East Zone pacer Mukesh Kumar felt that there was enough on the surface for the quicks to keep the batters honest, provided they had the right tactics.

Despite bowling on a fresh MAC Stadium pitch on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy final, the South Zone fast bowlers were inconsistent and resorted to short-pitched stuff without much success.

In contrast, Mukesh and Mohammed Shami attacked the stumps and scalped four of the six wickets to fall on day three.

“I didn’t pitch it too full here. If I had bowled full, it would have invited cover drives and similar shots. So, pulling the length back slightly to back-of-a-length on this red soil [was important]. If you hit the deck hard and put effort into it, the ball kicks. We worked on that,” said Mukesh.

The Bengal speedster also stressed the need to maintain the ball, especially on red-soil pitches where it could get scuffed easily.

“Speaking for myself, the harder I pound the deck and hit the seam, the more the ball will kick, regardless of the wicket. The other part is working on the ball — applying sweat repeatedly, polishing it, and preparing it for reverse swing. We worked on that, and it gave us movement,” he added.

On his plans for Devdutt Padikkal, Mukesh explained: “It was to bowl stump-to-stump because we knew he was coming after scoring two centuries in Sri Lanka. On wickets like this, if you offer width to batters, runs will leak. Our plan as fast bowlers was to stay as consistent as possible and bowl dot balls, letting them take the risks. They would try to force the pace and get out because they need to score runs.”

In an unrelenting cricket calendar where monotony can set in over run-of-the-mill bilateral assignments, a multi-disciplinary event like the Asian Games holds the promise of a novel offering.

The competition provides a unique opportunity for India’s high-profile cricketers to mingle with athletes from other sports whilst attempting to win gold for the nation. Shreyas Iyer & Co. will be looking to do just that when they travel to Japan for the continental spectacle’s T20 tournament from September 24 to October 3.

This will be the Indian cricket team’s second appearance at the Asian Games, having pocketed gold in Hangzhou, China, in 2023.

This will be the Indian cricket team’s second appearance at the Asian Games, having pocketed gold in Hangzhou, China, in 2023.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

Sunil Gavaskar hopes the Men in Blue savour the experience of a multi-sport carnival. “You get to know and talk to athletes from other sports, and get to know what makes them tick. It will be a wonderful experience,” he said during a virtual media interaction.

Though reports have emerged of the arrangements in Japan for the cricketers not being up to scratch, Gavaskar emphasised that such obstacles shouldn’t dissuade the game’s stakeholders from exploring newer markets.

“If cricket has to become a global sport, it has to be played in different parts of the world. At the Olympics, for example, you could play in a city where cricket isn’t generally played. You might not always get the best facilities,” the 77-year-old opined. “For the game to grow, I would encourage them to play wherever possible.”

If cricket is to pique the curiosity of spectators at the Asian Games, the boy wonder that is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will have to show up. The spunky 15-year-old, who cracked two half-centuries against Zimbabwe after a baptism by fire against England, will hope to continue his upward flight.

“Look in T20 cricket, you can’t expect consistency. Vaibhav is the kind of batter who can win you three or four out of 10 games. But he’s somebody with whom we need to have patience,” assessed Gavaskar.

(Watch cricket at Asian Games 2026 on Sony Sports and Sony LIV from September 17).

Ishan Kishan led from the front with a sprightly unbeaten 111 (135b, 14×4, 1×6) as East Zone amassed 385 for four against South Zone on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy final at the MAC Stadium here on Sunday.

The Jharkhand batter built on the efforts of opener Abhimanyu Easwaran (72, 86b, 10×4, 1×6) and No. 3 Shikhar Mohan (85, 120b, 9×4, 3×6) after opting to bat.

Abhimanyu Easwaran gets run out in the Duleep Trophy final between South Zone and East Zone.
| Photo Credit:
R. RAGU

While Kishan headlined the day, it was Vaibhav Sooryavanshi who hogged the limelight.

It is not often that you see packed stands for a domestic game in India. Yet, even before the first ball was bowled, the C, D, and E stands at Chepauk were nearly full in anticipation of seeing the wunderkind. And in the first 90 minutes of the day, the youngster kept the fans on their feet through some elegant strokeplay.

