Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India cricket tension mounts with resignation of BCCI chief

Tension over the future of India's head coach Anil Kumble grew on Friday (2) after a top cricket administrator resigned slamming the Indian board for its handling of the controversy.

Amid a reported battle between team captain Virat Kohli and Kumble, a deadline for applications to become head coach passed this week without any announcement by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).


Top names like Virender Sehwag and Australia's Tom Moody have reportedly applied for the job which comes vacant when Kumble's one-year term expires after the Champions Trophy. Kumble is also in the running.

Ramachandra Guha, who quit a Supreme Court-appointed four-member committee overseeing the BCCI, backed Kumble to be given an extension.

Guha, in a letter written to the committee of administrators (COA) chairman Vinod Rai, criticised the BCCI as he gave reasons for quitting the post that he only took on January 30.

"The Indian team's record this past season has been excellent; and even if the players garner the bulk of the credit, surely the head coach and his support staff also get some," Guha wrote.

Kumble helped India win all five Test series since his appointment in June last year, but the BCCI has insisted it has followed routine procedure by inviting applicants for the coach's job.

"In a system based on justice and merit, the head coach's term would have been extended. Instead, Kumble was left hanging, and then told the post would be re-advertised afresh.

"Clearly, the issue has been handled in an extremely insensitive and unprofessional manner by the BCCI CEO and the BCCI office-bearers, with the COA, by its silence and inaction, unfortunately being complicit in this regard," said Guha.

"Due process had to be followed since Kumble's original appointment was only for one year, why was this not done during April and May, when the IPL was on?," he added.

With India starting their defence of the Champions Trophy against Pakistan on Sunday (4), Guha's resignation has reinforced the reports of a rift between Kumble and Kohli over tactics and training.

"If indeed the captain and the Head Coach were not getting along, why was this not attended to as soon as the Australia series was over in late March?.

"Why was it left until the last minute, when a major international tournament was imminent, and when the uncertainty would undermine the morale and ability to focus of the coach, the captain and the team?," said Guha.

The 59-year-old academic came down heavily on Indian stars including Sunil Gavaskar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni as well as the preferential treatment accorded to them by the BCCI.

Guha slammed Gavaskar's role in heading a company involving Indian cricketers and commentating on them as a BCCI TV analyst. He blamed the COA for not taking action on such matters.

He also criticised the Grade A contract given to Dhoni despite the former captain having left Test cricket, saying the "superstar syndrome" is sending the "wrong message".

Guha along with Rai, banker Vikram Limaye and former Indian women's captain Diana Edulji were appointed to run the BCCI after the Supreme court sacked its top officials for failing to implement reforms.

Guha has said former Indian paceman and ICC match referee Javagal Srinath or any respected male cricketer should replace him on the panel.

More For You

Vismaya Mohanlal’s daughter

Vismaya Mohanlal makes her film debut with Malayalam project Thudakkam

Instagram/mayamohanlal

Mohanlal’s daughter Vismaya to make acting debut with 'Thudakkam' directed by '2018' filmmaker Jude Anthany Joseph

Quick highlights:

  • Vismaya Mohanlal to debut in Thudakkam, helmed by Jude Anthany Joseph.
  • The Malayalam film is produced by Antony Perumbavoor under Aashirvad Cinemas.
  • Mohanlal and Pranav Mohanlal posted heartfelt messages welcoming Vismaya to cinema.
  • Vismaya is also a published poet and visual artist with a book titled Grains of Stardust.

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal’s daughter, Vismaya Mohanlal, is stepping into cinema with Thudakkam, a Malayalam feature directed by 2018 filmmaker Jude Anthany Joseph. The announcement, made on social media by her father and production house Aashirvad Cinemas, marks Vismaya’s formal entry into acting after years of working quietly as a poet and artist.

Vismaya Mohanlal transitions from poetry and art to acting in ThudakkamInstagram/mayamohanlal

Keep ReadingShow less
Visa UK

The aim is to attract graduate-level or above workers, making several low-paid roles ineligible for visas. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Government unveils stricter visa rules, to take effect from July 22

THE GOVERNMENT on Tuesday introduced the first set of tougher immigration rules in the House of Commons aimed at reducing the recruitment of foreign skilled workers, including in the care sector. The new measures are described as a “complete reset” of the UK’s immigration system.

The proposed changes, originally outlined in an ‘Immigration White Paper’ in May, include raising the skills and salary thresholds for foreign workers — including those from India — ending overseas recruitment for care worker roles, and removing more than 100 occupations, such as chefs and plasterers, from the shortage occupation list that currently allows certain visa exemptions.

Keep ReadingShow less
The Running Man

Glen Powell stars in Edgar Wright’s The Running Man based on Stephen King’s dystopian thriller

Instagram/runningmanmovie/Youtube screeengrab

'The Running Man' trailer: Glen Powell leads deadly TV survival game in Edgar Wright’s remake of Stephen King’s novel

Quick highlights:

• Glen Powell stars as Ben Richards in The Running Man, directed by Edgar Wright.

• Based on Stephen King’s 1982 novel and a remake of the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film.

Keep ReadingShow less
Taylor Fritz &  Morgan Riddle

The couple met on the members-only dating app Raya during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic

Getty Images

Who is Taylor Fritz’s girlfriend Morgan Riddle? All about the influencer reshaping tennis culture

Key points

  • Morgan Riddle is an influencer and media personality with over 1 million followers.
  • She is known for popularising tennis among younger audiences.
  • Riddle and Fritz met on the dating app Raya in 2020.
  • She regularly travels with Fritz on tour and featured in Netflix’s Break Point.
  • Riddle has collaborated with Wimbledon and launched tennis-themed products.

Morgan Riddle, often referred to as Taylor Fritz’s girlfriend, has become a recognised figure in the tennis world, thanks to her growing media presence and efforts to modernise the sport’s image. As Fritz continues to climb the ATP rankings, currently sitting at World No. 5, Riddle is frequently seen supporting him courtside, including at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships in London.

A social media influencer with a tennis mission

Riddle has built a career as a full-time influencer and media personality, gaining popularity on Instagram and TikTok for her lifestyle, fashion and behind-the-scenes tennis content. Her viral videos, including one that aimed to “make tennis cool again,” have drawn both praise and criticism.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer faces revolt as welfare bill vote sparks Labour uproar

Keir Starmer speaks during a reception for public sector workers at 10 Downing Street in London on July 1, 2025. (Photo by CARL COURT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Starmer faces revolt as welfare bill vote sparks Labour uproar

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer faced the most serious test of his leadership on Tuesday (1) as his government’s flagship welfare reforms came under fierce attack from within his own party.

The day was marked by emotional speeches, last-minute concessions, and a deep sense of division among Labour MPs, many of whom said the proposed changes would push vulnerable people into poverty

Keep ReadingShow less