Author: Atreyo Mukhopadhyay

Singapore. December 12, 2024: D Gukesh could not hold back tears sitting on his chair following the dramatic win in the world championship match against Ding Liren of China. After collecting himself, he got busy with the ritual of rearranging the pieces on the board. Stavanger. May 27, 2025: Gukesh in tears again. After losing to Arjun Erigaisi in Round 2 of Norway Chess. It was his second successive loss in the event and a fifth setback in 24 classical games this year. By the time he controlled himself, Erigaisi had put most of the pieces back in place. In…

When Magnus Carlsen plays, everything around him becomes immaterial. Every inch of his dashing and imposing personality is reflected in the moves he makes and the way he carries himself. It’s as if the opponent reacts to what he does on the board instead of doing something on his own. The Norwegian maverick has the control. He dictates what happens. For a long time in the opening-round showdown at Norway Chess between the world No. 1 and the world champion, D Gukesh seemed to be safe with black. His position was never inferior. Rather, the Indian seemed to hold a…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay Norway Chess has been one of the biggest annual events since its inception in 2013. The players are from the best in the world. It used to be a field of 10 in the first 11 years. In 2024, it came down to six. This made the competition more intense. This year’s cast makes the tournament in the city of Stavanger from May 26-June 6 mouth-watering. The top draw, world No. 1, and six-time winner of his home event, Magnus Carlsen is a runaway favourite in the tournament featuring the top five players in the world and the…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay Stavanger is a city in south-west Norway. Internet search shows it is known as the ‘oil capital’ of the country. For two weeks from the end of this month, this will be the most happening place in the world of 64 squares. The event called Norway Chess will be played from May 26 to June 6 and the field in the open section is as strong as it has ever been. Overshadowed by Magnus Carlsen, D Gukesh and others in that half of the show, the women’s competition is held for the second time, even though this annual…

The most anticipated and critically important team selection meeting didn’t produce surprises. Scope for that was reduced by increasing the squad strength to 18. Leaving out Mohammed Shami and the message it sends across was a highlight. Otherwise, Abhimanyu Easwaran finding a place was perhaps the only noteworthy announcement in terms of surprises. As expected, Shubman Gill’s side is thin on the experience of playing in England. Despite vacancies, there were not many options and the selectors headed by Ajit Agarkar went along predicted lines. There are six options for the top four slots and choosing the batting order will…

Before today, if Indian cricket fans were asked about the Test captain who came to the hot seat most unprepared and found himself in all kinds of fix, MAK Pataudi or Krishnamachari Srikkanth could have been among the options for an answer. Pataudi became the youngest India skipper in the West Indies in 1962 accidentally, when he was 21, following a near-fatal blow to Nari Contractor. Nobody expected Srikkanth to do the job in Pakistan in 1989-90. If the former was young, Srikkanth was 30, and completely inexperienced in that role. Ask the question today and there is no debate.…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay The average Indian cricket fan heard the name of Angelo Mathews in 2009. He played one match for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL)that year. The all-rounder had represented Sri Lanka in a few ODIs and was yet to be picked in the Test side, when he was made a part of Shah Rukh Khan’s caravan, as a back-up for misfiring Australian Moises Henriques. That this white-ball all-rounder finished his Test career as the third-highest run-scorer for his country shows what value he added to his team. He is also fourth on the list…

Ian Chappell had said that the Australian way of selecting a team is finding 11 of the best players. The captain can be the most suitable one from them. Nobody gets that role unless his place in the side as a player is confirmed. One of the most dashing Australia skippers and the best in the world in his days, the senior Chappell’s words are relevant in the present Indian context. Days before announcing the squad for the five-Test series in England, the Indian selectors are in a dilemma. There is no obvious candidate for captain, following the retirement of…

Mumbai Indians (MI) sealed the fourth and final playoff berth in IPL 2025 with a 59-run drubbing of Delhi Capitals (DC) at Wankhede Stadium. The five-time champions have 16 points from 13 games. With 13 from 13 and one match to play, DC cannot catch up with them. Many of the seven league games still remaining will see the qualifiers jostle for the top-two slots. The victory looked easy in the end, but MI were in trouble for the most part of their innings. The pitch wasn’t a typical IPL belter, DC’s spinners got considerable purchase and despite the best…

This one is not, but it’s tempting to see Mumbai Indians versus Delhi Capitals as a shootout for the last playoff berth in IPL 2025. After 12 matches, the five-time champions are on 14 points. The team seeking a first title has 13. MI will qualify if they win today at Wankhede Stadium. Anything else and the two have to wait until their last match. Both end their league campaign against Punjab Kings. Contrasting paths to climax The teams could not have taken more contrasting routes to get here. MI lost four and won one of their first five matches.…