India Open World Yogasana Championships Campaign with Five Gold Medals

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India made a sensational start to the inaugural World Yogasana Championships 2026, clinching five of the first six gold medals on offer and establishing an early lead in the medal tally in Ahmedabad. The hosts delivered a commanding performance across multiple categories, underlining their status as one of the favourites in the global event.

Golden Beginning for the Hosts

The Indian contingent showcased its strength and depth on the opening day, collecting five gold medals while maintaining a firm grip on the top spot in the standings. The impressive haul reflected the country’s growing dominance in Yogasana as a competitive sport. betsport24.es

Among the standout performances, India’s Sub-Junior Boys Traditional Group team secured gold after defeating Nepal, while the Junior Girls Traditional Group team also emerged victorious against the same opponents to claim top honours.

Ahmedabad Hosts Historic Event

The championship, being staged in Ahmedabad from June 4 to 8, marks the first-ever edition of the World Yogasana Championships. Athletes from more than 60 countries are competing in the landmark event, highlighting the sport’s expanding international appeal.

India Sets Early Pace

Backed by enthusiastic home support, Indian athletes demonstrated exceptional flexibility, balance and technical precision to dominate the early contests. Their strong showing has given the hosts significant momentum as the championship enters its crucial stages.

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Growing Global Recognition for Yogasana

The championship represents another milestone in the effort to establish Yogasana as a globally recognised competitive discipline. With participation from dozens of nations, the tournament is being viewed as a major step towards expanding the sport’s international footprint.

Eyes on More Success

Having opened their campaign with five gold medals, India will now look to extend their dominance in the remaining events. With the hosts already setting the benchmark, expectations are high for an even bigger medal haul as the World Yogasana Championships progress.

The post India Open World Yogasana Championships Campaign with Five Gold Medals appeared first on SSI FANZINE.

Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bat first in the one-off Test match at New Chandigarh.

After winning the toss, Shubman Gill said he would like to bat first. The skipper confirmed a debut for spinner Manav Suthar.

"We`re going to bat first. Very hot and humid here, so I think as the time goes by, the wicket is going to get slower and it`s going to get low. Looks like a good surface. I think a little bit drier, obviously because of the heat. It`s been very hot for the past few weeks here and I think it`s going to stay the same. (How does it feel to be captaining on home turf for the first time?) Very special. Obviously I grew up not far from here. Grew up playing here and always wanted to play in my hometown. So I think it`s a great privilege and honour to be able to captain my country for the first time here at my home ground. (On the switch from T20s to Test cricket) The preparation`s been pretty good. Honestly, the only thing that`s been a little tricky is the switch from sleeping late at nights to waking up at the time actually that we were sleeping at. But got a good couple of days of sleep and I think everyone`s pretty fresh and ready to go. We`ve got Manav Suthar making his debut for the first time." Shubman Gill said.

Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi admitted that he would have liked to bat first too.

"To be honest, we wanted to bat as well because the wicket looks good. But anyhow, toss is not in our hands. We need to play good cricket and we need to start very well. (What are you looking to get out of this Test?) Well, as you said, that we don`t get enough chances playing Test cricket. But yeah, we are ready for the challenge and we always accept challenge. We like challenges and this is the new challenge for us. We are well prepared for this game and we had a good preparation camp in Jalalabad in Kabul. So, looking forward now and very excited for the game. We have three seamers and two spinning combinations, we have one debutant - Nangeyalia Kharote."

Confirmed playing XI for both teams:

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Afsar Zazai(w), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Mohammad Saleem Safi

India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Throughout Norway Chess 2026, Praggnanandhaa showed a fearless approach against the world’s best players and went on to win the title. One of the biggest patterns in his tournament was that he never seemed content with playing safely. Even against elite opponents, he looked for winning chances. This was evident in his victories over Magnus Carlsen, Gukesh D and Vincent Keymer, where he continued to press even when the positions were complicated and required precise play. Rather than settling for draws, he repeatedly pushed for full points.

Another clear feature of his tournament was his flexibility. Pragg did not depend on one opening system or one type of position. Against Carlsen with the white pieces, he entered a sharp Sicilian battle and created practical chances from the middlegame onwards. Against Firouzja, he was happy to play a slower and more positional game before gradually taking over. Against Gukesh with the black pieces, he accepted a complex strategic battle and patiently waited for the right moment to strike. This ability to adjust his style according to the opponent made him very difficult to prepare for.

