The Indian cricket team and the BCCI joined the nation in mourning the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away on Thursday after battling ill health. He was 93.

“The Indian cricket team and BCCI condoles the sad demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Atalji dedicated his life in service of the nation,” the BCCI said in a statement.

Vajpayee, the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office, died here on Thursday after a prolonged illness.

Several former and current India cricketers also took to Twitter to condole the demise of the former Prime Minister.

Former India captain and coach Anil Kumble wrote: “A sad day for the country, as we lose one of our greatest leaders. #AtalBihariVajpayee contributed so much for the betterment of the country. May his soul rest in peace.”

“It’s been a sad week, the demise of one of India’s finest leaders “Mr. Vajpayee” is heartbreaking,” India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin wrote.

India opener Shikhar Dhawan wrote: “My deepest condolences on the passing of our former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji. One of the few politicians I always respected for his honesty and devotion to the national cause. May his soul rest in peace.”

India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara in his message wrote: “Deeply saddened to hear about the loss of Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. His values and ideologies will be remembered forever.”

Vajpayee, who was honoured with the Bharat Ratna in 2014, was undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

His condition worsened on Wednesday evening with leaders from across the political spectrum thronging the hospital and enquiring about his health.

A 22-member India U-23 football team will travel to Australia on Friday as part of their preparation for the forthcoming SAFF Suzuki Cup. The squad has been camping here since July 28.

India will be based at the Valentine Sports Park in Sydney for another 16-day long preparatory camp before they eventually leave for Dhaka on September 1, according to a statement.

“The exposure trip was planned before the Asian Games but unfortunately, we were barred from taking part in the Games. We didn’t see any reason to cancel the trip and had to postpone it prior to the SAFF Tournament,” head coach Stephen Constantine said.

Apart from the 22 players, two players have been kept in reserve who might get a call-up to join the contingent in Australia if circumstances demand so; 20 boys will eventually travel for the SAFF Suzuki Cup.

Constantine also thanked the clubs for releasing the players from their club commitments for national duty.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the clubs for letting the players join the more-than-a-month long National Team Camp. We need such support from them until the AFC Asian Cup 2019. It’s good for the country as well as the clubs. I appreciate that”, he added.

“Although we didn’t qualify for the AFC U23 Championship, these boys showed good signs in Qatar last year. A few new boys have come and they’re putting in an effort to integrate with the other boys.”

“It’s a group of talented youngsters and I believe a good number of players will graduate to the senior team in time,” the coach said.

On being asked whether the U-23 boys will be under pressure against the senior teams in the SAFF Suzuki Cup, he explained: “I take it as a challenge for us. If the senior boys compete in the SAFF Tournament, these young boys won’t get the opportunity to play anytime soon. I think this tournament should be treated as a platform to give more exposure to the U23 boys which will be beneficial for India in future.”

The list of 22 players along with 2 reserves is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Vishal Kaith, Kamaljit Singh, Sukhdev Patil.

Defenders: Davinder Singh, Salam Ranjan Singh, Sarthak Golui, Subhasish Bose, Mohd. Sajid Dhot, Jerry Lalrinzuala.

Midfielders: Nikhil Poojary, Isaac Vanmalswama, Nandha Kumar, Vinit Rai, Germanpreet Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Ashique Kuruniyan, Vignesh D.

Forwards: Sumit Passi, Hitesh Sharma, Manvir Singh, Farukh Choudhary.

Reserves: Lalruatthara, Rohit Kumar.

Putting his weight behind surfing, former India tennis star Somdev Devvarman on Thursday predicted a bright future for the new Olympic sport in India.

Speaking at the official launch ceremony of the sixth Covelong Point Surf, Music & Yoga Festival, which will run for three days, Somdev revealed that he had been an avid surfer himself.

The festival will see close to 170 wave riders from 10 nations compete for top honours, including defending champions in both the Men’s and Women’s categories, namely Raghul Paneerselvam and Suhasini Damian respectively.

At the media event, Somdev said: “I never used to swim before but in the last 2-3 years I am just hooked to surfing.”

“As an athlete, it is amazing to see surfing pick up as a sport. Surfing is potentially one of the more popular sports across many parts of the world and it’s heartening to see the sport pick up in India.”

Somdev said that the sport is now going to be a part of the Olympics and it was great to see many Indian youngsters taking up surfing as it’s from here that the country might have it’s future Olympians.

Delhi Dynamos on Friday announced the signing of Serbian striker Andrija Kaluderovic for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) football season.

