Success has been Virat Kohli’s shadow since the defeat in Galle in the first half of August 2015.Since then, India have upstaged Sri Lanka 2-1, South Africa 3-0, West Indies 2-0, New Zealand 3-0, England 4-0 and now Bangladesh 1-0. Kohli, the new captain across formats, has learnt his lessons along the way.”Honestly, it is the players that make you the captain that you become,” he said after leading his team to a 208run rout of Bangladesh on Monday .

“Anyone knows how to set fields on the ground. It’s just that you make sure you have the responsibility of keeping the energy of the team up.The bowlers know what they need to do but the fielders within the ring need to support the bowlers. I need to do that first, for the guys to show that energy . A lot of times, there is only so much that a captain can do. Before, I would be a bit relentless with fields, but now I understand better. That’s something I have learnt and hopefully we will take it forward.”

He said the hosts allowed the game to drift. “The only thing we could have done better is close the second innings quickly. There was a lapse in body language when they were eight down. We should have taken the chances and finished the game 45 minutes before what we actually did.

We need to improve. Closing off games is important, especially in Test cricket. You don’t want to give opposition any chance to get into the game. That’s something we need to keep re peating as a team.”

Now with both the London 2012 Olympics Gold and Silver medallists in 60kg category testing positive for banned substance, Yogeshwar Dutt is in line to get a Gold in case his sample comes out clean.

Yogeshwar Dutt returned home disappointed after a poor performance at the Rio Olympics last month. But since then the Haryana grappler has been flooded with news that his London Olympics Bronze medal may be upgraded after reports that the eventual Silver and now Gold medallist flunked dope tests. (Not only Silver, Yogeshwar Dutt’s London 2012 medal may turn to Gold: Reports)

However, Yogeshwar is not losing his sleep over it.

Russian Besit Kudukhov, who won silver at the London Games in 2012, has been found positive for a banned substance. And now, the reports have emerged that the London Olympics champion Toghrul Asgarov has also tested positive.

Yogeshwar is still not sure whether he will get the Gold or not but says if rankings at the Olympics are taken into account he stands a better chance to win the Gold.

For the record, in wrestling two bronze medals are awarded at the Olympics – both through repechage.

American Coleman Scott came from the other group while Yogeshwar won from the group that had Kudukhov.

“I am not too sure about the rules and have not got any confirmation from anyone so far. Honestly, I haven’t even tried to check with anyone,” Yogeshwar told India Today. (Good for Yogeshwar Dutt, but it’s not the first time Olympic medals have changed colours )

“I understand that my medal may be upgraded to a Silver as I had lost to the silver medallist. Similarly, the American wrestler had lost to Asgarov, the eventual gold medallist. So there is no clarity on that. (London 2012 Bronze upgraded to Silver, says Yogeshwar Dutt)

“If rankings are taken into consideration, then I was higher ranked. I had five bouts and he had four. I won four of them while Coleman won three and I also had better results in those bouts. So If rankings are taken into account, then I will get the gold but if they go by who lost to whom, then may be the American will get it,” he added.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is retesting samples collected from Beijing and London Olympics. Yogeshwar’s sample too will be tested and the reports are still awaited. Only once his sample is cleared that the IOC will make any official announcement on the upgradation of his medal. (Courtesy: India Today)

Before the Indian contingent departed for the Rio 2016 Olympics, a lot of debate took place on where India could finish in the medals tally. There were questions asked about the number of medals it can bring.

Will they match their count from the London Olympics four years ago? Or will India see a dip in the medal count? The way India officials promised a 10-plus medal count raised hopes of fans back home. Even players promised a good show.

But even after three days of the Rio Games, India is yet to open their medal account and hopes of matching the medal count from London look bleak. But this should not ring alarm bells for India or its fans.

India was hoping that on Day 3, when two of it’s most experienced shooters, Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang come out for their competition, they return with medals and open India’s account at the Games. But it was not to be as both shooters failed to finish in the top three spots of the men’s 10m air rifle event.

There are still a lot of events in which India can expect to win. Heena Sidhu will be playing her 10m air pistol event on Tuesday while the boxing, wrestling and badminton events are yet to begin. Even Jitu Rai will take aim in the his main 50m air pistol event and is medal hope.

