The torchbearer of Indian football, Sunil Chhetri, announced his retirement in 2024, bidding farewell to a career that spanned over two decades. From a humble boy with dreams of representing India to becoming the country’s all-time highest scorer and one of its most revered football icons, Chhetri’s all-inclusive success is truly remarkable. Chhetri made his professional debut for Mohun Bagan in 2002, where he played until 2005, scoring eight goals in 18 matches. Though the early years were challenging, his talent quickly caught the attention of larger clubs across India. Over the years, Chhetri played for JCT (2005-08), East Bengal (2008-09), Dempo FC (2009-10), Chirag United (2011), Mohun Bagan (2011-12), Churchill Brothers (2013 on loan), Bengaluru FC (2013-15, 2016-present), and became a household name in Indian club football.

In total, Chhetri has scored 158 goals in 365 club appearances throughout his career. His international journey began in 2005, when he made his debut for India and scored his first goal. Chhetri’s career reached a high point in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, where his hat-trick against Tajikistan secured India’s qualification for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup and propelled his rise to fame.

Chhetri also had stints abroad, playing for the USA’s Major League Soccer club Kansas City Wizards in 2010 and Portuguese club Sporting CP in 2012-13. These experiences helped refine his game and made him a more versatile striker.

As the captain of the Indian national team, Chhetri’s leadership skills shone brightly. Under his captaincy, India experienced what is now regarded as the golden era of modern football in the country, winning multiple SAFF Championships and Intercontinental Cups. One of his defining moments came during the 2018 Intercontinental Cup, where he used social media to appeal for greater fan support, successfully bringing thousands to the stadium and boosting interest in Indian football.

Chhetri has scored 94 goals in 150 international matches, making him the fourth-highest scorer in international football. He is only behind legends like Lionel Messi (106 goals in 180 matches) and Cristiano Ronaldo (128 goals in 205 matches).In his club career, Chhetri won numerous accolades, including the I-League (2009-10 with Dempo and 2012-13 with Churchill Brothers), as well as multiple titles with Bengaluru FC, including the I-League (2013-14, 2015-16), Indian Super League (2018-19), Federation Cup (2014-15, 2016-17), Super Cup (2018), and Durand Cup (2022).

Chhetri has also been honoured with the prestigious All India Football Federation (AIFF) Player of the Year title seven times (2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018-19, 2021-22) and the FPAI Indian Player of the Year award three times (2009, 2018, 2019). He has received the Arjuna Award (2011) and the Khel Ratna Award (2021), India’s highest sporting honor. Under his leadership, India reached the top 100 in the FIFA rankings for the first time in 2023 since 2018, and Chhetri’s dream of seeing India compete in the FIFA World Cup inspired millions of fans.

Chhetri’s journey is not just that of a football star but also an inspiration for the next generation, proving what can be achieved with relentless dedication and hard work.

Retirements in sports are something that evokes a variety of emotions, be it regret, heartbreak, relief, a sense of unfinished business or a fairytale-like feeling, both on the part of players and their fans. Very few get a privilege of retiring at the peak of their powers, with a major trophy in their hands and their fans screaming their names out loud. Cricket in 2024 was no different as it saw many players put an end to their careers. Plenty of these retirements sent emotional fans on a nostalgic trip, watching all the highlights of their major performances, trending their names on social media through hashtags and fan-made video edits and in all, just hoping that they got to accomplish slightly more in their careers. Here are the 10 biggest retirements in cricket from 2024.

Rohit Sharma (T20Is)

Perhaps the most heartwarming retirement of 2024. After the heartbreak of succumbing to Australia after a 10-match win streak in the ICC Cricket World Cup last year at home, Rohit during the T20 WC was a man on a mission. From a record fifth-T20I ton against Afghanistan at home to smashing Mitchell Starc for 29 runs in an over including four sixes, to his revengeful fifty against England in the semis, Rohit was at his destructive best in T20Is, scoring 378 runs at an average of 42.00, strike rate of 160.16, with a century and three fifties.

He top-scored for India in T20 WC, with 257 runs in eight matches at an average of 36.71, a strike rate of over 156 and three half-centuries, with his 41-ball 92 against Australia being his best knock. The final pictures of Rohit in T20I clothing saw the ‘Hitman’ laying down on the pitch in relief, tasting the Barbados soil which helped his side end their 11-year-long ICC title drought.

Virat Kohli (T20Is)

Virat and one-man carryjobs during T20 World Cups, a story repeated too often for his country’s good. After a bumper Orange Cap winning Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, in which he made 741 runs at an average of 61.75 with a century, five fifties and 38 sixes, the 36-year-old experienced a sharp dip in his form in a tournament where he thrived the most. Instead of playing the anchor role like the old days, Virat would throw his wicket in the most ‘un-Virat’ ways possible on tough pitches of the US and Caribbean and it seemed that the new-age T20I formula of slogging would not work on him. However, during the final, he played a ‘vintage Virat’ knock of 76 in 59 balls, helping his team secure a seven-run win over South Africa to win the title.

In his final T20I game, India’s biggest match-winner in T20Is ended up with a match-winning fifty, a ‘Player of the Match’ award, the highest amount of runs in T20 WC history (with 1,292 runs in 35 matches, average of 58.72, 15 fifties), and 4,188 runs in 125 T20Is at an average of 48.69, strike rate of 137.04, a century and 38 fifties.

David Warner (All formats of international cricket)

Perhaps Australia’s finest all-format opener retired from all formats of the game after a Super Eight exit from the T20 World Cup, in which he made 178 runs in seven matches with two fifties. In his final T20I game against India, concluded an era of audacious hitting, unmatched charisma and aggression on the field and all-format brilliance.

In 112 Tests for Australia, Warner scored 8,786 runs at an average of 44.59, with 26 centuries and 37 fifties in 205 innings. His best score is 335*. He is the fifth-highest run-getter for Australia in Tests.

Playing 161 ODIs, Warner scored 6,932 runs at an average of 45.30 and a strike rate of above 97, making 22 centuries and 33 fifties in 159 innings. His best score is 179. He is the sixth-highest run-getter in ODIs for Australia.

Warner is Australia’s highest run-getter in T20Is, scoring 3,277 runs in 110 matches at an average of 33.43 and a strike rate of 142.47. He scored a century and 28 fifties, with the best score of 100*.

With 18,995 runs in 383 games, 49 centuries, 98 fifties, two ICC Cricket World Cup titles, one ICC T20 World Cup and ICC World Test Championship title each, Warner retired as Australia’s second-highest run-getter and one of the greatest all-format openers of all time.

James Anderson (all formats of international cricket)

England’s ageless pace wonder finally pulled down curtains on his glorious career during the first Test against West Indies at Lord’s in July, taking four wickets in his final match. As inspiring Anderson was to deliver remarkable, low-economy spells, taking crucial wickets, staying at the top of his fitness game at the age of 42, retirement had to come for the sake of future generations.

