Sakshi Chaudhary to represent India at Commonwealth Games 51 Kgs wome…

New Delhi [India], July 21 (ANI): Commonwealth Games 2026 are all set to commence in less than a week in Scotland’s Glasgow, and the entire country is rooting for boxer Sakshi Chaudhary, who is an official entry for India in the 51 Kgs women’s boxing category.

Facing all sorts of odds, losing 3 kgs in three weeks, defeating World Champion boxers like Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi Hooda, Sakshi has proved her prowess time and again. Best suited for the game, showing her winning spirit and tactful fighting, according to a press release from SAI Media. truewildgame.com

She is not new to creating history, as she is also the first Indian female to secure Gold in the World Boxing Cup, 2025, Astana.

Coming from a humble background and the daughter of a farmer, along with being a boxer, Sakshi also serves the Indian army. Currently, she is preparing for her match in Scotland. Rigorous practise, focused attention and manifesting the gold.

Speaking about Commonwealth Games, Sakshi said, “Participating in the Commonwealth Games has always been my dream, and I have been working on this for a long time. Finally representing Indian in the 51 Kgs boxing category feels surreal. Even when I got an injury, I was determined and never gave up. I recovered and kept training myself. Reducing weight seemed like another task, but I remembered what my father always taught me: to never give up and push yourself to the best of your potential. Right now, I’m busy training, and my only aim is to give my best shot and get that gold for India. I’m also taking the right amount of rest, a proper diet and staying mentally strong."

Sakshi is a two-time Gold medalist at the World Youth Championships (2017-2018), a gold medalist at the World Junior Women’s Championships (2015) and a medalist at the Asian Boxing Championships (2021).

She has been training since the tender age of 12 years and is surely right there to make India proud at the Commonwealth 2026, followed by the Asian Games 2026.

Sakshi is emerging as one of India’s most promising boxing talents, steadily paving her way towards the Los Angeles Olympics 2026. (ANI)

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Boria Majumdar

Indian cricket’s English summer has finally come to a close. And, may I say, it was a deeply troubled one that has left us with far more questions than answers.

First, the men. India lost eight of their nine matches and went down 2-1 in the ODI series after a comfortable win in Birmingham against England, the world’s eighth-ranked ODI side. They conceded 387 runs while bowling first at Lord’s and continued to leave out Kuldeep Yadav in what was a baffling selection call.

The women endured a disappointing T20 World Cup, which came on the back of a series defeat to England in the shortest format. The red-ball win at Lord’s offered redemption, but it cannot mask the continued failures in T20 cricket. It also raises serious questions about the team’s leadership and the way forward.

Looking back at the men’s T20 series, India’s approach appeared one-dimensional. It was as if they were determined to persist with a rigid template without acknowledging the conditions on offer. Trying to hit every ball out of the park, an approach that works well on Indian pitches, backfired and exposed their vulnerabilities against the short ball. The hype surrounding Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was perhaps excessive, and the England series has raised questions about his technique against short-pitched bowling.

Vaibhav lost his place to Sanju Samson for the final T20I and will need to return to the drawing board to adapt his game for conditions that offer assistance to the bowlers. Abhishek Sharma, Samson and Ishan Kishan were all found wanting, yet this is the group expected to lead India’s T20 future. Shreyas Iyer, too, needs to grow as a leader, and collectively the Indians were well below par.

The ODI series began positively in Birmingham, with the captain leading from the front. The only real positives were the batting form of Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and, eventually, Rohit Sharma, who dominated at Lord’s. However, the decision to field four fast bowlers at Lord’s, none of whom had prior experience of bowling with the slope, inevitably raises questions about team selection. Rather than criticising an inexperienced pace attack, it is fair to ask why Kuldeep Yadav, an out-and-out match-winner, continues to be overlooked.

After a poor summer, Gautam Gambhir will have to deliver in Sri Lanka. Failure to do so will only increase the pressure on India’s head coach.

For Amol Muzumdar, the victory at Lord’s came as a timely reprieve. However, red-ball cricket is not the primary format for the women’s team, and in T20 cricket, Amol and his side have consistently fallen short. India have now failed to progress beyond the group stage in back-to-back World Cups, yet the selectors have decided to continue with Harmanpreet Kaur as captain for the Asian Games. Ten years is a long time to lead a side, and it is only fair to ask whether the time has come for fresh ideas at the top.

As an Indian cricket analyst, this was not a pleasant summer to watch. Much like the heatwave that made life uncomfortable, the performances on the field have made corrective action an urgent necessity.

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When Spain won the European Championship in 1964, they needed just two matches to lift the trophy. It was nowhere near the blue-riband event it is today. In the years that followed, La Roja gradually fell further and further behind Europe’s traditional heavyweights.

Between that triumph in front of General Franco and lifting the same trophy in Vienna in 2008, Spain went beyond the quarter-finals of a major tournament only once – at Euro 1984, when they reached the final before losing to France after Luis Arconada’s catastrophic goalkeeping error gifted Michel Platini the opening goal.

