World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev on Friday expressed concern over the rising number of injuries among Indian cricketers, attributing it to the demanding schedule that keeps players in action for almost 10 months each year. The National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru has turned into a rehabilitation hub, with players spending more time recovering than training. The latest casualty being India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah who was forced to sit out of the second innings of the final Test in Sydney due to a back injury. Initially named in the Champions Trophy squad, Bumrah has now been ruled out.

Mohammed Shami, India’s top wicket-taker in the 2023 ODI World Cup (24 wickets), suffered a leg injury post-final and underwent surgery.

His 14-month recovery ruled him out of the BGT series, which India lost for the first time in a decade. Shami’s absence left Bumrah without a reliable bowling partner.

“The only thing that worries me is that they play for 10 months a year — injuries will be much more common,” the 1983 World Cup-winning skipper said at the Tata Steel Golf prize distribution ceremony here.

Asked whether Bumrah would be missed in CT, Kapil urged players to focus on supporting each other rather than dwelling on injured players.

“Why talk about someone who is not in the team? It’s a team game, and the team has to win, not individuals. This is not badminton, tennis, or golf; we are playing a team sport in the Champions Trophy. If we play as a team, we will definitely win,” said the 66-year-old.

“You never want your main players to get injured, but if it happens, you can’t do anything about it. Good luck to my Indian team — go and play well,” he added.

India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.

Kapil said he’s excited to see so much rising talents in the Indian cricket team these days.

“When you see the youngsters, their confidence is unbelievable. We didn’t have this much confidence when we were young. Good lluck to them.” A known golf enthusiast and the current PGTI president, Kapil also made a playful pitch for the sport.

“Tell everyone to play golf. If they are not playing cricket, they should come and play golf. If they do, their performance will be better. There is a lot of fun in golf.” Emphasising on the importance of infrastructure for young golfers, he said: “If young players get the right facilities, they will improve. We are trying our best.”

‘LIV Golf will do what IPL did for cricket’

The PGTI head further likened Saudi-backed LIV Golf’s rise to the IPL’s impact on cricket, stressing that more tournaments would only benefit players.

“When the IPL came, everyone benefited. So, whenever there is change, everyone will benefit. The more tournaments, the better. The more events that happen, the better it is for the players,” Kapil said.

Launched in 2021, LIV Golf is a rival to the PGA and DP World Tours, offering lucrative contracts, shorter 54-hole events, team-based formats, and no cuts. It has attracted top golfers but also sparked significant controversy.

Kapil further called for more golf courses to boost India’s Olympic prospects.

“You have to build more golf courses — only then can we play and do well in the Olympics. If you go to Scotland, there are about 100 courses. Here, in Kolkata, you have only two or three.

“There should be more driving ranges; more players will emerge. If you have more schools and colleges, only then will children study, right? Players need opportunities to express themselves.” Dismissing the notion that golf is exclusive to the elite, he gave example of cricket’s transformation.

“Ninety per cent of the top players come from caddie backgrounds. If top players are caddies-turned-pros, then we should remove this notion that golf is an elite game.

“About 60 years ago, only royals played cricket — look at it now! The same will happen with golf; common people will play. This game is for everyone,” he signed off. 

HS Prannoy fought valiantly, but India succumbed to a 0-3 defeat against a second-string Japan in the quarterfinals of the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships, ending their campaign on a disappointing note here on Friday. India, the 2023 bronze medalists in Dubai, struggled to find their rhythm, and trailed 0-1 after going down in the mixed doubles. Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, ranked 37th in the world, showed resilience before going down 13-21, 21-17, 13-21 to world number 12 Hiroki Midorikawa and Natsu Saito.

With PV Sindhu sidelined due to a hamstring injury, India faced an uphill task against Tomoka Miyazaki, who has quickly risen to world number 8 following her triumph at the 2022 World Junior Championships.

