Author: Ashok Namboodiri

Ashok Namboodiri Rishabh Pant’s return to leadership as captain of India A for the red-ball series against South Africa A feels like the universe rewarding resilience. This is not just another comeback story; it’s the rebirth of Indian cricket’s most enigmatic modern character. Pant has been the spark, the daredevil, the entertainer, and the game-changer. But the question that always lingers is – who exactly is Rishabh Pant? A maverick? A genius in need of direction? Or a natural phenomenon that refuses to fit into any category? Few Indian cricketers divide opinion like Pant. He frustrates purists and thrills romantics.…

Rubin Amorim said, “I think that was the biggest win in my time at Manchester United. We fought for every ball, we lost our composure in the second half, but the spirit was there and that is the most important thing. If you have the spirit, you can win any game.” For Manchester United, game week 8 was historic as the team registered a win over Liverpool at Anfield after 10 long years. Bryan Mbeumo scored within the first two minutes and gave United the lead, but what really worked for them was going back to the basics. Amorim clearly…

When Shubman Gill said he would “not hesitate to ask Virat or Rohit for help if it came to a crunch situation,” he wasn’t just being courteous. He was defining the tone of a new leadership era. To captain two of Indian cricket’s greatest icons requires not bravado but balance. Gill’s words revealed something rare among young leaders: the ability to combine confidence with humility. Cricket has seen such transitions before. When Graeme Smith became South Africa’s captain at just 22, he inherited legends like Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis. He didn’t win them over with authority but with honesty…

Ashok Namboodiri Every time the Indian team falters, the conversation swiftly turns to Shubman Gill. The refrain is predictable ‘Gill doesn’t score in big games’. After the loss to Australia, the chorus has grown louder across social media. Yet, beneath the noise lies a deeper story, one of a young leader navigating modern cricket’s most unforgiving terrain, and doing so with remarkable clarity and composure. Barely in his mid-20s, Gill has been thrust into a role that demands not just runs but reassurance. In an era where every innings is dissected in real time, his captaincy has been a study…

Ashok Namboodiri Kerala drew their Ranji Trophy Group B match against a powerful Maharashtra at Thiruvananthapuram. A fluent 54 off 63 balls from Sanju Samson, Mohammed Azaruddeen’s brisk 36 and Salman Nizar’s 49 helped the state get to within 20 runs of the Maharashtra total. Kerala cricket has always been about quiet persistence of players who built something lasting in a state more famous for football fields and athletics tracks than cricket pitches. Kerala’s cricketing story began in 1957, when the team, then known as Travancore-Cochin, made its Ranji debut. For decades, the state hovered at the edges of India’s…

Praveen Someshwar, MD and CEO of Diageo India, recently said that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) business is exciting but non-core for Diageo, setting up the basis for divestment of the asset. When RCB finally lifted the IPL trophy, it wasn’t just a win; it was a cultural moment. Eighteen seasons of heartbreak, mockery, and loyalty had led to vindication. It is in this context that the news coming in of a potential sale of the Bengaluru franchise for a valuation approaching $2 billion raises eyebrows. Why would anyone sell at their peak? The answer lies in branding risk, business…

There’s something quietly poetic about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma spending Diwali in Perth, far from home, yet closer than ever to the heartbeat of Indian cricket. The crackle of fireworks in India will find its echo in every cover drive, every pull shot, every clasped fist of these two giants. This diwali, they remain the twin diyas that refuse to go out — steady, luminous, and deeply familiar. For more than 15 years, Kohli and Rohit have carried the torch for a billion dreamers. Rohit, with his serenity and classical grace, made batting feel like poetry written in slow…

When Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli land in Australia for the ODI series, they don’t just add depth to the batting order …they redefine the marketing equation. For broadcasters, a bilateral series is not just a cricketing product but a brand event that must find its audience, shape its story, and justify every second of screen time. The creative hook, therefore, is not random; it’s a function of who you’re speaking to, what you want them to do, and what the property stands for. Cricket campaigns succeed when they know their audience tiers. The core audience – the die-hard fans…

In recent days, sharp criticism directed at young India pace bowler Harshit Rana has sparked debate about accountability in social-media discourse. Former India player and selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth, on his YouTube channel, questioned Rana’s inclusion in the national side alleging favouritism, asking why he “is there” and suggesting he is a “yes man” to the coach. At the post-match press conference following India’s Test series win over West Indies, head coach Gautam Gambhir responded forcefully: critics should not target the person (especially when he is just 23 years old), but critique performance. Gambhir called certain comments “shameful”, if they are…

If Ravi Shastri was Bollywood’s Salman Khan – swagger, showmanship, and raw intensity, and Rahul Dravid the Aamir Khan of Indian cricket – cerebral, methodical, and always chasing perfection, then Gautam Gambhir is the Shah Rukh Khan: intense yet emotionally intelligent, dramatic yet disciplined, and capable of blending aggression with empathy. Beneath his stoic exterior lies the same simmering emotion that has driven him since his debut …only now, it’s directed toward creating champions, not headlines. 14th October, Gambhir turns 44. As a player, Gambhir was all fire and fight …the man who top-scored in two of India’s greatest finals:…