logo
Birendra Lakra joins Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team as assistant coach

Birendra Lakra joins Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team as assistant coach

India Gazette24-05-2025
New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI): Hockey India on Saturday announced that former Indian Men's Hockey Team stalwart Birendra Lakra has joined the Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team as assistant coach. The 35-year-old veteran defender will work closely with legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who currently serves as the coach of the team.
Lakra's transition from a player to a mentor is expected to strengthen the Indian Junior Men's Team's defensive structure and overall game temperament, key elements as they gear up for a highly competitive FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup 2025 at home, scheduled to take place from November 28 to December 10 in Chennai and Madurai, the release stated.
A seasoned international, Lakra made his debut for India in 2010 and went on to become one of the country's most consistent and reliable defenders. He represented India in two Olympic Games - London 2012 and Tokyo 2020, where India won a historic Bronze medal. Over an illustrious career spanning over a decade, Lakra played a key role in India's campaigns at the World Cup, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and other major tournaments.
His impressive career highlights include a Gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games, Bronze in 2018, Silver at the 2013 Asia Cup, Silver at the 2014 CWG, and Silver at the 2018 Champions Trophy. He was also part of the Indian squad that won Bronze medals in the World League Finals in 2015 (Raipur and Bhubaneswar) and achieved podium finishes at the Asian Champions Trophy (Gold in 2016, Silver in 2012).
Most recently, Odisha-born Lakra showcased his fitness and zeal playing for Team Gonasika in the Hero Hockey India League 2024-25, further underlining his enduring commitment to Indian hockey.
Speaking about his new role, Birendra Lakra said, 'It is a great honour to be part of the Indian Junior Men's setup at such an important time. I know what it takes to wear the India jersey, and now I look forward to helping the next generation of players prepare for the big stage. Working alongside someone like Sreejesh, who has been a teammate and an inspiration, is an exciting challenge. We are committed to building a fearless and well-prepared team for the tournaments ahead, especially the all-important Junior World Cup, which will take place later this year.'
PR Sreejesh, Coach of the Indian Junior Men's Team, expressed his enthusiasm about the addition and stated, 'Having Birendra join us is a massive boost. He brings a wealth of experience, tactical intelligence, and calm leadership that will be invaluable to these young players. We have shared many battles on the field, and I'm confident we will bring the same synergy and commitment to this new chapter as coaches. Together, we want to nurture a squad that can make the country proud.' (ANI)
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Chennai Grand Masters 2025: ‘Stress-free' Erigaisi eyes glory after consecutive near-misses
Chennai Grand Masters 2025: ‘Stress-free' Erigaisi eyes glory after consecutive near-misses

The Hindu

time2 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Chennai Grand Masters 2025: ‘Stress-free' Erigaisi eyes glory after consecutive near-misses

Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi will be the centre of attention as the third edition of the Chennai Grand Masters gets underway here on Wednesday. The 21-year-old Erigaisi, who is ranked sixth in the world, will be the highest-rated player at India's strongest classical chess event of the year. The 10-man tournament will run from August 6 to 15 in a single round-robin format. Players will start with 90 minutes on the clock, with a 30-second increment per move from the first one. In addition to bagging valuable FIDE points, Erigaisi will also look to make amends for narrowly missing out on glory in the last two editions. In 2023, Erigaisi was pipped to the title by D. Gukesh by a tie-breaker after the two ended level on points. In last year's edition, Erigiasi was part of a three-way tie for the top spot, before stumbling in the tiebreak, as compatriot Aravindh Chithambaram claimed the title, after beating American GM Levon Aronian. With the FIDE Circuit and Ratings route for Candidates 2026 almost shut for him, Erigaisi feels he will be able to play unburdened this time out. 'In a way, it's less stressful for me because the last two years, if I had won this tournament, it almost meant I would have qualified for the Candidates. This time, it would be a tournament win, but it has nothing more attached to it. I'll just play freely and enjoy,' said Erigaisi on the eve of the tournament. Erigaisi heads to Chennai Grand Masters 2025 on the back of a rich vein of form, which has seen him finish in the top four at the Los Angeles Freestyle Grand Slam and the Esports World Cup over the last month. The Warangal-born chess star, though, will have to deal with yet another format switch as he looks to adapt to the patience-driven classical format after dealing in freestyle and rapid chess in recent tournaments. Alongside Erigaisi, the top contenders in Chennai will be the Netherlands' Anish Giri and Germany's Vincent Keymer, who are the second and third highest-rated players, respectively, in the field. Among other Indian challengers will be Vidit Gujrathi and Nihal Sarin, while Pranav V will look to swim with the big fishes, following his win in the Challengers event in 2024. The Challengers segment will continue to be an all-Indian affair, with Abhimanyu Puranik being the highest-rated player of the field. Also in action will be top Indian women chess players, D. Harika and R. Vaishali, who will look to earn crucial FIDE points for the Women's Candidates, set to take place early next year.

Ravindra Jadeja ‘more consistent than even Shubman Gill' in England tour, says Ajay Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja ‘more consistent than even Shubman Gill' in England tour, says Ajay Jadeja

Indian Express

time2 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

Ravindra Jadeja ‘more consistent than even Shubman Gill' in England tour, says Ajay Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja scored as many as 516 runs in India's epic five-Test series in England which ended in a 2-2 draw. His tally is punctuated with five half-centuries and a gritty unbeaten century that helped India draw the fourth Test against all odds. Former India batter Ajay Jadeja has said that his namesake was arguably even more consistent than captain Shubman Gill, who himself broke a plethora of records by smashing a whopping 754 runs in the series. The 36-year-old's big moments started with the thrilling third Test at Lord's, according Ajay Jadeja, where Ravindra scored 72 in the first innings and an unbeaten 61 in the second. The latter of those two innings is especially noteworthy as he shepherded the Indian tail for just over 50 overs and nearly took India to an improbable victory. 'He has been more consistent than even Shubman Gill. He had four innings that didn't end, because the batting ended from the other end. In the entire series, there were only two innings where he got out early,' said Ajay Jadeja. 'If we try to remember his moments, it started with Lord's, where you couldn't win for sure, but he and (Mohammed) Siraj fought there. A change was seen there. The fortitude started from there. Then he kept standing in the next match and drew the match. Then he scored runs in this match (last Test) as well,' he observed. Jadeja is the first Indian batter to have scored more than 500 runs in a Test series despite batting exclusive at No.6 or lower, overtaking the legendary VVS Laxman's tally during India's 2002 tour of the West Indies. He also broke West Indies legend Garfield Sobers' record for most 50-plus scores in a single Test series in England while batting at No.6 or lowers, which has stood since 1966. Sobers had hit five 50-plus scores in a tour that year while Jadeja finished with six. Jadeja is also only the visiting player after Sobers to score 1,000+ runs and take 30+ wickets in Tests played in England. Jadeja's 516 runs have come at an average of 86 and he joined Gill (754) and KL Rahul (532) as the only three batters to go past the 500-run tally in the series.

Oval thriller proves Test cricket touches hearts in ways white-ball formats can't, but are administrators watching?
Oval thriller proves Test cricket touches hearts in ways white-ball formats can't, but are administrators watching?

First Post

time2 minutes ago

  • First Post

Oval thriller proves Test cricket touches hearts in ways white-ball formats can't, but are administrators watching?

The thrilling Test match at The Oval was a reminder of why the format refuses to die. It connects with fans in a way white-ball cricket simply can't. Yes, survival in the modern era is difficult, but administrators must find a way to protect the crown jewel, not abandon it. read more The Test match at the Oval will remain etched in our memories for years and that's the power of Test cricket. Image: Reuters Just when the powers that be told us that Test cricket is on its deathbed, the unmatched intensity of the longest format in cricket has reared its head once again, like a nightmare refusing to go away. The culprits for scripting the latest blockbuster in Tests and probably the rudest reminder for the administrators were a couple of Indian bowlers – Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, who bowled their hearts out, firing a young Team India to an improbable win in the fifth Test at The Oval against England. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bad light and a passing shower on Day 4 also played their part, as a 27,500-strong crowd packed the stands to the rafters on the final day, fully aware that play wouldn't last more than an hour. Strange, isn't it, especially for a format that supposedly finds no resonance with the youth? Forgive my manners, but who cares about the old ones? Nonetheless, the young and the old, gentlemen and ladies, were all there at The Oval. To watch what? England make 35 runs more, or India take the four remaining wickets. Oval Test underlines unmatched thrill of Test format With the game on the boil and nerves jangling, Day 5 had the most adventurous start. Jamie Overton smashed pacer Prasidh for back-to-back fours in the first two deliveries, reducing the target to just 27 in a jiffy. A packed crowd witnessed the thrilling drama between India and England on Day 5 of the Oval Test. Image: Reuters Surely, this was over? All this hoopla wasn't worth it. It was just some white noise. The crowd would've been better off buying tickets for The Hundred game, which starts on Tuesday. But it's never over till it's over in sports, more so in Test cricket. 51 deliveries were bowled thereon. 51 deliveries of pure drama dipped in extra stress and served with spicy playing conditions. Only 20 runs came in those eight-plus overs as Siraj and Prasidh helped cook one of the most memorable cricket encounters of all time. The last act – Siraj uprooting Gus Atkinson's off-stump as he set off for the 'Siuuu' celebration, and the crowd erupted on its feet. The comm box erupted, and so did a billion hearts. India felt every moment of the Oval triumph 🇮🇳👏#ENGvIND #INDvENG — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) August 4, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Grown men were allegedly crying, and legends were busy comparing the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy to the 2005 Ashes. Even if some of us were not a part of the above cohorts, we knew we had witnessed something special. Something remarkable that will stay in our memory for years to come. Scenes here at The Oval. Grown men are crying and cheering, there is screaming and applause. Names are being taken in vain. And that's just in the press box. — Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) August 4, 2025 What made it so memorable was the comeback from Team India. At 301/3 with a centurion in Harry Brook at the crease, partnered by Joe Root, in the 374-run chase, England were the clear favourites. They had the upper hand even when Jacob Bethell departed and made it 332/5, with England needing just 42 runs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But inspired by an explosive series and the possibility of making immortal memories, Indian bowlers found a late burst of energy and focus to upset the apple cart. The overcast conditions played their role, but that's Test cricket in a nutshell. It's the pinnacle of the game, not because it's played in plain white like Wimbledon or that you toil for five days more often than not to get a result, but because it mimics life so accurately. There will always be ups and downs, but life always allows us a chance at redemption. So does Test cricket. And if you seize it, the result becomes immortal. Just like the one at The Oval. Ask Karun Nair if you like. In December 2022, he pleaded for one more chance. That one chance came at Edgbaston, seven years after his last international appearance. He was dropped again in the fourth Test at Manchester, only to make another comeback at the Oval and score a fighting fifty, which probably laid the foundation for India's win. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Dear cricket, give me one more chance.🤞🏽 — Karun Nair (@karun126) December 10, 2022 The entire series is littered with such stories. After being thrown into the deep sea as a replacement for now-retired Rohit Sharma and asked to captain a team without Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill spoke about leading by example with his bat. He ended the series as the highest run-getter with 754 runs in five matches. Every time England looked out of sorts, captain Ben Stokes would turn up and bowl an inspiring spell, changing the complexion of the game. At Lord's, he bowled two spells of 9.2 and 10 overs on Day 5, helping England take a 2-1 lead with an unexpected win. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On Day 5 in Manchester, Stokes was at it again, bowling an eight-over spell through pain, breaking a vital partnership before being ruled out of the final Test. Ben Stokes' fighting spirit epitomised Test cricket's finest quality. Image: Reuters Where else will you get so much passion, aggression, defiance, combativeness, and resurgence all rolled into one game or one format? But it's proving to be insufficient to keep the format afloat amid the changing times and shifting demands. While India, England and Australia continue to play a healthy number of Test matches, mostly among themselves, the financially less privileged teams are fighting for game time. Test cricket heading towards a quick demise World Test champions South Africa, after all, don't play a home game till October 2026, and Sri Lanka will only play four Test matches in 2025. They may also not get a chance to play against India, England, or Australia soon, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly mulling a two-tier system of six teams each. A two-tier system will mean fewer Test matches and more games between the so-called 'Big Three'. Some would say that's not a bad thing, as an Oval-like miracle would still be possible, but here's the harsh truth: When teams and matches are reduced, the interest around the format and its financial feasibility would also nosedive. The gaps between series will extend, and slowly but steadily, the format will lose its fan following, relevance, and sponsors. Other factors like strangling the global talent pool by alienating lower-ranked nations, creating financial inequality, and chipping away at the game's global appeal would lead to a slow death, if not a quick choke. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Thus, it's imperative that administrators don't short-change Test cricket in the name of growing the game. Yes, there are challenges like shrinking attention spans and the rise of franchise leagues. T20 cricket has emerged as a great vehicle for making the game truly global, but no white-ball contest has ever matched the standards Test cricket has set for itself. If some Test matches are boring, it's largely due to the gulf between teams created by the lack of competition against the best. Match conditions haven't helped either at times. But when they are momentous, the impact would last longer than any white-ball game. For the administrators, the message is clear: you don't discard a jewel just because the crown is broken. You mend the crown. Test cricket is that jewel in the cricketing crown, and it deserves to be preserved, not abandoned.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store