The fast bowler bid farewell to Test cricket after the first Test at Lord’s as the third-highest Test wicket-taker to grace the game. The 41-year-old took four wickets in the Test match to finish with 704 career scalps in 188 Tests at an average of 25.45, the third behind Muttiah Muralidaran and the late Shane Warne. In 401 international matches, he ended up falling short of 1,000 wickets, at 991 wickets at an average of 27.28, 34 five-wicket hauls and best figures of 7/42. He is also England’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs (269 scalps) and overall, their first pacer to reach 700 Test scalps and a T20 WC winner in 2010.

Shikhar Dhawan (All formats of international cricket and Indian domestic cricket)

A name that often slipped under the radar due to the otherwordly brilliance of Rohit Sharma and Virat in ODIs particularly, Dhawan was India’s crisis man in ICC ODI tournaments, often giving explosive starts to make things easier for Rohit-Virat in later overs.

Having last played for India in December 2022, in 167 ODI appearances, the southpaw produced swashbuckling performances and racked up 6,793 runs at an average of 44.1, including 17 centuries and 39 fifties.

In the longest format of cricket, where he stitched up memorable partnerships with Murali Vijay, Dhawan garnered 2,315 runs in 34 matches at an average of 40.6. His Test career was laced with seven tons and five half-centuries.

In the T20I format, Dhawan made 68 appearances and scored 1,759 runs at an average of 27.9, including 11 fifties.

He top-scored in the 2013 and 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, with former a title-winning campaign in the UK. With 701 runs in 10 matches at an average of 77,88, three centuries and three fifties, he is India’s top run-getter in the tournament and overall third. He was also India’s top run-getter and fifth-overall in 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup with 412 runs at an average of 51.50, with two centuries and a fifty. His best score was 137.

He was crowned Player of the Tournament in U-19 WC 2004, Champions Trophy in 2013 and Asia Cup 2018.

Moeen Ali (All formats of international cricket)

One of the most underrated names in world cricket, left the international scene quietly in September after helping England retain the 2023 Ashes with some impactful performances and sticking around till the T20

World Cup during his team’s semifinal run.

The all-rounder featured in 298 international matches from 2014-2024 for the English side in his cricketing career.

Moeen made his international debut in 2014 against West Indies. He scored 6678 international runs at an average of 25.20, with eight tons and 28 fifties and picked 366 wickets at an average of 39.09. He won the 2019 Cricket World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup with the Three Lions.

Tim Southee (all formats of international cricket)

One of the many modern-day greats from the class of 2008 ICC U19 World Cup, Southee made an incredible impact for Kiwis, mostly with the ball, but sometimes with the bat as well.

After the home series against England recently, Southee walked away from the game with 776 international wickets at an average of 29.57, the most by any Kiwi bowler across all formats. Southee secured 391 Test wickets at an average of 30.26, the second-most by any NZ bowler, behind Richard Hadlee (431 scalps). He is the leading wicket-taker in T20Is with 164 wickets at an average of 22.38, the most by any bowler. With 221 ODI wickets, he also is the third-highest wicket-taker in ODIs for Kiwis, behind Kyle Mills (240 wickets) and Daniel Vettori (297 wickets).

He was also a capable lower-order batter, with 3,288 runs in 394 matches at an average of 14.11, with eight fifties. Most of these runs came in Tests, making 2,245 runs at an average of 15.48, with seven fifties. His tally of 98 sixes in Tests is the fourth-highest by any Test cricketer.

However, he could not win any white-ball trophy with Kiwis, and secured the inaugural ICC World Test Championship 2019-21 title, NZ’s first-ever world title in any form of the sport.

Ravichandran Ashwin (all formats of international cricket)

Words like ‘nerd’, ‘scientist’, ‘genius’ are regularly associated with cricketers. However, with his understanding of the game’s rules, the right use of the right tactics at the right time and role in a 12-year-long unbeaten home run for Team India, Ashwin earned a repute as one of the greatest thinkers in the sport. Be it his insightful interviews or his well-thought out YouTube discussions, they garnered as much attention as his all-round excellence.

However, the rare home set-back to NZ was the breaking point for this champion player, who announced his retirement during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia after the Brisbane Test, having last played the pink-ball Adelaide Test and picking up a wicket, scoring 29 runs.

In 106 Tests for India, the legendary all-rounder took 537 wickets at an average of 24.00, with best figures of 7/59. He took 37 five-wicket hauls and eight ten-fers in his Test career. He is the seventh highest wicket taker in Tests overall and second-highest for India behind legendary spinner Anil Kumble (619 scalps). He also has 2nd most five-wicket hauls in Tests, behind Sri Lankan spin icon Muttiah Muralitharan (67).

He also made 3,503 runs at an average of 25.75, with six centuries and 14 fifties in 151 innings and best score of 124.

In 116 ODIs, the ace spinner took 156 wickets at an average of 33.20, with best figures of 4/25. He also made 707 runs at an average of 16.44, with one fifty, a knock of 65 in 63 innings. He is the 13th-highest wicket …

With 765 scalps in 287 matches, he is India’s second-highest wicket-taker across all formats, next to Kumble (953). He also won the 2011 50-Over World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy with India.

South Africa’s Dean Elgar (All forms of international cricket)

Though not the biggest in the list in terms of superstardom, Elgar’s tough Test innings have made him one of the grittiest and gutsiest players on this list. He retired from all of international cricket after the home Test series against India at home.

Elgar, 37, enjoyed an impressive Test career since making his debut for South Africa in 2012, scoring 5,347 runs across 86 matches at an average of 37.92, with 14 centuries and 23 fifties. Though in eight ODIs, he could score just 104 runs in seven innings with best score of 42. His rock-solid knocks and defence provided stability to Proteas as they moved on from the golden era of Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis etc.

Shakib Al Hasan (Tests and T20Is)

One of the ‘Big Five’ stars for Bangladesh alongside Tamim Iqbal, Mahmadullah, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mashrafe Mortaza that defined their cricket in the 21st century, pulled down curtains on his Test and T20I career in 2024 after the Test series against India.

With an eye on the ICC Champions Trophy, Shakib will feature in ODIs but his team will miss his all-round services in other two formats dearly considered his unmatched consistency with both bat and ball.

In 71 Tests, he scored 4,609 runs at an average of 37.77, with five centuries and 31 fifties and best score of 217. He is Bangladesh’s third-highest Test run-getter. With 246 runs in 71 Tests at an average of 31.72, best figures of 7/36 and 19 five-wicket hauls, he is Bangladesh’s top wicket-taker in Tests.

Coming to T20Is, he is the team’s leading run-getter with 2,551 runs in 129 matches and 127 innings at an average of 23.19 and 13 fifties. His best score is 84. With 149 scalps in 129 matches at an average of 20.91 and two fivers, he is also the team’s leading wicket-taker.

The passing of the baton from legends to youth in the world of tennis has begun. The era of legendary players is giving way to a new wave of budding youngsters. Tennis stands on the verge of an exciting transformation, with the next generation of stars showing signs of taking centre stage and forging their paths to glory. For India, the year started on a sweet note, with veteran Rohan Bopanna reaching the summit where he stood apart from the rest of his competitors. In January, Bopanna became the oldest player to win a Grand Slam title after tasting success with his partner Matthew Ebden at the Rod Laver Arena by lifting their maiden Australian Open men’s doubles title as a team.

