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Before Kapil, there was Amar: A family’s untold cricket legacy

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By K.R. Nayar From Rajkot  Very little is known about Rajkot-born Amar Sinh, the man who holds the unique distinction of being the first player to receive the India Test cap. While working on 318 Whispers of the India Test Cap, a book on cricketers who have donned India’s Test cap that is scheduled for release on January 13, I spent a lot of time researching this remarkable yet forgotten figure. Amar Sinh was a fast bowler who struck fear into batters, but fate permitted him a tragically short life of just 29 years. One of the key reasons for launching the book in Rajkot is this simple fact that the very first Indian to earn a Test cap hailed from this city. Shailesh Vijay Sinh holds the photo of his grandfather in action Ahead of the book launch, I was keen to trace the roots of this cricketer who occupies a sacred space in the history of Indian Test cricket. Gopal Jasapara, who conceptualised the book and belongs to this city, shared an exciting news one day that Amar Sinh’s gr...
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APL (AKCAF Premier League), the biggest Colleges Alumni tournament, launches its fifth edition

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By K.R. Nayar It’s one of the UAE’s hugely participated-in and popular tournaments — the BNW-sponsored All Kerala Colleges Alumni Forum–UAE (AKCAF) organised APL (AKCAF Premier League). What makes this tournament truly special is its scale and spirit — it stands tall as one of the biggest inter-collegiate tournaments held outside Kerala and has firmly established itself as one of the UAE’s most vibrant mass-participation cricket events. With 32 colleges in action, the APL throws open a grand stage for more than 600 cricketers to showcase their talent, passion, and competitive fire. AKCAF's APL team that ensures the excellent conduct of the tournament  Conceptualised and driven by a group of passionate cricket lovers, the tournament has grown steadily and proudly into its fifth edition. This year’s edition will unfold from January 11 to February 15 at the Vision Cricket Centre, promising over a month of thrilling cricket. The organisers leave no stone unturned in ensuring that e...
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Arvind Pujara: The architect behind the making of Test giant Cheteshwar Pujara

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By K.R. Nayar From Rajkot  It was truly a great feeling to finally meet someone you have long wished to interact with, yet never found the opportunity to do so. From the time Cheteshwar Pujara began piling up runs for India, drawing admiration for his discipline and technical excellence, I had been intrigued by the man behind the making and architect of a Test giant.  When I learned that it was his father Arvind—a coach, a former cricketer, and a tireless mentor—who had shaped that solid foundation, a desire grew within me to meet him. Arvind Pujara ... a tireless mentor  Though I have reported many of Pujara’s defining innings across venues and continents, Arvind Pujara, who resides in Rajkot, remained elusive. Fate, however, had its own timing. Last week, at Rajkot, I finally met him during the ongoing G Force Cricket Academy coaching camp at their newly developed ground at the Rajkot Gymkhana Club premises. We have heard numerous stories of fathers introducing th...
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G Force Cricket Academy launches an Indian arm at its own ground in Rajkot during its 53rd cricket tour

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By K.R. Nayar From Rajkot   G Force, the Dubai-based cricket academy renowned for its innovative initiatives to groom young cricketers and create facilities that fuel the passion for the game, is spreading its wings. Marking a significant milestone in its remarkable journey, the academy has launched its operations in India on its own ground in Rajkot, in collaboration with the prestigious Rajkot Gymkhana Club, one of the country’s oldest cricket institutions, established in 1894.   The launch of G Force Cricket Academy in Rajkot  The inauguration of the ground and training facilities took place on December 20, 2025, during the ongoing 53rd cricket tour of the G Force Cricket Academy. The occasion was graced by Rajkot Gymkhana Club members Harishchandrasinhji Jadeja, Vipulbhai Kamdar, KS Arjunsinh Jadeja, Harishbhai Hinduja, Jaydeep Vora, and former Saurashtra and India-Under-19 player Sudhir Tanna, lending the event both tradition and stature. A new landmark being i...
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Was it an easy task for the selectors to pick India’s T20 World Cup squad?

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By K.R. Nayar When players select themselves, the selectors’ job becomes delightfully simple. But did the Indian selectors have that luxury while picking the T20 World Cup squad for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup? Choosing a winning combination — that too for a World Cup — from an ocean of talent is never an easy exercise. The Indian cricket landscape today is crowded with aspirants knocking loudly on the doors of the national team, each one staking a claim and demanding attention. And when the team in question is a World Cup-winning outfit like India, the task becomes even more demanding. The reason is obvious: a few wrong calls can send the hopes of millions of Indian cricket fans crashing down.   The loudest and most debated headline of them all has been Shubman Gill’s omission. Dropping a player of his calibre sounds harsh, almost unthinkable, but the selectors were handed a solid reason to make that tough call. In his last 15 innings, Gill managed only 291 runs. An ave...
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Mr Cricket UAE digital platform launched with a peek into the past and a focus on the future

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By K.R. Nayar   It was an evening when passion for cricket soared to extraordinary heights, sweeping a packed gathering into its spell. Rarely does the UAE witness eight celebrated international cricketers — men who have etched their names into the history of the game — sharing the same stage outside the context of a tournament announcement. That rarity made the moment special, and the occasion truly unique. This was not just a launch; it was the birth of a dream nurtured by a cricket enthusiast.   Anis Sajan with the legendary cricketers  On Wednesday evening, amid the elegance of the Taj Exotica in Dubai, the cricketing fraternity and media assembled to unveil the UAE’s cricket-driven digital media platform, a visionary initiative conceived by Vice Chairman of the Danube Group, Anis Sajan, known as Mr Cricket UAE. The platform, aptly titled  Mr Cricket UAE , promises to deliver world-class cricket content and compelling storytelling to fans across the globe. ...
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