India’s Sanju Samson (ANI Photo)

Former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid, recently honoured with the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award at the BCCI’s annual awards function, expressed his gratitude for the recognition and reflected on the opportunities he has had throughout his cricketing journey. Speaking to Star Sports, Dravid said, “I’m very grateful for receiving the award. Very grateful for the many opportunities that I’ve received in my life and the opportunities that I’ve got,”.Dravid recalled his career with humility, noting, “I was lucky to have played with some of the greatest cricketers and been lucky to have travelled the world playing for my country. I’ve been lucky to be involved in the game after I retired as well and very humbled by the opportunities the game has given me.”

The former skipper also praised Sanju Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament for his match-winning performances in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. “It was really nice to see Sanju be able to sort of get it all together in those final three games — very important games for India,” Dravid said.He highlighted Samson’s perseverance, saying, “For a long time, Sanju has been in and out of the team. He has performed well, he also has had some tough times. It was just really good to see someone like him who’s worked pretty hard.”Dravid added, “It’s really nice to see when it all comes together and the success that he did at such a critical and important phase for Indian cricket.”Samson’s tournament was nothing short of extraordinary. Playing just five matches after being drafted into the side following India’s loss to South Africa, the 31-year-old scored 321 runs, producing three consecutive half-centuries at key stages. He smashed an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies in the virtual quarter-final, followed by scores of 89 in both the semi-final against England and the final against New Zealand.The wicketkeeper-batter set multiple records, hitting 24 sixes — the most in a single T20 World Cup edition — and registering 89 in the final, the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final, surpassing Marlon Samuels’ 85* in 2016 and Kane Williamson’s 85 in 2021. His 321-run tally also became the highest by an Indian in a single T20 World Cup, overtaking Virat Kohli’s 319 runs in 2014.

NEW DELHI: Jitesh Sharma admits that being left out of India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squad was disappointing, but that setback soon felt insignificant compared to the personal loss he suffered shortly after. The wicketkeeper-batter lost his father, Mohan Sharma, on February 1 after a brief illness, a moment that changed his perspective on everything.“When I got the news of my non-selection, I was a little bit disheartened. I am also a human. I can feel sad and bad. But later on, as time went by, the sad time becomes short,” Jitesh told PTI during an exclusive interview.

The disappointment of missing the global tournament soon gave way to a far deeper emotional challenge.“But later on, my dad got ill. And he passed away on 1st of Feb. So, I was with him for seven days. Afterward, I got to know that my dad needed me more than the World Cup. After that, I didn’t have any sad feeling, any regret or anything for anyone or for myself also. I am not angry or anything,” he said, with the sadness evident in his voice.“I was grateful that God gave me the opportunity to stay with my dad for seven days. So, I was able to take care of him. And I enjoyed watching the World Cup on TV at home. It’s a very different feeling. It gives you lots of pressure rather than playing. And I was very happy for the boys.”With his father gone, the responsibility of being the eldest son has become a defining part of his life.“I can’t forget that thing and I don’t want to forget that thing because he is not there anymore. When you lose your dad, after a few days you get to know that you are now responsible for taking decisions in your family as the elder son.“And that’s it – to take care of your mother, brother and family. So, I’m someone who can’t show my feelings to them and can’t be weak in front of them because they are looking at me while playing cricket also. And I have to accept it,” Jitesh said while reflecting on how life sometimes delivers its toughest challenges.Grief, he admits, does not arrive all at once but settles in gradually, leaving behind a permanent void.“It hits after some time. I’m not coping with anything. I’m just accepting that my dad is not there anymore. There is a portion of my heart that is empty now. It will be empty till my death because of my dad.”Cricket, however, has also taught him resilience, helping him move forward despite the pain.“And I have learned to carry myself with that sorrow and that hollowness during practice. Because no matter how much I want, I can’t forget that thing. Because it’s your father, right? He is my hero for my life.”“If he was alive today, he would have told me to go and practice. Don’t worry about me. So I always bring this thing to my mind that if I’m in sorrow or pain, what he would have told me? I think he would have suggested me to go and play the game. And I’m very proud of it.”Jitesh also drew parallels with his India teammate Rinku Singh, saying he understands the emotional strength required to return to the field after personal setbacks.“That’s the same thing Rinku must have felt. That’s why he was able to come on the ground again. And it’s a very big thing.”‘Why can’t three keepers play together?’On the cricketing front, Jitesh remains pragmatic about team combinations. With wicketkeeper-batters like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan also in contention, he said he would be happy to adapt to any role if it helps the team.“I think of it from a different perspective. I take it from a different perspective — that by doing my own work, why not two keepers be in the playing XI and the third play as a finisher? Exactly, that can also happen. Why not?”Learning from Virat KohliJitesh also spoke about the inspiration he draws from watching Virat Kohli up close at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, admitting that matching the former India captain’s intensity is not easy.“Just observing small things, you can learn a lot. And it can be a life-turning decision or life-turning observation. Because the way he prepares, starts his day, not just practice, I think it’s very impressive. Still, I’m 32 and I can’t match his energy.”

