Sports

India's stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah on Thursday insisted that his team is not carrying any baggage from the unprecedented 0-3 defeat at home against New Zealand as it embarks on a challenging Test series against fierce rivals Australia.

The five-match Test series starts in Perth on Friday. "When you win you start from zero but when you lose, then also you also start from zero. We are not carrying any baggage from India. Yes, we have our learnings from New Zealand series but those were different conditions and our results here have been different," said Bumrah, who is leading in the opening Test in the absence of Rohit Sharma, who is on paternity leave.

Bumrah also said that the team has finalised its playing XI although he will reveal it only at the toss.

Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman on Wednesday revealed that the Argentina football team, including legendary player Lionel Messi, will visit the state next year for an international match.

Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, the minister stated that the match would be conducted under the complete supervision of the state government.

"All the financial assistance for organising this high-profile football event will be provided by the merchants of the state," the minister said.

Rafael Nadal's illustrious tennis career came to an end after Spain lost to the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup quarterfinal singles on Tuesday. 

The 22-time Grand Slam winner ended his career in professional tennis at the end of Spain’s participation in the tournament in Malaga after two injury-ravaged years. It had not been certain Nadal would feature in the singles but he was picked by Spain captain David Ferrer despite not playing a competitive match for over three months.

Nadal had won his last 29 Davis Cup singles matches out of 30 played — after debuting in the tournament in 2004 — and both of his prior clashes with the Dutchman. "I want to congratulate the Netherlands and thank the whole Spanish team that is here, who have let me play the Davis Cup again, which has not gone as we all wanted. I have given everything I had,” Nadal said after the match. 

“The truth is that you never want to get to this point. I'm not tired of playing tennis but my body doesn't want to play anymore and you have to accept that. I feel super privileged, I've been able to make my hobby my profession for a long time,” he added. 

The Indian blind cricket team will not compete in the T20 World Cup as the government has denied it permission to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns, the national federation said on Tuesday.

The Indian team was otherwise supposed to cross the Wagah border today for the event, scheduled to be held from November 23 to December 3. The Indian blind cricket team had got a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the sports ministry for participation but apparently couldn't get clearance from the MEA.

"We have been told unofficially that the blind team will not be permitted to travel to Pakistan. We were scheduled to travel to Wagah border tomorrow. But as of now no clearance has come from the ministry officials. So, we are a bit disappointed," Shailendra Yadav, General Secretary of the Indian Blind Cricket Association (IBCA), told PTI. "They are saying when the mainstream cricket team is not safe how can you be safe there. Of course, we will accept the decision, but why hold the decision till the last minute, why not inform us a month or 25 days back. There is a process," Yadab added.