Author: Trisha Ghosal

Trisha Ghosal in Hangzhou India had a busy day at the Hangzhou Gymnasium on Tuesday. Four boxers were all set for their bouts, with medals at stake. The first fight for India was Preeti Pawar, with the young boxer taking on China’s Yuan Chang in the Women’s 50-54kg semi-final. Preeti fought bravely but lost on points to the Chinese boxer and had to settle for a bronze. After her bout, when I caught up with her for a chat, Preeti wasn’t happy with the result, though she was pleased at having added to India’s medal tally. “It’s a good thing…

Rohan Bopanna was playing professional tennis in the 20th century. He still is in 2023, having become the oldest individual to make a US Open men’s doubles final in August. But at 43, the end of the journey is in sight, and for that reason, he will cherish the mixed-doubles Asian Games gold that he won in the company of Rutuja Bhosale. Chinese Taipei’s En-shuo Liang and Tsung-hao Huang eased to the first set, but a change of tactics at the start of the second was pivotal to a hugely impressive Indian comeback that saw them win 2-6, 6-3, 10-4.…

-Trisha Ghosal at the shooting range in Hangzhou. It was a great morning for India at the shooting range with the men’s 10 metre air rifle team winning the gold, India’s first gold at the Asian games in Hangzhou. Abhinav Bindra, one of the greatest Indian athletes ever, was just touching down in Zurich at that point in time and soon after his flight landed we spoke to him. Abhinav was following the competition from the flight and was delighted with the effort. “This is a world class effort” Bindra said, before he went on to add that each of…

Trisha Ghosal in Hangzhou India opened their medal account at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou with a silver in the 10m Air Rifle Women’s Team event on Sunday morning. The shooting events kicked off at the Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre with the 10m Air Rifle Women Team and Individual events. India had three participants – Ashi Choksey, Mehuli Ghosh and Ramita Jindal. The Indian team began slowly and at the end of the first series, they seemed pretty much off colour. From the second series onwards, Ramita picked up a steady and consistent pace faltering only on a few…

Trisha Ghosal at the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony was all about bright lights, colours and music. The flavour was traditional Chinese all around. China’s President in the midst of all the glitz and glamour, it was a real show of soft power. The standout moment for me, however, was when the anchor called out my country’s name “India” and the Indian players walked out behind our flag bearers Lovlina Borgohain and Harmanpreet Singh. We were designated specific tickets like other spectators and the row I was sitting in had no Indians so when the team came out I shouted…

-Trisha Ghosal from the Opening Ceremony. Hangzhou is all about scale. Everything here is gigantic and humungous. And from what we have seen of the Opening Ceremony so far, it promises to be one of scale. In this huge stadium where I am at the moment, multiple different acts are on at the same time. The four corners of the ground are divided into mini grounds by themselves with four different sets of performers performing at the same time. Each is reflective of Chinese culture and tradition and the display of colours are dazzling to say the least. At the…

Pitchside: An Insider’s Glimpse into the Heart of Indian Cricket “Pitchside: My Life in Indian Cricket” by Amrit Mathur offers an engaging behind-the-scenes look at the intricate workings of Indian cricket. With over three decades of experience as a civil servant-turned-sports administrator, Mathur delves into specific tournaments and tours where he was closely associated with the Indian team. Rather than a chronological account, Mathur selects pivotal moments, providing insights into India’s maiden tour of South Africa in 1992-93, the 1996 World Cup, the 2004 tour of Pakistan, and more. His narrative is a mesh of facts and anecdotes, shedding light…

Rohan Bopanna may have fallen short in the US Open Men’s Doubles final, but he left an indelible mark that transcends victory or defeat. In his second appearance in the US Open Men’s Doubles final, Bopanna, alongside Matt Ebden, clinched the first set. However, their rivals, Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, stormed back to seize the next two sets and secure their third consecutive US Open title. Throughout the match, Bopanna delivered a barrage of stunning shots, showcasing his remarkable skills with both backhand and forehand winners. Despite a struggle with their first serves after the initial set, there was…

Rohan Bopanna, alongside his partner Matt Ebden, secured a spot in the Men’s doubles finals at the US Open, putting the seal on a remarkable year for the seasoned player. This year has undeniably been a golden one for Bopanna, who not only cemented his partnership with Australia’s Ebden but also became the oldest ATP Masters champion at the age of 43 while returning to the top 10 in doubles. Bopanna’s journey to the US Open final is testament to his enduring skill and unyielding determination. In the process, he also became the oldest man to reach a Grand Slam…

Smriti Mandhana’s half-century and Trent Rockets’ baffling tactics ensured victory for the Southern Brave in the opening encounter of The Hundred. They won by 27 runs. Trent Rockets won the toss and decided to bowl. Southern Brave scored 157/6 in their quota of 100 balls. Trent Rockets, unlike their name, never really took off and managed 130/7, with only Nat Sciver-Brunt (49) and Harmanpreet Kaur (22) crossing the 20-run mark. Southern Brave made an impressive start to their campaign with a commanding all-round performance. Their batters played a pivotal role in setting up the game, particularly Mandhana, who scored a…