Abhinav Bindra, Mithali Raj, PR Sreejesh

The eighth edition of The Times of India Sports Awards will take place in Lucknow on March 21, 2026, bringing together some of India’s biggest sporting icons to celebrate excellence across disciplines. The prestigious awards honour the outstanding achievements, perseverance and dedication of Indian athletes who made the nation proud during the 2025 sporting season.In this edition, the awards will recognise achievements across 49 categories — 36 sports and 13 para sports — with more than 190 nominations covering both individual and team performances. The winners will be selected by an illustrious jury comprising legendary athletes whose achievements have shaped Indian sport. Their experience, credibility and deep understanding of competition ensure that the honours truly reflect excellence on the global stage.Also read: TOISA set to celebrate India’s sporting heroes; Lucknow to host 8th edition

Here’s the jury for TOISA 2025:

Abhinav Bindra — ShootingIndia’s first individual Olympic gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra remains one of the country’s most celebrated athletes. He created history at the 2008 Beijing Olympics by winning gold in the 10m air rifle event. He earlier became the first Indian shooter to claim a world title at the 2006 ISSF World Shooting Championships. A multiple medallist at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, Bindra has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, and Arjuna Award. PR Sreejesh — HockeyOne of the finest goalkeepers in modern hockey, PR Sreejesh played a key role in India’s resurgence on the global stage. He was instrumental in India winning Olympic bronze medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2024 Paris Olympics. A gold medallist at the Asian Games and silver medallist at the Commonwealth Games, Sreejesh has also been named FIH Goalkeeper of the Year three times. His achievements have been recognised with the Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, and Arjuna Award.Mithali Raj — CricketA trailblazer in women’s cricket, Mithali Raj is the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket with 10,868 runs. She amassed 7,805 runs in ODIs, the most by any woman, and led India to two ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup finals in 2005 and 2017. Mithali also became the first Indian to score 2,000 runs in T20Is and holds the record for the most ODI appearances. Her remarkable 20-year career earned her the Padma Shri, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, and recognition as Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in 2017.Devendra Jhajharia — Para AthleticsDevendra Jhajharia is among India’s greatest para-athletes and the only Indian to win two Paralympic gold medals in javelin throw, at the 2004 Athens Paralympics and 2016 Rio Paralympics. He also secured a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, completing a rare hat-trick of medals. Jhajharia broke the world record twice in the F46 category and became the first para-athlete to receive the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna. His honours also include the Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, and Arjuna Award.Sharath Kamal — Table TennisSharath Kamal is widely regarded as India’s greatest table tennis player. He became the first Indian to win a Commonwealth Games singles gold in 2006 and has since amassed a record 13 Commonwealth Games medals. A 10-time national champion, he has also won medals at the Asian Games and Asian Championships, and became the first Indian to win an ITTF Pro Tour title. Sharath represented India at five Olympic Games from Athens 2004 to Paris 2024 and served as Co-Chair of the ITTF Athletes’ Commission. His achievements earned him the Padma Shri, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, and Arjuna Award.Leander Paes — TennisLeander Paes is one of India’s most decorated tennis players, with 18 Grand Slam titles across men’s and mixed doubles. He won a historic bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, ending India’s 44-year wait for an individual Olympic medal. Paes also holds the record for the most doubles victories in Davis Cup history and was part of the legendary Indian Express pairing with Mahesh Bhupathi. Honoured with the Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Arjuna Award, and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Paes remains a towering figure in Indian sport.

Rohit Sharma and Brendon McCullum (Screengrab)

Former India captain Rohit Sharma grabbed plenty of attention at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday night as India national cricket team defeated England cricket team to secure a place in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.Rohit, who captained India to the T20 World Cup title in the USA and West Indies two years ago, was present at the venue as a special guest. Before the semi-final began, he was involved in the pre-match ceremony, presenting the silverware and handing over the match ball. However, it was his lively interactions with players and staff from both camps that became a talking point even before the contest got underway.The former skipper first spent time with members of the Indian side, catching up with Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Siraj and India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel. After that, he walked across to the England dugout, where he met former captain Eoin Morgan and head coach Brendon McCullum.

