No Neeraj Chopra, but India hope to still pack a punch at Commonwealth Games 2022

Commonwealth Games (CWG) ambitions have been badly hit by the last-minute withdrawal of Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, but they still have high hopes of gold in several sports including boxing and badminton. The Commonwealth's most populous country is not generally known as a global sporting powerhouse -- except for cricket -- but it has regularly performed well at the Games. India came third in the medals table behind hosts Australia, and England, at the last edition of the Games at the Gold Coast in 2018, and were in the top five at the previous four.

Read AlsoCWG 2022: Medal favourite Neeraj Chopra ruled out with injury

Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has pulled out of the Commonwealth Games due to "fitness concerns", the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced on Tuesday. Chopra had won a historic silver medal at the World Athletics Championship in Eugene on Sunday and suffered a strain in his groin during

But they could have a tough job replicating that when the Commonwealth Games start in Birmingham on Thursday. Shooting, traditionally India's most successful discipline, has been dropped from the programme for these Games, much to India's anger. And then Chopra, India's flag-bearer and the reigning Commonwealth and Olympic javelin champion, pulled out on Tuesday because of injury. "Needless to say I am hurt about not being able to defend my title and missing out on another opportunity to represent the nation," the 24-year-old Chopra said. But there are still several gold hopefuls among India's more than 200-strong contingent.

Read AlsoCWG 2022: Indian athletes set for Birmingham bash

United Kingdom has cooled down from the mind-boggling 40 degrees a week ago with a consistent spell of rain getting the