Yash Dhull (Image credit: Instagram)

NEW DELHI: Life felt incredibly difficult and frustrating for Yash Dhull as he spent months confined to the four corners of a room. The 2022 Under-19 World Cup-winning captain was bedridden after undergoing heart surgery, slowly recovering while battling the constant urge to return to the middle and resume playing cricket.Dhull was diagnosed with a hole in his heart after his family urged him to consult a doctor. He had been experiencing symptoms for some time — shortness of breath, constant fatigue, lack of energy and sudden weight loss. As the symptoms worsened, medical tests confirmed the condition, forcing the young cricketer to step away from the game and focus on treatment and recovery.

“Many times it happened that after playing a full match, like a national match, I would feel extremely tired and it felt like my fitness was gradually going down. Later, when I was in a camp, the issue was detected there. I got tests done again and that’s when we found out exactly what it was. Even the doctors were a little surprised — they asked how I was still playing. I hadn’t realised it earlier, but once it was detected, it meant there was an option to fix it,” Yash Dhull told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.“At that time the timeline wasn’t clear because there was no option except surgery. My mindset was clear, and my family also believed that getting it done at the right time was the better option because the problem could have become bigger later. For me, health is everything. My thinking was simple — if I become fit, everything else will slowly come back. It takes time, but things gradually fall into place. When you are not mentally or physically fit and have issues, you cannot move forward properly. So my focus was to finish this issue first and then see how things move ahead,” he said.After the heart surgery, Dhull was bedridden for several days. As per the doctors’ advice, he was told not to travel or play cricket for a while.But the determined youngster had just one question for the doctors — and he asked it almost every day: “Main kab se cricket khel sakta hoon?” (When can I start playing cricket again?)

“That time was tough. I was itching to get back in the middle. When I started running again, it just wasn’t happening. Even completing one round was very difficult. Slowly, things began to improve. I even tried to play in the DPL in the first year, but it wasn’t possible because my heart rate and BP were going very high. It was very risky as my BP could suddenly shoot up, so I had to back off. Then I started preparing for the season and praying for recovery. Things improve gradually. If you rush them, they don’t work. When you take it step by step, it takes time, but eventually things come back,” Yash Dhull, who led India to the 2022 Under-19 World Cup title after beating England in the final, said.DHULL’S NEXT TARGET: SENIOR WORLD CUPDhull is among the few captains who have led India to the Under-19 World Cup title.India have won the Under-19 ODI World Cup a record six times — in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022 and 2026. The title-winning captains include Mohammad Kaif (2000), Virat Kohli (2008), Unmukt Chand (2012), Prithvi Shaw (2018), Dhull (2022) and Ayush Mhatre (2026).

For Dhull, however, the Under-19 World Cup is not just a memory. His next target is clear — representing India at the senior World Cup.“I talk to players like Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma and Axar Patel. I’m very close to them and you learn a lot just by being around them. You observe what they do and how they go about their work, and that helps a lot. They’ve always told me to prepare in such a way that when an opportunity comes, you don’t miss it,” he said.Due to health issues and the surgery, Dhull — who played for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League from 2022 to 2024 — went unsold at the IPL 2026 auction.“Yes, you do feel a little disappointed, but at the same time you cannot get stuck in that feeling. You have to get back to your work. If you stay stuck on one thing, you won’t be able to focus on the opportunities ahead. Right now, I’m waiting to see what opportunities come my way. Whatever comes, I’m preparing for it and I’m ready. Anything can happen in life at any time — things can change anytime — so I’m preparing for that,” Dhull said.“The dream is to play a senior World Cup. I am confident that I will play one day. Every cricketer dreams of representing India at a World Cup,” he said.

