Abhishek Sharma breaks the T20I century record with 30 balls
The fastest hundred by any batter from an ICC Full-Member nation. What the record required, how the innings unfolded, and what it does not settle.
J. R. Patel
Editor's picks
Cricket
View all →Abhishek Sharma breaks the T20I century record with 30 balls
The fastest hundred by any batter from an ICC Full-Member nation. What the record required, how the innings unfolded, and what it does not settle.
J. R. Patel
Abhishek Sharma becomes the fastest Indian to 6,000 T20 runs
The milestone came off a six in the first over against Afghanistan. What the numbers say about how he bats, and what they leave out.
J. R. Patel
India win a record eighth Women’s Asia Cup, and the opening stand settled it
Seventy per cent of the total came before the first wicket fell. What the opening stand actually did, and what a 72-run final still does not settle.
J. R. Patel
India vs Afghanistan: two new captains, one brief series
Shreyas Iyer leads India. Ibrahim Zadran leads Afghanistan for the first time. Three T20Is in Delhi before both sides head to Japan.
J. R. Patel
Abhishek Sharma breaks the T20I century record with 30 balls
The fastest hundred by any batter from an ICC Full-Member nation. What the record required, how the innings unfolded, and what it does not settle.
J. R. Patel
Football
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The ISL’s new rule: an Indian striker on the pitch at all times
The 2026-27 season starts on 4 September with three foreigners and an OCI player allowed to start — plus one rule that reshapes every forward line.
J. R. Patel
The ISL points system and season format, explained
Three points for a win, one for a draw, two trophies, and a tiebreaker order that decides more than the results do.
J. R. Patel
What a false nine actually does
Not a striker who drops deep. A striker whose movement forces the opposition centre-backs into a decision with no good answer.
J. R. Patel
The ISL’s new rule: an Indian striker on the pitch at all times
The 2026-27 season starts on 4 September with three foreigners and an OCI player allowed to start — plus one rule that reshapes every forward line.
J. R. Patel
The ISL points system and season format, explained
Three points for a win, one for a draw, two trophies, and a tiebreaker order that decides more than the results do.
J. R. Patel
What a false nine actually does
Not a striker who drops deep. A striker whose movement forces the opposition centre-backs into a decision with no good answer.
J. R. Patel
Kabaddi
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The Pro Kabaddi points system, explained with the numbers
Five points for a win, three for a tie, one for losing narrowly — plus every single way a point is scored on the mat.
J. R. Patel
The do-or-die raid and why it decides matches
Two empty raids and the third has to produce. It is the most loaded moment in the sport, and both sides can see it coming.
J. R. Patel
The Pro Kabaddi points system, explained with the numbers
Five points for a win, three for a tie, one for losing narrowly — plus every single way a point is scored on the mat.
J. R. Patel
The do-or-die raid and why it decides matches
Two empty raids and the third has to produce. It is the most loaded moment in the sport, and both sides can see it coming.
J. R. Patel
Hockey
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India finish eighth, their worst World Cup result
A shootout loss to Belgium in the seventh-place match. Harmanpreet Singh finishes joint top scorer with eight goals, and none of it changes the number.
J. R. Patel
India complete the Junior Asia Cup double, and the pipeline delivered again
The men beat South Korea 4-1 for a sixth title. The women beat China 1-0 on their home turf for a third straight. Both teams head to the World Cup.
J. R. Patel
India’s junior teams arrive in China to defend both crowns
New coaches, new captains, same expectation: the men seek a record sixth Junior Asia Cup, the women a third straight.
J. R. Patel
Fifth in Amstelveen, and the first top-five in 52 years
India beat Germany 3-1 to finish fifth at the World Cup, and Hockey India put ₹50 lakh behind it. The number that decided the tournament was one goal.
J. R. Patel
India finish eighth, their worst World Cup result
A shootout loss to Belgium in the seventh-place match. Harmanpreet Singh finishes joint top scorer with eight goals, and none of it changes the number.
J. R. Patel
India complete the Junior Asia Cup double, and the pipeline delivered again
The men beat South Korea 4-1 for a sixth title. The women beat China 1-0 on their home turf for a third straight. Both teams head to the World Cup.
J. R. Patel
India’s junior teams arrive in China to defend both crowns
New coaches, new captains, same expectation: the men seek a record sixth Junior Asia Cup, the women a third straight.
