From scratches to splendor: Begusarai wins the battle with glory to host Khelo India Youth Games this year
It is nothing but a revolution that began with broken legs and bruised pride in a forgotten corner of Bihar. It is Begusarai, placed at quite a far from Patna’s bustle, in a humble locality of Barauni. Football did not just arrive. Rather, it won after a lot of battles. This ground, a patch of land that carries the legacy of a freedom fighter, Yamuna Bhagat, became football’s unlikely home nearly 80 years ago. But the spark that truly lit its modern-day fire came in 1990, when a hastily assembled team of local girls, untrained and unsure, were battered by a seasoned Muzaffarpur team in an exhibition match, meant to mark the ground’s 50th anniversary. Some hobbled away, some were stretchered, and all had wounds that cut deeper than skin. But instead of shame, it birthed a movement. “We were humiliated. But we turned that pain into purpose,” recalls Chandra Shekhar, a retired schoolteacher and former footballer, whose words carry the weight of generations. “The story of the ground dates back to pre-Independence era, when freedom fighter Yamuna Bhagat started with a library to educate youngsters from the oppressed communities upon his released from jail. The real transformation took place in 1990 when we planned to celebrate 50 years of the ground,” narrated Chandra while reflecting on the struggles and sacrifices, the village made to turn it into a nursery for young female footballers. “We had invited two teams for an exhibition match, and only one of the two reached here. As organisers, we were left red-faced, and all of a sudden we decided to form a team with young girls who had never played the sport,” he recalled. Over the next three decades, Barauni turned into a cradle of footballing dreams, led by unsung heroes like Chandra Shekhar and former Mohun Bagan goalkeeper-turned-mentor Sanjeev Kumar Singh, who chose turf over a steady Army career, love for the game over comfort. Together, they nurtured talent, mentored generations and preserved a ground that once broke them and later, built them. Sanjeev candidly admitted that his dedication for football has come at the cost of ignoring the interests and needs of his family but pointed out that someone had to shoulder the responsibility. Today, Begusarai has emerged 12-time state champion, supplies 70 per cent of Bihar’s squad, and a football culture rooted deep in community pride, Barauni finally finds itself on the national map, hosting the Khelo India Youth Games this year. It’s the applause for three decades of quiet toil, village-wide sacrifice, and football played with heart, not boots. The scouts from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) are in town, identifying prospects and, predictably, many have roots in this very village.
BCCI considers Gavaskar’s advice about the ‘no-entertainment’ part in the remainder of the IPL
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is seriously considering Sunil Gavaskar’s advice of rejecting the entertainment part in the remainder of the IPL, resuming from 17th May. Gavaskar urged the BCCI to organize the remaining 17 matches without cheerleaders and DJs. According to a report from India Today, the BCCI is now seriously considering the suggestion made by Gavaskar. IPL 2025 was suspended for a week on 8th May amidst cross-border tensions with Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The heinous attack claimed the lives of as many as 26 civilians. “The Indian cricket board will make a decision after Sunil Gavaskar urged the BCCI to stage the remaining 17 matches without cheerleaders and DJs,” the report said. As a gesture for those who died during the Pahalgam attack, Gavaskar felt that there should not be any entertainment (apart from the sport on display) in the remaining IPL matches. “What I would really like to see is these are the last few matches. I think we have had about 60 games or thereabouts. I think it will be around 15 or 16 matches in the remaining phase of the League. I would sincerely apologize for what has happened, and some families have lost their near and dear ones. I would like all the show-sha baji that goes with it not to be there. It should be just a game to be played. Let there be a crowd but no music. Let’s not have the DJs screaming in the middle of an over. None of that,” Gavaskar told Sports Today. He also stated, “Let’s just have a tournament, the balance of a tournament. No dancing girls, nothing. Just cricket would be a nice way to respect the sentiment of the families who have lost their near and dear ones.”
BCB wants Mustafizur to prioritize national commitment above IPL
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) wants Mustafizur Rahman to put national commitment above IPL 2025 duties. The pacer was signed as a replacement for Jake Fraser-McGurk by Delhi Capitals for the remainder of IPL 2025. However, Rahman boarded a flight to the UAE for the upcoming T20I series on the same day he signed with DC. As per Cricbuzz, a BCB director claimed that while the board has no problem in allowing Rahman to play for DC in IPL 2025, it wants him to prioritize national duties. “We are not saying that we won’t let Mustafizur play in the IPL for the Delhi Capitals, but at the same time, there is a thing called national commitment, and he needs to fulfill that,” a BCB director said. The official said that it would be unfair for Nahid Rana and Rishad Hossain, who were a part of PSL but are traveling to the UAE for the T20I series, if Rahman was given a NOC. The BCB director claimed that in that case, the other two would also have to be released from the squad. “Along with that, if we had released him in that case, what would we have done with the two cricketers who took part in PSL, as they could have asked why we were not releasing them?” he added. For the uninformed, the Bangladesh cricket team are set to play a 2-match T20I series against the UAE from May 17 to 19. Understanding that foreign players may not return, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to allow teams to use temporary replacements. And so, the Capitals paid Mustafizur Rs 6 crore to join them. The move made sense since Mitchell Starc might not return either. And having a like-for-like replacement for him seems like a sound decision.
Report says Rohit retired due to pressure from selectors, BCCI didn’t persuade Kohli
Former India cricket team Test captain Rohit Sharma was forced to retire as he was under pressure from the selectors, a Times of India report has revealed. The Hitman took everyone by surprise by abruptly retiring from the longest format of the game last week. In what was another blow to India, Virat Kohli also followed the former’s footsteps and decided to step away from Tests as well. According to TOI report, the selectors weren’t in favor of taking Rohit to England, which prompted him to announce his retirement. The report states that the selectors weren’t sure about his spot in the side after he informed them that he would only play a couple of Tests in the series. Brushing aside reports of the BCCI asking a former cricketer to convince Virat to reconsider his decision, the source claimed that no such move was made by the BCCI. Echoing earlier reports, the source claimed that Kohli’s move to retire abruptly was his decision alone. But despite their retirement from Test, both Rohit and Kohli will now only be active in ODIs. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the duo’s Grade+ contract will continue.
