Sports News Today: India A squads, Ben Shelton's win over Carlos Alcaraz

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the India A squads for the series against Australia A. Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is set to mark his comeback to competitive cricket.

Meanwhile, United States' Ben Shelton registered a stunning victory against the defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open. amunra.help

Sports News Today:

US Open: Jessica Pegula beats Emma Navarro to secure a semifinal berth

Third seed Jessica Pegula maintained her outstanding form at Flushing Meadows, securing a hard-fought 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over fellow American Emma Navarro in the quarterfinal clash. The win took the 32-year-old into the US Open semifinals for the third straight year.

India secure fourth place at 2026 Pickleball World Cup with 41 medals

India secured a respectable fourth-place finish among 82 competing countries at the recently concluded Pickleball World Cup in Vietnam, winning 41 medals, including seven golds, 17 silvers, and 17 bronzes.

The 2026 campaign represented a major leap forward for the nation, which finished seventh at the previous edition. India fielded a 48-athlete delegation across the Kids, Juniors, Open, Seniors, and Masters team events under the official Indian Team banner.

US Open: Ben Shelton stuns Carlos Alcaraz in a classic match

Ben Shelton was the happiest man in New York as the clock ticked past 3.33 am in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium. The American star registered the biggest win of his career and his first victory against a top-three-ranked player, knocking out defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a match that will go down as one of the greatest in US Open history.

Board of Control for Cricket in India announces India A squads for Australia A series

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the India A squads for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia A in Puducherry.

The Men's Selection Committee has named two different squads for the two multi-day and three one-day matches against Australia A.

Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been included in the 15-member one-day squad. However, his feature in the series will be subject to fitness.

India A squads for Australia A series:

India A Multi-day squad: Aman Mokhade, Ayush Pandey, Devdutt Padikkal [C], Sai Sudharsan [VC], Yash Rathod, Shaik Rasheed, Kumar Kushagra [WK], Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Anshul Kamboj, Praful Hinge, N Jagadeesan [WK], Nachiket Bhute, V Vyshak*.

India A One-Day squad: Priyansh Arya, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal [VC], Ruturaj Gaikwad [C], Rajat Patidar, Kumar Kushagra [WK], Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Arshin Kulkarni, Arshad Khan, Naman Dhir, Hardik Pandya*, Prabhsimran Singh [WK], Gurjapneet Singh, Yash Thakur.

Bangladesh announce two-Test home series against West Indies

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday announced the schedule for the upcoming two-Test home series against the West Indies, with the first match set to begin on October 28, according to the ICC website.

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जेमिमा रॉड्रिग्स चोट के कारण एशियन गेम्स के स्क्वॉड से बाहर हो गई हैं. वह द हंड्रेड लीग में सदर्न ब्रेव के लिए खेलीं थी, जिसके बाद से वह क्रिकेट से दूर हैं. उन्हें चोट के कारण एशिया कप के स्क्वॉड से भी बाहर होना पड़ा था, जिस टूर्नामेंट में गुरुवार को भारत का सेमीफाइनल मैच बांग्लादेश के साथ है.

एशियन गेम्स में भारतीय महिला क्रिकेट टीम का पहला मैच 18 सितंबर को जापान के साथ है. ये क्वार्टर-फाइनल है, जिसे जीतकर भारतीय टीम सेमीफाइनल में पहुंचेगी. जापान के खिलाफ होने वाले इस मैच में भारत फेवरेट है. जेमिमा रॉड्रिग्स की जगह ऐसी खिलाड़ी को शामिल किया गया है, जिन्होंने अभी 3 टी20 इंटरनेशनल मैच खेले हैं.

प्रतिका रावल एशियन गेम्स स्क्वॉड में शामिल

एशियन गेम्स से बाहर हुई जेमिमा रॉड्रिग्स की जगह प्रतिका रावल को शामिल किया गया है, जिन्होंने एशिया कप के जारी संस्करण में टी20 इंटरनेशनल डेब्यू किया. हालांकि प्रतिका अभी तक कुछ खास नहीं कर पाई हैं. थाईलैंड के खिलाफ 22 रन बनाने वाली प्रतिका ने हांगकांग के खिलाफ 10 रन बनाए थे, पाकिस्तान के खिलाफ तो वह 4 रन बनाकर आउट हो गई थी.

यह भी पढ़ें- हर्षित राणा OUT? वाशिंगटन सुंदर IN, बुमराह-रेड्डी पर भी आया अपडेट

प्रतिका रावल एशिया कप में नंबर-3 पर खेल रही हैं. ये काफी महत्वपूर्ण पोजीशन है, जिसमें उन्हें अभी खुद को साबित करना बाकी है. गुरुवार को भारतीय महिला टीम सेमीफाइनल में बांग्लादेश से भिड़ेगी, जिसमें उनसे एक बड़ी पारी की उम्मीद होगी.

