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By K.R. Nayar  Mumbai. To address someone as the ‘Tilak’ of an organisation is to crown him as its finest, distinguished, honourable, or a defining member of that group. On Monday (April 20, 2026), Tilak Varma turned out to be exactly that for Mumbai Indians (MI), becoming their pride by cracking an unbeaten 101 off 45 balls and giving his team a 99-run win over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This was Varma’s maiden IPL century. After having reported his match-winning knock of 69 against Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup final in Dubai, it was evident that once he is allowed to settle down, the result will almost always be in favour of the team he bats for. In Dubai, Varma walked in to bat at 20 for 3 and anchored the chase of 147. On Monday, he walked in with Mumbai reeling at 44 for 3 and ensured a fighting total of 199 for 5, something that seemed improbable at one stage. Varma’s innings turned the night into a spectacle, his knock erupting after ...

  By K.R. Nayar Mumbai. While the IPL matches are creating a major buzz in Mumbai, it was also interesting to get the chance to interact with those who are knowledgeable about the game. Sachin Bajaj, founder and managing director of Global Cricket School, is one such person who can talk cricket for hours and also initiate debates on the game.  Sachin Bajaj (extreme right) addresses the gathering introducing Angus Frase  and Fraser Stewart. Photo by K.R. Nayar   Bajaj hosted an evening of conversation on “Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the Laws of Cricket,” inviting Fraser Stewart, MCC Head of Cricket, and Angus Fraser, former England cricketer, at the Bombay Yacht Club. The hall was packed with sharp cricketing brains— analysts, thinkers, and a strong contingent of Mumbai Cricket Association umpires. As a qualified umpire myself, it was nothing short of an enlightening experience. A few journalists, those who go beyond match reports to inte...

By K.R. Nayar  Mumbai. Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shreyas Iyer’s nerves are made of steel, and his determination is as hot as a burning iron rod. His performance as a leader, batter, and fielder in PBKS’s unbeaten run in this edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) been outstanding. Through his knock of 66 runs in his team’s seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday (April 16, 2026), and a string of three half-centuries, he proved to be an inspiration not only for his team but also for all IPL fans who turned up at the Wankhede Stadium. He is also Mumbai’s own boy, fondly known as Sarpanch Saab by all his fans.  I have trailed Iyer’s journey from the day he was he was left out of India’s playing XI during the 2014 Under-19 World Cup in the UAE. Then when he was picked for India’s next match in Sharjah, he smashed the second ball he faced against the West Indies for a six and went on to score an identical 66, like the one he scor...

By K.R. Nayar Mumbai. Bowlers who make their debut may well be handled with caution now. They give it their all in their first chance to bowl, as it marks the end of their wait to play in the prestigious Indian Premier League (IPL). Rajasthan Royals (RR) learned this the hard way when Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) debut bowlers, Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain, both right-arm medium pacers, bagged four wickets each at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The most remarkable feat was 24-year-old Hinge’s world-record-breaking performance of bagging three wickets in his very first over in the IPL. It was a night that belonged entirely to the debutants.  Never in the 19-year history of the IPL has any bowler taken three wickets in the very first over of an innings. The batters he dismissed were the dangerous and in-form Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (golden duck), Dhruv Jurel, as well as Lhuan-dre Pretorius. It is only in dreams that most pacers visualise such a spell, but...

By K.R. Nayar  Mumbai. It was a delightful sight for anyone entering the Wankhede Stadium. This venue was totally dressed in Mumbai Indians (MI) colours, with towering cut-outs of Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav beckoning everyone to watch them in full flow. Unfortunately, in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Sunday (April 12, 2026), none of them rose to the challenge with big scores, and MI lost by 18 runs. The towering cut-outs of Mumbai Indians's top stars at the Wankhede Stadium. Photo by K.R. Nayar Five-time champions MI are stumbling having lost three of their four matches. Their fans had arrived early to enjoy top class cricket from their team and were seated below the stadium roof painted in MI’s blue and gold colours with hopes in their hearts. What they got instead was heartbreak. A vibrant Royal Challengers top order, comprising opener Phil Salt, Virat Kohli and skipper Rajat Patidar, struck half-centuries, while for Mumbai, e...

By K.R. Nayar Mumbai. It’s not just IPL teams, but cricketing teams across the globe now recognise a chilling truth: dismiss Sanju Samson early or be ready to pay the price. Following his unbeaten 115 in 56 balls for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), after scores of 6, 7, and 9 in his first three matches, every team is likely to be nervous if he passes the single-digit score. Sanju Chetta (brother), as he is adorably addressed, is the finest demolisher of any bowling attack, and he gave CSK a 23-run victory over Delhi Capitals (DC). It was CSK’s first win of this edition and also ended a six-match losing streak for CSK on their home ground. A devoted admirer of Tamil superstar Rajinikanth, Sanju lit up the night further with the iconic salute from Padayappa movie, sending the Chepauk crowd into raptures. While Sanju did the Padayappa salute, every bowler who bowled should have also saluted this exceptionally talented hard-hitter, who won the Player of the Tournament award in the recen...