SPORTS

Batting great Sachin Tendulkar claims that Rahul Dravid will keep a healthy atmosphere in Team India as a coach during the Sri Lanka tour.

Dravid will travel with the Indian team comprised of some young talents led by Shikhar Dhawan as the senior players will be playing the Test series in England at the same time. Team India head coach Ravi Shastri will be accompanied by the senior men's in England as Rahul will guide the young guns in Sri Lanka.

Tendulkar feels that the player will be comfortable with Dravid around as some of them have already played under him during Under-19 days and India A tours.

"These players have spent enough time with Rahul, so they know him. A coach is someone who should keep a healthy atmosphere in the team and the dressing room, and Rahul will do that," Tendulkar said in an interview with a national daily.

The government on Tuesday asked all the state governments and union territories to identify dedicated COVID-19 vaccination centres for the Tokyo Olympics-bound Indian contingent. The Indian Olympic Association has said that the country is likely to send 190-odd members, including over 120 athletes, to the Tokyo Olympics, which opens on July 23.

"The IOA has said that most of the Olympic-bound athletes, except for a few, have received their first dose.

Arrangements have also been made for the athletes who are training abroad and are expected to fly directly to Tokyo.

Ajinkya Rahane on Sunday played a resilient knock for India against New Zealand in the World Test Championship in Southampton. He looked rock solid against the Kiwi pacers who were swinging the ball both ways under overcast conditions. However, he was trapped in a phenomenal manner by left-arm quick Neil Wagner with a short ball. Rahane played a half-hearted pull-shot and was caught by Tom Latham at square leg.

Former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar spoke about Rahane’s dismissal and said it highlighted a dip in the latter’s form despite scoring a match-winning hundred against Australia in Melbourne, during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

New Zealand's impressive fast bowler Kyle Jamieson set India captain Virat Kohli up perfectly to get the star batsman out for 44 early on Day 3 of the World Test Championship final in Southampton.

The tall fast bowler was miserly on Saturday and he was on top of his game in an enthralling battle against Kohli.

Virat Kohli was leaving the balls well during his 132-ball 44-run knock. The India skipper was willing to grind it out even as he was not able to move the scoreboard at pace. On Saturday, Kohli showcased superb control and there were very little false shots.

As play started 30 minutes late on n overcast Sunday morning at the Ageas Bowl, Kohli was looking good for a big one. He was once again tight in defence and leaving the balls outside his off-stump well.

Legendary Indian sprinter Milkha Singh breathed his last on late Friday (June 19) after a month-long battle with COVID-19, a  family spokesperson said. He was 91-year-old and had tested negative for COVID-19 after a strong fight on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and offered his condolence on the demise of the legendary athlete. He wrote, "In the passing away of Shri Milkha Singh Ji, we have lost a colossal sportsperson, who captured the nation's imagination and had a special place in the hearts of countless Indians. His inspiring personality endeared him to millions. Anguished by his passing away." 

Milkha Singh was in the Intensive Care Unit of the PGIMER hospital in Chandigarh. On Friday, the hospital released a statement saying that his health had turned critical as he developed complications, including fever and dropping of oxygen saturation level. The 91-year-old, who contracted COVID-19 last month, tested negative for the virus on Wednesday and shifted to general ICU in another block of the hospital. "His condition has turned critical," PGIMER sources said. He was being closely monitored by a team of doctors.