Express Sports

In this week's episode, Amit, Vinayakk and Mihir talk about the heartwarming tales from the T20 World Cup, including Zimbabwe's fairytale run, Nepal fans adding colour to the tournament and the other unfancied teams who have punched above their weight. They also look forward to the Super 8s, as the tournament enters its business end.Produced by Ichha SharmaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

In this week's Game Time episode, Vinayakk and Amit discuss Sunday's India vs Pakistan clash in Colombo that was once again a lopsided contest with Suryakumar Yadav's side prevailing comfortably. Venkata Krishna, who was at the venue to witness the thrashing, joins in with his inputs.Produced by Ichha SharmaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week on the show, Vinayakk, Amit and Mihir get together to preview the T20 World Cup. They begin by discussing if there's a growing World Cup fatigue, with a major event every year since 2021. They also talk about India's explosive batting line-up, wondering if it makes them the overwhelming favourites and touch upon other big storylines - including a Pakistani spinner with unique action - likely to unfold during the tournament.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week, hosts Amit and Mihir discuss how window for athletes to train is shrinking in and around the National Capital Region because of toxic air in winter and searing summers. As the country makes a pitch for the 2036 Olympics, this is adversely impacting the health and training of athletes from a wide range of sports, especially the juniors. International badminton stars who competed in Delhi at the India Open, have complained to the International Olympic Committee about the air pollution, and have cited health concerns.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

In this episode, hosts Amit Kamath and Mihir Vasavda discuss the fallout from Bangladesh's refusal to travel to India for next month's T20 World Cup, the events leading up to it, and whether it permanently damages cricketing relations between the neighbours.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week, hosts Vinayakk and Mihir dive into the off-court chaos at the India Open badminton tournament — from pigeon droppings on the court to monkeys in the stands. Though even on court, India's performances, left much to be desired.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

Recently, some of the top Indian footballers made a heartfelt appeal to solve the crisis engulfing the domestic game. There are no broadcasters and no investors willing to put their money in Indian football - and now, the players are staring at a pay cut. This week, Vinayakk, Mihir and Shashank Nair talk about Indian football's freefall and why the game finds itself mired in multiple problems.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

As the year comes to a close, we wrap up 2025 with a special year-ender episode. In this edition, we speak to journalists and editors from The Indian Express newsroom, not from the sports desk, about the sporting moments that stayed with them this year. From iconic wins and unforgettable matches to personal favourites that sparked joy, debate, or disbelief, our colleagues share what made 2025 memorable for them as sports fans. Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week, Amit and Mihir are joined by a special guest, Michael Payne. Widely credited as the architect of the modern sports marketing model, Payne offers a ring-side view into some of the biggest Olympic deals and explains how the mega-event was transformed into a commercial colossus. The former marketing director of the International Olympic Committee -- who recently published his third book, _Fast Track and Dark Deals_ -- also explains what India must be wary of as the country mounts and aggressive pitch to host the 2036 Olympics.Produced by Shashank Bhargava Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week on the show, host Mihir Vasavda speaks to The Indian Express' Lalith Kalidas about his investigation into how Puducherry has become a backdoor into Indian cricket's elite leagues. They discuss how fake addresses, eligibility papers, and a parallel selection system allow players from other states to bypass residency rules, often in plain sight of cricket's governing bodies, and how money, access, and lax oversight allow the system to thrive.You can read the investigation here.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week, our hosts Amit and Mihir are joined by The Indian Express' Nihal Koshie to discuss the story of the boy who ran into trouble. Aman Malik, a budding long-distance runner from Haryana got embroiled in a doping scandal in Kenya and is sentenced to three years in jail. We discuss his journey and what it indicates about the drugs menace in sports.To read the story, click here: https://indianexpress.com/article/long-reads/budding-long-distance-runner-haryana-doping-scandal-kenya-10392324/Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed Suresh Pawar

Former Indian cricket coach international cricketer L. Balaji joins The Indian Express' Mihir Vasavda and Venkata Krishna B to analyse India's 2-0 series loss against South Africa, the concerns in the pace-bowling department and why, despite the defeat, there's no need to panic.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed Suresh Pawar

At the ongoing FIDE World Cup in Goa, neither world champion Gukesh, nor Pragg and Arjun Erigaisi made it to the semis. This week hosts Mihir Vasavda, Vinayakk Mohanarangan and Amit Kamath discuss the extent to which this is a cause for concern.Further listening: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/chess/chess-world-cup-a-question-for-grandmasters-what-after-work-their-reply-take-a-walk-10350335/Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed Suresh Pawar

The journey of Indian women's cricket from sidelines to spotlightThis week, Vinayakk and Mihir are joined by expert guest Ananya Upendran, who played for Hyderabad and India A during her career and is Program Lead at GoSports Foundation for the Equal Hue program. Ananya reflects on the journey of women's cricket over the years and the challenges it overcame before becoming world champions.Produced by Ichha SharmaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

