Bharat Rakshak

Game 1 of the Final between Divya Deshmukh and Humpy Koneru ends in a draw.

Amazing fight back from India in saving the 4th Test after 0/2.

However, Gautam G needs to answer for dubious tactics and team selection…

Divya wins the Women’s WC and becomes a GM direct route! The crown princess of Indian chess, beating the World Rapid Champion in the shorter time control is no joke.

Najunamar wrote: ↑28 Jul 2025 18:07 Divya wins the Women’s WC and becomes a GM direct route! The crown princess of Indian chess, beating the World Rapid Champion in the shorter time control is no joke.

Najunamar ji,


per reports, both played for a draw and both won.

That's how the game is played

Chetakji, I did not understand- the first Tiebreak game ended in a draw but the second was won by Divya after a blunder by Humpy. There were some mistakes from Divya also en route to the win (she said in the interview she has to bolster her end games! Kudos for being aware of the weaknesses).

Najunamar wrote: ↑28 Jul 2025 21:15 Chetakji, I did not understand- the first Tiebreak game ended in a draw but the second was won by Divya after a blunder by Humpy. There were some mistakes from Divya also en route to the win (she said in the interview she has to bolster her end games! Kudos for being aware of the weaknesses).

Sorry, Najunamar ji.

My bad.

I was going by the first report without updating myself on the second game.

A historic final featuring two outstanding Indian chess players!

Proud of the young Divya Deshmukh on becoming FIDE Women's World Chess Champion 2025. Congratulations to her for this remarkable feat, which will inspire several youngsters.

Koneru Humpy has also displayed immense prowess throughout the championship.

Best wishes to both players for their future endeavours.

-Prime Minister of India.

Congrats to Divya and Humpy. Incredible prep, resourcefulness and fighting spirit shown by young Divya.

Great times for Indian Chess.

VI@WA

ChatGPT when asked to describe yesterday’s match in the style of PG Wodehouse had this to say -

The Curious Case of Ben Stokes and the Unshakable Indians*

(A narrative in which Old Trafford resembles the Drones Club on a Saturday afternoon)

The thing about India and Test cricket is that they have a tendency, much like an absent‑minded uncle who suddenly remembers he has a moustache, to surprise you at the most inconvenient moments. Old Trafford, Manchester, was no exception.

England, bless their cotton socks, strutted out with the air of a chap who has just hoisted an absurdly large salmon onto the bank. Six hundred and sixty‑nine runs, Stokesy and chums informing anyone within a mile radius that India had about as much chance as a blancmange in a fencing match. A mere formality, said the pundits, dusting their jackets and adjusting their monocles.

India, however, had clearly not read the script. Two wickets down for the price of a half‑eaten sandwich, yes, but then appeared Gill and Rahul, all poise and sang‑froid, as if they were sauntering into the Long Room to borrow the sugar tongs. Gill, who seems incapable of batting badly this series, whistled up another century, while Rahul produced ninety of the classiest runs ever seen outside a Savile Row fitting room.

The plot thickened when Jadeja and Washington Sundar walked in. One expects chaps in such situations to look like condemned prisoners approaching the scaffold. Instead, they exuded the calm confidence of men about to order pudding. And order it they did—hundreds for both, the English fielders looking like people who had just been told the pub was closed early.

Enter Ben Stokes, England’s captain, eyes aglow with what one assumes he thought was statesmanship, offering the Indian duo a handshake to call it quits. Rather like a chap in a losing poker hand suggesting everyone simply “call it even.” Jadeja, twirling his imaginary moustache, politely declined, while Sundar—busy crafting his maiden Test ton—merely smiled the beatific smile of one who has seen the menu and intends to have dessert.

And thus, India batted on, unmoved, unbowed, and possibly wondering if they might fit in a quick game of carrom between overs. England huffed, puffed, and went home with a draw which, from their perspective, felt suspiciously like a loss.