World number 31 Malvika Bansod, stepping in for Sindhu, put up a brave fight, especially in the second game, but struggled to match the control and consistency of her younger opponent and lost 12-21, 19-21, leaving India 0-2 behind.

It all came down to Prannoy to keep India alive, but despite a determined effort, the 32-year-old, returning after a long break and struggling with early-season form, couldn’t sustain the pressure against world number 16 Kenta Nishimoto.

The Japanese star sealed the rubber with a 21-14, 15-21, 21-12 victory in 1 hour and 17 minutes.

India will be disappointed with the loss, especially as Japan did not field their full-strength team, with several top players absent.

Japan were the inaugural edition champions in 2017 and were runners-up in 2019.

Miyazaki vs Malvika

Miyazaki, leading the new-look Japanese team, was sharp and precise, quickly surging to an 11-3 lead after Malvika hit long.

Despite some good net play from the left-handed Indian, Miyazaki’s cross-court drops and winners kept Malvika on the back foot.

Malvika narrowed the gap to 12-19, capitalising on unforced errors from Miyazaki.

However, two mistakes from the Indian allowed the Japanese to take the first game.

The second game was more competitive as Malvika took a 5-3 lead, engaging in tight rallies.

She managed a slim 11-10 advantage after Miyazaki went long.

Malvika stayed sharp, not allowing her opponent to play her usual drops freely, moving to 17-15.

But Miyazaki fought back, taking the lead at 18-17 after Malvika went wide.

Miyazaki earned two game points, and despite Malvika saving one, a miscue handed the game to the Japanese, leaving India 0-2 down in the tie.

Prannoy vs Nishimoto ================ In the men’s singles, Prannoy fell behind 4-7 as Nishimoto dominated with angled returns.

The Indian clawed back to 8-8 after Nishimoto made a few errors, but two unforced mistakes gave the Japanese a three-point cushion at the break.

Prannoy kept up the pressure, reducing the gap to 12-13 with a couple of jump smashes.

However, there was little net play, and Nishimoto surged ahead 17-12, winning four straight points.

Prannoy handed Nishimoto six game points with a net error, and another mistake sealed the first game for Japan.

The second game was intense, with Prannoy and Nishimoto tied at 6-6.

Two powerful cross-court smashes from Prannoy leveled the score at 7-7, followed by a huge roar and a fist pump.

However, a subsequent smash led to a warning from the umpire, asking Prannoy not to celebrate in such a manner.

Prannoy moved to 10-9 after a brilliant net block, and took a one-point lead into the break.

A cross-court return left Prannoy flat on the floor, and Nishimoto moved to 14-12.

However, the Indian erased the deficit to lead 16-15 after winning a lengthy rally.

He then earned five game points after Nishimoto sent a shot wide, converting the first to roar back into the contest.

In the decider, Nishimoto controlled the pace to take a 6-0 early lead.

At 2-8, a shot was called out by the umpire, much to Prannoy’s frustration as the Japanese grabbed a huge 11-3 lead at the interval.

The Indian fought back, drawing out errors from Nishimoto to move to 12-15 but unforced errors crept up again as a cross court forehand went to net and another net error followed.

Soon he found himself facing an eight-point deficit.

Nishimoto sealed the match after Prannoy went wide again, securing the victory for Japan. 

File image of Lakshya Sen.© AFP

File image of Kidambi Srikanth.© AFP

India’s double Olympic medalist shuttler PV Sindhu will sign a four-year deal with a leading sports equipment brand for four years, worth Rs 4 crore per year, according to sources. The sources also mentioned that Sindhu is currently in talks with two leading global brands of technical equipment, which have offered her Rs 4 crore per year for four years. Her existing endorsement deal with Li-Ning, as an ambassador, has come to an end. PV Sindhu has had a mixed run in recent competitions on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour circuit.

While she did break her title drought of over two years in the Syed Modi India International in December last year by capturing the women’s title by beating China’s Wu Luo Yu, she started the new year with a quarterfinal finish in the India Open in Lucknow and a disappointing first-round exit in the Indonesia Masters held this month, losing to Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh.