The 15-year-old got on his toes nicely to counter the bounce from the red-soil pitch and punched South Zone pacers Mohammed Siraj and M.D. Nideesh to the off-side fence a few times.

And when Siraj went full, Sooryavanshi had no second thoughts about lofting down the ground for a six and a four. The southpaw eventually holed out on the leg-side trying to pull C.V. Milind for 44.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
| Photo Credit:
R. RAGU

At the other end, Abhimanyu kept pace with the youngster and did not hold himself back, be it pulling Siraj effortlessly or giving the charge to the spinners.

Post lunch, Shikhar and Kishan combined forces, adding 94 for the fourth wicket, capitalising on a below-par effort from the South bowlers.

Shikhar was largely untroubled, confidently driving Siraj for back-to-back boundaries through the off-side before launching off-spinner T. Vijay for a six and two boundaries off consecutive deliveries.

Shikhar Mohan.
| Photo Credit:
R. RAGU

Kishan kept busy without trying to be aggressive, bringing up his half-century off 71 deliveries. In the final session, he pressed on the accelerator and brought up his century in style, driving Shreyas Gopal down the ground majestically.

Alongside his Jharkhand teammate Kumar Kushagra (63 batting, 75b, 4×4, 5×6), the duo added an unbroken 144 runs for the fifth wicket as East established an early hold on the contest.

The scores: East Zone — 1st innings: Abhimanyu Easwaran run out 72, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi c sub (Tanay) b Milind 44, Shikhar Mohan b Milind 85, Sudip Kumar Gharami c Milind b Vijay 6, Ishan Kishan (batting) 111, Kumar Kushagra (batting) 63; Extras (nb-4): 4; Total (for four wkts. in 79 overs): 385.

Fall of wickets: 1-100, 2-133, 3-147, 4-241.

South Zone bowling: Siraj 14-1-96-0, Nidheesh 10-2-39-0, Vijay 22-3-114-1, Milind 13-1-56-2, Shreyas 19-3-77-0, Rasheed 1-0-3-0.

Toss: East.

It was a cruel joke, but after Bangladesh were dismissed for 54 in their warm-up game in Australia, a social media post suggested they were not good enough to play there; even that Australia could win the Darwin Test in a day. Others helpfully dug up similar posts from the past from the likes of Steve Waugh and David Hookes.

Australia’s cricket board too seemed to feel that way. It had cancelled tours by Bangladesh in 2015 (on bogus security grounds), and 2018 (saying, in effect, “We don’t want you here”) and so there was universal joy at their comeuppance when Bangladesh thrashed them casually in Darwin.

Less surprising

What was surprising about the win was that as the match progressed, it began to look less surprising, and progressed to the inevitable. The visitors won every session against a full-strength side whose four main bowlers each had over 300 Test wickets! The greatest upset in cricket? Well, at least since India beat England at the Oval 55 years ago.

David slaying Goliath, a condescending, contemptuous Goliath is the most thrilling of sporting results. When a ninth-ranked team, looked down upon by the top-ranked, shows who’s boss, we are reminded again why we love sport. Bangladesh, who last played there 23 years ago, were playing only their third Test in Australia. They are a cricket-mad country, full of passion and talent (and like their Asian counterparts, full of politics too) and deserve better. India had to wait till their 12th Test for a win.

The victory might not change things overnight — there is a Test in Mackay to come, and despite what happened in Darwin, Australia are no pushovers. Predictably, for countries which believe that only the Ashes mean anything, England are on the threshold of figuring out how they could have won in Australia with old-fashioned cricket unadulterated by Bazball, while Australia are contemplating taking an axe to their team.

Calm and control

Bangladesh had lost by an innings to Zimbabwe a couple of months ago, and were not at full strength in Darwin. Yet, in sport as in life, the race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong. The expression ‘old fashioned’ is used in sport usually in a positive sense. Here, Bangladesh, led well by Nazmul Husain Shanto, played with a calm and control that extended to their celebrations too – nothing over the top, merely a suggestion they knew all along it was coming.