Moral of the story: If you plan to extend the olive branch, best not to do it when the other chap is still chopping wood.

That is fantastic. Now that I read all Wooster and Jeeves PGWodehouse novels a few times, I am raring to see new PGW pastiche writers to appear. Sadly I am still waiting. Looks chatgpt will feed my PGW addiction.

An hour long interview with our latest chess world cup winner Divya Deshmukh. It's amazing to see how sorted, grounded and smart a young person can be, while facing fierce competition, success and media+public adulation. Watch it and share with youngsters.

Fantastic to see India's bright youth this way, serene and composed, at the same time having fun and success, while a lot of youngsters the world over are struggling with SM, anxiety and mental health issues.

Parenting and family unity and support are so so important to enable children to actualise their potential and stay balanced.

Hats off to Siraj, what a lion hearted bowler! Bowled continuously in all 5 tests, over 180 overs bowled. And a final match winning performance! What a bowler…

Rohith Krishna S is India's 89th Grandmaster!

Government makes amendment in the national sports governance bill to keep BCCI out of RTI act.

^^^ Chetakji - what does this mean ? .. Thanks in advance.

@Chetak gaaru, something stinks. What does BCCI have in their past that they should be exempt from RTI requests? I am miffed.

The BCCI is a golden goose that has a budget in thousands of crores. Historically, whoever is in Centre controls the BCCI as well for obvious reasons. The BCCI does not want people prying into its affairs - again due to the deep political connections and money related matters, especially since it deals with foreign exchange on a regular basis. Additionally the state cricketing associations are a den of political activity as well.

Having said that, it is largely professionally run and one of the most competent sports bodies in India, and I would submit in the world as well. It has done a lot for cricket at grass roots level and at elite level- the number of academies are a witness to that. There are umpteen number of jholawalas and assorted people who would want to pull it down to the level of boxing and wrestling federations and get the moolah…RTI is a way for them to create controversy.

Tanaji wrote: ↑13 Aug 2025 20:29 The BCCI is a golden goose that has a budget in thousands of crores. Historically, whoever is in Centre controls the BCCI as well for obvious reasons. The BCCI does not want people prying into its affairs - again due to the deep political connections and money related matters, especially since it deals with foreign exchange on a regular basis. Additionally the state cricketing associations are a den of political activity as well.

Having said that, it is largely professionally run and one of the most competent sports bodies in India, and I would submit in the world as well. It has done a lot for cricket at grass roots level and at elite level- the number of academies are a witness to that. There are umpteen number of jholawalas and assorted people who would want to pull it down to the level of boxing and wrestling federations and get the moolah…RTI is a way for them to create controversy.

Tanaji saar,

especially when such money acquires different colors (and extreme flexibility) depending on the source and destination

Amber G. wrote: ↑13 Aug 2025 01:02 ^^^ Chetakji - what does this mean ? .. Thanks in advance.

Amber ji,

It is an open display of a very rare and the full spectrum political unity and deeply shared interests that has created this loophole, even with a powerful govt like the one we currently have

personal interest always trumps national interest

chetak wrote: ↑13 Aug 2025 21:04 personal interest always trumps national interest

In the US, Trump's interest trumps national interest.

There is an Hero Hockey Asia cup being organized at Rajgir, Bihar (new stadium complex). Last year Pakistan won Bronze (India won Gold) they were qualified for this year's Asia cup. Indian authorities gave the visas to Pakistan team about 1 week ago and they promptly refused to come to India citing security concerns in India. Other teams are Japan, China, Korea, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Chinese Taipei, Bangladesh and India. This is the schedule starting in 10 days (Friday August 29th).


