Sport

Australia’s Mitchell Starc and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt have been named ICC Players of the Month for December after standout performances in the Ashes and Ireland series. Starc took 16 wickets and scored crucial runs, including a match-winning 77 in Brisbane, while Wolvaardt struck three centuries across ODIs and T20Is, amassing nearly 400 runs.

Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth was eliminated from the BWF India Open after a hard-fought three-game loss to France’s Christo Popov in the round of 16. All Indian mixed doubles pairs suffered first-round exits.

The Indian senior women’s football team has left for a training camp in Türkiye as part of their preparations for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Australia. Key players Soumya Guguloth and Karthika Angamuthu are sidelined with injuries.

The Government of Assam, through its Directorate of Sports & Youth Welfare, has partnered with the Inspire Institute of Sport to establish a High-Performance Satellite Sports Centre in Guwahati. The centre is expected to elevate Assam’s sporting identity and strengthen India’s Olympic pipeline.

Sunil Gavaskar expressed surprise at New Zealand’s ease in chasing nearly 300 against India in the second ODI at Rajkot, crediting the 150-plus partnership between Will Young and Daryl Mitchell. Gavaskar praised Mitchell’s fitness and commitment, while Simon Doull highlighted his confidence against spin and aggressive stroke play.

In another match Srikanth found his way back after an indifferent opening game to defeat compatriot M. Tharun 15-21, 21-6, 21-19

India began on the front foot, pressing high and moving the ball quickly across the court, but Bangladesh survived the initial pressure through disciplined defending and sharp counter-attacks

In the other men's semi-final, defending champions Railways defeated Odisha with a score of 25-17 to enter the final

Lee, who smashed 86 in the previous game, did bulk of the work in the run chase for Delhi Capitals with 67 off 44 balls

New Zealand not only adapted but also executed better than India on a sluggish wicket here at the Niranjan Shah Stadium; Rahul's 112 not out goes invain

KL Rahul delivered a record-breaking performance in Rajkot, becoming the first Indian wicketkeeper to score an ODI century against New Zealand. Batting at number five, he steadied India’s innings after early setbacks, forging crucial partnerships with Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

PV Sindhu suffered a shock Round of 32 exit at the India Open 2026, losing in three games to Vietnam’s T.L. Nguyen. The defeat marked her earliest exit at the home tournament since 2023.

India batter Shreyas Iyer said he realised the seriousness of his spleen injury only after being hospitalised, describing it as excruciatingly painful. He spoke about his recovery, mindset since returning, and his on-field communication with Virat Kohli.

Virat Kohli reclaimed the No. 1 position in the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings for the first time since 2021 after a match-winning 93 against New Zealand in Vadodara, overtaking team-mate Rohit Sharma.

India brought in seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for the second ODI against New Zealand after the visitors opted to bowl at the Niranjan Shah Stadium. India lead the three-match series 1-0, while New Zealand handed a debut to left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox.

JioStar launched a campaign for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, featuring Women’s World Cup champions Rodrigues, Sharma, and Verma rallying the men’s team. India aims to defend its title, starting with matches against USA, Namibia, Pakistan, and Netherlands

Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League Season 3 returns to Ladakh from January 29–February 14, featuring 75 round-robin matches across men’s and women’s categories. The League promotes local talent, women’s participation, community development, and professional officiating in Himalayan ice hockey

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has directed all National Sports Federations to form dedicated Committees on International Relations and Make in India. These committees will enhance India’s global sports engagement and promote domestic sports manufacturing under Atmanirbhar Bharat

India’s para badminton team kicks off its 2026 season at the SPIRO SPATHIS Egypt Para Badminton International in Cairo. Pramod Bhagat and Sukant Kadam will compete in men’s singles and doubles, using the tournament to build form and momentum for the year

Australian cricket great Alyssa Healy announced her retirement from all formats following the upcoming multi-format home series against India. The 35-year-old ends a 15-year career marked by leadership success, multiple World Cup titles, and record-breaking performances

Olympic bronze medalist Aman Sehrawat toured Mumbai to connect with youth and akhada wrestlers ahead of the Pro Wrestling League starting January 16. His outreach highlighted grassroots wrestling as Tiigers of Mumbai Dangal prepare for their debut season

Kane Russell scored his third hat-trick of the season as HIL GC defeated Tamil Nadu Dragons 4-2 in Ranchi. Sam Ward added a goal, while Blake Govers and Uttam Singh scored for the Dragons, who suffered their first loss of the season

Medchal Urban defeated Ranga Reddy by five wickets in the Telangana Gold Cup cricket tournament, with V Kalyan scoring 75 and S Praneeth Reddy adding 70. Cyberabad also registered a convincing win, beating Vikarabad by 87 runs thanks to Narayanashetty Tejesh’s 75

Osmania University will conduct men’s cricket selections at Bhavan’s Vivekananda Degree and PG College, Sainikpuri, on January 17. The team chosen will represent OU in the South Zone Inter-university cricket championship scheduled in Mysuru from January 27