Welcome to ESPN India's daily blog, where we aim to bring you all the news from the dynamic world of Indian sports: from the wide variety of Olympic sports to franchise leagues.
July has plenty of sporting action taking place - which you can find listed out in ESPN India's sporting calendar.
Football: India (M) to face Vietnam and Lebanon in October friendlies
Following their exit from FIFA World Cup Qualifying, India are filling the gaps in their international windows with a Tri-Nation tournament in October. Vietnam (WR 116) will host the event, with India (WR 124) also facing Lebanon (WR 117).
October 9: Vietnam vs India
October 12: India vs Lebanon
October 15: Vietnam vs Lebanon
Football: AIFF ExCo to meet on football roadmap following I-League clubs raising concerns
The AIFF's executive committee will meet next week to discuss how the roadmap of Indian football agreed upon in 2019 could be implemented in full after the I-League Clubs Association sent a letter to the federation, raising concerns on a few key issues.
Under the Indian football roadmap agreed upon by the stakeholders in 2019 with the involvement of the continental body, the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL) was to have relegation from the upcoming 2024-25 season onwards, but nothing is known in the public domain till now regarding this. The ISL starts on September 14. The other part of the roadmap has been fulfilled as I-League champions of 2022-23 season -- Punjab FC -- have been promoted to the ISL (2023-24) season. Mohammedan Sporting, the 2023-24 I-League champions, are also promoted to the ISL (2024-25 season).
In a letter to the All India Football Federation chief and executive committee members, I-League Clubs Association president Ranjit Bajaj has threatened legal action if the AIFF does not follow the Indian football roadmap.
"Reneging on the written commitments made to the I-League clubs to follow the Indian Football Roadmap presented by the AFC would constitute a serious breach of trust," Bajaj wrote in the letter.
"Moreover, any deviation from the declarations made before the Supreme Court of India by AIFF and FSDL would amount to contempt of court. The counsel for AIFF, alongside FSDL's counsel, has clearly submitted that the top league of the country will adhere to the principles of promotion and relegation. Failing to honor these promises will compel us to approach the Supreme Court with a contempt petition against AIFF and FSDL." When contacted, AIFF's acting general secretary M Satyanarayan said the executive committee will discuss the matter in a meeting to be held in the next 7-10 days.
"It's a sub judice matter but the AIFF Exco will meet in the next 7-10 days to discuss how to best find a resolution to the issue," he told PTI.
"The promotion of I-League winner to ISL has been fulfilled. The relegation part is interlinked to the ISL having 14 teams and this season (2024-25) will have 13 teams only. There is some confusion. But, we will discuss the matter in the executive committee meeting." He also hinted that the issue is a little bit complex as the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between the AIFF and the FSDL -- the ISL organisers -- ends next year.
"We don't know what will happen to the MRA also, whether they (FSDL) are going to continue or new people are going to come. All these things are linked up to what happens to the MRA and what happens in the court. "So, we have to take account of all these things, But, the I-League clubs are our clubs and we have to take care of them also. We will know what is the stance of the FSDL and then we will take an informed decision."
Hockey: Harmanpreet aims to bring back gold medal from Paris Olympics
Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh is desperate to reclaim the gold medal in the upcoming Paris Olympics in his bid to give a fitting tribute to the country and stalwarts of the game.
Eight-time Olympic champions India won an Olympic medal, a bronze, after 41 years in the Tokyo Olympics to revive the golden days of the sport in the country, and come 2024 Paris, the Harmanpreet-led side is chasing nothing less than a gold.
"We are giving our all to elevate our history and legacy. Winning the gold will be a tribute to India and our seniors," the ace drag-flicker said in an exclusive feature on JioCinema's 'The Dreamers.'
Harmanpreet's predecessor Manpreet Singh, under whose leadership India bagged the historic bronze in Tokyo, echoed similar sentiments.
"Seeing our flag on the right, I felt we could strive harder to place it at the centre next time, with our anthem playing. This marks the beginning of our renewed journey," he said.
Veteran India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh highlighted the relentless drive and collective spirit of the team.
"Someone somewhere is training to beat you. That thought pushes me out of my comfort zone. Every time I train, I am driven by the desire not to disappoint the 1.4 billion people of our country.
"There was a time when Indian hockey relied on individual brilliance, but now we play as a cohesive unit, and that transformation has been key to our success on the international stage," Sreejesh said.
India's chief coach Craig Fulton broke down the team's mentality, philosophy, and strategy, which helps them go toe-to-toe with some of the best sides in the world. "There isn't a team that this Indian team hasn't beaten. The question you could also be asking is -- what do the other teams have to do to beat India?
"The whole philosophy in my mind is to defend, to counter, and to win - having a team that can defend against the best teams in the world but then counterattack from anywhere. And that's in the DNA of this Indian team," the South African said.
Chess: Praggnanandhaa draws with Bogdan-Daniel, Alireza shines in Superbet Classic chess round 6
R Praggnanandhaa was held to a draw by lowest-ranked Deac Bogdan-Daniel of Romania in the sixth round of the Superbet Classic tournament, while Alireza Firouzja shined with his moves against Wesley So of the United States. D Gukesh played out a draw with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France.
