Author: Trisha Ghosal

When Venus Williams walks out at Melbourne Park later this month, it will not just mark a return to the Australian Open, it will be another chapter in a career that has consistently challenged tennis’ conventional timelines. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has received a wild-card entry for the 2026 Australian Open, beginning January 18, ending a five-year absence from the season’s opening major. Williams last competed in Melbourne in 2021, and this will be her 22nd appearance in the main draw. At 45, Williams is set to become the oldest woman ever to compete in an Australian Open…

A 5-0 whitewash usually leaves little room for introspection, but for India, this dominant T20I series was as much about reassurance as it was about reminders. Against a limited opposition, India ticked several boxes, yet some long-standing concerns continue to shadow their preparations ahead of the next global challenge. The biggest positive from the series was the form of India’s top four. Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur all registered at least one half-century across the five matches. Shafali, the Player of the Series, finished with 236 runs, including three consecutive fifties, underlining her growing maturity without…

Records in modern T20 cricket are often loud, powered by speed, drama and moments designed for instant recall. Deepti Sharma’s ascent to becoming the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20 Internationals arrived differently. Quietly, steadily, and almost predictably. Much like her career. By moving past Australia’s Megan Schutt, Deepti (152 wickets) didn’t just claim a statistical summit; she reinforced a reputation built on trust. For close to a decade, captains have turned to Deepti Sharma not necessarily for spectacle, but for certainty. When the pitch offered little, when partnerships needed breaking, or when the run rate had to be controlled, the…

India completed a 5-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka in the T20I series, winning the final game by 16 runs. Batting first, India posted 175/7, and while Sri Lanka once again put up a fight, they fell short in the chase. Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and opted to field first. As expected, India tested their bench strength in this game, making two changes. Young left-hander G Kamalini made her debut, while Sneh Rana came in. Smriti Mandhana and Renuka Singh Thakur were rested. Shafali Verma, after three consecutive innings of maturity and half-centuries, reverted to an old…

It is the final game of the five-match T20I series between India and Sri Lanka. India have been the superior side in almost all departments, almost, because India’s fielding has been below par, with Sri Lanka perhaps marginally better in that aspect. Otherwise, the series has been one-sided. Leading 4-0, India will now look to test their bench strength and give a few players a game to get a feel of the conditions, so that heading into the Australia series, they have a clearer idea of their depth. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, would ideally want to win the…

There is a certain inevitability about Richa Ghosh when she walks in during the death overs. The script may change, the venue may change, but the outcome often feels familiar, controlled chaos, clean striking, and a scoreboard that suddenly looks intimidating. On Sunday evening in Thiruvananthapuram, Richa produced yet another reminder of why she is fast becoming indispensable to India’s T20 setup. Sent up the order at No. 3 after Shafali Verma’s dismissal in the 16th over, Richa had absolute clarity about her role. “Whenever I get a chance, especially when the captain sends me up, my motto is…

India won the fourth match of the Women’s T20I series against Sri Lanka by 30 runs. Batting first, India posted a mammoth 221/2 in their quota of 20 overs and while Sri Lanka came up with their best batting performance of the series, they still finished on 191/6. Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu won the toss for the first time in the series and had no hesitation in bowling first. What unfolded thereafter was a combination of brutal force and exquisite timing. It was an innings that brought Smriti Mandhana back among the runs as she scored 80 off 48…

It is Sunday and the fourth T20I between India and Sri Lanka is set to be played with the series already pocketed by India, who have taken an unassailable 3–0 lead. Coming into this match, the obvious expectation is that India will now look at testing their bench strength. This is the phase where managements usually want to give players waiting on the sidelines a proper opportunity. Players like G Kamalini are likely to come into the conversation and possibly into the playing XI. With two T20Is still to go before India travel to Australia for an all-format tour, followed…

In any sport, time away from the field often helps players, especially those who break into the international circuit very early, to reset, understand their strengths, and work on their weaknesses. Shafali Verma being dropped and then making a comeback is a recent and telling example of this. Nobody has ever doubted Shafali’s talent. But it is one thing to be talented and quite another to consistently deliver on the biggest stage. Shafali’s cameos were not ineffective because of quality, but because of quantity. The 20-40 run zone became a familiar exit point. She was striking at 130 and above,…

In an era driven by stardom, noise and instant validation, Deepti Sharma has built her career on something far rarer, quiet excellence. She has never been the loudest presence in the room, nor the most marketed face of Indian women’s cricket, but year after year, match after match, Deepti has remained India’s most dependable constant. And 2025 only underlined why she is the most under-celebrated superstar of her generation. Deepti’s journey has never followed a straight line. She began as an opener, was pushed down the order, at times as low as No. 8, and was repeatedly asked to adapt…