Argentina have a relatively easier road to the latter stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026 compared to some of the other favourites in the tournament. Argentina face the tournament's surprise package Cape Verde in the Round of 32, Australia or Egypt await in the Round of 16, and one of Switzerland, Colombia or Ghana could be the potential quarter-final opponent. Against all these teams, Argentina will be overwhelming favourites to win. Therefore, it won't be a surprise if the reigning champions make it all the way to the semis at the very least. Argentina's easier route has led to certain sections of social media users conspiring whether FIFA themselves want Argentina to win the World Cup again. However, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni rubbished such suggestion when asked on the matter ahead of their Round of 32 match. "I don't read social media, but today every opinion can become popular no matter its content. We must ignore such unrealistic opinions and focus o...
Skipper Shubman Gill, who missed the second Test due to a neck injury, struck a defiant tone of unity and resolve after India's 0-2 series loss to South Africa, saying the team would "rise stronger" despite the setback. The two-Test series ended in humiliation for India as South Africa completed a clean sweep, defeating the hosts by 408 runs in the second Test at Guwahati -- their first series win on Indian soil in 25 years. South Africa had defeated India in the opening Test in Kolkata by 30 runs.
The loss triggered widespread criticism and discussion around the team's performance and leadership with fans booing coach Gautam Gambhir. "Calm seas don't teach you how to steer, it's the storm that forges steady hands. We'll continue to believe in each other, fight for each other, and move forward - rising stronger," Gill wrote in 'X' on Wednesday.
Calm seas don't teach you how to steer, it's the storm that forges steady hands. We'll continue to believe in each other, fight for each other, and move forward - rising stronger. 🇮🇳
— Shubman Gill (@ShubmanGill) November 26, 2025
Gill had retired hurt on four after suffering neck spasm in India's first innings of the Eden Test.
He was subsequently hospitalized and ruled out of the rest of the match.
Gill had travelled to Guwahati but was released on the eve of the Test.
Gautam Gambhir didn't blame any individual for the debilitating 408-run defeat against South Africa in the second Test but dropped enough hints that he was livid with India's stand-in skipper Rishabh Pant for "playing to the gallery".
Gambhir's par-for-the course fiery post-match press conference had one anomaly though -- he was a bundle of contradictions through and through those 15 odd minutes.
India were 95 for one, but things went downhill from thereon with the hosts left stuttering at 122 for seven, largely due to Marco Jansen's exploits with the red cherry.
Pant gave charge to Jansen when he needed to show some discretion, and that shot possibly was the worst of all the dismissals.
After the 0-2 series defeat, Gambhir was asked if he would have expected better from Pant, who is now one short of 50 Test matches.
"You don't blame one individual shot. You don't blame one individual playing in a certain way. You blame everyone. So, me talking about an individual, I've never done that. I am not going to do it," Gambhir said in a no-nonsense manner after fronting up at the media conference.
He was very clear that he didn't want to "brush things under the carpet".
from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/gQjlOfx
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