Four decades ago, during my playing days, there was an unwritten rule: don’t mix politics with sport. Cricket, we believed, was sacred ground — immune to the tides of geopolitical tension. Sport, like the Olympic Games envisioned by Pierre de Coubertin, was meant to transcend borders, race, and religion — a unifying force in a…
In the middle of a tense standoff with Pakistan, when the Indian armed forces are on high alert and the country is practically in a war-like situation, guess who decided it was time to talk cricket? None other than Congress MP and BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, who, in what can only be described as…
Even at 70-plus, my love affair with cricket shows no signs of slowing down. The whites still feel like a second skin, and the familiar smell of the leather ball on grass still stirs something deep within. I spend most of my days at a modest coaching camp, guiding young hopefuls in the art of…
As a former cricketer and still as a coach, it’s a special thrill to spot young talent before they hit the national radar. This IPL season, amidst the dazzling performances and billion-rupee bids, two emerging players have stamped their authority with such force that it’s impossible to ignore their potential. Meet Mayank Yadav, the Lucknow…
One would assume that sheer pace is the ultimate weapon in a format dominated by power-hitters, high strike rates, and fast-paced drama. Yet, time and again, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has flipped that script, with leg-spinners emerging not just as containment options but as genuine match-winners. Their ability to disrupt rhythm, deceive with flight,…
The 2025 edition of the Tata IPL has turned the tables on cricketing royalty. Once-dominant franchises like Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI), with five titles each, are now languishing at the bottom of the points table. In their place, fresh-faced teams like the Gujarat Titans and the Lucknow Super Giants have seized…