Morgan and McCullum were both stunned by Rohit’s noticeable physical transformation. The former India captain has reportedly shed close to 10 kilograms as part of his fitness drive, and the change was clearly visible during his appearance at the ground.“In the shape of your life. What’s going on?” Morgan asked Rohit.“Just chilling,” Rohit replied.McCullum, meanwhile, had a humorous reaction when he saw the former opener. “Where’s the rest of you?” he remarked. Rohit responded with a smile, saying, “It’s all gone”.Rohit also shared a brief exchange with Suryakumar Yadav that seemed to lift the batter’s confidence ahead of the high-pressure clash. When Surya asked, “Do you think we’ll be able to pull it off?”, Rohit responded positively: “Yeah, obviously! We played so well in the last match too.” During another conversation, Rohit reassured bowling coach Morne Morkel about the conditions, telling him not to worry as the wind would stay consistent throughout the game.The semi-final marked the third consecutive T20 World Cup knockout meeting between India and England. England had dominated the 2022 clash with a 10-wicket victory before India returned the favour two years later.Thursday’s contest once again produced tense moments, especially when Jacob Bethell threatened to take the game away from India with a powerful innings. However, the match ultimately turned in India’s favour thanks to a superb finish from Jasprit Bumrah, whose final two overs conceded just 14’Where’s the Rest of You?’: Brendon McCullum runs.

Australia Women made a dream start to the one-off Test against India Women after opting to bowl first, with pace sensation Darcie Brown producing a stunning delivery to dismiss Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Day 1. The moment quickly became one of the highlights of the day as Brown’s brilliant piece of bowling dismantled the Indian skipper’s defence and further dented India’s fragile batting effort.

After winning the toss and choosing to field, Australia wasted little time in putting India under pressure. The visitors struggled to build partnerships as wickets fell at regular intervals, allowing the Australian bowlers to maintain control throughout the day.

Darcie Brown’s beauty sends Harmanpreet packing on Day 1 of only Test

The standout moment came in the 23rd over when Brown delivered a sensational ball to dismiss Harmanpreet.

Looking to shift the momentum in India’s favour, Harmanpreet attempted an attacking drive on the fifth ball of the over. However, Brown produced a delivery of the highest quality. The ball pitched outside off stump and jagged sharply back into the right-hander, exploiting a gap between bat and pad.

The sudden inward movement completely deceived Harmanpreet as her bat came down too late. The ball sneaked through the gap and crashed into the off-stump, leaving the Indian captain stunned as the Australian players celebrated another crucial breakthrough.

The dismissal was a perfect example of Brown’s pace and ability to extract movement off the surface, highlighting why she is regarded as one of Australia’s most dangerous fast bowlers in the women’s game.

Here’s the video:

THROUGH THE GATE.

Darcie Brown gets one to nip back and bowl Harmanpreet!#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/BmHVc52FjM

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) March 6, 2026

Also READ: Australia vs India, Women’s one-off Test: Schedule, Team News, Broadcast and Live Streaming Details

Jemimah Rodrigues provides resistance with gritty fifty

While India’s batting lineup struggled for stability, Jemimah Rodrigues stood out with a determined effort in the middle. Showing patience and composure, Rodrigues anchored the innings during a difficult phase and stitched together valuable runs with the lower order.

The stylish right-hander brought up a crucial half-century, scoring 52 runs, helping India cross the 180-run mark despite losing eight wickets. Rodrigues’ innings featured a blend of calculated strokeplay and solid defence, offering India a fighting chance after early setbacks.

Lucy Hamilton and Annabel Sutherland lead Australia’s bowling charge

Australia’s bowlers dominated proceedings throughout the day with impressive discipline and sharp execution.

Debutant Lucy Hamilton enjoyed a memorable outing, picking up three wickets and making an immediate impact in her maiden Test appearance. Her ability to maintain consistent lines troubled the Indian batters and played a key role in keeping the scoring rate under control.

Experienced all-rounder Annabel Sutherland also played a major role with the ball, claiming three wickets and continuing to prove her value as one of Australia’s most reliable performers in the longer format.

