Children are a face of God. When they are young, they play with innocence, freedom and a remarkable ability to perform without carrying the burden of expectations. In cricket, particularly at the junior level, that performance should matter far more than the labels we attach to a youngster. We often hear that a particular boy…
Hyderabad is not just another cricketing centre. It is a founding member of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and has contributed to Indian cricket in almost every department — administration, umpiring, playing and coaching. Yet, when one looks back at the history of Indian cricket, there is an unmistakable feeling that Hyderabad’s…
Every generation of cricket has had its favourite heroes. Players come and go, styles change, formats evolve and records are constantly rewritten. Yet, some performances become so extraordinary that they appear almost beyond the reach of another generation. As a cricketer, I have always believed that records are meant to be broken. That is the…
The Duleep Trophy final may have produced a winner, but more importantly, it threw up a question that Indian cricket cannot afford to ignore: where is the next generation of Test batsmen and quality spinners coming from? For too long, the IPL has been treated as the principal shop window for Indian cricketing talent. There…
Having followed cricket for more than six decades, I sometimes find the logic of today’s game rather confusing. The game has certainly evolved, and there is nothing wrong with innovation. But innovation should not mean abandoning the basic principles that have made successful cricket teams successful for generations. I have had the privilege of watching…
There is no question that Yashasvi Jaiswal is one of the most exciting young batting talents in Indian cricket. Which is precisely why his behaviour after being dismissed in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo should be a matter of concern—not something to be dismissed as “passion” or “aggression”. Jaiswal had battled his…
Watching Bharat’s ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka, I cannot help asking a rather uncomfortable question: is this really the best way for Bharat to construct a Test team? I have nothing against Rishabh Pant. He is an exceptional cricketer and, on his day, can change the complexion of a Test match. But when Pant…
The recent struggles of the Indian cricket team have inevitably revived an old but important question: what exactly is the role of a coach in a senior international cricket team, and how much influence should he actually have over a group of experienced players? This is not about questioning the credentials of Gautam Gambhir or…
As someone who has spent most of my life following cricket with unmatched passion, I never imagined that athletics, boxing, wrestling or long-distance running would one day command my attention with the same excitement. Yet, the recently concluded Glasgow Commonwealth Games made me rethink my own sporting preferences. Like many sports lovers, I too wondered…
Indian cricket has often been projected as a global powerhouse. The success of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the depth of talent in domestic cricket, and India’s financial dominance in the sport have only strengthened that perception. But whenever India tours overseas, particularly England, Australia or South Africa, uncomfortable questions resurface. Are we truly a…
