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By K.R. Nayar Sanju Samson has been dropped again. This time, the axe has fallen before the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. A study of Samson’s career reveals a blatant truth: he tops the list among Indian cricketers to be dropped from the Indian team the maximum number of times and has been ignored from the playing eleven despite being part of the squad. Samson has been dropped for the Zimbabwe series after just three scores of 5, 0, and 1, but this came after knocks of 97 not out, 89, and 89 that helped India win the T20 World Cup. This literally means that the selectors are walking around him with an axe. In fact, he got the chance to play those match-winning knocks in the T20 World Cup after the selectors tried their best to keep him out of the playing eleven, but were forced to include him towards the end. For the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, the selectors had happily kept him out of the eleven throughout the tournament, as if his best role was to warm the bench. Those ...

By K.R. Nayar  Australian women lifted the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title for the seventh time, and this time it happened due to ‘Moon’ and the ‘Stars’. Beth Mooney, nicknamed Moon, played a splendid knock of 64, backed by Phoebe Litchfield’s 48. These two, along with the other players, all of whom are worthy of being stars, ensured a seven-wicket win over England in the final at Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 5, 2026. The Australian team is in seventh heaven now, mainly due to their meticulous planning and consistent hard work. They have also won the ICC Women’s World Cup (50-over) seven times, proving themselves to be a power in world cricket. Though Team India are the reigning women’s World Cup champions, they have a long way to go to become a strong force in both formats like the Australians in women’s cricket. So why is it a treat to watch these Australian women in action? Primarily, it is the confidence with which they walk onto the field announcing they are out...

By K.R. Nayar  While reporting domestic cricket in the UAE, a smiling face always greeted me at different venues and almost at all tournaments. Cricketers lovingly called him “Uncle.” To some, he was Uncle Thomson; to others, Bulla Mama. But to everyone in general, Thomson John D'Silva was warmth wrapped in a smile. As the manager of many domestic teams in the UAE, most of his teams have won numerous laurels. He was an inspiring presence, and he passed away on July 2, 2026, at the age of 75. The ever-smiling Uncle Thomson   Not everyone is blessed with innate man-management skills. Uncle Thomson had that unique ability not just to manage but to mentor and be like a guardian. During the glorious period of domestic cricket in the UAE, when tournaments were enthusiastically organised by passionate lovers of the game and councils, Uncle Thomson was in great demand as a team manager. As a reporter, he was my best point of contact since he would willingly share details about eve...