Author: Atreyo Mukhopadhyay

The pendulum swung wildly as far as the behaviour of the matches was concerned on Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy semi-finals. It was topsy-turvy between Vidarbha and Mumbai in Nagpur, where a three-wicket over from Parth Rekhade sparked madness on a day that claimed 12 wickets. In Ahmedabad against Gujarat, Kerala were slow yet steadfast in their attempt to bat big and deep. Vidarbha vs Mumbai, VCA Stadium, Nagpur The 42-time champions did well to terminate Vidarbha for 383 from 308/5 overnight. Shivam Dube came up with his third first-class five-wicket haul and did that in the role of…

Teams winning the toss chose to bat and reached contrasting positions after Day of the Ranji Trophy semi-finals. Hosting Mumbai in Nagpur, Vidarbha reached a good-looking 308/5 despite having no scores in three figures. In Ahmedabad against Gujarat, Kerala saw a number of batters fail to convert starts and made 206/4 on a day of slow batting, especially in the final session. Vidarbha vs Mumbai, VCA Stadium, Nagpur A couple of scores in the seventies and Karun Nair falling five short of 50 were talking points, but the highlight of the day was Shivam Dube getting rid of two well-set…

In the headlines a few weeks ago, the Ranji Trophy is now back among the news briefs. It is unlikely to get more space over the next fortnight if the Men in Blue progress to the business end of the Champions Trophy. However, the semi-finals of India’s premier first-class competition, beginning on Monday (February 17), will unfold in familiar obscurity. That does not mean a drop in seriousness or intensity from the teams involved. The last four feature Kerala alongside Mumbai, Vidarbha, and Gujarat. The southern team has made it this far only once before and is seeking a maiden…

Indians chess players have been making waves in major international outings. The last year was a dream thanks to D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali and the members of the golden Olympiad teams. The new year has started with R Praggnanandhaa clinching the star-studded Tata Steel event in the Netherlands. Did anybody notice? None of the events the Indians excelled at were held in India. The country which hosted the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai is still bereft of an annual competition which attracts top players. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) wants to host two elite events in…

Is freestyle chess the new and coveted format? Not for the first time in the history of the game has this question surfaced. There had been breakaway events not approved by FIDE, the governing body, which drew wide attention. Top names like Garry Kasparov were part of these self-declared world championships. Most such initiatives died down before changing the world order. The freestyle championship in 2025 — to be held over five legs, and the first one of which was played in Weissenhaus in Germany — is different. This year, it started amid confrontational exchanges between the organisers of the…

Chances of chasing down 399 in the fourth innings being slim, Kerala’s best hope in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Jammu & Kashmir was to bat out the last day in Pune. Despite losing two wickets on Day 4 and being reduced to 180/6 with more than 40 overs remaining, Kerala hung on to ensure progress on the basis of the one-run lead secured in the first innings. It was a day of drama and anticipation. There were phases when J&K looked like making it to the semi-finals for the first time. They broke partnerships and dislodged batters who had…

There was a sense of inevitability about it. After Mumbai recovered from 113/7 shortly after lunch on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Haryana and posted 315, it started getting clearer by the minute that they were going to clinch it, even when Haryana were going strong in the initial part of their reply at Eden Gardens. The game reached its logical conclusion in the end. With a thumping 152-run victory, the 42-time champions stormed into the semi-finals and set up a clash against Vidarbha. These two teams met in last season’s final where Mumbai had the last…

Outside Eden Gardens, a crowd gathers everyday when the Mumbai players board the coach taking them to the hotel after the day’s play. Mostly, they chant the names of SuryakumarYadav, Shivam Dube and Ajunkya Rahane. Amid the noise, largely unnoticed, this player quietly makes his way towards the coach. Some recognise him. Most do not. Shardul Thakur chose the right moment to make his presence felt. With national selector Shiv Sundar Das watching from the VIP box, the medium-pacer dismantled Haryana in this Ranji Trophy quarter-final. Resuming the day at 263/5 in reply to Mumbai’s 315, Haryana were all out…

By Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Kolkata The Ranji Trophy quarter-final between Mumbai and Haryana was evenly poised after Day 2. In reply to Mumbai’s 315, Haryana reached 263/5. With three days to go, the 42-time champions will try to keep the deficit to as little as possible or even snatch a lead. The underdogs will try to stretch their first innings. The highlight of the day at Eden Gardens was a flawless century by Ankit Kumar. The Haryana skipper anchored the innings with a knock of 136 which came off 206 balls. It was his second century of the season. The…

“We were not disheartened. We knew we could fight back,” said Shams Mulani at the end of the first day of play in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final between Mumbai and Haryana at Eden Gardens. The all-rounder had a point. For the umpteenth time in the recent past, Mumbai recovered from a collapse thanks to their all-rounders. From 25/4 and 113/7, they ended the day at 278/8. Mulani fell towards the end after making 91, but not before sharing an eighth-wicket stand worth 165 with Tanush Kotian, who remained unbeaten on 85. It’s a five-day game and a lot of cricket…