Pool A Pool B
India Malaysia
Japan Korea
China Bangladesh
Kazakhstan Chinese Taipei

Time Match Pool Team v Team
Friday, 29 August 2025
09:00 M01 Pool B Malaysia v Bangladesh
11:00 M02 Pool B Korea v Chinese Taipei
13:00 M03 Pool A Japan v Kazakhstan
15:00 M04 Pool A India v China
Saturday, 30 August 2025
13:00 M05 Pool B Bangladesh v Chinese Taipei
15:00 M06 Pool B Korea v Malaysia
Sunday, 31 August 2025
13:00 M07 Pool A China v Kazakhstan
15:00 M08 Pool A Japan v India
Monday, 1 September 2025
13:30 M09 Pool B Bangladesh v Korea
15:30 M10 Pool B Malaysia v Chinese Taipei
17:30 M11 Pool A China v Japan
19:30 M12 Pool A India v Kazakhstan
Tuesday, 2 September 2025 – Rest Day

Time Match Pool Team v Team
Wednesday, 3 September 2025
14:30 M13 5/8th Place 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B
17:00 M14 Super4s Pool TBC v TBC
19:30 M15 Super4s Pool TBC v TBC
Thursday, 4 September 2025
14:30 M16 5/8th Place 3rd Pool B v 4th Pool A
17:00 M17 Super4s Pool TBC v TBC
19:30 M18 Super4s Pool TBC v TBC
Friday, 5 September 2025 – Rest Day
Saturday, 6 September 2025
14:30 M19 7/8th Place Loser M13 v Loser M16
17:00 M20 Super4s Pool TBC v TBC
19:30 M21 Super4s Pool TBC v TBC
Sunday, 7 September 2025
14:30 M22 5/6th Place Winner M13 v Winner M16
17:00 M23 3/4th Place 3rd Super4s Pool v 4th Super4s Pool
19:30 M24 Final 1st Super4s Pool v 2nd Super4s Pool

Approved by FIH: 18 August 2025

Notes:
1. The Match Schedule is subject to amendment at the discretion of AHF.
2. The pools and match sequence as per the FIH Competition Policies and Tournament Regulations are based on the FIH World Rankings on 18 August 2025.
3. The sequence of Super4s pool matches will be confirmed upon completion of all matches in pools A and B.

Super 4's are Malaysia, India, Korea and China.

Malaysia defeated China 2-1 and it's at top with 2 points.
India and Korea scored 2-2 draw with 1 point each.
India plays Malaysia tomorrow.

Winning this Asia cup means direct entry into Hockey world cup.

^i watched a little of the india - kazakhstan game, what a hapless performance by the kazakh, 15-0

the more i think on it, i believe that india can do well in team sports that have a mixture of technical skills and endurance with the majority tilting towards technical skills like cricket; otoh, games like football that are skewed more towards endurance and less towards technical skills are where india will always lag, which is also why we have the isl for the past 10 years and not a leap of improvement in the national rankings as opposed to other sports where we have introduced the popular club level leagues

i think that the hockey league may have also influential in improving our general level of playing

India defeats Malaysia to be top among final four. 4-1.

Semifinal match against China and then #1 of pool A vs #1 of Pool B for finals.
#2 vs #2 for 3rd place.

winner qualifies for the Hockey world cup to be held at Chennai in October - November 2025. 25 nations are participating. Pakistan did not qualify for world cup as they declined to come to Bihar to play Asia cup.
-------

India defeats China 7-0. To enter Asia Cup Finals against Korea.

Winner gets qualification for World Cup.

India wins Hero Asia Cup hockey defeating Korea 4-1

Do these jihadi paki punks actually expect India to play cricket in pukestan


https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/spo ... 743649.cms

A deadly explosion hit a cricket match at Kausar Cricket Ground in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday, killing one person and injuring several others.

Police confirmed it was a targeted attack using an improvised explosive device in Bajaur district's Khar tehsil, with militant groups suspected amid ongoing security operations

https://x.com/TheHockeyIndia/status/1964718932679655702

@TheHockeyIndia
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮!

India reign supreme at the Hero Asia Cup Rajgir, Bihar 2025 with a stellar campaign to lift the crown — their fourth Asia Cup title.