For all the talk of 2025 being a relatively “quiet” sporting year, it turned out to be a revealing pause rather than a lull. Indian sport used this interlude to signal where its future momentum lies — decisively in women’s sport, uneasily in men’s cricket transitions, and unmistakably in the mega-event frenzy that 2026 will unleash across continents and disciplines.
Why 2025 mattered more than it seemed
At first glance, 2025 appeared to be a holding year — sandwiched between the Olympic aftershocks of 2024 and the global sporting avalanche of 2026. Yet, it delivered one of Indian sport’s most defining moments: the women’s cricket World Cup triumph under “”. Beyond the silverware, the victory underscored a deeper shift — women athletes are no longer fringe success stories but central to India’s global sporting identity.
Across disciplines — wrestling, boxing, shooting, archery, badminton and squash — Indian women consistently outperformed expectations. The significance lies not merely in medals, but in visibility, sponsorship traction and institutional attention, all of which are crucial for sustained sporting ecosystems.
Women’s cricket as the new growth engine
The women’s World Cup win also redefined cricket’s internal hierarchy in India. For the first time, women’s cricket demonstrated both commercial viability and developmental promise at scale. A potential women’s T20 World Cup title in July would elevate the game further, pushing broadcasters, sponsors and administrators to rethink long-standing asymmetries.
This shift matters for policy as much as performance. A stronger women’s cricket structure strengthens India’s overall sporting depth and aligns with broader goals of gender equity in sport — an increasingly visible theme in global sporting governance.
Men’s cricket: transition without closure
If women’s cricket offered clarity, the men’s game reflected uncertainty. The year encapsulated Indian cricket’s generational churn. “”’s rapid rise to Test captaincy contrasted starkly with his omission from the T20 World Cup squad, symbolising a team caught between formats and futures.
The simultaneous Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli closed a red-ball era but left ODIs in an unusual limbo. Freed from Test commitments, both veterans continued to dominate the 50-over format, challenging the assumption that transition must imply immediate displacement. Their form suggested evolution in Indian cricket may be more layered than abrupt.
The T20 saturation dilemma
The numbers tell their own story. In the first half of 2026 alone, India will host 146 T20 matches, including a record-sized IPL season and a home T20 World Cup. This relentless scheduling reflects cricket’s commercial logic but also raises questions about player fatigue, fan engagement and the marginalisation of Test cricket.
The T20 World Cup on home soil is more than a title defence. For head coach Gautam Gambhir, it is a referendum on leadership amid Test setbacks. Success could buy stability; failure may accelerate calls for structural overhaul ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Global sport meets geopolitics in 2026
Beyond cricket, the biggest narrative shift awaits at the “”, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Expanded to 48 teams, it promises scale but risks dilution. Yet, World Cups have a way of manufacturing drama — whether through Italy’s precarious qualification path or the tantalising possibility of a Messi-Ronaldo knockout clash.
The political subtext, however, is hard to ignore. With Donald Trump back in the White House, immigration rules, travel bans and visa scrutiny threaten to shape fan experiences as much as footballing narratives. Sport here becomes a mirror of global anxieties, not an escape from them.
Commonwealth and Asian Games: recalibrated ambitions
The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will be scaled down, stripping India of several medal-rich disciplines. Still, athletics offers a compelling subplot — a potential javelin showdown between “” and “”, renewing a rivalry shaped as much by context as competition.
The Asian Games in Japan present a sterner test. After crossing the 100-medal mark in Hangzhou, expectations are higher, particularly from shooters and track athletes. Individual comebacks — from Mirabai Chanu’s injury battles to Vinesh Phogat’s return — will define India’s narrative as much as medal tallies.
What to note for Prelims?
- Women’s cricket World Cup victory as a milestone in Indian sports history
- Expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 48 teams and its host countries
- Scale and structure of the 2026 T20 World Cup and IPL season
- Downscaling of the Commonwealth Games and its implications
What to note for Mains?
- Role of women’s sport in reshaping India’s sporting ecosystem
- Commercialisation versus sustainability in T20-dominated cricket
- Intersection of geopolitics and global sporting events
- Managing generational transition in elite sport without performance decline
