Sports
Moeen reveals the struggles in his cricket journey, says it gives him goosebumps even today

Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Moeen Ali has revealed the struggles he had to go through in his cricketing journey, saying that the mere thought of the tough road he traversed gives him “goosebumps” today.
Following an extremely successful IPL 2021 season with CSK, where he played a key role in the Chennai franchise clinching its fourth title in the UAE, the England player, who quit Test cricket to prolong his white-ball career, has had a patchy IPL 2022.
As the IPL 2022 season ended prematurely for the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side, Moeen reflected on the struggles he faced in his formative years and how determination and passion for the sport helped him overcome the hurdles.
He revealed that his family didn’t even have one Pound on some days to make ends meet, forcing them to survive on sandwiches or cucumber.
“My dad had a huge passion for the game… him and as well as the twin brothers. Between the families, there were five of us, so my cousins played, I played my younger brother played. I just remember I was eight years old (when) I started playing with my brothers in the park, and I could feel that they were also getting better. So, then I took a trial when I was 19, and it was the first time that I ever played with a hard ball and stuff,” the 34-year-old all-rounder said on CSK TV.
“That was the start and I was soon playing county cricket at a young age, doing well and loving the game. It was football, cricket, football, cricket. Cricket was my dad’s passion and we just carried on,” added Moeen.
Moeen said that his father had to juggle between his work as a psychiatric nurse and taking the children for county games, adding that sometimes he could not afford petrol, and occasionally food.
“At first, we were not very well off… we did not have a lot of money. My dad worked as a psychiatric nurse, which means you have to see people struggle mentally and stuff in the hospital. But at the same time, he had to take me and my brothers for county games, trials and training. He could not afford petrol; he could not afford sometimes, food. It was very difficult. Sometimes all three of us had a game the same day, a county game which was really unfortunate. We had one car, a terrible car between two families and so once the petrol and everything is done, we had just one pound left for the whole day. We had to get bread, sometimes cucumber and sandwich.
“That is the struggle… and it wasn’t just my dad and uncle. It was my mum and aunt, them getting the clothes ready, making sure everything was on time. It was always a rush. Very, very difficult times, but the best times,” added Moeen.
“That was one of the many, many stories where financially we really struggled. My uncle and dad turned up selling chickens just to provide for the next game. I didn’t even have my own pads at one point of time… I had to use my dad’s friend’s son’s pads for trials. So, very difficult but amazing days. I became professional very early and things got better and better.”
On the cricket field, Moeen rose quickly, first starting as a seam-bowling all-rounder before taking to off-spin on the insistence of a coach. Back issues while bowling seam played a part in the decision.
“For me it was just the normal thing to play every day. I didn’t know what it was to be a professional. I just thought this is life, I am playing every day, and my dad said, from 13 to 15, give me two years of your life. After school, we train, and we go outside in the park. Do whatever it takes. And after that, you do whatever you want. And that was the mindset that got me training everyday.
“Our area where we were living, it was a very rough area, fighting and all. But I just wanted to play cricket. We were adamant we were going to make it and that is something that came from my dad, just try better than everybody. Not in an arrogant way, but just work harder than everybody else. Just thinking about it now makes me get goosebumps because you think where you come from and it is a great reminder for myself about my own humble background,” added Moeen.
Entertainment
Art remains immortal: Assam CM condoles death of legendary actor Manoj Kumar

Guwahati, April 4: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday condoled the death of ace Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar and asserted that art remains immortal.
Taking to X, Sarma mentioned, “Even today, Manoj Kumar ji’s films inspire countrymen and fill them with energy to dream new dreams. Many of my childhood memories are associated with the songs of his films.”
“Whether an artist lives or not, his art remains immortal. Om Shanti,” he further mentioned in the X post.
Veteran actor and film-maker Manoj Kumar breathed his last on Friday at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. He was 87.
Reportedly, the medical reports reveal that Manoj Kumar’s death was caused by cardiogenic shock resulting from an acute myocardial infarction, a severe heart attack.
The reports also indicated that he had been struggling with decompensated liver cirrhosis in recent months, which had worsened his health.
The legendary actor was admitted to the hospital on February 21 when his health deteriorated.
Dr Santosh Shetty, CEO and Executive Director at Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, said in an official statement, “Veteran actor Shri Manoj Kumar ji passed away peacefully at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital early this morning at around 3:30 am, due to age-related health issues. He had been hospitalised for the past few weeks.”
Following the news of his passing, tributes quickly flooded in from celebrities, politicians, and fans alike.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his sorrow, mourning the loss of the legendary actor-director.
Taking to his X handle, he tweeted, “Deeply saddened by the passing of legendary actor and film-maker Manoj Kumar ji. He was an icon of Indian cinema, who was particularly remembered for his patriotic zeal, which was also reflected in his films. Manoj ji’s works ignited a spirit of national pride and will continue to inspire generations. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this hour of grief. Om Shanti.”
Sports
IPL 2025: ‘Aggression isn’t about hitting sixes but showing correct intent’, Venkatesh on KKR’s win over SRH

Kolkata, April 4: Kolkata Knight Riders vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer provided valuable insights into his team’s comprehensive 80-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2025 on Thursday and explained that aggression isn’t about hitting every ball for a maximum; it’s about showing correct intent.
Iyer, who smashed a brilliant 60 off just 29 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes, played a crucial role in taking KKR to a formidable total of 200 after a cautious start at the Eden Gardens in a replay of the last edition’s final.
“A basic but very important meaning of aggression is to show positive but correct intent when we play cricket,” Iyer explained when asked about KKR’s batting approach.
“If we are 50 for six and I still go and tonk everything, that’s positive but not correct. If we are to call ourselves smart cricketers, it’s very important to read any situation and then react accordingly.”
The left-hander clarified that KKR’s definition of aggression isn’t about mindlessly hitting every ball for boundaries. “Aggression does not mean hitting every ball for a maximum. It’s about how you understand the conditions and can maximise the conditions in your favour,” he elaborated.
Iyer credited his teammates — especially skipper Ajinkya Rahane and young batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi — for providing valuable inputs during the strategic timeout that helped him assess the pitch conditions better. Stitching a crucial partnership of 81 in 51 balls, Rahane scored 38 runs, while Raghuvanshi hit 50.
“The main communication was by Ajinkya and Angkrish. The messages they sent during the time-out made us understand that it’s not an easy pitch to just go out there and hit. You have to take your time,” he said.
KKR’s batting strategy relied on Iyer and Rinku Singh laying a foundation before accelerating in the death overs, knowing they had destructive batters like Andre Russell waiting in the dugout. “I have that luxury because we have Rinku, Ramandeep (Singh), and (Andre) Russell in the back end. Even if I take a few balls, I know that I can cover it to an extent. We still have our engine room which can demolish any bowling attack,” Iyer added.
When discussing SRH’s ultra-aggressive batting approach that faltered against KKR’s bowling attack led by Vaibhav Arora and Varun Chakaravarthy (who took three wickets each), Iyer mentioned, “We’re not comfortable with any score when it comes to SRH. A team which is ultra-aggressive always carries the risk of losing wickets, and that’s what we wanted to exploit.”
Iyer also expressed appreciation for facing star Indian pacer Mohammed Shami, who recently returned to cricketing action after a long layoff due to injury. “The cricket fan in me is very happy to see Shami Bhai back and running in full flow. It was extremely challenging to play him in the Ranji trophy as well, but here in T20, the bowler also has a mindset that if they err, they can get hit for a boundary,” he concluded.
Sports
IPL 2025: Only unfinished business is lifting the trophy, says SRH’s Nitish Reddy

New Delhi, April 3: After ending up as runners-up in the last edition of the IPL, Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy feels that the only unfinished business for the franchise is to lift the trophy this season.
SRH had a tough start to the IPL 2025 season as they lost their last two matches and are placed in eighth place in the standings. They will look to add two points against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Thursday, in a rematch of the IPL 2024 final.
“To be honest, I never set personal goals, even when playing for India or in the IPL last year. The only unfinished business is lifting the trophy. We created history with some records, but our ultimate goal is to win the IPL title and add a second star to SRH’s legacy,” Reddy said on JioHotstar’s show ‘Gen Bold’.
Reflecting on his growth since the breakthrough last season, where he scored 303 runs in 13 matches for SRH and went on to make his India debut in T20I and Test formats, Reddy said, “I am very happy with the progress I’ve made, both in my performances for my country and my IPL franchise. I want to continue delivering at the same level. There has been a significant change – people have started recognising me and praising my performances.
“However, I don’t want to let this get to my head. Moving forward, I want to play with the same passion and consistency, whether it’s for my franchise or India. My focus remains on keeping my love for cricket alive.”
The 21-year-old lauded Pat Cummins’ leadership skills and termed him a calm and composed captain. “He is an extremely calm and composed leader. The way he handles pressure is remarkable. When you see your captain managing things so smoothly, it instils confidence in the entire group.”
“His composure helps us believe that we can always make a comeback. As a captain, he is brilliant, and I truly enjoy playing under his leadership,” Reddy said.
On SRH’s explosive batting line-up, he added, “I would rate my team very highly. We had an incredible season last year, and we want to replicate that success. Our strategy is simple – playing with a free mind, maximizing runs in the powerplay, and carrying that momentum into the later overs. Whether it’s the top or middle order, everyone has a role to play. We’re hopeful for another great season.”
Reddy picked Kagiso Rabada as the toughest bowler to face in the IPL and said facing him was a tough challenge.
“I guess I have started understanding the bowlers better now. Just as they study my game, I analyse theirs too. My approach will remain the same, but I will adapt to situations as required. Last year, I didn’t play the first four matches, but when I did, I found Kagiso Rabada particularly challenging. When we played against Punjab, he was very expressive on that wicket, and facing him there was a tough challenge for me,” he said.
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