There was no stopping the golden run of India's junior shooters with Hriday Hazarika claiming the men's 10m air rifle top honours before the women's team combined for a new world record and gold at the ISSF World Championships on Friday.
Hazarika, the lone Indian to qualify for the men's final with a score of 627.3, was tied with Iran's Mohammed Amir Nekounam on 250.1 once the field was pruned to the regulation top eight.
But the 17-year-old Indian clinched the yellow metal after prevailing in a shoot-off at the prestigious International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) tournament.
The bronze went to Russia's Grigorii Shamakov, who managed a score of 228.6 in the final.
The women's 10m air rifle team of Elavenil Valarivan (631), Shreya Agarwal (628.5) and Manini Kaushik (621.2) then produced a sensational performance to total 1880.7 for a gold with a world record to boot.
The score by Elavenil, a junior world cup gold-medallist, was also a new junior world record.
The men's team, comprising Hazarika, Divyansh Panwar and Arjun Babuta, finished fourth with a combined total of 1872.3.
There was disappointment for the country in the senior men's 50m rifle three position competition as none of the Indians in fray managed to make the cut for the finals. Asian Games silver-medallist Sanjeev Rajput was the lowest placed Indian at 58th with a score of 1158.
Swapnil Kusale was 55th with a score of 1161 while Akhil Sheoran took the 44th position with 1167.
The Indian team, comprising the trio, ended 11th with a total of 3503.
FORMER captain Jos Buttler scored a superb 96 off 59 balls, and Liam Dawson took four wickets on his international return, as England beat West Indies by 21 runs in the T20 series opener at Durham's Riverside ground on Friday (6).
After making a 3-0 winning start to Harry Brook's captaincy in the one-dayers, England kept the momentum in the shorter format with an innings of 188-6 after winning the toss and batting first.
West Indies finished on 167-9, with Romario Shepherd caught on the final ball of the match.
Buttler, in at number three with England 16-1 after Ben Duckett was caught by West Indies captain Shai Hope off Shepherd, brought up his half century from 25 balls in the eighth over.
He had earlier smashed three sixes and scooped a four from the first four balls of a devastating sixth over with Alzarri Joseph bowling.
The 34-year-old, who stepped down as white-ball captain last February following England's group-stage exit from the Champions Trophy, continued to look like a man relieved of a heavy burden as he hit six fours and four sixes.
Needing just four for the century, he was out lbw to Joseph in the penultimate over.
The tally was Buttler's highest T20 international score on home soil.
West Indies were 33-2 off 5.2 overs after losing Johnson Charles for 18, stumped by Buttler off Dawson, and Hope caught by Duckett, who repaid his own dismissal in like-for-like fashion, for three off debutant Matthew Potts.
England restricted the visitors to 44-2 at the end of the powerplay, compared to 78-1 at the same stage of the home innings.
Evin Lewis hit West Indies top score of 39 off 23 balls, before being caught by Brydon Carse with Jacob Bethell bowling.
Dawson, back in the side at 35 and playing his first England match since 2022, claimed his second and third wickets when Duckett caught Sherfane Rutherford (2) and Roston Chase (24) in quick succession.
The left-arm spinner wrapped up with a fourth wicket, for 20 runs from his four overs, by bowling Rovman Powell as West Indies slipped to 115-6 on a tough night in the north-east.
"I feel really good. Really pleased to contribute to a really good win," said Dawson after being declared player-of-the-match.
"When you get 190 on the board, you can go out there and simplify everything. You can bowl defensively and they've got to come to you. Tonight, it worked.
"It's been maybe three-and-a-half years since I played. I was nervous going into the game but I'm happy to contribute."
Hope said his side had not bowled as well as they had wanted to and needed also to perform better with the bat.
"We've got to put this behind us and we've got two games to win the series," he said.
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FILE PHOTO: Piyush Chawla. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)
VETERAN leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who played key roles in India's 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup victories, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday (6) after more than two decades in the sport.
The 36-year-old made the announcement through an Instagram post, describing his decision as the end of an "incredible journey" while hinting at a new unspecified venture ahead.
"After more than two decades on the field, the time has come to bid adieu to the beautiful game," Chawla wrote. "Though I step away from the crease, cricket will always live within me. I now look forward to embarking on a new journey, carrying with me the spirit and lessons of this beautiful game."
Chawla represented India across all three formats, playing three Tests, 25 ODIs and seven T20 internationals, claiming 43 wickets in total. However, his most memorable contributions came as part of India's World Cup-winning squads in 2007 and 2011.
