Jajoo slams ton as Bharat Rangers record easy win

By Paritosh Pramanik

BHARAT Rangers made mockery of the humongous 236 runs target put up by Orange Tigers as they cantered home to a six-wicket win in their opening match of Vidarbha Premier League T20 Cricket Tournament at VCA’s Jamtha International Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The chase looked easy because of the thunderous batting from Vedant Jajoo (113; 46b, 11x4, 8x6) who lit up the Jamtha sky with flurry of sixes and fours as he slammed tournament’s second century after R Samarth’s heroics a day earlier.

Manan Agrawal too played brilliant all-rounder’s knock to see his side through.

Coming in at No 3 after both Bharat Rangers batters Atharva Taide (13) and Danish Malewar (22) returned to pavilion, Jajoo spared none as he clobbered Orange Tigers bowlers to all parts of the field. Pacers Saurabh Dubey (0-45) and Aditya Thakare (4-54) were treated with disdain.

Jajoo and Manan Agrawal (52) added a match-winning third wicket partnership of 143 runs in 62 deliveries to take the fizz out of the match.

Rangers crossed the 50-run mark in 3.3 overs and then raced to 92 for two in powerplay. In the next four overs the score reached 152 for two as the two batters continued their six-hitting spree.

Manan Agrawal’s innings needs special praise as he gave the right support to Jajoo which blew away Orange Tigers’ hopes.

Varun Bisht (12*) and Jagjot Sasan (13) completed the formalities with 17 deliveries to spare.

Earlier, Rohit Binkar and Akshay Agarwal slammed a half century each while Akshay Karnewar scored an excellent 42 to bail out Orange Tigers from a precarious position. From 11 for four in the third over, the duo played sensible knocks to help Tigers post a challenging total of 235-8.

Bharat Rangers bowled well in the first half restricting Orange Tigers at 79 for four in 10 overs. But Binkar and Agarwal unleashed fours and sixes as they turned the heat back on their opponents. By the end of 15th over, Tigers were 160-6.

Binkar took the mettle in his hands and scored 36-ball 53 (3x4, 4x6) which eased the pressure on Tigers. After his departure, Akshay Agarwal showed his batting prowess with 57 from 33 deliveries which contained five fours and four maximums. Both the batters fell to Manan Agrawal, who despite taking the wickets, leaked runs (2-56). Akshay Karnewar then played a cameo to score 42 from 19.

It was maniac three overs from Bharat Rangers’ Nachiket Bhute and Sanyog Bhagwat which buried Orange Tigers under a mountain of pressure.

Bhute generated enough pace and movement to stun Orange Tigers’ opener Mandar Mahale for a first ball duck. A delivery later, Dhruv Shorey slashed one towards third man and the ball landed in safe hands of Hrushikesh Pawar. Captain Yash Rathod gave a simple catch to Varun Bisht at covers off Bhagawat as Tigers’ top order crumbled. They got another blow in the wicket of Kshitiz Dahiya who was caught at slips to a debatable catch by Danish Malewar. It looked as if Malewar grassed the ball but the third umpire thought otherwise. The Tigers crawled to 30-4 in powerplay.

Rohit Binkar and Akshay Agarwal then steadied the rocking ship as they cautiously built the fifth wicket partnership of 78 runs which pulled them back into the game. Agarwal also had another fruitful partnership with Karnewar of 70 runs for the sixth wicket. Vishesh Tiwari (30*) and Shreyas Padole (24*) threw their bats to take their score past the 230-run mark.

But that was not enough as Jajoo-Agrawal stole the show in the end.

SCOREBOARD

ORANGE TIGERS INNINGS R B 4 6

M Mahale c Jajoo b Bhute 0 1 0 0

D Shorey c Pawar b Bhute 0 1 0 0

Y Rathod c Bisht b Bhagwat 6 5 1 0

R Binkar c Taide b Agrawal 53 36 3 4

K Dahiya c Malewar b Bhute 0 2 0 0

A Agarwal c&b Agrawal 57 36 5 4

A Karnewar c Jajoo b Bhagwat 42 19 4 3

A Dullarwar run out (Sasan-Jaoo) 0 2 0 0

V Tiwari Not Out 30 14 4 1

S Padole Not Out 24 8 0 3

Extras: (w 15, lb 4, nb 4) 23

TOTAL: (8 wickets, 20 overs) 235

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-2, 3-10, 4-11, 5-59-, 6-159, 7-160, 

8-181.

Bowling: Bhute 4-0-41-3, Bhagwat 4-0-48-2, Kapse 4-0-37-0, 

Sarwate 2-0-17-0, Pawar 2-0-32-0, Agrawal 4-0-56-2.

BHARAT RANGERS INNINGS R B 4 6

A Taide c Padole b Thakare 13 7 3 0

D Malewar c Rathod b Thakare 22 9 2 2

V Jajoo c Binkar b Thakare 113 46 11 8

M Agrawal c Mahale b Thakare 52 30 6 1

V Bisht Not Out 12 6 1 1

J Sasan Not Out 13 5 3 0

Extras: (w 12) 12

TOTAL: (4 wickets, 17.1 overs) 237

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-63, 3-206, 4-219.

Bowling: Dubey 4-0-45-0, Thakare 4-0-54-4, Padole 

3.1-0-48-0, Dullarwar 2-0-35-0, Karnewar 1-0-15-0,

Dahiya 2-0-29-0, Mahale 1-0-11-0.

Pagariya Strikers stun title holders Neco Master Blaster

By Paritosh Pramanik

RAVIKUMAR Samarth turned the tables as he anchored the
Pagariya Striker’s chase to perfection with a classic unbeaten century as they defeated defending champions Neco Master Blaster by five wickets to start their campaign on a positive note.

Chasing 220, Pagariya Strikers achieved the target with seven balls to spare.

If Neco Master Blaster rode on sixes, Pagariya Strikers built their innings mostly on boundaries with Samarth hitting 16 from a total of 27 in their innings.

Samarth, who also hit two sixes, played with full confidence finding gaps regularly. The Vidarbha pro picked three boundaries from one of Deepesh Parwani’s overs and also from seamer Ananmay Jayaswal over. He elegantly opened the face of his bat and scored boundaries between point and third-man region. His half century came from 23 balls and had seven boundaries and a couple of sixes. Pagariya Strikers did lose wickets but they still managed to score 76 runs in powerplay despite losing R Sanjay on first ball of their innings and then Mohd Faiz for 24.

Captain Yash Kadam was unlucky to get out after he played-on. Wicketkeeper-batter Shivam Deshmukh joined Samarth and the left-handed batter hit Parwani for a couple of sixes and a boundary. But the bowler had the last laugh as Deshmukh was caught at deep by Kadu for 39 runs.

Despite losing wickets from other end, Samarth kept the run rate in check with occasional boundaries and made sure they return home with two full points in their bag.

Earlier, Adhyayan Daga (78; 42b, 4x4, 7x6) justified his position as a stand-in skipper while Tushar Kadu (87; 26b, 5x4, 10x6) toyed with Pagariya Strikers bowlers as Neco Master Blaster batters rained sixes to post a huge 219-8 after being asked to bat first.

Pagariya Strikers bowlers did manage to contain Neco Master Blaster in the later part of the innings as they conceded only 19 runs in last three overs and took three wickets to keep the target achievable.

Daga, captaining the side in place of regular skipper Jitesh Sharma, who decided to take ‘rest’, started their innings with a flurry of boundaries and sixes. But it was Kadu who stole the limelight with his six-hitting spree. The right-handed batter was in a marauding mood and he spared none.

Neco Master Blaster raced to 89-1 in powerplay with Pagariya tasting only success when Lalit Yadav got the wicket of opener Vedant Dighade in the third over.

After powerplay, Kadu continued with his towering sixes and occasional boundaries as Daga played second fiddle. The captain, too, completed his half century off a six and the duo added 124 runs for the second wicket off 50 balls before Kadu was caught by Yadav off Kadam on his personal score of 87 in 11th over. Yadav and skipper Kadam emerged as best Pagariya Strikers bowlers with three wickets each.

SCOREBOARD

NECO MASTER BLASTER INNINGS R B 4 6

V Dighade c Deshmukh b Yadav 6 7 1 0

A Daga b Kadam 78 42 4 7

T Kadu c Yadav b Kadam 87 26 5 10

V Chandekar c Sheikh b Kadam 1 4 0 0

A Meshram b Chawate 12 18 0 0

S Rajput c Kadam b Sanjay 15 7 0 2

G Dhoble c Salve b Yadav 8 11 0 0

G Farde Not Out 1 1 0 0

S Deshmukh c Deshmukh b Yadav 7 4 0 1

Extras: (wd 3, lb 1) 4

TOTAL: (8 wickets, 20 overs) 219

Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-154, 3-165, 4-178, 5-195, 6-211, 

7-211, 8-219.

Bowling: Yadav 4-0-35-3, Kadam 4-0-31-3, Singh 2-0-49-0, 

Chawate 3-0-21-1, Gujar 4-0-40-0, Salve 1-0-24-0, 

Sanjay 2-0-18-1.

PAGARIYA STRIKERS INNINGS R B 4 6

R Sanjay c Gupta b Jayaswal 0 1 0 0

F Sheikh c Daga b Parwani 24 17 4 0

R Samarth Not Out 101 55 16 2

Y Kadam b Gupta 12 8 2 0

S Deshmukh c Kadu b Parwani 39 15 3 4

S Rai run out (Kadu) 4 4 0 0

A Ahuja Not Out 22 13 2 1

Extras: (w 18, lb 3) 21

TOTAL: (5 wickets, 18.5 overs) 223

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-62, 3-113, 4-164, 5-180.

Bowling: Jayaswal 3-0-35-1, Deshmukh 4-0-40-0, Parwani 

4-0-48-2, Farde 1-0-18-0, Dhoble 3-0-27-0, Gupta 3.5-0-52-1.

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Jitesh guides Neco Master Blaster players from sidelines

Special Correspondent

IN LESS than 24 hours after winning back to back IPL titles, Royal Challengers Bengaluru wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma joined his Vidarbha Premier League side Neco Master Blaster here in Nagpur for their opening game against Pagariya Strikers.

Jitesh, who is the captain of Neco Master Blaster but missed the opening game, was seen guiding his players from the sidelines. He was seen strolling with a team-mate near the boundary ropes and guided the players. 

At times he adjusted the field and during breaks he was seen in the huddle instructing players how to go forward during the match. 

Jitesh also waved to the spectators who were in the stands in quite good number. 

A complete team man who wants to win back to back VPL title, has already won two in two for RCB.

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Bharat Rangers take on Orange Tigers

By Paritosh Pramanik

INAUGURAL edition’s table toppers Bharat Rangers will take on Orange Tigers in their opening match of the Vidarbha Premier League Season 2 on Tuesday evening at VCA’s Jamtha International Stadium.

Bharat Rangers, led by Atharva Taide, are raring to go for the opening salvo and will be aiming to deliver a much better performance than last season where they lost to Neco Master Blaster to bow out of the tournament.

However, this year the team is fully geared up for seven matches they would be playing in the league phase. As per the format, all teams will play against the other team once and allotted two teams twice in the league round.

Bharat Rangers’ campaign begins against Orange Tigers, the team which made it to the play-offs last season.

Bharat Rangers have a strong batting line-up with opener-captain Taide and Danish Malewar opening the innings. Taide and Malewar both have played IPL and will use that experience in this tournament.

Malewar represented Mumbai Indians this season and though he could not make much of an impact, he cannot be overlooked. He will aim to give Bharat Rangers a solid start. The team also boasts of Varun Bisht, all-rounders Manan Agrawal, Nachiket Bhute, Aditya Sarvate to name a few.

Jagjot Sasan will be handy in the middle with his batting. He will also be an important cog in the bowling department with his gentle spin.

The bowling department will have to be on its toes when they deal with the Orange Tigers batting line-up which includes domestic red ball run machine Yash Rathod at the helm.

The hard-hitting batter will be eager to dominate the white ball cricket this season.

Bharat Rangers’ bowling will be spearheaded by Bhute, Shubham Kapse, Agrawal, Sarvate and Sasan.

As for Orange Tigers, they are well equipped with some quality cricketers. Vidarbha pro Dhruv Shorey, Akshay Karnewar, Rohit Binkar, Vishesh Ram Tiwari, who fetched a handsome amount in the auction and Mandar Mahale, who all have ability to clear the boundary with ease. 

Tigers got a boost with the inclusion of seamer Aditya Thakare in their side. They also have Shantanu Chikhale in the spin department.

In an afternoon game, India Warriors will meet Nagpur Heroz.

Special Correspondent

DEFENDING champions NECO Master Blasters will renew their rivalry when they take on last year’s finalist Pagariya Strikers in the opening match of the Vidarbha Premier League Season 2 at Vidarbha Cricket Association’s Jamtha International Stadium on Monday evening.

The tournament will be telecast live on Sony Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.

The second season of VPL will be much more entertaining and fiercely contested with all the six franchises getting enough time to train and have best players in their squad.

In the inaugural year, VCA prepared teams and handed over to the franchises. But this year, auction were held where all the franchises get locked in bidding war and secured most of the players they wanted. Apoorv Wankhade emerged as the costliest player with Nagpur Heroz getting him for Rs 8.30 lakh.

Apart from Neco Master Blaster and Pagariya Strikers who will open the tournament, India Warriors, Nagpur Heroz, Bharat Rangers and Orange Tigers all would fight it out for the coveted title in this 14-day tournament.

Meanwhile, Neco Master Blaster will miss captain Jitesh Sharma who was playing IPL final for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Gujarat Titans. The team will be led by Adhyayan Daga in the opener.

Jitesh Sharma will take over from the second match. Similarly, Master Blaster will be missing Harsh Dubey who has been named in Indian team for Afghanistan series.

The team also has  Vedant Dighade, Ananmay Jayaswal, Sanmesh Deshmukh, Dipesh Parwani, Vaibhav Chandekar among others.

Pagariya Strikers will be captained by Yash Kadam. The team also has quality players in Mohd Faiz, fast bowler Lalit, Aditya Ahuja, R Sanjay, R Samarth, Shivam Deshmukh, Sooraj Rai.

It would exciting to see how the teams fare in the tournament proper. All the teams have played had ample of practice matches where they ironed out their flaws and now it is the time to deliver.Daily two matches will be played starting 2.30 pm.

The tournament will be played in IPL-like format. 

Six teams will play each other once and will play two teams twice.

Top four will make it to the play-offs. The Eliminator will be played between third and fourth placed teams while top two teams will play Qualifier 1. In Qualifier 2, the winner of Eliminator 1 will take on loser of Qualifier 1. The final will be played on June 14.

City's Harsh Dubey gets maiden India call-up for Afghanistan Test and ODIs

 ‘Feels like a dream, I am pinching myself’

By Paritosh Pramanik

HE ALWAYS dreamt of wearing India colours since his childhood. And when the day came, Harsh Dubey felt numb. Sitting on his seat in the flight which was taking his Sunrisers Hyderabad side back home for their last league match of the Indian Premier League, Dubey felt a certain hollowness. He could not react. ‘Thank you’... was his only reply to congratulatory messages from his team-mates and friends.

The Nagpur left-handed all-rounder Dubey has got a maiden call-up for the one-off Test and three-match ODI series against Afghanistan beginning June 6.

Dubey has been a regular in India ‘A’ side and has performed to the expectations of selectors in the opportunities he got.

He gained attention after setting a Ranji Trophy record with 69 wickets in a single season, surpassing the previous mark of 68.

In IPL, too, he was a regular in SRH playing XI. Picked as a replacement for R Smaran, Dubey immediately made an impact. In three games he played, the left-arm orthodox picked the prized scalps of Virat Kohli and Andre Russell last season.

But he never thought of getting selected in both, Test and ODI, squads.

“Unbelievable. Never thought of getting the maiden call-up. It still feels like a dream. Hope it is not. Hope this dream never ends,” Dubey replied to ‘The Hitavada’s call.

“We are about to fly. Will call you in the night and will have a long chat then, sir,” he humbly said, adding, there are several missed calls in my call log, will call you later.”

But when insisted for a couple of minutes, the 23-year-old obliged.

“This selection is because of the sacrifice made by my parents, father Surendra and mother Jyoti. Credit of this selection goes to them,” replied Dubey.

The left-handed bowler did not forget to thank the pains taken by his childhood coach Dilip Das.

“It is also because of my childhood coach Das sir, all members of Vidarbha Cricket Association for showing faith in me and giving me the opportunity to represent Vidarbha,” he added.

Dubey started his cricketing career with Ruby Club and was all praise for his former club.

“At Ruby Club I learnt the nuances of the game. The club gave me a strong foundation. I am thankful to each and member of the club.

“Also at Nagpur Cricket Academy (NCA), Madhav Bakre sir, who always supported me and allowed me to use the facilities. Without them I wouldn’t have achieved my dream,” Dubey told this scribe.

The selection news is yet to sink in and Dubey is yet to think about his preparation for the one-off Test starting in Mullanpur.

“It is yet to sink in. I am still dreaming, still numb. Let this sink in first and then only will I be able to think about the Test,” Dubey signed off as his Hyderabad-bound flight took off from Chennai.

Franchises to get Rs 42 lakh purse

 

AUCTION LIKELY IN FIRST WEEK OF MAY

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, Apr 19

THE blueprint is almost ready. Franchises are now getting an idea about retention of players and the amount they would have in hand after retaining players ahead of the first auction of Vidarbha Premier League Season 2 which begins in June first week.

The auction is likely to take place in the first week of May and franchises will get almost a month to prepare their squad for the biggest T20 league of the region. The retention deadline is April 20.

According to reports, VPL Governing Council has given a purse of Rs 42 lakh and a set of retention rules to the franchises. If reports are to be believed, VCA’s contribution will be of Rs 30 lakh while franchises will have to shell out Rs 12 lakh.

In the maiden VPL (then VPTL) last season, cricketers were selected by VCA and were handed over to the franchises. As per the ‘proposed’ retention rules, a franchise can retain maximum six players who were part of their squad in the inaugural season. 

The retention of six players are divided in three categories — A, B and C and two players are allowed to be retained from each category. The retention price for each player is Rs 4 lakh in Category A, Rs 3 lakh (each player) in Category B and Rs 1.5 lakh (each player) in Category C. 

This might vary as negotiation are still on between the franchises and VPL-VCA.

If same price is finalised and each franchise retains all six players (Rs 17 lakh) then they will be left with a purse of R 25 lakh before the auction.There is also a partial retention window where a franchise can reduce retention of number of players.

Price for retaining one player from Category A will be Rs 4 lakh, from Category B will be Rs 3 lakh. There is no change in Category C. In this scenario, a franchise will have a purse of Rs 32 lakh.

A franchise can also opt for releasing all the players and go to the auction table with a full purse of Rs 42 lakh. A squad must have minimum 15 and maximum 16 players.

The VPL Season 2 will probably begin from June 1, immediately after completion of Indian Premier League (IPL).

DIG DEEP Strike GOLD

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, Apr 8, 2026

TALENT is hidden in hinterlands and needs to be explored. Sports Authority of India (SAI) unearthed that talent, that too in abundance, during the just concluded 1st Khelo India Tribal Games held in Raipur.

The initiative of SAI will surely help Indian sports take a big leap. The first step in this direction was on display during the 10-day sporting events held at Raipur, Sarguja and Jagdalpur.

KITG dug deep into the tribal lands, invited athletes from forests and sportspersons crossed the finish lines with gold medal winning performances.

Over 3800 tribal athletes from 30 States of the country got first-hand experience when they took the field and showcased their talent, surprising many with shocking results.

There were a whopping 106 gold medals on offer across archery, athletics, football, hockey, swimming, weightlifting and wrestling while traditional sports like mallakhamb and kabaddi were the demonstration sports. Athletes from Jammu and Kashmir to far flung Lakshwadeep got an opportunity to dazzle on a national field. Swimmers made a splash in the pool, athletes set synthetic tracks on fire, wrestlers dominated the mats and archers shot the arrows with precision hitting bull’s eye.

All in all, the tribal athletes forced SAI selectors and talent hunters to turn their heads and acknowledge their performance.

Be it Karnataka swimmer Manikanta L, who bagged eight gold medals and a silver to help his side take top perch or the 15-year-old Anjali Munda from Odisha who dazzled with five yellow metals to outrace her much older opponents, the KITG gave wings to these athletes who were starved of good competition.

Abdul Fathah of Lakshadweep became the first long jumper from the Union Territory to clear a distance of 7m to win the gold medal.

The KITG provided sportspersons from tribal communities one major platform where they could excel. Best of the facilities to practice on and top-notch arenas to contest for medals were provided.

With India aiming to host the 2036 Olympics, KITG guided SAI to an altogether new avenue to pick sportspersons for the mega sporting extravaganza. 

These Games helped sportspersons coming from different tribal regions overcome pressure situations. It also taught them how to stay calm in crunch situations.

The Games brought forth the fighting spirit among tribals who did not give up till the final whistle. They showed what raw power they possess. 

Tribal athletes have brought laurels to India earlier too. Rajasthan archer Limba Ram, Jharkhand’s sensational Deepika Kumari, hockey Olympians, Dilip Tirkey, Salima Tete, football icon Sikkim’s Bhaichung Bhutia or ‘Magnificent Mary’ Kom from Manipur — these athletes were the flag bearers of Indian sports for years. They had worked tirelessly to reach the pinnacle of their career with limited facilities. But with KITG, tribal athletes got a platform at their doorsteps to excel.

Those selected will be getting the best of the facilities to train and will gain knowledge which they were shorn off.

This is just the beginning and in the coming years, KITG will become a factory of medal hunters. 

At Raipur, seven disciplines were held and in coming years more disciplines will be added which will help in producing medals winners in abundance.

A little bit of guidance and training would help these sportspersons become ‘gold-diggers’ on international platforms.

One-handed magician

 

Archer Shweta targets Paralympics

n By Paritosh Pramanik

RAIPUR, Apr 2

GADCHIROLI’S para archer Shweta Bhaskar Kove’s story isn’t just about finishing on podiums. It’s about breaking barriers, challenging limitations, and inspiring a generation of women to believe that nothing is impossible if there is a will to excel in life and sports.

Born with only one hand (right hand developed only till elbow), the 19-year-old Maharashtra archer has achieved what most of the able-bodied archers couldn’t dream off. She has clinched several medals — gold, silver, bronze — for her State and has represented the country in Asian Championship as well. And she yearns for more success at international level. Her ultimate dream is to represent India in Paralympics.

Participating with able-bodied archers here at the Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG) in Raipur, Shweta and her team missed the bronze medal in compound event but she is not disheartened. Instead, she has started training for her next trials for an international event which will be held in coming months.

Born in a farm labourers family, Shweta lost her father Bhaskar a few years ago. Her mother, Manjusha, works on a farm to make ends meet. Her younger brother, Snehal, who is also a State-level archer, took up the sport looking at the success of Shweta.

But archery was not the first love for Shweta. She took up gun shooting initially and even moved to the top four-bracket at national level. However, “partiality” forced her to replace bullets with arrows.

“I used to do gun shooting in Jaripatka, Nagpur. But due to partiality I had to look away from shooting. My coach Shashank sir asked me to take up archery and I went to Buldhana under the tutelage of coach Chandrakant Ilag. He invented the releaser for me with which I can release the arrow with the help of my neck,” a pint-sized Shweta told ‘The Hitavada’ beside the archery range at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium Complex, on Thursday.

Being a gun shooter, Shweta had lesser difficulty in lifting the bow. But the equipment is quite heavy and the 19-year-old had to develop strength in her bow lifting left hand. She used to lift dumbbell for hours to develop strength. “It’s painful but to achieve success, one has to bear pain,” Shweta stated.

With a lean body frame it is very difficult for the Gadchiroli girl to train for long hours. Her shoulder aches, back breaks, but her determination keeps her going.

“I train for 7 to 8 hours in two sessions daily. It is painful. The shoulder breaks and the back gives up. I could not stand and needed a massage to relieve back pain. But I am not complaining,” the 1st Year BA student of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule College and a silver medallist at Jaipur Nationals (2024-25), said.

Shweta, who represented India at the Asian Youth Para Championship in Dubai earlier this year, had to suffer another ordeal immediately after returning from the Gulf nation.

“Due to the Indigo fiasco earlier this year, my flights to Nagpur were cancelled. I was stranded in New Delhi and after a couple of days, I got a train ticket. But my reservation was from Bhopal and I had to travel standing. It was only after the TTE recognised me and gave me a seat,” narrated Shweta.

The ‘one-handed magician’ wants support from the Government as it is financially very taxing to continue performing with the meager funds.

“A top quality bow costs around Rs 10 lakh. I am practicing with equipment which costs Rs 4 lakh. Lloyds Metals financially assisted me and gave Rs 1 lakh at the hands of CM Devendra Fadnavis recently which I used to purchase this equipment. But I need funds to purchase good equipment. With good equipment my performance can improve manifold,” she said with confidence. “I wish to represent India at the Paralympics and I will train hard to achieve my ultimate dream,” she confidently declared.

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After powerlifting and arm-wrestling, Debi finds peace in wrestling

WINS SILVER MEDAL IN KITG

n Special Correspondent

RAIPUR, Apr 2

SHE started her sporting journey with powerlifting but then shifted to arm-wrestling. With strength in her arms and wrists, Khelo India Centre wrestling coach Anustup Narah asked her to take up wrestling. And as they say, the rest is history.

The story of Assam wrestler Debi Daimiri’s is of willpower, determination and search of 

satisfaction.

She found the satisfaction she needed in wrestling and is now collecting medals at various wrestling events.

The 28-year-old Debi clinched the silver medal in the women’s 62kg category at the Khelo India Tribal Games here, in Raipur on Thursday.

Though she could not grab the gold medal, Debi is satisfied with finishing on the podium.

“This medal is the result of my hard work and I will train harder to change the colour of my medal next season,” Debi said on Thursday.

Hailing from Dineshpur village in Sisupani, Golaghat district of Assam, Debi lost her parents when she was seven years old. Her uncle and aunt took care of her from that tender age and also supported her in fulfilling her sporting dreams.

Recalling her journey, Debi said, “I started wrestling in 2022 at Khelo India Centre in Bokakhat near Kaziranga. I had to rent a room nearby and for that I took up a part-time job.

To make ends meet and fund her training Debi had to do odd jobs.

“In the same year, I worked at a mall (Easy Bazaar store) in Bokakhat where I earned of Rs 2500 per month. I kept on changing jobs in search of better financial returns. In 2023, I got a swimming pool cleaning job at Bon Villa Resort in Kaziranga where I earned around Rs 7000 per month,” said the wrestler.

Before stepping on the wrestling mat, Debi was involved in powerlifting and arm-wrestling. In 2022, she met Assam team coach Narah, under whose guidance she learned the nuances of wrestling.

For better training, Narah adviced Debi to rent a room near the training centre. He also helped her get a job through the district wrestling association and arranged a bicycle for her.

In the same year, Debi qualified for the Senior State Wrestling Championships held in Visakhapatnam and two years later (2024), she went on to clinch her maiden yellow metal at State meet.

The 28-year-old wrestler got married in 2025 and the support of her husband and in-laws has only made her more determined to succeed at the national stage.

“I thank my in-laws for supporting me in my sporting career. My husband, who works in Bengaluru, constantly supports me by sending money so that I don’t face any difficulties.

“My next target is to win medals at the senior level and then compete internationally. For that I am tirelessly working to improve my style of play and also increase my strength,” she concluded.

You can’t produce medal winners by showing them ‘Saas Bahu’ serials at home: Bhutia

 

BHUTIA, MARY KOM FEEL KITG WILL TAKE INDIAN SPORT TO GREATER HEIGHTS

By Paritosh Pramanik

RAIPUR, Apr 3

LAUDING the initiative of Sports Authority of India (SAI) by starting Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG), sporting legends of country — boxer MC Mary Kom and footballer Bhaichung Bhutia assured that Indian sport will reach greater heights with tribal athletes shining at the international level in coming years.

Addressing a packed press conference on the last day of KITG in Raipur, both the sporting icons were of the view that there is great potential in Indian athletes which has to be channelled in a proper systematic way.

“KITG is a good initiative of the government. We never got such a platform in our days. There was no awareness in those days and we have to train on our own,” said six times amateur world boxing champion Mary Kom.

Adding to it, former India football captain Bhutia said, “Athletes should take advantage of the facilities central and state governments are providing. We never got such facilities but the present generation is lucky to get all they want. In football, we have much better infrastructure than what some of the South American countries have.”

Both the icons hoped that from next edition more discipline would be added. “We hope that from next year more events are added and the Games get much bigger,” they hoped.

With a message to never give up and keep fighting Mary Kom said that pressure to perform will always be there. “Starting from parents’ high expectations, pressure will be there at school and at international levels. Athletes will have to learn how to absorb pressure and perform in adverse situations,” she advised.

Bhutia and Mary Kom both felt it is the responsibility of parents to develop sports culture at home. Then only an international sportsperson can be produced.

“It is not the sole responsibility of SAI or the State government to produce athletes. The responsibility starts with parents at home. If you give a mobile in the hands of a growing child, how can one expect him to become a talented sportsperson,” asked Mary Kom.

“If you show kids ‘Saas Bahu’ serial daily at prime time, how can you expect your wards to excel in sports? It is the duty of parents and family members to develop a sporting environment in their home. Then only they can expect their kids to win medals,” stated Bhutia.

Bhutia was more realistic while speaking about the administrative structure in the country and the reason for declining football in the country. 

“I am a product of SAI and have grown in stature from the academy. But the administrative structure has to be changed. In our country top officials in sports administration refuse to vacate their positions and are occupying the chair for three-four decades. They feel it as their fiefdom and refuse to accept change. This hampers the growth of the sport,” he explained.

Refusing to draw parallel with cricket, Bhutia admitted that football is at its nadir in India but added that it is at Number 2 after cricket, viewership wise.

“I don’t want to draw a comparison between football and cricket. Ours is a cricket-loving nation. But at the same time football followers are also in large numbers. Viewership-wise we (football) still stands at second position in our country. The ISL is watched in large numbers,” Bhutia said.

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ODISHA’S GOLDEN DOUBLE

HI President Tirkey attributes hockey success to sporting culture in the State

Appreciates Govt’s initiative of organising KITG for tribal community

n By Paritosh Pramanik

RAIPUR, Apr 3

THE golden double by Odisha men and women hockey teams at the Khelo India Tribal Games in Raipur has once again stamped tribal region’s authority in the country.

In the men’s final, Odisha beat Jharkhand 4-1 while the women narrowly defeated Mizoram 1-0 here at Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium, the other day.

Odisha has been producing international hockey players on a regular basis, a reason why kids take up the sport from a tender age.

Players like multiple-time Olympian and current Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey, Michael Kindo, Amit Rohidas, Prabodh Tirkey, Birendra Lakra, women stalwarts Deep Grace Ekka, Namita Toppo are a few names from Odisha who have brought laurels to the country.

Former hockey Olympian Tirkey was elated with the twin gold medals at the first games held especially for the tribal community.

Speaking exclusively with ‘The Hitavada’ from Bhubaneshwar, Tirkey said the efforts put in by the Odisha Government and Sports Authority of India are the reason for success of the State teams.

High on the double golds, Tirkey wished the next Khelo India Tribal Games be held in Odisha.

“It’s a commendable performance from both men and women teams at Raipur. I am happy that Odisha is producing title winners,” former India captain Tirkey shared his views.

“We are working hard here in Odisha for the development of hockey. Our aim is to produce medal winning hockey players who can also represent the country. There is unflinching support to the players from the Odisha Government. We have developed a sporting culture in our State,” said the former India defender.

“Thanks to the Odisha Government which is supporting the game at the national level as well,” he added. The Odisha Government has extended its sponsorship to the Indian teams till 2036.

“It (KITG) was a very important tournament for us. Many top teams like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra participated. They all were strong teams and Odisha showed its power on the turf,” he added.

Tirkey was of the view that KITG was a great platform for tribals to show their talent.

“It was a huge platform for tribals to show what they possess. SAI selection committee was also present in Raipur, Jagdalpur and Sarguja for talent hunt. Those selected will get special training at different SAI centres,” Tirkey informed.

“Earlier, many tribal kids could not get selected for national games and other championships. KITG brought forth the talent of players from tribal communities. It has given them the platform to excel and get noticed. This will help India getting a pool of more talented players for future,” Tirkey, who led India at 2004 Athens Games, said.

Meanwhile, former Olympian Ajit Lakra, a member of 1992 Barcelona Olympics and now head coach at Bilaspur Centre of Excellence said, “The entire system, right from grassroots to junior and then senior levels, is gradually becoming stronger. Athletes from tribal regions, in particular, are benefiting greatly. Their natural talent is now being refined with proper guidance and training.”

Former Olympian Manohar Topno, who competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and has coached both Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh men’s teams, lauded the SAI’s efforts.

“I would like to thank SAI for organising this grassroots tournament. The boys and girls from our communities are rising and rebuilding. If we continue like this, one day these players will represent India,” Topno said to SAI media.

Hockey India member Asrita Lakra highlighted how these changes are inspiring athletes. “Hockey is deeply ingrained in the blood of kids in these tribal regions, so they are naturally drawn to the sport. Platforms like Khelo India Tribal Games have given them direction,” Lakra said.

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Karnataka are overall champs

Maharashtra finish fourth 

while hosts Chhattisgarh ninth 

n Special Correspondent

RAIPUR, Apr 3

KARNATAKA emerged as the overall champions with a total of 38 medals in their kitty as it was curtains on the first Khelo India Tribal Games here at Raipur on Friday. The southern State collected 23 gold, eight silver and seven bronze medals to stay at the top perch of the tally.

On last day of the Games, former world junior champion Komalika Bari of Jharkhand added the recurve women’s archery gold medal to her mixed triumph while Odisha’s Arjun Khara clinched the recurve men’s category gold but these efforts were not enough for the chasing pack to dislodge Karnataka from the top.

Thirty States and Union Territories participated in the inaugural edition that witnessed close to 3800 participants compete in nine sports disciplines. A whopping 106 gold medals were on offer across archery, athletics, football, hockey, swimming, weightlifting and wrestling.

Odisha finished second collecting 21 gold, 15 silver and 21 bronze medals. Odisha ended with a total of 57 medals in their bag thus becoming the only State to cross a half century of medals. Jharkhand ended third with 16 gold, eight silver and 11 bronze.

Maharashtra finished fourth with 6 gold, 10 silver and 4 bronze while Arunachal Pradesh completed the top five with 6 gold, 1 silver and 4 bronze medals.

Hosts Chhattisgarh also gave a strong account of the sporting talent among the tribal community as they clinched three gold, 10 silver and 6 bronze medals to finish ninth. Chhattisgarh’s last medal was a silver in men’s football on Saturday when they went down 0-1 against West Bengal in the final.

After getting UT status, archery in Ladakh growing exponentially: Coach Khan

By Paritosh Pramanik

RAIPUR, Mar 31

LADAKH is admired for its beauty and snow-clad mountains. But for archery coach Feroz Ali Khan the ‘newly carved’ Union Territory of India will soon be known for its sportspersons and Olympian archers.

Khan, who himself is a national level archer, is in Raipur with a contingent of six archers participating in the first Khelo India Tribal Games. 

Taking his time out during the compound archery competition at Sardar Patel International Hockey Stadium Complex, Khan exuded confidence that the day is not far when archers from the hilly region of the country start producing internationally acclaimed archers and even Olympians.

“There is no dearth of sporting talent in Ladakh. The only thing is promotion of sport is a bit slow. But with the Narendra Modi Government carving out a Union Territory (in 2019), sports and archery in particular is getting due recognition. The day is not far when these milky mountains will shine with Olympian archers,” Khan confidently says while talking with ‘The Hitavada’ on Tuesday.

“Archery is a traditional sport in Ladakh. It is in our blood. The best part of Ladakh is that parents themselves take interest in their wards to take up sports. They bring their kids without fail to our academy for training, that too from far flung hilly areas,” mentions Khan, who is a member of Ladakh Archery Association.

“Our archers are performing well in age group events at NTPC nationals. They are finishing in the top six brackets on a regular basis. Earlier, the journey was long, from district to state and then nationals. Now, they (archers) get a chance to show their talent directly in national level meets. 

“Though the government is promoting the sport, I think we should get top quality equipment at national meets. Archery equipment is very costly. At present we have basic equipment,” Khan says, adding that “good coaches and infrastructure is need of the hour.”

With the snow covering the mountains for more than six months, it’s difficult to practice but still the Ladakhis make no excuses. “The archers train in minus temperatures. It is not easy to maintain focus and take aim at the target. You can understand how difficult it is to train in bone chilling weather. But tournaments (organised by clubs) take place in winter only and the participation is tremendous,” 43-year-old Khan proudly narrates.

Khan is a true sports promoter. He runs a club -- Downhill Kargil Club which gives training in archery, ice hockey, roller skating and cycling (MTB). “The club gives more preference to women. In the prestigious annual LG Cup our girls have been winning the championship for the last two years. So there is no gender bias,” Khan signs off.

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Suraj, shining amidst gloomy days

By Paritosh Pramanik

RAIPUR, Mar 31

TRIBAL athletes show a different kind of will to excel and fight till the end to emerge victorious. 

Like most of the ‘adivasis’, Maharashtra’s long distance runner Suraj Mashi too is a story of grit, determination, sorrow, combined with few successes.

Hailing from Mokhada Taluka in Palghar, Suraj brought a different kind of energy in a family of four sisters. But his formative years compelled him to share the burden of the family of five.

With no other option, Suraj, who bagged silver in 5000m in the ongoing Khelo India Tribal Games, has to support his family financially, even as he has to foot his training bills…all in meager prize money of Rs 3000-5000 and sometimes even less.

“I dream of representing the country one day. I shifted to Nashik to study and to pursue my dream of running for the nation. 

“But here the coaching fee is Rs 4000 per month. I can’t afford it. Plus I have to pay my room rent.

Hence I try to win as many races as I can in Maharashtra and Gujarat. 

“I can’t afford a personal coach but when I feel like seeking some advice I reach out to my seniors,” said Suraj, while talking to ‘The Hitavada’.

Suraj , who belongs to the Warli tribe, suffered a jolt at an early age when his mother got bed-ridden after slipping in their house and the responsibility of his sisters came on his shoulders.

“I try to participate in competitions to make a living. I run cross-country races, other competitions where I manage to earn around Rs 3000 to Rs 5000,every month.

“I send some amount to my father (a labourer) and also pay for my education, training,” said 18-year-old Suraj.

Suraj feels that the Khelo India Tribal Games is a good initiative from the government but adds that if financial aid is also given then it would be more beneficial.

“If the winners get some financial assistance it would do them a world of good,” he concluded.

Number of disciplines in KITG may increase next year: Union Minister Khadse

 

By Paritosh Pramanik

RAIPUR, Apr 1

DECLARING that the first Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG) held in Raipur has been huge success, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse said that the games will expand with each passing year and Indian sports would be benefited with fresh talents from the hinterlands.

Addressing a packed press conference, Khadse lauded the efforts taken by Chhattisgarh government and all those associated in organising the event.

“The first Khelo India Tribal Games has turned out to be a huge success and I congratulate Chhattisgarh government for organising it in a well-planned manner on such a short notice,” Khadse told the media on Wednesday.

This year, competitions were held in seven disciplines and Khadse believed that in future more sports will be added.

“This is the first Tribal Games and we have received good response from tribal communities. We will definitely try to increase the number of disciplines in future but first we will have a review meeting and then will think about it. The response from athletes was tremendous and more discipline will bring more talent,” Khadse declared.

On expanding its wings in the country, Khadse said that the government will try to take these games to maximum tribal belts of the country. “I belong to Maharashtra. Districts like Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Nandurbar are also tribal belts. These games are exclusively for the tribal community and we will take it to tribal belts only in future.”

Khadse mentioned that since the last eight years, sports culture has started developing in the country and the government is committed to take the sports to the next level.

“Now, tribals are hoping to excel in sports at national 

level. They are aiming to get a job through sports,” she claimed.

“Sports culture has now started developing in India. Women are stepping forward to take up sports now. Through Asmita League, we have received tremendous response from the fairer sex. Around 2 lakh women participated in the Asmita League on March 8, which was really heartening.

“We want to take the sports culture to every part of the country and to every house of this nation. We want every single kid to take up sports in India. Then only we will become a powerhouse in sports in future,” Khadse felt.

“At the same time we will have to make a balance between traditional games and developed sports. We will have to see what kind of potential we get in traditional sport and at the same time will have to keep promoting those sportspersons training for Olympic sports,” Khadse clarified.

“With the help of State governments, we are preparing a roadmap to strengthen sports infrastructures. We are requesting big corporate houses to help traditional sports grow through their CSR funds and 

adopt a few games so that players can be developed in the proper way.

“The Central Government is also planning to start district sports schools in every state and for that the government has asked all the States to draw an outline,” she informed.

STRAIGHT BAT

Khadse’s ‘no’ to including cricket in KITG

Even though cricket is the most popular sport in the country, State Sports Minister Raksha Khadse straightway refused to promote the sport through Khelo India Tribal Games.

Not demeaning the sport, Khadse said that the promotion and sponsorship cricket is getting is sufficient and the government is promoting the lesser known sports.

“Cricket is being run quite well by the BCCI. The associations and various clubs in the country are promoting the game beautifully. There is a beeline to sponsor cricket in our country. Our focus is only on Olympic sport and traditional sports. We want to take these sports forward and the Sports Ministry is working on it. Cricket is part of our ministry but you can see that cricket is a developed sport and there is a culture of that sport in India. But other sports are not being backed by sponsors. So we are trying to promote other sports so that their viewership reaches the level at which cricket is,” Khadse explained.

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DOUBLE DELIGHT

Odisha men, women are hockey champs

By Paritosh Pramanik

RAIPUR, Apr 1

ODISHA men and women scripted history by winning the maiden Khelo India Tribal Games’ hockey titles on Wednesday. The women edged past Mizoram by a solitary goal in the evening while the men defeated Jharkhand 4-1 in a high-intensity match which was delayed by floodlight glitch at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium in Raipur.

In the women’s encounter, Ajmina Kujur (39th) scored the match winning goal while in the men’s category, Abhishek Lakra (20th), Amit Kumar Toppo (21st), Akash Sorong (37th) and Satish Munda (60th) scored for the winners. Jaymasih Tuti scored for Jharkhand in the 15th minute.

Odisha men showed their intent right from the start and kept the ball possession. However, it was Jharkhand who took the lead at the stroke of first quarter with a clever goal from Tuti. Tuti scooped the ball over an advancing Odisha keeper Dilip Kumar Sa to put his side ahead.

But that was the only time when Jharkhand celebrated. Odisha changed the gears and combined brilliantly to breach Jharkhand defence time and again to lay their hands on the coveted title. In the women’s final, Odisha eves showed great temperament to pip Mizoram.

Till the third quarter, the match was in balance with both the teams holding their fort.

However, it was the last quarter which produced the winner. Ajmina stunned Mizoram with a fine slap shot into the board off a penalty corner in the 39th minute. Mizoram gave their all in the final minutes but Odisha held their nerves to claim the gold medal.

Talawar, Nagini bag golds to extend Karnataka’s lead 

RACE walker Dasharath Talawar and middle-distance runner Nagini added a gold medal each to table toppers Karnataka’s tally while Chhattisgarh’s Gajendra Thakur bagged a silver in the men’s 800m.

Dasharath led Karnataka’s 1-2 in the men’s 10km race walk with a time of 45:13.85s with Darshan Bagadi (46:25.90s) finishing second ahead of Gujarat’s Sagarbhai Katara (48:16.09s) at the Kreeda Parisar athletics track in Jagdalpur. Nagini then dominated the women’s 800m race to clinch the gold with a time of 2:13.80s to take Karnataka’s gold medal tally to 21.  Karnataka has also bagged eight silver and seven bronze for an aggregate of 36 medals. Chattisgarh’s Gajendra Thakur claimed the men’s 800m silver medal with a timing of 1:53.82s behind Munda, who clocked 1:53.33s. 

Chhattisgarh men’s hockey team clinched the bronze medal by beating neighbouring Madhya Pradesh 14-6.

 The two medals took their tally to two gold, eight silver and five bronze and are placed 10th in the overall standings.

With just one day of track and field competitions left, second-placed Odisha continued to chase the table toppers with four gold on Wednesday to take their overall tally to 17 gold, 10 silver and 16 bronze medals.

Jharkhand now have a total of 19 medals -- nine gold, three silver and 7  bronze medals.

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Milkman Hamam delivers gold

Special Correspondent

RAIPUR, Apr 1

IT TOOK 14 long years to see the yellow metal dangle around his neck. During those painful years, Jammu and Kashmir’s Hamam Hussain had to move door to door to deliver milk. When not practicing, Hamam had to help his brother in the daily chores to support his family.

On Wednesday, the 28-year-old wrestler from Jorawar village in Jammu lifted the men’s 79kg freestyle gold by defeating Himachal Pradesh’s Mohit Kumar.

Wrestling was the most loved sport in Hussain family. Hamam’s brother was also a wrestler who participated till the State-level meets. But after their father’s demise the families responsibility fell on the elder Hussain’s shoulder and he decided to quit the sport.

“He motivated me to continue wrestling and took me to dangals around J&K,” Hussain said.

“The buffaloes our father left behind became our only source of livelihood. Once I stepped into the mud akhada, I was fascinated with the sport,” said Hamam.

Hamam has to walk 20 km away from his village for training mud akhada and travels around 40 km to Jammu for mat practice.

“The Sports Authority of India centre is in Jammu and we live in a lower region, so it is quite far for us. It is difficult to go there regularly for practice. We usually go only when competitions are there; otherwise, we train in mud akhadas.

Without any personal coach, Hamam has delivered handsomely in Raipur.

“I don’t have a personal coach. Senior wrestlers in the akhada guide us. We get coaches when we train on mats. In villages, we don’t get the kind of facilities that wrestlers in cities have. If we get better facilities, wrestlers from our region can win more medals at national and international levels,” he said.

For Hamam, this gold is more than just a medal and he is a contended man. “It feels great to be here. The facilities provided were very good. We come from a backward area where there is not much support for wrestling, so we have to travel long in train. This is the first time such a competition has been organised for us, and if more such events are held, we can win more medals,” he concluded.

 with a hope that he will see more such medals dangling around his neck.

NDFA bars clubs from ‘importing’ footballers

By Paritosh Pramanik

March 29, 2026

TO ARREST the dwindling participation of local footballers in city leagues, Nagpur District Football Association (NDFA) has decided to restrict participation of outstation players in Elite Division from the coming season.

Till now, clubs used to ‘import’ players from outside the city and state to make their teams strong. This hampered participation of local footballers which the clubs assumed they were feeble.

NDFA President Haresh Vora, while informing life members and club representatives during its Annual General Meeting on Saturday, said that from the coming season, clubs will have to register maximum local players in their squad.

“The clubs need to understand that they are playing Nagpur district league. It has been noticed that clubs are ‘importing’ players from other states and ignoring local talents, especially in Elite Division. NDFA conducts tournaments to promote local talents so that they represent State and national teams. But by selecting ‘outsiders’, clubs are doing injustice to city footballers,” Vora noted.

“We have decided to allow only three ‘imported’ players that too only from Maharashtra, to play in NDFA Elite Division League from this season. Teams will have to register maximum number of Nagpur players,” Vora added.

Last season, Rabbani Club Kamptee won the JSW Elite Division title with footballers from Kamptee and Nagpur.

In contrast, runners-up Young Muslim Football Club had only a few local players while the team was heavily built on ‘outsiders’ which included a few from Jammu and Kashmir. “This three outstation players in a team will not be applicable for department teams,” Vora clarified.

The NDFA President also informed that in Super Division, only three players of above 21 years of age will be allowed to participate.

“There has to be a proper structure and balance. Hence we have decided to restrict the age limit in Super Division. Let the young ones fight out with their opponents of same age. The reason for permitting three players of above 21 years is to guide the young teenagers. These three senior players can be mentors for the budding footballers,” explained Vora.

Surprisingly, there was no discussion held on grassroot football. The AGM failed to discuss on organising Under-13, U-15 or U-17 leagues. Such leagues can be the feeder line as it has been seen in other sports.

Another major miss was discussion on women’s football. Not a single word was discussed about promoting and developing eves football in the city.

The members congratulated Christopher Peter who became the first FIFA Qualified Assistant Referee from Nagpur.

Dubey wants to give his best in all 3 departments

By Paritosh Pramanik

March 28, 2026

He came out with flying colours in the limited opportunities he got in the last IPL and left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey wants to delivery another superlative performance for Sunrisers Hyderabad this season starting Saturday.

Sunrisers Hyderabad will meet defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening encounter at M Chinnaswamy Stadium 

in Bengaluru in the evening tussle.

Last year, Vidarbha’s premier spinner Dubey was picked as replacement player by SRH and he made an immediate impact with his slow bowling.

He decorated his short resume with prized wickets of Virat Kohli and Andre Russell.

If included in the playing XI, Dubey wants to continue from where he left.

“It would be special,” he said when asked whether he would love to once again take the scalp of Kolhi.

Retained by SRH for the season, Dubey wants to give his 100 per cent in all three departments of the game —batting, bowling and fielding. 

“This time I have worked hard on all three departments of the game. If I wish to play for India (in future) I will have to be best in all three departments,” stated Dubey while speaking with ‘The Hitavada’ from Bengaluru.

Dubey said he will have to show more responsibility this season. The 23-year-old tweaker said whenever he gets a chance to play, he will keep things simple.

“They (SRH) showed belief in me. They felt that I can handle that pressure in a certain situation. It’s a new opportunity for me and I will have to stay a step ahead from my opponents because they will come prepared this time. My plan will be to keep it simple. I don’t want to make things complicated because at times it happens that when we try to experiment much, we fail to get favourable results,” explained Dubey who recently won the BCCI’s best bowler and best all-rounder awards for 2024-2025 Ranji season.

Dubey said that the long break after end of domestic season gave him time to prepare well for IPL.

“Preparations were solid this time. I joined the team from Day One. We got a long break of a month (after domestic season) so we all trained hard for this season. I am focussing on a couple of aspects this time. My main focus is on my diet. Similarly, I am improving my fitness level. Doing strength exercises and working on core to be in proper shape for the big day. I am also working hard on my batting. I will be batting at lower down the order and I want to contribute with the bat as well. If I want to play for the country I will have to give 100 per cent in all three departments (batting, bowling and fielding). Only then will I be able to impress selectors,” said Dubey.

The left-arm spinner said that he wants to live up to team’s expectations this time. 

“The team expects that I deliver the same way I did last year. They have given me some tasks which I will have to perform on the given day.” he signed off.

To outpunch rivals in Asian Games, Alfiya training on footwork, endurance

 

By Paritosh Pramanik

March 8, 2026

WITH eight international, 14 national and several state level medals including gold, silver and bronze, city’s Alfiya Tarannum Khan Pathan is not a novice to boxing.

The southpaw pugilist, who is Elite Asian boxing champion (2022, Jordan) and youth world boxing champion (Elorda Cup, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan), is leaving no stone unturned for the forthcoming Asian Boxing Championship scheduled to be held in Mongolia from March 28 to April 11.

Alfiya has been named in the 20-member Indian squad which also has Nikhat Zarin and Lovlina Borgohain by the Indian Boxing Federation.

Alfiya will be participating in the 80+ weight category and the 23-year-old is training hard in the India camp at Patiala.

On the eve of Women’s Day Alfiya talked with ‘The Hitavada’ about her preparations for the Asian meet.

“The training camp is intense and focused, and we are working hard every day on fitness, technique, and sparring. The goal is to be in the best possible shape before the championship,” Alfiya said on Saturday.

The Indian team will leave for Mongolia in next few days to get acclimatise with the 

conditions.

“First of all I would like to wish everybody on International Women’s Day.

“To all women, I would like to say ‘Believe in yourself and never limit your dreams. With hard work and determination, women can achieve success in every field, including sports,’” was the message from Alfiya, the Astana (Kazakhstan) Youth silver medallist.

Alfiya said there is scope of improvement every time and it is a continuous process.

But for this Asian meet she is concentrating hard on speed and endurance.

“This time the focus has been on speed, endurance, and tactical improvement. We worked a lot on footwork, defence, and ring strategy so that we can perform confidently against strong opponents,” she said confidently.

The expectations were high from Alfiya after she graduated to the senior team from the junior circuit where she made her mark with medal winning performances.

“The Asian Boxing Championships (in Mongolia) is extremely important for me. Asia has some of the best boxing nations, so performing well here means proving yourself at a very high level. It is also a great opportunity to gain experience and bring pride to the country,” Alfiya mentioned.

“I am expecting very tough competition. Asian boxers are technically strong and very disciplined, so every bout will be challenging and will require full focus,” she added.

With a tough field in her weight category, Alfiya is not taking any opponent lightly and is concentrating on her own game.

“At this level, every opponent is strong, so I am not focusing on a particular rival. I am concentrating on my own preparation and strategy for each bout,” said the Central Railways Nagpur TTE.

In the pious month of Ramadan, Alfiya is also observing fast whenever possible.

“During Ramadan, I am trying to observe fast as much as possible. “It is a spiritual month for us, and balancing faith with sports discipline is important. Fasting does make training more challenging, but with proper planning, hydration after Iftar, and guidance from coaches, I am managing it well. It also builds mental strength and discipline,” she explained.

Apart from regular training/sparring, the current Khelo India gold medallist for Maharashtra Alfiya is focusing on strength conditioning and breathing to maintain mental strength. 

“I am focusing on strength conditioning, stretching and sometimes meditation and breathing exercises to maintain mental focus and recovery,” she signed off.