Rio-bound wrestler Narsingh Yadav has reportedly tested positive for a banned substance. Though NADA was initially dragging its feet over announcing the development officially, sources in the Wrestling Federation of India have confirmed the news.

NADA, India’s anti-doping agency later confirmed the news. “Narsingh tested positive for a banned steroid,” NADA Director General Navin Agarwaltold news agencies. “His B sample was also found to be positive. Narsingh was personally present when his B sample was opened,” added the NADA chief.
Narsingh had given blood samples for testing on July 5, before he left for Spain to take part in an invitation tournament — a warm-up event for the wrestlers ahead of the Olympics.

The report of his ‘A’ sample test came out positive. Later, he was called for his ‘B’ sample test, which also returned positive. “He appeared before a disciplinary panel yesterday. The panel sought for more reports regarding the matter. We will proceed further and I am hoping that the panel will proceed quickly,” added the DG.

On whether the 74-kg freestyle wrestler would now miss the Rio Olympics, NADA felt it was still a bit early to speculate. “It is too early to comment in that regard. We will try to complete the whole thing quickly. I cannot speculate on that.”

Within the wrestling circles, there is disbelief. While chief coach Jagminder would not take calls all morning, a Wrestling Federation of India official confirmed the news on condition of anonymity. “I got the news last night that there is inconsistency in the sample given by Narsingh before he left for an invitational tournament in Spain earlier this month,” said an official. “Since it is a holiday today (Sunday) we are yet to receive any official intimation about it from NADA. That will happen tomorrow (Monday) and we are confident about Narsingh being clean and will retest him to make things clear.”

But typically, the Indian Olympic Association was the last to know of the development. “We are yet to receive anything on Narsingh from NADA, WADA or even the WFI,” IOA secretary Rajeev Mehta said.

Mehta added that, “The Olympic organising committee is in touch with IOA to know about the development.”

With the controversy surrounding Narsingh’s selection for Rio over double Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar, this current development has spun a few conspiracy theories and many in the wrestling federation doubt that the whole episode is a result of sabotage from “Sushil’s wellwishers”.

Mexican Sergio Perez will race for the Force India Formula One team again next season in an unchanged lineup with Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg.

“I am very happy to confirm that I will be staying with Sahara Force India. It means I can simply focus on the important stuff — driving the car and scoring points for the team,” the 25-year-old said in a team statement on Thursday.

“Since coming here I’ve really grown as a driver and I feel I’m performing at my best,” added Perez, who joined from McLaren at the end of 2013 and is currently the only Mexican on the starting grid.

Hulkenberg’s extension had already been announced at the Mercedes-powered team, who are fifth in the championship. Perez has scored points in his last three races and is ninth overall.

While Perez had been expected to stay, after a multi-year contract was announced last year, there had been lingering speculation he could switch to Lotus if that struggling team is taken over by Renault.

However the Mexican, whose sponsors make a significant contribution to Force India’s finances, had made continuity a priority.

Mexico is back on the F1 calendar this year for the first time since 1992 and the country could have two race drivers in 2016 with Ferrari reserve Esteban Gutierrez seen as a frontrunner for a seat at the new U.S.-based Haas team.

With Perez confirmed, the main focus of the driver market is now on McLaren, Lotus and Haas.

Britain’s Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion and Perez’s former team mate, is expected to announce he is leaving McLaren and the sport after a season of struggle with an uncompetitive Honda engine.

Over at Lotus, who have so far confirmed only Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, Frenchman Romain Grosjean looks likely to leave for Ferrari-powered Haas.

Champions Mercedes, closest rivals Ferrari and Williams have announced unchanged lineups for 2016 while Red Bull already have Australian Daniel Ricciardo and Russian Daniil Kvyat on long-term contracts.

There could be more movement on the engine side, however, with Red Bull talking to Ferrari about a supply for both them and sister team Toro Rosso after losing patience with underperforming Renault.

Lotus use Mercedes engines but Renault’s arrival could see that supply going to tail-enders Manor Marussia, who are currently powered by Ferrari.

World No. 1 Saina Nehwal on Wednesday presented her racquet, with which she became the first Indian to win silver at the Badminton World Championships, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an advanced birthday present. Modi will turn 65 on Thursday. Saina, 25, was delighted to have met the Prime Minister.

“I am pleased to meet the honourable Prime Minister and I wished him a happy birthday in advance. I am happy to present him a racquet for his birthday. It’s really good to know that he follows every sport regularly. He spoke to me about my matches and also congratulated me for my World Championship medal,” Saina said after the meeting.

