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The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
As Gill matures into India's Test captain, Ghavri has a word of caution
Lakhwinder Singh moved mountains to make his son a cricketer, but former India fast bowler Karsan Ghavri, too, played a significant role in shaping Shubman Gill's career. More than a decade ago, Ghavri was overseeing the BCCI pace bowlers' academy in Mohali. During a U-19 camp, he struggled to find young batters. Initially, they conducted drill sessions in an indoor facility, but after a week, Ghavri realised there were no batters available to face the pacers. He requested the Punjab Cricket Association for U-16, U-19, or U-23 batters to help. Gill was consumed by his love for the sport. When not training at the academy in Mohali, he would play tennis-ball cricket. 'Around this time, I remember it was raining one day and there was leakage in the indoor facility, so we had to stop our practice sessions. Assistant coach Yoginder Puri and I walked across the road to this huge ground, which hosts PCA's district games, and saw some kids playing in the rain. One young boy caught my attention because of his batting style, and that kid was Shubman,' Ghavri said. Moments later, Ghavri walked up to a gentleman, Lakhwinder Singh, sitting outside the boundary. 'I asked him whether he knew about this boy who was batting so well. To my surprise, he replied, ' Woh mera beta hai (he is my son).' I told him not to allow Shubman to play tennis-ball cricket and insisted on bringing him on board for our camp,' Ghavri recollected. Also read | Captaincy debut away from home — For India's new Test skipper, Shubman-Gill, England tour is baptism by fire 'Shubman was just 11 or 12, and I wanted him to face our U-19 fast bowlers. He came to our camp the next day, and over the next few days, he gelled so well with our group that he started training with our boys. Every day, he would bat for an hour. During the camp, the U-19 bowlers were given a fresh, new ball every day, and he faced some of the promising young bowlers, including Sandeep Sharma and Baltej Singh. He played them really well,' Ghavri said. Ghavri asked Sushil Kapoor, the academy's administrative manager at the time, to place Gill in the U-14 squad for Punjab. Gill's impressive performances there led to his inclusion in Punjab's age-group teams. It was largely because of Ghavri's efforts that PCA roped in Gill in its age-group teams and provided him with all the support en-route to his journey of becoming India's 37th Test captain. Back then, Ghavri, did not imagine that the young batter would eventually become India's Test captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma. But the former cricketer was certain about the young gun's incredible talent. So much so, that he was convinced Gill would emerge as the 'next superstar of Indian cricket if he remained grounded'. On Saturday, as the national selectors handed the big responsibility to Gill, Ghavri was happy, but also had a word of caution for the new captain. 'Leading a team in the Indian Premier League and captaining India are two different things. Being the captain of a very young team, the pressure will always be more on Shubman. But he should take this as an opportunity and prove himself as proper Test cricketer,' Ghavri told Sportstar. Despite the likes of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul in its ranks, the batting unit is largely inexperienced. | Photo Credit: RAGU R/ The Hindu With Virat Kohli and Rohit moving on from Test cricket, Gill will have to fill the void, and that, by no means, will be easy. Though he has enjoyed success in Tests at home, an average of 25 in 28 innings in overseas Tests, does not quite speak highly. In fact, Gill could just score 88 runs in six innings in England, whereas his only century outside India came in Bangladesh in December 2022. So, there are obvious concerns. Ghavri believes that the selectors should have ideally picked Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara to add solidity to the batting unit. 'They (Rahane and Pujara) would have been effective because of their experience. Now, one has to see who has the temperament for Test cricket. The bowling unit is quite formidable, and maybe, we will be able to claim 20 wickets, but for that, we also need to put up at least 400 odd runs. Now, the question remains, who's going to do it?' Ghavri wondered. 'Shubman has the temperament, but it needs to be seen whether he can hang in there and score those runs. Most of these guys are very comfortable in T20 cricket, so it is not easy to switch formats. In such a crucial tour, Shubman, KL Rahul, (Yashasvi) Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan need to step up and steady the batting order.' Having featured in 39 Test matches and claiming 109 wickets, Ghavri understands the challenges a touring team faces in England. Keeping that in mind, he expects Gill to not crumble under pressure and keep calm. 'It is a huge pressure and there's no denying it,' Ghavri said. 'But when he takes the field, he has to be a good leader - which he is - and bring the best out of the players. Apart from this, keeping everyone together will be the key.' Also read | India squad for England Test series 2025 'When Virat and Rohit were around, the youngsters had huge respect for them because both of them were legends. But in this team, nobody is a legend right now, and this tour of England will be a test of their character, and it will be interesting to see how they conduct themselves in tricky situation.' Despite the likes of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul in its ranks, the batting unit is largely inexperienced and in English conditions, it would certainly not be easy to bat out for long. 'Gill ko lamba khelna hoga (Gill has to play long) and he will have to ensure that others score as well. It's a huge challenge. We have all seen him as a batter, and are aware of his capability, but his real test is now,' Ghavri added. But having seen Gill since his formative years, the former cricketer is hopeful that he would make the most of the opportunity. 'He has worked really hard to come so far, and now that there's a big chance, I'm sure he will give his best effort.'
