Sunday, May 10
Indian tennis player Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and his Thai partner Pruchya Isaro have secured a main-draw wild card for the 2026 Australian Open men's doubles. The Indo-Thai duo triumphed in the Asia-Pacific Wildcard Playoff, defeating a Japanese pair in the final. This marks a significant Grand Slam debut for Poonacha, who has previously excelled on the Challenger and ITF circuits.
Australia has named an unchanged squad for the second Ashes Test, opting against rushing back premier fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Cummins will target a return in Adelaide, while Hazlewood's recovery timeline remains conservative. Usman Khawaja's fitness is also being assessed ahead of the Gabba clash.
Mumbai's Ayush Mhatre, at 18, has become the youngest cricketer to score centuries in first-class, List A, and T20 formats. He achieved this with an unbeaten 110 off 53 balls in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, surpassing Rohit Sharma's record. This stellar performance also earned him captaincy of the India U19 squad and retention by Chennai Super Kings.
India's Test cricket legacy is rapidly declining, particularly at home, as the focus shifts to white-ball glory from junior levels. This prioritization of T20 and ODI formats has led to a neglect of red-ball skills, with junior selectors and players alike prioritizing white-ball success, impacting the development of Test specialists.
Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov, a 19-year-old, became the youngest World Cup winner, securing a spot in the 2026 Candidates. India, hosting the event after 23 years, saw its 24 players fail to reach the top three qualifying spots. The article explores the knockout format's challenges, home advantage pressures, and the impact of chess engines on creativity.
Recovering from injury, Umran Malik is eager to return to the Indian team, relying on his natural 150+ kmph pace and improved skills. Despite setbacks, he remains confident in his ability to take wickets and believes his speed is an art that cannot be compromised, aiming to be J&K's highest wicket-taker.
Diogo Jota's widow, Rute Cardoso, shared an emotional first-birthday tribute to their baby daughter, posting poignant photos of the late Liverpool star. The images, including five with Jota, have evoked widespread love and grief, underscoring the profound impact of his tragic death. Jota died in a car crash just weeks after marrying Rute, leaving behind their three children.
A heartwarming video of MS Dhoni driving Virat Kohli back to his hotel after a private dinner at Dhoni's Ranchi residence has gone viral. The rare sight, with no security, evoked nostalgia for their decade-long partnership. Kohli is in Ranchi for the ODI series against South Africa, marking his return to the city.
Ajit Agarkar’s tenure as chief selector has been marked by dramatic white-ball captaincy shifts, with Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya both losing leadership roles. Poor communication, unclear long-term planning, and inconsistent reasoning have fueled discontent within the camp. As India heads into back-to-back ICC events within a year, these bold calls will face their first real test.
Rohit Sharma is on the cusp of a significant milestone, needing just 98 runs to surpass 20,000 international runs. He aims to join Indian legends Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rahul Dravid in this elite club during the upcoming ODI series against South Africa.
