Former greats question Bumrah’s exclusion from Indian squad After scoring five centuries but still suffering a mind-boggling defeat at Headingley last week, India is on course to challenge to level the five-match series in Edgbaston this weekend, following a captain’s knock from Shubman Gill and an impressive series debut from Akash Deep.  However, despite the Men in Blue posting a first innings target of 587 and knocking over three English batters before stumps on Day 2, there are still lingering doubts over the team’s decision to allow Jasprit Bumrah to sit out this crucial match. Bumrah sustained an injury to his back during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the start of the year and was forced to miss India’s Champions Trophy triumph as well as the Indian Premier League for the Mumbai Indians due to undergoing rehabilitation.  The world’s top-ranked fast bowler mentioned before this series that he is aiming to play three of the five Tests, but given there was a week-long gap between the first and second match, some former players have expressed shock at his omission, while others have lambasted the Indian selectors, such as Ravi Shastri, who said:  “This is a very important match, and they’ve had a week off. I’m a little surprised Bumrah is not playing this game. It should be taken out of the player’s hands. You’ve lost three against New Zealand, three against Australia, and the first Test here. You want to get back to winning ways. You have the best fast bowler in the world and you make him sit out after seven days of rest—it’s something very hard to believe.” However, it was not just former India players who weighed in on the 31-year-old’s exclusion, with England great Stuart Broad echoing similar sentiments during an interview with Sky Sports after the opening day of the second Test. He said:  « A week is a very good time off for a fast bowler. (Bumrah’s omission) does surprise me and what also surprised me was him saying before the series he will only play three of the five Tests. You keep those cards close to your chest and play each week as it comes.” However, despite these questions, India’s selectors, which include head coach Gautam Gambhir, have pointed to the fact that they have enough reinforcements to ensure sufficient coverage in Bumrah’s absence, while also suggesting that they are saving him for the Lord’s Test next week.  View the latest cricket odds  Akash Deep steps up in Bumrah’s absence  If India goes on to lose the Edgbaston Test, the criticism around Bumrah’s absence will certainly turn up a notch, but for now, it seems that the team may be able to sidestep those arguments, thanks to the impressive series debut of Akash Deep.  Deep was brought into the squad to replace Bumrah for the second Test and looked as though he was going to endure a tough match after going for 12 runs in his first over. However, the pacer bounced back in his ...

India continues to grapple with doping offenders The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have reported that India recorded the highest number of doping cases across the globe for 2023. In sports terms, doping refers to athletes making use of banned performance-enhancing drugs to gain an unfair advantage.  According to the report, of the 5,606 testing samples collected by WADA, a total of 213 positive cases (also known as Adverse Analytical  Findings or AAF) for doping were identified, marking the highest percentage among nations that had more than 1,000 tests conducted for the year.  The breakdown included 211 positive cases from tests of urine and two from blood tests. The total number of positive results equates to 3.8%, a notable increase from 2022, when the rate of AAF across the nation stood at 3.2%.  It is worth noting that the 2023 cycle included the highest number of samples ever collected by WADA, surpassing the 3,865 tests completed in 2022 and 1794 a year earlier, which illustrates the organisation’s ramp-up in efforts to eradicate doping from professional sports.  The biggest cause for concern for the Indian sports ministry is that the issue is clearly getting worse, as India was third on the list of doping violators in 2019, and that was largely dominated by athletes in weightlifting and bodybuilding, who were accountable for one in three offences.  When an Anti-Doping Rule Violation is issued by WADA, the athlete in question can be hit with anything from a reprimand to complete ineligibility to participate in the sporting discipline, depending on the severity of their violation.  