Vedant Trivedi (Special arrangements)

NEW DELHI: 47/0 was the scoreline. Four balls later, it became 47/3. A sense of unease crept in as India looked to have lost the early momentum against Pakistan during their crucial U19 World Cup 2026 match on Sunday. Against the same opponent, India had already conceded the plot recently, in the U19 Asia Cup final.

And when the hype around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre died down with their early dismissals, the need of the hour was the emergence of a saviour. In stepped, Ahmedabad-based batter Vedant Trivedi. When India needed a hero, Vedant, chipping in with a 98-ball 68, became the villain for Pakistan.Trivedi showed remarkable discipline on a pitch which was difficult to bat on, rescuing the Indian team from a precarious situation and enabling them to post a total of 252. The 18-year-old cricketer pulled off a strong comeback, having failed to cross the 15-run mark in previous matches, and now finishing as the top run-getter. ‘Focus on crossing the 30-run mark’“My initial few shots against Pakistan connected quite well, sparking confidence that it would be my day. The focus was on batting as long as possible. Runs weren’t flowing freely off the bat in the previous matches. I just told myself to focus on crossing the 30-run mark during that phase, as net sessions were going well,” said Vedant during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.While the 18-year-old cricketer’s strong mentality certainly reflected in his shot selection, he maintains the same intent even off the field. Trivedi hasn’t consumed sugar since the age of 10, abstaining from eating biscuits in a strong show of internal discipline and clarity.‘Idolising Shubman Gill’The Gujarat batter idolises Shubman Gill as his association with the game began in a similar manner to that of the Team India captain, considering the role played by his father. Interestingly, the cricketer also emulated Gill’s celebration in a domestic match.

Vedant Trivedi (Special arrangements)

Trivedi’s father Alpesh used to bowl 300 deliveries daily to him, developing a strong initial framework with emphasis on technique rather than power. Eventually, the 18-year-old cricketer joined a coaching academy, which further involved sacrifices, travelling between 80 to 100 kilometers per day. Trivedi worked extensively with coaches Hem Joshipura and Jesal Karia, refining his gameplay.‘Converting 40s into tons, non-reliance on power’Joshipura helped imbibe awareness and clarity regarding the batter’s strengths and the areas where work was deemed necessary. “The best part is that he implemented the feedback immediately. Vedant worked upon taking quick singles, hitting boundaries down the ground as well as maintaining patience. I told him power is not the only necessity to score runs, which propelled his consistency to the next level especially during the last edition of the Cooch Behar Trophy,” stated the Gujarat coach.

Vedant Trivedi (Special arrangements)

Karia worked upon Trivedi’s gameplay against pace, helping him react in a sharper manner. There was also specific training for the ongoing World Cup, enhancing the number of shots which could be deployed against spinners considering the wickets in Zimbabwe. Karia developed Trivedi’s comfort levels while playing the cut and pull shot, boosting his ability to switch gears with some technical adjustments.“Initially, Vedant couldn’t concert his 40s into centuries leaving him very disappointed. However, he responded well and overcame that by batting for six hours daily. Many people feel that batting in an orthodox manner reduces scope to score runs. However, Vedant is well capable of accelerating when the chips are down despite his traditional gameplay,” stated Karia.‘Motivation from England series snub’The 18-year-old cricketer wasn’t picked in the U-19 squad for a tour of England in 2025, leaving him in a state of dismay. However, Trivedi took the snub as a challenge, finishing among the only two centurions during a series of matches conducted at the Center of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. The consistent performances soon earned the batter a spot in the squad for a tour of Australia, where he finished as the top run-getter. Trivedi drew inspiration from Sourav Ganguly, who has influenced his approach, in order to excel during the overseas tour.‘Sourav Ganguly’s inputs prove vital’“Vedant saw a video of Ganguly where he discussed the shots which can be played in Australian conditions considering the importance of control on such wickets. He followed the approach discussed thoroughly, enhancing his comfort levels massively. There was also specific focus on a lot of training drills, facing synthetic balls to develop greater fluency,” stated the cricketer’s father. Impressively, Trivedi was back on the training ground just the day after landing in India following the Australian tour, showcasing his commitment levels and focus on the process. The 18-year-old cricketer faces 700 balls daily in net sessions, training for six to seven hours.

