The final week of the year 2023 ended with a whimper for fans of Indian sports, rather than the bang they had come to expect through what had been a blockbuster year. As India reached new heights in the Asian Games and Asian Para Games, as the Indian women's national cricket team broke new ground in Test format, as the Indian men's football team touched down in Qatar for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup, the attention turned toward what lies ahead, in the first week of the new year. (Sports News)
January 1 to 7, 2024, week one of the new year, will provide an appetizer for what is coming up next in the first month. Later in Jan, India will compete in the AFC Asian Cup for the second time in a row, the India U-19 Cricket Team will be in World Cup action, the India men's national cricket team will be welcoming Afghanistan and England for home-based bilateral series. Worldwide, January will feature action from the European football leagues, while some players will be away on national duty in the Asian Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. Also later in the month, Tennis stars will come together for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year.
Cricket
Cricket fans will be in for a treat almost from the first day of the new year. Resuming their bout with South Africa, India national men's cricket team will be in Test action from January 3, 2024, till, at most, January 7, 2024, for the second and final game of their two-match series. South Africa cannot lose the contest from this point, having beaten India by an innings and 32 runs in the previous game.
For South Africa, Dean Elgar will play his final international match before retiring; Elgar will captain the Proteas for the second Test with India, with the hosts looking to wrap up a 2-0 series win.
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While India take on South Africa, Australia will play Pakistan in the same format on the other side of the world. Australia have already won the pair's three-game series after beating Pakistan in the Boxing Day test, even if Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez believed his side to be the better of the two.
David Warner will play his final Test match for Australia, bringing down the curtains on a sensationally successful career in this format of the game.
Football
Liverpool and Newcastle United will be the only teams involved in Premier League action in the first week of January 2024, with the two playing each other after midnight on January 2, 2024, according to the Indian Standard Time. The Reds are in a rich vein of form at the moment, leading the league and well-stocked for a title push for a little later in the year. Newcastle, meanwhile, have fallen off drastically after a splendid start to the campaign; the Magpies are currently ninth, far removed from the title battle being fought at the league's summit.
In lieu of the Premier League, top-division clubs will contest the third round of the FA Cup 2023-24, with Liverpool versus Arsenal the standout tie of the stage. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur will play Burnley, Chelsea will take on Preston, Manchester City will welcome Huddersfield, and Manchester United will travel to former winners Wigan Athletic.
Tennis
As action builds up to the Australian Open 2024, many individuals will get themselves match-fit by competing in the Brisbane International, including Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard's return is hotly anticipated, with many anticipating 2024 to be the final year of his long, decorated, and lately, injury-laden career. Nadal will battle Thiem in his return to the court, with the latter securing his pass to the main event following a victory in the qualifiers.
Also competing in the Brisbane Open will be Andy Murray, Grigor Dimitrov, and the top seed of the tournament, Holger Rune. Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina will lead the women's draw in the event.
