Latest news with #BharatArmy
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
India vs England 2nd Test: Barmy Army roars as Jamie Smith silences Bharat Army in Edgbaston epic
England's Jamie Smith plays a shot on day three of the second Test. (AP Photo) England's newest batting sensation helps local fan group Barmy Army rediscover voice against 'rivals' Bharat Army BIRMINGHAM: Four days before the series started, Rob Key, the managing director of the England men's cricket team, told TOI that he was looking forward to seeing how England's wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith would respond to India counterpart Rishabh Pant's performances. He called it 'the battle of two entertaining counter-attacking wicketkeepers', and definitely the match-up to watch out for. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! On Friday, one had to be at the Eric Hollies stand, a section of the Edgbaston famous for seating the loudest England fan community — the famed Barmy Army — to understand why Smith is the fastest-rising new cricketing sensation here. Eric Hollies is primarily remembered for spoiling Don Bradman's farewell party, dismissing him for a duck in his last innings to leave the Don stranded just short of a 100-run average in Test cricket. The stand named after him celebrated wildly on Friday as Smith's onslaught spoiled India's party. Poll Did Jamie Smith's performance exceed your expectations? Yes, absolutely! No, I expected more. I had no expectations. The counterpoint to the Barmy Army here is, of course, the Bharat Army, the Indian cricket fan group, which was just starting to clear its throat to sing some anthems. However, Rakesh Patel, the founding member of the Bharat Army, could only look on helplessly as the Eric Hollies stand heaved and Smith went about shredding the Indian attack. Half an hour before lunch, the conversations among both sets of fans started to flow in weird directions. Harry Brook press conference: On Yashasvi Jaiswal DRS controversy, India bowling, getting out on 99 The blows from Smith's bat seemed to be breaking the spirits of the Bharat Army fans, so much so that some muttered that they would be happy to take a draw from this Test. The Headingley horror was still fresh in their minds. England were still 300 runs adrift of India's 587 when a shift in the mood of the England fans became palpable. As Smith swept Ravindra Jadeja through mid-wicket for his century, one of the most entertaining and crucial centuries in England's recent history, the Barmy Army broke into rapturous celebrations. Their usual chants reached near-deafening decibel levels in the Eric Hollies Stand. They don't have a song for Smith yet, as they do for the more established players like Joe Root, Ben Stokes or even Harry Brook. But Smith had offered them enough to improvise. They turned towards the Bharat Army section and started singing, 'You are not singing now!' IND vs ENG 2nd Test: Rain Arrives After Stumps on Day 3 | What It Means for India's Batting As lunch was called and one took leave, Patel assured, 'It gets nasty by day-end. But both sets of fans have set values. No one crosses the line. There could be one or two who may get swayed emotionally but they are pulled back by the rest of the pack.' If it was Smith in the morning session, the Barmy Army sang, 'Harry, Harry Brooook. Harry, Harry Broooook' after the stellar sixth-wicket, 303-run partnership came to an end. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
News18
04-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
Neeraj Chopra Recounts How Injury Didn't Allow 'Practice Throws And Technique'
Last Updated: Neeraj Chopra shared his journey to breaching the 90-metre mark in javelin, highlighting the pain and perseverance involved. For most of us, 90 metres is just a number. For Neeraj Chopra, it was a journey – a long, winding one marked by pain, patience, and perseverance. In a recent interview with Bharat Army, India's Olympic gold medallist opened up about the moment he finally breached that elusive 90-metre barrier in javelin – a moment years in the making, yet deeply personal in its impact. 'That 90 metres had become just a number for me. Everyone kept asking – when will you do it?" said Neeraj. He highlighted the reality behind the scenes – the injury setbacks, the limitations, the heartbreak of not being able to train at full tilt. 'I wasn't able to practice throws properly and work consistently on my technique for a few years because of injuries," he said. When the moment finally came, Neeraj said, it wasn't just a throw – it was a relief, 'When I finally did it, everything just poured out. It felt so good – like something I had imagined for so long had finally come true." And now, as he prepares to write another chapter at the upcoming Neeraj Chopra Classic, he knows he won't be alone. Neeraj expressed his excitement about their presence, saying, 'The Bharat Army has always supported every sportsperson, not just cricketers. Their presence, their chants, their energy — it means so much." He added, 'When fans are in the stadium, it changes the atmosphere completely. The kind of motivation and happiness it gives an athlete, you really feel it. And now, at the Neeraj Chopra Classic, I hope they'll be there again, cheering for me, cheering for India and making it special as always. Neeraj Chopra will be in action in the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025, India's first-ever international javelin competition, will be held at Bengaluru's Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday, July 5th, 2025.