India Gazette
22-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
"A special day as three Punjab cricketers named in India's U-19": Harbhajan Singh
New Delhi [India] May 22 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer and the Chief Cricketing Advisor of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), Harbhajan Singh on Thursday highlighted the significance of the PCA in developing young cricketers from Punjab. In a self-made video, Singh congratulated three Punjab cricketers - Vihaan, Rahul, and Anmoljeet, who have been named in India's Under-19 team, and expressed his pride and happiness, stating that it's a special day for Punjab cricket. Singh also praised the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) for its efforts in nurturing young talent and contributing to the Indian team. 'It is really a special day as three Punjab cricketers have been named in India's U-19 team. Vihaan, Rahul and Anmoljeet are really good players. I hope they play well and contribute to India's success. I congratulate them, their coaches and family. Punjab Cricket has been working in Punjab, BCCI and India's favour and will continue to do so. The youngsters from Punjab are contributing a lot in the Indian team, and all the credit goes to the PCA. I feel proud to be one of them and give them whatever I can offer. I hope this trend continues,' Harbhajan Singh stated in the video. Earlier in the day, BCCI's Junior Cricket Selection Committee announced the Indian U19 squad for their upcoming tour of England, which is scheduled to take place from June 24 to July 23. The month-long tour will include a 50-over warm-up match, a five-match Youth One-Day series, and two Multi-Day matches against England U19, according to a media advisory from BCCI. Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) opening batter Ayush Mhatre will lead the squad. Mhatre has impressed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, scoring 206 runs in six games at a remarkable strike rate of 187.27. He narrowly missed out on a well-deserved century, getting dismissed for 94 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The 14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is also in the squad. The youngster made headlines this season when he smashed a 38-ball 101 against Gujarat Titans (GT) for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Jaipur, becoming the youngest ever centurion in men's T20 cricket. His century, which came in just 35 balls, is now the second-fastest in IPL history. He finished the season with 252 runs in seven matches, averaging 36.00 with a phenomenal strike rate of 206.56, including one century and a half-century. Abhigyan Kundu, who will also serve as the wicketkeeper, has been named vice-captain of the side. Another wicketkeeping option in the squad is Harvansh Singh. The team also features other talented players such as Vihaan Malhotra, Maulyarajsinh Chavda, Rahul Kumar, R S Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Yudhajit Guha, Pranav Raghavendra, Mohammed Enaan, Aditya Rana, and Anmoljeet Singh. The standby players for the tour are Naman Pushpak, D Deepesh, Vedant Trivedi, Vikalp Tiwari, and Alankrith Rapole, who is a wicketkeeper. India will begin their tour with a 50-over warm-up match on June 24 at Loughborough University. The first One-Day match will be held on June 27 at Hove, followed by the second and third matches on June 30 and July 2 at Northampton. The fourth and fifth One-Dayers are scheduled for July 5 and 7 in Worcester. Following the white-ball series, the team will play two multi-day matches. The first will take place from July 12 to 15 in Beckenham, and the second will be held from July 20 to 23 in Chelmsford. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
2016 murder case: Jaitu court issues 2nd non-bailable warrant against Punjab cricket body chief
A sub-divisional court in Faridkot's Jaitu on Wednesday issued a fresh non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) president Amarjeet Mehta in a nine-year-old murder case, as the summon orders were returned unexecuted once again. Sub-divisional judicial magistrate Shaminder Pal Singh asked Mehta, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and a businessman from Bathinda, to appear before the court on May 27. In the last hearing held on May 3, the court had first issued an NBW stating that Mehta was deliberately not appearing in the court causing a delay in starting the trial. Six individuals, including Mehta and four cops, are accused of the murder of Ajmer Singh in 2016. The case It was alleged that Mehta and his associate Dharampal Singh Goel, who were also involved in the liquor business, had been pressuring liquor contractors in Faridkot to sell their shares to them or divert their liquor quotas in 2016. In his complaint, Ranjit alleged that he and his brother Ajmer, both kabaddi players, were employees of a liquor contractor. He alleged that his brother was chased by Mehta, Goel and police officials, including then sub-inspector Lachman Singh, then constables Parminder Singh, Dharminder Singh and Kabal Singh, before being shot dead on May 25, 2016. The FIR filed on May 26, 2016, by then Jaitu SHO Lachman Singh stated that two armed men opened fire at the police team and in self-defence Ajmer was killed. Initially, Ajmer was portrayed as a notorious gangster and a member of the Davinder Bambiha gang. However, in the summons issued to the accused on February 20 this year, the sub-divisional judicial magistrate referred to discrepancies in the police theory. A judicial probe was initiated and a murder case was filed on June 7, 2021. A special investigation team (SIT) concluded that the police acted in self-defence and recommended filing a cancellation report. However, Ajmer's mother contested this, and the then magistrate rejected the cancellation report on July 30, 2024. Magistrate Shaminder Pal questioned the police's version, including that Ajmer was a gang member, stating that the police had not given any supporting evidence. The order mentions that the police tortured Ajmer's brother, Ranjit, and filed false charges against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Excise Act to pressure him. Ranjit was acquitted in both cases.
