Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Indian hockey teams unlikely to participate in Birmingham CWG

Indian hockey teams unlikely to participate in Birmingham CWG

THE Indian hockey teams are unlikely to participate in next year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham to ensure that they hit peak form during the Asian Games, which is a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra said on Friday (3).

Batra said he has conveyed this to Sports Authority of India (SAI) director general Sandip Pradhan during a formal meeting on Friday (3).


Batra, who is the chief of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and was a former Hockey India president, said the Indian hockey teams' priority is to achieve their peak at the Asian Games, which starts just 35 days after the CWG.

The Birmingham CWG is scheduled to be held from July 28 to August 8, while the Asian Games will be hosted by Hangzhou, China from September 10 to 15.

"Based on my preliminary discussions with Hockey India, it seems doubtful as of now whether Indian men and women hockey team's will participate in Commonwealth Games 2022," Batra, who still holds considerable influence in Hockey India, said in a statement.

"Hockey India will not like its hockey athletes to peak 35 days before the Asian Games 2022 and would like the athletes to peak at the right time during the Asian Games 2022.

"The Commonwealth Games in 2022 are just 35 days before the Asian Games in China and in hockey the winners of Asian Games directly qualify for 2024 Paris Olympics. Hence, winning gold medal in the Asian Games is a must for both men & women's hockey teams," he added.

India were represented by a strong 216 member contingent in the 2018 Gold Coast CWG, where the country finished third in the standings with 66 medals, including 26 gold, 20 silver and as many bronze medals.

But with shooting and archery dropped from the Birmingham Games and now hockey teams likely to opt out, the Indian contingent will be far smaller.

"The size of Indian contingent to Commonwealth Games 2022 will be much less than which went in 2018 as of now 36 hockey athletes, plus sports not included in 2022, approximately 18 shooting athletes and approximately 8 athletes from archery - a total of 62 athletes may be less from 2018 Contingent," Batra said.

"And the medals tally will also be proportionately less for India in 2022 Commonwealth Games."

(PTI)

More For You

Rajasthan Royals lose coach Dravid ahead of 2026 IPL season

Rahul Dravid (PTI photo)

Rajasthan Royals lose coach Dravid ahead of 2026 IPL season

INDIA batting great Rahul Dravid has stepped down as head coach of Indian Premier League team Rajasthan Royals after just one season with them, the franchise said on Saturday (30).

Dravid, 52, was offered a "broader position" after a structural review of the team set-up but the former Indian captain declined the offer, the franchise said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hasaranga Asia Cup squad

Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga celebrates after taking the wicket of Bangladesh's captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz during the first one-day international (ODI) cricket match at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo on July 2, 2025. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Getty Images

Sri Lanka recall fit-again Hasaranga for Asia Cup

SRI LANKA have picked Wanindu Hasaranga in their Twenty20 squad for the Asia Cup next month though the all-rounder has been ruled out of the tour of Zimbabwe as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

Hasaranga sustained the injury during the home series against Bangladesh in July and the injury will keep him out of Sri Lanka's limited-overs tour of Zimbabwe beginning on Friday (29).

Keep ReadingShow less
India and England unveil Women’s World Cup squads with shock calls

Harmanpreet Kaur

India and England unveil Women’s World Cup squads with shock calls

INDIA and England have named their squads for the upcoming Women’s World Cup, with several surprise selections and omissions, highlighting the competitive nature of the tournament.

India’s squad announcement brought disappointment for explosive opener Shafali Verma, who was left out after a poor run of form. The 21-year-old, who last played a oneday international in October 2024, has managed just one half-century in six innings for India A.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Gukesh

Gukesh, as the reigning world champion, is not in the Candidates race, and his participation will be for prize money and rating points.

Getty Images

Chess World Cup 2025 to be held in Goa

GOA will host the Chess World Cup from October 30 to November 27. The FIDE World Cup 2025 carries a prize fund of USD 2 million and offers three qualifying spots for next year’s Candidates tournament.

The 206-player field includes world champion D Gukesh, Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana and R Praggnanandhaa. However, Gukesh, as the reigning world champion, is not in the Candidates race, and his participation will be for prize money and rating points.

Keep ReadingShow less
CWG-2010-Getty

India hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. (Photo credit: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Modi cabinet clears Ahmedabad bid for Commonwealth Games 2030

INDIA on Wednesday said Ahmedabad would be an "ideal" venue for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, as the country seeks to strengthen its case to host the 2036 Olympics.

Ahmedabad, the main city in prime minister Narendra Modi's home state Gujarat, has a 130,000-capacity stadium, the largest cricket arena in the world, named after him.

Keep ReadingShow less