Also READ: Top 5 wicket-keeper batters with most runs in women’s international cricket ft. Alyssa Healy

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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Abhishek Sharma bats during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Semi-Final match between India and England at Wankhede Stadium on March 05, 2026 in Mumbai, India. (Photo/Getty Images)

As India get ready for the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, a debate has started over the team’s opening combination. Questions are being raised about whether the side should continue with Abhishek Sharma despite his run of low scores or bring in Rinku Singh for the title clash.With the trophy at stake, the discussion has spread among fans and experts.Abhishek’s numbers in the tournament have drawn attention. In seven matches, the left-hander has scored 0, 0, 0, 15, 55, 10 and 9, making a total of 89 runs at an average of 12.71.Except for a half-century against Zimbabwe, he has not managed to score consistently, leading to questions over whether India should persist with him in the final.The debate has gained momentum on social media, especially on X, where fans have expressed different views on the issue.“You can’t take risks with a person who is consistently flopping. This is the final and we must go with full strength, without any weak link,” wrote one fan, as cited by news agency IANS.Another supporter said rival teams have already worked out how to dismiss him. “Abhishek has become so predictable. New Zealand will make sure he doesn’t score either. Rinku should come in.”There are also voices supporting the youngster. “Abhishek can be our X factor in the final. There is a big inning due from him. He might deliver big in the finale,” another fan commented, as cited by IANS.For the team management, the situation presents a choice: continue backing a player through a difficult phase or make a change before the final.Attention is now on head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav. They will decide whether to stick with the combination that took India to the final or bring in Rinku Singh for the match.At present, a change appears unlikely, but the decision will show whether India opts for continuity or makes a late adjustment ahead of the final.India vs New Zealand finalDate & Time: India will face New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final on Sunday, March 8. The match will begin at 7:00 PM (IST).Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, AhmedabadLive Telecast: Star Sports NetworkLive Streaming: JioHotstar app.

NEW DELHI: Politics in Bihar has revolved around Jayaprakash Narayan’s disciples —Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav — for more than three decades. With Lalu stepping back from active politics and Nitish now opting for a Rajya Sabha seat over the state’s top job, Bihar appears to be entering an unknown phase, with a new face likely to take over as chief minister.After an overwhelming performance in the recently held Bihar assembly elections, Nitish filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.“I seek to become a member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections being held this time. I want to assure you with complete honesty that my relationship with you will continue in the future as well, and my resolve to work together with you to build a developed Bihar will remain steadfast. The new government that will be formed will have my full cooperation and guidance,” the 75-year-old politician wrote on X.Although many anticipated this move amid speculation about his deteriorating health, Nitish’s sudden announcement still surprised many who expected a smoother transition plan.In the coming days, Nitish is expected to win the election unopposed and move to the Rajya Sabha, thus resigning from the chief ministerial post. The Janata Dal (United) chief’s decision not only ends the political lineage of JP Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur in Bihar but also throws his party into uncharted waters with no clear roadmap for the future.After Nitish, who?Nitish had long been the “Peer-Bawarchi-Bhisti-Khar” for his party. Despite never managing an outright majority in the state assembly, Nitish Kumar‘s “Sushasan Babu” image helped the party remain in the driver’s seat of Bihar politics for more than two decades.However, the party never managed to nurture a second line of command beyond Nitish. Leaders like Sanjay Jha, Lalan Singh and Vijay Choudhary exist within the party, but none enjoys a mass connection with the JD(U)’s core vote base.Additionally, Nitish has always been a staunch opponent of dynastic politics. Throughout his long political career, he never allowed his family members to enter politics in any form. Unlike Lalu, who made his son Tejashwi Yadav his political heir, Nitish’s son Nishant has remained away from politics.

Amid these ongoing developments, speculation is growing that Nishant may make a political debut, with the party seeing him as a potential link to its core supporters.“Now, it’s clear, and it has been finalised that Nishant Kumar will join active politics. The party will make a formal announcement in a day or two. Party workers have been demanding Nishant’s entry into politics for several years. Now party workers and supporters are upbeat with the decision ahead of Holi,” senior JD(U) leader Shrawan Kumar told news agency PTI.However, Nitish’s brother-in-law Anil Kumar accused Sanjay Jha and Lallan Singh of hatching a conspiracy against JD(U).“The workers are clearly saying that Sanjay Jha and Lalan (Rajiv Ranjan) Singh are involved in this… This cannot happen without a conspiracy… All the workers are saying Sanjay Jha and Lalan Singh’s name,” he said. In conversation with The Times of India, political analyst Kumar Vijay said that JD(U)’s future looks bleak after Nitish Kumar’s exit from the centre stage of Bihar politics.

