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By K. R. Nayar  A debate over free hit in Test cricket has ensued following India’s spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule suggesting it as a means to curb bowlers indulging in no-balls. This took me on a journey down memory lane with the late, renowned umpire A. M. Mamsa.  Umpire A M Mamsa As a qualified state-panel umpire from Kerala, I would always attend Mamsa’s umpiring classes in Mumbai to sharpen my knowledge. Over the years, we developed a huge liking for each other. He always wondered why I was attending his umpiring classes despite clearing the state-panel umpiring test. Frankly, I would attend his classes mainly to listen to his stories. He was a reservoir of interesting tales and used to explain each rule with a tinge of humour. And maybe, that was the reason the rules and laws remained fixed in my mind. He had groomed many umpires from Mumbai who then went on to become top umpires. Mamsa was born in Rangoon, Burma, in 1919. He was in his 70s when I met him in ...

By K.R. Nayar   The Colombo Test ending in a draw has made India’s path to the World Test Championship final tough. Sri Lanka, by securing a hard-fought draw, have boosted their morale. In fact, India walked away frustrated; Sri Lanka walked away rejuvenated. Sri Lanka’s twenty-five-year-old left-handed Sonal Dinusha, with knocks of 103 and an unbeaten 133 in the second Test, following his knocks of 100 and 84 in the first Test, has announced that he has the potential to become a superstar. Was Dinusha and 26-year-old Pasindu Sooriyabandara, with knocks of 80 and 92, the only reason behind India being unable to record a clean sweep? Their resistance certainly exposed India’s inability to finish the job. When young batsmen refuse to surrender, even the strongest bowling attack can begin to look ordinary. Sri Lanka now have every reason to believe that their emerging generation can stand up against one of the stronger Test sides in the world. Gary Kirsten, who took over as Sr...

By K.R. Nayar  When Dhruv Jurel hit an unbeaten 115 to lift India to a score of 503 for 9 decl. in the first innings, he stamped his class as a fighter. As a boy, he had to play the game secretly because his father wanted him to focus on his studies and join the armed forces. After hitting the second Test century of his career, everything about him and his career is now public. If it was Devdutt Padikkal who hogged the headlines on the first day, it was Jurel on the second day. Jurel is the son of a 1999 Kargil War veteran, and has ensured that his team marches to victory. When he hit his first Test century (125) in only his sixth Test match against the West Indies in October 2025 in Ahmedabad, he had shaped India’s victory by an innings-and-140-runs. Today, Jurel is talked about as a wicketkeeper- batter who can win matches with useful knocks. In the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, he had scored 51 runs in the first innings. To support his dream of becoming a top cric...

By K.R. Nayar Devdutt Padikkal’s second consecutive Test century has elevated him to a special place among India’s top batters. The fact that he has become the first Indian No. 3 since Cheteshwar Pujara in 2018-19 to score centuries in consecutive away Tests will be talked about for a long time. What Padikkal has exhibited is his remarkable temperament and class. But beyond the statistics and the milestones, Padikkal’s achievement tells a more compelling story — the story of temperament, class, perseverance and the determination to belong at the highest level. Padikkal’s brilliant footwork and shot selection are laudable. To hit another century after his knocks of 167 and 44 in the first Test at Galle, which earned him the Player of the Match award, and then crack 117 runs in the first innings of the second Test reveals his tremendous appetite for runs. This can carry him to many more three-figure knocks in the future. Consistency is never achieved by just wishing for it, but by wo...

By K.R. Nayar  A positive result in favour of India in the first Test of the series against Sri Lanka is a big boost to the team’s confidence and belief. Though every player chipped in to ensure the impressive 165-run win at the Galle International Stadium, Devdutt Padikkal’s knocks of 167 and 44 in both innings and Manav Suthar’s outstanding bowling figures of 4 for 76 and 6 for 55, for a match haul of 10 for 131, stood out. Their performances have injected a powerful dose of positivity into the team, which may now help them dazzle in the second Test of the series too. India had to overcome stiff resistance from Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha (100 and 84), Niroshan Dickwella (80) and skipper Dhananjaya de Silva (84), and, above all, intermittent rain interruptions across multiple days. The weather repeatedly stole precious playing time and pushed India into a tense race against the clock to force a result.  Negative thoughts would have derailed all their plans. Suthar bowled...

By K.R. Nayar  It is indeed a remarkable feat for Rishabh Pant to have hit 100 sixes in Test cricket. He became the first Indian to reach that milestone on August 18, 2026, at Galle, during the fourth day of the first Test against Sri Lanka. The enormity of his achievement lies in the fact that he is only the fourth batter in Test history to reach the magical three-figure mark. Pant now stands alongside the legendary Adam Gilchrist with 100 sixes, while Ben Stokes leads the list with 138, followed by Brendon McCullum with 107. But there is an even more astonishing dimension to Pant’s achievement. He has reached 100 sixes in only 51 Tests — 31 Tests fewer than Stokes took to reach the landmark. Stokes achieved it in 82 Tests. Pant has taken the express route to a record that was expected to require years of sustained six-hitting. Pant reaching this milestone is a reflection of his batting philosophy. Among Indians, Virender Sehwag, who is next on the list with 91 sixes, follow...