Sports

Sahaja Yamalapalli and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty listen to captain Vishal Uppal on the eve of the Asia-Oceania Billie Jean King Cup tennis in Pune, on Monday. | Photo: Kamesh Srinivasan

It will be a test of fire for India to ride on home advantage, and its collective strength as a team, in the Asia-Oceania Billie Jean King Cup tennis championship to be played at the Balewadi Stadium from Tuesday.

More than the top quality opponents from New Zealand, which has Wimbledon quarterfinalist Lulu Sun, Thailand, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, heat could be a major factor in testing the resilience of the Indian team in its attempt to qualify for the next stage.

Captain Vishal Uppal has done very well to prepare the team of Ankita Raina, Sahaja Yamalapalli, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, Vaidehi Chaudhari, Prarthana Thombare and the young reserve Maaya Rajeshwaran.

India will be playing the opening match, in the round robin format, against New Zealand on Tuesday. Unlike the Kiwi team, which may rely heavily on Lulu, India has three players ranked close to the top 300, who can pull their weight whenever called to serve the team’s cause.

Moreover, India could have the trump card in doubles with the superb combination of Ankita and Prarthana. Such team combinations are often decided on the strength of the doubles, and India could be second to none in that department.

In Shrivalli and Sahaja, the team has two explosive players, who are maturing well into all-round players, capable of facing the challenge from players of different style and craft. It should not be a surprise if the two play a big role in taking the team forward.

The trick would be to play top quality in three rubbers every day for five days, and spread the load nicely among the players. The Indian team is equipped to do it, even in the tough conditions.

The host has done a splendid job in getting the focus on the event. Tournament Director Sunder Iyer ensured that the former players like Manisha Malhotra, Sai Jayalakshmy, Shruti Dhawan, Janaki Krishnamoorthy among others were invited for felicitation.

In fact, as the secretary of Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA), Sunder has been keen to get more women players involved in running the State association. 

Radhika Tulpule is the coach of the team, and it may be recalled that former world No.1 and multiple Grand Slam champion Sania Mirza had won her first international doubles title with Radhika. in Manila in 2002.

Time flies, and Indian women’s tennis has indeed come a long way. The team had qualified for the play-off and competed well against Latvia a few seasons ago. There will be no dearth of effort from the current team to repeat the act..

Most importantly, Doordarshan was making all arrangements for the ‘live’ coverage of the event.

CSK all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja trains ahead of the IPL match against Punjab Kings in New Chandigarh.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Tuesday’s IPL fixture at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium will be between two wounded teams: Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings.

The depth of their wounds, though, is as different as it comes.

Host PBKS’ 50-run loss to Rajasthan Royals would just feel like a small cut compared to CSK’s struggles — coming off three crippling defeats (against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, RR and Delhi Capitals).

While the PBKS batters showed fight in their 206-run chase despite losing early wickets, Super Kings’ efforts with the bat have been tame.

CSK’s scores after the first 10 overs in these games were as follows: 65 for four vs RCB, 74 for three vs RR, and 69 for four vs DC.

By the time Vijay Shankar (69 n.o., 54b, 5×4, 1×6) and M.S. Dhoni (30 n.o., 26b, 1×4, 1×6) got going against DC, the match had gone out of CSK’s reach.

Changing the personnel, too, has not helped the five-time champion. A major course correction is necessary to beat Shreyas Iyer’s PBKS, which showed its might with two wins in its first two outings.

The PBKS bowlers will have to step up after being the first in the IPL to concede 200 at the venue. Only Arshdeep Singh (4-0-35-1) and Lockie Ferguson (4-0-37-2) had decent outings as the RR willow-wielders scored heavily in the death overs.

Nehal Wadhera’s knocks in the last two games should instill confidence in the PBKS ranks.

Will it be Kings or Super Kings that get back to winning ways?

Ravi Bishnoi will be a key bowler for Lucknow Super Giants when it takes on KKR in Kolkata on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: K.V.S. GIRI

Lucknow Super Giants all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed said the team’s injured bowlers were recovering and the bowling attack was getting better.

“If four bowlers (Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan) are injured and are not available, then there is a concern…All those things have settled down. Akash is available. Avesh is also available. Mayank, I hope, will be available soon,” said Shahbaz ahead of Super Giants’ IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday.

Referring to spinner Ravi Bishnoi’s high economy, he said the brand of cricket had changed. “There’s not much discussion about the economy. It’s just about how to make an impact, how to take wickets.”

Shahbaz, who plays domestic cricket for Bengal, said in domestic cricket, the pitch (mostly for red ball cricket) was different and helped the pacers. “Looking at this pitch, it seems that the ball will stop. There is hope for runs. It will be helpful for the spinners.”

KKR assistant coach Ottis Gibson hoped the Indian pace pair of Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana would click.

“The key is to take wickets with the new ball, which we did (against SRH). Both Vaibhav and Harshit have done very well.

