Newsupraskytop-Letest News

Parveen joined the ranks of other Indian boxers who claimed bronze medals at this year’s Asian Games. Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), and Narender Berwal (+92kg) all secured bronze medals after losing in their respective semifinal matches.
The focus later in the day was on reigning world champion Lovlina Borgohain, who was set to compete against China’s two-time Olympic medalist Li Qian in the 75kg final. The outcome of this high-profile final would be closely watched by boxing enthusiasts and fans eagerly anticipating the result.
The Asian Games provided an excellent platform for boxers to showcase their talent and compete at the highest level, and Parveen Hooda was among the medal-winning athletes who contributed to India’s success at the event.
(With PTI inputs)

In a moment of reflection, Jung admitted his costly mistake, saying, “I made a rather big mistake. I didn’t come at full speed to the finish line. I let my guard down too early. I am very sorry. I apologize to my teammates and to our fans who supported us. We all worked very hard together for this, and it’s all my fault.”
Huang from Taiwan considered his victory a “miracle” and credited his coach for instilling in him the principle of never giving up. He revealed his thoughts during the race, saying, “I realized they were celebrating, but I wanted to tell them, while you were celebrating, I was still fighting. I wasn’t sure whether I had reached the finish line in time. I thought it was such a shame that I was just a little bit short, and then the results came up on the screen showing that I had won by one hundredth of a second, and it was just a miracle.”

Adding to South Korea’s disappointment, Taiwan’s women won the 3,000m relay final, claiming victory and relegating South Korea to a silver medal.
(With AFP inputs)

In an intense gold medal showdown against their Malaysian counterparts, the Indian archers held their composure, securing a narrow 158-155 victory to advance to the semifinals. Despite facing a strong challenge from Malaysia, Ojas Deotale and Jyothi Surekha Vennam demonstrated their determination and skill.
The final, a battle between the top two seeded pairs, saw the Indian archers deliver near-perfect shots and emerge victorious with a final score of 159-158, narrowly defeating the South Korean duo of So Chaewon and Joo Jaehoon.
This remarkable achievement signifies the Indian archery team’s growing prominence on the international stage and their ability to consistently deliver exceptional performances. With this gold medal, India has secured a substantial medal haul at the Asian Games, matching their previous best feat at the Incheon Games in 2014, and showcasing their potential for future success in archery.

(With PTI inputs)

The confusion over who bats at No. 4 in ODIs is a chronic problem now. The problem has been compounded with the inability of the middle order to accelerate enough to take the game away from the opposition.
Hardik Pandya’s strike rate has come down to 93 in the last 16 ODIs. Ravindra Jadeja has been striking at an appalling 64.28 in 15 games in 2023 while KL Rahul has scored at an average rate of just about 90 in his last 17 matches.

These are India’s first choice, designated No. 5, 6 and 7 for the World Cup. Rahul and Hardik’s averages have seen a spike, though. India’s ODI defeats over the last four years have had a lot to do with not putting enough runs on the board. It may be noted that Hardik and Rahul have assumed lead roles to anchor the innings as captains for their respective franchises.
Indian cricket swears by brand IPL. Yet, their ODI power-hitting numbers are not up to industry standards. Successful ODI teams like England have stuck to T20-like hard-hitting right through the 50 overs. It’s now about setting the pace and maintaining it right through the innings. It’s an age where the likes of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Heinrich Klassen, Mitch Marsh and Marcus Stoinis are let loose and asked to unabashedly wield their bats.
“One thing I need in this team is everyone to be ready to bat anywhere. It is critical for Team India not just this format but any format. Cricket is moving in a different direction. As you can step up at any position, no one should say I am good at this or that position,” captain Rohit Sharma had declared in August.

Having said that, India had to resort to Suryakumar Yadav as the backup to their middle-order despite his below-par ODI returns. He is a beast in T20 cricket and the team management has identified that he needs to be given shorter periods of time to bat in order to maximize his abilities. Ishan Kishan, interestingly, is the other backup who is supposed to cover for openers and middle-order batters.
“When we talk about depth in batting, that No. 9, No. 8 positions become very crucial,” has been Rohit’s observation.
Interestingly, the declining strike rates of India’s designated power hitters could be attributed to the lack of depth in the batting. As the innings gets longer, conserving wickets takes precedence. India’s wobbly lower order doesn’t let them embrace the boom-or-burst template of batting, which is an irony since the brands of these contemporary cricketers have been built around a fearless in-your face approach.

Over the last two months, there has been much emphasis on adding depth to India’s batting. The cumulative bat ting ability after No. 7 practically nose-dives. Hence, Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel’s names were bandied around as saviours.
Ironically, the team has been looking at the batting prowess of frontline bowlers while forming their team. Yuzvendra Chahal was left behind in the race when Axar injured his hamstring and Ashwin’s steady batting won him a place in the eventual World Cup squad.
The team management had banked on the game time in Asia Cup and the two warm-up games to test its first XI. Rain has not allowed them to check how their first-choice players complement each other in one game. The team has been built on reputation. Dravid will hope his men find their core and pack a punch in the coming weeks.

India introduced the 35km mixed team event only a couple of years ago, and the success of Manju Rani and Ram Baboo on this platform underlines the nation’s potential in race walking.

Ram Baboo, aged 24, demonstrated his exceptional skills by completing the men’s 35km race walk in a time of 2:42:11, securing a fourth-place finish. His remarkable achievements also include setting a national record in the 35km race walk, with a time of 2:29:56 in March. He further bolstered his credentials by clinching a gold medal at the National Games last year and winning the national championships in February. In August, he represented India at the Budapest World Championships, where he finished in 27th place, a testament to his consistency and determination.
Manju Rani, also 24 years old, has been a standout performer in women’s race walking. She set her national record of 2:57:54 while triumphing at the national race walk championships in February of this year. Additionally, she secured a gold medal at the National Inter-State Championships in June, further solidifying her reputation as one of India’s top race walkers.

The impressive performances of Manju Rani and Ram Baboo in the 35km mixed team event at the Asian Games underscore their dedication and promise in the field of race walking, reflecting India’s emergence as a competitive force in this discipline.
(With PTI inputs)Watch Manju Rani, Ram Baboo win bronze medal in 35km race walk team event