Author: WebDesk

There is no hiding from the fact that every time Sachin went out to bat, he was followed by a million prayers and expectations. It was always the same since he made his mark on the world stage as a 16-year-old; as his stature grew, so also did the hopes of his billion Indian fans, who stayed glued to the TV sets till he was in the middle. I was no different, part of the ‘Tendulkar generation’, as I call it, the entire legion of fans that lived, laughed and cried every moment of his cricketing time. Even before I…

For all that we heard it 264 times in international cricket, it arrives with a jolt. In our mind’s eye, players tend to remain fixed, unchanged and unchanging. Tendulkar had a certain immutable quality, regularity reinforced by his role: 84 per cent of his Test innings began at the fall of the second wicket, at which he emerged unfailingly as a cuckoo in a clock announcing the hour. Not for him, the modern cricketer’s endless prating about the role (‘Everyone knows what their role is’; ‘I’ve discussed my role with the coach/captain/selectors’). Tendulkar grasped his role instantly: his role was…



Though he’s likely to go down in the game’s annals as the inspirational captain-wicketkeeper who won India the full set of limited-overs trophies, and the face of the Chennai Super Kings IPL franchise, it shouldn’t be forgotten that MS Dhoni was also a fine Test batter. The stereotype of Dhoni as some sort of dasher who lacked the technique to survive in tough conditions was way off the mark. India have won a Test series in England just once since 1986. That 2007 triumph is remembered mostly for Zaheer Khan’s magnificent bowling at Trent Bridge, where he was allegedly motivated…

 #MSDhoni is an emotion! Whether Chennai or Kolkata, #Thala’s fandom is immense! As @msdhoni hints towards a probable last game at the #EdenGardens, how is MSD Fan Club WB preparing to cheer for their hero in #KKRvCSK?

Earlier in the tournament, Gujarat Titans lost a game they should have won at a canter, as Kolkata Knight Riders’ Rinku Singh smashed five straight sixes off the hapless Yash Dayal. In Lucknow on Saturday afternoon, roles were reversed with Lucknow producing an astonishing choke to lose a game that they had controlled for 90 per cent of its duration. When Krunal Pandya smacked Rahul Tewatia for the second six of the innings in the 13th over, Lucknow needed just 39 from 45 balls, with nine wickets in hand. Piece of cake. Walk in the park. Gimmie. Call it what…

 Meet Naveen-ul-Haq, a man who has defied the odds from a young age to become a seasoned cricket veteran at just 23 years old. While fans and pundits continue to praise Naveen’s IPL debut for Lucknow Supergiants, there is plenty of struggle and hardwork behind Naveen becoming an established professional cricket. Born in Kabul, his family was forced to flee their home due to the war-torn conditions. Seeking refuge in Pakistan, Naveen grew up watching India and cricket legends on TV. Here’s Naveen’s story after his sensational debut in IPL 2023 for LSG and how he has become a…



I was in Maharashtra U-19 probables when Sachin had already stamped his supremacy in international cricket. Well, I didn’t pursue the sport. Instead, I moved into academics, completed my MBA, and started working at MTV. In MBA classrooms, the ‘New India’ was about Sachin Tendulkar and his heady accomplishments in the post- liberalization world. Even though I was in a busy corporate job, I would also do a bit of stand-up comedy and mimicry of Sachin, Tony Greig and Ian Chappell. In my book ‘How Sachin Destroyed My Life,’ I wrote about it. It was nine years back in 2014.…

I have known Sachin for nearly three decades, and I have seen a little sapling grow into a huge banyan tree under whose shade everyone found refuge. If I have to recollect anecdotes of Sachin, even 10 volumes will be less, but for our readers, I will narrate a few, which would give us an idea of what kind of person he is. It was nearly 15 years back, and there was a match in Mohali. I have forgotten the opposition, but I remember a call from a middle-aged lady, the widow of an Army Veteran whose younger son was…