Can you name the Indian cricketer who won a National Award in Indian cinema?
Salil Ankola, who retired from cricket at the age of 28, also tried his luck in Bollywood films like 'Kurukshetra', 'Pita', 'Chura Liya Hai Tumne' and 'Rivayat'. For 'Kurukshetra', he received the National Award.
Salil Ankola, a former Indian cricketer, received a National Award as part of the cast for the Marathi film "Kurukshetra" (2013). The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi.
Salil Ankola retired from cricket in 1997 to pursue acting. While Ankola's career in cricket was relatively brief, he transitioned into acting and has appeared in various films and television shows.
From Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar to Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh, many cricketers have worked in Hindi films. But Salil Ankola retired from cricket at the age of 28 due to a bone tumor. After that, he started his acting career, however, his Bollywood career could never progress.
Ankola made his cricket debut in 1989
A right-arm fast-medium bowler, Salil Ankola made his debut for the Indian cricket team against Pakistan in a Test match in 1989. Apart from this, two cricketers who debuted in the same Test and became great players were Sachin Tendulkar and Waqar Younis. However, this proved to be the only Test that Ankola played for India.
Ankola played 20 ODIs from 1989 to 1997 and was also part of India's squad for the 1996 Cricket World Cup, hosted by India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. He played only one match against Sri Lanka in Delhi, in which he did not take any wickets in his five overs and did not get a chance to bat.
After making his acting debut in 1997 with the TV shows 'Chahat' and 'Nafrat', he acted in several TV shows in the early 2000s. Some of his shows 'Kora Kagaz', 'Kehta Hai Dil', 'Vikral' 'Gabral' and 'Rishtey' became quite popular and made him a star on Television. Ankola was also seen in the first season of Bigg Boss, but he was eliminated in the first week.
Ankola also tried his luck in Bollywood films like 'Kurukshetra', 'Pita', 'Chura Liya Hai Tumne' and 'Rivayat'. For 'Kurukshetra', he received the National Award.
From 2020 to 2021, Salil Ankola was the chief selector of the Mumbai Cricket Association.
Young guns at the top, perfect lengths, experience in the middle: Pune Warriors set a T20 blueprint at Women's Maharashtra Premier League
Without many superstars in the team, Pune Warriors won 7 out of 7 games to win the Women's Maharashtra Premier League 2025. Gaanesh Tyagi, the analyst of the team, shared the blueprint of the win with Sportz Point.
Seven out of seven wins. Invincible Pune Warriors defeated all the odds to come out victorious in the Women's Maharashtra Premier League 2025.
While other franchises had big names, such as Smriti Mandhana, Tejal Hasabnis, and Kiran Navgire, among many other stars of the women's game, Pune Warriors had a clear plan and strategy.
With only prominent names in Anuja Patil and Shweta Mane, the Pune Warriors Women's team depended on clear thoughts, executions and camaraderie to win the league. Team analyst Gaanesh Tyagi shared all the secrets in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point.
Gaanesh is a high performance analyst from Mumbai, who has worked for more than 10 T20 franchise teams. He was also the analyst of the Mumbai Cricket team, which won their first ever Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament in 2023.
The team combination: All-rounders, effectiveness and youth
Even before stepping onto the field to win the tournament, teams must first succeed in a different battle during the draft or auction. This is where many teams secure half of their victory. Women’s cricket has different demands than men’s cricket, and in T20 cricket, the need for strong all-rounders reaches its peak.
With captain Anuja Patil being the perfect all-rounder for the team, the coaching staff opted for additional all-rounders to effectively manage the middle overs.
"The entire coaching staff and captain Anuja Patil were involved in building the team. We aimed to have more all-rounders while also featuring skilled individuals for every situation in the game,” Gaanesh explained to Sportz Point.
During their initial meeting with the players, captain Anuja and the coaching staff discussed a comprehensive plan for winning the tournament. This provided every player with a clear roadmap and clarity on how they needed to prepare for each aspect of the game.
"In that first meeting, we talked about how we should be winning the tournament. Each player knew their role within the team, which helped provide a clear roadmap for everyone,” Gaanesh added.
This phrase has become quite popular in world cricket. Even in the Indian Premier League, the team with the superior bowling combination often performs better. Analysts play a crucial role here by offering insights on optimal lengths, lines, speeds, and determining who should bowl at various stages of the game.
For Pune Warriors, prior to each match, analysts would provide each bowler with a specific plan to tackle all potential batters they might face.
"In women’s cricket, understanding lengths is crucial. Knowing what length to bowl against which batter is key. We had strategies for each opponent.
"So, it was all about execution on the field, which our bowlers accomplished successfully. That’s why we had two bowlers, Chinmayee Bhorpale (the Purple Cap winner) and Anuja Patil, in the top five highest wicket-takers list," Gaanesh stated.
When you have a young and relatively inexperienced team, it’s essential to have someone who can guide each player. Just as the Rajasthan Royals had Shane Warne, Pune Warriors had Anuja Patil.
Anuja, who has played 50 T20Is for the Indian national team, possesses the knowledge necessary to win cricket matches. With her leadership, every young player learned how to approach each match to achieve victory.
"We affectionately called her the 'Boss Lady.'
The entire team respected and followed her decisions. In tournaments like this, a clear direction is crucial, and Anuja provided the guidance we needed with her experience."
Balancing the mix of youth and experience in team building can be challenging. Some players on the squad were born after Anuja and Shweta Mane began their cricket careers.
There was a noticeable gap in age and experience, so the team needed to blend these elements effectively to perform at their best.
Both Anuja and Mane acted as both friends and firm mentors, fostering a harmonious environment that brought out the best in young players like 17-year-old Akshaya Jadhav, 16-year-old Suhani Kahandal, and U-23 player Khushi Mulla, who ended up being the fourth-highest run-scorer of the tournament.
"Youth at the top and experince in the middle"
Although the powerplay and death overs seem to be entertaining, it is the middle overs that decide the winner in a T20 game. Be it with the bat or ball, the 7-15 overs of a T20I game are the most crucial overs.
That is why Pune Warriors had the plan of having the most experienced players playing the middle order, be it with the bat or ball.
That even allowed youngsters like Khushi Mulla, Suhani Kahandal and Akshaya Jadhav to have the freedom to enjoy the game.
"The middle overs control the outcome of the game. We even saw Smriti Mandhana batting in the middle order for Ratnagiri Jets. So, from the start of the tournament, we wanted to have experince in the middle overs and youth at the top," Gaanesh explained.
"Discipline, calmness and execution"
Winning all seven of your games is a significant challenge, and in T20 cricket, it’s nearly impossible to maintain that momentum throughout.
However, according to Gaanesh, if the team maintains discipline, calmness, and focuses on execution, the chances of not losing become greater.
He recounted the last over of the final match against Solapur Smashers: “We needed to defend 9 from 6 and it became 4 from 4. But we kept calm under pressure and executed well to win the title.”
Whenever a team without many superstars win any tournament, there comes a question of whether they will be able to continue that in the next season. We have seen it with the Rajasthan Royals in the past as well.
Since winning the inaugural season, they have not been able to win any trophies. What's the secret sauce to keep winning?
"Process," Gaanesh said.
He feels all the youngsters who got a bit of fame and name from this season need to aim for bigger goals and achievements. This is how they will be able to keep them ready for next season. Most importantly, they need to focus on the process which has given them results.
"India will miss his fighting spirit.. it's going to be a shame not to play against him": Ben Stokes on Virat Kohli's absence in England series
The England skipper recently shared his thoughts when asked about what India will miss in Kohli ahead of their test clash. "India will miss his fighting spirit" says Ben Stokes on Virat Kohli's absence in England series. Discover what else he said.
The cricketing world is buzzing with discussions surrounding the upcoming IND vs ENG series, and a voice has highlighted a significant void: the absence of Virat Kohli. England's Test captain, Ben Stokes, has openly expressed his belief that India will feel the lack of Kohli's renowned "fighting spirit" and other things on the field.
Stokes also revealed how he texted Kohli after his decision to retire and term it as a shame he won't be there to play in the field.
This statement from an opponent shows the immense impact Kohli has left and the challenge India faces in a crucial series without one of its finest test players.
Check the full story of Ben Stokes on Virat Kohli's absence in England series:
Ben Stokes on Virat Kohli's absence in England series
Ben Stokes and Virat Kohli. Image | Instagram
Ben Stokes has analysed how Virat Kohli's absence can affect India, 2 days prior the test series against England. When asked about what India will miss in Kohli after he decided to step down from tests, here's how the English skipper replied:
"I think what India will miss, will be his fighting spirit out in the game, his competitiveness, desire to win." He further goes on to add "It will be weird to not see number 18 at the back of any Indian shirt. I did text him saying it's going to be a shame not to play against him because I love playing against Virat."
Stokes also shared how he feels both Kohli and him have the same mindset when out in the field, and addressed the fact that he has done really well against England in his test career.
England: Ben Stokes (c), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes
Major setback for BCCI as Bombay HC orders to pay ₹538 crore to defunct IPL team Kochi Tuskers Kerala
An impact of legal ruling marks a major setback for BCCI as Bombay HC orders to pay ₹538 crore to defunct IPL team Kochi Tuskers Kerala. Get the complete story here.
For years, the Board of Control for Crock in India (BCCI) has navigated various challenges. However a recent coury order is set to have a major financial impact on the sport's governing body.
This ruling revisits a past chapter involving a former IPL team and a long-standing dispute with them. The decision has arrived after a decade of the case, and brings a major setback for BCCI as Bombay HC orders to pay ₹538 crore to defunct IPL team Kochi Tuskers Kerala.
Read the full story to know why.
How the BCCI-Kochi Tuskers Kerala dispute began
BCCI authorities, 2025. Image | Facebook
The root of this major legal battle dates back to 2011, when the BCCI terminated the contract of the IPL team Kochi Tuskers Kerala. The team, managed by Kochi Cricket Private Limited (KCPL), had only played in one IPL season.
The BCCI claimed they ended the contract because Kochi Tuskers failed to provide a required annual bank guarantee by a deadline in March 2011. This was seen by the BCCI as a serious breach of their agreement.
However, the team owners had a different view. They argued that their delay was due to several issues, including problems with the stadium in Kochi and delays in getting necessary approvals. They also stated that the BCCI continued to deal with them and even accepted payments for months after the March deadline.
The team owners believed this showed the BCCI had waived or overlooked the deadline, making their sudden contract termination unfair.
Taking the matter to arbitration:
Because they felt the termination was wrong, the Kochi Tuskers owners took the matter to arbitration in 2012. An independent tribunal looked at all the facts. In June 2015, this tribunal ruled in favor of Kochi Tuskers Kerala.
The tribunal specifically directed the BCCI to pay ₹384.83 crore to Kochi Cricket Private Limited (KCPL) for lost earnings and ₹153.34 crore to Rendezvous Sports World (RSW) for a wrongfully cashed bank guarantee. These amounts also included interest and legal costs.
The Financial Fallout: Why ₹538 crore to be paid now?
Bombay High Court. Image | Wikipedia
The BCCI challenged the 2015 arbitration award in the Bombay High Court, arguing it was unfair and that the damages were too high. However, the recent Bombay HC ruling upheld the original arbitration decision.
This means the BCCI is now legally requiredto pay a total of over ₹538 crore, including accumulated interest since 2015, to the KTK owners. This represents a major financial loss and a significant legal defeat for the Indian cricket board.
Recently the World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle ended. The final match of which was won by South Africa. South Africa was successful in winning its first ICC trophy after 27 years after defeating Australia. But amidst all this, former South African captain AB de Villiers has raised questions on the WTC format and has demanded several reforms from the International Cricket Council (ICC).
AB de Villiers has strongly advocated making the World Test Championship schedule more fair and consistent for all Test playing nations. De Villiers, 41, has suggested a four-year cycle like the ODI World Cup, instead of the current two-year cycle, to ensure every team can compete against other Test-playing sides.
Speaking to BBC Sport, AB de Villiers expressed his disappointment. He said, “We’ve had some very disappointing and sad ends to a lot of campaigns, especially the World Cups, but now it’s time to start believing that we can do this more often,”
“[This moment] won’t be lost. It was too big and too special for all South Africans – it was a Test match no one will ever forget. But yes, to a certain extent, something needs to be done.”
De Villiers advocates making WTC a balanced system
AB de Villiers further elaborated during this interaction, “I saw the schedule that came out for the next cycle of the WTC and there is an improvement, but I still feel there’s work that needs to be done there to just to get it as consistent as possible and as fair as possible for all for all Test-playing nations.”
“You want to get to that final feeling like you’ve played against all these nations,” De Villiers added. “Maybe a four-year cycle would be nice. We’ve done that in the past with one-day internationals, so why not in Test cricket? It would make sense and it would give the organisers just so much more time to get a really fair, well-balanced system out there.”
De Villiers believes a longer cycle will allow teams to play a sufficient number of matches, making a team's journey to the final more credible.
South Africa played least number of Test matches in WTC 2023-25
De Villiers' comments come at a time when the Proteas have played the least number of Test matches (12) among the nine teams during the World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. The number was a full 10 matches less than England's 22, while Australia, who face South Africa, played 19 matches during the World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle.
A single social media activity has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world ahead of IPL 2026 auction. A recent 'hint' from Sanju Samson's manager has intensified the possibility of his transfer to Chennai Super Kings from Rajasthan Royals in the next season.
Fans are wondering whether this would come true and change the landscape for both the teams in the future, or is it just another false call.
There's been a mixed bag of positive and upsetting reactions in the past 24 hours, but the real question still stands: Will Sanju Samson join CSK for IPL 2026? Check out how Manager's hint fuels mega transfer rumours.
"Time to Move": Samson's recent viral Instagram post
On June 7, Sanju Samson posted a photo on Instagram that begin the rumors. The image featured him alongside his wife, crossing a prominent yellow line on the road. He captioned the post: "Time to MOVE..!!"
This visual cue, combined with the caption and the fact that a Tamil song ('Mun Andhi' from 7 Aum Arivu) was also part of the post, immediately sparked discussion. The comments section was quickly flooded with fans linking the "yellow" color and the "move" message to the Chennai Super Kings.
Comments like "He is definitely moving to CSK" and "Welcome to CSK 💛" can be seen all over the post.
Manager's IPL 2026 hint that sparked Sanju Samson transfer rumours
Sanju Samson's manager's profile (left) and the post he liked on Instagram (right). Image | One Cricket
The intense speculation regarding Sanju Samson moving to CSK for IPL 2026 intensified due to a subtle yet impactful social media action by his manager, Prashob Suvedan. He liked a viral post on X (formerly Twitter), which explicitly stated that Samson might be released fromRajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
This gets more interesting as the post also claimed CSK having already approached Samson regarding the move.
Therefore, the timing and nature of his manager's digital interaction ignited widespread speculation and put a layer of possibility about this matter.
— Sanju Samson Fans Page (@SanjuSamsonFP) June 16, 2025
🚨 Sanju Samson wants to join CSK, CSK wants Sanju Samson. Talks are on but it is not at all this simple.
RR doesn't want to trade Samson with any CSK's player, if Samson wants to join CSK then he will have to do it through auction. But then in Auction there is KKR who gonna… pic.twitter.com/Dy6mpX1Ke2
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