Sports

Gambhir Comes Home from England Due to Family Emergency

Published

1 year ago

June 13, 2025

The Indian cricket team will begin their closed-door intra-squad warm-up match in Beckenham on Friday without head coach Gautam Gambhir, who was called back to India due to a family emergency, as reported by The Statesman.

During Gambhir’s absence, assistant coaches Sitanshu Kotak and Ryan ten Doeschate, along with bowling coach Morne Morkel, will lead the squad. Hrishikesh Kanitkar is currently at the helm of the India A side.

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The warm-up match, which will extend until June 16, aims to help the senior team gauge player form ahead of the first Test against England on June 20 at Headingley, under new captain Shubman Gill.

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While Gambhir’s return date remains uncertain, his absence is felt at a crucial time as the Indian team prepares for a significant transition during the five-Test series against England, particularly following the recent retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Consequently, the team management was expected to finalize the batting order, an aspect Gambhir planned to decide closer to the series opener.

The retirements of Rohit and Kohli have opened two batting positions, with newcomers B Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair emerging as strong candidates to fill those roles.

Among those who played for India A against England Lions, Nair, Dhruv Jurel, and Abhimanyu Easwaran stood out. Nair led the series with 259 runs, featuring a double century in the first match in Canterbury.

Jurel contributed 227 runs, including three half-centuries, while Easwaran added two fifties. KL Rahul, anticipated to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the upcoming series, scored 116 and 51 in his only game in Northampton.

The management is deliberating between Shardul Thakur and Nitish Reddy for the allrounder position, as Reddy impressed with two wickets from 26.5 overs, while Thakur achieved the same with 43 overs in two matches against the Lions.

For the pace attack, two of Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna are likely to join Jasprit Bumrah in the playing XI for the first Test.

In remembrance of the victims of the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad, players and staff observed a minute’s silence before the intra-squad match. All members donned black armbands as a sign of mourning.

The BCCI shared on their ‘X’ account, “A minute’s silence was also observed today to honor the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, showing respect for the lives lost and solidarity with the grieving families.”

On Thursday, more than 240 people were feared dead when an Air India plane, headed for Gatwick Airport in London, crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner went down near BJ Medical College, which is adjacent to the airport, with just one miraculous survivor reported.

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Sports

Spain Beat France 2-0 to Reach FIFA World Cup 2026 Final

Published

1 day ago

July 15, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports: Spain defeated France 2-0 in the first semi-final of the FIFA World Cup 2026 to book their place in the final. The defeat ended France’s title hopes under captain Kylian Mbappe.

Spain took the lead in the 20th minute. Young star Lamine Yamal was fouled by France’s Lucas Digne inside the penalty area. Spain was awarded a penalty, and Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted the spot kick to make it 1-0.

The goal was Oyarzabal’s fifth of the tournament. He equalled David Villa’s record for the most goals scored by a Spanish player in a single FIFA World Cup.

Spain doubled its lead in the 58th minute. Right-back Pedro Porro scored after receiving a fine pass from Dani Olmo. The goal gave Spain complete control of the match.

France suffered an early setback when central defender William Saliba left the field with an injury in the first half. Despite having stars like Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, France failed to score. It was the team’s first match of the tournament without a goal.

Spain also created history in the World Cup semi-finals. It became the first team to start two teenagers, 19-year-olds Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, in a World Cup semi-final.

The victory sent Spain into the FIFA World Cup final for the second time and for the first time since 2010.

Spain will face the winner of the second semi-final between England and Argentina in Sunday’s final.

France, meanwhile, missed the chance to reach a third straight World Cup final. The defeat also marked the end of coach Didier Deschamps’ long and successful journey with the national team.

Sports

Passenger Turns Flight into FIFA Watch Party during Match

Published

4 days ago

July 12, 2026

Namma Kudla

FIFA World cup: A football fan turned a regular flight into a memorable FIFA World Cup watch party by streaming the Argentina vs Egypt match for fellow passengers.

The fan paid for the airplane’s WiFi and stood at the front of the cabin with his laptop. He streamed the live match so that everyone on board could watch it.

The flight had 187 passengers. Many leaned into the aisle, while some stood up to get a better view of the screen. The passengers watched the exciting match together and cheered for the teams.

Argentina made a stunning comeback after trailing 2-0. Led by Lionel Messi, the team fought back to defeat Egypt 3-2 in a thrilling contest.

A video of the moment was shared on X and quickly went viral. Social media users praised the fan for bringing strangers together and creating a special experience during the flight.

The match also ended with a controversial VAR decision. Egypt believed they had scored a second goal after taking a 1-0 lead. However, the goal was disallowed after a VAR review.

Match officials ruled that an Egyptian player had fouled Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez before the goal was scored. As a result, the goal was cancelled, leaving Egypt’s players and many fans disappointed.

Sports

Yuvraj Singh Set to Begin Coaching Career with Delhi Capitals

Published

4 weeks ago

June 20, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports: Former India all-rounder and cricket legend Yuvraj Singh is set to begin his coaching career in the Indian Premier League (IPL) from the 2027 season, according to reports.

Sources say that Yuvraj Singh is likely to join the Delhi Capitals coaching staff for the 20th edition of the IPL. He is expected to take up the role of batting coach for the franchise.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is also expected to return to the Delhi Capitals setup. Reports suggest that Ganguly wants Yuvraj Singh to be part of the team’s support staff.

The Delhi Capitals franchise is jointly owned by GMR Group and JSW Group. The two groups manage the team on a rotational basis for two-year periods. GMR Group was in charge during the 2025 and 2026 seasons. From 2027, JSW Group will take control of the franchise for the next two years.

Reports indicate that major changes are being planned within the team. Yuvraj Singh’s appointment is believed to be one of those changes.

During the previous JSW management period, Sourav Ganguly served as the Director of Cricket for Delhi Capitals. Recently, under Ganguly’s guidance, the Pretoria Capitals reached the final of the SA20 league. This success has increased the possibility of his return to a key role with Delhi Capitals.

Delhi Capitals had disappointing campaigns in IPL 2025 and IPL 2026. Despite having several star players, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs in both seasons under captain Axar Patel.

Hemang Badani is currently the head coach of the team. However, reports suggest that his position could be under pressure after two unsuccessful seasons.

Fans are now eager to see whether the experience of Sourav Ganguly and the aggressive cricketing approach of Yuvraj Singh can help Delhi Capitals achieve better results in IPL 2027.