Vedant Trivedi with parents (Special arrangements)

Former Team India cricketer Parthiv Patel has played a key role in developing this mental resolve, discussing the importance of a strong mindset. Interestingly, Trivedi is further quite talented off the field, excelling in playing the casio. “God is very kind. He times everything perfectly as evident from the comeback knock against Pakistan which came at the best possible time,” stated the cricketer’s father. With momentum on his side, Trivedi could well go on to make an all-important contribution in the semi-final against Afghanistan, emulating his idol’s heroics.

India’s Tilak Varma plays a shot during the fifth T20 cricket match between India and South Africa in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

TimesofIndia.com in Mumbai: The police sirens weren’t blaring, hundreds hadn’t assembled to catch a glimpse of the team bus, and an eerie silence hung over the porch of the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. A handful of security guards and police personnel were enjoying their afternoon sweet spot after a hearty lunch when the India A team bus pulled in. Chairs were reluctantly ditched as they snapped into an alert position, albeit only for a few minutes.The players started getting off the bus, but the attention and camera pans, only two to be precise, were on Tilak Varma. Set for his first competitive appearance after almost a month, the 23-year-old got into the act straight away. While the rest underwent an extended warm-up and catching drills, Tilak, after a light throwdown session of driving near the ropes, joined Ravi Bishnoi on the practice pitches to bowl.

And it wasn’t just gentle deliveries to loosen up the shoulder as he spent considerable time bowling to the likes of Bishnoi, Ashok Sharma, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed and Mayank Yadav. Even when the captains had lined up for the toss, Tilak wasn’t done yet. Only after USA’s decision to bowl first flashed on the giant screen did the left-hander get the cue and rush to the dugout to pad up.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India’s designated No. 3 for the upcoming T20 World Cup was short on match practice due to a groin injury, but after extended rehabilitation and match simulations at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, he picked up from where he had left off in his last appearance for the country. There were no visible signs of rust as the youngster went about his business exactly as he did in the home T20I series against South Africa.He took the left-arm spin on, found gaps with precision, brought out the reverse sweep and even flexed his muscles with a maximum. His knock of 38 off 23 ended when he edged a Shubham Ranjane delivery behind to the wicketkeeper, but Tilak ticked the boxes he would have wanted after spending time away from cricket. The left-hander remains a crucial piece in India’s T20 World Cup puzzle and his return now leaves the selectors with a straightforward call between Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan for the second opener and wicketkeeper’s spot.Samson was woefully out of form in the five T20Is against New Zealand, while Kishan made his opportunities count and even donned the gloves for the final T20I. Captain Suryakumar Yadav had said the call would be revealed on February 7, but recent form and confidence tilt heavily in Kishan’s favour.“The final call on Ishan Kishan versus Sanju Samson for the opener role will be revealed on February 7,” Surya had said in an interaction with the broadcaster.Indian management have persisted with out-of-form players in T20Is, including captain SKY, but it will be interesting to see whether they follow the same route for a multi-nation tournament.

The backup options

After Tilak, the second talking point from India A’s warm-up against USA was the potential backup options in case Washington Sundar does not recover in time for the T20 World Cup. While the all-rounder is making progress at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, the management will want a Plan B in place for a campaign that gets underway on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium.As TimesofIndia.com had reported earlier, the management is likely to take a patient approach with Washington as they need an option for match-ups against left-handers. For those match-ups, Ravi Bishnoi was drafted into the squad for the T20Is against New Zealand and returned figures of 2/18 and 1/49 in his two outings. Even in the Navi Mumbai fixture, the leg-spinner, whose stock ball moves away from left-handers, picked up a wicket in his first over, the third of the innings, when he cleaned up opposition captain Monank Patel for 10. Another wicket followed in his second over as he finished with figures of 3/37 in four overs.Tilak too got into the act when he was introduced ahead of the likes of Ayush Badoni and Riyan Parag. The part-timer picked up a wicket with his first ball before Parag was introduced from the other end. There is no need to panic yet, but the think-tank does not want to leave anything to chance, even when it comes to replacement options for a player like Washington, who is unlikely to feature in the playing XI for most games. One over each for Tilak, Parag and Badoni does not drop any major hints either.

Team India to assemble on February 3

The Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team will assemble in Mumbai on Tuesday ahead of the warm-up fixture against South Africa on February 4. Most players, head coach Gautam Gambhir and members of the support staff had gone home during the two-day break after the New Zealand series but will now return to business.As far as the relaxed security personnel at DY Patil Stadium are concerned, they were kept on their toes when a decent crowd turned up for the India A-USA game. It will be busier for the India-South Africa fixture, with close to 20,000 tickets already sold, and the post-lunch sweet spot is unlikely on Wednesday.Brief Score: India A posted 238/3 in 20 overs and then bowled out USA for 200 in 19.4 overs, sealing a comfortable 38-run victory.

Dhananjaya de Silva (L) and Kusal Mendis (R) of Sri Lanka (Photo by Sameera Peiris/Getty Images)

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Monday dropped Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva from their 15-man T20 World Cup squad led by Dasun Shanaka.De Silva had been recalled for a three-match T20 international series against Pakistan early last month after an 18-month absence and played the opening game against England in an ongoing series.But he was dropped for the second T20, while the final match is scheduled for Tuesday.Since his recall, he has only scored 43 runs in three innings and taken one wicket with his off-spin.Against England at Pallekele last week, he laboured to 11 off 12 balls before being dismissed by Adil Rashid.Seam bowler Eshan Malinga has been named in the squad despite suffering a shoulder injury against England on Sunday.Sri Lanka are co-hosting with India the T20 World Cup, which starts on Saturday, and face Ireland in their opening game in Colombo on Sunday.They will also play Australia, Oman and Zimbabwe in Group B, with the top two teams to qualify for the Super 8 stage.Sri Lanka T20 World Cup squadDasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Eshan Malinga

A big crowd outside the Melbourne Park during the 2026 Australian Open (AP)

New Delhi: Roger Federer coined the term “Happy Slam” for the Australian Open in 2007, and it has stuck. “Everybody is kind of happy to see each other, kind of after the off-season. It’s kind of like the ‘Happy Slam,’” Federer had said back on January 14, 2007.Daria Kasatkina, who took up Australian nationality recently, captured the mood in an interview with The Guardian: “Everyone is so chill, like ‘if you’re late, you’re late, mate.’ It’s OK, take it easy, don’t worry about it.”

That vibe is evident from the orderly manner of the nearest Flinders Street train station. It is also clear in the packed trams that take you to Melbourne Park. Once you get inside, having navigated through lengthy queues, drinks, lawn chairs and ice creams become the flavour even on sultry days.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Federer, who attended the start of the 2026 Australian Open, explained in detail this time around: “It felt like a very normal thing to say because a lot of players, they’re happy to escape the European winter,” said the six-time Australian Open winner.“Finally, you’re happy to maybe see the other players again [after a break], so it just feels very happy. The weather’s good, people are incredibly excited and pumped up about the Australian Open, we the players can feel that, the vibes are incredibly happy, nobody’s exhausted and tired [except for travel]. It stuck, and I’m happy it’s still the case because I still think the players are super happy to be here.”

Six-time Australian Open winner Roger Federer (AP)

Largely, that may well be the case but there have been grumblings in the last two weeks ranging from prize money, presence of cameras in locker rooms, barring of fitness trackers and the lengthy queues on the outside courts.

Prize money goes up but short of US Open

The Australian Open took the prize money to A$111.5 million ($74.56 million) this year, bringing it ahead of last year’s French Open ($65.42 million) and Wimbledon ($71.60 million) but short of the US Open’s purse ($90 million).Last year, the players had written to the Slams and expressed dissatisfaction with how much they were getting back in Australia. Tournament Director Craig Tiley defended their position saying, “I believe the players should continue to be paid more and more players paid more, we have 128 in the main draw and 128 qualifying (men and women), so we are supporting over 500 players financially each Grand Slam,” he told AFR.

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic to win his maiden Australian Open (AP)

Coco Gauff was one of the players who said pressure would be mounted on the administrators if their demands remained unmet.The agitation over prize money is not new. There was a record prize money increase for the 2013 edition after players considered bypassing the tournament. In 2018, Djokovic threatened the formation of a breakaway player union while demanding a fairer share of the revenue raised by tournaments.

‘Are we animals in a zoo?’

Increases in revenues and subsequent prize money go hand-in-hand with increases in broadcast fees. More cameras are used to show more aspects of the tournament, going beyond just the courts. Behind-the-scenes footage is crucial to the puzzle as broadcasters look to get more bang for their buck. Though, some players were not pleased.Gauff, upset after her loss to Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals, thought she was alone and away from cameras as she trashed a racquet. Instead, the act was captured by a sneaky camera in the player areas near the locker room. Not-so-surprisingly, it was immediately clipped and made waves on social media.

In the press conference later, Gauff said, “maybe some conversations can be had, because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room.” She added: “I kind of have a thing with the broadcast. I feel like certain moments don’t need to broadcast.”Iga Swiatek backed Gauff. “The question is, are we tennis players, or are we, like, animals in the zoo where they are observed even when they poop?” she asked.“OK, that was exaggerating obviously, but it would be nice to have some privacy. It would be nice also to, I don’t know, have your own process and not always be observed. It would be nice to have some space where you can do that without the whole world watching.”

I’m surprised that we have no cameras while we are taking a shower!

Novak Djokovic

“We’re tennis players. We’re meant to be watched on the court, and in the press. That’s our job. It’s not our job to be a meme when you forget your accreditation. Oh, it’s funny, yeah, for sure. People have something to talk about, but for us I don’t think it’s necessary.”Djokovic, too, used an exaggerated example in agreeing with Gauff. “I mean, I’m surprised that we have no cameras while we are taking a shower!”For their part, Tennis Australia said, “…we value feedback from the players and will continue to work collaboratively to ensure the right balance.” Just for the record, Wimbledon and Roland Garros have private areas for players to retreat to.

Record crowds but at what cost?

A massive 1,368,043 people came through the turnstiles at the 2026 Australian Open. The main draw accounted for 1,150,044 people – both records for the tournament. One reason for this jump can be attributed to affordable ground passes – at A$69 in the first week.On the face of it, that creates plenty of buzz, volume and generates more revenue for the tournament, even if food and drinks get more expensive each year. But the overcrowding has sullied the experience for many of the regulars.“Having too many people, at this or any other tournament, is a very good problem for us,” Djokovic had said after beating Francesco Maestrelli. “It’s a good sign. I really like the mentality here, that desire to constantly improve.”

Australian Open 2026 faced an overcrowding issue (AP)

Craig Tiley predicted expanding the complex into the nearby Olympic and Yarra Park precincts to ease the overcrowding issue. He also proposed a “translucent dome over the whole precinct.” How that would pan out, if at all, remains to be seen.

Is a smartwatch a performance-enhancing drug?

Eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were asked to remove fitness trackers from their wrists. Aryna Sabalenka, too, was told to remove a device. These health analytical devices, known as wearables, are allowed by both the men’s and women’s tours, since 2024 and 2021, respectively, but not at Slams. It is another point where tennis administrators need to come together and simplify things but that’s already a long list.“Athletes have a fundamental right to understand their own performance and health – including during competition at events like the Australian Open,” said Whoop, the brand worn by Alcaraz. “Blocking access to personal health data does not protect sport.”The company’s CEO Will Ahmed took to social media after Alcaraz was asked to remove his tracker: “Ridiculous. Whoop is approved by the International Tennis Federation for in-match wear and poses no safety risk. Let the athletes measure their bodies. Data is not steroids!”

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Without giving the reason(s) behind their decision, Tennis Australia defended itself and said they do provide some health data to the players. “They can monitor key external load measures such as distance covered, changes of direction, high acceleration events and speed/spin of shots,” it said.Football, baseball, American Football, basketball and cricket have all embraced data analytics and connected athletes’ bodies to understand their limits. Tennis, however, is late to the game. And after the Australian Open, it has missed another stop.