Real Madrid and Barcelona may have been two of the biggest clubs in world football, but the Spanish national team consistently lagged behind. Even on home soil at the 1982 World Cup, Spain failed to make a deep run, while West Germany, Italy and later France consolidated their positions as European powerhouses. Spain’s international performances were largely confined to periodic newspaper headlines about another Armada being sunk.

Something had to change.

By the mid-2000s, Barcelona’s La Masia academy had produced Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta. There was also a new generation of outstanding forwards led by David Villa and Fernando Torres. Luis Aragonés, who took charge after the disappointment of Euro 2004, made several bold decisions, including leaving out stalwarts such as Raúl González and Míchel Salgado.

At the 2006 World Cup, Spain stormed through the group stage, scoring eight goals and conceding just one. They were favourites going into their round-of-16 clash against what many considered an ageing French side. Instead, Zinedine Zidane produced a midfield masterclass as France overpowered Spain 3-1.

That defeat sent Aragonés back to the drawing board. It became clear that some of his players could not match the physicality of Europe’s best teams. What they did possess, however, was extraordinary technical quality and passing ability. Barcelona had already begun perfecting the quick, short-passing style that would become known as tiki-taka, and Aragonés believed it held the key to Spain’s future.

After a few rocky moments during qualification for Euro 2008, the system had been refined by the time Spain arrived in Austria and Switzerland. They survived a tense quarter-final against Italy via a penalty shoot-out before sweeping aside Russia in the semi-finals and Germany in the final to become European champions.

Aragonés stepped down after that triumph, with Vicente del Bosque continuing the work he had begun. Two years later, in South Africa, Spain won their first World Cup. Faced with opponents increasingly willing to sit deep in low blocks, Spain adapted. They scored only eight goals en route to the title but controlled matches with their trademark possession game.

The decade that followed was far less successful. Spain did reach the semi-finals of the Covid-delayed Euro 2020, but after the shock defeat to Japan at the 2022 World Cup, Spanish football once again returned to the drawing board.

The appointment of Luis de la Fuente, whose experience was almost entirely with Spain’s youth teams, proved inspired. De la Fuente has retained the best aspects of tiki-taka – no team keeps possession better than Spain – while adding greater pace, directness and attacking variety through players such as Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams. The result is a side that is significantly more difficult to defend against.

Even when Argentina took them all the way in the World Cup final, it felt as though Spain would eventually find a way. Their youth teams remain the envy of Europe, the women’s team continues to dominate, and the men are world champions once again.

What Spain have done better than anyone else is identify a blueprint that suits their players and refine it rather than abandon it. From the Under-17 level onwards, players are coached to play the same way. By the time they graduate to the senior side, the transition feels seamless. That is why teenagers such as Yamal and Pau Cubarsí have stepped into international football so effortlessly.

While many countries chase big-name managers and short-term fixes, Spain have trusted the process. De la Fuente’s side are now unbeaten in 38 matches, and with the wealth of talent already available – and even more emerging through the ranks – it is difficult to see Spain relinquishing their place at the summit of world football any time soon.

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Zurich [Switzerland], July 21 (ANI): FIFA has appointed a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor to investigate the post-match brawl that erupted following Spain’s 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, as tensions spilled over after the final whistle in New Jersey, reported Reuters.

World football’s governing body confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the chaotic scenes involving players and team officials from both sides after Spain clinched their second World Cup title. FIFA, however, did not specify a timeline for the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings.

The ill-tempered scenes unfolded moments after the final whistle, with Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes confronting Spain defender Eric Garcia before the altercation escalated into a mass confrontation involving players, substitutes and members of both coaching staffs.

Television footage showed Paredes appearing to place a hand on Garcia’s throat, sending the Spanish defender to the ground. Spain midfielder Gavi was also involved as players from both teams exchanged shoves before officials and teammates intervened to restore order. Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni was seen attempting to calm his players during the melee.

The fiery ending came after an already heated contest in which Argentina were reduced to 10 men during the closing stages of normal time. Midfielder Enzo Fernandez was shown a second yellow card for a challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi, becoming the first player to be sent off in a FIFA World Cup final since Netherlands defender John Heitinga was dismissed against Spain in the 2010 final.

Fernandez’s red card also marked the first sending-off in a World Cup final in 16 years.

Despite the confrontation, emotions settled after the incident, with several Spain players embracing Argentina captain Lionel Messi, while Scaloni and Spain coach Luis de la Fuente shared a lengthy hug at midfield.

Spain secured the title after substitute Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute, reacting quickest to Nico Williams’ headed assist to hand La Roja a 1-0 victory after extra time.

Luis de la Fuente’s side dominated the final, controlling possession and creating the better opportunities, while Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez produced 12 saves to keep his team in the contest before Torres finally broke the deadlock.

The victory earned Spain their second FIFA World Cup crown, ending a 16-year wait since lifting their maiden title in 2010, and completed an unbeaten campaign that followed their UEFA Euro 2024 triumph. (ANI)

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