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Dharmasena in the Line of Fire (Again)
Old habits die hard, and Kumar Dharmasena is living proof. The umpire’s history of controversial decisions against India is no secret. And during the Oval Test, he added yet another questionable call to that long and frustrating list. When Josh Tongue appealed for an LBW that looked stone-dead to the naked eye, Dharmasena not only turned it down but gestured that the ball had come off the bat.
Now here’s the problem: in the era of DRS, umpires aren’t supposed to indicate an edge unless absolutely certain—and even then, it’s best left to technology. But Dharmasena’s signal essentially handed England a free review-saving lifeline. Fans aren’t calling it a brain fade anymore. They’re calling it bias.
Gill Stands Tall With Gambhir
Amid the growing tension over the Oval pitch drama, India captain Shubman Gill has openly backed head coach Gautam Gambhir in the face of what he described as bizarre behaviour by the pitch curator.
"If a pitch curator is going to come and ask us to not look at the wicket and look at the wicket from three metres from behind, that's not something that has happened to us before. As long as you are under rubber spikes or you're barefoot, you're allowed to look at the wicket from close quarters, and that's the job of the coach and the captain. So I don't know why the curator didn't let us or didn't allow us to do that," stated Gill ahead of the 5th Test.
In other words, Team India was simply doing its job. The obstruction was both unwarranted and suspicious.
Chahal’s Brave Confession: “I Had Suicidal Thoughts”
In a deeply emotional moment, Yuzvendra Chahal has spoken out about the mental toll his divorce from Dhanashree Verma took on him. In a YouTube podcast, Chahal revealed he battled depression and had suicidal thoughts during the final months of his marriage.
He also admitted that both he and Dhanashree were highly ambitious in their careers and struggled to make time for each other—something he believes ultimately led to the split.
This is a reminder that even athletes who seem unshakeable on the field can carry invisible battles off it.
LSG’s Game-Changer: Bharat Arun Joins as Bowling Coach
In a quiet but tactical move, the Lucknow Super Giants signed Bharat Arun as their new bowling coach after his stint with KKR ended. With a young and talented Indian pace unit in their squad, this is a potential masterstroke.
Let’s not forget—Arun coached the very bowlers who once ran riot across continents and helped India dominate global cricket. If he can work that same magic in the IPL, LSG might just be cooking something special.
Rockstar Reception for Chess Queen Divya Deshmukh
There are moments that make you proud to be Indian, and Divya Deshmukh just had one of those. After creating history by winning the Women’s Chess World Cup in Batumi, Divya returned to Nagpur to a thunderous welcome. Dhol, garlands, and a sea of fans flooded the airport to greet the new queen of Indian chess—the first ever Indian woman to lift the World Cup title.
A sporting milestone. A cultural celebration. And a reminder that heroes aren’t just born on cricket fields.
