Indian tennis legends Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj became the first Asian men to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Paes, an 18-time Grand Slam champion in doubles and mixed doubles, has been selected in the player category, while Amritraj was inducted in the contributor category. The contributor category recognises true pioneers, visionary leaders, or individuals/groups who have made a transcendent impact on the sport. The Class of 2024 will be officially inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Paes and Amritraj will join an elite group of 264 inductees from 27 nations – with India set to become the 28th nation represented in the Hall of Fame. “It has been my life’s honour to play for my country for over three decades in a sport that has given and taught me everything. This acknowledgment is indeed the ultimate accolade for every tennis player,” Paes said.
BCCI decides to retire Dhoni's No 7 jersey
The BCCI has decided to ‘retire’ MS Dhoni’s No7 jersey to honour his rich contribution to Indian cricket. The iconic India captain last played for the country in the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand. He announced his retirement on August 15, 2020 and no other player has worn the No 7 shirt since then. Even the great Sachin Tendulkar’s No10 has not been worn any other player since his retirement in 2013 except pacer Shardul Thakur, who had opted for No 10 on his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in 2017 but was trolled heavily on social media.
Kishan pulls out of India squad ahead of SA Tests
India wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan has asked to be released from the upcoming two-match Test series in South Africa, citing unspecified personal reasons, officials said. Kishan will be replaced in the squad by KS Bharat, who is likely to be back-up to first-choice KL Rahul. The 25-year-old Kishan has played two Tests for India after making his debut against West Indies in July this year, and scored 210 in a One-Day International against Bangladesh in December 2022. South Africa and India will begin the Test series in Pretoria on Dec. 26, with the second game to be played in Cape Town from Jan. 3. India are seeking a first Test series win in South Africa.
Kiwis win first ODI against Bangladesh
Dunedin : Opener Will Young cracked a rapid century as New Zealand recovered from a dreadful start to beat Bangladesh by 44 runs in the rain-affected first ODI. The match was shortened to 30 overs each after three rain delays to New Zealand’s innings in Dunedin. The home side burst into life in the final stages to post an imposing 239-7. Needing an adjusted target of 245 to win the first ODI of the three-match series, Bangladesh were restricted to 200-9 in a chase that lost momentum. New Zealand bounced back after losing two wickets in the game’s opening over when seamer Shoriful Islam had Rachin Ravindra and Henry Nicholls both caught without scoring. A 171-run stand between Young, who hit 105, and captain Tom Latham, who finished with 92, handed the advantage back to the hosts.