Check out our sports predictions Indian sports ministry cracks whip on doping violators Given the number of doping issues faced by the Indian Sports Ministry, a decision was made to bring in WADA to adjudicate on such matters from an independent perspective in 2022, though the rising volume of positive cases has now forced the ministry to consider further actions. As a result, reports now suggest that the ministry, with the guidance of WADA, is moving forward with a bill that could see athletes caught for doping fined up to ₹10 lakh and even face time in jail, potentially for up to four years. A ministry official went on record, saying:  “The bill is ready and will be brought back to the Parliament after a restructuring. Objections raised by Wada have been addressed and required changes made. If these were not incorporated, Wada could have suspended Nada due to govt interference.” Among the nations tested in 2023, China produced incredible results, with just 0.2% of their athletes pulled up for doping from a total of 28,197 tests. Germany, France and Russia had more than 10,000 tests conducted and were all below a 1.0% AAF rate.  More sports news

Brentford, Sheffield United among English teams monitoring FCB attacker  EFL Championship outfit Sheffield United are looking to bolster their attack this summer and are considering a move for Nigerian attacker Philip Otele during this transfer window, according to reports over the last week.  Otele made the switch from UAE Pro League side Al Wahda to FC Basel on loan during the January transfer window, and he wasted no time in impressing the Swiss giants, recording 14 goal involvements in just 21 matches across all competitions.  The 26-year-old forward’s nine goals and five assists over the second half of the season helped FCB clinch a domestic double, finishing 10 points clear at the top of the Super League before thumping Biel-Bienne 4-1 in the Swiss Cup final at the Wankdorf Stadium on June 1. Owing to his performances, Basel opted to exercise their option to buy clause for the attacker, with the team spending around €3m to secure his services from Al Wahda, while handing him a contract at St. Jakobs-Park that runs until the summer of 2028. However, it is understood that despite making Otele’s deal permanent, FCB would be open to selling the forward if a suitable offer is received, and reports in recent days suggest that Sheffield United and Brentford are among the teams keeping tabs on him.  It has been claimed that the Blades, who missed out on promotion back to the Premier League last season, have made contact with the Swiss outfit to enquire about Otele’s availability, though no formal bid has been tabled to date.  In addition to Ruben Selles’s side, the likes of Fulham and Burnley have also been credited with an interest in his signature, while Brentford are also monitoring the situation, with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa both being linked with moves away from the Gtech Community Stadium this summer.  Check out our football predictions Otele joins list of Nigerian players to represent Basel By signing a three-year deal with FC Basel, Otele becomes the fourth player of Nigerian descent to be signed by the 20-time Super League champions – the first was Gabriel Okolsi, who made 25 appearances for the club between 1995-69 and also earned four caps for the Super Eagles.  Noah Okafor turned out 39 times for FCB between 2018 and 2020, though he opted to switch allegiance from Nigeria to Switzerland, which he represented 19 times. Okafor was then snapped up by RB Salzburg before AC Milan splashed out €15m to take him to the San Siro in 2022.  Arguably, the most high-profile player of Nigerian descent to play for RotBlau was Manuel Akanji, who made a total of 42 appearances for the team and scored five goals. The defender was then bought by Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund before moving to Manchester City in January 2022.  More football news

Gill posts seventh Test century in first innings at Edgbaston India will head into Day 2 of their second Test against England full of positivity, thanks to a masterful knock by their skipper, Shubman Gill, who saw the side to 310 for the loss of five wickets after 85 overs on the first day at Edgbaston.  Gill stepped out to the centre with his side at 95/2 after KL Rahul was dismissed by Chris Woakes for just two runs and Karun Nair departed for 31 off 51, caught by Harry Brook off the bowling of Brydon Carse. Notably, India are now marginal favourites to win the match, according to most of the best online betting sites.  After succeeding Rohit Sharma as captain of the Indian Test team, Gill notched up 147 runs in the first match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in Leeds last week. His knock in the second match sees him become the youngest Asian captain in history to score two or more centuries in England.  