Hindustan Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Ropar cricketer shows off his batting prowess in PCA U-16 meet
An upgrade in fitness has led 15-year-old cricketer Prabsimar Singh from Ropar to hog the limelight through his batting prowess in the recently concluded Punjab Cricket Association inter-district four-day cricket tournament by emerging as the highest scorer in the competition. He scored 850 runs in as many as eight matches. Even though Ropar could not lift the winners' trophy and finished as runners-up, opener Prabsimar hit twin centuries in the final to attract the eyeballs. A knock of 124 in the first innings in the final against Mohali and 184 in the second innings was not only a testament to his talent but also how his fitness changed his fortunes on the field. While he could not fetch a place in the Punjab U-16 team last season due to non-performance in the inter-district tournament, Prabsimar is a front-runner to bag a place in the state team this time. It was a few months ago when the cricketer, who hails from village Sialba Majri, decided to upscale his fitness to prepare for the current season. 'I was dejected after I could not do well in the U-16 inter-district tournament last season and obviously was not able to get into the Punjab U-16 team. So, I decided to work hard on fitness. Endurance building and speed work helped me score big innings and endure the heat,' said the cricketer who looks up to Indian cricketers Shubman Gill and Yuvraj Singh. He trained under fitness trainer Raj Yadav and he does skill training under coach Narinder Rathore at the Chakwal School Cricket Academy in Kurali. His performance has garnered praise from his district association, which has also selected him in the Ropar U-19 team for the ongoing Punjab U-19 inter-district cricket tournament. 'I want to make the most of the chances I get and get into the Punjab U-16 state team for the Vijay Merchant U-16 Trophy. Representing one's state is a big deal for me,' felt Prabsimar.
NDTV
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Yuvraj Singh Locked Abhishek Sharma To Stop 'Parties, Girlfriend', Says Yograj. Shubman Gill Was...
Legendary India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has played a crucial role in Abhishek Sharma 's rise to riches. Abhishek recently earned his maiden Central Contract as he was placed under Grade C by the BCCI in its 2024-25 annual player retainership. However, Abhishek's journey to the top hasn't been an easy one, ask Yuvraj Singh, who took him under his wings when he was a teenager. The 24-year-old has never missed an opportunity to mention Yuvraj's name for shaping his career. Yuvraj's father, Yograj Singh, has revealed his son first discovered Abhishek's talent during various age-group tournaments organised by the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA). When Yuvraj asked PCA for Abhishek's stats, they had listed him as a bowler. "When we asked about a list of Abhishek Sharma's performances from the PCA and the coaches. Do you know what they said? Sir, he is a bowler. He bowls. Yuvi said, 'You just look at his performance records.' So, when we saw the record, Abhishek already had 24 hundreds. Yuvi said, 'Why are you giving wrong information? Why? This man has made 24 centuries'. This was six or seven years ago," Yograj told News 18 Punjabi. "And when Yuvi sent that record to me, he said, 'Papa, look at this player.' I said, look, this is all about sharing the information. This is the problem: some people want to finish the player out of jealousy instead of making their own career," he added. Yograj also recalled how Abhishek's father was struggling to control his flamboyant lifestyle, only for Yuvraj to intervene. The rest as they say is history. Yuvraj stopped Abhishek from attending late-night parties and meeting girlfriends at odd hours. "Late night parties... girlfriend. What happened then? Yuvraj said, 'Lock him. ' He came under Yuvraj Singh's wings as his father couldn't handle him. Yuvi shouted, 'Where are you?'. I heard him shout. 'It's 9 pm, go to bed. Do you understand me? I am coming.' He then handed over the phone and went to bed. Yuvi then told his father to wake him up at 5 am," Yograj revealed. Yograj added Yuvraj also handled Shubman Gill 's situation the same way. "This is exactly what happened with Shubman Gill. But then what happened? When the diamond lands into the hands of another diamond, what becomes of it? It turns into Kohinoor, and that's what happened with Abhishek Sharma. If this diamond had gone into the wrong hands of a spade, it would have broken and scattered. Many players in India broke and scattered," he pointed out.
