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Leslie Xavier
Youth, Resilience, Self-Belief & Strategy: How India Defied Odds to Win Maiden Thomas Cup Title
16 May 2022
From a group stage loss to winning the title, the 10-man Indian badminton team went through a wave of emotions in Thailand over the past week. Self belief, camaraderie and a WhatsApp group with a…
Leslie Xavier
The Warne Supremacy: A Life With Some Spin on It | Obituary
06 Mar 2022
There will never be another Shane Warne, that much is clear. But in a time when cricket was evolving into the behemoth it is today, He stood out for his outrageous talent, contempt for the mundane…
Leslie Xavier
Russia-Ukraine War: Big Sport’s Hard Hypocrisy as the World Uses its Soft Power
01 Mar 2022
The sporting world’s collective outrage and swift reaction in sanctioning Russia is laudable if surprising for its speed. But it also begs the question, where were these defenders of human life and…
Leslie Xavier
Memories of a Sporting Year Unforetold
31 Dec 2021
In a year of many medals and accolades, it is worth considering what sport really stands for? Participation, equality, the raw visceral noise of a stadium or the silence of a bio bubble waiting to be…
Leslie Xavier
Deflection Virus: Virat Kohli vs Sourav Ganguly is the Perfect Distraction For BCCI Before an Ill Advised Tour
17 Dec 2021
Just before the Indian cricket team boarded their flights to South Africa, a Sourav Ganguly vs Virat Kohli tussle raged on to our screens. As much as this powerplay is real, it is also a neat segue…
Leslie Xavier
Vinesh Phogat and Sonam Malik’s Nonsensical Suspensions a Way for WFI to Regain Control
13 Aug 2021
Vinesh Phogat and Sonam Malik’s suspensions point towards a deeper malaise within the wrestling fraternity of India. The patriarchal culture has been questioned by young women in the sport and to…
Leslie Xavier
Truth and Hope in a Post Olympics Void
10 Aug 2021
The Games themselves are larger than the trappings of our modern society, and will withstand this period and many more to come. We, the people, must never stop believing. The Tokyo Olympics, staged…
Leslie Xavier
Neeraj Chopra, the Aberration That Needs to Become the Norm
08 Aug 2021
Neeraj Chopra’s gold is a celebration but also a reminder that we need to do more when it comes to sports. We need structure, deep networks to work the grassroots and diligent, fail-safe policies. We…
Leslie Xavier
Tokyo Olympics: A Six-minute Look at the Real Bajrang Punia
07 Aug 2021
In almost pulp Bollywood hero style, Bajrang Punia entered the arena for his bronze medal match with only one focus — to play the unchained game of a wrestler set free. Daulet Niyazbekov of…
Leslie Xavier
The Pain Of Bajrang Punia in His Quest for Olympic Success
06 Aug 2021
Forever the prodigal son of Indian wrestling, Bajrang Punia’s debut Olympics is turning into a showcase of bout management. The injury suffered in June has turned an aggressive technician into a…