Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 28: Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop believes the cricketing fraternity will only fully grasp the sheer magnitude of Virat Kohli’s monumental achievements once the Indian batting maestro calls time on his illustrious playing career.

Tearing into the West Indies bowling attack at the Greenfield International Stadium to give India a comfortable eight-wicket victory in the series opener, Kohli breached the 15,000-run mark in ODIs while making an unbeaten 139 on Sunday, while bringing up his 55th ton in the format – his third-fastest overall. He now stands as only the second player in history to cross 15,000 men’s ODI runs after the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

“You have to love what you do to evolve as he has done over such a long period of time. I think this puts him in a rarefied atmosphere, given that he has achieved 15,000 runs in 74 fewer innings than the great Sachin Tendulkar, whom I hold in high regard, having played against him.

“Where his legacy will end, he certainly has to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, batter in this format of the game. I mean, this is extraordinary. A lot of these fans watching on television and here on the ground appreciate it, but I don’t think we will fully appreciate it until some time after he concludes his playing days,” Bishop said on JioHotstar.

Bishop, the acclaimed commentator, was particularly left in awe of Kohli’s unmatched consistency and his legendary prowess in acing run-chases. “Virat is different in that respect, the appetite that he has for runs, his calculation of how to chase a total, I think that is unsurpassed in this game.

“Virat has a sense of occasion that he may not confess to, but again, that’s his evolution. I still can’t believe 15,000… I know Sachin got there, but that’s a heck of a lot of runs. So, if I had flowers right now, I’d give them to him because he certainly deserves his flowers,” he added.

Calling on the younger generation of cricketers to draw inspiration from Kohli’s work ethics, Bishop urged players across all disciplines to step outside their comfort zones and constantly refine their skills, regardless of age or experience.

“It’s something that we’re all very aware of, because I have grown tired of hearing players say, ‘This is the way I play,’ and people outside the game saying, ‘When you reach a certain age, you can’t learn new tricks.’

“If I were to take one thing away from what Virat Kohli has been doing over the years, it’s that he’s saying it’s never too late to evolve his attacking game, to adapt to how T20 or white-ball cricket has moved, to develop his power game and hit the number of sixes that he has done here at his age.

“It shows that where there is a will, many times, if you’re smart enough, you will find a way. And if any cricketer can take anything away from this, that is what I want them to remember: don’t stay in your comfort zone. Batter, bowler, fielder, captain, get out of your comfort zone,” he concluded.

New Delhi, Sep 28: President of India Droupadi Murmu congratulated Esha Singh on Monday after the Indian shooter won the silver medal in the women’s 25m pistol event at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, praising her skill, precision and consistency after a dramatic final that featured multiple shoot-offs.

“I extend my heartiest congratulations to Esha Singh on winning the Silver Medal in the Women’s 25m Pistol event at the Asian Games 2026. Your exceptional performance has reflected great skill, precision and consistency. This medal is a proud addition to your sporting journey. My best wishes for many more laurels,” the President wrote on X.

Esha’s medal came after a tense contest in which she had to repeatedly fight to stay in contention. The Indian entered the final after qualifying eighth and eventually secured her place in the gold-medal shoot-off following a series of eliminations and shoot-offs.

The final stage brought Esha up against China’s Xiao Jiaruixuan. With the two separated by a single hit, Esha produced four hits to force a shoot-off. Both shooters then registered four hits apiece, sending the contest into another decisive exchange. Xiao eventually prevailed, leaving Esha with silver.

The result added another Asian Games medal to Esha’s record and drew praise from senior political leaders, with Murmu highlighting the performance as another significant milestone in the shooter’s career.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also hailed the Indian’s performance, pointing to the qualities behind her medal-winning display.

“A shining example of dedication and perseverance! Esha Singh has secured a silver medal women’s 25m pistol event at the Asian Games 2026. Her exceptional performance is a testament to her talent and hard work. Congratulations to her and best wishes for her future endeavours,” he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath focused on Esha’s ability to withstand the pressure of the final, particularly during the shoot-offs.

“A fighting performance from Esha Singh in Shooting! Congratulations to Esha Singh on winning the silver medal in the women’s 25m pistol event at the Asian Games 2026. After battling through multiple shoot-offs, Esha held her nerve to secure another Asian Games medal in the event. A remarkable display of composure and determination,” he said.

Nagoya, Sep 27: India ended the sprint programme at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 with contrasting results in the women’s and men’s 200m finals on Sunday, as Harita Bhadra claimed bronze in a tight finish before Animesh Kujur placed fifth in a high-quality men’s race.

Harita clocked 23.20 seconds to secure the women’s 200m bronze, edging Japan’s sprinter by just one hundredth of a second. Singapore’s Veronica Shanti Pereira took gold in 22.78s, while China’s Chen Yujie, the 100m champion at these Games, finished second in 22.93s.

The medal ended India’s wait for a podium finish in the women’s 200m at the Asian Games since Dutee Chand’s bronze at the 2018 edition. Harita, 23, also became only the sixth Indian woman to win a 200m medal at the continental event.

The Maharashtra sprinter entered the Games after lowering her personal best to 23.14s at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, where she won the national title. Her Asian Games bronze came with a time just 0.06 seconds slower than that mark.

Harita’s teammate Unnathi Aiyappa Bolland finished sixth in the final in 23.46s. After the race, Bolland was among the first to congratulate Harita, embracing her after the Indian secured the podium finish.

The men’s 200m final produced a different outcome for India, with Animesh Kujur finishing fifth in 20.80s.

Thailand’s Puripol Boonson dominated the race to complete the 100m-200m sprint double. He stopped the clock at 19.88s, matching the Asian record, after having already set a new Games record during the qualifying round.

Animesh, who had progressed to the final after a strong showing in the heats, could not reproduce the pace required to challenge for the medals and ended his Asian Games 200m campaign in fifth place.

The Indian’s 20.80s finish came after a competition in which he had also advanced to the 100m semifinal earlier in the Games. For Harita, meanwhile, the bronze provided India with a rare sprint podium moment and capped her first Asian Games appearance with a medal.