Asian Games Day 4 Highlights: Ghosal Gets Historic Silver, Bindra Shoots Bronze
It was a low-key day for India at the Asian Games. Saurav Ghosal was left disappointed after losing in the squash final. The men's hockey team chalked up an unimpressive win against Oman. Shooters continued to win medals.
Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra was the star performer for India as he picked up the individual as well as team bronze in the men's 10m air rifle events. Saurav Ghosal missed out on a historic squash gold, while India settled for two more bronze in Wushu. Highlights of Day 4. (MEDALS TALLY).
What do you feel about India's performance at the Asian Games? Write in at myvoice@ndtv.com. Best entries will feature on NDTVSports.
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19:45 (IST): Saurav Ghosal created history by bringing home India's first silver medal from the Asian Games squash but was still disappointed on missing out on the gold after losing the men's singles final 2-3 to Kuwait's Abdullah Al Muzayen.
19:00 (IST): There was controversy after it emerged that a footballer from Tajikistan had become the first athlete at the Incheon Games to fail a doping test.
18:40 (IST): Hockey - India warmed up for their clash against arch-rivals Pakistan by thrashing Oman 7-0. India and Pakistan face-off on Thursday in the competition's marquee match that could determine the pool leader. Both teams have won their first two games in the 10-nation tournament.
18:15 (IST): India's no-gold show on day 4 of the Asian Games has disappointed Vipin Nambiar (vipinnambiarr@gmail.com) who wrote:
Bronze, Bronze, Bronze And A Bronze Once Again - What's happening guys !!! Total HEAVY at heart seeing folks like Mongolia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Kuwait ahead of us in the tally. More depressing is the body language of Indian men's hockey performance against SL and Oman - It clearly looks they do not want to be here at all and least interested in qualifying for Rio Olympics, else how one would explain the backup goalkeeper for Sreejesh is our drag flicker V.R.Raghu !!! How Stupid Boy !!!
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17:43 (IST): Weightlifting - Katulu Ravi Kumar finishes 10th in the men's 77kg category.
17:32 (IST): Swimming - China's Olympic champion Sun Yang powered to gold in the men's 400 metres freestyle to make up for his disappointment in the 200. Japan's Kosuke Hagino won silver, South Korea's Park Tae-Hwan got bronze.
17:16 (IST): Squash - Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu beats Alsarraj Mohammad Khalil Ahmad 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5 in men's team Group B match. Saurav Ghosal-less India beat Jordan 2-1.
16:35 (IST): Medal for India! Narender Grewal settles for bronze after losing to Saclag Jean Claude of Philippines in men's Sanda 60kg Wushu semifinal. He lost 2-0.
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16:15 (IST): Earlier, Indian men's basketball team lost 76-85 to Philippines in their opening preliminary round Group E encounter.
16.04 (IST): Another Bronze Medal for India! Yumnam Sanathoi Devi settles for bronze after losing to China's Luan Zhang in women's Wushu Sanda 52kg semis.
15.50 (IST): India have certainly missed at least one gold medal today. Saurav Ghosal's defeat was an upset. Readers have been sending their reactions. Please keep them coming.
This is what Sushovan Ray (raysushovan8@gmail.com) feels:
"Very disappointing.....#it started with jitu's gold# .....but after that there is row of bronze....we r now 13th....even Mongolia ahead of us"
Himanshu Singh (himanshusinghcox.7856@gmail.com ) is hoping India will turn the corner:
"Average show... But extremely happy to c basketball and wushu players doing good.... Hope so d medals tally boost when wrestling and boxing stars ....best of luck .... # proud to be Indian"
15.35 (IST): Despite winning a historic squash silver for India, Saurav Ghosal was very upset with his loss in the final.
Lost 3-2 today :( cannot describe how sad I'm feeling right now. I'm very sorry for not winning the Gold. It's killing me inside. Just sorry
- Saurav Ghosal (@SauravGhosal) September 23, 2014
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15.05 (IST): Men's hockey - Full time! India crush Oman 7-0 in the pool B match. Despite the margin of victory, there are a few concerns for India ahead of their highly-anticipated clash vs Pakistan on September 25.
India unimpressive in 7-0 #AsianGames win vs Oman. Penalty Corner finishing remains an issue. In Doha Games, India won 9-0 @Sports_NDTV
- soumitra bose (@soumitra65) September 23, 2014
14.55 (IST): Men's hockey - Ramandeep Singh gets on the scoresheet as India take 5-0 lead vs Oman in the 4th quarter.
14.30 (IST): Men's hockey - VR Raghunath converts a penalty to make it 4-0 in the 3rd quarter.
14.25 (IST): Men's hockey - Akashdeep Singh makes it 3-0 for India in the 3rd quarter.
