Dinesh Anand

Ravi Ashwin is yet to concede a boundary in the 59 balls he's bowled to right-handers in T20Is since his comeback. Vera level this is from Ash na 🔥👏 #INDvNZ

You want to know what 38 runs in 7 IPL innings does to a boy? It breaks him. Devdutt Padikkal went from RCB's golden child to LSG's discarded problem in 3 years. 2020 he was the Emerging Player. In 2021 he got a hundred against Rajasthan Royals. Then India cap number 89 happened. Life was good. Then his body said no. Covid hit him bad. Then something worse moved in. A stomach thing, Chronic, Gastrointestinal. Fancy word for your gut eating itself. He lost 10 kg weight in 6 months. While his mates were playing Ranji Trophy, he was in hospital bed. By the time 2024 IPL came around, he was a ghost of the left hander who had once made batting look like breathing. 38 runs in 7 innings for Lucknow Super Giants. Average of 5.43. Strike rate of 71.7. One of the strangest parts of this story feels almost fictional. While Padikkal was fighting through treatment at Jain Hospital, his childhood coach Irfan Sait was consulting the same doctor for same condition in same building. Neither knew. Later, when they found out, relationship stopped being only about cricket nets & batting drills. It became personal. 2 people walking through the same quiet pain together. And maybe that is where the real rebuilding began. Padikkal changed everything. Food, Fitness, Routine, Mindset. That elegant accumulator slowly disappeared. In his place arrived a batter who understood urgency. A player who had learned that talent alone cannot protect you once the body starts betraying you. Captaincy with Karnataka sharpened him further. Leadership has a funny way of teaching batters how bowlers think. Suddenly he was not just reacting anymore. He was anticipating. He scored 543 Ranji runs. 725 runs in Vijay Hazare trophy at aversge of 90.62. The game was revealing itself to him now, not as an opponent but as a language he was finally fluent in. Then came the transformation people now notice through highlight clips & strike rates. In 2026, he has hit first ball of his innings for six 3 times. He attacks on good length deliveries. season strike rate crossing 170. The soft hands remained, but the hesitation vanished. What makes this comeback feel different is that it does not carry revenge. Padikkal does not bat like a man angry at world. He bats like someone relieved to still belong here. Stomach infections are gone, runs are flowing. But best part is not the statistics. It is that Padikkal looks like he is having fun again. After everything, that might be the real comeback.

Mind boggling shot, that six.

#ArjunTendulkar needs to meet @SteffanJones105 after this #IPL. He's bowling under the mid 130s at the moment and it's a little underwhelming with his height. Some extra pace where he can hurry the batsmen could make him a really good bowler. Boy has a great work ethic.

Well done, Arjun. ❤️ Proud of the way you’ve carried yourself through this season, always believing in your ability, staying patient, working hard quietly, and remaining positive despite having to wait for your opportunity till the very last match. Cricket tests patience as much as skill, and you handled both beautifully today. Keep your feet on the ground, and continue being in love with the game like you always have. Love you always.👏

ANDY FLOWER ON VENKATESH IYER: 🥹❤️ "I have got a lot of respect for Venky, He had to wait for his chance & every time he had a chance, either as an Impact Player because we got ourselves into some trouble in the innings or in the last two matches when he has been given a chance, first at number four in Dharamsala & then today opening the batting, he's taken all of those chances. So his attitude through the season has been outstanding - I have got a lot of respect for a man that's played a lot of IPL cricket, played for India & was sitting on the sidelines waiting for his chance. He has been in that dugout, had a big smile on his face all the time, practised hard every single practice session. He has worked hard at his bowling, his fielding & his batting, he has been exemplary, to be honest so a lot of respect for him".

Played age group cricket with him. Started as a pure batter who hardly used to loft the ball. Developed his medium pace, big hitting abilities and fielding through sheer hardwork. One of the nicest human being have met. Didn't deserve this much hate. Wish him the best always!

Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay has ordered the revamp and modernisation of Amma Unavagams across the state. At present, 383 Amma Unavagams are functioning under the Greater Chennai Corporation, while another 237 are operated by other corporations and municipalities across Tamil Nadu. The chief minister held consultations with senior government officials and directed authorities to upgrade infrastructure facilities at the canteens, immediately procure necessary cooking equipment, and ensure uninterrupted supply of hygienic and quality food to the public. The chief minister also ordered that expenses for the renovation works and procurement of equipment be met from the general funds of corporations and municipalities.

Wondering how Digvesh Rathi feels when every other player in the league is now celebrating with a written or printed note/chit, while his notebook and his invisible receipts have been fined. #LSGvCSK

It’s seems like My coaching career comes to an end after 1.5 years, during which we played 5 tournaments and secured 5 podium finishes, including a Junior World Cup bronze medal. I have heard about coaches getting fired after bad performances. But this is the first time I am experiencing being removed to make way for a foreign coach. The Hockey India President stated that the chief coach of the senior men’s team prefers a foreign head coach for the junior team, believing it will help develop Indian hockey from the junior level through to the senior level. Hence, the continued preference for foreign coaches — Can’t Indian coaches develop Indian hockey? On 07-03-2026, during a meeting with the Hon’ble Sports Minister Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, I was told, “Sreejesh, we need coaches like you to step up and lead our country as we prepare for 2036.” However, Hockey India continues to place its trust in foreign coaches over Indian ones across all four teams. @mansukhmandviya @PMOIndia @TheHockeyIndia @Media_SAI @WeAreTeamIndia @DGSAI @DilipTirkey

2026 IPL Playoff Chances after Match 56 - GT v SRH 96% - Gujarat ⬆️ 20% 87% - Bengaluru 67% - Hyderabad ⬇️ 18% 62% - Punjab ------------------- 41% - Chennai ⬇️ 1% 36% - Rajasthan 9% - Kolkata 0.1% - Delhi

6 SIXES OF URVIL PATEL IN A SINGLE FRAME 🥶

Clutch innings from one of the best clutch players of IPL 🔥 #ipl_2026

However the rest of the season goes, I can see Prince Yadav in the next T20i squad. He can bowl across all phases. He has a great feel for when to bowl what at each stage of an over and the innings. He is a solid fielder and catcher.

என் நெஞ்சில் குடியிருக்கும் அனைவருக்கும் வணக்கம். கட்சி ஆரம்பித்ததில் இருந்தே நம்மை ஏளனமாகப் பார்த்தவர்களும் பேசியவர்களுமே அதிகம். அரசியலில் இது இயல்பே என்றுதான் நாமும் அதைக் கடந்து வந்தோம். எவரையும் சாராமல், மக்களை மட்டுமே நம்பி, தேர்தல் களத்திலும் தில்லாக நின்றோம். நடுநிலை என்ற பெயரிலும் விமர்சனம் என்ற பெயரிலும் முகமூடி அணிந்த அவமானங்களும் அவதூறுகளுமே நமக்குப் பரிசளிக்கப்பட்டன. ஆனால், நாம் யாருக்கு நன்றிக் கடன் செலுத்த அரசியலுக்கு வந்தோமோ அவர்கள்… நம் சொந்தங்களாகிய நம் தமிழ்நாட்டு மக்கள் நம்மை எப்போதும் தாயன்போடு தாங்கியே பிடித்து வந்தனர் - வருகின்றனர். அந்தத் தாயன்போடுதான் இந்தத் தேர்தலிலும் நமக்கு அளப்பரிய அன்புடன் அமோகமான வாக்குகளை அள்ளித் தந்துள்ளனர். இந்திய அரசியல் களத்தையே அதிர வைத்திருக்கும் இந்தத் தேர்தல் ஓர் அதிசயத் தேர்தல் என்றோம். அது பல்வேறு வகைகளிலும் நிரூபணமானது. ஏராளமான காரணிகள் இருந்தாலும், குடும்பத்தையே தங்கள் அடரன்பால் வழிநடத்திய குழந்தைச் செல்வங்கள்தான் அதிசயத் தேர்தலுக்கான ஆழமான காரணிகளில் ஒன்றாக மாறி நிற்கின்றனர். ஒரு மாபெரும் மாற்றத்துக்கான இந்தத் தேர்தல் அரசியல் போரில் வென்றது நம் தமிழக வெற்றிக் கழகம் மட்டுமன்று. தமிழக மக்களின் மனங்களில் ஆசை ஆசையாக வளர்த்தெடுக்கப்பட்ட உணர்வுப்பூர்வமான ஜனநாயகமும்தான். அதனால்தான் தமிழகத்தில் ஓர் அரசியல் கலாசாரமாகவே மாறி அச்சுறுத்திக்கொண்டிருந்த பணநாயகம் ஆழக் குழிதோண்டிப் புதைக்கப்பட்டது. தமிழக வெற்றிக் கழகம், மாற்றத்திற்கான மாபெரும் முதன்மைச் சக்தியான அரசியல் இயக்கம் என்பது, இதன் மூலம் ஆழமாகவும் அழுத்தமாகவும் நிரூபிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. நியாயமான, நேர்மையான பார்வை கொண்ட அனைவரும் இதை அப்படியே ஏற்பர் என்பதே அடர் உண்மை. எக்காலத்திலும் நிகழவே நிகழாது என்றிருந்த மாற்றத்திற்கான அரசியல் வெற்றியை நிகழ்த்திக் காட்டிய தமிழ்நாட்டு மக்களாகிய என் சொந்தங்களுக்கு என் வாழ்நாள் நன்றியைக் காணிக்கை ஆக்குகிறேன். நம் சொந்தங்களுக்கு நன்றி செலுத்தும் அதே வேளையில், நம் கழகத் தோழர்கள், அனைத்து நிலை நிர்வாகிகள், Virtual Warriors என உங்கள் ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் தனித்தனியாக என் நெஞ்சார்ந்த நன்றியறிதலைத் தெரிவித்துக்கொள்கிறேன். இவ்வேளையில், நமக்கு இந்தத் தேர்தலில் வாக்களிக்க மறந்தாலும், எதிர்வரும் காலங்களில் நம்மை அதிகமாக நேசிக்கப் போகும் நம் சொந்தங்களுக்கும் என் அன்பைத் தெரிவித்துக்கொள்கிறேன்.

Entropy — a measure of how open the playoff race is. It starts at 100% when every team has equal chances, and drops to 0% once all four spots are decided. After 40 matches in IPL 2026, it sits at just 43% — the lowest ever for any IPL season at the same stage

The growing trend of blaming team analysts is getting a bit bizarre. How much power do people think they actually have? Maybe it does not help that some have portrayed themselves as far more influential than they really are, but that is not the reality in most cases. In 90 percent of setups, analysts have limited impact on how the team actually functions. The head coach has his beliefs. The technical coaches have theirs. The captain has his. The players have their own views too. It is incredibly hard for an analyst to cut through all that and get their ideas implemented.

Some moments are bigger than the game. Walking out to play, carrying a loss no words can hold, you show what heart truly means. Not just a cricketer today, but a son playing for his mother. Every step, every ball, we stand with you. The team, the fans, all of us, right beside you. Strength, prayers, and yellove always, Mukesh. 💛 #WhistlePodu #MIvCSK #Respect

To see negative comments about Mayank Yadav today is horrifying. The kid nearly lost his career & livelihood at 21yrs. Just to see him play again is huge boost. The fact that he clocked 150kph again is a miracle. At 23yrs just pray for him that he stays fit. The control will come

In 2022, Mohsin Khan produced such numbers that made no sense. Playing 9 games for Lucknow Super Giants, he picked up 14 wickets & finished with economy of 5.96. No fast bowler in IPL had gone below a 6 economy with 10+ wickets in last 12 years. Not Bumrah, Not Bhuvi. A 6'3" left-armer from Sambhal had found a way to stop the run flow in a format built to punish bowlers. Then his body turned on him. The artery in his bowling shoulder swelled & got fully blocked. Blood clots made his arm numb & blue. Doctors said waiting one more month could cost him his arm. Surgery came late in 2022. He gave up hope quietly, like you stop waiting for rain. Most franchises would have ended his contract. But LSG didn’t. They kept paying his salary, got him the best treatment & waited. They treated him like an investment in patience, not a depreciating asset. Mohsin had a guardian too; Mohammed Shami, from the same district of Moradabad (now Amroha), had opened his farmhouse to Mohsin during 2020 lockdown. He told him the gym may make you look strong, but it won’t make you a better bowler. That lesson stuck. In 2026, things came full circle; Shami & Mohsin shared the new ball for their home state franchise at Ekana Stadium. Teacher & student. Same soil, same dream, now same team. After SMAT 2024, Mohsin didn’t bowl in a single T20 anywhere. No leagues, no tournaments, nothing. Just rehab & waiting. His comeback began this season against Delhi Capitals, where his very first over was a maiden. A statement that the left arm still worked & the mind was sharper than before. Today he wrote another incredible chapter. Facing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the 15 year old prodigy treating legendary bowlers like net practice, Mohsin bowled a maiden over. Six balls, zero runs & the final delivery looped to long-on from his miscued blade. The most exciting young batter in the tournament, dismissed without scoring in the over. He ended his spell with 17/2 in 4 Overs. It was a man who nearly lost his arm reminding everyone what patience looks like. The boy from Sambhal is not just back, He is proving that some bouncebacks are steeper than the bounce he generates.

2024 IPL auction room laughed without knowing his name. Priyansh Arya sat there & watched every franchise keep their paddles down. Friends mocked him over chai, made jokes about his worth, told him he would never cross one crore. He did not argue with them. He simply disappeared. He vanished into Ratapani Forest near Bhopal with Sanjay Bhardwaj, a coach who runs an academy you probably cannot find on Google Maps. The regimen was brutal & deliberately old school. 12 hours of training starting at dawn. No phone except 1 hour in evening. No Instagram or any distractions. Just the cut & pull rehearsed until they became muscle memory, until his wrists knew exactly what to do when fast bowlers tested him with short balls. He was preparing for a stage that had already rejected him. His preparation found its voice on 31th August, 2024, at Arun Jaitley Stadium. Left arm spinner Manan Bharadwaj ran in. 6 balls later the scorebook read 6 sixes in an over. He finished SMAT 2024-25 as Delhi's highest run getter with 325 runs at 177 strike rate. IPL could not look away anymore. Jeddah auction, 2025. Base price 30 lakh. Punjab Kings got him for 3.8 crore. Ricky Ponting needed Indian boys who were not afraid. Brad Haddin watched him face 8 balls in a practice match and told Ponting he had to play the opener. Sometimes 8 balls is all it takes. Here is the thing about Arya that stats sheets miss. While other openers calculate risk, he sees ball & hits ball. Stable base, wrists doing the work. It looks simple because he made it simple. But slump came early for him in IPL. Golden duck against Jofra Archer. Confidence cracked. Ponting found him & did not lecture technique. He simply said the next time you get that ball, hit it out of the ground. Permission to fail aggressively is sometimes the only coaching you need. 8th April, 2025, Mullanpur vs CSK. He smashed the first ball of Khaleel Ahmed for six. Went on to score 103 off 42 balls. Century in 39 balls. Punjab Kings reached the final & He played all 17 games, scored 475 runs at 179 strike rate. Not bad for an unsold boy one season ago. Now it is 2026. He is striking at 250 after 5 games this season. He made 39 off 11 against CSK again & today he almost broke his 39 ball hundred record. His IPL career tally has crossed 650 runs at 194 strike rate. The auction room that blanked him in 2024 would not recognize the beast they ignored.