“Nitish Kumar’s exit in this manner is not a natural political transition. If it had been a natural process, it would have been different. Everyone says Nitish Kumar’s health is not good, but the way events unfolded has surprised many. From what it appears, the future of JD(U) looks quite difficult. People say that Nishant may take over, but he has no political experience. Also, the people around him are not very open yet, but there seems to be something happening internally that is preventing Nitish Kumar from speaking openly,” Vijay said.“At the same time, the role of leaders like Sanjay Jha, Lalan Singh, Vijay Choudhary and Ashok Choudhary looks suspicious. In a way, they have deserted Nitish Kumar, and there may be no one left capable of holding JD(U) together. At the worker level, protests have already begun. Hardcore JD(U) workers believe this is BJP’s handling of the situation,” he added.Will BJP-JD(U) merge?Kumar Vijay also feels that there might be a possibility that JD(U) will merge with its ally BJP in the coming days, though not everyone in the party may accept such a move.“There is also a possibility that BJP and JD(U) may merge in the future, though not everyone in JD(U) will accept such a merger. Several leaders may resist it. Some leaders within the party may move to RJD, while others may join BJP,” Vijay told The Times of India.

“Earlier, JD(U) workers even voted for BJP candidates because they believed Nitish Kumar would ultimately remain chief minister. But now many hardcore workers may refuse to support BJP in the future,” he added.Nitish Kumar’s decision to move to Rajya Sabha has come just five months after BJP emerged as the elder brother in the alliance. In the 2025 assembly elections, BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning 89 seats with a vote share of 20.45%, while JD(U) secured 85 seats with 19.61% votes.After the thumping victory, BJP appeared less a coalition partner and more a challenger trying to manoeuvre itself into the driver’s seat of power. It secured a larger share in the cabinet of ministers and Nitish Kumar also had to let go of the home portfolio.Interestingly, Bihar was the only Hindi heartland state where the party has not held the top office so far.What happens to Nitish Kumar’s EBC vote bank?Over time, Nitish gradually positioned himself as the “poster boy” of the Extremely Backward Class (EBC), which constitutes the largest portion of the population in Bihar.The JD(U) chief made a conscious effort to weave his support base around the entire EBC community by modelling his politics on Karpoori Thakur’s ideals and focusing specifically on the economically weaker sections.After his exit, questions also arise over who will get the advantage of the EBC vote bank.According to Kumar Vijay, no party in Bihar seems to be in a position to inherit the non-Yadav OBC and EBC vote banks.

“If Tejashwi Yadav had strong leadership credentials, that vote bank could have shifted to RJD. But the biggest tragedy in Bihar today is the lack of strong political leadership. Congress doesn’t have it, RJD doesn’t have it either. Despite being a politically mature state, Bihar is facing a serious leadership crisis,” he said.“Upendra Kushwaha has lost credibility. Tejashwi Yadav has not emerged as a grassroots leader. LJP too has become more of a dramatic political outfit,” he added.For Bihar, Nitish Kumar’s move to Rajya Sabha signals the end of a long political chapter that revolved around him, his constant alliance flip-flops and his ‘susashan’ government. We will know in the coming days who will take his position as CM. However, the coming months will determine how his party and state’s politics evolve beyond him.

