It was an average day if you are an Indian sports fan. While there was no cricketing action after two consecutive T20Is, the Paris Olympics Day 3 was also sub-par. Although Lakshya Sen won his group game, heartbreak occurred when India missed two medal chances, both in rifle shooting. While Ramita Jindal finished seventh in her finals, Arjun Babuta came agonizingly fourth. Meanwhile, a huge news came through, with ACC announcing that India will schedule the Asia Cup 2025.
Asia Cup 2025 means PAK to come to IND
As per new document by ACC, India will host the Asia Cup 2025 in T20 format. This confirms Pakistan’s visit to India for the second time in three years. This comes amid uncertainty over India’s participation in the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. Meanwhile, the 2027 Asia Cup will be ODI format, hosted by Bangladesh, aligning with the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Gautam Gambhir to drop Sanju Samson?
Sanju Samson’s inclusion in the second T20I after fans’ outcry over his omission was short-lived. Dismissed for a golden duck, his chances of retaining the spot appear slim. Gill’s potential return after a short injury complicates matters. Samson needed a special knock to cement his place, but his failure increases the likelihood of him being dropped. Head coach Gautam Gambhir have a tough job at his hands now!
Virat Kohli is back with Team India!
A day after Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli has touched down in Sri Lanka to join the Indian cricket team for the upcoming three-match ODI series right after the T20Is. Fresh off a vacation post India’s T20 World Cup win, the modern-day maestro answered coach Gautam Gambhir’s call to return early. Kohli’s inclusion adds firepower to a team looking to replicate their T20 dominance in the 50-over format.
Cricket at Olympics
Rahul Dravid is keen on cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics. He envisions India winning gold medals in both men’s and women’s categories. With cricket boasting a massive fan base, Dravid believes it’s a perfect fit for the Olympics. Expressing his enthusiasm, he joked about potentially being part of the Indian contingent in LA, either as a coach or a media person.
Day 3 of Paris Olympics for India!
It was a bittersweet day for India at Paris Olympics. Indian badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty scripted history by becoming the first Indian pair to reach the quarterfinals of the Olympics. However, an agonizing defeat for Arjun Babuta made him shy away from a podium finish, while Ramita Jindal also failed. The Indian men’s archery team had a horror show against Turkey as well. However, Lakshya Sen won his bout against Belgium’s Julien Carraggi.
Ravi Shastri’s advice for Hardik Pandya
Ravi Shastri urges Hardik Pandya to play maximum T20Is to improve fitness. He believes this will boost Pandya’s chances for ODI inclusion. The former coach emphasized the importance of match fitness and consistent bowling for Pandya’s all-rounder role.