"From representing India at the highest level to being part of the victorious 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup squads, every moment in this incredible journey has been nothing short of a blessing," he said. "These memories will forever remain etched in my heart."
The spinner enjoyed particular success in the Indian Premier League, playing for four franchises during his career - Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. He was part of KKR's 2014 IPL championship team and famously hit the winning runs in the final against Punjab Kings in Bengaluru.
Chawla paid tribute to the IPL franchises who showed faith in him, describing the tournament as "a truly special chapter in my career". He also thanked his coaches, particularly K.K. Gautam and the late Pankaj Saraswat, for nurturing his development.
The Uttar Pradesh player burst onto the cricket scene as a teenager, making his competitive debut at just 15 and his first-class debut at 17. He gained national attention when he bowled out batting legend Sachin Tendulkar with a googly during the Challenger Series in 2005-06.
In domestic cricket, Chawla accumulated over 1,000 wickets across all formats, representing India Under-19 and Uttar Pradesh Under-22 teams during his early career.
"Today is a deeply emotional day for me as I officially announce my retirement from all forms of international and domestic cricket," he said, paying special tribute to his late father. "A special mention to my late father, whose belief in me lit the path I walked. Without him, this journey would never have been possible."
(PTI)
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A kushti bout continues until one wrestler pins the other’s back to the mud, regardless of how long it takes
Crowds cheer as muscular men in tight loincloths slap sacred scented soil on their bulging thighs and arms for a mud wrestling bout in India.
“When we fight, we sweat,” said 33-year-old Mauli Jamdade, a wrestling star in Maharashtra state, rubbing red-brown earth onto his body for each clash.
“The mud gives us grip and helps us grapple better.”
Unlike conventional wrestling matches played on mats with regulated draws, India’s mud wrestling is more raw, but has been the training ground for Olympic success. This style of wrestling, known as kushti or dangal, has millennia-old roots but emerged during the period of India’s Mughal rulers in the 16th century, blending traditional hand-to-hand combat with Persian martial arts.
There are no blows or kicking, but plenty of throws to the ground, and it remains hugely popular.
It took Jamdade over 15 minutes to defeat his rival, starting with a slow circling dance then twisting, turning and locking arms, before he pinned him down.
The bout ends when one wrestler pins his opponent’s back to the mud, irrespective of how long it takes.
Both men and women Indian wrestlers have won medals at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games in the more regulated form of the sport.
But it is the mud, not mat, version that is popular in swathes of rural areas, with supporters saying it is not just a spectacle but a tradition that many want to uphold.
Bank cashier Anil Harale ended his wrestling career after injuring his leg, but after work still slips out of his office clothes for a dirty wrestle. “I miss it,” said the 46-year-old, who hopes his “unfulfilled dream” will be realised by his teenage son, an aspiring wrestler.
Wrestler KD Jadhav, who took bronze at the 1952 Olympics – the first Indian to win an individual Olympic medal – began his sporting career as a mud wrestler in Kolhapur, a city in Maharashtra.
“It is from mud that wrestlers reach the Olympics,” said excited fan Sachin Mote, among hundreds cheering the wrestlers at a bout.
Kolhapur is a core base of the sport with its centuries-old residential gymnasiums known as talims.
Jamdade joined the Gangavesh talim aged 14. A picture of the Hindu monkey god Hanuman – a deity worshipped by wrestlers for his strength and devotion – gazes over waist-deep pits where the soil is dug.
The earth is mixed with turmeric, yoghurt and milk, as well as neem tree leaves and oil, before it is ploughed and smoothened across the ring.
For the wrestlers, the soil is sacred.
“It is everything,” said Jamdade. “There is nothing without it.”
More than a hundred wrestlers – some as young as 10 – train at the talim.
It is an austere life. The rigorous training includes waking up before dawn, running, hundreds of push-ups, rope climbing and grappling. Tobacco and alcohol are strictly prohibited, phone usage is restricted and pre-marital relationships are considered a distraction.
For Jamdade, the first year at the talim was all about gaining weight, and that is an expensive affair.
“There are people who weigh 125-130 kilos (275-285 pounds),” he said.
“To fight with them, and match their strength, I need to be at least 120 kilos.”
So when he is not in the ring or training, Jamdade focuses on eating. That includes at least five kilos of goat meat each week, some 70 egg whites, 24 apples, leafy vegetables and dry fruits.
He washes that down with at least 21 litres of milk, 14 litres of sweet lemon juice and a protein shake made with almonds, cashews, honey, cardamom seeds, honey and milk.
