Which of the following sportsperson–sport combinations is NOT correctly matched?

Introduction / Context:
Sports general knowledge often includes questions that test whether you can correctly identify the sport associated with a particular athlete. Many famous Indian sportspersons are strongly linked with one discipline, and mixing up these associations can lead to errors. This question asks you to spot the pairing that is not correct among several well-known names and their respective sports.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Each option lists an athlete followed by a sport.
• The athletes include Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal, Jhulan Goswami, Jeev Milkha Singh, and Mary Kom.
• We must identify which combination does not accurately represent that person's real sport.
• We assume basic familiarity with Indian sports across tennis, badminton, cricket, golf, chess, and boxing.

Concept / Approach:
To solve this, recall the primary sport for each athlete. Sania Mirza is a professional tennis player specializing in doubles. Saina Nehwal is a top Indian badminton player. Jhulan Goswami is a legendary Indian women's cricketer and pace bowler. Mary Kom is an Indian boxer, multiple-time world champion, and Olympic medalist. Jeev Milkha Singh, however, is a professional golfer. Therefore, pairing him with chess is incorrect, making that the mismatched combination.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Match Sania Mirza with her sport – she is a renowned Indian tennis player. Step 2: Match Saina Nehwal with badminton – she is an Olympic medal-winning Indian badminton star. Step 3: Match Jhulan Goswami with cricket – she is one of India's greatest women fast bowlers. Step 4: Recognize that Jeev Milkha Singh is known for professional golf, not chess. Step 5: Confirm that Mary Kom is an iconic Indian boxer, correctly matched with boxing. Step 6: Therefore, identify “Jeev Milkha Singh – Chess” as the incorrect pairing.

Verification / Alternative check:
Checking basic biographical information about each sportsperson confirms these associations. Official sporting federations, Olympic profiles, and reliable news sources all list Sania Mirza as a tennis player, Saina Nehwal as a badminton player, Jhulan Goswami as a cricketer, Jeev Milkha Singh as a golfer, and Mary Kom as a boxer. None of these credible sources describes Jeev Milkha Singh as a chess player, validating that his pairing with chess is wrong.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The question asks which combination is NOT correctly matched, so the incorrect pair is the one we must choose. Sania Mirza – Tennis is entirely correct. Saina Nehwal – Badminton is also correct. Jhulan Goswami – Cricket accurately reflects her sport. Mary Kom – Boxing is also correct. Therefore, these four are correct pairings and cannot be the answer. Only Jeev Milkha Singh – Chess is incorrect because his career is actually in golf, not chess.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates may confuse Jeev Milkha Singh with another athlete or may not be very familiar with golf, leading them to hesitate. Some people also overlook Mary Kom's sport or confuse her with another combat sport. Another pitfall is misreading the question and looking for a correct pair instead of the incorrect one. Always pay attention to words like “NOT” or “incorrectly matched” in such questions, as they reverse the usual selection logic.

Final Answer:
The incorrect combination is Jeev Milkha Singh – Chess, because Jeev Milkha Singh is a professional golfer, not a chess player.