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Good evening, I can’t not start this letter by doffing my hat to India’s Test captain Shubman Gill. His epic knock of 269 will undoubtedly go down in the history books (and it already has), but it is how Gill got there that is a welcome harbinger of a productive batting career that is still taking shape. There was patience in abundance, his appetite for runs was never in doubt, but most of all, it was a convincing display of Gill’s technical alacrity, which blended well with shot selection. With successive Test hundreds (and this one, to quote the former England great Graham Gooch, a real daddy one), Gill’s English summer is already in top gear. And with flatter wickets (with county scores of 820!) and a drier summer forecasted for England, Gill could easily treat himself to a few more hundred runs. But before that, there’s a task at hand. This time, as captain. Having put England on the mat in the final session, now comes the stiffer challenge, something India’s batting innings proved was rather tricky: finding a way to bag the remaining 17 wickets to help India level the series. On that note, let’s dive in 👇🏽
📝 The Debrief
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) just put another spanner in India’s Olympic ambitions
This day last week, this letter detailed the International Olympic Committee’s decision to pause the selection process for future hosts, including 2036. Today, as my colleague Mihir Vasavda details, the world body has (sort of) shown India the mirror about where it stands, with stern words on governance, the rampant doping, and the country’s below-par performance in the Olympics. The IOC’s message to the Indian delegation visiting Lausanne was succinct, and I quote from the story, “get your house in order before preparing the masterplan.” Governance lapses: Sources told The Indian Express that the IOC flagged serious governance wrangles within the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), primarily concerning the appointment of a CEO, among other issues. While the government hopes these issues will be resolved soon, the IOC has ceased its “athlete welfare grants” to the IOA since October 2024 because of “an administrative logjam” The IOC has also stated that it will not release the funds “until the situation improves.” As one official told us, India’s Olympic bid will depend on “how quickly the issues highlighted by the IOC are addressed,” effectively making it a fundamental first step. IOC President Kristy Coventy’s decision to pause the future hosts selection process may be a blessing in disguise, giving India enough time to get its house in order, even as it prepares its Olympics bid. What's the dope? The IOC also highlighted India’s escalating doping problems, now verging on a serious issue. India recorded the highest positivity rate for banned substances among major sporting nations, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2023 annual report. In 2024, a separate WADA study revealed that “India was second only to Russia as the country with the most positive doping cases among minors.” As the story notes, the Athletics Integrity Unit “has placed India at No.2 on the list of doping offenders, after Kenya, in track and field events, according to data collected till 2025.” Performance issues: India’s sporting performance at the Olympic stage has also emerged as a sticking point. Its performance at last year’s Paris Olympics was rather underwhelming, to say the least. It finished 71st in the 2024 edition with a tally of six medals, and no golds to show. India hopes: Despite the meeting's outcome, India remains committed to hosting the Olympics. This was conveyed by the Indian delegation led by IOA chief PT Usha and Gujarat Home and Sports Minister Harsh Sanghavi. In a statement, the delegation said that it had “explored the opportunity and feasibility of India hosting a future edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.” It did not specify when, but most suggestions indicate that the year could be 2036.
✍️ From our newsroom Wild, wild story: Tashi Sherpa operated a herb shop in Delhi’s Majnu ka Tila. However, behind the counter was one of Asia’s most wanted tiger traffickers. Interpol states that Sherpa was the kingpin of a cross-border smuggling ring transporting tiger parts and pangolin scales across India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. After eight years on the run, he was nabbed near Darjeeling last year and sentenced to five years in prison last month. As my colleague Anand Mohan J reports from Bhopal, the investigation began in 2015 with the discovery of three pangolin skulls in a tiger reserve. It escalated into one of India’s largest wildlife crime crackdowns, involving 36 accused, 30 arrests, and a network extending from Itarsi (MP) to Sikkim. Sherpa allegedly purchased bones and scales by the kilo and sold them for profit in underground Chinese markets. Interpol is now probing his financial dealings further. Only 785 tigers remain in Madhya Pradesh, where poaching rates are rising. Sherpa may be behind bars, but a larger network continues to operate.
🔎 Need to know Take two: For the second time in as many months, India’s D Gukesh beat Magnus Carlsen at the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia 2025 in Zagreb. Last month, Gukesh beat Carlsen in the classical format, while on Thursday, it was in a rapid game. Before the event, Carlsen had called Gukesh “presumably one of the weaker players in the tournament.” More reactions: Garry Kasparov | Susan Polgar Hot seat: Former OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever will lead Safe Superintelligence, the AI lab he founded last year, after Meta recruited its CEO, Daniel Gross, to lead its AI products division. Fight club: The White House lawn could host a UFC fight to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence. The event aims to attract 20,000-25,000 people and is being planned with UFC President Dana White, a top Trump ally.
🎙️Expresso Playlist!
In today’s Playlist, I’ll strongly suggest this excellent episode from Slate’s Slow Burn podcast, which looks at the booming business of…white noise, now worth $1.3 billion globally. Wow.
✋🏽 One last thing
I’ll leave you today with a fantastic weekend read, courtesy of Bloomberg Businessweek, which looks at Greece’s olive oil crisis (hello, climate change) and how it is upending farmers, regions, and indeed, the broader global supply chain.
That’s all from me today. Thank you so much for reading this edition. If you enjoy the Evening Expresso, tell your friends to subscribe to the newsletter. You can do so by signing up for the Morning Expresso. Additionally, you can reach me via email for tips, feedback, or simply to say hello! 😀 Have a great weekend! Until Monday, Venkat Ananth |
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