The only cricketer younger than Gill to have achieved this feat was former South African captain Graeme Smith, who scored an incredible double-century against the Three Lions back in 2003, while Javed Burki of Pakistan is the only Asian captain to score a ton in this part of the world.  Gill is now just the third Indian captain (any age) to post 2+ centuries in England, following in the footsteps of Mohammad Azharuddin and Virat Kohli. He is also the second skipper of the Men in Blue to record back-to-back 100s after Azharuddin in 1990.  Finally, the 25-year-old has now reached triple digits in each of his last three matches against Ben Stokes’ side in the longest format, having done so when the sides met in Dharamshala in March last year.  Check out our cricket predictions Bumrah rested despite week’s break between matches Ahead of the first Test, Jasprit Bumrah revealed that he is aiming to play three of the five matches in this series, owing to his workload management following a back injury sustained during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the start of the year.  The world’s top-ranked fast bowler made a significant impact in Leeds, taking five wickets in the first innings, and while he finished wicketless in the second innings, he still recorded the lowest economy rate of the five bowlers used (3.00).  Despite that, the Three Lions still romped to victory on the final day, which left many feeling that Bumrah’s inclusion for this match would be crucial. However, the 31-year-old was left out of the squad, with Akash Deep brought in as his replacement, while Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar also got the nod. More cricket news

India secure first-ever podium finish at 2025 Asia Cup While India is well known for their achievements in sports such as cricket and badminton, a new group of athletes are now putting the nation on the map, as the Indian Women’s Ice Hockey Team rose to glory by winning a bronze medal at the 2025 IIHF Women’s Asia Cup.  Against all betting odds, the 20 women, 19 of whom hail from Ladakh and the other from Himachal Pradesh, won three of their five matches at the six-nation event, beating Malaysia, Kyrgyzstan and host nation, the United Arab Emirates.  The match against the UAE was without question the headline, as Team India managed to trade blows with the home team in an intense clash that was decided in the dying moments of the match, with India scoring the final goal to clinch a 5-4 victory.  The result was also redemption for the Indian women, who were beaten 2-1 by the UAE in last year’s competition. Earlier in the competition, Team India secured a 3-1 win over Malaysia and beat Kyrgyzstan in a shootout after the match ended at 2-2. They also suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to Iran.  Speaking to Indian media after their victory over the UAE, team captain Tsewang Chuskit expressed her joy and explained the difficulties her side faced en route to their first-ever IIHF Women’s Asia Cup medal, saying: “When we participated in our first international tournament in Chinese Taipei in 2016, we had no idea about artificial ice. We didn’t even have proper equipment back then, most of it was borrowed from friends and cousins. Our victory will help spread awareness about the sport across the country, encouraging players from all states to participate. We hope many will feel inspired and take interest in playing ice hockey.” Chuskit went on to mention that the future of ice hockey in India hinges on the ability of the nation to provide proper training facilities, improved coaching and support staff, and increased funding to help athletes take up the sport full time.  Check out our sports predictions  India’s ice hockey journey over the past decade  Given Indian weather patterns, it is unsurprising that almost the entire women’s ice hockey team hails from Ladakh, where natural ice is available during the winter months. This is where the team was originally formed back in 2016, which was also the first year they competed in a tournament – the IIHF Women’s Challenge Cup of Asia Division 1.  India lost every match in that tournament, but gained valuable lessons, especially around the difference between natural and artificial ice, something they had barely ever seen due to having limited access to proper ice rinks across the country.  Through learning and adapting, the team managed to finish third at the 2019 IIHF Women’s Challenge Cup of Asia Division 1 and built on their performance at the 2023 Asia and Oceania Championship, where they finished fourth, losing to Singapore 3-1 in the bronze-medal match.  Fast forward ...