The Indian-Australian duo managed to oust the Italian pair of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori with a straight-set win to etch their names in history in golden letters.

His success became a sight to behold, especially after he climbed to a career-best world No. 1 in the latest ATP Double Rankings following his special win.

The partnership saw its ups and downs and drew its final breath in November. Bopanna and Ebden announced the end of their successful two-year partnership.

The duo, who began playing together in January 2023, claimed significant titles, including the Australian Open Grand Slam title and ATP Masters 1000 trophies at Indian Wells (2023) and Miami Open (2024).

As fans bid adieu to the renowned pair, the world was not ready to embrace what was next to follow. Spain’s prized tennis star Rafael Nadal decided to have his last dance and bring the curtain down on his 23-year-old career as a professional tennis player.

With the final shot hit and the last racket laid to rest, the tennis world pauses to bid farewell to a legend, Rafael Nadal, who rewrote tennis history with his tenacious spirit, relentless dedication, and unmatched greatness, has played his final match.

One of the greatest to grace the sport, the “Spain’s Raging Bull” left an everlasting impression on his admirers and his rivals.

The King of Clay had his swansong in November during the Davis Cup and bowed out with 22 Grand Slam titles, including a record 14 French Open singles titles.

He also won the Australian Open twice in 2009 and 2022, Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010. He was also successful in the US Open, winning the title four times in 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2019. In Roland-Garros, the Spaniard defended his crown 10 times and recorded a staggering 97 per cent win percentage.

His fierce competitiveness, sportsmanship, and humility have made him a beloved figure, transcending the sport itself.

Even after his retirement as a champion, role model, and ambassador, Nadal’s legacy will continue to inspire and influence the world of tennis for years to come.

Before Nadal’s retirement, the two-time Olympic gold medal winner Andy Murray also called his time. In his decorated career, Murray lifted 46 singles titles.

Murray won his first Olympic gold medal in 2012 after defeating Roger Federer in the final. Four years later, he bagged his second at Rio by beating Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro. The Briton tennis star’s three Grand Slam titles include two at Wimbledon (in 2013 and 2016), and one at the US Open (in 2012).In a year where memorable careers met their end, some icons lived their dreams.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic turned his ultimate dream into reality by winning his first Olympic gold, completing a prestigious ‘Golden Slam’, by overcoming Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s singles final in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

In a clash between the experienced tennis icon and the young Alcaraz, who brims with talent, Djokovic realised his ultimate dream by getting his hands on the first Olympic gold medal of his illustrious career.

While Alcaraz savoured defeat, he found some solace in defending his Wimbledon title before landing in Paris. Alcaraz won his second consecutive Wimbledon title after beating Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) at the centre court in London in July. The Spaniard became only the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back.

Along with Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner was another budding talent who made a case for being the next big thing in tennis. He kicked off the year perfectly after winning the Australian Open against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling five-set encounter. The Italian player defeated the final match by 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, and 6-3.

He topped his success in Australia by defeating Taylor Fritz of the United States in the final with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-4, and 7-5 to lift his first US Open title.

Towards the end of the year, Sinner made history in the ATP Finals by becoming the first Italian champion in the tournament’s 55-year history following his comprehensive victory over Taylor Fritz.

India’s para-athletes shattered the record books in Paris by delivering a performance of a lifetime, redefining the standard and raising the bar in the para-sports that will be seen as the benchmark in the coming years. The summer of Paris was one to remember for the Indian para-athletes and the entire nation. The magnitude of the success of the para-athletes in Paris echoed from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. In 12 days (August 28 to September 8), India made history by delivering a performance that will be remembered for years to come.

The Indian contingent rewrote record books after enjoying a historic Paralympics campaign in Paris with a record haul of 29 medals, including seven gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze, finishing in the 18th position.

India surpassed its previous most successful campaign at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, which saw them return with 19 medals, including five golds, eight silvers, and six bronze medals.

It was a campaign that gave a new ray of hope to the budding talents who remain keen to excel in their respective sports disciplines.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi felt the contribution of India’s para-athletes is more than medals. PM Modi said that he wants players to play more in Para-sports and get more medals and through them, create a cultural change in perception of specially-abled athletes.

“I want all specially abled people to be looked at with respect rather than sympathy and are considered no less than others. The fact that you are playing and sweating it out for your girl, this hard work will not go in vain. A new atmosphere is being made. Your contribution is more than a medal, you are producing belief in specially abled people that they are no less,” PM Modi said when he met the India contingent of Paralympics at his residence.

Even the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) president, Devendra Jhajharia, exuded confidence about the results that one can expect in the next edition.

During an event, Jhajharia didn’t hesitate to make a promise to the entire nation by saying, “We won’t stop here. Our mission is big. We have started preparing for the next Paralympics. I am confident that in the LA 2028 Paralympics, we will perform better. I promise everyone on behalf of the athletes that we will win at least 40 to 50 medals.”

But before we head towards the next edition, here is a look at the historic campaign, which began with Avani Lekhara opening the medal tally count.

In the Paris edition, a record 84 para-athletes represented India at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, and it was Avani who secured the first gold for the nation after dominating the final of the women’s 10m air rifle.

She notched up and sealed her place at the top of the podium with 249.7 points, which was also her personal best performance in the event. Her fellow compatriot, Mona Agarwal, snatched the bronze medal in the same event.

The third medal came from Preethi Pal’s third-place finish for the bronze medal after clocking 14.21s in the 100m T35 event.

The next medal came from Manish Narwal’s silver medal effort. He racked up 234.9 points in the men’s 10m air pistol SH1 pistol to book his place on the podium. He started the match on a good note, but in the middle, the Indian shooter dropped to the sixth. However, he didn’t lose hope and ended the event with a silver medal around his neck.

Rubina Francis continued the flurry of medals after finishing third and bagging a bronze medal in the P2 – women’s 10m air pistol SH-1 final.

Preethi got her hands on her second and India’s sixth medal in the Paralympics, in the 200m T-35 race, she delivered an eye-catching performance that saw her take away the bronze medal.

Athlete Nishad Kumar won the silver medal in the men’s high jump T47 event with a leap of 2.04m. Yogesh Kathuniya followed it up on the other side of the field and bagged the eighth medal for team India following his silver medal triumph in the men’s discus throw F56 final.

Shuttler Thulasimathi Murugesan lost to China’s Yang Qiu Xia 21-17, 21-10 and secured a silver medal in the women’s singles SU5. In the bronze medal match of the same category, Manisha outclassed Denmark’s Cathrine Rosengren 21-12, 21-8. The Indian player dominated throughout the match, securing another moment of glory for the nation.

In the men’s singles SL4 category, France’s Lucas Mazur completely ousted Suhas Yathirajwith a straight-set win in the gold medal match. The para-shuttler went down against the French player after enduring a 9-21, 13-21 defeat.

The 13th medal came from the Indian archer duo Rakesh Kumar and Sheetal Devi. The duo worked hard to clinch the bronze medal in the mixed team compound event with a 156-155 win over Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonnacina of Italy.

As the action shifted from the badminton court to the field of athletics, India javelin thrower Sumit Antil reigned supreme and successfully defended his gold at the Paris Paralympics with a record-breaking throw.