“We know how hard Vaibhav is working with D.J. Bravo in terms of strategies, how to set up his overs and how to look to take wickets. That’s working very well and hopefully that will continue to work,” said Gibson.

Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya

As Mumbai Indians (MI) host Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a high-octane IPL 2025 encounter at the Wankhede Stadium today, all eyes will be on the mouth-watering individual battles — particularly Virat Kohli vs Jasprit Bumrah, and the long-standing rivalry between India’s modern-day batting icons, Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Also See: MI vs RCB, IPL Live Score
While MI vs RCB is a marquee clash in itself, the showdown between Kohli and Bumrah has become one of the most anticipated match-ups in T20 cricket.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Bumrah has dismissed Kohli five times in 16 IPL innings — an impressive record — but Kohli has scored 140 runs off just 95 balls against the ace pacer, at a strike rate of 147.36, hitting 15 fours and five sixes. The contest remains even, with both players exchanging blows in different seasons, making it one of IPL’s most compelling duels.
Check out the daily cricket challenge – Who’s That?
Kohli, in his 18th consecutive season for RCB, has started IPL 2025 strong, scoring 97 runs in three matches at a strike rate of over 134. Bumrah, returning from a back injury sustained during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, will be eager to make a statement in front of his home crowd.

Meanwhile, the Kohli vs Rohit narrative adds another layer of drama. Kohli boasts 27,599 international runs to Rohit’s 19,700, but in the IPL, Rohit has the silverware edge — five titles to Kohli’s none. Against MI, Kohli has scored 855 runs with a top score of 92, while Rohit has 831 runs vs RCB, including a best of 94.
At the Wankhede, the numbers lean in MI’s favour. RCB haven’t won here since 2015, losing six in a row. Kohli has 301 runs at the venue against MI at an average of 43, while Rohit has piled up 307 against RCB at an average of 43.86 and a strike rate of over 154.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been in fine form for KKR.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI

Having experienced a similar journey so far, Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants will engage in a duel of mid-table one-upmanship in the Indian Premier League at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday.

On their home grounds, KKR outplayed Sunrisers Hyderabad while LSG pipped Mumbai Indians. Following a breather due to the postponement of the match from Sunday, both sides will like to carry forward the momentum.

In a perfect setting, KKR will depend on its traditional supporters, whereas LSG will bank on its Mohun Bagan links to gain traction.

Pacers Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana will dream of another fairytale start. Moeen Ali and mystery spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy will be keen to cast their spell on a slower track.

LSG too flaunts its share of mystery in Digvesh Rathi. Ravi Bishnoi and M. Siddharth are capable spinners too. Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan and Akash Deep provide good options in pace as the attack has started settling down.

Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh have contributed nearly 50 per cent of LSG’s runs. Captain Rishabh Pant, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad have the potential to destroy any attack.

Because of its familiarity with the conditions, KKR may stay ahead in an expected run feast on a hot afternoon.

Gujarat Titans (IPL) left atm spinner Sai Kishore expressed his joy at contributing with his spin bowling and believed that cricket has shaped him as a person and a cricketer. He emphasized that cricket is his passion and his life’s dedication. Sai Kishore provided GT with an essential breakthrough against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 19th match of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, cleaning up Klaasen’s stumps for 27 and Nitish, who played a knock of 31 in 34 balls.

“Feels good to contribute what is coming out of the handspin. There you go! We’ve popped it up, and it’s time to leave the crease. I think cricket teaches you a lot of things, to get a chance, to make a name for myself it has actually shaped me as a person, it has shaped me as a cricketer so still the same fire is there, cricket is the most important thing for me in this life it is what I dedicate my life for.” Sai Kishore said as per a video posted by IPL.

Sai Kishore expressed his happiness that his hard work and dedication, including late-night practices, are paying off. He believed this was the beginning of his success and that the team would win many more games and trophies. He emphasized the strong team spirit and camaraderie within the Gujarat Titans, which contributed to their success and enjoyment of the game.

“It feels good to have all those 4 AMs and four sessions a day practising alone when nobody is watching, all those things paying off. Yes, this is just the beginning, we should win a lot more games for GT and a trophy as well this year. As a team, I think GT, we are playing a wonderful brand of cricket, I think we are playing as a team we are playing, gelling together, we are having fun together We are genuinely enjoying each other’s success, that’s amazing, that’s a great space to be a part of Yeah, lot more success to come,” he added.

Washington Sundar also expressed his gratitude for the support he received from his teammates and is confident in his preparation, believing he will be ready when his opportunity arises.

“Honestly amazing, Sai. And I truly believe in the preparation that I’ve put in the last, especially three, four weeks. I genuinely believe that whenever my opportunity comes, I’ll be prepared. Thank you, Sai. Honestly, you guys were cheering for me in every other ball.” Washington Sundar said.

