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By K.R. Nayar  A cricketer who can always be proudly named as a role model has retired from international cricket. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson’s retirement from international cricket on June 12, 2026, can be marked in golden letters as the day one of the world’s greatest gentleman cricketers quietly walked away from the game, just as he played it: with grace, dignity, and no fuss. Kane Williamson. Photos: Blackcaps twitter  Williamson was a batter anyone would love to watch. Following his retirement, stories about his feats as a player and as a captain are everywhere, but for me, what stands out is his attitude. He was not just the ambassador for the New Zealand team but for world cricket. I was one among the many journalists who had tears after his press conference speech on losing to England in the 2019 ICC World Cup final at Lord’s. He did not complain about the controversial “more boundaries” rule that decided the winner. He accepted the result with a calm smile, which...

 By K.R. Nayar The World Cup soccer has commenced, and cricket fever will now be replaced by soccer fever. The big difference will be that while the shiver caused by soccer fever lasts 105 to 110 minutes since the match is split into two 45-minute halves, the T20 World Cup and franchise leagues last a little more than 180 minutes, with a duration of one hour and thirty minutes per innings. Screams of “Howzaat” and “Out” will be replaced by “Goal.” Unlike “Howzaat” and “Out,” which have an abrupt end, the scream expressing the joy of a goal lasts long – “goooal” till all the air in the lungs has been released. The applause for a cover drive will be replaced by long cheering for a diving save by the goalkeeper. Those who were not clear about the Duckworth-Lewis (DL) calculation for a rain-affected match or how to calculate the run rate in cricket will now try to learn the offside rules. Soon it will dawn on them that the offside rule is easier to understand than the DL method. ...

By K.R. Nayar  Only a few England cricketers seem to take the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) midnight curfew seriously. Though this is greatly admired in theory, it has been ignored in practice.  England captain Ben Stokes and his teammate Gus Atkinson are in trouble following an altercation with a Saracens rugby player at a night club in the early hours on Monday. This is not the first time Stokes has been involved in a nightclub brawl - he did so in 2017 too and was fined £30,000 by the ECB.  Quite a few England cricket team players are now known for their late-night drinking scandals. This includes Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Liam Plunkett, Jake Ball, and Ben Duckett. Some Australian players joining this list are David Warner, Ricky Ponting, followed by Alex Carey, Travis Head, and Nathan Lyon. All of them are great as cricketers but can get highly ‘spirited’ too. Though these brawls are mentioned as late-night bar scandals, most of these have taken pl...

By K.R. Nayar Shreyas Iyer, the India’s new T20I captain is one who has waited for the role for a long time. Though Suryakumar Yadav is the 2026 T20 World Cup-winning captain, a leader must continue to lead from the front. Unfortunately, runs seem to have dried up for Yadav.  Iyer, who has often been ignored even as a player for the big occasions, has now climbed to the highest seat in Indian cricket. Sometimes, destiny delays but never denies. Having watched Iyer from his teenage days to the role of a captain, one always felt he had in him the qualities of a leader.  One that stands out is that he has a street-smart cricketing brain. He always displays it with a calm swagger. During the just-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL), when I had written that Iyer has nerves of steel, one of his fans commented that he also has ice in his veins. Very few players, when under pressure, convey the feeling of having seen the worse and reflect it through their body language. His co...

By K.R. Nayar  India Premier League (IPL) fans have been badly hit by the Evening Disorder Syndrome (EDS). For the last 65 days, they were glued to the television every evening. With Royal Challengers Bangalore emerging champions, the biggest challenge for the fans is how to shake off the IPL addiction. For a few days, many will be like players who went unsold during the auction — sitting in silence, uncertain and deeply emotional. The routine of reaching home in time for the match and getting hold of the remote control to switch the coverage in various languages may last for a few days. In fact, the overworked remote control will sigh with relief and probably announce its retirement after 65 days of peak performance. At the very least, it will demand a battery replacement Some will stare at the television as if it has personally betrayed them — like a power cut at a super over.  Others will keep hoping the broadcast resumes, as if the match was paused due to a “strategi...

By K.R. Nayar  Gujarat Titans failed to post a titanic total good enough to win a title. They tried to defend the total but had to bow before the champion batter called King Kohli. The win gave Royal Challengers Bangalore their second successive title through a five-wicket victory. A victory with 12 balls to spare is not the way a final should have ended, but when a titan-like Virat Kohli is at the crease, then whether it a team named Titans, or an army of giants, none stand a chance of winning.  Kohli, fighting the pain from cramps, remained unconquered with a knock of 75. What lies behind his relentless pursuit? He even struck his fastest fifty in the IPL. His unyielding nature can get too much for his opponents. All of his knocks like this one, whether for RCB or India, have been imperious. The challenge to win makes him ruthless and brings out the brilliance in him. Maybe he needs such situations to unleash his skills.  Once he gets going, he becomes the most f...