Sindhu, along with Paris Olympics semi-finalist Lakshya Sen, will lead a 14-member strong Indian team at the upcoming Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships, to be held in Qingdao, China, from February 11-16, 2025.

India won the bronze medal in the last edition of the championships, held in Dubai in 2023, and will aim to improve on that performance this time.

The national selectors have taken into account the world rankings and current form of the players while selecting the squad, which will include HS Prannoy and Malvika Bansod as the second men’s and women’s singles players, respectively.

India also boasts a strong doubles lineup, with the former world No. 1 combination of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty leading the men’s doubles charge. The women’s doubles duties will be shared by Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly or Olympians Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto.

Tanisha will also compete in mixed doubles alongside Dhruv Kapila, with Sathish Kumar K and Adya Variyath forming the second mixed doubles combination in the squad.

India Squad for Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships:

Men: Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Dhruv Kapila, MR Arjun, Sathish Kumar K

Women: PV Sindhu, Malvika Bansod, Gayatri Gopichand, Treesa Jolly, Ashwini Ponnappa, Tanisha Crasto, Adya Variyath.

India clinched a bronze medal in the last edition of the competition in Dubai in 2023.© BAI

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty© X (Twitter)

Ahead of the Indonesia Masters 2025, former India world no. 1 Kidambi Srikanth opened up on his preparations for the tournament where he went on to say that for him it is important for him is to play well and give his best in the game. Along with Srikant, ace Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen and men’s doubles pair Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will participate in the upcoming Indonesia Masters 2025 badminton tournament which will kickstart on Tuesday in Jakarta, Indonesia.

“I’m in Indonesia and have trained well. I feel it’s important to play well that one hour you get and let’s see what the outcome is going to be but what is more important for me is to play well and give my best,” Srikanth said while speaking to ANI.

Further, the 31-year-old spoke about how the sport of Badminton has become more tough for the players in the last few years.

“The competition has become tougher. The level at which everybody is playing has gone higher. It’s always important to continuously get better, there is no pausing at any moment, you have to continuously work on your game and try and get better. I’m just trying to do it and also the fact that we have won three medals at the Olympics, I’m sure that everyone expects many more medals from badminton and I feel it’s a responsibility and everyone is taking it really well and everyone is performing really well at the Olympics,” Srikanth added.

In the end, the badminton player spoke about his collaboration with the Hundred and said that with them he would try to make equipment which would benefit the players.

“The partnership with the Hundred is a new experience and oppurtunity for me. Now, we both together will try to develop the equipment together. I will try to give my input on how should a racquet feels like or how a shoe should feel like. Both of us together might be able to create very good products which will benefit a lot of players,” Srikanth concluded.

The partnership will make its official debut at the prestigious Indonesia Masters 2025, reflecting Hundred’s commitment to inspiring and empowering the next generation of badminton enthusiasts.

Hundred, a leading global performance-focused sports brand, proudly announces its partnership with badminton legend Srikanth Kidambi, Padma Shri Awardee, former World #1 Men’s Singles player and one of the most celebrated figures in the sport. Srikanth’s collaboration with Hundred marks a pivotal step in the brand’s mission to strengthen its presence in the Indian badminton market.

Ace Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Laksya Sen along with men’s doubles pair Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will lead the Indian contingent in the upcoming Indonesia Masters 2025 badminton tournament which will kickstart on Tuesday in Jakarta, Indonesia.

PV Sindhu, 16th in the women’s single; world badminton rankings, will face world no. 32 Nguyen Thuy Linh of Vietnam in her tournament opener.

World No. 12 Lakshya Sen, who was eliminated in the first round of both the Malaysia and India Open earlier this month, will face Japan’s Takuma Obayashi in his round of 32 fixture.

