Sanjana Ganesan delivers Sunil Gavaskar and Cheteshwar Pujara's plea to Jasprit Bumrah: 'Please play all five'
When a cricketing legend needs persuasion, who better than his wife to deliver it? Sanjana Ganesan's playful message to Jasprit Bumrah has gone viral during India's Test series in England, reminding fans both of her role as his biggest supporter and her own impressive career off the pitch.
After all, behind every great bowler is a great support system, and in Jasprit Bumrah's case, that system is his wife, Sanjana Ganesan. A Symbiosis Institute gold-medalist and former software engineer, Sanjana spun towards the media after shining as a Miss India finalist.
Today, she is one of India's most recognizable sports presenters, anchoring events from the ICC World Cup to the IPL. Recently, fans caught a glimpse of her playful side during a viral pre-Test chat in Leeds, where she 'delivered a message' from cricketing greats urging Bumrah to play all five Tests—a conversation he diplomatically postponed.
Leeds laughter goes viral: 'Don't shoot the messenger'
On Day 4 of the India vs. England Test at Headingley, Sony Sports released a clip of Sanjana Ganesan teasing Bumrah's on-field workload. In the video clip shared on X (formerly Twitter), Ganesan conveyed an earnest request from veteran teammates Cheteshwar Pujara and Sunil Gavaskar.
'There is a request from upstairs, from Pujara and Gavaskar. Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just telling you: 'Jasprit, please play all five (Tests), please, please, please!'' she said, adopting a mock-serious tone.
However, the only reply she got in return was a quick, 'That's a conversation for another day.' His response fit the moment perfectly: gracious yet noncommittal, leaving fans to wonder whether he will feature in the full series.
From code to cricket commentary: Who is Sanjana Ganesan?
While Bumrah commands the pitch, Sanjana Ganesan has carved her own niche in Indian sports broadcasting. Born in Pune on May 6, 1991, Sanjana is a B.Tech gold medalist from Symbiosis Institute of Technology, as per First Post.
She began her career as a software engineer but soon shifted to the media world. After reaching the finals of Femina Miss India 2013 and competing on MTV's Splitsvilla, she landed at Star Sports in 2014.
Ganesan's lively presence soon made her a fixture on major cricket broadcasts: she hosted the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup and the ICC T20 World Cup.
How did Jasprit Bumrah meet Sanjana Ganesan? A love story bowled over by chance
Their paths first crossed during the 2013-14 IPL season when Sanjana interviewed the rookie pacer. Although their initial impressions of each other were less than favorable, they later reconnected during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, as reported by the mentioned publication.
After two years of dating, they married privately on March 15, 2021, in Goa. The ceremony was kept under wraps until Sanjana shared images on her Instagram post-wedding. The couple welcomed their first child, a son named Angad Jasprit Bumrah, on September 4, 2023.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
17 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
KL Rahul takes captaincy from Shubman Gill, India get two quick wickets: 'He has done all signals; change evident'
Just before Day 5 began with England set to resume their pursuit of 371 at 21 for no loss, the Indian cricketers got into a huddle, as most teams would do before the start of a session. What happened inside that huddle was the interesting bit. KL Rahul, one of India's most experienced cricketers in the XI now, was doing all the talking instead of captain Shubman Gill or vice-captain Rishabh Pant. It didn't bring any immediate result as Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley thwarted India's bowlers for more than a session but Rahul once again got into the act, this time in a more decisive role in the second session. India's KL Rahul reacts(Action Images via Reuters) As play began after a rain break in the second session, KL Rahul took over Shubman Gill's captaincy duties and started marshalling the troops. Suddenly, the Indian camp had a different energy. Prasidh Krishna, bowling from the end which is generally reserved for Bumrah, pitched one up against his nature and found some movement and also the outside edge of a well-settled Zak Crawley's bat. And guess who was in the slips to complete the formalities? KL Rahul, who else? India has dropped a few in this Test, but Rahul was not letting this opportunity to finally break a mammoth opening partnership go begging. The 188-run partnership was broken as India got their first breakthrough in the second innings. India vs England Live Score India's hopes of clawing their way back into the contest got another shot in the arm when Krishna, in the next over, got one to jag back in from a good length and find the gap between Ollie Pope's bat and pad. It rattled the stumps of the first-innings centurion. Rahul immediately called for a huddle and did all the talking, much like he had taken charge of the field placements for a brief period. "If you look at the field now and ask who is captaining, it will be KL Rahul. He has done all the hand signals, all the field settings. The change is evident," said former England captain Nasser Hussain in commentary. Rahul has more captaincy at the highest level than both Gill and Rishabh Pant. He has led India in all formats and is also the team's most experienced member after all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. KL Rahul's message to Shubman Gill Before the start of the Anderson-Tendulkar, Rahul had said that he would always be around Gill to help him out in the field. 'I reached out to Shubman the minute the team was announced, and when he was announced (as) the captain. (I told him) You will always find me around, any help, any guidance, if you need someone to share something with or talk to, I'm always there. But I believe you need to give people their space to really follow their gut instinct. If they need help, I'm always there,' Rahul told Sony Sports Network. On Day 5 of the first Test in Headingley, Rahul, who scored a sparkling century in India's second innings, walked the talk.
