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By K.R. Nayar  It is indeed splendid that India’s captains, Shubman Gill (for Tests and ODIs) and Shreyas Iyer (for T20Is), are exhibiting tremendous form. A captain leading from the front is what any team would dream of having, as it is hugely inspirational and motivating for the players. Gill’s recent scores include an unbeaten 223 and 110 in consecutive ODI matches against the West Indies. He also scored a half-century against Sri Lanka in Tests, and before that, he scored 71, 31 and an unbeaten 80 against England in the ODIs. Iyer has motivated his team through an unbeaten 102 on October 6, 2026, in Lucknow, giving India a winning start in the T20I series against the West Indies. He has often played timely knocks as well.  A vital aspect of captaincy is not the title, but the confidence that a captain plant in the hearts of their teammates. And both, Gill and Iyer, do this very well. Gill is known for his calm approach and technical brilliance with the bat. Iyer is...

By K.R. Nayar  I have written about cricket for decades, and also reported on hockey in the UAE and in India. So, when the women’s and men’s teams won gold medals in cricket and hockey, it feels like an occasion to celebrate. If, as a writer, one feels so elated, the feeling among sports lovers in India must be beyond words.  Men's and women's gold medalists in cricket  This feat makes one wonder whether it is the beginning of a glorious future for sports in India. India finished with 85 medals, including 21 gold medals, but the simultaneous triumphs of the women’s and men’s teams in team sports such as cricket, hockey and kabaddi convey another message — if men and women strive together, they can conquer glory. By winning gold medals, both men and women have showcased India’s growing sporting strength. This can change the way sportsmen and sportswomen look at themselves. Women's hockey gold medalists The women’s hockey team defeated China 1-0 to win gold — India’s ...

By K.R. Nayar There is something wonderfully satisfying about watching cricketers who once played simply for the joy of the game earn the rewards that their passion, perseverance and performances deserve. When that reward comes in the form of thousands of dollars in a major franchise league, it becomes more than an auction result—it becomes a beautiful chapter in a cricketer’s journey. The moment Muhammad Waseem earned the highest ever price paid to a UAE player. Photo by K.R. Nayar  For UAE cricket, the DP World ILT20 Player Auction at the ICC Academy on October 1, 2026, was exactly that. UAE cricketers Muhammad Waseem, Alishan Sharafu, Vriitya Arvind, Aayan Khan and Muhammad Rohid - players whose exploits I have had the privilege of reporting from their early days - saw their hard work translated into impressive auction prices. When Alishan Sharafu got sold for $110,000.   The UAE’s hard-working cricketers collectively pocketed around US$1 million from the auction...

By K.R. Nayar Five centuries and 811 runs in the second ODI at Guwahati made batters look like a firing squad. It was sheer massacre of bowlers on a pitch that seemed like it was meant only for batters. It is likely that bowlers from both the teams may need counselling before the third ODI. When the West Indies posted 405 for 7, it looked like an unscalable mountain. Indian batters, led by captain Shubman Gill’s unbeaten double century and Rohit Sharma’s century, made the score look like a molehill. Winning the second ODI of the series by eight wickets, with 39 balls to spare, makes one wonder whether India could have chased a target of over 500 runs as well.  The West Indies scored their highest total with centuries from John Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo, and yet could not win. An ODI match like this could dissuade  youngsters from wanting to be a bowler. There was a time when a score close to 380 was a sure shot victory for that team, and the captain would be prep...

By K.R. Nayar  Kohli is a blessed cricketer. Hence, it is no coincidence that he produced another historic feat in Kerala, known as God’s Own Country. In the process, the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram and its cricket-loving fans were blessed too. They were all treated to a royal exhibition by King Kohli, who marched past the 15,000-run mark and became the fastest to reach the landmark, doing so in his 303rd ODI innings—74 innings quicker than Sachin Tendulkar, who reached the mark in his 377th. Kohli was not content with merely making history. He decided to adorn it with a spectacular unbeaten century. For the first time in his international career, he reached both his half-century and century with sixes. And, if that was not enough, he hit nine sixes—the most he has ever hit in an ODI innings. Thiruvananthapuram also witnessed something truly special: two of India’s finest ODI batsmen of the present generation, skipper Shubman Gill and Kohli, produced match-winning cent...

By K.R. Nayar Though India won their only T20 International match at Sano by a nail-biting two runs, it was a morale-boosting defeat for Japan, who took on the giants of world cricket. It was a match reduced to five overs per side following a delayed start due to a wet outfield. But that did not dampen the excitement as Japan turned the match into a thriller and got Team India to sweat for their win.  The fact that Japan tightened India to only 32 for 4 in five overs in their first big match is itself a huge honour. Japan did lose the match, but they walked off holding their heads high, winning the respect of a cricket giant and catching the attention of the cricketing world.  Had Japan won, it would have been labelled a historic upset. Those who tuned in late and saw the scoreboard reading 14 for 3 would not, in their wildest dreams, have imagined it to be India’s score. For India, it was another victory, but for Japan, it was a cricketing fairy tale that they can rec...