THE SUBJECTS AND THEIR KING

IN an interview to Anupam Kher, Shah Rukh Khan, when he was asked whether he feared losing his status as the alpha star, responded by saying: "I'm the last of the stars." At once, it revealed how secure he was in the legacy he would leave behind.

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN/GOMESH S @ Chennai

Indian cricket, too, has had a ton of stars capable of creating a traffic jam on an eight-lane national highway. Just as New Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) plummeted further on Thursday morning, the city woke up and made a beeline to watch one of the sport's last stars take centre stage at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Virat Kohli. What was supposed to be a rather nondescript Ranji Trophy affair between Delhi and Railways had already threatened to become a generational game when it had emerged that the 36-year-old had made himself available for the encounter. As an occasion, this was going to be Lionel Messi appearing for Newell's or Usain Bolt running in the 100m for a local Jamaican club.