Wednesday, January 22
D Gukesh triumphed in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025 opener against Anish Giri, despite Giri's early advantage. Gukesh's strategic play led to a victory following a pivotal mistake by Giri. Other matches saw mixed results for Indian players, with Praggnanandhaa drawing and Leon Luke Mendonca losing. Highlights included a quick win for Rameshbabu Vaishali in the Challengers section.
Anish Giri faced a tough start in the Masters at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, losing to World Chess Champion D Gukesh. Giri's early control vanished after a critical mistake, which Gukesh exploited effectively. Gukesh, unaffected by his recent busy schedule, now prepares for Round 2 against Vladimir Fedoseev, while Giri faces Arjun Erigaisi next.
Former cricketer Suresh Raina believes Rohit Sharma's team can replicate MS Dhoni's 2013 Champions Trophy victory. However, he criticizes the exclusion of Suryakumar Yadav, pointing out his significant impact and flexibility in the middle order. The tournament begins on February 19, 2025, with India's first match against Bangladesh. On Saturday, India men's cricket team Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma unveiled the 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, set to begin on February 19 in Karachi.
Carlos Alcaraz reached the Australian Open quarter-finals as Jack Draper retired due to injury, with Alcaraz leading 7-5, 6-1 amidst high temperatures. Despite Draper's earlier comebacks, his heavy court time took a toll. Alcaraz aims to win his first Australian Open title and awaits the winner of Djokovic vs. Lehecka.
A severe crash occurred during Australia's Tour Down Under cycling race, resulting in a female spectator being hospitalised with serious injuries. Cyclists collided with barricades, causing one rider to fly into the crowd. South Australia state Premier described it as an 'awful, freak accident.' The men's classic sprint race accident happened before the main six-stage event.
American tennis star Coco Gauff expressed her sadness over the ban of TikTok in the US by writing 'RIP TikTok USA' after winning at the Australian Open. Gauff, who frequently posted on TikTok, reflected on the app's role in supporting small businesses and creators. The ban follows a federal law requiring its parent company to sell the platform.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra comments on Shubman Gill's vice-captaincy selection for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and England ODIs. He expresses concern over Yashasvi Jaiswal's omission from the T20I series against England. Chopra praises the inclusion of Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and highlights Hardik Pandya's importance in the squad.
Indian cricket veterans, including Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, and Gautam Gambhir, stress the importance of Ranji Trophy participation to aid players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in regaining form. Despite a packed international schedule, players commit to participating in domestic matches when possible. When asked about this during the press conference for the Champions Trophy and England ODI series squad announcement, Rohit responded, "Yes, I will."
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra comments on Shubman Gill's vice-captaincy selection for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and England ODIs. He expresses concern over Yashasvi Jaiswal's omission from the T20I series against England. Chopra praises the inclusion of Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and highlights Hardik Pandya's importance in the squad.
Ravindra Jadeja will play for Saurashtra in their next Ranji Trophy match against Delhi at Rajkot, starting Jan 23. In addition to Jadeja, other top Indian players, including Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill, will also participate in various Ranji matches. The BCCI emphasizes domestic match participation for player eligibility and central contracts.