The war in the Middle East entered its seventh day on Friday as the United States military released footage of what it described as multiple precision strikes on Iranian targets.In a post on X, the US central command shared a video showing American forces carrying out strikes against Iranian assets. “Iranian targets are being decimated by US forces, paving the way for continued delivery of overwhelming American military firepower,” the command said while sharing the footage.The video comes amid escalating hostilities across the region involving the United States, Israel and Iran, with missile attacks, air strikes and cross-border threats reported across the region.Israel said it had launched a new wave of strikes on Tehran, targeting what it described as “regime infrastructure” in a “new phase” of the war. AFP journalists in the Iranian capital reported hearing loud explosions, while Iranian media also reported heavy strikes. An Iranian official said at least 20 people were killed in US and Israeli strikes in the southern city of Shiraz, though AFP said it could not independently verify the toll.Iranian missile launches triggered air-raid alerts in Israel, with reports of multiple blasts over Tel Aviv after the Israeli military said it had detected missiles fired from Iran. “A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the military said.The conflict has also heightened tensions across the Gulf. Residents of Dubai on Friday received phone alerts from the Emirati interior ministry warning of potential missile threats and urging people to seek shelter away from windows and open areas.Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted three drones east of Riyadh and destroyed three missiles aimed at an air base. Qatar said it had thwarted a drone attack targeting the US-run Al-Udeid air base, Washington’s largest military installation in the Middle East.Elsewhere in the region, Bahrain said Iran struck a hotel and two residential buildings in the capital Manama, revising an earlier statement that had reported damage to two hotels.The humanitarian toll is also mounting. Lebanese prime minister Nawaf Salam warned that “a humanitarian disaster is looming” as Israeli evacuation orders triggered large-scale displacement from Hezbollah-controlled areas in Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 123 people had been killed in Israeli strikes since the country was pulled into the conflict earlier this week, including casualties from fresh strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs.The United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk called for “transparent and impartial investigations” into a reported deadly strike on a school in Iran. “What we have asked for is obviously prompt, transparent and impartial investigations, which we understand has been announced by the United States of America,” he told reporters in Geneva, adding that “we need this to happen very quickly and we need to also make sure that there is accountability as well as redress for the victims”.Military fallout has also spread beyond the main combat zones. Kuwait’s defence ministry said 67 army personnel had been injured since Iran began its retaliation campaign, the highest number reported by any Gulf military so far.In Europe, British authorities arrested four men in London on suspicion of assisting Iran’s intelligence service by allegedly spying on locations and individuals linked to the city’s Jewish community. Police said one suspect was Iranian while the others held dual UK-Iranian nationality.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said sending American ground troops into Iran was not under consideration at present. “It’s a waste of time. They’ve lost everything. They’ve lost their navy. They’ve lost everything they can lose,” he told NBC in a telephone interview, dismissing comments by Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi suggesting Tehran was ready for a ground invasion.In a separate development, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said three Australian military personnel were aboard a US submarine involved in sinking an Iranian navy vessel near Sri Lanka earlier this week as part of a training arrangement.Trump also signalled support for Iranian Kurdish fighters potentially launching an offensive against Tehran, saying: “I think it’s wonderful that they want to do that, I’d be all for it.”

Gold prices traded largely steady in futures markets on Friday, while retail bullion rates across major Indian cities remained almost unchanged with marginal declines.As of 15:02 pm, gold futures on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) showed limited movement across key contracts. The April 2026 contract was trading at Rs 1,60,008 per 10 grams, up Rs 335 or 0.21% from the previous close. The June contract stood at Rs 1,63,780 per 10 grams, up Rs 15 or 0.01%, indicating a largely range-bound session in the bullion market.Here are the city-wise gold rates today:

Gold price in Delhi today

In the national capital, 24K gold is priced at Rs 16,302 per gram, down Rs 1, while 22K gold stands at Rs 14,944 per gram, lower by Rs 1.

Gold price in Mumbai today

Mumbai bullion markets quoted 24K gold at Rs 16,287 per gram, easing Rs 1, while 22K gold was priced at Rs 14,929 per gram, down Rs 1.

Gold price in Chennai today

Chennai markets showed a similar marginal change, with 24K gold at Rs 16,494 per gram, down Rs 1, while 22K gold stood at Rs 15,119 per gram, also slipping by Rs 1.

Gold price in Kolkata today

In Kolkata, 24K gold was quoted at Rs 16,287 per gram, down Rs 1, while 22K gold traded at Rs 14,929 per gram, lower by Rs 1.

Gold price in Hyderabad today

Hyderabad bullion traders listed 24K gold at Rs 16,287 per gram, down Rs 1, while 22K gold was selling at Rs 14,929 per gram, also down Rs 1.

Gold price in Bangalore today

In Bangalore, 24K gold stood at Rs 16,287 per gram, slipping Rs 1, while 22K gold was priced at Rs 14,929 per gram, lower by Rs 1.

Gold price in Ahmedabad today

Ahmedabad markets quoted 24K gold at Rs 16,292 per gram, easing Rs 1, while 22K gold was available at Rs 14,934 per gram, down Rs 1.

Gold price in Jaipur today

Jaipur traders reported 24K gold at Rs 16,302 per gram, down Rs 1, while 22K gold stood at Rs 14,944 per gram, lower by Rs 1.

Gold price in Patna today

In Patna, 24K gold was priced at Rs 16,292 per gram, slipping Rs 1, while 22K gold traded at Rs 14,934 per gram, down Rs 1.

Gold price in Lucknow today

Lucknow markets quoted 24K gold at Rs 16,302 per gram, down Rs 1, while 22K gold was selling at Rs 14,944 per gram, lower by Rs 1.