Hindustan Times
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Shubman Gill told to go back to No.3 despite back-to-back centuries at No.4: ‘He's a bit like Joe Root'
Shubman Gill was new to captaincy. Shubman Gill was newer to the No.4 spot in Test cricket. He took both the challenges head-on. While the jury is still out about his captaincy skills, Shubman Gill put an end to all the doubters of his batting skills, especially in overseas conditions. After hitting a 147 in the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in Headingley, Gill backed it up with an even better, more patient and mature hundred at Edgbaston in Birmingham. India's Shubman Gill celebrates during Day 1 of the 2nd test match against England, at Edgbaston in Birmingham(@BCCI X) In the process, Shubman Gill joined the likes of Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, Mohammed Azharuddin, and Virat Kohli to achieve the rare feat of scoring a Test hundred on his first two Tests as the Indian captain. He did this while batting at No.4, a position Virat Kohli made his own for the last 11 years. Former England captain Nasser Hussain, however, still believes Shubman Gill is better suited at No.3. "I think some people are just like that, he looks like a natural number three," Hussain said on Sky Sports after the Indian captain's seventh Test century. The former England captain compared Gill with England legend Joe Root, who spent a significant time of his Test career batting at No.3 before moving down to the No.4 spot. "He's doing what, you know, England have done with Joe Root. I've often thought you've had lesser players than Joe Root at number three and you've had your best player at number four and he looks like a natural number three to me, Shubman Gill, but the pressure of captaincy and just also away from home when the ball has moved around, he has been found wanting a little bit, so just to come in when the ball stops moving around, but I thought he was really composed today, it was old-fashioned batting, he had to get in, grind out a score and then cash in in the last session," Hussain added. Also Read | Shubman Gill booed in Edgbaston, Bharat Army goes wild in response after India captain hits century against England Gill started his Test career as a designated opener. He then asked for the No.3 spot when the team management decided to drop Cheteshwar Pujara. The talented righthander, however, did not deliver the results in red-ball cricket. His average of 35 before the start of the England tour, was the biggest proof. Ravi Shastri draws Shubman Gill's comparison with Virat Kohli Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, under whom Gill made his debut, said the technical adjustments that Gill made on Wednesday made all the difference. "I think the biggest difference, Wadi, is that he's worked on his defence, when he last came to England, you know, he was someone like Virat who played with hard hands, pushed at the ball, now the top hand is in much more control, you know, he allows the ball to come and hit the bat, he's trusting his defence and then we know he has all the shots in the box, he's a lovely driver of the ball, he can pull as well, but just that little work on his defence has done a world of good," Shastri said. Shubman Gill rose to the occasion with a gritty, unbeaten 114, while Yashasvi Jaiswal impressed again with a fluent 87, as India ended a hard-fought opening day of the second Test against England on 310-5. Under scrutiny after India rested pace ace Jasprit Bumrah, Gill led from the front with a composed, resilient knock. Coming in under pressure and facing a testing first session, the 24-year-old soaked up the heat from England's seamers before blossoming late in the day. He brought up his seventh Test hundred—and second of the series—with back-to-back sweeps off Joe Root, his slowest century yet, off 199 balls, but arguably one of his most significant. Jaiswal, fresh off a hundred in the series opener, was once again in sublime touch. The left-hander stroked 13 boundaries in a fluent 87, racing to his fifty before lunch. A loose shot to a wide delivery from Ben Stokes saw him fall just short of another century. England, who opted to bowl first, made regular inroads, with Chris Woakes (2-59) particularly impressive in the morning. But a late, unbroken 99-run stand between Gill and Ravindra Jadeja (41*) tilted the day India's way, setting up an intriguing Day 2.
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Shubman Gill booed in Edgbaston, Bharat Army goes wild in response after India captain hits century against England
Shubman Gill got some harsh treatment from a section of the Edgbaston crowd when he was receiving treatment on his back in the final session of Day 1 of the second Test match against England. The Indian captain, playing a patient knock under a lot of pressure, felt discomfort on his back and asked the umpires when the next break in play was so that he could receive some treatment. A couple of overs later, the pain got a bit too much and he asked for the physios to come in. It happened at the end of the 76th over. India's Shubman Gill celebrates his century during Day 1 of the 2nd test match against England, at Edgbaston (@BCCI X) The Indian physio vigorously pressed down on Gill's lower back. This area had given him trouble even at Headingley. After a couple of minutes, the physio started to work on Gill's left leg. It was stretched and pressed, and even Gill's batting partner, Ravindra Jadeja, decided to chat with substitute fielders. As Shubman Gill's treatment went on for four to five minutes, the Edgbaston crowd got restless. They started booing Gill, egging him to get on with the proceedings. Soon after, Gill got up and took guard to resume his innings. The boong had no bearings on Gill's batting. Three overs later, he hit back-to-back boundaries off Joe Root to bring up his seventh Test century. He became the fourth Indian after Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, Mohammed Azharuddin and Virat Kohli to hit centuries in his first two matches as the Test captain. The mood in Edgbaston changed very quickly as soon as Gill got to his century. There was no signs of boos. In fact, thunderous applause and loud cheers greeted the Indian captain's superlative knock. The applause was led by Bharat Army, who went berserk. Shubman Gill stands tall against England Gill remained unbeaten on 114 on the opening day of the second Test. Under pressure after controversial team selections—including resting pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah—Gill responded with calm authority, anchoring India's innings as they reached 310-5 at stumps. On a day when wickets fell at crucial intervals, Gill remained composed, soaking up pressure and building partnerships, most notably a 99-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja. His century, his second in England, was his slowest, coming off 199 balls. Yet, its significance outweighed its pace. Against a disciplined England attack and amid overcast morning conditions, Gill showed maturity and tactical acumen, mixing solid defence with selective aggression. He wore down the bowlers before opening up late in the day, particularly targeting Joe Root with two sweeps to bring up his hundred. Gill's leadership extended beyond the scoreboard. His ability to absorb pressure, especially when India were wobbling at 211-5, helped stabilise the innings and regain momentum. With Jadeja steady at the other end, Gill's century set the tone for a potential big total, keeping India firmly in the contest as they sought their first-ever Test win at Edgbaston.
