POLITICS
Can India-Pakistan cricket matches really overcome bilateral political problems?
For cricket administrators, India-Pakistan matches are a commercial necessity. That’s on account of their complex history of political engagement which cannot be disentangled from cricket, making for one of sport’s greatest rivalries. A Netflix docu-series explores the many-layered rivalry without eliciting a consensus on the larger question of can sport overcome deep-rooted distrust
SPORTS
Indian badminton needs to get its mojo back
Indian badminton appeared to regress in 2024, with its top players unable to win an international title. As the year drew to a close, PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen won titles at the Syed Modi International at Lucknow. Hopefully, it’s an early indicator that the tide will turn in 2025.
TRENDS
Vinesh Phogat's disqualification brings to fore the less talked about problem of weight category switch
Wrestlers and boxers are known to train at a body weight that’s 5-6 kilos over the weight category to achieve the maximum amount of strength and stamina. They drop their weight closer to competition, later it’s back to building strength and muscle
SPORTS
17th IPL: From Rishabh Pant to Hardik Pandya, look who's back for Indian Premier League 2024
IPL 2024 FAQs: Will Virat Kohli lead RCB to first IPL victory? Will MS Dhoni announce retirement from IPL and Chennai Suoer Kings towards the end of IPL 2024? Will Rishabh Pant lead Delhi Capitals to their first IPL title? What to expect with Hardik Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma as captain of the Mumbai Indians?
SPORTS
All you need to know about the forthcoming Formula One 2024 season
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton will be moving to Ferrari in the 2025 season, but before that, the 2024 season will see 21 countries across five continents in the schedule, with recent additions of Las Vegas, Miami and Qatar and the return of China since 2019 and the pandemic.
TRENDS
The Rise of a Legend: The unbearable extraordinariness of being Messi
A four-part documentary 'Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend' on footballer Lionel Messi, that drops on Apple TV+ on February 21, documents his journey in Qatar when he finally fulfilled his destiny, winning a World Cup trophy.
TRENDS
Indian-origin teen Prithika Pavade is France's top table tennis contender at Paris Olympics 2024
France’s second-highest-ranked female table tennis player is of Indian origin, tracing her roots to Pondicherry and ranked 32 in the world in singles.
TRENDS
Rohan Bopanna on becoming World No. 1 men's doubles player: 'Indian tennis, India, needed this'
Going into the Australian Open ranked world No.3, Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden made enough points to be No. 1 after winning their quarterfinal match on January 24. On January 25, they entered the final of the Australian Open Men's Doubles.
CRICKET
India vs England: The magic of Test cricket in a long series, after a long time
ICC World Test Championships: India will host England for a five-match Test series beginning 25 January in Hyderabad. The rest of the matches will be held not in metros, but in Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamsala.
TRENDS
Australian Open 2024: The talented Mr Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is on a roll, improving his speed and conversion rate, and breaking tennis records. If he wins Australian Open 2024, this will be his 25th Grand Slam title in all and his 11th at the Australian Open.
TRENDS
Australian Open 2024: Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber... 'strong mums' of competitive tennis
Tennis has a rich tradition of mothers making triumphant returns. Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki are the newest moms returning to the sport at the highest level.
TRENDS
India's most Googled: How to get good at kabaddi was at No. 3 among 'how to' searches in 2023. What gives?
Year ender 2023: Crores to be made in Pro Kabaddi League auctions and initiatives to connect with grassroots talent and recruit them young are among the reasons why kabaddi is piquing India's interest again.
SPORTS
Year Ender 2023 | Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Arjuna Award: Deeper meaning of awards & rewards in the world of sports
For sportspeople, it's better to make lasting memories than collect trophies that gather dust. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, for instance, the highest honour an Indian sportsperson can get, is not a reflection of the best an Indian sportsperson can achieve.
TRENDS
When Nick Kyrgios stirred the hornet's nest. And Boris Becker returned with equal force
In Pete Sampras vs Novak Djokovic, Diego Maradona vs Lionel Messi, who would come out on top? Comparisons with past greats leads only to an inconclusive debate.
TRENDS
Push for Indian tennis is coming in small packages, leagues
But can the Tennis Premier League and Pro Tennis League do for Indian tennis what IPL did for Indian cricket?
ENTERTAINMENT
The fate of Iron Women of Manipur and other Indian sports documentary films
Distribution is the biggest roadblock. A majority of sports documentaries shown in festivals in India don’t get a wider release, unless there are big, known names from the world of cinema associated with it.
CRICKET
India vs Australia T20I: No such thing as too much cricket
India vs Australia T20 2023: With a T20I series win and wearing the Aussies out by making them travel crosscountry, India could perhaps get a little vengeance for the 2023 ODI World Cup loss.
CRICKET
ODI World Cup 2023 Final: Rooting for good cricket
ODI World Cup 2023 IND vs AUS final: Indians prided themselves on being good hosts. Let this be seen in the stadium.
TRENDS
ATP Tour Finals: No stopping Novak Djokovic from topping year-end tournament and year-end rankings
Twelve of Novak Djokovic’s 24 Grand Slam titles have come since he turned 30. He's showing no signs of slowing down, despite the periodic questions about the effects of advancing age on his tennis.
CRICKET
India AQI: ODI World Cup in the time of heavy air pollution
Air quality and cricket: Why this World Cup is not just about the sport, but also a conversation on pollution
CRICKET
ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Spin it to win it
Australia's Adam Zampa and New Zealand's Mitchell Santner could take inspiration from Bishan Singh Bedi, the former left-arm spinner and India captain, who passed away on Monday at age 77, and still has the fourth-most economical figures, for any bowler in a World Cup match, in the ODIs (12-8-6-1), which came in a World Cup match against East Africa in 1975.
SPORTS
Cricket at Olympics: A boost for the sport, a dilution of its exclusivity
After the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics inclusion of cricket, along with flag football, softball, lacrosse, given Australia’s liking for it, cricket may be part of 2032 Brisbane Olympics, too. Two Olympics editions would give the necessary direction the sport needs as the ODI format struggles on
TRENDS
How long before the world's fastest marathoners break the 2-hour barrier?
With Kelvin Kiptum setting the bar at just 35 seconds over 2 hours, Eliud Kipchoge will be aiming for lower in his six World Marathon Majors next year.
TRENDS
Beckham review: Limited series on football star reveals much, skips a bit
For football fans, there is plenty of action footage with those looping Beckham passes and free-kicks. The hour-long, four-episode Netflix documentary series moves quickly, with pulsating music and photogenic protagonists.