Sundar played a quickfire cameo of 49 runs from just 29 balls, which was laced with five boundaries and two maximums in his innings. The 25-year-old cricketer scored these runs at a staggering strike rate of 168.97.

Sensational ball striking by skipper Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar and Sherfane Rutherford and a magnificent four-wicket haul by Mohammed Siraj were the highlights as GT crushed a reckless SRH at their own den by seven wickets on Sunday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Rudrankksh Patil in action at the Buenos Aires WC.
| Photo Credit: ISSF

Former World champion Rudrankksh Patil beat multiple gold medallist Istvan Peni by 1.2 points to clinch the air rifle gold in the shooting World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Sunday.

In a thrilling final, the 21-year-old Rudrankksh asserted his class in the climax as he delivered 10.4 and 10.8 on the last two shots to retain his supremacy against the seven-time World Cup gold medallist Istvan, who had earlier won the rifle 3-position gold. Istvan also shot 10.6 and 10.6 on the last two shots, and it was the earlier lead that kept Rudrankksh in front, after the 24-shot final.

While Rudrankksh added to his earlier individual World Cup gold won in Cairo in 2023, Arjun Babuta did well to top qualification with 634.5. However, Arjun, who had placed fourth in the Paris Olympics, finished seventh. Incidentally, Rudrankksh had shot the second best qualification score of 633.7.

It was the second gold for India in the ongoing World Cup following the one won by Sift Kaur Samra in women’s rifle 3-position event.

India was joint No.1 with China on the medals table with two gold, a silver and a bronze. USA followed with two gold and a silver, while Hungary has so far won a gold and a silver, both through Istvan.

The results: 10m air rifle: Men: 1. Rudrankksh Patil 252.9 (633.7), 2. Istvan Peni (Hun) 251.(630.3), 3. Marcelo Gutierrez (Arg) 230.1 (631.4); 7. Arjun Babuta 144.9 (634.5); 29. Hriday Hazarika 624.6; RPO: Kiran Jadhav 631.5; Divyansh Singh Panwar 628.0.

Gujarat Titans’ Ishant Sharma takes a catch to dismiss Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Ishan Kishan during their Indian Premiere League (IPL) 2025 match, at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, in Hyderabad on April 6, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Gujarat Titans pacer Ishant Sharma has been fined 25% of his match fees besides accumulating a demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday (April 6, 2025) night.

“Ishant Sharma admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.2 and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction,” said the IPL in a statement.

“For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding,” the statement added.

Article 2.2 of IPL’s Code of Conduct relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a match”.

The former India pacer had an off day with the bowl, leaking 53 runs in his four wicketless overs. Overall, he has conceded 107 runs in three games and has only a wicket.

Gujarat Titans got their third victory of IPL 2025 on Sunday after they defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets. The 2022 champions began their campaign with an 11-run defeat against Punjab Kings but since then, GT made a promising comeback and won the next three games on the trot. SRH, who are known for their fiery batting performances, completely succumbed to GT’s bowling attack and could post only 152/8 in 20 overs. In return, skipper Shubman Gill led from the front and scored an unbeaten 61 as GT chased down the target in just 16.4 overs.

Seeing the quick progress of the team, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly took to X (formerly Twitter) and lauded GT head coach Ashish Nehra for his “tremendous game sense”.

“Like the way Gujarat has gone about their job in IPL since the first season . There is lot of cricket brain in their team set up and their approach .. Ashish Nehra has really shown his qualities as head coach.. tremendous game sense ..@IPL,” Ganguly wrote on X.

Like the way gujarat has gone about their job in IPL since the first season . There is lot of cricket brain in their team set up and their approach .. Ashish nehra has really shown his qualities as head coach.. tremendous game sense .. @IPL

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) April 6, 2025

Shubman Gill led by example with a classy half-century after Mohammed Siraj bowled with fire in his belly to return excellent figures of 4/17 as Gujarat Titans crushed Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets in their IPL match in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Sent at number four, Washington Sundar too showed his class with a 29-ball 49 as GT registered their third win in four outings, even as SRH suffered their fourth defeat in five matches. The chase of 153 was completed with as many as 20 balls to spare, with Gill making an unbeaten 61 off 43 balls.

Bowling first, GT restricted SHR to 152 for eight with left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (2/24) and seamer Prasidh Krishna (2/25) too performing admirably on a slow surface.

“Bowlers are game-changers especially in this format, lot of people talk about big-hitters but bowlers win you games. We wanted to play shots all along the ground, that was the chat between me and Washington Sundar. He (Sundar) was padded up in the match against MI but with the Impact player rule, you have to change your plans at times,” said GT skipper Gill after the win.

“The way he batted today was fantastic. There was no conversation as such, it was all about playing good cricketing shots and once we had a 30-40 run partnership, it was taking the game from there. The energy he (Mohammed Siraj) brings during bowling and fielding is infectious,” he added.