In the men’s javelin throw F64 final, the defending champion broke his record at the Paralympics twice to clinch India’s third gold in the marquee event in Paris.

Indian para-shuttler Nithya Sre Sivan clinched a bronze medal in the women’s SH6 category. She defeated Indonesia’s Rina Marlina 21-14 and 21-6 and got her first-ever medal at the Paralympics.

Para-sprinter Deepthi Jeevanji bagged the 16th medal for India as she won the bronze on Tuesday in the women’s 400m T20 final.

Para-athletes Sharad Kumar and Mariyappan Thangavelu booked a double podium finish for India in the men’s high jump T6 final.

With a leap of 1.88m, Sharad got his hands on a silver medal. His compatriot, Mariyappan, settled for the bronze medal with a leap of 1.85m. America’s Ezra Frech rewrote the Paralympic record to take away the gold with 1.94m, a blockbuster performance.

The double podium finishes continued to rain for India in athletics after Ajeet Singh and Sundar Singh Gurjar claimed silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the men’s javelin throw F46 event at Stade de France.

Sachin Khilari added a silver medal to India’s constantly growing medal tally after delivering a benchmark performance in the men’s shot put F46 final.

Sachin secured the second spot with a 16.32-metre throw, which is also the area best (AB). However, the Indian athlete was unlucky to miss the top spot after getting short of a 0.6m.

India discovered its first-ever archery champion across both the Olympics and Paralympics, with Harvinder Singh getting the top prize in the gold medal clash of the individual recurve para-archery against Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek.

Dharambir added the fifth gold medal in India’s tally by setting an Asian Record with an attempt of 34.92m to take the top honours in the men’s club throw F51 event.

As the game headed towards its climax, Pranav Soorma won the silver medal in the men’s club throw F51 event. He sealed the medal with a 34.59 m throw.

Judoka Kapil Parmar executed the Ippon in 33 seconds to end the contest and take the bronze medal within the blink of an eye in the men’s -60kg J1 event. Kapil’s triumph marked India’s 25th medal in Paris.

In the T64 high jump event, Praveen Kumar raised the tricolour high with an Asian record-breaking jump of 2.08 m, landing India their sixth gold. India finished the competition with seven gold medals, the nation’s highest at any Paralympic event.

The 27th medal was secured by Hokato Hotozhe Sema in the men’s shot put F57 final. Hokato recorded the best throw of 14.65m, his personal best attempt.

Simran Sharma delivered her personal best performance to get her hands on the bronze medal in the women’s 200m T12 final.

The final medal for India in the Paris Paralympics was the one to remember. In a nail-biting affair, Navdeep Singh’s silver medal was upgraded to gold after the initial winner, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Sadegh Beit Sayah, got disqualified from the final. He had initially finished second with a personal-best throw of 47.32m.

Medalists at a Glance:

Gold: Harvinder Singh, Sumit Antil, Dharambir, Praveen Kumar, Navdeep Singh, Nitesh Kumar, Avani Lekhara

Silver: Nishad Kumar, Yogesh Kathuniya, Sharad Kumar, Ajeet Singh, Sachin Khilari, Pranav Soorma, Thulasimathi Murugesan, Suhas Yathiraj, Manish Narwal

Bronze: Sheetal Devi, Rakesh Kumar, Preethi Pal, Deepthi Jeevanji, Mariyappan Thangavelu, Sundar Singh Gurjar, Hokato Hotozhe Sema, Simran Sharma, Manisha Ramadass, Nithya Sre Sivan, Kapil Parmar, Mona Agarwal, Rubina Francis.

World cricket witnesses plenty of talent emerge every year. While some talents turn out to be one-match or one-series wonders, plenty of them still end up instilling hope in fans for another generation of enthralling cricketing action, game-changing skillsets and performances. 2024 was no different as plenty of seasoned veterans called curtains on their career and a new generation is taking shape with every passing day.

Asia continues to produce some of the most promising talent in the world, two of which could form the future generation of ‘Fab Four’ batters, replacing legendary names like Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson, who are in the final stages of their career. Some promising talent have also been unearthed from England as they seek to rebuild following disappointing runs in the ICC World Test Championship, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

New Zealand and West Indies also saw some talent making a name for themselves amid largely disappointing ICC World Test Championship and T20 World Cup outings. With the ICC Champions Trophy to be held early this year and almost every major team in a transitional phase, expect these young talents to finally show what they are truly made of.

Here are some fine talents who had a breakout year in 2024:

Tristan Stubbs (South Africa)

The big-hitting Protean, who captured everyone’s attention with a 28-ball 72 against England back in 2022, could not convert his versatility and talent into consistency. The year 2024 marked a complete turnaround in fortunes for the youngster who can switch gears with the bat effortlessly, bowl some useful off-break spin and keep wickets.

During Cricket South Africa (CSA) domestic four-day competition Division 1, he compiled a triple century for Warriors against KwaZulu-Natal Inland, making 302* in 372 balls, with 37 fours and six sixes. Not only did he stay unbeaten for such a marathon effort, but also showed that red-ball cricket is just as safe as a T20 match for a modern-day batter to apply their audacity and stroke range truly.

Stubbs also did a phenomenal job in franchise leagues, starring in Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) second successive SA20 title win with 301 runs in nine innings at an average of 60.20, a strike rate of over 168 and three half-centuries, top-scoring for the team. A much-better outing took place in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Delhi Capitals (DC), scoring 378 runs in 13 innings at an average of 54.00, a strike rate of 190.00 and three fifties and taking three wickets.

Coming to international cricket, Stubbs is displaying a diverse array of strokes and ability to shift from one format to the other not seen since the days of AB de Villiers. Both his reverse ramps, sweeps and marathon Test knocks remind fans of their most beloved cricketer and they look at him as a heir apparent to ‘Mr 360′. A middle-order batter in white-ball who can finish with some fireworks, Stubbs is shaping up to be Proteas’ next ever-reliable number three batter who can weather any storm.

In 33 international matches in 2024 year, he has made 1,173 runs at an average of 39.10, with three centuries and three fifties in 37 innings. His best score is 122*.

Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka)

Since the retirements of legends Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, the Lankan Lions have been looking for someone who can replicate the hunger for runs these generational superstars of the ‘Golden Age’ and tire out the opposition with their determination and ability to soak up balls.

Kamindu it seems, meets this profile perfectly. While he has delivered very few notable performances in white-ball cricket, his Test form suggests that it is only a matter of time before the left-handed finds comfort in coloured clothing too.

In nine Tests in 2024, Kamindu took the cricketing world by storm due to his unbelievable conversion rate, scoring 1,049 runs in 16 innings at an average of 74.62, a strike rate of over 66. He scored five centuries and three fifties, with the best score of 182*.

He tied with legendary Aussie batter Don Bradman as the second-fastest player to reach 1,000 Test runs in just 13 innings. Kamindu also scored a fifty-plus score in eight successive Tests, which also were the first eight of his career, becoming the first player to do so.

Overall in 33 matches and 36 innings last year, he made 1,451 runs at an average of 50.03, with five centuries and five fifties, with best score of 182*.

Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)

After having made a century on his Test debut, Jaiswal showcased immense promise in both the longest and shortest format of the game in 2023. But last year, the left-hander went a notch further, making his wicket a highly coveted one at the age of just 23.

Jaiswal started off 2024 with a blockbuster series at home against England, top-scoring with 712 runs in five matches and nine innings at an average of 89.00, with two double centuries and three fifties, making a mockery of legendary James Anderson. While a mixed IPL 2024 season followed, with 435 runs at an average of 31 with just one century and fifty in 15 innings, he later went on to be a part of the ICC T20 World Cup-winning Indian squad, bringing the cup back home after 17 years.

In later Test tours against Bangladesh, New Zealand and Australia, Jaiswal grind it out against some of the world’s best bowlers in difficult conditions when the rest of the team was not in their best form, particularly seniors Rohit Sharma and Virat. To a large extent, he has succeeded, top-scoring for India in international cricket this year, with 1,771 runs in 23 matches and 37 innings at an average of 52.08, with three tons and 11 fifties.

A major highlight knock was against Australia at Perth, a marathon knock of 161 runs during which he took the Aussies to cleaners, indulging in audacious hitting and banter against Mitchell Starc. He is India’s highest run-getter in the series so far, with 359 runs in four Tests, one century and two fifties at an average of above 51.

Jamie Smith (England)

After a poor series against India, in which ‘Bazball’ approach of England cricket was defeated by Jasprit Bumrah, Indian spinners and skipper Rohit Sharma-led batch of youngsters, England had a Jonny Bairstow-sized hole to fill, who was failed by the philosophy of attacking ‘see ball, hit ball’ cricket that also gave him one of his career’s best patches.

Enter Jamie during the season-starting series against West Indies. The 24-year-old proved to be quite an upgrade over Bairstow, offering not only a fast scoring rate, brute six hitting, but also a fine ability to bat with tailenders. In nine Tests, he scored 637 runs in 15 innings at an average of 42.46, with a strike rate of 72.30. He scored a century and four fifties, with best score of 111.

In seven ODIs as well, he has made 133 runs at an average of 22.16, with best score of 49 in six innings.

In 18 first-class matches last year, Jamie scored 1,314 runs at an average of 48.66, with a strike rate of above 74, with three centuries and nine fifties in 27 innings. His best score is 155 while playing for Surrey.

Jacob Bethell (England)

England has a fine pool of all-round talent across all forms of the game, with 21-year-old, blonde-haired Jacob Bethell being the latest edition to it. Within four months, the youngster made his debut across all formats for Three Lions and has the makings of a future star, averaging above 50 in Tests and T20Is so far.

Handed a debut in the New Zealand Test series without a first-class cricket century, Bethell proved his doubters wrong with some audacious strokeplay and level-headed temper beyond his age, smashing three half-centuries in the series which England won.

Overall in 18 international matches and 19 innings, Bethell has made 600 runs, averaging 42.00 and with a strike rate of over 91. He has scored six fifties so far with the best score of 96. With his useful spin bowling, Bethell has also taken seven wickets, with best figures of 3/72.

Bethell came into the team after a brilliant T20 Blast season with Warwickshire, making 361 runs in 12 innings at an average of 36.10 and a strike rate of above 153, with four half-centuries. His best score was 71*. He also took six wickets at an average of 14.33.

After his initial international exploits, a good run with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who got him for Rs 2.6 crore in the auction, will only expand Bethell’s repute as a serious hitter and help him develop a massive fanbase.

Saim Ayub (Pakistan)

Amid conversations of players like Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan dragging Pakistan cricket down with a highly conservative, milestone-oriented brand of cricket, this left-handed stroke player in his early 20s could very well be the answer to his nation’s needs.

Some strong outings in Pakistan Super League (PSL) with Peshawar Zalmi in 2023 and 2024 and a breakout Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season with Guyana Warriors in 2023 with 478 runs and four half-centuries in 13 matches, averaging 43.45, striking at over 142, Ayub was handed his debut in 2023.

Despite averaging just above 17 and striking at 123 with no fifty in his first eight T20Is, Ayub was not binned. Rather, he received a strong backing from seniors. The result is a breakout year in 2024, with notable moments across all formats.

In 35 international matches last year, Ayub has scored 1,254 runs at an average of 33.00, a strike rate of over 89, with three centuries and five fifties in 41 innings and his best score being 113*. He has outdone star batter Babar (1,134 runs in 35 matches with eight fifties) and is the second-highest run-getter for Pakistan.

It is his ODI stats that look the most attractive. In nine matches, he has made 515 runs at an average of 64.37, with a strike rate of above 105. He has scored three centuries and a fifty, with the best score of 113*, with two of them coming in South Africa that paved the way for a landmark clean sweep for Pakistan under Rizwan.

Abhishek Sharma (India)

For long, India have prayed for an aggressive, throw-bat-on-everything opener who can maximize the powerplay. In a fresh and welcome change from accumulating ways of the past by Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, this 24-year-old opener from Punjab has the talent and hitting to dismantle any bowling attack.

After a breakthrough, title-winning Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) for Punjab in 2023 (485 runs in 10 matches with a strike rate of over 192.46, two centuries and three fifties), Abhishek truly unlocked and showcased his six-hitting during IPL 2024, forming a successful opening duo with Australia’s Travis Head that tore apart many records in the league.

Abhishek was Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) second-highest run-getter and overall 10th, with 484 runs at an average of 32.26, with three half-centuries in 16 innings, a best score of 75* and a strike rate of above 204. His six count of 42 was also the highest in the tournament and he overtook legendary Virat Kohli’s record for most sixes by an Indian in a single IPL.

Since then, he has made his international debut with his first series being against Zimbabwe after IPL, in which he smashed a quickfire ton within 47 balls. However, his returns have been inconsistent, standing at 256 runs in 11 innings at an average of 23.27, a strike rate of over 171, with a century and a fifty and just three scores of 20 or more.

Shining bright in T20s, he ended 2024 as India’s second-highest run-scoring batter in the format with 1,129 runs in 38 innings at an average of 31.36, with strike rate of 198.07, two centuries and six fifties. His best score was 106*.

While Abhishek has a long way to go in other formats and even in T20s with regards to consistency, performance against pacers and grounded game, India should invest in him as their next opener as he could very well be their best bet for leading a new, attack-oriented generation of T20Is, where scoring rates and sixes are top two priorities.

Gus Atkinson (England)

Though Gus Atkinson got some white-ball experience in 2023 ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup in India, the young pacer truly arrived last year when he was included in the West Indies series.

The home series against West Indies was the farewell series for legendary James Anderson, who retired after the first Test at Lords’ bringing his career to full circle. In a passing-of-touch performance, Atkinson took the baton from the 42-year-old, taking 12 wickets in his debut Test, taking not one, but two five-wicket hauls in a Test innings at Lord’s, a ten-wicket match haul. Later, during the Sri Lanka series, he scored an attacking 118 in 115 balls, with 14 fours and four sixes, becoming the part of elite company to take a five-wicket haul, ten-wicket haul and a century at Lord’s.