His monthly food bill totals £258 but the prize money he has won helps his family, who are from a poor farming background.
Winnings range from a few hundred pounds to £1,200 – more than the annual average income of an agricultural household in India.
While the popularity of more organised wrestling on mats has grown, Jamdade believes mud bouts have a safe future as a core part of village fairs.
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Tendulkar is the highest run-scorer in Test history with 15,921 runs, while Anderson is England’s all-time leading wicket-taker.
INDIA and England will play their upcoming five-Test series in the UK for a new trophy named after Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson.
According to a report by the BBC, the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy will be unveiled ahead of the series, which begins at Headingley on June 20. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) declined to comment, the report added.
Earlier, Test series between the two sides in England were played for the Pataudi Trophy, named after Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and his son, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi.
In March, the ECB informed the Pataudi family of its intention to retire the trophy.
Tendulkar is the highest run-scorer in Test history with 15,921 runs. The 52-year-old played 200 Tests between 1989 and 2013 and holds numerous records in both Tests and ODIs.
Anderson is England’s all-time leading wicket-taker and the most successful pace bowler in Test cricket with 704 wickets.
Since retiring from international cricket last summer, the 42-year-old Anderson has worked as England’s bowling consultant and currently plays county cricket for Lancashire, having signed a contract extension recently.
Tendulkar and Anderson played against each other in 14 Tests. Anderson dismissed Tendulkar nine times — the most by any bowler.
England are the current and final holders of the Pataudi Trophy, having retained it with a 2-2 draw in the series held across 2021 and 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The move to rename the trophy follows a similar initiative by England and New Zealand, who last year introduced the Crowe-Thorpe Trophy, named after Martin Crowe and Graham Thorpe.
(With inputs from PTI)
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England's Ben Stokes with teammates. Reuters/Peter Cziborra
ENGLAND have named a 14-player squad for the first match of the Rothesay Test Series against India, which is set to begin on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds.
Ben Stokes will lead the squad as captain and Surrey bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton returns to the Test line-up for the first time since earning his sole cap against New Zealand at Headingley in June 2022.
The 31-year-old is still under close medical review after breaking his right little finger during the first One-Day International against the West Indies at Edgbaston last week.
Overton, who scored 97 against New Zealand, could strengthen the lower order batting with Atkinson missing and Chris Woakes still proving his fitness.
Woakes, 36, has been delayed by a bone stress reaction in his ankle and needs to demonstrate his readiness in Friday's (6) England Lions match against India A at Northampton. Having played just one county match for Warwickshire, his participation remains uncertain. He could edge out Sam Cook, who retains his place in the squad after a quiet debut against Zimbabwe.
England's Jamie Overton celebrates after taking the wicket of West Indies' Gudakesh Motie. Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Brydon Carse returns after recovering from a toe injury, adding to England's seam bowling options alongside retained duo Sam Cook and Josh Tongue. Matthew Potts has been overlooked entirely, meaning five seamers will compete for three spots in the final XI.
Jacob Bethell returns to the squad after missing the Zimbabwe Test due to Indian Premier League commitments. The 21-year-old left-hander impressed during England's winter tour of New Zealand, scoring three fifties after his surprise promotion to the crucial position.
However, Ollie Pope's sparkling 171 against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge has complicated matters. Captain Ben Stokes had previously backed his vice-captain, dismissing criticism as a "media agenda" following Pope's century. Selector Luke Wright offered no guarantees about Pope keeping the spot, admitting Bethell was "very close" to selection.
Another development concerns Jofra Archer's potential return to Test cricket. The Sussex seamer, who hasn't played first-class cricket since 2021 due to various injuries, is being lined up for the second Test at Edgbaston next month.
Archer will play a County Championship match for Sussex against Durham on June 23, which begins during the first Test. If he proves his fitness, the 30-year-old could make his Test comeback at Birmingham, providing a significant boost to England's bowling attack.
"Like anything with all these bowlers, he's got to keep ticking things off every day with no setbacks," said Wright. "But if all goes well and he gets through that Durham game, then he's available potentially for selection for that second Test."
England are managing several injury concerns, with Mark Wood and Olly Stone expected to miss the entire series. Captain Stokes has abandoned plans to play for the Lions after successfully returning to bowling following hamstring surgery earlier this year.
Surrey's Gus Atkinson was ruled out of selection due to a hamstring injury sustained during the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge last month.
England will play five Test matches against India over the next couple of months, finishing on August 4 at the Kia Oval in London.
SQUAD: Ben Stokes (capt), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wkt), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.