महिला एशियन गेम्स की शुरुआत क्वार्टर-फाइनल से होगी. पहले क्वार्टर-फाइनल में पाकिस्तान और थाईलैंड, दूसरे में बांग्लादेश और चीन, तीसरे में मलेशिया और श्रीलंका और चौथे में भारत और जापान आमने-सामने होगी.

महिला एशियन गेम्स के लिए भारतीय स्क्वॉड

हरमनप्रीत कौर (कप्तान), स्मृति मंधाना (उपकप्तान), ऋचा घोष (विकेटकीपर), कमलिनी (विकेटकीपर), शेफाली वर्मा, दीप्ति शर्मा, प्रतिका रावल, भारती फुलमाली, श्री चरणी, रेणुका ठाकुर, क्रांति गौड़, अरुंधति रेड्डी, श्रेयंका पाटिल*, राधा यादव, नंदनी शर्मा.

यह भी पढ़ें- एजबेस्टन टेस्ट में 133 पर ढ़ेर पाकिस्तान, इस देश के बोर्ड ने उड़ाया मजाक

Ishan Kishan and South Zone skipper Tilak Varma underlined their red ball chops with 99 and 80 respectively, but former's half-century has more contextual value as it placed East Zone firmly on course for a Duleep Trophy triumph on the fourth day of the final here on Wednesday.

Tilak's 211-ball knock lifted South to 336 all out in their first innings but still remained 372 runs adrift of East's first dig total of 708. In their second innings, East moved to 212 for five at close, for an overall lead of 584 runs. Kumar Kushagra (34) and Kounain Quraishi (26) were batting at close and have raised 52 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket.

But those team numbers now carry a mere academic significance as East already have their hands around this season's Duleep Trophy, courtesy that irreversibly massive first-innings lead. However, with a couple of important Test assignments coming up - away against New Zealand and subsequently at home against Australia - the selectors now have two solid options to mull over in front of them.

Kishan, who made an expansive 270 in the first innings here, was comfortable from ball one in the ensuing essay as well during his 98-ball knock. The left-hander started his run-making with a six off off-spinner Tripurana Vijay over mid-wicket and never really took his feet off the pedal. Kishan went after Vijay again towards the backend of his innings, hammering him for 4, 6, 6, 4 in successive balls in the 26th over.

Moments before that DRS saved Kishan, who added 146 runs for the third wicket with Shikhar Mohan, from a leg-before decision after on-field umpire Rohan Pandit upheld leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal's appeal. East took tea at 95 for two, having swelled the lead by 467 runs. But the 20-minute break seemed to have affected Kishan's rhythm as he soon got out, lofting pacer MD Nidheesh to Devdutt Padikkal inside the leg-side circle.

The motley Chepauk crowd hence could not see another Kishan hundred and they also had to endure the disappointment of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's early dismissal. After DRS saved him from Vijay's leg before appeal on 6, Sooryavanshi could not build something bigger, getting stumped off the same bowler by Narayan Jagadeesan.

Much before that, the audience also could not see a three-figure knock from Tilak, who resumed from overnight 56. His innings helped South, overnight 242 for six, to go past the 300-run mark, but the left-hander will rue missing a second consecutive ton after making one in the semifinal last week at Bengaluru.

The Hyderabad batter did not let go his defence-first approach even when wickets began to tumble at the other end. Eventually, his first attempt to hit out resulted in a return catch to off-spinner Quraishi. But later in the day, another Hyderabad player had his best outing in recent times.

Mohammed Siraj had looked a distant shadow of his intense self since the tour to Sri Lanka, often bowling with a shorter run-up and reduced speed. He struggled to summon the steely self in humid conditions when the 36-year-old East Zone quick Mohammed Shami made the new and old ball talk even while bowling well within himself. But in East Zone's second innings here, Siraj looked to have regained some of his familiar sharpness.

The increased nip, accuracy and corrected length meant that Siraj remained a constant threat to batters' edge. He was eventually rewarded when East Zone opener Abhimanyu Easwaran tamely guided a delivery to Padikkal at slip. However, those were tiny glittering nuggets without making any significant alteration to the match's course.

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India’s T20I vice-captain Tilak Varma is aiming to win the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan after failing to lead South Zone to glory in the ongoing Duleep Trophy final against East Zone.