Later, during the New Zealand series away from home, a hat-trick made him the fastest player to secure a five-wicket haul, ten-fer, century and hat-trick in Tests in just 10 Tests.

Now in 11 Tests this year, Atkinson took 52 wickets at an average of 22.15, with best figures of 7/45. He secured three five-wicket hauls and one ten-fer. With the bat, he has made 352 runs in 16 innings, averaging 23.46, with a century to his name. His strike rate is 79.10.

William O’Rourke (New Zealand)

With the golden generation of Kiwi pacers: Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Matt Henry slowly riding into the sunset, Kiwis have a worthy heir to these stars in the form of William O’Rourke, the 23-year-old, six-foot-six inch tall pacer who took 40 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 24.45, with best figures of 5/34. He took two five-wicket hauls this year, against South Africa and Sri Lanka. Also, a very crucial spell of his, figures of 4/22 against India in Bengaluru set up the tone for Kiwi’s first-ever series win in India and India’s first Test series loss at home in 12 years, a historic 0-3 whitewash. In 10 Tests, he took 36 wickets at an average of 24.80.

Nitish Kumar Reddy (India)

The 21-year-old all-rounder’s rise has been one of the heartwarming stories of last year. With his parents, particularly his father, sacrificing heavily on personal and professional front for their son’s cricket, Reddy has paid them back in plenty during his first few months as an international player.

After a breakout IPL 2024 season with Sunrisers Hyderabad, scoring 303 runs in 13 matches with two fifties and taking three wickets, Nitish made his India debut against Bangladesh in October, slamming 74 of 34 balls, with four boundaries and seven sixes in his second match.

After being selected into the Indian squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy despite his inexperience and not-so-exciting red-ball stats, he proved his doubters wrong with a dream series so far, having made 294 runs in four matches and seven innings at an average of 49.00 and three wickets, including some fiery cameos and a memorable century at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the Boxing Day Test with his family watching him from the stands.

Whether Nitish emerges as a strong pace-bowling all-round backup to Hardik Pandya is something only time will tell, but there is a lot of promise.

A cricket World Cup, half a dozen Olympic medals and two chess world champions. Year 2024 gave the average Indian sports fan unprecedented reasons to celebrate as peaks outnumbered the valleys in a confident march towards a promising future. Tales that bear repeating were many but the year going by will primarily be remembered for four dates — June 29, July 30, December 12 and December 28. A big step towards the future was the formal expression of intent to host the 2036 Olympics, a move that has the potential to change the sporting landscape of the country.

When sport shone through in its purest form

On a humid and nervy June evening in Barbados, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team won a long-awaited World Cup title after more than a decade of heartbreaks in knockout matches of ICC tournaments, the feat matching the country’s undisputed status as the game’s most influential voice.

A month later, effervescent pistol shooter Manu Bhaker became India’s first athlete post independence to win two Olympic medals in a single edition, showing incredible mental fortitude to exorcise her Tokyo demons and write one of the best redemption stories at the Games.

Also in Paris, one of India’s greatest ever, unassuming javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra embodied excellence like few others and climbed into a galaxy of his own by winning a silver medal, three years after his historic gold at Tokyo Games.

India had hoped for a gold from the reigning world champion, but it was ultimately not to be as he lost to Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem who bettered a Games record that had stood for 16 years, not once but twice.

In the last four months, the chess board became India’s happy hunting ground with both the men’s and women’s teams knocking off Olympiad gold medals for the very first time in September. Individually, D Gukesh and Koneru Humpy then scaled new heights with world titles in December.

While Gukesh dethroned China’s Ding Liren to become the youngest ever world champion at 18 on December 12, the 37-year-old Humpy won the women’s rapid world title for a second time in her career, continuing to be an inspirational tale of perfect balance between motherhood and professional success.

Things like this do not happen often.

Speaking of that, another major highlight of India’s Paris campaign was the hockey team’s second successive medal (bronze), proving that lightening can in fact strike twice.

But then six near-misses in the French capital were also a reminder that plenty more needs to be done before being duly recognised a sporting powerhouse.

Also leaving a lasting impression were the para athletes with their record-breaking feats at the Paris Paralympics, and veteran tennis star Rohan Bopanna’s Australian Open men’s doubles title victory at 44.

Also scripting history was the women’s table tennis team of Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, Ayhika Mukherjee, Suthirtha Mukherjee, and Diya Chitale. They secured India’s first-ever medal (bronze) at the Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

But before the success in the Olympics, the Paralympics, Chess Olympiad and the FIDE World Championship, the Indians were rejoicing in a magnificent title triumph in cricket, which came about after years of disappointments in global tournaments.

Indian cricket reigns supreme on and off field

Displaying absolute dominance, India imposed their collective will upon the world to win a trophy that they so desired, much to the delight of the team’s millions of fans across the globe.

However, while they ended their winless run in global events, India’s 12-year streak of not losing a Test series on home soil snapped in the most embarrassing manner — a 0-3 whitewash to a New Zealand side missing its talisman Kane Williamson.

Amid the euphoria over a massive World Cup triumph, cricket’s financial superpower also tightened its vice-like grip on the game’s governance with Jay Shah’s ascent to the ICC chairmanship after the BCCI reported an overall revenue of Rs 20,686 crore for the 2024 financial year, which is almost Rs 4200 crore more than their revenue in 2023.

Gukesh defies description in memorable year for chess

In winning the FIDE world championship as a teenager, Gukesh shattered the record held by Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he got the better of Anatoly Karpov in 1985.

Gukesh’s triumph in Singapore, as also the country’s double gold medal-winning effort at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, demonstrated India’s growing stature in the game of 64 squares.

And if anymore validation was needed, Humpy provided that in her second world rapid title in New York. She first won it back in 2019, which was followed by a maternity break. The 38-year-old’s inspiring comeback could not have gone better as she While Gukesh almost defied description by achieving a feat as big as this at such a young age, the likes of Arjun Erigaisi (21), Vidit Gujrathi (30) Divya Deshmukh (18) Vantika Agrawal (21), Chennai’s Grandmaster siblings R. Praggnanandhaa (19) and R. Vaishali (23) and veteran Tania Sachdev (38) all showed their wares while playing for sides with frightening depth.

All of them are expected to be the dominant names in international chess, making true Kasparov’s quip after Gukesh’ Candidates win — “Vishy’s children” are on the lose.

Most of them truly are his proteges. The semi-retired Viswanathan Anand, who is also a FIDE vice president now, quietly watched these exploits from behind after single-handedly revolutionising chess in India.

He had a definitive hand in shaping their careers and the players have duly acknowledged his role too.

A striking aspect of these success stories in chess, including the world championship wins, was that none of them came as a surprise thanks to a structure that is probably one of the best in the world.

Six medals and as many near-misses

India could have rewritten Olympic history in Paris but eventually settled for a 71st position among the 206 participating nations with six medals, including one silver and five bronze.

The Games will be remembered as much for the six medals as the six fourth-place finishes that resulted in heartbreaks. Most of the medals missed were by a whisker.

This is the joint-second best haul along with London 2012 and one behind last time’s Tokyo, where seven, including a gold, were won.

There were also silver linings such as shooting getting back among the medals and back-to-back bronze from the men’s hockey team, something that happened after a long gap of 50 years.

Having missed on the final after a narrow loss to Germany, Harmanpreet Singh’s India regrouped to beat Spain 2-1 and claim their second successive Olympic medal.

After her individual success, Manu partnered Sarabjot Singh to win the bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event.

Swapnil Kusale continued shooting’s resurgence by winning India’s first medal in the 50m 3 Positions — a bronze.

The 21-year-old Aman Sehrawat maintained wrestling’s medal streak — since 2008 Beijing — by finishing third on the podium in men’s 57kg freestyle.

The list of near-misses comprised, among others, Lakshya Sen, Mirabai Chanu, Arjun Babuta and Bhaker herself as she stood a great chance of becoming the first ever Indian athlete to win a hat-trick of medals at an Olympic Games.

Then, what seemed like a definite gold medal slipped through Vinesh Phogat’s grasp due to a cruel twist of fate as she ended up being disqualified for being 100gm overweight on the morning of the final, leading to a protracted legal battle which did not pan out in the manner she had wanted it to.

The never-ending administrative chaos in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) also had a hand in pulling down what was once a flourishing sport in the country.

The unstoppable rise of para athletes

It was a year of validation for those who have supported the Paralympic movement in India. The country’s contingent bagged 29 medals at Paris 2024 for their most successful campaign ever at the Games.

India finished 18th on the overall medals table, and in all, they won seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze.

The likes of Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil, Mariyappan Thangavelu, Sheetal Devi, Nitesh Kumar, Praveen Kumar, Navdeep Singh, Sheetal Devi, Harvinder Singh and Dharambir to name a few from the contingent of 84 athletes, emerged as new heroes after their exploits in Paris.

Mixed bag off the field

On the administrative front, the ambitious bid to host the Olympics was set in motion and a long-pending national sports bill entered the final phase of being shaped into a policy but there was no end to the bickering and turf wars that have become the hallmark of Indian sports.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has been a faction-ridden body for the longest time and the PT Usha-led current dispensation has been no exception.

The sprint legend found herself pitted against 12 members of the 15-strong Executive Council, and an ugly spat over the appointment of a CEO marred the whole of 2024.

But as has been case for many years, Indian sports has managed to flourish despite the system, riding on the sacrifices of individuals and their families most often.

The challenge going forward would be to ensure that the system steps in before it’s too late.

Shooter Manu Bhaker opened India’s medal tally at the Paris 2024 Olympics, making history by securing third place in the women’s individual 10m air pistol event. She became the first-ever woman shooter from India to win an Olympic medal, adding a significant milestone to her already illustrious career. In Paris, Bhaker secured two bronze medals in the shooting events, becoming the first Indian athlete in the post-independence era to achieve this feat in a single edition of the Olympics. This remarkable accomplishment was held by Norman Pritchard, who won two medals at the 1900 Paris Games.

Bhaker, alongside Sarabjot Singh, clinched her second bronze in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event. The duo displayed exceptional consistency, defeating South Korea’s Lee Wonho and Oh Ye Jin with a score of 16-10 in the bronze medal play-off match. Their victory marked India’s first-ever shooting team medal at the Olympics.

Despite narrowly missing out on a historic treble by finishing fourth in the women’s 25m pistol event, Bhaker’s achievements in Paris cement her status as the most successful Indian woman shooter in history. Her career is already decorated with gold medals from the World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Youth Olympic Games.

This success comes after the heartbreak of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where a pistol malfunction denied Bhaker a shot at a medal in the same event. Her resilience and determination have now propelled her to the pinnacle of Indian shooting sports.

Born on February 18, 2002, in Jhajjar, Haryana, Bhaker initially pursued a variety of sports, including tennis, skating, and boxing. She also excelled in ‘thang ta’, a form of martial arts, winning medals at the national level before dedicating herself to shooting.

India’s overall performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics was commendable, securing a total of six medals–one silver and five bronze. Swapnil Kusale contributed to the tally with a bronze medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event. The Indian men’s hockey team added to the medal count by winning back-to-back bronze medals for the first time in 52 years, defeating Spain 2-1.

In track and field, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra narrowly missed defending his Tokyo gold medal, but he brought home a silver with a throw of 89.45m. Wrestler Aman Sehrawat, making his Olympic debut, clinched a bronze medal with a 13-5 victory over Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz.

India’s impressive haul at the Paris 2024 Olympics underscores the country’s growing prowess in a diverse range of sports, setting a promising precedent for future competitions.

A lot can happen in 12 months, and it did for Indian cricket in 2024. An 11-year ICC title drought ended with the 2024 T20 World Cup title triumph but that high was soon followed by the T20I retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja, setting the stage for a transition phase. If the T20 World Cup win was the high note, the Indian cricket team was brought down to earth as it slumped to a rare Test series clean sweep at home against New Zealand. Off the field, BCCI secretary Jay Shah became the ICC chairman. And just when one thought that there would no more big headlines from Indian cricket in 2024, Ravichandran Ashwin – the world’s highest wicket-taker among active bowlers – announced a sudden retirement mid-series in Australia. 

T20 World Cup triumph 

After the 2013 Champions Trophy win under MS Dhoni, Indian cricket touched many highs but an ICC trophy was missing. His successor Virat Kohli could not win a single ICC title as captain and then Rohit Sharma took over. But success was nowhere to be found as India lost the 2023 World Cup final and the World Test Championship title clash. But it all changed at the 2024 T20 World Cup in West Indies, where India lifted trophy unbeaten. 

It was India’s first T20 World Cup win in 17 long years and their first ICC title in 11 years. 

Trio retires 

Right after the final the big trio – Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja – announced their retirements from the shortest format of the game. While Kohli and Rohit retired as two of the highest run-scorers in T20Is, Jadeja would be remembered for his three dimensional game. The retirement of the veterans opened the gates for youngsters to take charge in the T20I team under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav.

The T20 World Cup was also Rahul Dravid‘s last assignment as Indian cricket team coach. After him, Gautam Gambhir took over as the new head coach. 

Clean-sweeped at home

The T20 World Cup win was soon followed by a crushing loss at home. New Zealand became the first team in the history of the game to beat India 3-0 in their own home in a 3-match series. That loss raised question marks on seniors like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. New coach Gautam Gambhir also came under fire. 

Jay Shah becomes ICC chairman

Jay Shah, who had been serving as the BCCI secretary, became ICC chairman in December 2024. He is the fifth Indian after Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan and Shashank Manohar to head the world cricket body. 

“I am honoured to take on the role of ICC Chair and grateful for the support and trust of the ICC Directors and Member Boards,” Shah said in a statement. “This is an exciting time for the sport as we prepare for the LA28 Olympic Games and work to make cricket more inclusive and engaging for fans worldwide.

“We are at a critical juncture with the coexistence of multiple formats and the need to accelerate the growth of the women’s game. Cricket holds immense potential globally, and I look forward to working closely with the ICC team and Member countries to seize these opportunities and take the sport to new heights.” 

