New Delhi, Sep 9: Left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal and senior opener Ruturaj Gaikwad have been named captains of the India A multi-day and one-day squads, respectively, for the upcoming home series against Australia A, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Wednesday.

Seam-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has been out of action since IPL 2026 due to injuries to his quad and leg, has been included in the 50-over games, though his selection is subject to fitness. India A will play two four-day matches, followed by a three-match one-day series. All five fixtures will be hosted in Puducherry, beginning on September 22.

Padikkal, who was the player of the series in India’s 1-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka, amassing 328 runs at number three, will lead a 15-member multi-day side featuring prominent domestic performers. Left-handed top-order batter Sai Sudharsan, who missed the Test series against Sri Lanka due to a right toe injury, has been named as his vice-captain.

The squad includes top-order options Aman Mokhade, Ayush Pandey, Yash Rathod, and Shaik Rasheed, alongside wicketkeeping options Kumar Kushagra, who hit a century in the ongoing Duleep Trophy final against South Zone, and N Jagadeesan.

The spin department for the red-ball leg will be led by Mumbai all-rounders Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian, while the fast-bowling unit features Anshul Kamboj, Tushar Deshpande, Praful Hinge, Nachiket Bhute, and Vijaykumar Vyshak, whose inclusion remains subject to fitness clearance.

For the limited-overs series, Gaikwad takes over captaincy, with Padikkal serving as his deputy. The 50-over squad boasts significant international experience, highlighted by the inclusion of Pandya, provided he passes the fitness assessment at the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru.

The one-day batting unit features explosive batters Priyansh Arya, two-time IPL-winning captain and India batter Rajat Patidar, and versatile Punjab batter Naman Dhir, who has set the stage on fire in the ongoing Sher-e-Punjab T20 league.

Prabhsimran Singh joins Kushagra as a wicket-keeping option for the one-day series, while all-round support will be provided by Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Arshin Kulkarni, and Arshad Khan. The pace-bowling attack for the one-day games features Gurjapneet Singh and Yash Thakur, who made his T20I debut on the tour of Zimbabwe in July.

The series gets underway with the first red-ball game, to be held in Puducherry from September 22 to 25, followed by the second match from September 29 to October 2. The action then shifts to the white-ball format, with the three one-day matches scheduled for October 6, October 9, and October 11.

India A Multi-day squad: Devdutt Padikkal (captain), Sai Sudharsan (vice-captain), Aman Mokhade, Ayush Pandey, Yash Rathod, Shaik Rasheed, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Anshul Kamboj, Praful Hinge, N Jagadeesan (wk), Nachiket Bhute, and Vijaykumar Vyshak (subject to fitness).

India A One-Day squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Devdutt Padikkal (vice-captain), Priyansh Arya, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Arshin Kulkarni, Arshad Khan, Naman Dhir, Hardik Pandya (subject to fitness), Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Gurjapneet Singh, and Yash Thakur.

New Delhi, Aug 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed India’s para athletes for their ability to overcome adversity and inspire entire families and communities, saying their achievements can change the way people look at life and demonstrate how sport can improve the quality of life.

Addressing the youth virtually during the Khelo India Dialogue, Modi highlighted the journeys of India’s leading para athletes and said their success carries significance beyond medals, particularly for families who witness their struggles in the early stages of their sporting careers.

“Our Para athletes are a big example of how sports change lives. When one sees a Parathlete in the field, the way of thinking about life changes. And when he achieves something, his whole family gets a new life along with that athlete. For those parents, brothers and sisters who see their child struggling in the early days, that athlete’s success gives new heights to their dreams and courage. I have always been inspired by such players,” PM Modi said while addressing the youth during Khelo India Dialogue.

The Prime Minister specifically recalled the achievements of Indian para athletes Sheetal Devi, Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil, Nitesh Kumar, and Jandu Kumar, citing them as examples of the transformative power of sport.

“You all have heard India’s daughter’s name in Archery- Sheetal. When she won a medal at the Paralympics, the whole of Jammu and Kashmir and the whole of India were proud of her. Similarly, we have another daughter, Avni Lekhra, who won Paralympic medals twice. Whenever I meet her, I feel very proud. Be it Sumit Antil, Nitesh Kumar, and our recent champion, Jandu Kumar, such are our Para-athletes. Such are our teammates. They inspire us too. Sports is a guarantee to a better life, and it improves our quality of life,” he mentioned.

Modi also underlined the wider role of sporting culture in shaping individuals and society, arguing that the lessons learnt through competition extend well beyond the playing field.

“We often hear that the spirit of sportspersons is very important for a healthy society, a good family system, and a better culture. Sportsperson spirit is very important for a healthy society, for a good family system, for a good culture. It is very difficult to learn the spirit of a sportsperson without going to the sporting field. Sports not only teach us to be champions but also how to be better competitors. To get up, to fall, to fall and to get up again. Sport brings this feeling inside us,” the Prime Minister said.

The address also touched upon the government’s efforts to strengthen India’s sporting infrastructure and create a broader pathway for athletes from grassroots talent identification to international competition.

“Our government is fully committed to creating a modern sports ecosystem in India in the 21st century. Today, from sports universities to modern training centres, a system is being created in the country which will provide support at every level, from identifying talent to bringing it to the world stage,” PM Modi stated.

He added that India was working with countries across the world in areas including sports science, training and coaching, while also stressing the role of youth in shaping the country’s sporting future.

“Khelo India Samvaad is not just about sports. It’s a platform where every suggestion and opinion can provide a new vision to sports. The programme focuses on what youth think about the sports ecosystem, talent development, governance and Viksit Bharat and considers their suggestions. These things will be heard and will be included in the policy process. Therefore, I urge everyone to use this platform as much as possible. Let new ideas come. These new ideas of youth will be the strength of a developed India,” he noted.

New Delhi, Aug 27: Indian para hockey chief coach Daljender Singh has hailed the support received by the team from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr Mallika Nadda and Special Olympics Bharat (SOB), saying the encouragement and infrastructure provided to the players helped India compete at the FIH World Cup for the first time and finish 11th in the world rankings.

Daljender said SOB played an important role in preparing the players for the international stage by organising camps and making arrangements for their participation in the tournament.

“First of all, I would like to thank the Honourable Prime Minister Modi ji and Dr Mallika Nadda, who fully support us, and the entire SOB (Special Olympics Bharat) organisation, which made excellent arrangements for these children and set up camps, enabling us to play in the FIH World Cup,” Daljender told media.

The Indian team competed in a 16-team field, with eight sides each in Pool A and Pool B. For the players, the tournament represented their first experience of performing at a global event, and Daljender said he was pleased with how they responded to the challenge.

“The children gave a very good performance, as it was their first experience, and they did well there. We had 16 teams, with 8 in Pool B and 8 in Pool A. We are ranked 11th in the world rankings. I am very happy that the children enjoyed themselves there,” he added.

Beyond the results, Daljender said the international exposure had given the players an opportunity to enjoy representing India and to test themselves against teams from around the world.

The chief coach also spoke about the impact of encouragement from Prime Minister Modi, saying interactions with him provided additional motivation to both the coaching staff and the players.

“I get a lot of encouragement from him. Talking to the Prime Minister gives me a lot of encouragement, and I feel like playing with more enthusiasm. The children also try a lot to get a chance to talk to the Prime Minister, and he is very helpful,” he stated.