Sports

India’s overconfidence ends in humbling rout

Published

2 years ago

2024/11/5

Virat Kohli walks back to the pavilion after being run out in the third Test against New Zealand in Bombay. One of the greats of modern-day cricket, Kohli may have played his last Test match in India.

by Rex Clementine

Last month, it seemed all but certain that India would be booking their tickets to the World Test Championship final at Lord’s next June. But after a crushing 3-0 whitewash on home soil, India’s hopes are now hanging by a thread. They’re staring down a steep mountain, needing four wins in Australia just to keep their campaign alive. It’s fair to say that India have cooked their goose – even a 3-2 series victory down under won’t be enough to salvage the situation. But how did it come to this against New Zealand? India, a team with a proud 90-year history in Test cricket, has never been swept in a home series – until now.

New Zealand landed in Bangalore fresh from a 2-0 drubbing in Sri Lanka, missing their talisman Kane Williamson due to injury. Their captain, Tim Southee, had even stepped down following the Sri Lankan debacle, handing the reins to Tom Latham. To say they were down in the dumps would be an understatement.

India seemed to have underestimated the Kiwis. A deadly thing to do in sports. When relentless rain had soaked Bangalore’s pitch into a seamer’s paradise, India’s decision to bat first raised a few eyebrows. Their batters looked like sitting ducks against Matt Henry and William O’Rourke, who shared nine wickets and skittled India for a meager 46. New Zealand took a 1-0 lead, prompting India to prepare spinning tracks for the Pune and Bombay Tests.

In hindsight, that move was akin to digging their own grave. India’s batsmen had recently struggled on Sri Lanka’s turning pitches, so opting for spin-friendly tracks was a gamble they weren’t equipped to handle.

You’d expect India, a team reared on subcontinent surfaces, to be comfortable on turning tracks. But modern cricket’s obsession with T20s on flat decks has seen players lose touch with the finer nuances of batting on slow turners. Gone are the soft hands, nimble footwork, and deft use of the crease that once defined Indian batsmanship. In their place, we see rushed shots and over-eager sweeps that betray a lack of comfort and confidence. During the second and third Tests, these crucial skills were nowhere to be seen.

Virat Kohli, one of the modern-day greats, managed just a solitary half-century while recording four single-digit scores. The Kohli we once knew, with an average sitting comfortably in the mid-50s, has declined sharply, now down to 47. He turns 36 today, and this series may well mark the beginning of the end. Even his journey to the hallowed 10,000-run mark in Tests is now under question. Kohli’s dismissals were emblematic of India’s broader issues – bowled by a Mitchell Santner full toss in Pune, then run out in Bombay attempting a suicidal single just two overs before stumps. Such lapses in concentration are unheard of from a player with Kohli’s meticulous attention to detail.

Rohit Sharma, too, managed just one half-century, and at 37, he may be bowing out alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. The golden era of Indian cricket could be drawing to a close, sooner than anyone expected.

Technically, the skill gap against spin was glaring. With key players missing from the Ranji Trophy, a crucial breeding ground for temperament in red-ball cricket, India’s batsmen have been left underprepared for the demands of Test match spin. There’s also a certain air of arrogance in Indian cricket these days, and it’s more visible than ever. That’s why figures like Rahul Dravid or VVS Laxman, players who embodied humility and focus, are so important to keep the team grounded.

With Dravid as Head Coach, India’s planning was meticulous – the kind that prevents embarrassing losses. But under new coach Gautam Gambhir, the cracks have shown. A first series loss to Sri Lanka in 27 years, followed by a maiden home whitewash against New Zealand, speaks volumes.

Consider India’s approach when they desperately needed to avoid a whitewash. Yashasvi Jaiswal, trying a reverse sweep in the penultimate over of the day, was bowled. Then, Mohammed Siraj was sent in as a nightwatchman, ahead of capable batters like Ashwin, Jadeja, and even Washington Sundar. Siraj was cleaned up first ball, burning a review in the process. What followed was chaos – Kohli walked in under the gun and was promptly run out. In five minutes of mayhem, India unraveled, a seasoned side behaving like novices.

The arrogance here is striking. It’s like watching a boxer drop his guard too soon, taunting his opponent only to get knocked out by a left hook. Arrogance in sports can be like that – it lures you into a false sense of security, then blindsides you at the worst possible moment. India’s refusal to play conservatively when the situation demanded it was akin to throwing caution to the wind – and they paid dearly.

India must confront these issues head-on. A grueling tour of Australia looms on the horizon, and if they don’t shore up their defenses, they’re in for more heartache. The clock is ticking, and for a team accustomed to dominating, the hardest lesson of all might be learning to respect the basics again.

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Business

PEOTV secures media rights for FIFA World Cup

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/6

Priyan

SLT-MOBITEL PEOTV, Sri Lanka’s pioneering Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service provider and leading digital entertainment platform, announced a landmark partnership with Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), securing the exclusive media broadcasting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Sri Lanka.

The strategic partnership marks one of the most significant sports media acquisitions in the country’s broadcasting landscape, granting SLT-MOBITEL PEOTV exclusive rights to deliver every match of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ to audiences across Sri Lanka. Through PEOTV, PEO MOBILE, and digital platforms, football fans nationwide will have unparalleled access to the world’s most prestigious sporting event, ensuring they experience every moment of the tournament live, from the opening match to the final championship.

