Moving tributes paid at Sir Garfield Sobers’s funeral

Batting genius Brian Lara found an apt time to drive home a message about the need for West Indies cricket to revive at the funeral of Sir Garfield Sobers at the Kensington Oval here on Wednesday.

Lara told a grieving audience that this was the time to start the Garry Sobers Initiative and by the time they gather here to mark his birth centenary in 10 years’ time, West Indies cricket would have hopefully be on top. goldparty.lat

Meanwhile, Clive Lloyd, who first played Test cricket under Sobers, said: “Sir Garfield Sobers was not merely the outstanding cricketer of his generation. He brought to the beautiful game a rare combination of brilliance, imagination, courage and joy.” Sobers’s coffin was draped in the Barbados flag.

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Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan co-owned Kolkata Knight Riders had a forgettable IPL 2026 campaign, finishing in 7th place on the Points Table and failed to qualify for the Playoffs stages. KKR went into the IPL 2026 auction with the biggest purse among the 10 teams but once again failed to contend for the title for the second year in a row.

BlogTata IPL 2026: Revolutionizing Cricket, Business, and Fan ExperiencesTata Becomes Title Sponsor The 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League feels like a fresh chapter in a story that has been unfolding for more than two decades.Open →

Now, ahead of the IPL 2027 player auction later this year, skipper Ajinkya Rahane has also announced his retirement from all forms of the game on Thursday. Rahane, who was retained for Rs 1.5 crore ahead of IPL 2026 season, has been KKR’s captain for the last two seasons.

Unless, the three-time IPL champions buy a top cricketer at the IPL 2027 auction or get someone via trade, the next KKR skipper could be their current vice-captain Rinku Singh. The Uttar Pradesh and Team India batter was elevated to KKR vice-captaincy ahead of IPL 2026 – which could indicate the franchise’s plans to develop the southpaw as a future leader.

“Over the years, we’ve seen Rinku Singh evolve not only as a cricketer but also as a leader,” KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar had said ahead of IPL 2026.

“For the past couple of years, while his performances have spoken for themselves, I think off the field, without saying a lot, he is someone that the team looks forward to (hearing). We wanted a little more responsibility for Rinku to shoulder and I feel it’s the perfect time, after being a World Cup champion, to come in, take on that responsibility and help Ajinkya Rahane take the reins over,” he added.

Senior India batter Ajinkya Rahane announces retirement from international cricket.#AjinkyaRahane pic.twitter.com/CVtwVE5n82

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 30, 2026

Rinku Singh, though, had very little captaincy experience apart fm leading Meerut Mavericks franchise to the UPT20 title in 2024 season and then finishing runners-up in 2025. Rinku as captain for the Mavericks had won 13 out of 18 matches in the Uttar Pradesh T20 league.

He also led Uttar Pradesh in List A cricket after replacing Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar ahead of the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Sunil Narine can challenge Rinku Singh for KKR captaincy

The other viable option for KKR to pick as Rahane’s replacement as captain could be veteran West Indies all-rounder Sunil Narine. The former WI all-rounder was retained for Rs 12 crore by Shah Rukh Khan’s KKR ahead of IPL 2026 season.

Narine has claimed 207 wickets in 202 IPL matches in his career so far – the highest wicket-taker among overseas players in the league. He is also an integral part of the Knight Riders set-up in other leagues, having also represented Trinbago Knight Riders, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Los Angeles Knight Riders.

A third option could be Narine’s West Indies compatriot Rovman Powell, who captained West Indies in 37 times between 2022 and 2024 in T20Is. He played two games for KKR in IPL 2025 and 11 in IPL 2026 season after being retained for Rs 1.5 crore.

The BCCI trade window will remain open till one week before the IPL 2027 and then open again after the auction ends.

Shillong (Meghalaya) [India], July 31 (ANI): On most evenings in Shillong, football is simply part of everyday life. It spills onto school grounds, neighbourhood pitches and roadside conversations. Children finish classes only to rush to the nearest field, while older fans debate line-ups over cups of tea. Here, football is not an event. It is routine.

On Friday, however, Shillong’s football story splits into two dreams. One belongs to a club determined to finish what it started. The other belongs to a club taking its first steps on India’s oldest football stage.

When Shillong Lajong FC walk onto the pitch at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to face Nongkseh Sports & Social Cultural Club (SS&CC), it will not merely mark the opening fixture of Group E of the 135th Durand Cup. It will also usher in another chapter in Meghalaya’s remarkable football story.

For the third consecutive year, Shillong hosts the Durand Cup, but never before has the city witnessed three of its own clubs competing in Asia’s oldest football tournament. And fittingly, the campaign begins with a local derby between the region’s most established professional club and its newest challenger.

One dream is built on years of tradition and the pursuit of an elusive Durand Cup title. The other is fuelled by the excitement of a first appearance and the belief that every established club was once a debutant. Together, they represent just how far Meghalaya football has come.

Shillong Lajong hardly needs an introduction. Over the years, the club has become the standard-bearer of football in the state, producing generations of players who have gone on to represent clubs across the country as well as the Indian national team.

Having reached the Durand Cup semi-finals in each of the last two editions – their best-ever finish – the Reds return with unfinished business.

Head coach Birendra Thapa, who guided Lajong to that memorable run, knows expectations are different this time. “Every tournament you play, you don’t play just to please the people and the fans. You want to win. You want to reach the final and lift the championship. Last time we lost in the semi-final. This time we want to reach the final and win it," he says.

Yet, despite Lajong’s experience, Thapa is not expecting an easy evening. “They are a good side. They have signed many good players from Shillong. It will be a tough match, but we are going all out."

Across the dressing room, the mood is equally confident. For Nongkseh SS&CC, tomorrow is the biggest day in the club’s history.

Fresh from winning the Meghalaya State League, the club now steps onto a national stage for the very first time. The badge may be making its Durand Cup debut, but several players have experienced the tournament before, including captain Hardy Cliff Nongbri, who ironically returns to face his former club. He was the captain of the Shillong Lajong side that reached the semifinals in the 133rd edition.

“Shillong Lajong is a very good team. I know them very well because they were my teammates," Nongbri says.

But nostalgia will end with the first whistle.

“We have experienced players, players who have played in the I-League and ISL. We also have a good combination of juniors and seniors. We will give our best, and we will try to win," he added.

His words capture the quiet confidence that has accompanied Nongkseh’s remarkable rise. They are no longer content being labelled underdogs.

Head coach Joseph Naik believes his players have earned the right to be here. “We are grateful for this opportunity because the Durand Cup is such a prestigious tournament," he says. “We respect Shillong Lajong, they have been an important figure in Indian football. But we have been working very hard, and now it is our time to get the job done," the coach added.

Perhaps what makes this fixture unique is that there is no hostility between the two sides. Many players know each other. Some have shared dressing rooms. Others have competed against one another since their school days.

The rivalry is local. The respect is mutual.

Shillong Lajong captain Kenstar Kharshong expects exactly the kind of contest Meghalaya football deserves. “They have some good and experienced players. I think it will be a very good match. I hope the supporters come and enjoy watching it."

If the players provide the spectacle, countless others have quietly spent weeks preparing the stage.

Around the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, final touches continue long after training sessions conclude.

For Uttam Kalita, the pitch curator who has prepared the surface for all three Durand Cup editions in Shillong, every tournament carries fresh excitement. “Whenever matches are held here, our enthusiasm increases. It’s our responsibility to make the ground look good, so we do everything we can."

Even he refuses to predict tomorrow’s winner. “Both teams are good. We will know more after seeing their performance."

Nearby, Nicholas, the State Sports Council’s field officer, watches preparations with satisfaction. “It is good that tournaments like this happen here because this stadium is built for international matches," he says.

His only prediction comes from the heart. “Hopefully one of our local teams reaches the final."

Behind the scenes, local organisers have also watched the tournament grow year after year.

For Smita Chettri, whose agency has worked on all three editions in Shillong, expectations have only increased. “Every year the expectations are higher. This is our third year, and people have seen how good the previous editions were," she said.

Like many in Shillong, even football loyalties divide households. “My daughter is supporting Lajong," she laughs. “I am supporting Nongkseh because I used to play from that locality during my school days."

Ultimately, though, Smita’s wish mirrors that of every football fan in Meghalaya. “We hope one of our teams reaches the final," she added.

Outside the stadium gates, supporters have already made up their minds. Some back Shillong Lajong’s experience. Others believe the State champions can script history.

One young supporter, Vebanshar Kharkongor, has attended most of the Durand Cup’s major matches in Shillong and believes the tournament has become much more than football.

“It gives Khasi players a chance to play with the big teams. Football connects families and friends here," he said. His heart, however, remains firmly with the Reds. “From the experience point of view, Shillong Lajong should win. But it will be a very good match."

Even a young girl at the nearby Shillong Sports Association ground politely declined an interview not because she lacked opinions, but because she feared speaking before kick-off might jinx her beloved Shillong Lajong.

Perhaps that says more about football in Shillong than any statistic ever could.

The match is not simply about three points or an early advantage in Group E. It is about a club defending its place among the country’s best. It is about another one announcing its arrival. It is about a city that has embraced the Durand Cup and now finds itself represented by three local clubs on one of Indian football’s biggest stages.

Tomorrow night, probably one team will leave with three points. But long before the final whistle, both dreams will already have shared the same stage. One chasing history. The other beginning it. And for Meghalaya football, that may be the biggest victory of all. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Former Mumbai Ranji Trophy head coaches Pravin Amre and Chandrakant Pandit described Test veteran Ajinkya Rahane as a silent warrior and highly committed professional, as the stylish batter announced his retirement from all forms of the game on Thursday.

Rahane scored 14,209 runs in 205 first-class games after making his debut for Mumbai against Karachi Urban in Pakistan in 2007, where he scored 143 at the National Stadium in Karachi, under head coach Amre.

“Ajinkya was always a silent warrior. I have just one regret as a coach. He could’ve finished as a legend, with 100 Tests. But it’s not his fault. He tried his best. Had he received support from the system, it would have been a great achievement,” Amre, who played 11 Tests and 37 ODIs, told mid-day on Thursday.

Ex-Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Pandit hailed Rahane’s discipline. “Ajinkya still has some cricket in him. He did well for Mumbai and KKR too. He’s one of the most dedicated, committed and well-disciplined cricketers with a great work ethic. Playing 85 Tests is no joke, yet his attitude and body language has been unwavering. He has always been very down to earth and I’ve always respected him for that,” Pandit told mid-day over the phone from Indore.

Amre also highlighted Rahane’s success in tough overseas conditions: “He has scored loads of runs in SENA countries [South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia]. Having performed for so long in those difficult conditions, he deserved a fitting farewell on the field.”

Ajinkya Naik, MCA chief
‘Ajinkya Rahane’s retirement marks the end of a remarkable chapter in Indian cricket. His dedication, composure under pressure, and commitment to excellence have made him one of Mumbai cricket’s finest ambassadors. His legacy will inspire generations to come.’