Neeraj Chopra Classic finds new home in Bengaluru, but Kanteerava track needs urgent revamp
Bengaluru:
The preparations to move the
Neeraj Chopra Classic
from Panchkula to Bengaluru was on for the last one week with the
Athletics Federation of India
(AFI) sounding out the
Karnataka Athletics Association
who in turn approached the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES) to reserve the venue for four days from May 20.
The event was shifted from Panchkula to Bengaluru due to inadequate lighting at the original venue for live telecast. 'After NC Classic was scheduled in Bengaluru, plans were still on till the last minute to organize the event in Panchkula before Bengaluru was finalised as the venue,' sources told TOI.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
With the
Sree Kanteerava stadium
being used by Bengaluru FC to host ISL matches, the recent Indian Grand Prix was held at the SAI South Centre on the outskirts of the city. Even when the Kanteerava hosted national meets the field events were kept out of the main stadium.
'The Kanteerava track is in bad shape as the new synthetic turf has worn out in quick time. But the run-up to be used by the javelin throwers appears intact as it has been hardly used. But there is an urgent need for a revamp as the rest rooms are still in bad shape,' sources said.
Get the latest
IPL 2025
updates on
Times of India
, including
match schedules
,
team squads
,
points table
and
IPL live score
for
CSK
,
MI
,
RCB
,
KKR
,
SRH
,
LSG
,
DC
,
GT
,
PBKS
, and
RR
. Don't miss the list of players in the race for
IPL Orange Cap
and
IPL Purple cap
.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
40 minutes ago
- India.com
Matthew Hayden's Daughter Grace Hayden Turns Heads With Glamorous Sicily Trip After Star Sports IPL Commentary Debut
photoDetails english 2928361 Grace Hayden, daughter of Australian cricket legend Matthew Hayden, is making headlines with her glamorous vacation in Taormina, Sicily. The 22-year-old Star Sports IPL presenter shared stunning bikini photos alongside boyfriend Wilson Statham, sparking a surge in searches for Grace Hayden Italy vacation and Grace Hayden beach pictures. Known for her rising fame as a cricket commentator, Grace recently worked alongside her father during the IPL 2025, captivating over 500 million viewers. With her blend of on-screen charisma, sports legacy, and viral Instagram presence, Grace Hayden continues to dominate trending searches, cementing her status as a breakout star in sports media. Updated:Jul 08, 2025, 11:05 AM IST 1. Grace Hayden's Sicily Vacation Goes Viral 1 / 20 Grace Hayden, daughter of cricket legend Matthew Hayden, took a picturesque vacation to Taormina, Sicily, flooding Instagram with beachside snaps that captivated fans worldwide. 2. Bikini-Clad Commentator Breaks the Internet 2 / 20 The 'world's most glamorous cricket commentator' stunned in a red and yellow bikini, igniting social media chatter with vacation photos that trended across lifestyle and sports platforms. 3. Grace & Wilson: The Power Couple of Cricket Glam 3 / 20 Grace was seen cozying up to boyfriend Wilson Statham, son of Queensland cotton moguls, during a Sicilian cruise — sparking major buzz in entertainment and celebrity gossip circles. 4. Star Sports' Newest Sensation 4 / 20 Grace Hayden landed a breakout gig covering the IPL 2025 for Star Sports, broadcasting to over 500 million viewers — making her one of the most-searched female cricket presenters this year. 5. Hayden & Hayden: Father-Daughter Duo in Commentary 5 / 20 Grace joined her father Matthew Hayden in the Star Sports commentary box, a rare and heartfelt father-daughter moment that left fans emotionally charged during the Indian Premier League. 6. 'Woke Up in Paradise' — Grace's Instagram Captions Trending 6 / 20 Her caption, "Woke up in paradise," from Sicily, quickly became a trending travel quote on Instagram, sparking a wave of wanderlust-inspired content from followers and influencers. 7. Bikini Photos Dominate Cricket Celebrity Searches 7 / 20 Grace's swimsuit pictures became one of the most-searched terms under 'cricket commentator in bikini', with surging Google interest during her Italian getaway. 8. Italian Coastline + IPL Fame = Global Attention 8 / 20 Combining her Taormina vacation and IPL commentary success, Grace Hayden is now a rising name in both travel lifestyle and cricket commentary search rankings. 9. Hayden's Yellow Surfboard Tribute to Dad 9 / 20 Earlier this year, she surfed at Kovalam Beach with a yellow surfboard, symbolizing her Aussie roots and paying tribute to her father's cricket legacy — a visual metaphor that resonated widely. 10. Beyond the Mic: Grace the Surfer Girl 10 / 20 Her surfing video during the 2023 ICC World Cup became a viral moment, highlighting her adventurous personality and expanding her fan base beyond traditional cricket audiences. 11. Social Media Engagement Soars During Vacation 11 / 20 Grace's posts from Italy garnered record engagement, becoming a prime case study for sports celebrities combining personal branding with professional clout. 12. Taormina Emerges as a Hot Travel Search 12 / 20 Searches for 'Taormina Sicily travel' spiked thanks to Grace's Instagram posts, proving the power of influencer-led destination marketing. 13. 'Hottest Woman on the Planet' — Fans React 13 / 20 Comments like 'Hottest woman on the planet' and 'Damn gorgeous' flooded her posts, reinforcing her status as one of cricket's most glamorous public figures. 14. A Fresh Voice in Cricket Broadcasting 14 / 20 Grace Hayden's commentary debut in the 2023 ICC World Cup offered a fresh, modern take — making her a top trending female sports broadcaster in cricket this year. 15. Dynamic Media Personality On & Off Camera 15 / 20 From surfing to on-field presentation, Grace is redefining what it means to be a cricket commentator — blending personality, fashion, and sporting expertise. 16. Grace's Respect for Rishabh Pant Goes Viral 16 / 20 Her open admiration for Rishabh Pant's comeback journey sparked positive social buzz, especially around keywords like 'Grace Hayden Rishabh Pant fan' and 'cricket respect moments.' 17. Proud Legacy, Independent Path 17 / 20 While Matthew Hayden's shadow looms large, Grace is building her own legacy, echoing through top search terms like 'female cricket voice Star Sports' and 'Matthew Hayden daughter career.' 18. Gen Z Icon in Cricket Media 18 / 20 At just 22, Grace represents a new era of Gen Z sports broadcasters, leading a demographic shift in cricket media and appealing to younger viewers globally. 19. Quotes That Spark Conversations 19 / 20 Her quotes like 'Everything's larger, louder, and brighter in India' have become headline-friendly soundbites, perfect for SEO and digital publishing around cricket culture. 20. Link-Worthy Star for Sports & Lifestyle Sites 20 / 20 Grace's story is rich in internal linking potential — connect articles on IPL 2025, Matthew Hayden's legacy, sports fashion, or celebrity travel to boost traffic and dwell time.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Trauma & triumph: Ailing sister hails Akash Deep's heroics at Edgbaston
Akash Deep' sister and his mother at their Lucknow resident. (TOI) Lucknow: His match-winning 10-wicket haul against England on Sunday made him India's latest cricket hero. But it was only after paceman Akash Deep bared his heart about his elder sister suffering from cancer that the world learnt how his finest hour also came in a time of emotional distress. At her residence in Lucknow, sister Akhand Jyoti Singh, 36, beams with joy even though she looks frail. 'Akash was playing for Lucknow SuperGiants in IPL 2025 when I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a knot in my intestines that required surgery. Akash used to visit me in hospital every day after finishing his practice. He has been so worried about me,' she told TOI . Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir shut critics with thumping win over England Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Jyoti, who was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in April 2025, lives in Lucknow with her husband who works for a public bank. Every time I had the ball in my hand, her thoughts would cross my mind,' said an emotionally overwhelmed Akash Deep, dedicating his performance at Edgbaston to his sister. 'I want to tell her, 'Sis, we are all with you',' he told cricketer-turned-TV commentator Cheteshwar Pujara after the match. Akash Deep had lost his father, a school teacher, and his elder brother within a span of months, years before he made his Test debut in July 2024. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Тези обувки са висш пилотаж в мъжката мода. ZAROTRAVEL® КУПИ СЕГА Undo 'My father was a teacher and wanted Akash to study hard and excel, but my brother was only interested in cricket. He would inform us before leaving for tournaments and borrow money from us, which he would return after winning. Since the Bihar cricket board had been banned from Ranji Trophy at that time, Akash moved to Bengal, where he managed his own expenses by playing local matches,' Jyoti said. Akash Deep's mother Ladoma Devi said her son has displayed exemplary courage in face of numerous personal tragedies that the family has been through, but he always managed to gather himself and be on the cricket pitch every day of his life. On Sunday, the family watched the match on TV and were pleased with Akash's performance. 'He bowled with the same prowess that he had displayed during his debut match in Ranchi, where he succeeded in taking three wickets. After the match, he called us up and I told him to play like this and make the country proud,' Ladoma Devi said. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Phenomenal Rishabh Pant follows his instincts: Delhi coach decodes India's X factor
India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has made heads turn with his stunning performances so far in the ongoing Test series against England. Pant has already surpassed legendary MS Dhoni to register the most centuries by an Indian wicketkeeper in put on a show during the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, becoming just the second wicketkeeper in history to score a hundred in each inning of a Test match. Pant is giving England a taste of their own, playing some of the most audacious shots known to mankind, leaving captain Ben Stokes out of options to stop his former India cricketer and selector Sarandeep Singh, who currently serves as the head coach of the Delhi senior men's team, hailed Pant for his belligerent strokeplay in England. Singh mentioned how Pant's strong resolve and belief in his abilities are some of the biggest reasons behind his success. 'Rishabh Pant is a phenomenal guy. He's a very strong-headed boy and he knows what his game is. He knows what his game plan is, and he's exactly doing what people expect of him. He follows his instincts. He knows what he's going to do inside, and it's helping the Indian team as well. So I'd just say. 'Rishabh, keep doing like this because you are such a phenomenal player and a gifted player, '' said Sarandeep Singh in a conversation with India Today on the sidelines of the Delhi Premier League Season 2 who's also the head coach of the South Delhi Superstarz in the Delhi Premier League (DPL), spoke about his team's signings during the auction. South Delhi managed to acquire the services of IPL sensation Digvesh Rathi, who had a phenomenal season with the team during his stint in the first season as well.'So the good thing is that we've got Digvesh Rathi back. He's a match-winner, and he's doing really well last season also, and recently in IPL. He's become better and better, and he's more confident now because he's seen that exposure at the highest level, so we were looking for him, and we got him back. We hope he'll deliver the same things which he did for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and for us in the last season,' he was the leading wicket-taker for South Delhi in the previous season as he scalped 14 wickets from ten matches and played a key role in their run-up to the final, where they lost to East Delhi Riders. The wrist-spinner was also the highest wicket-taker for LSG in IPL 2025, as he accounted for 14 wickets from 13 matches. The 25-year-old will look to emulate his performance in the second season of the DPL after being sold for Rs 38 Arya should aim to play Test cricket: SarandeepadvertisementMeanwhile, Sarandeep Singh also spoke about Priyansh Arya, who rose to prominence in the inaugural season of the DPL, finishing as the highest run scorer of the tournament with 608 runs to his name from ten southpaw became a household name after hitting six consecutive sixes in an over against North Delhi Strikers' left-arm spinner Manan Bhardwaj. However, Arya won't be a part of South Delhi for the second season as teams were allowed to pick only one Marquee player ahead of the auction, and they picked Ayush about Arya, Sarandeep said that it's impossible for South Delhi to fill in the gap left by him. He also advised the youngster not just to focus on limited overs cricket and also aim to play Test cricket.'Unfortunately, Priyansh Arya is one of the best players. We don't have it because in the auction, we're allowed to take only one marquee player, so we had to leave him. No one can fill in Priyansh Arya's place, he's a fantastic player, a phenomenal human being, and I wish him luck for the next team. Hopefully, he won't score runs against us. He's growing up and I just want him to grow more. Don't only play T20, play 50-over games, come to the 4-5 day games as well. So keep improving yourself, keep working hard and always aim to play the highest form of cricket that is Test match cricket. When you start thinking like that, his brain start growing faster and faster,' Sarandeep told India had a brilliant start to his IPL career as he finished as the third-highest run scorer for Punjab Kings (PBKS) with 475 runs from 17 innings at a strike rate of 179.24. The 23-year-old slammed a 39-ball century against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), smashing nine sixes in his innings. The southpaw will be featured for Outer Delhi in the DPL season 2 and will look to continue his prolific run.- Ends