The 31-year-old joins the ISL capital side on the back of finishing as the top scorer for Wellington Phoenix in the Australian League last season.

Kaluderovic’s signing takes the Dynamos foreign quota to four players, according to a release.

Kaluderovic has previously had stints in Serbia, China, Spain, Switzerland, Lithuania and Australia and has scored more than 100 goals in 236 club appearances.

The striker has also been capped thrice by the Serbian national team.

Head coach Josep Gombau is confident that Kaluderovic can replicate his past form in the ISL.

“Andrija is a very intelligent player who is quick and a good finisher. I have seen him play in the Australian league and he has performed consistently well both in the league and the continental cups as well. He has a great mentality and experience which will really help the side,” he said.

The former Racing Santander forward won the Lithuanian League and Cup double in 2016 with Zalgiris, where he was also the golden boot winner in the league.

“I am excited to have joined a new league and a new team in Delhi Dynamos. The popularity of ISL is for everyone to see and a lot of foreign players are here so I am no stranger to this competition. I want to give my best and hopefully we will have a good season,” a delighted Kaluderovic said.

Shocked over the demise of Ajit Wadekar, spin great Erapalli Prasanna on Thursday said his former teammate was one of the most elegant left handers he had played with.

“I am utterly shocked. I heard it in the morning and I still don’t know the reason. Ajit was the one of the most elegant left-handers I played with and under,” Prasanna told IANS over phone.

Wadekar, who was suffering from prolonged illness, breathed his last at the age of 77.

Wadekar was an excellent catcher in the slips and famously led India to historic series wins in the West Indies and England in 1971.

“He was a defensive captain but when the situation demanded, he used to up the ante and deliver the goods quietly. He went about his business without much ado,” Prasanna said.

Wadekar took over the reins from Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi during the 1970-71 West Indies tour thanks to the casting vote of Vijay Merchant, the chairman of selectors.

In later years, Wadekar served as India’s first ever official head coach, taking over in 1992.

“I will always remember him as a great leader and someone who never liked to lose. Bombay cricket has always been like that and he was no different. So he was defensive but when the chips were down, he knew how to get the results,” Prasanna added.

Former India off-spinner Ramesh Powar was on Tuesday officially appointed head coach of the women’s national team until the ICC World T20 scheduled for November 2018.

“The BCCI has appointed Ramesh Powar as head coach of the Indian women’s team. Powar has now been handed over full time duties till November 30, 2018,” a BCCI statement confirmed.

The 40-year-old Powar was initially appointed interim coach last month, a week after former first-class cricketer Tushar Arothe submitted his papers citing personal reasons.

The upcoming tour of Sri Lanka will be the first assignment for Powar as head coach.

“His term will include the tour to Sri Lanka in September, a bilateral series in the West Indies in October followed by the ICC Women’s World T20 in the West Indies in November,” the statement further said.

The T20 World Cup, starting November 9 will see India facing New Zealand, Pakistan, Australia and one of the qualifying teams in the league stage.

India skipper Virat Kohli dropped a spot to No.2 in the latest ICC rankings for Test batsmen, a day after his side slumped to an innings and 159-run loss to England in the Lord’s Test.

Kohli, who rose to the numero-uno spot by overtaking banned Australian Steve Smith last week, scored 23 and 17 at the home of cricket, even as the visitors succumbed for 107 and 130, to concede a 0-2 lead to the hosts in the five-Test rubber.

Besides Kohli, his deputy Ajinkya Rahane (23), and openers Lokesh Rahul (25), Murali Vijay (34) and Shikhar Dhawan (26) also slipped in their rankings.

However, Ravichandran Ashwin was the notable exception, moving up in the list for batsmen from 67th to 57th, with defiant innings of 29 and 33 not out.

Ashwin has also leap-frogged South Africa’s Vernon Philander to grab the third position among all-rounders.

For England, wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow’s 93-run knock has lifted him back into the top 10, in ninth place.

Among the bowlers, veteran quick James Anderson has become only the seventh England bowler and the first in 38 years from his country to breach the 900-point mark.

No.1-ranked Anderson’s outstanding match figures of 9/43 have enabled him to reach 903 points and join a select group comprising Sydney Barnes (932), George Lohmann (931), Tony Lock (912), Ian Botham (911), Derek Underwood (907) and Alec Bedser (903), all of whom peaked at over 900 points during their careers.

Anderson now leads second-placed South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada by 21 points in the bowlers’ list.

India’s Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin are stable at No.3 and No.5, respectively with Philander separating the duo.

Among others, India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has moved up 25 places to take the 74th spot among bowlers.