Hosts Vinayakk Mohanarangan and Mihir Vasavda talk about one of the most famous sporting moments in India's history as the women's cricket team won the World Cup on Sunday. They look back at India's campaign, talk about the incredible journeys of the players who made it happen and what this could do for women's cricket in the country.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh PawarAdditional links:Her grit, Her game, Her glory: From Harmanpreet Kaur to Shafali Verma, meet India's 16 pioneering World Cup winnersHer story is history: Harmanpreet Kaur & Co on top of the world

This week, host Mihir Vasavda talks to The Indian Express chess experts Amit Kamath and Mayank Chaudhary about the untimely passing away of American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky. They talk about how the Russian great Vladimir Kramnik has found himself at the centre of the controversy, and discuss the larger issue of cheating in chess, especially how Kramnik's unsubstantiated allegations against Naroditsky took a mental toll on him.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The Indian Express' Venkata Krishna B joins host Amit Kamath this week to discuss what fans can expect from Shubman Gill's reign and what the future could hold for stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week on Game Time, hosts Amit Kamath, Vinayakk Mohanarangan and Mihir Vasavda share their views on the complete breakdown of cricketing relations between India and Pakistan. From Suryakumar Yadav's actions to Pakistani players' gestures on the field and the Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi running away with the trophy... Is there a way back from this historic low?Produced Ichha SharmaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

Amit Kamath, Vinayakk Mohanarangan and Venkata Krishna B discuss the ICC Women's World Cup starting on September 30 in Guwahati. Can India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, create history by winning their first ever title? And is there truly home advantage?Produced by Ichha SharmaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

Hosts Amit Kamath, Vinayakk Mohanarangan, and Mihir Vasavda discuss Neeraj Chopra's eighth place finish at the Athletics World Championships, examining the possible reasons behind his struggles this season and how he might bounce back. They also look at Sachin Yadav's fourth place finish, a result that came as a pleasant surprise.(This episode was record on the 19th of September)Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawas

This week, hosts Amit Kamath and Mihir Vasavada are joined by Sandip G, The Indian Express' man on ground in Dubai, covering the Asia Cup. They talk about the India vs Pakistan tie and the calls to cut off the sporting ties. In Dubai, Sandip says there's very little buzz on the eve of the match in which India start as favourites.Produced by Ichha SharmaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week, hosts Amit Kamath and Mihir Vasavda turn their attention to the World Athletics Championships, scheduled for September 13–21. Neeraj Chopra will lead a 12-member Indian team and, notably, return to the site where he transformed from just another athlete into a javelin legend. They look back on the Pandemic Games, the challenges Neeraj overcame before winning gold, and how that moment sparked a javelin revolution in India—with four throwers qualifying for the Worlds, the most from any country.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh

This week, hosts Vinayakk Mohanarangan, Shivani Naik and Mihir Vasavda look back at the Badminton World Championships. Satwik and Chirag won their second medal, a re-energised Sindhu continued her dominance over China, Dhruv-Tanisha had a decent run in mixed doubles but Lakshya Sen had another frustrating outing.Produced by Shashank Bhargava Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar 

This week, The Indian Express' badminton correspondent Shivani Naik joins hosts Mihir Vasavda and Amit Kamath to talk about why a change in taste palette in China is making badminton academy owners in India sweat. Come for Shivani's insights and stay for Mihir's impassioned plea to Indians to eat more duck meat in "national interest".Further reading: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/badminton/shuttlecock-prices-increase-spiral-india-stocks-china-pork-duck-10180007/Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week on Game Time, hosts Amit Kamath, Mihir Vasavda and Vinayakk Mohanarangan are joined by The Indian Express' Sandip G to discuss the debate around Bumrah's availability for long tours and the drying talent pool in the pace bowling department. To read Sandip's analysis, click here: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/jasprit-bumrah-mohammed-siraj-india-vs-england-fast-bowling-10181589/Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The Indian Express' sports editor, Sandeep Dwivedi, joins hosts Vinayakk Mohanarangan and Amit Kamath this week to talk about his experiences of covering the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy from the ground in five England stadiums.You can read Sandeep Dwivedi's India vs England Tour diary here.Produced by Ichha Sharma and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week on Game Time, hosts Vinayakk Mohanarangan and Amit Kamath are joined by Mayank Chaudhary to discuss a possible power shift in women's chess. For decades, the game has been dominated by Chinese players — but with two Indian women recently battling it out for the World Cup title, while two Chinese players competed for third place, signs are emerging that a new Indian era could be on the horizon. Tune in for insights on what this moment means for Indian chess and how the landscape of the women's game is evolving.Produced by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited by Suresh Pawar

In this episode, hosts Vinayakk and Mihir are joined by The Indian Express cricket writer Venkata Krishna B to talk about Rishabh Pant's courageous performance in the fourth Test against England. The trio also debates whether cricket should adopt a more flexible substitution rule—similar to those in football and hockey.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