East Zone’s commanding 584-run lead has put them firmly in control and left South Zone with little chance of staging a comeback on the final day. With the result almost beyond doubt, South Zone captain Tilak can now look to move on from the disappointment and turn his attention towards the upcoming international assignment.

“Yeah, the (personal) form has been really good. But at the same point, it’s a different format (against Afghanistan). So, I should change my gears again. I’m pretty confident about it,” Tilak said, as quoted by PTI, after the fourth day of the Duleep Trophy final. “My goal now is to win the Afghanistan series. So I’ll be going with the same confidence, and let’s see how it goes.”

Tilak’s form has been scintillating with the bat. In this year’s Duleep Trophy, the left-handed batter amassed 266 runs, including a century and a score of 99.

Once the final is over, Tilak will join the Indian squad in Delhi, where all three T20Is will be played between September 13 and 17.

The post Tilak Varma Sets Sights on Afghanistan Series After Duleep Trophy Disappointment appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.

Expecting ‘underprepared’ tracks in Japan, India wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy believes spinners could play a pivotal role in the team's upcoming Asian Games campaign, even as he cautioned that unpredictable weather conditions will ultimately dictate how the pitches behave during the tournament.

Chakaravarthy has fully recovered from a Grade 2 left hamstring injury sustained during the T20I series against England, including doing rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. In the Asian Games men’s T20 event, India, the gold medal winners in the last edition in Hangzhou, will begin their campaign from the quarter-final stage in Aichi-Nagoya.

"That's how it has been scheduled, so I don't have any say in that. But definitely every match and every tournament needs preparation, and that we have to do. So it's just like every other tournament – we will prepare well and whatever comes our way, we will take it," Chakaravarthy said in an exclusive interaction with IANS, facilitated by ASICS India.

Assessing the playing conditions at the Korogi Sports Park ahead of the marquee event, Chakaravarthy, who will also be in action for India’s T20Is against Afghanistan and the historic one-off clash against Japan, noted that adaptability will be key for the bowling unit.

"What I've seen is that the pitches might be a little bit underprepared. So it might help spin, but I don't know how the weather in Japan will play a role in the way pitches behave. It can have a big impact as well. We are just preparing for facing all kinds of conditions, and let's see how it goes," he added.

Reflecting on the year so far, which saw him finish as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 scalps in India's T20 World Cup triumph on home soil, Chakaravarthy termed it as a ‘rollercoaster’.

"It’s been lovely. I have no complaints at all. It's been a great journey till now and we won the World Cup this time, so everything is going well. I did have one hiccup with my injury, but I'm back. I feel fitter. I've done a lot of strength training and running. Credit goes to the CoE, where I trained a lot," he said.

Chakaravarthy, who also picked up 11 wickets in IPL 2026 while battling through hairline fractures in his left hand and toe, takes pride in his unconventional rise through the ranks.

"I started cricket very late. I started bowling when I was 26 and I played for India when I was 28 and a half. I'm a very late bloomer. It's been seven to eight years in cricket right now and I would say I'm in the first half of my career. There is a long way to go ahead and it's been an unconventional journey till now and I think it's going to be more like that," he reflected.

Speaking on evolving his craft, Chakaravarthy revealed that while he continuously works on adding fresh variations behind the scenes, polishing his existing skill set remains his primary objective.

“Well, it's a combination of both. Obviously, polishing and mastering the skill is always the primary thing and bringing in other variations is always on the back of my mind. I'm also working on certain new variations. When I will be able to master it is a different question, but it's a mix of both.”

Asked how he guards his mystery balls from high-tech cameras and tactical analytics, Chakaravarthy stressed that execution under pressure overrides technology. “As you mentioned, there are no secrets anymore because there are so many video analysts everywhere, and everything that you do is being recorded.

“The only thing is the human touch in cricket, where the batter won't know what I'm going to bowl to them. That has to be decided by me and I don't think any AI or video analyst can predict that. So, that's what we have to play with.”

Rather than plotting long-term milestones in a highly volatile sport, the Chennai-based Chakaravarthy prefers setting incremental targets. “I set more short-term goals rather than long-term goals because I don't think I'll be able to plan for five years down the line, but I'll be able to plan what I want to do in the next six months. I'm that sort of a guy, so I focus more on short-term goals.”

Chakaravarthy signed off by revealing that his association with ASICS began organically years ago even before formally signing up with them. “Long before I signed with ASICS in 2026, I zeroed in on these shoes during the 2022 IPL.

“That's when I started wearing them, and they were among the best I've ever worn out of all the brands out there. So when ASICS approached me, I was ready to cling on to it. It is one of the best performance brands out there, so no complaints.”

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever