Siddharth Singh, a professional practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and one of India's top MMA coaches, is working to push India's MMA forward. He began at age 12 in a box ring and continued during his time in London, learning Muay Thai. As wonderful a vision it is to dream of an Indian UFC champion, Singh is realistic enough to know it won't be overnight. His work ethic in his training and in his coaching is working to shape India's martial arts future. His forward-thinking style is working to sharpen talent and push India ahead in the world of MMA.  

In the 5-8 classification game of the Freestyle Grand Slam Tour in Germany's Weissenhaus, India's chess prodigy D Gukesh suffered a hard loss to World No. 3 Hikaru Nakamura. The game proceeded to rapid tiebreaks after initial draws, in which Nakamura triumphed 1.5-0.5. Afterward, Nakamura was complimentary of Gukesh's time trouble, stating that his intuition is not that great. He also took a shot at Gukesh's independent analysis of games, stating that working without cooperation of colleagues such as Fabiano Caruana is a huge handicap. Gukesh is to play Alireza Firouzja in the seventh-place playoff in his quest for his first win in the tournament.  

India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has acknowledged the impact of Jasprit Bumrah's absence from the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury sustained during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney. Gambhir emphasized focusing on the available talent, highlighting the opportunity for young pacers like Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh to make significant contributions. He also noted the importance of experienced bowler Mohammed Shami's return to the squad. Gambhir expressed confidence in the team's depth and readiness to compete in the tournament, which runs from February 19 to March 9.   

  Virat Kohli, former captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), has expressed his support to Rajat Patidar after he was appointed captain of RCB for IPL 2025. Kohli wished Patidar luck, saying, "We will be right behind you." Kohli also praised Patidar's improvement in his game, commenting on his potential to take the team to triumph. Kohli's motivational message is a reflection of his belief in Patidar's leadership potential, promising a great future for the team under their new captain. Fans of RCB are hopeful of a winning season in the next IPL season with this leadership change.  

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has made a confident statement ahead of their Champions Trophy 2025 opener against India on February 20th in Dubai. He asserted that Bangladesh isn't just participating, but aiming to win the tournament. Shanto highlighted their strengthened bowling and well-rounded team, expressing his belief that they can beat anyone if they play to their potential. Following the India match, Bangladesh will play New Zealand and Pakistan in the group stage.  

Shubman Gill reached a milestone in the 3rd ODI of the series against England in Ahmedabad, scoring a century in his 50th match. His seventh ODI century also became the fastest by an Indian batter in 50 innings. Gill's 112-run innings off 102 balls, adorned with 14 fours and 3 sixes, also became the fifth player to score centuries in all formats at the same venue. He is continuing to expand his stellar ODI career, having also reached the fastest to 2,500 runs.

Harshit Rana's unexpected selection to replace Jasprit Bumrah for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy has raised eyebrows. Despite being inexperienced, Rana was chosen over established players like Mohammed Siraj, sparking fan outrage on social media. Some critics allege favoritism, citing Indian coach Gautam Gambhir’s ties to Kolkata Knight Riders, as both Rana and Varun Chakravarthy are KKR players. Fans questioned whether Rana’s selection was influenced by Gambhir's connections, noting Siraj’s strong ODI record. The debate has fueled claims of bias and "politics" in team selection.

India suffered a major setback as pacer Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to a lower back injury. The BCCI confirmed Harshit Rana as his replacement, while spinner Varun Chakaravarthy replaced Yashasvi Jaiswal in the squad. Bumrah’s absence is a blow, given his outstanding performances, including 32 wickets in the Australia Test series. India, two-time Champions Trophy winners, now faces an uphill battle. Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, and Shivam Dube remain on standby. The tournament begins on February 19.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) faced criticism after New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra suffered a head injury while fielding in the 1st ODI in Lahore. Critics blamed poor floodlighting, with some questioning Pakistan’s readiness for the Champions Trophy 2025. Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt defended PCB, claiming Ravindra misjudged the ball. Ex-cricketer Tanvir Ahmed, however, slammed PCB’s stadium management, while Shoaib Mohammad suggested lighting issues. The debate intensified after India’s ODI in Cuttack also saw floodlight failures. New Zealand confirmed Ravindra needed stitches but will continue to be monitored.

Kane Williamson became the second-fastest batsman to reach 7000 runs in One Day Internationals (ODIs), surpassing Virat Kohli. Williamson achieved it in 159 innings, whereas Kohli had reached there in 161 innings. The New Zealand captain's brilliant unbeaten 133 off 113 balls against South Africa guided his team to a six-wicket victory, which confirmed their place in the final of the tri-series. The record for the fastest to 7000 runs still remains with Hashim Amla, who had reached there in 150 innings.