Shetty ends India’s BWF World Tour drought Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty enjoyed his most memorable weekend as a professional badminton player by securing the title at the US Open Super 300 in Iowa, recording one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, according to all of the best online betting sites’ odds for the competition.  Ranked 34th in the world, Shetty delivered a stunning performance in the final of the tournament to overcome Canada’s Brian Yang, who is ranked one spot above him in the world standings, 21-18, 21-13, in a match that lasted just shy of an hour.  Not only did that result mark the 20-year-old’s third straight victory over Yang, but he achieved the feat after having also ousted top seed Chou Tien-chen in the final four and former junior world champion Kuo Kuan-lin in the quarter-finals.  The Karkala native’s title run was the first for an Indian badminton player on the 2025 BWF World Tour. Speaking in an interview following his victory, the rising Indian star said:  “It means a lot, it’s my first title in the senior circuit. So I’m really happy. There are a lot of positives to take away. I played some excellent badminton here and I’m looking forward to the Canada Open next week.” Shetty’s win comes at a time when India’s top shuttlers have been struggling for positive results, with the likes of PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy all failing to secure a title in 2025. The 20-year-old’s previous best performances were semi-final appearances at the Orleans Masters 300 and Taipei Open earlier this year. Check out our sports predictions  Sharma produces record-breaking run in Iowa While Shetty will receive most of the headlines over the coming weeks, Tanvi Sharma also deserves plenty of credit for her performance at the 2025 US Open, where she reached the final of the competition before bowing out to world number 21 Beiwen Zhang.  The 16-year-old Indian shuttler pushed Zhang, who is 18 years her senior, to a three-set thriller 21-11, 16-21, 21-10. Sharma kicked off the competition with a massive victory, beating the second seed Nguyen Thuy Linh in the opening round before downing former junior world champ Pitchamon Opatniputh in round two.  The teenager proceeded to overcome Karupathevan Letshanaa and Polina Buhrova in the quarter and semi-finals, respectively, and in doing so, became the youngest Indian ever to reach a final on the BWF Tour.  Sharma’s victory at the US Open saw her move up 16 places in the world rankings, and she, along with Shetty, will return to action this week at the $240,000 Canada Open Super 300 in Markham.  More badminton news

AEK set sights on Dessers this summer  After ending the 2023-24 Super League Greece 1 season in second place, AEK Athens were unable to follow up on that result last season, slipping to fourth place in the standings, 22 points behind eventual champions Olympiacos. You can follow the Greek top flight using our football livescore tool.  As a result, AEK have made signing a top-quality centre-forward to boost their attacking output one of their primary goals this summer, and Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers is believed to be high up on their wishlist of potential options.  The Nigerian international, who joined the Gers from Italian Serie B outfit Cremonese in 2023 for around €5m, has been in fine form since arriving at the Ibrox Stadium, netting 50 goals, while providing 16 assists across all competitions.  Last season, the 30-year-old forward found the back of the net an incredible 28 times and set up a further seven, which saw him awarded the Golden Boot in the Scottish Premiership. Dessers’ impressive form also put him on the radar of clubs in Italy and Spain during the January transfer window, but he opted to stay put.  However, Rangers ended the season trophyless and underwent a major change in ownership and team leadership, with Russell Martin being brought in as the new manager. The club were expected to make significant changes in the summer transfer market, and Dessers seems to be one on the chopping block despite his performance last term. Reports out of Greece last week suggested that the Super Eagles attacker had already agreed to personal terms on a three-year contract with AEK for a fee understood to be in the region of €5m – the same amount the Glasgow side paid for him a couple of years ago.  Check out our football predictions  Marko Nikolic discusses Dessers’ links and delay Amid the links between Dessers and AEK, a separate report earlier this week indicated that a move to Greece for the Nigerian may have hit a few hurdles, with the first being the transfer fee offered for his services by the Athens-based club.  It is understood that there is around a €1m discrepancy between what AEK is willing to pay and what Rangers is willing to accept. Additionally, AEK’s current striker, Niclas Eliasson, scored a hat-trick in pre-season, which many suggest may have led to Marko Nikolic shifting focus and prioritising other positions in his setup.  Nikolic was quizzed about his club’s lack of activity so far in the transfer window and if he was concerned that they had not secured a new striker in a recent media interview. He said:  “No, because in attack we are good with Zini, Pierrot, Martial and even Eliasson. We are working on the left-back, but we have time. Full-backs on the market are always a difficult matter. It is not a big issue, we are also looking for a player for another position.” Dessers’ current contract at the Ibrox runs until 2027, and while a ...