NEW DELHI: When Sanju Samson walked out to open midway through the tournament, few could have predicted that he would end up scripting one of the most remarkable turnarounds in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history. But for India spin legend Anil Kumble, Samson’s performances in the knockout stages reflected a rare blend of two of India’s greatest modern batters — Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!After spending the first half of the tournament on the bench, Samson was drafted into the XI as an opener ahead of the decisive Super 8 clash against the West Indies. The Kerala batter responded with an unbeaten 97 in what was effectively a virtual knockout in Kolkata, before producing back-to-back 89s in the semi-final and the final to power India’s title-winning run.

The explosive streak saw Samson break several records, including the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final. He also joined Kohli as the only Indians to score fifties in both the semi-final and final of the same World Cup edition, while finishing with a staggering 321 runs in just five innings — the most by an Indian in a single edition of the tournament.For Kumble, the numbers told only part of the story.“If you look at the previous World Cup in 2024, it had Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both are great players, very difficult to replace them,” Kumble said on ESPNcricinfo. “I think Samson is a combination of Kohli and Rohit, in a sense.”ALSO READ: ‘Stop celebrating milestones’: Gambhir’s strong message after India’s T20 WC triumphKumble explained that Samson displayed Kohli’s calculated control when the situation demanded patience, while also unleashing Rohit-like aggression when the momentum needed to shift.“When it required a little bit of Kohli, where you just plan and ensure that you don’t lose wickets,” he said. “And then whenever you need to accelerate in the powerplay, you want to take on the bowlers — like Rohit.”Even while anchoring the innings, Samson did not compromise on his natural flair. As India became the first team to smash 100 sixes in a single World Cup edition, Samson accounted for 24 of them — the most by any batter in the tournament.

India’s players celebrate after winning the T20 World Cup (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Virat Kohli hailed India national cricket team after their dominant triumph in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final, praising the side’s fearless cricket and resilience throughout the tournament.Kohli took to social media after the title clash to congratulate the team following their emphatic 96 run victory over New Zealand national cricket team in the summit clash at Narendra Modi Stadium.

Virat Kohli post

“Champions Phenomenal win for Team India in Ahmedabad. Absolutely no match for the explosive cricket played by us throughout the tournament. Brilliant character shown by the boys to keep fighting in tough situations and become world champions once again. Congratulations to all the players and all the members of the management for achieving this feat. Jai Hind,” Kohli wrote.India produced a batting spectacle to overwhelm New Zealand and successfully defend their T20 World Cup crown. The defending champions piled up a massive 255 for five after being invited to bat, the highest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final.Sanju Samson led the charge with a blistering 89, while Abhishek Sharma smashed 52 and Ishan Kishan struck a rapid 54 as India’s top order unleashed a relentless six hitting spree. Samson and Abhishek set the tone early with a breathtaking 98 run opening partnership that came in just 7.1 overs.India crossed the 200 run mark in only 15 overs as the Kiwi attack struggled to contain the onslaught. New Zealand briefly pulled things back when James Neesham dismissed Samson, Kishan and captain Suryakumar Yadav in the same over.However, Shivam Dube provided a strong finish with an unbeaten 26, smashing 24 runs in the final over to push India to the record total.Chasing 256, New Zealand faltered under the scoreboard pressure. Their hopes faded quickly after early wickets of Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips.Jasprit Bumrah led India’s bowling effort with a brilliant spell of 4 for 15, while Axar Patel picked up three wickets to dismantle the Kiwi batting line up.Though Tim Seifert fought with a 26 ball 52, New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 159 in 19 overs as India sealed a memorable victory and etched their name in history by becoming the first team to defend the T20 World Cup title.