Hindustan Times
18 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Amanjot Kaur's chance to showcase all-round skills vs England
Chandigarh: It will be unfamiliar territory for all-rounder Amanjot Kaur as she turns up to play for the first time in England as India play a five-match T20I and three-match ODI series starting on June 28 in the first T20I game at Trent Bridge. Amanjot Kaur would be hoping to capitalise during the series against England with the ICC Women's World Cup just months away. (BCCI) A 24-year-old medium-pace bowler and a handy lower-order batter from Punjab, Kaur would be hoping to get used to the conditions and take to the field against formidable hosts England. Kaur, who missed the entire 2024 domestic season and also the chance of making it to the India T20 World Cup team due to injuries, would know the value of the series against England with the ICC Women's World Cup just months away. With Pooja Vastrakar, Kashvee Gautam and Renuka Thakur injured, it gives Kaur the opportunity to show her mettle in both bowling and batting departments. Known for her T20 all-round skills, Kaur turned heads with her performance for eventual champions' Mumbai Indians in the recent Women's T20 Premier League (WPL) with her bowling, sharp fielding and big-hitting abilities. 'She was really disturbed to miss out on the T20 World Cup and the domestic season due to her back and hand injuries in 2024. She felt that all the hard work she did to play for India went to waste, losing out on these chances. But then she worked on her rehab in Bangalore and saw other Indian male cricketers there to regain fitness. She understood the process and patiently worked on getting things right. And then she gave it her all in the WPL playing for MI,' said her Zirakpur-based coach Nagesh Gupta. She made her comeback in the One-Day Challenger Trophy in January. In her first match, she scored a 38 off 24 balls. In the next match, she returned 3/40 from nine overs. Although both these contributions came in a losing cause, Kaur had made a statement. The WPL performances that followed also earned her a place in the India team for the Tri-Nation Series involving hosts Sri Lanka, South Africa and India. 'This selection showed that the selectors had faith in her one-day cricket skills as well. I feel she is a great three-dimensional cricketer with fabulous bowling, fielding and batting skills. The Indian team needs such all-rounders. And with the ODI World Cup around the corner, Kaur makes a strong case for selection. But she now needs to stand up and take responsibility against England in both the T20I and ODI series. She swings the ball well and should do well in England,' said her coach Gupta. Gupta also observed that Kaur has also improved on her bowling speed and variations. Once bowling 106-108kph, she is now consistently touching 113-115kph. After the England tour, India will take on Australia in a three-match ODI series in September before the World Cup begins. Kaur was once the Chandigarh captain but shifted to Punjab in 2023 in search of better opportunities. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur had motivated her to make that switch. In the same year, she made her T20I debut in which she was named player of the match. Kaur has received the same backing from Harmanpreet even at MI. 'Every captain backs team mates. That's what Harmanpreet does. Kaur just needs to prove more in the batting department and come across as a successful all-rounder. She is now fitter and mature so should be able to capitalise on her chances and deliver the goods,' added Gupta.
Hans India
18 minutes ago
- Hans India
1st Test: Rain halts England's charge as Duckett century, missed chance hurt India
Leeds: Rain halted England's spirited pursuit of 371 on Day 5 of the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Headingley, with the hosts well poised at 181 for no loss in 40.5 overs, after a sublime unbeaten century by Ben Duckett (105) and a composed 59 not out by Zak Crawley. With conditions heavily overcast throughout the day, the rain was always going to play a part, and just when India desperately needed a breakthrough, the drizzle returned, bringing out the covers and a sense of relief for the visitors. The weather had threatened to intervene all day, but brief spells of play allowed Duckett and Crawley to completely dominate an Indian bowling attack that struggled to extract movement in seamer-friendly conditions. According to Accuweather, rain remains a big factor with a 50% chance around 8 PM and hovering around 37% until 10 PM, threatening to rob England of a historic chase — and possibly saving India from an impending defeat. India's frustrations were compounded when Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped a crucial chance at deep square leg to dismiss Duckett on 98. It was a difficult effort, diving forward full stretch, but one that could've turned the game. Duckett, who had been clinical with his strokes and daring with his reverse sweeps, made India pay by reaching his sixth Test ton, his second against India, with a brilliant boundary, becoming only the fourth player to score a century in the fourth innings of a Test at Headingley. As rain interrupted play, England had 190 more runs to get with all ten wickets in hand. The Test hangs in the balance, but with the skies darkening, it may now be the rain god that decides the outcome of this see-saw battle. Brief scores: India 471 and 364 lead England 465 and 181/0 in 40.5 overs (Zak Crawley 59 not out, Ben Duckett 105 not out) by 190 runs.