Mint
29-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Centre court to Oval: Cricket and tennis to drive demand for high-end sport tourism this month
As summer travel heats up, a growing segment of affluent Indian travellers is steering away from conventional vacations in favour of high-end sports tourism, with events like Wimbledon and the India-England Test match at The Oval drawing interest. With package costs starting from ₹2 lakh per day and reaching beyond ₹10-15 lakh per person for multi-day experiences, this form of travel remains niche but aspirational—and demand is rising. Companies such as Bharat Army, Indulge Global and DreamSetGo are witnessing steady bookings from high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), entrepreneurs and even millennial families for curated experiences abroad. These range from Centre Court seats at Wimbledon to dinners with sports stars, combining travel with exclusive sports access. For example, Raghav Agarwal, an entrepreneur from Kolkata, is spending £245 a day, or about ₹28,000, on tickets for The Oval through Bharat Army and combining his 14-day trip with a visit to Wimbledon. 'Late June and early July is also the sweet spot for sports fans like me visiting the UK, as a lot of the holiday makers are returning home. We've lined up Day 2 at Wimbledon and Days 1 and 2 at Lord's. It's the ideal mix of tennis and cricket," he said. Karan Bhangay, founder of Indulge Global, noted growing inquiries for future global events. 'We see that a lot of our sports tourism clients are high networth individuals (HNIs), and a handful are also serious fans who save up for such experiences. Some are ultra-networth individuals (UHNIs) too, but mainly it is the HNIs who have started to live better, travel well and are in touch with global trends thanks to Instagram and other platforms." Appeal widens Rakesh Patel, founder of Bharat Army, said many Indian travellers now prefer sports tourism that doubles as a family vacation. 'We're seeing that Indian travellers don't just want to go to locations just to watch these sports but also to explore locations where they can do holidaying along with their travel," he said. Bharat Army has already sold 12,000 travel packages for the ongoing England tour, catering not just to India-based travellers but to the global Indian diaspora. Although largely HNI-driven, sports tourism is no longer limited to just the ultra-wealthy. Millennials and Gen Z travellers, often from metros and emerging cities such as Pune, Mohali and Raipur, are seeking experiential and curated packages. Travel companies such as Thomas Cook and SOTC report a mix of interest from both families and corporate clients. 'We have successfully managed corporate bookings for race viewings at the premium Turn 1 grandstand at Abu Dhabi and Monza this year. Additionally, within our leisure business, due to the demand, we have introduced trips specially for the upcoming India-England Test match and Wimbledon," said Rajeev Kale, president and country head, holidays, meetings and visas, at Thomas Cook. 'With the release of the 2025-2026 global football fixtures as well, we're witnessing early interest for high-demand matches—with more momentum expected to build in the coming months." The India-England Test Series will be about ₹1.8-2.5 lakh per person (for 6-7 nights), according to Thomas Cook and Wimbledon will set you back ₹2.5-3.5 lakh per person (for 4-5 nights in London). For the 2025-26 Fifa football fixtures in the US, costs will be about ₹3-4 lakh per person (for 6-7 nights, mostly on the east coast). The costs for the events are on a twin-sharing basis, or two people per room, and do not include airfares. DreamSetGo, owned by Dream Sports, took around 1,500 Indians to the Champions Trophy in Dubai earlier this year, with 600 flying in just for the India-Pakistan match. The company expects demand for Wimbledon to triple this season, according to chief executive officer Monish Shah. 'The price value of these (events) is quite high, and that would require premium corporate movements like wealth managers taking their top clients for these events," he said. Love for sports Around 40% of DreamSetGo's business for events like Wimbledon comes from corporates, while the rest comes from individuals or families. Most of their travellers are HNIs. A majority—60%—still only want tickets for these events, which are priced upwards of several thousand to a lakh. They don't always want the whole package, which can then go into several lakhs per person. For instance, a one-day ticket for The Kia Oval Test match costs ₹2.3 lakh per person, excluding flights and accommodation. A four-day match experience could easily reach ₹10-15 lakh per person for Indian travellers. India's sports tourism market is still in its infancy but poised for rapid growth. A 2024 KPMG report valued the sector at $10.87 billion and projected a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18%, nearly double that of general leisure travel. Even niche sports like Formula 1 are gaining traction. A three-day race pass for Abu Dhabi F1 in December costs ₹3.5 lakh via DreamSetGo. Attending live sporting events has become a bucket list goal, said S.D. Nandakumar, president and country head, holidays and corporate tours, SOTC. 'This was once quite niche, but it now has a broader appeal to extend to families and young millennials and Gen Z travellers, particularly from cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Surat and Ahmedabad. Event-based tourism is expanding."