Saina was accompanied by father Harvir Nehwal and Neerav Tomar, MD & CEO, IOS Sports & Entertainment, which manages the shuttler.

Indian tennis legend, Leander Paes, on Saturday won the mixed doubles finals at the US Open tennis championship. this was the 42-year-old player’s ninth grand slam title in mixed doubles, beating his former doubles partner, Mahesh Bhupati’s record of eight grand slam titles.

With nine Grand Slam mixed doubles titles, Paes is now only behind the legendary Martina Navratilova, who has won 10 mixed doubles titles.
Seeded fourth, the pair of Paes and Martina Hingis defeated unseeded Americans Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sam Querrey 6-4 3-6 10-7 in a tricky final to win their third Major title together this season.

As expected, congratulations have been pouring in for this legendary tennis player of India.

From politicians to the President, everybody appears overwhelmed by Leander’s historic achievement.

Young Indian shooter Apurvi Chandela impressed again as she clinched the silver medal in women’s 10m air rifle event of the ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup Finals in Munich.

The 22-year-old Jaipur girl finished second on the podium after she tallied 206.9, just 0.6 behind Ahmadi Elaheh of Iran, who won the gold medal with a tally of 207.5. Andrea Arsovic of Serbia bagged the bronze after prevailing in a shoot-off with Croatia’s Valentina Gustin.

In the finals, Chandela started on a rousing note as she fired two shots of 10.8 to lead after Series 1 of first competition stage. A total of 30.6 in the second series saw her a drop a place. Thereafter, the Indian managed to remain in contention for a medal.
Chandela’s final shot was a 10.2, which was just 0.2 less than the eventual winner Ahmadi Elaheh, who shot a 10.4. The reigning Commonwealth Games gold medalist has already earned the country a quota place for next year’s Rio Olympics by claiming the 10m air rifle bronze at the ISSF World Cup (Rifle/Pistol) in Changwon, Korea, in April.

Shooters with 10 best scores in each event of the year’s four World Cups are entitled to compete in the finals. London Olympic bronze medallist Gagan Narang and Gurpreet Singh had earlier reached the finals of their respective events in the tournament, but missed out on medals.

India paceman Ishant Sharma and three Sri Lankan players have been charged for misconduct during the ongoing third test between the neighbours, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Tuesday.

Sharma, who was fined 65 percent of his match fees for giving send-offs to Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal in the second test, landed in trouble with the Sri Lankans in the final contest as well.

Thirimanne, Chandimal and paceman Dhammika Prasad, who had an animated altercation with Ishant on Monday, have also been charged with code of conduct breaches, the ICC said.

“Details to be announced after the conclusion of the Test,” the governing body said on Twitter.

Tempers flared on Tuesday when Ishant, after taking a single and running past Prasad, was seen smacking his own head, as if daring the bowler to try and bounce him.

Chandimal joined from the slip, brushing shoulders with Ishant.

At the end of India’s second innings, Ishant ran towards the Indian dressing room to change and get ready to bowl and Prasad was also seen sprinting behind the Indian, as if trying to catch up with him.

Ishant gave animated send-offs to Upul Tharanga and broke into wild celebration after Chandimal’s dismissal.

The umpires have spoken to both captains and the players, especially Ishant, face stringent punishment.

Colombo: Playing his final Test, Sri Lankan batting legend Kumar Sangakkara was today accorded a warm welcome as he walked out to bat with the rival Indian team forming a guard of honour to applaud the veteran cricketer.

Coming in to bat after the fall of opener Dimuth Karunaratne, Sangakkara jogged in at the P Sara Oval with the home team placed a 1/1 in reply to the 393 all out posted by the Indians
The whole stadium reverberated with applause when the 37-year-old left-hander came out of the dressing room.

The standing ovation continued as Sangakkara walked past the guard of honour formed by the Indian team. The veteran shook hands with India skipper Virat Kohli before taking the crease.

Sangakkara has scored 12,350 runs with 38 centuries in 133 Tests for Sri Lanka, averaging 57.71. In his mammoth 404 ODI appearances, Sangakkara amassed 14,234 runs at an average of 41.98.

Although the series is a three-match affair, Sangakkara would be retiring at the end of this game.