Ashwin retires 

Many predicted Ravichandran Ashwin to surpass Anil Kumble‘s tally of 619 wickets in Tests, but it was not to be so. At 537 wickets, Ashwin decided to hang his boots quite abruptly in the middle of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. With two Tests still remaining in the series, Ashwin’s timing of retirement was questioned by Sunil Gavaskar. 

Regarding the situation leading up to the retirement, India captain Rohit Sharma said: “It just happened so that if you know where he felt that, ‘if I’m not needed right now in the series, I’m better off.”

Gold eluded him and so did the 90m mark but Neeraj Chopra was the undisputed star of Indian athletics for yet another year even as the sport itself continued a long-standing battle with dope cheats while trying to assert itself internationally by bringing big-ticket events to the country. The 26-year-old javelin throw superstar failed to defend his Olympic gold but became the most successful Indian athlete across disciplines in individual sports with his silver medal in the Paris Games. He also finished second in the prestigious Diamond League Finale.

Creditably, he achieved both the accolades while carrying an injury. A nagging adductor niggle (a problem related to thigh muscles) troubled him in the run-up to Paris Olympics and a fracture in his left hand hit him ahead of DL Finale. Chopra later said that his injury is fine.

He was beaten for the Olympic gold by Pakistani Arshad Nadeem, who surprised the world with a Games record throw of 92.97m.

In the DL Finale, Anderson Peters of Grenada, who was struggling after back-to-back world crowns in 2019 and 2022, completed his comeback by winning the title.

Lessons for Chopra

Chopra and those who have followed his growth have been obsessed with the 90m mark. There is never an interaction where the Panipat-based lad is not asked when and how he would breach it.

He came reasonably close twice this year, one occasion being the Olympic finals, but it was not to be.

India’s golden boy, whose personal best is 89.94m, has gone for a new coach keeping in mind the World Championships next year.

Steering him the coming season would be none other than world record holder and three-time Olympic gold-medallist Jan Zelezny, without doubt the greatest javelin thrower in history.

This was after Chopra parted ways with 75-year-old German biomechanics expert Klaus Bartonietz with whom he was associated for five years, winning a gold and a silver each in the Olympics and the World Championships.

His season still some months away, Chopra is resting and recuperating for now but he is well aware that every move he makes after this break would be closely tracked.

Likes of Sable and men’s 4x400m quartet disappoint

India’s top 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable failed to go beyond winning medals at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. He finished 11th in the Paris Olympics final.

Another highlight for him was making it to the Diamond League Finale, after a few higher-ranked competitors pulled out. But he couldn’t really set the stage on fire and ended up in ninth place.

Another world class athlete, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar missed the Olympics due to a knee injury and subsequent surgery.

The men’s 4x400m relay team set an Asian record of 3:00.25 at the Tokyo Olympics and followed it up by challenging USA’s aura of invincibility at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest where another Asian record of 2:59.05 was set.

The Athletics Federation of India had high hopes of the relay team achieving something big at the Paris Olympics but team failed to even reach the finals.

Hall of Shame

The menace of doping did not leave Indian athletics and the country’s credibility of its continued to dwindle internationally.

The World Anti-Doping Agency named India as the second worst after Russia in a 10-year global study of positive doping cases by minors. Among the stars to let the country down was 2016 Rio Olympian quarter-miler Nirmala Sheoran, who copped an eight-year ban for a second dope offence.

Hammer thrower Rachna Kumari was banned for 12 years for failing multiple dope tests conducted by the international federation’s Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). Distance runner G Lakshmanan (for whereabouts failure) and sprinter Himani Chandel were handed handed two and four-year bans respectively.

Rising javelin thrower DP Manu failed a dope test ahead of Paris Olympics., while former national record holding race walker Bhawna Jat was handed a 16-month ban for ”whereabouts failure”.

‘Middle distance runner Parvej Khan, who made headlines with his exploits at the NCAA circuit in the USA, also failed a dope test along with Asian Games 4x400m relay gold-winning quarter-miler VK Vismaya.

National Record Breakers

There were some national records broken too. Sable continued to be his own competitor in men’s 3000m steeplechase, clocking 8:09.91sec during the Paris Diamond League for a new national mark.

Akshdeep Singh (men’s 20km race walk), Gulveer Singh (men’s 5,000m and 10000m), KM Deeksha (women’s 1500m), and Abha Khatua (women’s shot put) were also among those who bettered national records in their respective events.

Global events come to India

India will host the World Athletics Continental Tour bronze level meet in Bhubaneswar on August 10, 2025.

The Continental Tour is an annual series of international track and field competitions, which forms the second tier of one-day meetings after the prestigious Diamond League.

This will be the first global athletics meet to be hosted by India after the international permit meets in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and the World Half Marathon Championships in 2004.

India has also submitted its bid for the 2028 World U20 Championships. The country last year expressed its interest to host the 2029 World Championships, and the bidding process is likely to start early 2025.

But with issues like doping still a massive problem with no firm solution in sight, it remains to be seen whether the Indian athletics story manages to find success beyond Chopra’s individual brilliance.

The year 2024 was one to remember for Kolkata Knight Riders as they clinched their third Indian Premier League title and first in the last 10 years. KKR won IPL trophies back in 2012 and 2014 but what followed was a long drought for the side. During this period, the closest KKR came to the coveted title was in 2021, when they lost to Chennai Super Kings in the final in Dubai. 2024 was a different story. The Shreyas Iyer-led KKR registered a one-sided victory over SunRisers Hyderabad in the summit clash to claim its third title.

The dominance of KKR throughout the tournament was simply amazing as the side thrashed finalists SRH thrice in the tournament. First in the league stage, then in the Qualifier 1 and finally in the final. KKR won the final by 8 wickets and 57 balls to spare and Qualifier 1 by 8 wickets and 38 balls to spare.

Fast forward to October 31 and Shreyas Iyer, KKR’s title-winning captain, could not find a place for himself in the team as he was not retained by the franchise. Interestingly, IPL 2024 was the best season for Iyer in terms of average and strike rate. He played 14 matches and scored 351 runs at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 146.86.

Three-time champions KKR retained six players. Rinku Singh was the first-choice for KKR at a price of Rs 13 crore, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell all three were paid Rs 12 crore each, while Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh got Rs 4 crore apiece.

Destiny had better plans for Shreyas Iyer and the batter soon found it out at the IPL 2025 Auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The franchises broke banks while bidding for Iyer. For a brief duration, he even went on to become the costliest player in IPL history. Punjab Kings bought the batter for a massive sum of Rs 26.75 crore, surpassing the record of Mitchell Starc‘s 24.75 crore.

This was, however, not the biggest sum splurged for a player in the IPL 2025 Auction as minutes later, Rishabh Pant was sold to Lucknow Super Giants for a massive sum of Rs 27 crore. He too was released by his franchise Delhi Capitals ahead of the bidding war.

While Pant was expected to get such a big amount, Shreyas surprised many. What was even more surprising was the fact that KKR bought Venkatesh at the bidding war for a massive sum of Rs 23.75 crore despite having no Right-To-Match card. These stars turned out to be the three costliest players sold in IPL 2025 auction. Pant and Shreyas even registered an all-time record of becoming the top-two costliest players in IPL.