FAISAL SHARIFF, PREM PANICKER

Stories by FAISAL SHARIFF, PREM PANICKER

Iran Rewrites Rules of War

Iran Rewrites Rules of War

Rediff.com   15 hours ago

Iran is fighting a different war: Older, slower, and in some ways more dangerous. Iran doesn't need to shoot down an F/A-18. It only needs to make the Strait of Hormuz feel dangerous long enough for insurance markets, shipping companies, and oil futures traders to do the rest. Prem Panicker continues his must-read daily blog on the war in the Middle East.

Trump Is Caught Between Two Bad Options

Trump Is Caught Between Two Bad Options

Rediff.com   1 days ago

Fight on toward goals that keep receding, or exit with most objectives unmet. Trump is agitated, his poll numbers falling below the Plimsoll line, his base fractured between those who back the war and those who remember that he campaigned on ending them.

Iran Plays Hardball With India's Hormuz Requests

Iran Plays Hardball With India's Hormuz Requests

Rediff.com   4 days ago

'I suspect that Bangladesh being given permission stuck in India's official craw, and this story was an attempt to balance the scales by giving the impression that a similar waiver had been given to India as well.'

Middle East Crisis: The New Fog of War

Middle East Crisis: The New Fog of War

Rediff.com   4 days ago

When everyone has footage and no one can verify it, the loudest voice wins, notes Prem Panicker who begins a daily blog on the War in the Middle East.

Iran War Exposes Washington's Strategic Chaos

Iran War Exposes Washington's Strategic Chaos

Rediff.com   5 days ago

What we are watching is something different: A fog manufactured and maintained by the people who started the war, so that the question of why it was started never has to be answered, observes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the war in the Middle East.

Hormuz Crisis Threatens Global Economy

Hormuz Crisis Threatens Global Economy

Rediff.com   5 days ago

When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.

Has US Repeated Its Iraq Mistake?

Has US Repeated Its Iraq Mistake?

Rediff.com   6 days ago

Israel and the United States had a plan. Iran punched back. And now the Gulf is reeling, the world is beginning to feel the pain and, as on date, no one in Washington or Tel Aviv appears willing to admit that the punch has landed, notes Prem Panicker, continuing his must-read blog on the war in the Middle East.

India Are Favourites But Any Team Could Win World Cup

India Are Favourites But Any Team Could Win World Cup

Rediff.com   7 Feb 2026

This is the most open T20 World Cup in history. The traditional powers are compromised. The new powers have gained strength, observes Faisal Shariff.

Inderjit Singh Bindra: Architect of Modern Indian Cricket

Inderjit Singh Bindra: Architect of Modern Indian Cricket

Rediff.com   27 Jan 2026

As he is laid to rest, Indian cricket bids farewell to one of its greatest administrators -- a visionary who understood that breaking monopolies and building stadiums were about the same thing: Giving millions of cricket-loving Indians the infrastructure worthy of their passion.

'Wherever Cricket Is Played In The World, Indian Audiences, Indian Sponsors, Indian Corporate Houses Provide Funding, Make It A Success'

'Wherever Cricket Is Played In The World, Indian Audiences, Indian Sponsors, Indian Corporate Houses Provide Funding, Make It A Success'

Rediff.com   26 Jan 2026

Inderjit Bindra, who raised Indian cricket on the world stage in the 1990s and early years of this century, passed into the ages on Sunday. 26 years ago, Mr Bindra spoke at length to Rediff about his vision for Indian cricket, an interview which we republish in his memory.

Why Firing Gambhir Won't Fix The Real Problem

Why Firing Gambhir Won't Fix The Real Problem

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2025

Sack Gambhir before he damages any more careers, if you must. But it cannot stop there. The project ahead must be bigger, more ambitious, and far more urgent: Rebuilding the spine of Indian cricket from the grassroots up, and giving the Test team the seriousness it deserves. Only then will Indian cricket stop lurching from one crisis to another and begin, once again, to imagine greatness, suggests Prem Panicker.

Indian Women Create Their 1983 Moment

Indian Women Create Their 1983 Moment

Rediff.com   3 Nov 2025

If the men of 1983 gave India a reason to dream, the women of 2025 could give it something rarer -- the courage to live that dream in full daylight, under an open sky that finally belongs to them, points out Prem Panicker.

Jemi And The Real Story Of Indian Sport

Jemi And The Real Story Of Indian Sport

Rediff.com   31 Oct 2025

What we saw was not just a player finding form; it was a young woman reclaiming belief. Every shot, every sprint between the wickets, every moment of composure was rebellion. A fierce rebellion against doubt, against erasure, against the quiet cruelty of being left out, points out Prem Panicker.

'Gill Can Be A Great Captain'

'Gill Can Be A Great Captain'

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2025

'Shubman Gill is a great thinker and player, but man management will be key to his leadership success.'

'Indian Cricket Changed My Life'

'Indian Cricket Changed My Life'

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2025

'I have a deep affection for Indian cricket. If someone asked me to come back, I wouldn't say no.'

HOW The Proteas STUNNED The Aussies!

HOW The Proteas STUNNED The Aussies!

Rediff.com   16 Jun 2025

Prem Panicker and Faisal Shariff discuss the World Test Championship final, where South Africa pulled off a magnificent win against favorites Australia.

Frederick Forsyth Made Us Think About The World's Fault Lines

Frederick Forsyth Made Us Think About The World's Fault Lines

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2025

He was a storyteller who made me feel the pulse of history, the stakes of human ambition, and the thrill of a well-told tale. Prem Panicker recalls his debt to Frederick Forsyth, who passed away on Monday.

Chokers To Champions: RCB Finally Breaks The Curse

Chokers To Champions: RCB Finally Breaks The Curse

Rediff.com   6 Jun 2025

A 17 year wait finally comes to an end for RCB and its iconic player, Virat Kohli. Prem Panicker and Faisal Shariff discuss the final phases of the IPL, the mentality and motivations of superstar players on the latest episode of the Sports And Pastime podcast.

Shubman Gill's Crown of Thorns

Shubman Gill's Crown of Thorns

Rediff.com   27 May 2025

Prem Panicker and Faisal Shariff discuss the young, largely experimental team picked for the five Test tour of England, and its prospects on the latest episode of the Sports And Pastime podcast.

Was Kohli Pushed to Retire?

Was Kohli Pushed to Retire?

Rediff.com   19 May 2025

On this week's Sports and Pastime podcast, Prem Panicker and Faisal Shariff discuss the likely reasons for Virat Kohli's Test retirement, his impact on Indian cricket and the debate surrounding his legacy.