Badminton might be one of the top sports that India, as a country, is excelling at but it still remains far from a viable financial solution, especially for coaches and other support staff. One of the country’s top doubles coaches, Arun Vishnu, has decided to quit coaching over financial reasons. Arun, who has been coaching the senior women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, decided to bow out as he couldn’t help his family take care of the financial requirements with the money earned by badminton coaching.

“I wish they were World No.9 a few weeks ago,” Arun told Indian Express, in a mocking tone, as the women’s doubles pair of Jolly-Gopichand cracked the Top 10 this week. “But it’s a good feeling to have helped them, starting from scratch,” said Arun who has been silently working in the background of Indian badminton.

The decision to quit badminton coaching comes not out of will but compulsion as helping the family sustain itself, and meet financial needs, became No. 1 priority.

“I will miss coaching at the top level but then again, we have to take care of our families,”

The 36-year-old Arun, who hails from Calicut, hopes to use what he has learned in his Vidarbha academy, a new setup.

Further delving into his plans and the decision to quit top-level coaching, Arun revealed that travelling full-time wasn’t possible for him anymore, especially as he was about to become a father for the second time.

“Arundhati’s dad is ageing and was alone in Nagpur. Travelling full-time wasn’t possible. I had been thinking of moving since August. Indian coaches don’t get paid much, and my permitted leave for coaching at the national camp from the PSU was exhausted. I didn’t want to go to any other place (academy) other than Gopi sir, so I decided on starting an academy in Nagpur,” he explained.

“Vidarbha has a lot of talent, but there isn’t a structured academy here. I will encourage youngsters to play both singles and doubles till 17,” he added.,

Arun also highlighted the huge gulf between the salaries India coaches earn, in comparison to those brought in from abroad.

It has been reported that popular foreign names get paid $8000-10000, according to PTI, and Arun told the news agency that, “Indian coaches are not paid even one-fourth.”

“If we have to retain and nurture Indian coaches, they must be backed financially,” the outgoing coach set expectations clearly.

Ace Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen along with men’s doubles pair Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will lead the Indian contingent in the upcoming Indonesia Masters 2025 badminton tournament which will kickstart on Tuesday in Jakarta, Indonesia. PV Sindhu, 16th in the women’s single; world badminton rankings, will face world No 32 Nguyen Thuy Linh of Vietnam in her tournament opener. Aakarshi Kashyap, Anupama Upadhyaya and Rakshitha Ramraj are also in the women’s singles draw at the Indonesia Open.

World No 12 Lakshya Sen, who was eliminated in the first round of both the Malaysia and India Open earlier this month, will face Japan’s Takuma Obayashi in his round of 32 fixture.

Priyanshu Rajawat and Kiran George will also be a part of India’s charge in men’s singles at the Indonesia Masters 2025.

In the men’s doubles event, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will be India’s only challenge.

The Indian badminton players, who won the Indonesia Open Super 1000 back in 2023, recently made it to the semi-finals of the Malaysia and India Open.

Chirag-Satwik are ninth in the men’s doubles world badminton rankings.

India’s sole representative in the women’s doubles section at Indonesia Masters 2025 are Ashwini Ponnappa-Tanisha Crasto and they will face Thailand’s Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn-Sukitta Suwachai in the first round.

Tanisha Crasto is also a part of the mixed doubles draw with Dhruv Kapila. They face Indonesia’s Adnan Maulana and Indah Cahya Sari Jamil.

India squad for Indonesia Masters 2025:

Men’s singles: Lakshya Sen, Priyanshu Rajawat, Kiran George, Kidambi Srikanth (Q), Ayush Shetty (Q)

Men’s doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty

Women’s singles: PV Sindhu, Aakarshi Kashyap, Rakshitha Ramraj, Anupama Upadhyaya, Isharani Baruah (Q), Tanya Hemnath (Q)

Women’s doubles: Ashwini Ponnappa-Tanisha Crasto

Mixed doubles: Tanisha Crasto-Dhruv Kapila, Rohan Kapoor-Ruthvika Gadde.