Special Reports
The passage of the new National Sports Policy in both Houses of Parliament—amid noisy Opposition protests over the Election Commission’s special voter list revision—has sent shockwaves through India’s sporting establishment. For the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), long accustomed to functioning as an autonomous and untouchable powerhouse, this could mark the biggest…
Jawaharlal Nehru ended his historic Tryst with Destiny speech with the slogan “Jai Hind,” a phrase that not only resonated with millions in 1947 but continues to echo through India’s collective consciousness to this day. The freedom struggle produced countless heroes, but only a few found a lasting place in the pages of history. Among…
MS Shanker Who says social media is all noise and no fact? Those dismissing “WhatsApp University” often forget that a well-sourced forward can carry more truth than a thousand wordy editorials. Sure, there’s a margin of error—call it 5–7%—but the core data often exposes what conventional academia and mainstream commentary won’t admit. One such fact…
MS Shanker The crisis inside the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has deepened, with Acting President Sardar Daljit Singh coming under increasing fire for allegedly arbitrary actions taken by a truncated apex council — one that critics say has no mandate under the association’s own rules. In the latest challenge, Ramakrishna Udupa of Classic Cricket Club…
In the shadowy world of defence technology, the most potent weapons are often the ones you never see — or hear. One such system, cloaked in secrecy and whispered about in defence circles, is India’s KALI, short for Kilo Ampere Linear Injector. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with the…
As a former cricketer, I’ve seen bouncers that rattled helmets, but nothing rattles this country quite like the words “India vs Pakistan.” And here we are again — pads strapped on, gloves tightened, and the scoreboard flashing a diplomatic crisis instead of runs and wickets. The Asia Cup 2025 groups are set: India, Pakistan, UAE,…
MS Shanker Azharuddin – From Captaincy to Controversy When a senior police officer recently named three former India cricketers—Shivlal Yadav, Arshad Ayub, and Mohammad Azharuddin—as key culprits behind the sorry state of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), it wasn’t hyperbole. It was a blunt, uncomfortable truth that had long circulated in cricketing circles. In the…
The controversy over the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to conduct a special voter list revision — and the Opposition’s loud protests against it — has prompted me to pen these thoughts. What strikes me as astonishing is the contradiction in the Opposition’s position. On the one hand, the Congress and its allies accuse the EC…
Gary Lineker stands as one of England’s most celebrated footballers—an instinctive striker renowned for his clinical finishing, exemplary sportsmanship, and enduring impact both on and off the pitch. Over a storied 16-year career across several top clubs, Lineker won hearts with his skill, intelligence, and understated charisma, becoming one of the game’s most respected figures….
MS Shanker Mohan Bhupathy, former selector, speaks out: No more experiments, we need results In the wake of the state CID’s recent crackdown on the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), a long-overdue clean-up operation finally seems to be underway. The arrests of three HCA officials, including the sitting President, in connection with the IPL ticketing scam…