I am not sure the Bangladesh players are getting the credit they deserve. Skipper Shanto said after the match that the entire team deserved the player-of-the-match award, and he isn’t too far wrong. There was Hasan Mahmud’s controlled pace which saw him take six wickets in the first innings, restrict Australia and give birth to hope. Tanzid Hasan’s century and Shanto’s 84 ensured his work didn’t go in vain. And when Mehidy Hasan followed his 65 with a five-for bowling quality off spin, Bangladesh had written themselves into history in four days.

How much will things change? How much have Bangladesh overturned expectations for the foreseeable future? Have they moved from the edge closer to the centre as a team?

They weren’t given a Test in England for 17 years (they play one next year). Even India, who had strongly backed their entry into international cricket, took 16 years to send an invitation. There might be some satisfaction in Bangladesh knowing they have got this far without any serious support from the three top cricketing nations. But that lack of concern by the Big Three is a slap in the face of the governing body and officials who never tire of telling us how much they do to encourage the sport across countries.

The significance of the Darwin victory is that Bangladesh have shown they can sup at the same table with the best — something millions in their country suspected but didn’t know for sure.

The second (and final) Test now becomes crucial to how Bangladesh is perceived afresh. They cannot lose the series now, but they can win it. To play for a draw, however, would be to invite Australia into the tent. How will the ‘new’ Bangladesh handle this new situation?

As Sri Lanka looks to end its decade-long win drought against India in Tests, former Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews said the team has to play a positive brand of cricket to tame the visitors.

“You’ve got all the videos, and there are no secrets in international cricket nowadays. So, it’s about the positive body language and the mindset they need to take into the field. They are coming up against a huge Indian line-up, and it’s never easy to play against them in any condition. It’s a matter of having the right attitude and taking the game on,” Mathews said during an online interaction on Friday, on the eve of the first Test starting in Galle.

In the build-up to the match, there has been a lot of focus on the spin strengths of both sides and how many could feature in the XI. However, the 39-year-old felt that fast bowlers could still play a huge part in the series.

“Spin plays a major role, especially in these conditions. So Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis will be vital. But I wouldn’t rule out the pacers. Guys like Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando will have a bigger role to play, especially with the new ball, and also trying to keep it tight at one end so the spinners can go at the Indian batters. It has to be a collective effort,” he added.

The former Lanka all-rounder reckoned that India might miss Jasprit Bumrah, especially in Galle, where quicks can get reverse swing.

“Bumrah has got the skill to bowl in any condition. And he would have been lethal, especially in Galle with the reverse swing. So, Sri Lanka is quite lucky not to have come up against Bumrah. But Siraj, Jadeja, and Kuldeep have got the skill. So, Sri Lankan batters can’t be complacent. You have got to respect the game and take it in a positive attitude,” said Mathews.

(Watch the Sri Lanka-India Test series live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony LIV from 10 a.m. on August 15).

Gary Kirsten guided India to some of its greatest achievements during his three-year tenure as head coach. The defining moment came in his final assignment, when Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina carried him on their shoulders after India lifted the 2011 Cricket World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Kirsten looks back on those years with fondness, even as he now finds himself in the opposition camp.

As Sri Lanka head coach, he will be plotting India’s downfall when the two-match Test series begins at Galle on Saturday.

“That was a great three years. There was a lot of skill in the team. What I appreciated was that they accepted me into their space and felt I could add value. That was a real privilege,” Kirsten said during a virtual interaction on Thursday.

The South African earned widespread praise for his man-management skills while working with a star-studded Indian side that included Sachin Tendulkar, M.S. Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh.

Kirsten hopes to build similar relationships with the current Sri Lankan squad.

“I’ve treated this Sri Lankan opportunity with the same seriousness that I did the Indian team. I built good relationships with the Indian players, and I’m attempting to do the same with the Sri Lankan players,” he said.

The 58-year-old kept his cards close to his chest when asked about India’s perceived vulnerability against spin. “We would certainly like to bring all the skills into the game, not just spin,” Kirsten said.

The former opening batter also backed India head coach Gautam Gambhir. “His record speaks for itself. I really enjoyed working with him when he was a player. He was a very smart cricketer, and I knew he would have success as a coach,” Kirsten said.

