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Asian Games 2026: India’s preparations under scanner as Lovepreet Singh excluded; Tennis, Judo and Rowing squads trimmed
India’s Asian Games preparations have come under criticism after several changes were made to the approved squad, including the exclusion of Commonwealth Games silver medallist Lovepreet Singh from the weightlifting team. At the same time, an injured Rishikanta Singh has been included despite reportedly not taking part in the national camp.
Lovepreet had won silver in the men’s +110kg category at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, missing the gold medal by just one kilogram. He had also finished fifth at the Asian Championships in Gandhinagar in May. Despite returning from Glasgow and joining the national camp to prepare for the Asian Games, he did not make the final squad. sportnewz.click
Rishikanta, meanwhile, is the only male weightlifter in India’s approved Asian Games squad. He suffered an injury during the Commonwealth Games and was advised three months of rest by doctors. According to the Amar Ujala report, he did not join the national camp in Modinagar after returning from Glasgow, but was still retained in the Asian Games team.
The report also says Commonwealth Games medallists M Raja and Dilbag Singh were initially part of the squad but were removed after the review. Both had also missed the national camp due to injuries. Lovepreet, in contrast, continued his preparations at the camp.
The cuts have not been limited to weightlifting. India’s tennis squad has been reduced from the 12 players selected by the All India Tennis Association to seven. Women’s No. 1 Sahaja Yamalapalli, Vaishnavi Adkar, Vaidehi Chaudhari and Prarthana Thombare, along with men’s player Manas Dhamne, have been left out. The decision has drawn criticism, with two-time Asian Games gold medallist Rohan Bopanna questioning the use of rankings if ranked players are not selected.
Judo has also taken a major hit. The federation had proposed seven men and seven women, but only three women have been cleared. Commonwealth Games gold medallist Harsh Singh and medallist Unnati Sharma are among those left out.
Rowing has seen further changes, with Asian Cup medallists Diljot Kaur, Suman Devi and Bharti Devi reportedly missing from the final squad. India’s entire four-member surfing team has also not been cleared, while men’s taekwondo has been dropped.
The Indian Olympic Association had sent a list of 504 athletes for approval, but the Sports Ministry cleared 492. The changes have left several athletes and federations unhappy, with the final squads now significantly smaller in a number of sports.
World Championships: Treesa-Gayatri's medal, Ayush's shock - a tournament to remember
On the court, the week belonged unreservedly to Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, whose stirring campaign culminated in a historic women’s doubles bronze medal. Ranked world No. 39 and unseeded, the duo ended a 15-year medal drought in the discipline — dating back to Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa’s bronze in London in 2011 — while keeping intact India’s proud streak of securing at least one podium finish at every World Championships since 2011.ENG vs PAK 2nd Test: England drop Carse after nightclub incident
England pacer Brydon Carse was dropped on Monday for the second cricket test against Pakistan following the latest off-field incident to affect the national team.
Images on social media showed Carse in police handcuffs outside a nightclub in Derby on Saturday night, following a game with his club side Durham.
The England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement that Carse will be replaced in the squad by Sonny Baker for the second test, which starts on Thursday.
"Following a referral from the ECB, the Cricket Regulator have confirmed that they will investigate events on Saturday night in Derby," the ECB said in a statement on its website Monday. "Brydon Carse will no longer be available for selection for the Second men's Rothesay test match while this investigation is ongoing and the full facts are obtained."
The Cricket Regulator independently investigates matters where there is an allegation of a breach of the ECB's regulations. Outcomes include no further action being taken, a caution or a charge for breaching regulations.
The incident came just days after the midnight curfew imposed on the England men's cricket team was scrapped under newly appointed captain Joe Root.
That restriction had been put in place by England managing director Rob Key after controversial late-night incidents on the winter tours of New Zealand and Australia.
Key said in December that he would investigate the drinking habits of the England team following reports players were over-indulging in alcohol during the Ashes series, which England lost 4-1.
One video appeared to show England's opening batter Ben Duckett unable to remember how to get back to the hotel. Then, in June, former test captain Ben Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson were dropped for one test match following an incident in a nightclub.
They were out past the curfew following the first match in a three test series against New Zealand. Stokes returned for the final New Zealand test but then suddenly announced his retirement from test cricket during the match - a chain of events that led to the return of Root for a second spell as skipper.
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