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By K.R. Nayar  From Thiruvananthapuram A final is usually just a battle for the title. But the third edition final of the Caravan Cricket Club T20 tournament for the Hassan Shah and Ashok Varma Memorial Trophy was far more than a contest for a title. Played at the Kerala Cricket Association’s St Xavier’s Cricket Ground in Thumba, it became a celebration of memory, legacy and the enduring spirit of Kerala cricket. Kerala Cricket Associaton Secretary Vino d  S Nair and former BCCI Secretary S.K. Nair release '318 - Whispers of the Indian Test cap' during the final of the Caravan Cricket Club All Kerala T20 tournament The clash between Little Masters Cricket Club and Muthoot Microfin Cricket Club was intense and absorbing, with Little Masters eventually emerging champions by 45 runs. Yet long after the scoreboard settled, what lingered was the presence of men who once lifted Kerala cricket from obscurity and placed it firmly on India’s cricketing map. Gayatri Varma, wi...

By K.R. Nayar  It was a book launch rendered unforgettable by the passionate cricket lovers of Rajkot, the city that gave India its very first Test cap holder, Amar Sinh.  The book, 318 Whispers of the Indian Test Cap, authored by me and conceptualised by Gopal Jasapara, was unveiled amid much warmth and reverence. The launch of 318 Whispers of the Indian Test Cap by Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir, Ravindra Jadeja and Sitanshu Kotak in the presence of Niranjan Shah, Jaydev Shah, Himanshu Shah and Karan Shah at the Niranjan Shah stadium.  It was an honour to have our book unveiled by Team India captain Shubman Gill, along with coach Gautam Gambhir and Rajkot’s favourite, Ravindra Jadeja, on January 13, 2026. Set against the iconic backdrop of the Niranjan Shah Stadium, on the eve of the second India–New Zealand ODI, the moment was made possible mainly due to the wholehearted support of Saurashtra Cricket Association officials Niranjan Shah and his son Jaydev Shah. Kars...

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...