14.10 (IST): Weightlifting - Taiwan's Lin Tzu-chi breaks two world records to win gold.
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13.58 (IST): Men's hockey - Rupinderpal Singh scores again to put India 2-0 ahead vs Oman.
13.53 (IST): Men's hockey - Rupinderpal Singh gives India 1-0 lead vs Oman in 2nd quarter in men's pool B match.
13.40 (IST): Swimming - Sajan Prakash finishes 4th, Saurabh Sangvekar 7th in their respective heats of men's 400m freestyle event.
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13.31 (IST): Abhinav Bindra spoke to NDTV after his bronze medal win.
13.06 (IST): For China, teen sensation led the way in shooting, winning individual gold and paving the way for top honours in the team event as well.
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11.30 (IST): Heartbreak for India! Saurav Ghosal goes down 3-2 against Kuwait's Abdullah Al Muzayen in Squash final to settle for a silver. In a thrilling finish, Ghosal led the first two games 12-10, 11-2 but lost the next three 12-14, 8-11 and 9-11 to concede the match.
Abdullah snatches away the gold that #Ghosal had almost won. How sad. #AsianGames2014
- Vikram Chandra (@vikramchandra) September 23, 2014
10.54 (IST): Squash final - Kuwait's Abdullah Al Muzayen wins the 3rd game 14-12 to stay alive. Saurav Ghosal leads 2-1.
10.45 (IST): Shooting - Indian team finish 8th in Trap Women's Team Finals.
10.35 (IST): Squash final- Saurav Ghosal wins 2nd game 11-2 vs Kuwait's Abdullah Al Muzayen. Ghosal now leads 2-0.
10.20 (IST): Squash final- Saurav Ghosal wins 1st game 12-10 vs Kuwait's Abdullah Al Muzayen.
10.15 (IST): Squash - Malaysia's Nicol David wins her sixth Asian Games gold medal after beating compatriot Wee Wern Low.
09.15 (IST): Meanwhile, there's more good news! Our reporter Suprita Das (supritad@ndtv.com) has a bit of interesting information regarding Abhinav Bindra's 'retirement.' Despite tweeting about his retirement, Bindra has clarified, saying:
I've been a shooter for 20 years of my life. I want to be a hobby shooter for a bit. If I am shooting well enough and at a level good enough to compete at World Cups, I will surely go for trials and compete. If I qualify for Rio, of course I will compete.
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Of course, there is still confusion about what exactly Bindra's tweets meant, so maybe we will see him again at the Olympics!
- Vikram Chandra (@vikramchandra) September 23, 2014
08.41 (IST): BRONZE MEDAL IN SHOOTING! Abhinav Bindra bags a bronze medal in the 10m air rifle event with a final score of 187.1.
08.20 (IST): Abhinav Bindra in action as the 10m air rifle event is underway.
08.05 (IST): Rowing - Indian team in final of lightweight men's quadruple sculls.
07.15 (IST): Shooting -  Abhinav Bindra qualifies for 10m air rifle final.
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07.10 (IST): Shooters fire another Bronze for India! Abhinav Bindra, Sanjeev Rajput, Ravi Kumar win team bronze for India in 10m air rifle event.
07.05 (IST): Rower Swarn Singh in men's single sculls final after finishing 1st in Repechage.
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Ghosal has three Asian Games bronze medals - two singles and one team. On Monday, Ghosal defeated two-time former Games champion and top-10 player Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia 11-9, 11-4, 11-5 to set up a title-round clash with Abdullah Al Muzayen, the world No. 46 from Kuwait.
 Al Muzayen struggled to a 6-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-6, 11-8 win in the other semifinal against Max Lee of Hong Kong. Playing on back-to-back days, the Kuwaiti will feel the pressure of playing against Ghosal who was in great nick in the semis.
 At the shooting range, three Indians will vie for glory in the 10m air rifle event for men. Ravi Kumar and Sanjeev Rajput and Abhinav Bindra will face a strong Chinese contingent for the gold medal. This will be a special occasion for 2008 Olympic champion Bindra, who will be playing his last competitive event. Bindra won the team silver in the 2010 Games in Guangzhou and finished a lowly 10th in the individual competition.
File photo of Abhinav Bindra.
With steely nerves, Bindra is known to strike on big days. His run-up to the Incheon Games was rather unpleasant. Ranked 49 in the world, Bindra's has the ability to reproduce his gold-winning 2014 Commonwealth Games form. A gold will be the perfect way to say goodbye. ÂÂ
Indian men will be in action in hockey. Oman should be easy to beat and it will be a good occasion to improve goal average before the big games against China and Pakistan. It will be worth tracking wushu, weightlifting and of course, gymnastics.