Former Saurashtra batter Sitanshu Kotak has been appointed as India’s batting coach ahead of the upcoming limited-overs series against England and the Champions Trophy next month. This decision comes after the performance of assistant coach Abhishek Nayar faced scrutiny during a recent tour of Australia. India is set to host England for five T20Is and three ODIs, marking their first bilateral series following the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The Indian team is currently under the leadership of head coach Gautam Gambhir, with Abhishek Nayar and Ryan Ten Doeschate serving as assistant coaches, Morne Morkel as the bowling coach, and T Dilip as the fielding coach.

Kotak’s appointment comes as the BCCI prepares to evaluate Gautam Gambhir’s role as head coach, particularly following India’s performance in the forthcoming Champions Trophy. This assessment is driven by concerns of unrest within the team, reportedly due to Gambhir’s attempts to alter the long-standing “superstar culture.”

Since taking over in July last year, Gambhir has faced a challenging tenure, with the Indian team experiencing six losses in ten Tests and suffering a bilateral ODI series defeat in Sri Lanka. These results have raised questions about the future of players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who are both struggling with their form. Additionally, Gambhir’s position has been called into question amid rumours of discord with key players during the Border-Gavaskar Test series in Australia, which India lost 1-3.

A former left-handed batter who captained Saurashtra, Kotak previously held the role of head coach for India A during the tour of Australia in November last year and was also involved with the Jasprit Bumrah-led T20I team during its tour of Ireland in August 2023.

Kotak boasts an impressive first-class career, accumulating 8,061 runs in 130 matches at an average of 41.76, including 15 centuries and 55 half-centuries, spanning from the 1992-93 season to 2013.

After retiring from domestic cricket in 2013, he transitioned into coaching, starting with Saurashtra before taking on a role at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru as a batting coach. Over the past four years, he has served as the head coach for India A, overseeing tours in Bangladesh, South Africa, and Australia. He was also an assistant coach for the now-defunct Gujarat Lions during the 2017 IPL season.

Indian grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi triumphed in the early Titled Tuesday weekly blitz tournament hosted by Chess.com, outplaying notable competitors, including World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and World No. 2 Fabiano Caruana.

The competition commenced around midnight on Tuesday, with Arjun finishing with an impressive total of 10 points from 11 rounds. The 21-year-old notably defeated Magnus Carlsen with the black pieces in round 10 and then secured victory against Fabiano Caruana in the final round.

Erigaisi’s only loss came in round seven against American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, who also finished the Titled Tuesday event with 10 points but placed lower due to tiebreak criteria. Nakamura, however, clinched the top position in a subsequent 11-round event of Titled Tuesday. Notably, D Gukesh, who won the World Chess Championship title in December, did not take part in this competition.

Titled Tuesday is an online tournament exclusive to titled players with verified accounts on Chess.com. For fair play reasons, participants must be available for Zoom calls during the event. Players often use competitions like Titled Tuesday to maintain consistency in their game and to earn bragging rights among their peers.

More than 900 players participated in the latest edition of Titled Tuesday, which Nakamura has described as the “world’s strongest tournament.”

Arjun had a remarkable 2024, highlighted by winning the Chess Olympiad with the Indian team and clinching the WR Chess Masters Cup in London. In December, he became only the second Indian ever to surpass the 2800 Elo rating mark, following the legendary Viswanathan Anand.

However, Arjun’s aspirations to compete in the 2026 Candidates tournament were dashed when he did not win the 2024 FIDE Rapid Championship in New York this past December. He finished sixth, trailing Fabiano Caruana by six points in the FIDE Circuit standings, making the Rapid Championship crucial for his chances. Ultimately, Arjun placed fifth in the Rapid Championship with a total of nine points.

Both Fabiano and Arjun have participated in seven tournaments within the FIDE Circuit. Arjun received his U.S. visa only on Monday. The FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships are scheduled to take place from December 26 to December 31.

India Women’s cricket team capped off a remarkable series with a dominant performance against Ireland in the third and final ODI at Rajkot on Wednesday. Building on their historic first-innings total of 435-5, the Indian bowlers delivered an equally commanding performance to bundle Ireland out for a mere 131, clinching victory by a staggering 304 runs.

The match was a showcase of India’s all-around dominance, led by skipper Smriti Mandhana and rising star Pratika Rawal. The duo’s centuries in the first innings – Mandhana’s elegant 135 and Rawal’s explosive 154 – powered India to their highest-ever ODI total and their first time crossing the 400-run mark in women’s ODI cricket.

Ireland’s chase was fraught with challenges from the outset, as Indian bowlers struck early and consistently. Tanuja Kanwar and Minnu Mani, making their returns to the playing XI, proved instrumental in dismantling the Irish batting order. Ireland found themselves at 131-10 after 31.4 overs, with little resistance from their middle and lower order.

Social media erupted with praise for the Indian team, with fans celebrating the milestone victory. One user on X (formerly Twitter) exclaimed, “TEAM INDIA CREATED HISTORY AT RAJKOT 🚨 – INDIA WOMEN’S TEAM FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER SCORED 400+ RUNS TOTAL IN ODI CRICKET HISTORY.” Another post added, “For the first time ever, India W have crossed 400 in ODIs 🥵🥵.”

This match marked a complete whitewash for the hosts, who won the three-match series 3-0. Beyond the numbers, the series showcased the depth and talent of the Indian Women’s team, signaling their growing strength on the global stage.

India’s commanding performance was a testament to their preparation and execution throughout the series. The batting display, headlined by Pratika Rawal’s 154 and Smriti Mandhana’s 135, set the tone for the match and ensured India had a near-unassailable total on the board. Supported by Richa Ghosh’s quickfire 59, the team’s aggressive approach showcased their intent to dominate the game from the outset.

The bowlers complemented the batting efforts with a disciplined and clinical display, dismantling Ireland’s batting lineup with precision. Tanuja Kanwar and Minnu Mani, making impactful returns to the XI, led the charge alongside the regular bowling attack. Ireland’s struggles against India’s varied bowling arsenal highlighted the gulf in performance levels between the two teams on the day.

With this emphatic win, India Women have not only solidified their dominance in the series but have also sent a strong message to their global counterparts as they continue their journey toward becoming a powerhouse in women’s cricket.