Patience was perhaps one of his greatest strengths throughout the event. His win against Firouzja in the second half of the tournament is a good example. The game remained balanced for a long period, but Pragg slowly improved his position and kept creating small problems. As the pressure increased and time became a factor, Firouzja’s position became harder to defend.

Similarly, against Keymer in the final round, he did not rush for tactical opportunities. Instead, he steadily built pressure and converted his advantage in a controlled manner.
His confidence with the black pieces played a huge role in his title run.

Many players are satisfied with drawing against opponents like Carlsen or Gukesh when they have black pieces. Pragg did the opposite. He defeated Carlsen in a French Defence, showing excellent preparation and confidence from the opening. He also beat Gukesh with black in a highly tense encounter where he gradually took over the initiative before launching a decisive attack. These victories were particularly important because winning with black against elite opposition is often what separates tournament winners from the rest of the field.

Another recurring theme was his ability to recover after setbacks. He lost to Firouzja early in the tournament and later suffered a defeat against Gukesh. However, neither loss affected his overall campaign. After losing to Gukesh, he responded by defeating Carlsen and then Gukesh himself later in the event. This showed remarkable resilience and mental toughness. Many players become cautious after a painful defeat, but Pragg continued playing ambitious chess.

The tournament also highlighted his calmness under pressure. His second victory over Carlsen is perhaps the best example. Playing against the hometown favourite and former world champion is difficult in itself, but Pragg remained composed in a tense struggle. As the game progressed, he steadily increased the pressure and eventually outplayed Carlsen. The same composure was visible in his win over Keymer, where he handled a critical final-round game without allowing the stakes to affect his decision-making.

Praggnanandhaa’s Norway Chess 2026 triumph was built on consistency, resilience, patience, and fearless play, as he repeatedly outplayed the world’s best players in different kinds of positions.

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Test cricket returns to India after a seven-month gap. After playing in the IPL for two months, majorly at night, the biggest challenge in New Chandigarh this week may not be Afghanistan’s spin attack. It could be the weather.

The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur is set to host its maiden men’s Test match when India take on Afghanistan from June 6. While the venue is still relatively new to international cricket, conditions could undergo a massive changes over the course of five days.

Pitch Report for IND vs AFG

The pitch being used for the Test is a black-soil surface, traditionally known for offering good bounce and carry early before gradually slowing down as the game progresses. A day before the match, there was still a hint of grass visible, which should encourage the seamers during the opening session on Saturday morning.

However, the bigger factor is the scorching Punjab summer.

Mullanpur Weather Report (Day 1, India vs Afghanistan Test)

Temperatures are expected to hover between 38°C and 42°C through the course of the match. Under such relentless heat, the surface is likely to dry out quickly, opening cracks and bringing spin into play much earlier than teams would ideally like.

That is one reason India are expected to field a three-spinner attack. Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar are almost certain starters, while one of Manav Suthar or Harsh Dubey could complete the spin department. Afghanistan, too, arrive with four specialist spinners in their squad despite the absence of Rashid Khan.

The first two days should be the best time to bat. The ball is expected to come nicely onto the bat, and if India’s top order negotiates the new ball, conditions could allow for a sizeable first-innings total. As the match moves into Days 3, 4 and 5, batting is likely to become increasingly difficult, especially against quality spin.

Unlike the recently concluded IPL, where players largely operated under lights, Test cricket in June means spending long hours under a punishing afternoon sun. Managing workloads, hydration and concentration levels will be key.

The post Mullanpur Pitch Report: How could India vs Afghanistan Test surface play out under massive heat? appeared first on Inside Sport India.

India skipper Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bat in the one-off Test against Afghanistan here on Saturday.

India handed debut to left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who has played 29 first-class matches for Rajasthan. He has 129 wickets from those matches.

This will be Gill’s first Test as captain on his home turf, Punjab.

Afghanistan also handed Test cap to 22-year-old left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote.

Teams

India: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt), Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

Afghanistan: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdul Malik , Rahat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Afsar Zazai (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Ziaur Rahman, Mohammad Saleem.