Ten ISL clubs write urgent letter to AIFF over tender delay
The future of India’s top football league is facing confusion again. Ten Indian Super League (ISL) clubs have jointly sent a sharp warning to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), accusing it of a “breach of trust” over the delay in finalizing the tender for a new commercial partner. According to the Supreme Court’s directions, the tender to decide the league’s commercial and organizational rights was meant to be completed by 15th October this year. With that deadline already passed and no updates or documents released, the clubs seem to have lost their patience. In a letter addressed to AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey and the federation’s executive committee, the clubs expressed they were “deeply disappointed” with the lack of progress and communication. The letter was signed by Chennaiyin FC, Punjab FC, Hyderabad FC, Bengaluru FC, FC Goa, NorthEast United, Kerala Blasters, Odisha FC, Jamshedpur FC, and Mumbai City FC. Significantly, Mohun Bagan Super Giants, East Bengal, and Mohammedan Sporting were not part of the move. The clubs reminded the AIFF of its joint submission to the Supreme Court in August, where it had promised a fair and open bidding process to select a new commercial partner after the current deal with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) ends in December 2025. “It is very evident that we are yet to even begin the process, let alone complete it,” the clubs said. “The lack of communication from the AIFF has been deeply disappointing, and the silence surrounding this matter has caused further erosion of confidence among clubs and other stakeholders.” The Supreme Court had appointed former judge Justice Nageswara Rao to supervise the process, with KPMG India managing the bidding and evaluation. Yet, more than six weeks after the court’s deadline, there has been no official update, leaving clubs frustrated and uncertain.
Kohli Tweets on Self Introspection
After Virat Kohli’s comeback in International Cricket has made headlines, now his social media post found the same spot. However, a cryptic post on the batter’s social media featured a motivational message that left fans speculating as the message lacked context. However, soon the speculation tied down as it was known for a clothing brand promotion. The King, Kohli, wrote on his X “The only time you truly fail is when you decide to give up,”. Virat Kohli posted on X just hours after landing in Perth — the venue for the first of a three-match ODI series. The series marks the return of both Rohit Sharma and Kohli to international cricket for the first time since the 2025 Champions Trophy. Soon after, Kohli shared a video from a promotional campaign for his casual wear label. The caption read, “Failure teaches you what victory never will.” At first, many fans thought the earlier post hinted at a rare moment of introspection from the cricketer. When it turned out to be part of a brand campaign, disappointment followed. Kohli, who usually keeps his social media limited to brand promotions and greetings for fellow athletes, had once again chosen not to open up personally. Meme-makers quickly jumped in. They joked about how cleverly Kohli had built curiosity, turning it into free publicity for his brand. Others pointed out that it had been a long time since he had shared something truly personal or spontaneous online. The timing of the post added another layer to the reaction. Speculation has been growing about Kohli’s future in international cricket. With Shubman Gill now leading the ODI side, selectors have signalled a clear focus on building towards the 2027 ODI World Cup. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir have both said that Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be considered for selection based on form in the lead-up to the tournament. Some former cricketers, however, are worried. They’ve pointed out that India has a very limited number of ODIs scheduled before the next World Cup — no more than 20 over the next two years. That lack of game time could hurt the match readiness of senior players like Kohli and Rohit, especially since both have stepped away from Tests and T20Is. Ravi Shastri, the former head coach, offered a grounded view. He suggested that both players should take things one series at a time and not look too far ahead. Current captain Shubman Gill, on the other hand, was quick to reassure fans. He said that both Kohli and Rohit remain vital to India’s plans for the 2027 World Cup. The three-match ODI series in Australia begins in Perth on 19 October, followed by the second game in Adelaide on 23rd October. The series finale will be played in Sydney on 25th October.
Sunil’s return was a mistake; Gurpreet should also retire for the new generation: Bhaichung
Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia has said that talismanic striker Sunil Chhetri should not have returned to international football, breaking his retirement to help India in the AFC 2027 Asian Cup qualification campaign. Bhaichung termed it a mistake. Chhetri last scored for the Blue Tigers in March this year against the Maldives but has drawn a blank in the country’s next matches since then. While reacting to India’s exit from the Asian Cup qualifiers after a 1-2 defeat to Singapore in the third round in Goa, the former Indian captain urged goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to consider stepping aside to give the next generation a chance, also. “It’s time for Sunil. He’s had a great career and a wonderful farewell, but his comeback was a big mistake, for him and for Indian football. I had mentioned that earlier, too. It’s also time for senior players like Sunil and Gurpreet to say goodbye. They have served Indian football well, but now the next generation has to take over,” Bhutia told PTI. Bhutia urged India to move away from glamorous European football models and instead emulate Asian nations such as Uzbekistan and Jordan, which have achieved consistent success with modest resources. India’s 1-2 defeat against Singapore came after a 1-1 draw in the away leg, resulting in the Blue Tigers missing out on the continental tournament for the first time since it expanded to 24 teams in 2019. “It’s very disappointing because the Asia Cup is something we should at least be qualifying for regularly. When 24 teams qualify for the Asia Cup and you still can’t make it, then it’s very, very disappointing. “We keep talking about the World Cup and other big things, but if we can’t even qualify for the Asia Cup, then we are very far away from our goal,” the 48-year-old Indian football icon added.
Virat’s preparation for Australia and the 2027 ODI World Cup comes from an ‘intense training’ in London’, says former India teammate
Virat Kohli is not sitting idle in London. With the 2027 ODI World Cup already in his sights, he had a rigorous preparation before his upcoming assignment with India—an ODI series in Australia starting Sunday in Perth. To prepare for both the ODI series in Australia and the distant 2027 ODI World Cup, the former Indian captain has been undergoing intense training sessions in London. After the IPL 2025 season ended, Kohli continued these meticulous workouts during his break. Dinesh Karthik, Kohli’s former RCB and India teammate, noted in a social media video that Kohli has been training every week in pursuit of World Cup readiness, despite the tournament being still two years away. Kohli would be 39 when the tournament is played in Africa in late 2027. “In London, he was training during this big layoff that he’s had after a long time in his life,” Karthik said. “And I also know he was practicing cricket easily, two to three sessions a week,” said Karthik. Last year, Kohli started the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour at the same venue with a century before his series tapered off, ending with one of his poorest returns in a contest overseas. While both Kohli and Karthik are set to return to action after months without competitive matches, there is speculation about their roles in the ODI squad. This comes as Shubman Gill steps in as the 50-over captain for the upcoming Australia tour.