The acquisition of FIFA World Cup 2026™ rights represents another significant milestone in SLT-MOBITEL PEOTV’s continued investment in premium sports broadcasting. Over the years, PEOTV has built a strong reputation for delivering major international sporting events, offering customers reliable, high-quality coverage and enhanced viewing experiences through advanced IPTV technology. Viewers will enjoy the tournament in true High Definition (HD), delivering exceptional picture quality and an immersive viewing experience. Whether watching from home through PEOTV, on the move via PEO MOBILE, or through digital access points, fans can follow every defining goal and unforgettable celebration throughout the competition.

The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is set to make history as the largest edition of the tournament ever staged, with 104 matches featuring 48 nations competing across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Expected to captivate billions of viewers worldwide, the tournament represents the pinnacle of international football and stands among the most celebrated sporting events on the global calendar.

Latest News

Iran footballers issued US visas for World Cup, says White House

Published

6 hours ago

2026/06/6

Priyan

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei will lead side at World Cup 2026 [Aljazeera]

Iran’s World Cup football players have been granted visas to enter the United States, according to a White House official, just 10 days before their first match in Los Angeles amid a conflict between ⁠the two countries.

Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, said late on Thursday the squad had still not received their US visas, but these were granted overnight, the White House official said.

US Ambassador to Turkiye Tom Barrack confirmed the visas in a message on X on Friday. “Proud of our outstanding team at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara for their work processing visas for Iran’s national football team on their road to the @FIFAWorldCup in the United States,” he said, commenting on a news report that Iran’s World Cup players have been granted the visas to enter the United States.

The US had not yet issued visas to some members of the Iran team’s technical and administrative staff, the semi-official Fars news agency ‌reported on Friday.

Iran’s federation has not yet made a statement on the news.

“Visas for some members of the national team’s technical and executive staff have not yet been issued, and the US embassy has so far refused to issue them,” Fars said, without citing a source.

The US-Israel war on Iran has turned the World Cup – the biggest global sporting event – into a geopolitical contest, with both sides appearing to use the tournament for political posturing.

It is the first World Cup, since its inception in 1930, in which a host nation is set to receive a country it is at war with.

Tehran negotiated a last-minute move of the team’s base from Arizona ⁠to Tijuana in Mexico due to the visa issues and a growing feeling in Iran ⁠that the squad’s presence in the United States should be kept to a minimum.

They are scheduled to land in Tijuana early on Sunday.

Iran are due to play their first Group G match on June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles, where they will also face Belgium before taking on ⁠Egypt in Seattle.

The US has never formally said it does not want the Iranian team to stay on its territory, Ambassador Pasandideh said.

However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on ⁠Tuesday that the US would not allow Iran to include in its World Cup ⁠delegation individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful branch of the Iranian armed forces.

Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s football federation, was denied entry for the tournament draw in Washington in December. He is a former commander in the Revolutionary Guards.

Iran’s desire to compete in the World Cup underscored its efforts ‌to reach a resolution in the war with Washington, Pasandideh said.

“Iran’s participation in the World Cup – even on the soil of what is seen as its enemy – shows that Iran seeks peace,” Pasandideh said, speaking through a Spanish interpreter at the ‌Iranian ‌embassy in Mexico City.

Progress in peace talks between Iran and the US has been slow, with both sides seemingly inching towards an interim agreement even as they continue to carry out military strikes

[Aljazeera]

Sports

Dinara, Yuhansa and Aahil advance to ITF J30 Week 2 semi-finals

Published

7 hours ago

2026/06/6

Thilina Walpola

Yuhansa Peiris

Sri Lanka’s rising tennis stars continued their impressive run at the ITF Junior J30 Circuit Week 2 tournament being played at the SSC courts, with Dinara de Silva and Yuhansa Peiris advancing to the girls’ semi-finals, while Aahil Kaleel secured a place in the boys’ last four.

‎Top local contender Dinara de Silva produced another commanding performance in the girls’ quarter-finals, defeating India’s Sarthra Entoori in straight sets 6-1, 6-4. Dinara controlled the match from the outset and maintained her composure to complete a convincing victory and book her place in the semi-finals.

‎Joining her in the girls’ semi-finals is Yuhansa Peiris, who battled through a thrilling three-set encounter against India’s Deepthi Wenkataram. After narrowly losing the opening set in a tie-break 6-7, Yuhansa bounced back strongly to claim the second set 6-1 before prevailing 10-8 in the decisive match tie-break.

‎In the boys’ competition, Sri Lanka’s Aahil Kaleel also showcased his fighting qualities to reach the semi-finals. Aahil overcame India’s Chukka Lakshyawardae in a hard-fought quarter-final clash. After taking the first set 7-5, he dropped the second set 4-6 before holding his nerve in the match tie-break to seal a 10-8 victory.

‎With three Sri Lankan players progressing to the semi-final stage, the host nation will be strongly represented as the tournament enters its decisive phase at the SSC courts. Dinara, Yuhansa and Aahil will now look to continue their impressive form and challenge for honours in the prestigious ITF Junior J30 event.