With just three rounds remaining in the USD 350000 prize money tournament, Caruna seems to be sitting pretty at the top, with three aspirants in Gukesh Praggnanandhaa and Alireza in pursuit.
Results after round 6: R Praggnaanandhaa (IND, 3.5) drew with Deac Bogdan-Daniel (ROM, 2); Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA, 3) drew with D Gukesh (IND, 3.5); Fabiano Caruana (USA, 4) drew with Ian Nepomnichtchi (FID, 3); Alireza Firouzja (FRA, 3.5) beat Wesley So (USA, 2).
Badminton: Satwik-Chirag look ahead to Paris Olympics
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have "cracked" the service variation challenge and are focussing on "comprehensive physical and mental conditioning" to ensure peak performance at the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Satwik, 23, and Chirag, 26, have been troubled by the wide variations of tumble, spin and wide serves that their opponents, mainly the Koreans and Indonesians, have employed against them during the recent tournaments.
"Regarding serve variations, they are a new challenge, but placing complete importance on that wouldn't be right," Chirag told PTI in an email interview. "There was a time when we struggled with receiving them, but we eventually cracked it. We know what to do, we've been practicing, and we're confident we'll come out strong at the Olympics to counter that."
"The experience of playing in the Tokyo Olympics has been invaluable in our preparation for the Paris Games. Competing at such a high level has taught us crucial lessons about handling pressure, staying focused, and adapting to different playing conditions," Satwik said.
Chirag added: "The intensity and atmosphere of the Olympics are unparalleled, and having been through it once, we now have a better understanding of what to expect and the initial jitters of being at the Olympics for the first time are also not going to be there. Additionally, winning the French Open has naturally given us a significant confidence boost."
"As the Olympics draw closer, our approach is becoming more focussed and strategic. We're fine-tuning every aspect of our game to ensure peak performance when we step onto the court in Paris," Satwik said. "This includes developing specific game plans for our potential opponents by studying their strengths and weaknesses in detail, concentrating on targeted drills, and enhancing our on-court positions and shot selections. We are taking a holistic approach to our preparations. We're in a good rhythm and are eagerly looking forward to be back at the Olympics. Comprehensive physical and mental conditioning is at the heart of our preparation."
On expectations and handling pressure at the big-ticket event, Satwik said: "We understand Olympics is the greatest, biggest tournament there is and naturally there are hopes and wishes from each Olympic-bound athlete.
"We don't want to think so much about the pressures, we're looking to go out there, enjoy the atmosphere, have a great time on court and take it one game at a time and see how it goes. We do not want to put ourselves under any pressure from the word go. We're used to the expectations and pressures that come along in our game... we're primarily looking to go out there and do great things on the court and have fun while doing that."
Tennis: Nagal reacts to Wimbledon first-round exit
Sumit Nagal feels he had the momentum in the third set of the Wimbledon first-round tie against higher-ranked Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia but his relative inexperience on grass cost him the match.
The 26-year-old Indian, who is set to participate in his second Olympics in less than a month, lost the Wimbledon men's singles opener to Kecmanovic, ranked 19 places higher than him, in a marathon four-setter lasting nearly three-and-a-half hours. Nagal lost 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6.
"This is my first main draw at Wimbledon, and playing on the grass surface is not easy; you need a bit of experience. But I think I did whatever I could, I fought hard. I felt like I could have served better, and there were a few things here and there in the match I could have done better," Nagal told Star Sports.
"Later on in the third set, the momentum was kind of shifting towards me. I think, like I said, if I could have broken him at 5-3, him serving, I think the match could have changed in a funny way. It was a great experience. Obviously, when you play for three, three-and-a-half hours, you always feel like, 'this could have been done or that could have been done.' But like I said, if I could have changed things in the third set, I would have really liked that (broken the opponent at 5-3)."
"I keep on climbing the rankings. There are a few goals that I need to finish, and that will be one of them - to keep on climbing the rankings. Now, I'm going back on clay to get ready for Paris. I'm looking forward to it; it's going to be my second Olympics, and I'm super, super excited for it."
Billiards: Pankaj Advani off to winning start in 2024 Asian Billiards Championships
Pankaj Advani started his campaign at the 2024 Asian Billiards Championship on a high, notching victories over Aung Phyo and Yuttapop Pakpoj in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 38-year-old, who is vying for a hat-trick of Asian Billiards titles, first beat Myanmar's Aung Phyo 4-2 and then emerged victorious in a thrilling clash over Thailand's Pakpoj 4-3.
"It is always good to start a tournament on a positive note. These two victories have boosted my confidence and I have my eyes set on my target. Given that the sport is quite unpredictable, I am not taking anything for granted," Advani said.
What's on today?
Indian athletes step up their Olympic prep for Paris 2024.
What happened yesterday?
Athletics: Yarraji set to be first Indian 100m hurdler in Olympics
Football: Jamshedpur, Shillong to be new venues for Durand Cup beginning in Kolkata on July 27
Football: AIFF confirms relegation of NEROCA and TRAU from I-League
Wimbledon: Sumit Nagal exits in Wimbledon first round
You can find the details of yesterday's news events here