National-award winning actor, producer, hotelier, ex-politician, cricket team owner, philanthropist, highest tax payer, reality show judge, animal lover and, above all, people's hero -- Mithun Chakraborty -- who has been conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award -- is truly a force of nature, notes Sukanya Verma.
Shubman Gill's stellar show for India A in the recently-concluded two-match unofficial Test series against New Zealand is an indicator that he is ready for Test debut, believes senior off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. Shubman had scores of 83 and 204 not out batting in middle-order in the first unofficial Test for India A and then scored a hundred while opening the batting in the second game, showing his versatility at different slots. Prithvi Shaw, back in the Test squad after 16 months, is also a contender in the playing XI with his equally dazzling repertoire of strokes.
'I don't see Hardik getting a new ball. He is a certainty in the side as playing four fast bowlers would mean a long tail. He is your ideal No 7 batsman but you can use him for 4-6 overs depending on the situation'
KL Rahul is the likely first choice in white-ball cricket for the foreseeable future, feel three former India wicket-keepers.
Becomes third Test cricketer from Jharkhand
Mental health issues of sports-persons is now a serious topic and recently Australia coach Justin Langer advocated the need to keep a tab on the younger lot as to how they are coping up with trying times.
Former India players provide perspective on the effects of saliva ban following the first Test between England and West Indies, the first international match played during the pandemic.
Former cricketers have come to defense of ace Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who came under sharp criticism of Muslim fanatics for posting his wife Hasin Jahan's pictures on social media. On December 23, Shami posted a picture along with his wife after which he was viciously trolled, with some even abusing him for the outfit of his wife. Shami was reminded of his religion, with some even asking why his wife was not wearing a hijab.
RediffGURUS Ashwini Dasgupta, Anu Krishna, Dr Karthiyayini Mahadevan and Jinal Mehta answer queries from Rediff readers.
One more factor that could go in Agarwal's favour is Shikhar Dhawan's prolonged bad patch and the need to have another back-up option, apart from K L Rahul, ready.
The BCCI will be organising a six-week camp for its top cricketers some time next month and speculation has started on whether former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be part of it. While the BCCI is waiting for a safe time and venue for the camp after third week of July. In case it's not possible, players will probably go in for their respective IPL camps later during the year.
Harbhajan Singh, on Sunday, slammed the International Cricket Council for letting off Australian opener Cameron Bancroft with only a fine of 75 per cent of his match fee and not a ban, despite his role in the ball tampering scandal in the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.
Compulsory neck guards on helmets for Australian cricketers are "not far away", the national team's sports medicine chief said on Monday after Jofra Archer's snorter felled Steve Smith during the second Ashes Test.
Shikhar Dhawan's prolonged bad patch is more about his mindset rather than technique, feel former players, who have watched the Indian opener's dip in form over the past few months.
'My instinct answers yes, I want to make a comeback in ODI cricket'
Yadav said he shares a special bond with fellow spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, whose advise he values both on and off field.
The legendary Bishan Singh Bedi, who has been instrumental in shaping young Parveez Rasool's career, feels the Jammu and Kashmir cricketer should play his natural game and not think about competing with a seasoned pro like Ravichandran Ashwin.
Norma Godinho challenges sporting know-it-alls.
MP was a good team but it was Pandit, who brought about changes that were required to transform it into a champion team
Mohammad Shami also revealed that skipper Virat Kohli leaves it on his pacers to decide which one of them gets to bowl with the new ball.
Deepak Chahar first came into prominence as an 18-year-old when took 8/10 in his Ranji Trophy debut to send Hyderabad crashing for a lowly 21 in November 2010.
Most immediately, he pledged to move slowly if needed in winding down an oil window that provides dollars directly to state-run oil companies
Indian cricket has celebrated the emergence of a potent fast bowling unit but it is high time that the establishment focuses on producing quality Test spinners, especially off-break bowlers, stated former players. Ravichandran Ashwin (365 wickets in 71 Tests) has been an impact bowler in home conditions but the current team management hasn't exactly put complete faith in Tamil Nadu tweaker's abilities in overseas conditions.
Uttar Pradesh left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar is the only new face in the 18-member Indian squad for the three-Test series against Sri Lanka.
The Indian Premier League broadcaster is toying with the idea of introducing "virtual commentary" in this year's T20 league after being emboldened by its successful recent experiment in an exhibition match. For a live game at Centurion Park in South Africa on Sunday, Irfan Pathan was doing commentary from his Baroda home, Deep Dasgupta from Kolkata and Sanjay Manjrekar from his Mumbai residence.
The breakdown in communication between national selectors, led by chairman Chetan Sharma, and the team management comprising skipper Virat Kohli over Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran's contentious selection, is not the first such instance in Indian cricket.
The growing rift among the Board members of National Cricket Academy (NCA) came out in the open on Monday with a key functionary questioning the "restructuring policy" as well as the working procedure at the academy.
'He felt that he had no place in the BJP and he was wrong.'
'We will continue to look at the coronavirus situation till September then we will decide whether we host the tournament in India or UAE'
With the Indian Navy's requirement of conventional submarines standing at 24, there is critical need to expedite the planned acquisition of six more conventional submarines.
Mayank Agarwal, who was the third opener for the West Indies series, is a contender for the yet-to-be-decided squad of 17 that will travel Down Under.
Cricketer-turned-commentator Deep Dasgupta refused to call the IPL bubble porous but did admit to having anxieties of his own once cases began to rise in Delhi.
There is no shortcut to playing first-class cricket.
A change in technique after being asked to open had a negative impact on his performance during his playing days. No wonder VVS Laxman wants Rohit Sharma to stick to his natural game in his new role during the South Africa Test series.
Chakraborty, an ardent trade unionist and a former Rajya Sabha member, was admitted to the hospital after he tested positive for COVID-19 on July 30.
McCullum, 37, played for the two-time IPL champions in two separate stints and also represented Trinbago Knight Riders, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise that is owned by the same parent company Red Chillies Entertainment.
India's R Ashwin struck a counter-attacking half-century to help India claw back into the match after the hosts got off to a shaky start on Day 3.
'Modi had not discussed demonetization with me prior to his announcement on 8 November 2016. 'I learnt of it along with the rest of the country. 'I was not surprised when he did not discuss the issue with me prior to making the public announcement. 'It fitted in with his style of making dramatic announcements.' A fascinating excerpt from Pranab Mukherjee's The Presidential Years: 2012-2017.
In a record time of 13 years, the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Vikrant is now ready for formal induction into the Indian Navy.
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