(Watch Sri Lanka vs. India 1st Test Day 1 on August 15, 2026, from 10 a.m. IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony LIV).

When Dindigul Dragons strolled out for the Tamil Nadu Premier League season-opener here on Tuesday, there was uncertainty over how the 2024 title-winner would cope with the absence of two masters of the spin-bowling craft.

R. Ashwin is in the dugout as a mentor and not on the field while Varun Chakaravarthy is yet to recover from a hamstring injury. But in an encouraging sign for its adaptive strategy, the Dindigul side watched debutant leggie Nirankar Sharma dish out a Player-of-the-Match performance of three for 21 against iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans.

Nirankar, who moved from Madhya Pradesh to Tamil Nadu to fuel his cricket dream, tightened the screws in the middle overs with his miserly spell.

“I was just so excited. It was an emotional moment for me because I had waited for it (making his maiden appearance at such a level) for years. I could not have asked for a better debut. The Dragons management, Ashwin bhaiya and Inder (B. Indrajith) anna have been supporting me a lot,” said Nirankar, the lone DD spinner in action on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old is enjoying the time of his professional life while learning the tricks of the trade from Ashwin. “I had dreamt of working with him. He has been superb with his mentorship. He is expecting a lot from me. Hopefully, I fulfil his expectations. I cannot ask for anything better with what is going on in my life,” he added.

After making a good first impression, Nirankar should strive for consistency.

Ayush Badoni has had five seasons with Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League. Over the past 12 months, he has also featured regularly for India-A across formats. The opportunities are a reflection of his potential as a hard-hitting middle-order batter and a part-time off-spinner, but it hasn’t yet translated into match-defining performances.

The 26-year-old from Delhi admits he was subpar in the most recent IPL. Despite getting to bat higher up the order, his returns were a meagre 215 runs in 10 matches at an average of 21.5. It was followed by three outings for India-A in a 50-over tri-series involving Sri Lanka-A and Afghanistan-A in June, where his scores read 24, 0 and 15.

“Definitely, I feel I can perform better. The best is yet to come,” Badoni, who will lead South Delhi Superstarz in the third edition of the Delhi Premier League from Friday, told reporters at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.

Badoni’s floundering form during IPL 2026 was compounded by LSG’s wooden-spoon finish. “It is challenging to be consistent as a player when the team is losing matches. The motivation goes down. Next year, we will hope to make amends,” he said.

Badoni remains determined to turn things around, for he knows that the national selectors are taking note of his contributions. “Playing for India-A gives you exposure and boosts your confidence. The selectors have told me to focus on my consistency as much as possible and to keep working on my bowling,” informed Badoni.

After a crucial victory against Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters in the Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Tuesday, Hubli Tigers’ captain Vrinda Dinesh credited her side’s batting prowess as it rose to the top of the table with one match remaining.

After a 17-run victory against Mysore Warriors at the start of the tournament, the Tigers lost two consecutive matches to the Gulbarga Mystics and Blasters.

However, Vrinda & Co. turned their season around by winning the reverse fixtures against the Warriors and Blasters back-to-back.

“It was just about timing. We just had to click early on and the [twin victories] turned the momentum for us,” Vrinda told The Hindu as she alluded to the team’s patience in coming back strong after two losses.

The right-handed batter, alongside Niki Prasad and C. Prathyoosha, has been pivotal in Tigers’ recent victories. The 25-year-old has accumulated 170 runs at a tournament-leading strike rate of 170.

“As a team, we believe batting is our strength, and our bowling can defend any target,” the skipper stated. “In batting, we believe it’s Prathyoosha, me or Niki. If one of us is there throughout the 20 overs, the team will sail through.”

Vrinda also commended the role of the Tigers’ support staff in helping her improve as a leader.

“There’s something to learn in every game. There have been certain moments where they’ve told me, ‘you could’ve done something differently’ or something was really well done. These insights have helped me get better.”

With the Tigers now in a good position to qualify for Sunday’s final, Vrinda is focused on staying composed rather than looking too far ahead.

“Everybody in the team knows their roles, and it’s just about showing up on that particular day,” she signed off.