The Prodigal Returns

There is no fatted calf – beef ban and all. In fact, fat, is just not on the menu.

Pune has grown and the returning prodigal has only grown... older.

Reality now has no comfort of an amber-coloured hue to soften the harshness of a messed-up past, tough present and a hazy future.

I look around – see, notice, try to understand, but for the most part fall short.

Returning home to my home Pune has been like a silent scream – all the noise is in your head.

What hasn’t changed? Two-wheelers still have permanent right of way on Pune’s roads.

Why Sterling and Fellaini will end Wenger @ Arsenal

Raheem Sterling last season was a bumbling idiot in front of goal with incredible speed.

Marouanne Fellaini last season was lost, confused and lonely.

This season they are both the English Premier League’s early pace-setters for stars of the season.

What changed? Pep at City and Mour at United.

Now, consider Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (and Wilshere).

With each passing season after they broke through as Arsenal’s future, they have got, sadly, worse.

The odd blip of form counts for nothing as a plateau of mediocrity is now established.

It exposes Arsene Wenger for the manager he is.

#MotherTeresa, she touched me

My wife and I have been married 18 years.

We have broken down and rebuilt at least five times.

Only two things have stayed with us throughout these 18 years; against all odds keeping us going, alive, together.

One of the two is this drawing of Mother Teresa.

The day she died, a Hindu colleague of mine gifted it to me.

From that day on, she was the Saint of my home.

Social media allows me to ride a wave of hashtags to be heard, read…

Shameless self-promotion or genuine gratification? Not sure.

Mother Teresa - she touched me.

Marcus Rashford gets the Bolton treatment from England manager

When you are a Manchester United supporter and you’re dad was not born in Salford it always is a tougher pull on the fan-string of your heart when the England national team makes a stupid decision.

Like leave a United player out. Like leave Marcus Rashford out.

Is Sam Allayrdyce really setting England up like his ‘great’ Bolton team?

Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Vardy, together, don’t add up to Rashford currently.

If this was Germany Rashford would be in.

If this was Spain Rashford would be in.

If this was Brazil Rashford would be in.

Bolton? No.

Welcome to India, @piersmorgan

Welcome to India, Piers Morgan.

It will be unlike anyone or anything you have taken on before, even Gary Lineker.

Your social media numbers should by this time have gone through the roof, and they will not stop for some time.

Expect all major Indian TV stations to run their prime-time debate shows around you, with one particular hullaboo anchor actually inviting you to be on it.

Every opinion writer (and blogger like yours truly) will run the gamut of emotions attached to calling India a nation of losers in sport; not sporting losers, because that we are.

Welcome.

Man Utd's altar boys, now free-flowing prophets

Fellaini, Valencia, Mata, Shaw, Herrera.

It’s the reinvention of Manchester United’s blood and bones that really lift the heart of this Red Devil.

Zlat and Pog have arrived like the sun, lifting the pall of mediocrity borne of religious ritualism to the letter of the laws of football.

The United core were once altar boys.

Now, under the new archbishop Mourinho they have rediscovered their inner calling to the beautiful game.

They have moved from set positions around the altar to free-flowing prophets still within the grand plan, driving it rather than being driven.

They have rediscovered the journey.

Olympic sexism.... bronzed out

The predominant tone of everything I wrote in the pre-social media age was sexist.

I had a national mast-head carrying my byline, so enjoyed the freedom to take a panties and bra view on most things.

If I was writing in today's social media scene I would be slaughtered; the mast-heads would have to let me go.

Imagine Jeremy Clarkson, without the millions.

So, this year’s Olympics only have some true athletes.

Simone Biles is the Serena Williams of gymnastics.

Simone Manuel is the Serena Williams of the swimming pool.

Serena Williams is… well no more sexist posts.