Vice President of BCCI, Rajeev Shukla, expressed his appreciation for the meaningful and heartfelt interaction between King Charles III and the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams, noting that the monarch had done his “homework” ahead of the meeting, right down to asking about Akash Deep’s sister’s battle with cancer. On Tuesday, both Indian squads—led by captains Shubman Gill and Harmanpreet Kaur—were hosted by King Charles III at St. James’s Palace in London. The teams, along with their coaches and support staff, were warmly received and engaged in an insightful conversation with the British monarch. Speaking to ANI, Shukla praised the King’s thoughtful approach and deep interest in the players’ personal journeys. “It was a historic occasion. Both our men’s and women’s teams were invited by King Charles and met him at the Palace. The players were very happy because he asked about personal details of each one of them,” Shukla said. “He even inquired about Akash Deep’s sister’s illness. He had clearly done his research.” Shukla also recounted a surprising moment when King Charles asked about Arun Jaitley, a close associate of Shukla and a former BCCI figure. “He asked Saikia ji [BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia] and me whether Arun Jaitley was my friend. When I told him he had passed away, the King expressed his condolences and asked me to convey them to his family,” Shukla added. Shukla said the team was struck by the King’s modest and approachable demeanor. “He had so many details memorized. He truly came across as a gentleman—it didn’t feel like we were speaking to the King of England. There was a great deal of humility in him, and the team was very happy to meet him.” Akash Deep’s Emotional Dedication Akash Deep, who has emerged as a standout performer in the ongoing Test series, earned praise for his match-winning 10-wicket haul in the second Test at Edgbaston. His efforts included a stunning 6/99 in the second innings, bowling out England for 271 as they chased an unlikely target of 608. After the match, the 28-year-old pacer dedicated his performance to his sister, who has been battling cancer for the past two months. “Every time I had the ball in my hand, her thoughts would cross my mind,” Akash told Cheteshwar Pujara during a post-match chat on Jio Hotstar. “I haven’t spoken about this before, but two months ago, my sister was diagnosed with cancer. This performance is for her—I hope it brings some happiness back. I want to tell her, ‘Sis, we are all with you.’” India narrowly lost the third Test by 22 runs, a heartbreaking result in an otherwise competitive series. The team will look to bounce back in the fourth Test, which begins on July 23.