England’s Chris Woakes, who slammed an unbeaten 137 in England’s only innings and chipped in with four wickets in the match, has gained 34 places to reach a career-best 50th position among batsmen while also moving up three places to 32nd among bowlers and by five places to seventh among all-rounders.

India progressed to the semi-finals of the SAFF Under-15 Football Championship, defeating hosts Bhutan 1-0 at the Changlimithang Stadium here on Monday.

Shilky Devi’s 58th-minute strike proved to be the difference between the two teams in a match tightly contested where India rattled the bar twice.

With this win, India top Group A, winning both of their matches. India will face either Nepal or Bangladesh in the semi-finals on Thursday.

Although Bhutan started the game on an attacking note and dominated possession in the early minutes of the match, the Indian girls had an excellent opportunity to go ahead in the 13th minute but Kiran failed to make the most of her chance from inside the box.

In the 31st minute, India rattled the woodwork after Sunita Munda found Kritina Devi on the flanks with some crafty work. Kritina’s first time effort from long range hit the bar and came back into play, only for her to shoot wide off the resulting ball.

Five minutes later, Bhutan caught the Indian defence napping and hit the side netting from inside the box to give the Indians a scare.

Shilky Devi’s volley from inside the box in the 41st minute went inches over the bar as India continued to press the opponents. A stalemate ensued at half-time as both teams went into the tunnel on level pegging.

In the 55th minute, Avika Singh’s effort from a distance rattled the crossbar but India had to wait for the breakthrough that came three minutes later. Shilky Devi found the back of the opponent’s net with ease from inside the box with sheer composure in the 58th minute to give India the lead as the scoreline read 1-0.

India pressed to double their advantage and came close when Shilky’s shot missed the target. On the other end, the Indian defence had a busy day to stop Bhutan’s counter-attacks that came quite frequently.

Bhutan committed to attack to search for an equalising goal but the Indian defence shut the gates tight and held on to eke out a 1-0 win over the hosts.

Indian golfer Viraj Madappa, who won the Take Solutions Masters title last weekend in Bengaluru, has jumped from 1561st rank to be 460th in the world rankings, which were announced on Monday.

Madappa became the record youngest Indian, at the age of 20 years and nine months, to win on the Asian Tour as he claimed a two-shot victory at the Take Solutions Masters.

That win has catapulted him inside the top-500 rankings for the first time in his career.

The Bengaluru event also proved beneficial for Khalin Joshi and S.S.P. Chawrassia. Khalin, who finished tied sixth, jumped 48 places to be 376th. Chawrasia, who also finished sixth in Bengaluru, vaulted 33 places to be 380th.

However, Shubhankar Sharma and Anirban Lahiri dropped four places each to be ranked 92nd and 97th respectively after failing to make the weekend cut in the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Championship — which resulted in their losing ground.

The third highest ranked Indian, Gaganjeet Bhullar, dropped three places to be 117th, while Ajeetesh Sandhu moved down two places to be at the 230th spot.

Shiv Kapur maintained his 232nd rank, while Rahil Gangjee dropped two places to be 328th.

Meanwhile, United States’ Dustin Johnson maintained the No.1 spot, while his compatriot Brooks Koepka climbed two spots to world No.2 after his victory at the PGA Championship on Sunday, dropping his countryman Justin Thomas to the next spot, reports Efe.

Having finished fourth in the same tournament, Spain’s Jon Rahm jumped to the fifth place, replacing Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who dropped to world No.7.

US’ Tiger Woods, meanwhile, jumped from world No.51 to the 26th, thanks to his second-place showing at the PGA Championship in Town and Country, Missouri.

Further down in the rankings, Adam Scott of Australia rocketed 31 places to 45th after finishing third on Sunday, while former world No.99 Stewart Cink of the US was elevated to world No.70 after his fourth-place finish at the PGA Championship.

The England selectors have named an unchanged squad for the third cricket Test against India at Trent Bridge, starting August 18.

Already 2-0 up in the five-match Test rubber after wins at Edgbaston and Lord’s, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement that it will make an assessment of all-rounder Ben Stokes’ availability after the conclusion of the trial in Bristol.

This means Stokes is likely to miss out even if he is found not guilty of affray at Bristol Crown Court this week.

Stokes’ absence from the Lord’s Test, however, did not affect England in the second game, with fellow all-rounder Chris Woakes striking his maiden century and putting in a man-of-the-match performance.

Woakes registered a maiden Test century, scoring 137 not out, along with match figures of 4/43.

England squad for 3rd Test: Joe Root (Captain), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes.