Sports

Hardik Pandya with a fan (X) India all-rounder Hardik Pandya marked his return to competitive cricket with a brilliant unbeaten half-century, guiding Baroda to a thrilling seven-wicket win over Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Hyderabad on Tuesday. Playing his first match since the Asia Cup in September, Pandya looked in full command…

Faf du Plessis (ANI Photo) NEW DELHI: Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani has opened up on the franchise’s bold decision to release Faf du Plessis, calling it one of the toughest calls ahead of the IPL mini-auction in Abu Dhabi. Du Plessis, who announced his retirement from the league on Monday, enjoyed a celebrated…

Bihar’s Vaibhav Suryavanshi (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra) India’s young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi produced a performance for the ages on Tuesday, announcing himself on the big stage with a breathtaking century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Playing against Maharashtra at Eden Gardens, the 14-year-old left-hander became the youngest player in the tournament’s history to reach three…

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir with Rishabh Pant (PTI Photo) Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz has strongly defended former India coach Gautam Gambhir‘s coaching methods, calling him the best coach he has worked with, amid criticism following India’s recent Test series losses. Speaking on the sidelines of ILT20’s fourth season in Dubai, Gurbaz particularly highlighted Gambhir’s…

Virat Kohli turned back the clock in the first ODI, smashing a brilliant 135 to lead India to a 17-run victory over South Africa in Ranchi. Riding on that heroics, he arrived in Raipur on Tuesday ahead of the second ODI, where the home team, captained by stand-in skipper KL Rahul, will aim to wrap…

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (AP Photo) It’s time Indian cricket stopped putting Rohit and Virat continuously on trial, feel former selectors and experts. They are still capable of being top performers, as they showed in the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi.Virat Kohli made a significant statement after his magnificent knock of 135,…

More than 1,300 players have registered for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction, turning the December 16 event in Abu Dhabi into one of the most competitive bidding days. According to a Cricbuzz report, a staggering 1,355 players feature on the 13-page auction register, reflecting a massive surge in both domestic and overseas aspirants eager…

Indian women’s cricket team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and music composer Palash Muchhal’s wedding, which was scheduled for November 23, was postponed after unexpected health emergencies in the family.The sequence began when Mandhana’s father, Shriniwas, fell ill on the wedding day and had to be taken to a hospital. A day later, groom-to-be Palash Muchhal was…

India’s Jemimah Rodrigues celebrates after winning the Women’s Cricket World Cup (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade) Indian cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues recently shared her experience of dealing with overwhelming attention during the Women’s World Cup. She had to take the drastic step of uninstalling WhatsApp following her match-winning performance in the semi-final.The India batter revealed she received messages…

South Africa’s Marco Jansen, left, speaks with India’s Virat Kohli in Ranchi. (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: South Africa all-rounder Marco Jansen offered a candid and striking assessment of what it feels like to bowl to Virat Kohli, admitting that world-class batters of the Indian superstar’s calibre become “almost impossible to stop” once they settle in….