Cricket: ODI Squad Departs for Australia, Ranji Trophy Kicks Off, and Women's Team Fined
The Indian ODI squad embarked on its journey to Australia on October 15, departing in two batches from the national capital. This tour will see Shubman Gill leading the team as captain for the first time, with seasoned players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also part of the squad. The team is scheduled to play a three-match ODI series, followed by a five-match T20I series "Down Under". The first ODI against Australia is set for October 19 in Perth.
In domestic cricket, the Ranji Trophy 2025 season commenced with several key matches. Ishan Kishan, the Jharkhand captain, scored a commanding unbeaten century (125 runs off 183 balls) against Tamil Nadu, helping his team recover from a precarious position to reach 307 for six on day one. In another development, a mix-up by the BCCI on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy led to star batter Sarfaraz Khan being mistakenly listed as dismissed for a duck, when it was his younger brother, Musheer Khan, who had actually gotten out for Mumbai against Jammu & Kashmir. Meanwhile, Prithvi Shaw, playing for Maharashtra after moving from Mumbai, registered a duck on his Ranji Trophy debut for his new team.
On the international front, the India Women's team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, faced a five percent fine of their match fees from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for maintaining a slow over-rate against Australia Women in the ongoing 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup. Additionally, Nepal and Oman have successfully qualified for the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Ahmedabad Recommended to Host 2030 Commonwealth Games
In a significant development for Indian sports, Ahmedabad has been recommended by the Executive Board of Commonwealth Sport as the proposed host city for the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games. This recommendation will be presented to the General Assembly of Commonwealth Sport on November 26, 2025, for a final decision. Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, hailed this as "a huge moment for Indian sports," emphasizing that it reflects India's growing dominance in global sport and boosts the country's ambitions to host the 2036 Summer Olympic Games. If approved, Ahmedabad would become the second Indian city to host the Commonwealth Games, after New Delhi in 2010.
Para Athletics Championships Conclude, Junior Shuttlers Advance, and Hockey Team Faces Defeat
The IndianOil World Para Athletics Championships 2025 concluded in New Delhi, with India achieving a remarkable haul of 22 medals, including 6 gold, 9 silver, and 7 bronze. This marked the first time India hosted an event of such magnitude, featuring 2200 Para athletes from 104 countries.
In badminton, young Indian shuttlers delivered strong performances at the BWF World Junior Championships 2025 in Guwahati. Top seed Tanvi Sharma, eighth seed Unnati Hooda, and Rakshitha Sree Ramraj advanced to the pre-quarterfinals in the girls' singles category. Gnana Dattu TT also progressed in the boys' singles, while the mixed doubles pair of Bhavya Chhabra and Vishakha Toppo moved into the next round.
However, it was a tough outing for the Indian junior men's hockey team in the Sultan of Johor Cup. They suffered their first defeat of the tournament, going down 2-4 to Australia in a pool match. Captain Rohit and Arshdeep Singh scored for India, but Australia secured the win with goals from Oscar Sproule, Andrew Patrick, and Dylan Downey. India will now need to beat Malaysia to reach the final.
Shooting and Golf Updates
Veteran Indian shooter Zoravar Singh Sandhu is currently placed fifth after the first day of men's trap qualification at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Championship Shotgun 2025 in Athens, scoring 49 hits. Meanwhile, a strong 26-member Indian contingent is set to compete in the USD 4 million DP World India Championship at the Delhi Golf Club from October 16-19, 2025, featuring prominent Indian golfers alongside global stars.