Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Abhishek Sharma & Vaibhav Sooryavanshi light up rapid-fire; watch hilarious video
The rapid-fire round gave fans a fun, human side of India's cricket heroes after their big 2026 successes.
The BCCI Naman Awards 2026, held on March 15 in New Delhi, celebrated India's dominant run in world cricket, including the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 triumph. While the evening honoured legends and current stars, the most entertaining part came during a lively rapid-fire session hosted by Harsha Bhogle. Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Abhishek Sharma, and 14-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi brought humour and relatability, sharing personal stories that fans loved.
Cricketing idols reveal diverse inspirations
The rapid-fire kicked off with cricketing idols, showing a mix of global and local influences. Abhishek Sharma quickly named his mentor Yuvraj Singh. Sanju Samson stayed loyal to his childhood hero, Sachin Tendulkar. Hardik Pandya surprised everyone by picking domestic stalwart Wasim Jaffer in a witty nod. Young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi impressed with his broad choices, Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh.
Nostalgic throwback to the first video games
Questions about the first video games brought out laughs and nostalgia. Abhishek fondly remembered EA Sports’ Cricket 07 for endless cricket fun. Sanju recalled the excitement of GTA Vice City and its open-world adventures. Hardik admitted he preferred WWE games over cricket titles. In a crowd-pleasing moment, Vaibhav honestly said, “Sir, I don’t play video games.”
Humble beginnings with the first vehicles
The session turned relatable when players shared their first vehicles. Abhishek started simple with a Honda Activa. Sanju remembered his Maruti Wagon R days. Hardik, now famous for luxury cars, revealed his journey began with a Maruti 800. Vaibhav, still too young to drive at 14, straightforwardly admitted he hasn’t bought one yet, keeping the tone light and humble.
Surprising stadium confessions and movie choices
Sanju Samson dropped a fun fact about stadium visits: “I think it was an IPL game that I was part of. I never went to the stadium to watch a match [as a fan].” The group ended with movies, with Sanju praising Superstar Rajinikanth, Hardik picking Godzilla, Abhishek choosing 3 Idiots, and Vaibhav naming Dhurandhar.
Bridging generations in a joyful celebration
This rapid-fire round perfectly captured the spirit of the Naman Awards, honouring past icons while spotlighting rising talents. It gave fans a fun, human side of India's cricket heroes after their big 2026 successes.
A night of celebration and connection
The BCCI Naman Awards beautifully blended respect for past icons like Rahul Dravid and Mithali Raj with excitement for rising stars. This rapid-fire round captured the joy and humility behind India's champions, making the evening relatable and entertaining for fans.
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
Stay updated with all the latest news and insights on Cricket, Football, and Tennis at Livemint Sports. Catch the live action of theT20 World Cup 2026 with the complete T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule, and the T20 World Cup 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts for Most Runs in T20 World Cup 2026 and Most Wickets in T20 World Cup 2026.