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Little-known tales of Mumbai Indians' Vignesh Puthur, and the role of Alleppey Ripples and Malappuram in his career

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By K.R. Nayar From Mumbai When dreams, which one thinks are impossible, come true, the effect is nothing short of amazing. Vignesh Puthur from Kerala, who bagged three wickets for Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings and became the talk of the Indian Premier League (IPL), is living his dream. It’s not just the three wickets he took with his left-arm wrist spin that must have thrilled him, but the moment after the match when he received a pat on the back from none other than the legendary former Indian captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, of Chennai Super Kings.  Vignesh Puthur gets a pat from the legendary Mahenda Singh Dhoni  To fully grasp the enormity of this occasion, one needs to know more about Puthur. His story reveals that no matter where one comes from or what circumstances one grows up in, glory can be achieved through hard work and dedication. I first heard about Puthur when I visited Trident, the Mumbai Indians’ team hotel, for the pre-season press conferen...
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It’s not just cricket that flourishes in Mumbai — Squash takes the spotlight with JSW India Open

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By K.R. Nayar From Mumbai Mumbai is a city that welcomes all sports. While cricket holds prominence, other sports are also played with equal enthusiasm, and top events are staged here with great verve. The beauty of Mumbai lies in its deep-rooted sports culture, which has been nurtured over the years, ensuring that every sport finds its followers. JSW Indian Open 2025 press meet at the Bombay Gymkhana  During my days in Mumbai, I had the opportunity to report on almost all sports. On this short visit to the city, I was invited to the JSW India Open 2025 press meet at the historic Bombay Gymkhana. This international squash event is being held from March 24 to 28.   Bombay Gymkhana, which is celebrating its 150th year,  is the venue for the event  Years ago, I used to report on squash matches at the Cricket Club of India. Encouraging all sports at historic venues has been a tradition here, and Bombay Gymkhana has followed suit.   Celebrating its 150th year...
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My close encounters with Mumbai Cricket Association’s Life-Time awardees

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By K.R. Nayar From Mumbai   This season, Mumbai Cricket Association(MCA) honoured Dilip Vengsarkar, Diana Edulji, Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, and Pravin Barve with Life-Time Achievement Awards. I have been fortunate to have had numerous interactions with Vengsarkar, Edulji, and Shetty during my days as a journalist in Mumbai, and those relationships continued even after I moved to Dubai. So it was hardly a surprise to me when they were honoured by the MCA, and that also prompted me to share my experiences with them. With Dileep Vengsarkar, a legend I had trailed during his playing days   Dilip Vengsarkar   Vengsarkar, the cricketer, needs no introduction. As a batter, his brilliance was witnessed by all. But I was fortunate to report many of the matches where he had guided Mumbai to glorious moments. During his playing days, international cricketers actively participated in domestic matches, focusing on their home team’s success. Vengsarkar played for Mumbai with ...
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Witnessing the magnificent aura of Mumbai Cricket Association’s annual awards

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By K.R. Nayar From Mumbai  Mumbai is often considered as one of the strongest teams in domestic cricket. This city has produced numerous legends and won the most Ranji Trophy titles. Their ability to nurture talent, recognize and honor it through the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) annual awards, is a tradition they follow religiously. This unwavering devotion to encouraging all those who play and serve the game is undoubtedly one of the reasons behind their success. Youngsters speak with pride about being recipients of a MCA award. Even cricketers who went on to become international stars often mention their MCA award when reflecting on their journey to fame. After a very long time, I found myself attending this annual event again. The last time I reported on this event was when I was with  The Indian Express . More than just players are honored The MCA awards are not just presented to the best male and female cricketers but also to administrators, clubs, tournamen...
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