REPLAY 2024: The Highs & Lows in Indian Sports

A cricket World Cup, half a dozen Olympic medals, two chess world champions and a historic double in Chess Olympiad, the year 2024 gave Indian sports fans many reasons to celebrate. Besides, there were heartbreaks as well with New Zealand and Australia clean-sweeping Rohit Sharma Co. in Test series, shuttlers and boxers returning empty-handed from Paris. A look at the highs and lows of 2024.

T20 World Cup

Cricket connoisseurs from the country were awaiting an ICC title for more than a decade and their prayers were finally answered in June when India defeated South Africa in the final to lift the T20 World Cup. Since 2013, when they last won an ICC title (Champions Trophy), Indian cricket team had endured heartbreaking losses in the knockouts, including 2023 ODI World Cups. The T20 trophy in Barbados healed all those wounds and restored fans’ faith in their favourite stars.

Euphoria in Chess

Chess witnessed an unprecedented success as 18-year-old D Gukesh became the youngest-ever world champion followed by Koneru Humpy’s triumph at the Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship. Before these twin titles, India achieved stellar success at the Chess Olympiad with the men’s and women’s teams winning gold.

Olympic bronze for men’s hockey team

Once a powerhouse of hockey with eight Olympic gold under their belt, the Indian men’s team touched the nadir when it could not qualify for the 2008 Beljing Games. They were back on the podium in Tokyo when they won a bronze and Harmanpreet Singh and Co claimed it again in Paris by beating Spain 2-1.

Rise of Para-athletes

The country’s para-athletes bagged 29 medals at 2024 Paralympics for their most successful campaign ever at the Games. India finished 18th on the overall medals table, and in all, they won seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze. Para- shooter Avani Lekhara became the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic gold.

Shooters’ Show in Paris

After two successive failures in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, Indian shooters returned to winning ways, clinching three bronze in Paris. Manu Bhaker became the first Indian athlete to clinch two medals at the same Games. She first bagged a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event and then teamed up with Sarabjot Singh to win bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. Swapnil Kusale made it three by finishing third in the 50m rifle 3 positions.

LOWS

‘Acid Test’ for Indian Cricket Team

The historic D-3 loss against visiting New Zealand in a three-Test series rattled the Indian team to the core. The clean sweep also meant India’s record of not losing a home Test series since 2012 also got broken. The heartbreaking loss severely dented India’s chances of making it to the third consecutive WTC final. Similarly, India failed to put up a great show in the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia who took an unassailable 2-1 lead. The final Test scheduled to start from January 3, 2025 at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Shuttlers’ no-show at Games

Since Saina Nehwal’s bronze in 2012 Games, badminton had given the country an Olympic medal in each edition. Given the past shows, India were confident of at least a medal in Paris. Unfortunately, shuttlers turned out to be one of the biggest disappointments. Lakshya Sen reached the medal round only to lose despite winning the first game.

IOA Infighting

Off the field, the year will be remembered for Infighting in the Indian Olympic Association with the executive members revolting against president PT Usha. The national sports federations, too, followed the suit with most of them being embroiled in some or other controversies. The sports ministry and the Sports Authority of India only added fuel to the fire as they continued to rule with Iron fist.

Football Downward Spiral

Indian men’s football went from bad to worse as two managers combined could not find a single win. They went winless (6 losses and 5 draws) in 2024. India failed to qualify from the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. Igor Stimac, who was at the helm since 2019, got sacked. Manolo Marquez came in but could not change the script.

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