India Opens Medal Tally At World University Games With Badminton Bronze
India won its first medal at the World University Games with a bronze in badminton mixed team. Swimmer Srihari Nataraj broke records in the 100m freestyle.
India secured its first medal at the World University Games (WUG) as the badminton mixed team claimed a bronze despite a semifinal defeat to Chinese Taipei. Meanwhile, swimmer Srihari Nataraj continued his impressive run, breaking national bests in the pool on Sunday.
The Indian mixed team—comprising Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, Devika Sihag, Saneeth Dayanand, Tasnim Mir, Varshini Viswanath Sri, and Vaishnavi Khadkekar—fell 1–3 to Chinese Taipei in the semifinal round.
Under tournament rules, both losing semifinalists—India and Korea—are awarded bronze medals. Chinese Taipei will now face China, who defeated Korea in the other semifinal, in the gold medal match.
Devika Sihag was the lone winner for India, defeating Huang Ching Ping 15–10, 15–10 in the women's singles match.
In the men's singles opener, Karunakaran lost a close contest to Su Li Yang, going down 13–15, 15–13, 10–15.
Following Devika's win, the men's doubles pair of Dayanand and Karunakaran were defeated 8–15, 13–15 by Chen Zhi Ray and Lin Yu Chieh.
In the final match of the tie, the women's doubles duo of Tasnim Mir and Varshini Viswanath lost 3–15, 8–15 to Hsu Yin-Hui and Yang Chu Yun, sealing the win for Chinese Taipei.
In swimming, Srihari Nataraj bettered the Best Indian Time in the men's 100m freestyle, clocking 49.46 seconds in the heats to qualify for the semifinals. He narrowly surpassed the previous mark of 49.47 seconds, set by Virdhawal Khade during the 2008 Guangzhou Asian Games.
Nataraj finished 12th overall and won Heat 6 to secure his semifinal berth.
Just two days earlier, the 24-year-old had twice improved his own Best Indian Time in the 200m freestyle event.
Compatriot Jashua Thomas Durai finished 47th overall in the 100m freestyle heats with a time of 51.45 seconds, failing to advance.
Nataraj also progressed to the 50m backstroke semifinals, winning Heat 4 with a time of 25.59 seconds and placing 10th overall. However, Dhyaan Mahesh Kumar placed 35th in the heats and missed out on a semifinal spot.
In the women's 100m butterfly, both Nina Venkatesh (1:04.49) and Nilabjaa Ghosh (1:05.52) failed to qualify, finishing 28th and 31st overall respectively.
Similarly, Divyanka Dibya Pradhan and Anushka Sayaji Patil finished 29th and 34th in the women's 200m breaststroke, exiting the competition.
India did not start (DNS) in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay heats.
Early Exits in Fencing
In fencing, the Indian women's Epee team—Mitva Jesangbhai Chaudhari, Tanuja, and Yashkeerat Kaur—lost 21–45 to Germany in the pre-quarterfinals.
The men's Sabre team, featuring Aditya Atul, Abhay Krishna Shinde, and Dhruv Walia, also exited in the pre-quarters, suffering an 11–45 defeat to Korea.
Mixed Results in Tennis
India's mixed doubles duo, Vaishnavi Adkar and Atharva Sharma, advanced to the round of 16 with a 6–1, 6–4 win over Spain's Reina Castilo and Gonzalez Torres.
However, in women's singles, Anjali Rathi was eliminated in the round of 32 after a 1–6, 4–6 loss to China's Li Zongyu.
Table Tennis and Taekwondo Highlights
In table tennis, Suhana Saini, Pritha Vartikar, and Sayali Wani all won their respective women's singles group stage matches. In the men's category, Harkunwar Singh also emerged victorious in his group match.
In taekwondo, Deepanshu advanced to the men's 58kg pre-quarterfinals after defeating Denmark's Ricki Gene Farnes.
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First Post
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- First Post
'For Shubman to walk tall in the dressing room, it will be his runs which will help him the most': Anjum Chopra
India have dominated England in all three Tests, yet they trail 2-1 in Shubman Gill's debut series as captain. So how is Gill faring as a leader, and what more does India need to win the next two must-win matches? Anjum Chopra decodes. read more It's quite a surreal feeling to think that Team India could actually have had the ongoing 5-Test series vs England, in England, in the bag by now. India remember haven't won a Test series in England since 2007, under Rahul Dravid's captaincy and Shubman Gill could well have rewritten the history books, and that too in spectacular fashion, by winning the first three Tests. And that is not wishful thinking, India actually had the upper hand in both the Tests they have lost so far in the series, in Leeds and at Lord's, for long periods of time. But the reality is that the visitors are 1-2 down, with two Tests left to play. That's two must-win matches, if they are to clinch their first Test series in England in 18 years. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It would be completely unfair, of course, to say that there hasn't been anything to celebrate, as far as the Indian team is concerned, on this tour of England. Apart from their commanding performance in the Edgbaston Test (won by 336 runs), which was a historic win (first ever Test win by India at the venue), individual brilliance with bat and ball has to be given credit, along with first-time Test captain Shubman Gill's ability to compartmentalise his batting and captaincy responsibilities – something that former India captain Anjum Chopra chose to highlight in this exclusive interview with Firstpost. Anjum, who became the first Indian female cricketer to be given honorary life membership of the MCC, and who played 12 Tests, 127 ODIs and 18 T20Is for India, scoring over 3600 international runs, discussed multiple talking points, including Shubman Gill as new India Test captain, how India could have been 3-0 up in the series, whether Ravindra Jadeja is an unsung hero and what he could have done differently in Leeds and at Lord's, the fact that England are beatable at home, what to expect in the upcoming fourth Test at Manchester – a venue India where have never won a Test match against England - and much more. Excerpts from an exclusive interview with Anjum Chopra… Let's begin with the captain - your take on what you have seen of Shubman the Test skipper so far. What has impressed you and what more would you like to see him do or maybe even change? Chopra: I think it's quite early in the game to start judging Shubman the captain. That just won't be fair. All of us knew, in our heart of hearts, that one day Shubman would get the responsibility of captaincy. That was at the time when he had just been drafted by the Gujarat Titans. We knew he would get GT captaincy and eventually, someday, India captaincy as well. The Indian men's team has the luxury of looking to the future. The women's team can't do that because we first have to strengthen the present of the women's game in the country, allow the youngsters to say – 'I want to pick up this game and I want to play this game'. Our present needs to be strong enough to encourage the next generation to come in and be a part of the scheme of things. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Read | **Chappell urges Gill to become a good communicator, define the sort of team he wants India to be** If we don't sort out our present, we will not have a future. So, Shubman for me is somebody who is still learning the ropes of captaincy and how to handle the team. While I will not judge his captaincy, I will use this opportunity to say that he is captaining an Indian team in England for the first time and yet how well he has managed to compartmentalise his batting and his captaincy and keep the two separate. Something we have seen him do in the IPL also. In the IPL (for GT) Shubman and Sai Sudharsan have been scoring consistently. And consistency matters. Look at how Sai walked into the Indian Test team. With 607 runs in three Tests, Shubman Gill is currently leading the scoring chart in the series. Image: AP I also felt Sai missed out on the second Test through no fault of his own. So, it is so nice to see how nicely Shubman has isolated the two roles (of batter and captain). It is brilliant. Plus, he has worked on the areas of concern in his batting. In terms of becoming a shrewd captain, that will be a work in progress. Slowly and steadily he (Shubman) will get there, because he is also trying to handle everything – the seniors around him, the advice coming in from the dressing room, the transformation in his own self – from a boy to a man to a captain. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The changes also have come about quite nicely for him and very quickly. Now, it's possible that he will mature as a player quicker and learn the ropes of captaincy quicker, as well. So, right now he also has that buffer (of time because of his young age and how quickly things have happened for him). We are prepared to give him a lengthy rope. What I like about Shubman is that he is trying to have a strong presence on the ground. There are other (big name) players – KL Rahul, (Ravindra) Jadeja, (Mohammed) Siraj, (Jasprit) Bumrah – but because he is the captain, the cameras will always follow him. And you want him to be surrounded by such players – to earn their respect and also to have the luxury of being able to turn to them and asking them for their advice. Also Read | Why dilly-dallying around Jasprit Bumrah paints a wrong picture of Team India and the pacer STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While he learns on the job, he should be able to also lean on these players for assistance, because in some years he will be the one who will have to take youngsters (in the team) forward and if he doesn't have the luxury of learning from the current seniors then he will not have enough to pass on to the next generation. For Shubman to walk tall in this dressing room, it will be his runs that will help him the most. That reminds me of a few news reports which highlighted the fact that in the first Test in Leeds, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant were seen setting the field, even though Shubman was on the ground. What was so wrong with that? That was literally Shubman's first Test as India captain… Chopra: It all boils down to how we want to perceive things. It depends on what we want to see and how we want to react. You need a captain and you pick the best possible resource. The likes of Virat (Kohli) and Rohit (Sharma) were natural leaders. You could see that. You only criticise what you want to criticise. Shubman won't have the wisdom of a Rohit Sharma right now and you don't want him to have it either – you want him to grow into that role. If everything happens on the first day, how will the player evolve? Slowly and steadily, you learn what help will come from where, what help I need from where. You can't hit a shot till the time the bowler bowls the ball, so as a batter also you are reliant on the bowler bowling the ball – whether it's while knocking the ball or in a match situation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We have identified him (Shubman) as our leader and we have to put all our weight and energy behind him as our leader and the Test captain of the country and back him. He is a good batter, a stylish player, a valuable asset. And these are things that should help us back him as a leader. You have thrown a player into the deep end, give him an opportunity to swim and be around to help. Let's not wait for him to fail, let's be there to help him succeed because that is essential. He is India's leader. He is not leading some other country. Let's talk about the overall ongoing Test series now. The Leeds loss was a gut punch, the loss at Lord's was a heartbreak. India could very well have been 3-0 up, with the series in the bag currently. Would you agree with that? Chopra: Absolutely. The Leeds Test was a match that India should have won. Second match they (Team India) won and then again in the third Test – with nine pure batters (couldn't chase down target of 193) – why are we counting Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy as all-rounders only? They are all-rounders, yes, but they are (also) proper batters. With nine batters if you couldn't close down the game, that is your inability, not the opposition's brilliance. The opposition will come hard at you in any case. They are also playing to win the match. I felt that the Indian team missed the opportunity to close out the game (Lord's Test). Probably the lack of experience of the captain or the senior players not being able to assist the captain to close out the game. The opposition's job is to try to stop you from winning and your job is to close the game – that is where preparation also comes in. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India suffered a narrow loss at Lord's Test after batters failed to take responsibility. Image: AFP Let's talk about the man who almost took India across the finish line at Lord's – Ravindra Jadeja. Would you say that he is an unsung hero of Indian cricket? Here is someone who has been consistently at No. 1 in the ICC Test all-rounder's rankings for over 3 years straight now, but does Ravindra Jadeja really get his due? Chopra: No, I wouldn't say that he (Ravindra Jadeja) doesn't get his due. He is acknowledged, he is widely respected. But he is also in almost the Deepti Sharma mould – that you are a consistent performer, but there is always someone else who is overshadowing you. Yes, he has been a match-winner, but he is not your natural leader. But he will always be one player you will fall back on when you are in adversity. But I wouldn't say that he is an unsung hero. There have been times – and I felt that in the first innings of the third Test (at Lord's) - (that) he (Jadeja) should have taken the game away with his experience and skill. Even in the first Test (at Leeds). That is where your experience comes in. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Read | Jadeja deserved his own Headingley 2019 moment at Lord's, but India just could not muster enough resolve Even if you are an unsung hero and not given your due, you be that strong force in the side. You could have played a lot faster, dominated better. And here I am not talking about the last two hours of the Lord's Test. I am not even going there. I am talking about the first Test, also the first innings of the third Test. He (Jadeja) is one of the stronger pillars of the Indian team and people do acknowledge that. You will not write down an Indian team (playing XI) without Ravindra Jadeja's name being there. Would you agree that this England team is very much beatable in their own backyard? Also going by what happened at Leeds and at Lord's – what would you, the cricket analyst, say are the areas Team India should focus on with two must-win Tests left to play? Chopra: Yes, they (England) are beatable. The very fact that in all three Test matches, the Indian team was in a situation where they could win the match is the biggest example that England are a beatable side. They don't have (James) Anderson and (Stuart) Broad. They don't have the kind of menacing spells which they have had in the past from spinners like Graeme Swann or Jack Leach. Yes, they (England) are definitely beatable. The Indian team is skills-wise and mentally a better prepared side because of the last four or so tours to England. Ravindra Jadeja is integral to Team India but at times inconsistent. Image: Reuters The Indian players are a much more confident lot. They couldn't close down the games in their favour (in Leeds and Lord's), they didn't win those small moments, they didn't improve (and work on) the errors they made in the first Test match. They have continued to make similar sort of errors. That is why they were pegged back. 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This is a man who is consistently performing in domestic cricket and (then) we say that we are rewarding people from domestic cricket. In terms of what changes the Indian team makes – are they willing to play a Kuldeep Yadav, if the conditions remain very similar to what they were like at Lord's? It's warm there. We have just seen the (Indian) women's team play a match at Old Trafford (4th T20I vs England women). It will be a good batting track, so would you want to play another spinner? If another spinner has to be played then you will have to drop a batter. Also Read | India camp rocked by injury crisis: How team combination could change after Nitish Reddy, Arshdeep Singh blow In the last Test the team couldn't chase down a target of 193 with nine batters. So, the team management will have to be comfortable making that call of going with one less batter and one more bowler. And who will that batter be who misses out? Do I go with Karun Nair? I think Karun batted really well. 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Time of India
an hour ago
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New twist in India vs Pakistan row: Pakistan Champions refuse to share points, say 'India backed out' after match called off
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The Hindu
2 hours ago
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Divya Deshmukh springs another surprise to be in semis
Slowly but surely emerging as one of India's key players, International Master Divya Deshmukh stunned higher-ranked compatriot Harika Dronavalli 2-0 in the tiebreaks to enter the semifinals of the FIDE World Women's Chess Cup here. After two uneventful draws in the classical games, the pressure was on Harika in the rapid tiebreaks. Divya capitalised with a determined performance to win the first game, before sealing the match in the second as Harika, in a must-win situation, overpressed in search of a miracle that never came. While Harika has been a semifinalist on three different occasions in a similar format which was then called the world women's championship, Humpy and now Divya have become the two Indians who made it to the semis of the women's world cup as this is a part of the new world championship cycle. This also means that one Indian entry is assured in the Women's Candidates Tournament slated sometime next year, which will decide who will contest the world championship match against incumbent Ju Wenjun of China. Highest-ranked Indian for over a decade, Koneru Humpy is already in the last four for the first time in her career, and this is one title that has eluded her all these years. With Divya Deshmukh joining her as the other semi-finalist, it shows a paradigm shift in Indian women's chess too, where the boys have largely been making hay. Divya employed the Italian Opening in the first game and gave nothing away. Harika was outdone in the middlegame while trying to find some serious counterplay but ended up miscalculating, which cost her the queen for two white pieces. The rest was easy for Divya, who has now established herself as a force to reckon with in women's chess. In the return game, Harika had to win, but again Divya was up to the task in defence. It is well known that Harika adores her chances in faster versions, but against Divya she did not get many. It was a picturesque finish in the end that closed the doors for Harika. In the semifinals, Humpy will meet top seed Lei Tingjie of China, while Divya will face former women's world champion Tan Zhongyi, also of China.
