Thursday, June 18
Nineteen-year-old Divya Deshmukh was celebrated at Nagpur airport after her Women's World Cup victory in Batumi, where she triumphed over Koneru Humpy. This win secured her the Grandmaster title, a spot in the Candidates tournament, and a $50,000 prize. She credited her first coach Rahul Joshi, who passed away in 2020.
Sourav Ganguly backed young pacer Anshul Kamboj after his debut Test. Ganguly urged critics to give him more chances. He highlighted Kamboj's domestic performance. The former skipper also expressed surprise over Mukesh Kumar's absence from the England tour. He praised Kumar's red-ball record and believed he deserved an opportunity in this series.
Tensions soared at the Esports Chess World Cup 2025 as Nihal Sarin of India triumphed over Dutch champion Anish Giri, triggering a fit of rage from Giri, who was seen banging his mouse. This incident follows a similar outburst by Hans Niemann after his defeat by Giri. The rising emotional displays are sparking conversations about the pressure players face.
Former captain Sourav Ganguly has downplayed the recent heated exchange between India's head coach Gautam Gambhir and Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis, emphasising that such disagreements are common in cricket. The incident, where Gambhir was reportedly upset about pitch access, follows a series of tense moments in the India-England series.
During a rain break in the fifth Test between India and England, former England captain Michael Vaughan playfully mocked The Oval's head curator, Lee Fortis, on air. This followed a confrontation between India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and Fortis regarding pitch usage. Vaughan's light-hearted mimicry added a humorous layer to the already tense atmosphere surrounding the final Test match.
Abhimanyu Easwaran's wait for his India Test debut extends to 961 days, sparking criticism from his father, Ranganathan, and former coach Arun Lal. Despite consistent performances, Easwaran was overlooked for the fifth Test against England, while Karun Nair received a chance. Ranganathan expressed his son's disappointment, questioning selection criteria favoring IPL performances over Ranji Trophy success.
Former England captain Michael Atherton has cautioned that Gautam Gambhir's position as India's head coach could be in jeopardy if the team suffers a third consecutive Test series loss. Team India is currently trailing 1-2 against England, and Atherton emphasised the immense pressure to win that comes with leading the Indian team, given their resources and expectations.
