QPlay: India-WI Second Test, Narsingh Yadav’s NADA Verdict & More

All the latest sports news in The Quint’s morning wrap.

Virat Kohli will lead the Indian team in the second Test vs West Indies starting today.

1. Upbeat India Look to Assert Supremacy Over Inexperienced WI

The ‘Men In Blue’ made a confident start to the 2016-17 season, recording India’s biggest win outside the sub-continent when they thrashed the hosts by an innings and 92 runs in the opening cricket Test. India will look to continue in the same vein in the tour, which is Anil Kumble’s debut series as chief coach of the team.

But it would be easier said than done as a green pitch awaits the visitors at Sabina Parka, a stark contrast to the conditions on offer in Antigua, where the visitors had won the match in four days. Going by past records, it was way back in 2008 when a Test lasted five days at Sabina Park which Australia won by 98 runs. Since then, five Tests have taken place here and all of them have finished within four days, including India’s 63-run win in 2011.

Click here for our full match previews.

Virat Kohli during a team practice session. (Photo: AP)

2. Batsmen Need to Take Responsibility on Bouncy Track: Kohli

Indian skipper Virat Kohli has said that the batsmen will have to take more responsibility in the second Test against West Indies starting Saturday. A green wicket is to be laid out for the match, after the visitors took a 1-0 lead in the four-Test series by winning in Antigua by an innings and 92 runs.

We’re not focussing on the opposition too much but we are happy that the wicket is going to have some bounce and carry. There was decent enough bounce in Antigua for us to exploit whatever help was there. Jamaica is going to be even better. It’s a result-oriented ground and we’re quite excited about it. We’ve got good pace, the bowlers are bowling good areas.

Virat Kohli

Narsingh Yadav. (Photo: Reuters)

3. No Clarity on Narsingh’s Dope Case Verdict Date

There is no clarity over when the NADA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel will announce its final verdict, which will decide Narsingh Yadav’s Rio Olympics fate.

After the conclusion of the two-day hearing on Narsingh’s dope positive case, the NADA counsel had said that the verdict would come either Saturday or on August 1. However, there is still no clarity on whether the verdict will come today or on Monday. When contacted, the counsels of both NADA and Narsingh said they have not been told when the panel would give its final decision. Wrestling Federation of India is also clueless when the verdict will come.

“We have not been told when the verdict will come. It may be tomorrow or Monday but we don’t know when. There is a 50-50 chance that he might be let off with a warning or may be handed a ban by the NADA disciplinary panel,” the source said. a Wrestling Federation of Indian source said.

As per the revised NADA Code of 2015, the maximum sanction for a first-time offence is four years.

Rory McIlroy reacts to missing a putt on the 15th. (Photo: AP)

4. McIlroy Bogeys 18 to Miss The Cut at US PGA

The two-time major champion came off an opening 74 and needed to post a good number to remain in the tournament. He made his first birdie of the tourney on No. 4 and birdied 6, but bogeyed the ninth. After a birdie on 11, he was in position to stick around, but he bogeyed 13.

McIlroy came to the only two par-5s on Baltusrol at 3 over; the cut would be plus 2. He birdied the more difficult 17th, then fell apart after hitting his second shot into the deep rough behind 18. Two wasted shots led to a 6 — and an early exit.

“I thought I needed to make 4,” on 18, he said, “so that’s what I was trying to do. It was a tough lie. I hit the first one as hard as I really could considering how close the pin was to the edge of the green.”

-9 Jimmy Walker (U.S.) 65 66
Robert Streb (U.S.) 68 63
-7 Jason Day (Australia) 68 65
Emiliano Grillo (Argentina) 66 67 -6
Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 67 67

5. Eyeing Olympics Glory, Indian Hockey Teams Arrive in Rio

Determined to put up a top-notch performance at the 2016 Olympic Games, the Indian men and women’s hockey teams arrived in Rio on Friday.

While the men’s team travelled from Madrid after playing two friendly matches against the Spanish national squad, the Indian women’s team arrived from Philadelphia where they won two matches against Canada and one match against USA national teams. This will be the first women’s hockey team from India in 36 years to play at the Olympics.

Our first priority is to beat some of the top teams in our pool including Germany, Argentina and Netherlands. Though we have beaten each of these teams in the past or have come close to beating Germany in the Champions Trophy recently, the Olympic Games is a different ball game and we need to put up something extraordinary and special to excel against them.

Sreejesh, Men’s Hockey Captain

File photo of Bastian Schweinsteiger. (Photo: Reuters)

6. Bastian Schweinsteiger Retires from Germany Duty

Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger announced his retirement from international duty with immediate effect.

The 31-year-old Manchester United midfielder, who won his 120th and final cap in Germany’s 2-0 defeat to France in the semi-finals of Euro 2016, revealed the news on his official Twitter account. He retires from die Mannschaft with his Old Trafford future in the balance having reportedly been told by United’s new coach Jose Mourinho that he is one of nine players free to leave the club.

Schweinsteiger still has two years left to run on his United contract. A knee injury in January flared up again in March, restricting him to just a handful of matches before he played at the European championships, netting a goal on his return against Ukraine in Germany’s opening pool game.