No 13618, Tuesday 26 Jul 2022, Avtaar

Solution to 10A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.

ACROSS

1   A North American follows transport going the wrong way for about 8-9 miles in India (6) YOJANA {A}{NA}<=>{JOY<=}

5   Senator bust drug ring (8) RESONATE {SENATOR}*{E}

9   Checked out tips from Warne on South African fast bowler dismissing Indian openers in Transvaal ODI (4,4) WENT INTO {WarnE}{NTINi}{Tr...l}{Odi} 

10 Spooner's greeting musicians in person (2,4) B?  H?N?  

11 Avtaar is retained by unchanged team — gets gold in doubles (7,5) SIAMESE TWINS {S{I}AME}{SET}{WINS}

13 At sea, foreman's browsing every now and then (4) BOSN {BrOwSiNg}

14 Africans take action against arresting Europeans (8) SUDANESE {SU{DANES}E}

17 Rock salt and silver mass on a mineral deposit in a cave (8) STALAGMA {SALT*}{AG}{M}{A}

18 Wiki announcement featuring retired soldier from India (4) NAIK [T<=]

20 Doctor periodically comes out with a dream in historical production (7,5) COSTUME DRAMA {CoMeS+OUT+A+DREAM}*

23 Writer Tony gets excited after British library's inauguration (6) BLYTON {TONY}*<=>{Br...h}{Li...y}

24 Meteors spinning around Earth?? (8) EROTEMES {METEORS}* over {E} 

25 Those coming in are mostly with the Opposition (8) ARRIVALS {ARe}{RIVALS}

26 Long, loose T-shirt (6) THIRST*

DOWN

2   One complex sheltering ten animals (4) OXEN {O{X}EN*}

3   Broadcast a show's launch with nail art of skilled craftsmen (9)  ARTISANAL {A+Show+NAIL+ART}*

4   Princess with a liberal temper (6) ANNEAL {ANNE}{A}{L}

5   Ordered trimmed hilsa and fried special chicken (5,6,4) RHODE ISLAND REDS {ORDERED+HILSa+AND}*{S}

6   Capsized vehicle on incline close to trees is situated immediately below (8) SUBTENDS {BUS<=}{TEND}{t..eS}

7   Picked up specialised skill? Not at all! (5) NOHOW (~know how)

8   Net broken by soldiers in occupation (10) TENANTSHIP {NET*}{ANTS}{HIP}

12 Criminal vagrant beheaded supervisor (10) CONTROLLER {CON}{sTROLLER}

15 Gran, Pop and I vacated village standing in a tall mountain (5,4) NANDA DEVI {NAN}{DAD}{I} over {Vi...gE<=}

16 Arab overcome by, say, a form of narcissism (8) EGOMANIA {OMANI} in {EG}{A}

19 Robber's lawyer rejected fine before openings in initial trial (6) DAKOIT {DA}{OK<=}{In...l}{Tr..l}

21 Basil from India carries bone for large Bantu tribesman (5) TUTSI TU(-l+t)TSI

22 John changed numbers frequently (4) MENS {NuMbErS}*

Reference List

Drug = E, Indian = I, Mass = M, Earth = E, Special = S, In = HIP, Say = EG, Lawyer = DA, Bone = T, Large = L