, having scored a sensational double hundred in the opener, followed by a 40-run knock in the low-scoring second ODI. Skipper Rohit Sharma, too, is having a good run. However, the home team is aware that despite enjoying an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, Shubman and Rohit have…
Author: Team Spogonews
Jakarta, Jan 23 (PTI) Top Indian shuttlers, including Lakshya Sen, will look to quickly recover from the India Open disappointment when they begin their campaign at the Indonesia Masters Super 500 tournament, starting here on Tuesday. India cut a sorry figure at home as the country’s challenge ended in the second round following the early exits of P V Sindhu, Sen and the withdrawal of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy due to a hip injury last week. While Sindhu and Satwik-Chirag are not playing this week, Sen will look to get back his mojo after his second-round exit against Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke. A…
Sydney, Jan 23 (PTI) Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar could be Australia’s X-factor and should be considered as their “second spinner” in pursuit of the team’s first Test win in India since 2017, feels former coach Darren Lehmann. Agar, who has only five Tests under his belt, returned wicket-less during Australia’s last Test against South Africa in Sydney but, on Indian conditions, the finger spinner could be successful, the former coach thinks. “Having been there, I’m probably more inclined to play finger spinners,” Lehmann, who was the coach of their 2017 victory in Pune, said on Australian radio station SENQ. At…
Bhubaneswar, Jan 22 (PTI) Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey on Sunday rued that the hosts wasted chances galore during their sudden death defeat in the crossover match against New Zealand as they made a shock exit from the hockey World Cup here. India allowed New Zealand to come back from two-goal lead twice in the regulation time as the match ended 3-3 after 60 minutes. India eventually lost 4-5 in sudden death. “We got a lot of chances to win the match. We have been talking that penalty corners are very important to win matches, but we wasted one after…
Bhubaneswar, Jan 22 (PTI) India’s chief coach Graham Reid on Sunday said the team needs a mental conditioning coach going ahead after the hosts lost to New Zealand in penalty shootout in a crossover match to crash out of the hockey World Cup here. Reid’s comments could be an indication that his team was not able to deal with the mental aspect of the game as the home side once again dominated their crossover match but squandered two goal lead twice to end at 3-3 in the regulation time. “We need to do something different perhaps. Following this, we will…
Goa, Jan 22 (PTI) FC Goa defeated Kerala Blasters 3-1 in a Hero Indian Super League match here on Sunday. Goals from Iker Guarrotxena, Noah Sadaoui and Redeem Tlang helped the Gaurs end their four-game winless run in the ISL as they leapfrogged Odisha FC to fifth spot and went four points clear of Bengaluru FC in seventh. Meanwhile, the Blasters suffered back-to-back defeats in the ISL for the first time since October. In the opening half-hour, Kerala Blasters were unable to test the rival keeper while their own shot-stopper Prabhsukhan Gill was forced into making a solitary save. Moments…
Vasco da Gama, Jan 22 (PTI) The Indian U-17 national team put on an inspired display to emerge 2-0 winners against Uzbekistan in the first of two friendly matches at the Tilak Maidan here on Sunday. India, who have qualified for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup final rounds and are preparing for the campaign ahead, did all the damage in the first half, as Korou Singh Thingujam ran the show on the right wing, assisting Vanlalpeka Guite and Lalpekhlua to score a goal each. Uzbekistan had their fair share of chances as well, but India goalkeeper Sahil was equal to…
Abu Dhabi Jan 22 (PTI) India’s Shubhankar Sharma shot a 69 on the final day, and with a total of 13-under, he finished tied seventh in the the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championships here on Sunday. Sharma was on fire in the first six holes with two birdies and an eagle and a close look at another birdie. He lost momentum on the seventh hole, missing a short two-and-a-half foot birdie and gave away a bogey on the eighth. But he hung in to close with a birdie for a 69. Summing up the week, Sharma, who was second in Abu…
Cape Town, Jan 22 (PTI) The Indian women’s hockey team remained unbeaten on their South Africa tour thus far, registering a 2-2 draw against the hosts in its fourth match here on Sunday. This was India’s last match against the South African side before they take on world No.1 Netherlands on January 23. Vaishnavi Vithal Palkhe, playing in her debut tour for the senior side, starred for India scoring two goals that helped them hold South Africa to a draw. South Africa made a strong start on Sunday, after a series of losses against India. The home team had lost…
Lucknow, Jan 22 (PTI) Hours after the emergency general council meeting of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was called off, its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, in a tweet, requested people not to put objectionable slogans or hashtags on social media that harm the dignity of political parties or communities, among others. Sharan has been accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers and working like a dictator by some of the country’s top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Ravi Dahiya. The sports ministry had said on Saturday it had asked the WFI to suspend “all ongoing…