Indian athletes have been cleared to compete in the Winter Games in Sochi after the country complied with the IOC’s ethics rules and avoided becoming the first country expelled from the Olympics in more than 40 years. Still to be determined is whether the few Indian athletes who have qualified for Sochi compete for their country or under the Olympic flag. It will be known within a few days whether India will participate in 2016 Olympics. File photo: PTI
Indian Junior women hockey team players celebrate after winning the bronze medal at Junior World Cup (Women) in Monchengladbach, Germany on August 4, 2013. India beat England 3-2 via penalty shootout after the regulation time of 70 minutes ended at 1-1. Photo: PTI
Sachin Tendulkar played his 200th Test at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. In the farewell Test series for Tendulkar, India defeated West Indies 2-0. In the 200 Tests he had played he scored 15,921 runs at an average of 53.78 with 248 not out being his highest. He had scored 51 centuries and 68 fifties. Photo: K.R. Deepak
Rohit Sharma during his double century knock in the recently concluded 7-match ODI series against Australia. India won the series 3-2. It was one of the high-scoring games with each team chasing 300+ targets with ease. Rohit Sharma won the man-of-the-series award for his superlative knock against the Austrlaians. Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash
Indian team celebrates after winning the One Day International cricket match against Australia at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on November 2, 2013. India won the 7-match series 3–2. Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash
The victorious Germany team pose with the Junior World Cup Trophy in New Delhi on December 15, 2013. Propelled by Niklas Wellen’s hat-trick, the five-time champion asserted its class and decimated an unheralded France 5-2 in the summit clash. It retained the title in style to take home the Roger Danet Trophy for the sixth time. Photo : R.V. Moorthy
Gurjinder Singh (R) who scored the final goal celebrates during the match against Canada during the Hero Hockey Junior World Cup Hockey match in New Delhi on December 7, 2013. India finished 10th in the World Cup by losing to Pakistan in the 9-10th place. Photo : R.V. Moorthy
South Africa's Quinton de Kock scored three consecutive centuries against India in the ODIs. South Africa won the first two ODIs with big margins and won the series 2-0 with the last ODI being washed out. Photo: AP
P.V. Sindhu had a good 2013 and ended the season with a career highest ranking of No.10. She won the Malaysia Open Grand Prix and Macau Open Badminton Championship. She also won the bronze medal in the World Championship. Photo: Vivek Bendre
Saina Nehwal was in good form in 2012 and started 2013 with the No.3 ranking. But due to her poor form in 2013 where she lost every major international finals, she was dropped to No.8. Photo: AP
Indian men's Kabaddi team poses with the trophy after defeating Pakistan in the final in Ludhiana on December 15, 2013. Photo: PTI
Indian Women's Kabaddi team poses with the trophy after defeating Denmark in the final in Ludhiana on December 15, 2013. Photo: PTI
The young Indian team led by M.S. Dhoni performed well during the two-match series against South Africa. Here Pujara and Kohli during their 222-run partnership during the second innings in the first Test at Johannesburg. Photo: AP
Having been dismissed for 244 in the first innings, South Africa faced a daunting task of scoring 458 runs to win the first Test. Having lost four wickets, South Africa were starring down the barrel. Faf du Plessis and AB De Villiers played sensibly to save South Africa from the jaws defeat and the first Test ended in a pulsating draw. Photo: AP
Jacques Kallis, a consistent performer for South Africa has announced his retirement from Tests after the second Test against India in Durban. However, the prolific all-rounder would be available for selection in ODIs. In a career spanning 166 Tests, he scored has 13,289 runs with 45 centuries at an average of 55.12. Kallis, who is the third highest run-getter in Tests behind Tendulkar and Ponting, has over 200 wickets under his belt. South Africa strengthened their position as the number-one ranked side on the ICC Test Team Rankings table with their ten-wicket victory over India in the second and final Test in Durban. Photo: AP
In this December 3, 2013, an image of Brazuca, the official 2014 World Cup soccer ball, is projected during a 3D presentation at its unveiling in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 32 teams will compete for World Cup 2014 which will be held between June 12 and July 13 in Brazil. Photo: AP