In this episode of Game Time, hosts Mihir Vasavda, Amit Kamath, and Vinayakk Mohanarangan are joined by Deepali Deshpande, a former India shooter and the coach of the Indian shooting team who has been to multiple Olympics and shaped many careers of Olympic medalists and world champions. Together, they break down the game-changing rule proposals introduced by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), set to take effect from 2026, and what these rule changes could mean for the future of rifle shooting.Produced by Ichha SharmaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

In this episode, hosts Vinayakk, Amit and Mihir look back at the first three Tests of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. They try to make sense of India's frequent batting collapses in Tests, the consistency of Ravindra Jadeja and how Mohammed Siraj has brought an edge to the bowling unit.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

In a special episode, hosts Amit Kamath, Vinayakk Mohanarangan and Mihir Vasavda are joined this week by former India women's hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne, who led the team to a famous fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics. He talks about the 'pain' of watching the rapid slide of the women's team, what India can learn from other nations and the way forward.Produced by Shasahnk Bhargava and Ichha SharmaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week, Amit Kamath and Mihir Vasavda talk all things athletics. First up, they look forward to Neeraj Chopra's NC Classic. They then discuss why the newest sprint sensation, Australia's Gout Gout, is compared to Usain Bolt and then debate if Faith Kipyegon's attempt to run a mile inside 4 minutes was just a Nike gimmick or meant something more.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

Hosts Amit Kamath, Vinayakk Mohanarangan, and Mihir Vasavda look ahead to the five-Test series between India and England, beginning today — a series that marks not just the start of a new season, but also the unmistakable sense of a new era unfolding.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

In this week on Game Time, The Indian Express' Shivani Naik joins hosts Vinayakk Mohanarangan and Mihir Vasavda to make sense of the slump in Indian badminton, the form of singles stars including PV Sindhu, the hope in doubles, and why patience will be the key in this transition phase.Produced by Ichha Sharma and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week on Game Time, hosts Mihir Vasavada and Amit Kamath discuss the one thing that the entire sporting world, not just the chess world, was talking about in the last few days, the famous Magnus Carlsen fist bump on the table and the pat on the back after losing to D. Gukesh at Norway Chess Championship.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar 

In this episode, hosts Vinayak Mohanarangan and Mihir Vasavda are joined by The Indian Express's Sandip G for an in-depth discussion on the rise of Madhya Pradesh as a cricket hub. They explore how the state has produced nearly a dozen players who have featured for various teams in the ongoing IPL. Sandip shares stories and insights from his travels across the state, while Vinayak explores trends uncovered through a detailed survey.Additional links:https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/shashank-singh-rajat-patidar-tale-of-three-madhya-pradesh-cities-indian-t20-boom-10034852/https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/ipl-2025-survey-india-state-t20-leagues-impact-mp-punjab-delhi-10035386/Produced by Ichha Sharma and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's retirements, all eyes on India's transition into a new era with Shubman Gill named as captain and Rishabh Pant his deputy ahead of a daunting tour of England for five Test matches. Mihir Vasavda, Venkata Krishna B and Vinayakk Mohanarangan discuss what's ahead for the Indian men's Test team.Produced by Niharika NandaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

On Friday at the Doha Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra finally achieved something he had long aimed for—a 90m-plus throw. His 90.23m effort not only marked a personal best but also made him the 25th man to enter the 90m club in javelin. In this episode of Game Time, Amit Kamath and Vinayakk Mohanarangan discuss what this long-awaited milestone means for Chopra and its significance in the sport.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) was abruptly suspended on Friday due to the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan. However, with a ceasefire now in place, the BCCI is planning to extend the tournament until May 30 and will be releasing a revised schedule soon.In this episode, recorded on Saturday (May 10), host Mihir Vasavda and Amit Kamath discuss what led the BCCI to put the IPL on hold and how the board explained its decision.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week on Game Time, hosts Mihir Vasavda and Amit Kamath discuss the electrifying rise of two teenage sensations, Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old Barcelona forward shining in the Champions League, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old batting prodigy from Bihar who's stormed into the IPL spotlight. As headlines hail them the next Messi and Tendulkar, we ask: is early success really a blessing is disguise?Produced by Shashank Bhargava Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This week on Game Time, hosts Mihir Vasavda, Amit Kamath, and Vinayakk Mohanarangan dive into one of the toughest moments in an athlete's journey — retirement. They discuss why players often struggle to time their exit right, the emotional and financial challenges they face in life after sport, and how some find new purpose while others grapple with identity loss. Tune in for insights, anecdotes, and reflections on a decision every athlete must eventually confront.Produced by Ichha Sharma and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

In this episode of Game Time, hosts Mihir Vasavda, Amit Kamath, and Vinayakk Mohanarangan analyze how a tweak in gun laws, increased accessibility, and growing interest have made shooting in India arguably second only to cricket in terms of mass participation.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar