Cricket: India vs South Africa Test, Jadeja's Milestone, and Gill's Injury
The first Test match between India and South Africa at Eden Gardens has seen a dramatic turn of events, with India gaining a strong upper hand by the end of Day 2. Veteran spinner Ravindra Jadeja was the star performer, taking four crucial wickets to leave South Africa reeling at 93 for 7 in their second innings, leading by just 63 runs.
Jadeja also achieved a significant personal milestone, completing 4,000 runs in Test cricket and joining an elite club of all-rounders with both 4,000 Test runs and at least 300 wickets in the longest format of the game.
However, India faced a setback as Test captain Shubman Gill left the field retired hurt during Day 2 due to an acute neck sprain. India's bowling coach Morne Morkel expressed surprise at the rapid deterioration of the Eden Gardens pitch, which saw 15 wickets fall on the second day alone. Despite the challenging conditions, India is poised for a quick victory.
In other cricket news, November 15th holds historical significance for Indian cricket, marking Sachin Tendulkar's debut in 1989 and Virat Kohli surpassing Tendulkar's ODI century record in 2023.
Badminton: Lakshya Sen's Campaign Ends at Kumamoto Masters
India's challenge at the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2025 badminton tournament concluded with Lakshya Sen's defeat in the men's singles semi-finals. Sen, ranked 15th, lost to local favorite and world No. 13 Kenta Nishimoto in a three-game battle (21-19, 14-21, 21-12) lasting 77 minutes. This marked Sen's third semi-final appearance on the 2025 BWF World Tour season. He had previously secured an impressive win over former world champion Loh Kean Yew in the quarter-finals.
Football: U23 Team Defeated, Senior Squad Announced
The India U23 men's national football team suffered a significant 0-4 loss to hosts Thailand U23 in a friendly match played at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani. Siraphop Wandee, Phon-ek Maneekorn (penalty), Chaiyaphon Otton (penalty), and Thanakrit Chotmuangpak scored for Thailand.
Meanwhile, Indian senior men's team head coach Khalid Jamil announced a 23-member squad for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers Final Round Group C match against Bangladesh on November 18. The squad includes new faces, with forward Ryan Williams' inclusion pending necessary approvals.
Other Sports News
In shooting, Indian athletes failed to secure any medals in the 25m Standard Pistol event at the Olympic Shooting Range in Cairo, Egypt, with Olympian Gurpreet Singh achieving the highest finish at ninth place.
India's largest grassroots football movement, the Jamshedpur Super League, is set to return in an expanded format this Sunday at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, aiming to involve a larger number of young players and community groups.