J. R. Patel
Chess
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Ganges Grandmasters win the Global Chess League
Nepomniachtchi beats Carlsen on the Icon board, Tsolakidou clinches it against Humpy. A 7-5 aggregate over Alpine APL Pipers crowns a second title.
J. R. Patel
Praggnanandhaa wins the Grand Chess Tour, the first Indian to do it
Trailing by six points on the final day, he won both rapid games to seize the lead and held on through the blitz to beat Caruana 15–13.
J. R. Patel
How the Grand Chess Tour works, with the scoring system
Five events across classical, rapid and blitz, then a knockout final. Points accumulate differently at each time control.
J. R. Patel
How board order works in team chess
The captain decides who plays which board, and there is no rule requiring rating order. Here is why the World Champion is fourth.
J. R. Patel
Ganges Grandmasters win the Global Chess League
Nepomniachtchi beats Carlsen on the Icon board, Tsolakidou clinches it against Humpy. A 7-5 aggregate over Alpine APL Pipers crowns a second title.
J. R. Patel
Praggnanandhaa wins the Grand Chess Tour, the first Indian to do it
Trailing by six points on the final day, he won both rapid games to seize the lead and held on through the blitz to beat Caruana 15–13.
J. R. Patel
How the Grand Chess Tour works, with the scoring system
Five events across classical, rapid and blitz, then a knockout final. Points accumulate differently at each time control.
J. R. Patel
Badminton
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Satwik-Chirag win China Masters, the first Indians in 21 years
Down 11-21 in the first game, they took the next two 21-13, 21-17. What the comeback says about how they play under pressure.
J. R. Patel
Satwik-Chirag win China Masters, the first Indians in 21 years
Down 11-21 in the first game, they took the next two 21-13, 21-17. What the comeback says about how they play under pressure.
J. R. Patel
Esports
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How esports works at the 2026 Asian Games, and where India stands
Eleven medal events across fighting games, MOBAs and battle royales. The format, the qualification, and what a medal would actually mean.
J. R. Patel
How battle royale tournaments are scored, with the points table
Ten points for a win, one per elimination, and a leaderboard across many matches that rewards patience over highlights.
J. R. Patel
How esports works at the 2026 Asian Games, and where India stands
Eleven medal events across fighting games, MOBAs and battle royales. The format, the qualification, and what a medal would actually mean.
J. R. Patel
How battle royale tournaments are scored, with the points table
Ten points for a win, one per elimination, and a leaderboard across many matches that rewards patience over highlights.
J. R. Patel
Multi-sport
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Dhiraj Bommadevara becomes the first Indian man to win an Archery World Cup Final
A shoot-off in Saltillo, a 10 against a 9, and a 19-year wait ends. What the title means for Indian recurve archery.
J. R. Patel
Neeraj Chopra is out. Yashvir Singh steps in.
A ligament tear ends the defending champion’s season. India’s javelin at the Asian Games now rests on a 24-year-old who won Commonwealth bronze six weeks ago.
J. R. Patel
India send 503 athletes to Aichi-Nagoya. The number is the story.
A 768-strong contingent across 36 disciplines, three weeks after a fourth-place Commonwealth Games. What the size of a squad does and does not tell you.
J. R. Patel
Dhiraj Bommadevara becomes the first Indian man to win an Archery World Cup Final
A shoot-off in Saltillo, a 10 against a 9, and a 19-year wait ends. What the title means for Indian recurve archery.
J. R. Patel
Neeraj Chopra is out. Yashvir Singh steps in.
A ligament tear ends the defending champion’s season. India’s javelin at the Asian Games now rests on a 24-year-old who won Commonwealth bronze six weeks ago.
J. R. Patel
India send 503 athletes to Aichi-Nagoya. The number is the story.
A 768-strong contingent across 36 disciplines, three weeks after a fourth-place Commonwealth Games. What the size of a squad does and does not tell you.
J. R. Patel
Opinion
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Domestic cricket deserves far more attention than it gets
The tournament that produces India’s Test players is followed by almost nobody. That is a choice, not an inevitability.
J. R. Patel
Domestic cricket deserves far more attention than it gets
The tournament that produces India’s Test players is followed by almost nobody. That is a choice, not an inevitability.
J. R. Patel