Author: Atreyo Mukhopadhyay

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Bengaluru There are concerns over the participation of Rishabh Pant in the second Test against New Zealand. In the match to take place in Pune from October 24, there is no doubt about the absence of someone else, who has also handled wicket-keeping responsibilities for India. If Shubhman Gill recovers from a stiff neck, Sarfaraz Khan will retain his place in the XI at the expense of KL Rahul. This doesn’t cast a long-term shadow on Rahul’s future. Neither does it make him uncertain for the Australia tour. What it ensures is he will not add to…

Deep third-man is a lonely corner in Test cricket, when it comes to fast bowling. Very few target this area, unless specifically equipped and inclined. For a long stretch on Day 4 of the first Test against New Zealand, Sarfaraz Khan made it the most-travelled place for the ball. Rishabh Pant was responsible for absurdity of another kind. In great discomfort due to a knock on a troublesome part of the right knee, he partnered his Under-19 World Cup teammate from the 2016 batch in hauling India back from despair. The flow of fours and sixes was stronger than in…

Smiling assassin is a commonly used word in cricket. Mostly, it’s attributed to bowlers who celebrate the dismissal of batters with a genial expression on their face. When people expect them to let out a war cry, they do the opposite and show no sign of aggression. There are not too many players who can be termed smiling assassins, irrespective of their role in the team. Contemporary cricket has one in Rishabh Pant. He is not a bowler and he smiles all the time. Be it while ‘keeping or batting, no matter the situation of the match, he always maintains…

Hoping against hope after disaster. For a long time in the second and third sessions on Day 3 of the first Test against New Zealand, India put up a brave front. They showed what they had lacked in the first innings and dominated the attack. Virat Kohli’s dismissal on the last ball of the day brought them back to where they were — looking at despair. Weather permitting, and it may not if one goes by the forecast, there are two more days to play. For India to salvage anything will require a giant second-innings total. After 46 all out…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Bengaluru Rachin Ravindra is a New Zealander who feels at home in Bengaluru. Not just because his family has roots in the city. It’s here that he made 108 against Pakistan in last year’s 50-over World Cup, before scoring 42 against Sri Lanka. Now, playing his first Test in the city of his father and forefathers, the all-rounder scored a hundred which made New Zealand the favourites to win the first Test. It was in India in 2021 that this youngster made a massive statement on his Test debut. Batting at No. 8, he had helped…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Bengaluru Remember the India-New Zealand Test in Mohali in 1999? Batting first, the home team, boasting of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, was all out for 83. The innings lasted 27 overs. In Bengaluru against the same team this time, the Indians were shot out for 46, in 31.2 overs. There is a reason for going back to the Test in Mohali. Indian didn’t lose that game. Rather, they hauled themselves back to a position of winning it by posting 505/3 declared in the second innings. Tendulkar, the skipper, and Dravid scored hundreds. Devang Gandhi,…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Bengaluru In cricket, they often say that ‘it was a good toss to lose’. If you look at the India-New Zealand first Test in Bengaluru, this was actually a good toss to win. Rohit Sharma got it right in overcast conditions and had an excellent chance to put the visitors under a stern test. Instead, what he did turned out to be catastrophic for his team. In sports and in life, there can be bold decisions. There can also be decisions which can be classified as bizarre. India’s call to bat belongs to the second category. In…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay Technique is not sacrosanct. The output is. One can be unorthodox and not adhere to the rules set by tradition or convention. What matters at the end of the day is performance, and contribution to the team’s cause. It doesn’t matter if one doesn’t fit into the prototype or deviates from the dictionary definition of that role. Who is this in the Indian cricket team right now? If you talk to Syed Kirmani and ask him about Rishabh Pant, chances are high that you will get this answer. Showering praise on the most maverick wicketkeeper-batter in contemporary cricket,…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Bengaluru New Zealand’s attempts to rebuild the Test side have received a wet reception in India. The one-off Test against Afghanistan in Greater Noida didn’t take place due to an outfield rendered unplayable by rain. In Bengaluru for the first Test against India, they are once again staring at the dark clouds, which have caused sharp showers over the last few days. Winners of the first World Test Championship (WTC) final — against India in 2021 — New Zealand are not in good shape in the longest format anymore. Sixth in the current WTC standings and coming…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Bengaluru Will Mohammed Shami play? After a few weeks of speculating and hoping against hope, the answer is in the negative. This has happened a number of times over the last few years, since the fast bowler burst onto the international stage in 2013. As a crucial Test tour of Australia lurks on the horizon, this question resurfaced. And, there is no answer yet. While this bowler with exceptional skills has been deadly with his immaculate seam position, pace and accuracy, he has also been prone to breakdowns. Otherwise, after over a decade, he would have taken…