Author: Atreyo Mukhopadhyay

He has more than 50 of his 74 years at the forefront of international cricket. From 1971 to 1987 as one of the world’s best openers, and within three years after retirement, he became a popular TV commentator. It’s been well over three decades with the microphone now. Playing long innings comes naturally to Sunil Manohar Gavaskar. It was during one such marathon effort in 1979 that I first heard of him. India needed 438 to win a Test at The Oval. It was in the evening, and my parents were listening to the radio on the balcony. I also…

His journey in international cricket had many pit stops, with breakdowns and restarts. The going was not as smooth as some of his contemporaries In the Indian team. Often in the news even when not in the side, he was one of those on whom the saying ‘love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him’ sat perfectly. He had his critics, but was loved much more than hated, and not just in Bengal. He is held in high esteem by those who play and/or watch the game. I remember Paras Mhambrey speaking highly of Sourav’s bare-chested, shirt-waving celebration from…

I hate writing about Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Not because I dislike him or from not being fond of his game. Like millions, I am in awe of his ultra-smart presence on the field and uber-cool demeanour. I feel wronged when asked to write about him, because I know nothing about him other than what he does on the field. Off the field, I have little knowledge of my subject, other than that he continues to be a popular face for endorsements, one of the most sought after in India. He has invested in organic farming and has a huge fan…

Athletes of the country are gearing up for the Asian Games. Preparation camps are going on and some of them are taking part in events overseas to sharpen their skills. The mission this time is to better the 2018 tally of 70 medals (16 gold, 23 silver, 31 bronze) — India’s best ever. Quietly outside the ambit of Asian Games are the cue sports players. Billiards, snooker and shorter formats of the sport have not been a part of the quadrennial event after Guangzhou, China, 2010. These disciplines were introduced at the Thailand Games in 1998. In four editions, Indians…

He came in to international cricket in 1998 with a reputation as an emerging all-rounder. He was a 21-year-old from Mumbai. The promise shown was not entirely fulfilled, but he was a force with the ball in ODIs. Ajit Agarkar overtook Dennis Lillee as the fastest to 50 wickets in this format. His record of 23 matches has since been bettered by Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane (22) and Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis (19). At the age of 44, and 16 years after his last international outing, Agarkar is back in the mainstream of Indian cricket. The position of chief selector is…

In the sport’s Asian Games debut in 2018, bridge had given India one gold and two bronze medals. As the next edition of the continental show approaches, news from the Indian point of view is threefold. Instead of six like last time, there will be three bridge events in Hangzhou in China. For the first time, Indian teams will be accompanied by coaches hired with a broader purpose. And last, but by no means last, the 2018 gold-winning duo from India will be missing after failing to qualify this time. Shibnath De Sarkar and Pranab Bardhan of West Bengal, who…

Virat Kohli started nurturing a dream soon after becoming captain of the Test side. He wanted to win in places like England, Australia and South Africa. This was no daydream. Kohli had seen and understood the potential and depth of his pace attack. Different types, seasoned after a few years in international cricket, and supported by Ravi Shastri, then chief coach, and Bharat Arun, the bowling coach, this lot were raring to go. A consistently sharper and fitter Mohammed Shami, a rejuvenated Ishant Sharma, a much-improved bowler in terms of control over skills and pace in Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a younger…

All major sporting events come with their own share of surprises. The Cricket World Cup 2023 has churned out a few already, well before getting off to a start. First was the delayed announcement of the itinerary. For the previous 50-over World Cup held in England in 2019, fixtures were out over a year before the first match. This time, it’s been done with just 100 days to go. Next is the omission of certain venues, which hosted big matches in the past. Among the 10 host cities selected, there is no Mohali or Nagpur. Mohali in Punjab/Chandigarh became a…

India vs South Africa – Kolkata, November 5 India versus South Africa at the Eden Gardens around the time of Diwali will remind Kolkata of the Hero Cup semi-final in 1993, when Sachin Tendulkar defended six runs in the last over. Times have changed. India have risen in the world rankings, South Africa have not. But they will give themselves a chance because Eden Gardens has of late produced hard pitches with bounce. It will be difficult to change because the nature of the soil used is such. The Indian seamers, if at full strength, are also capable of asking…

India vs Australia. Chennai. October 8. The MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch is known for assisting spin. But there are two factors. One, the pitch will be prepared by ICC’s groundsmen, not the local staff or those on the BCCI payrolls. Two, it will not be as dry as it is in February-March. So, the upper part of the surface may not crumble. Still, it will be hot and given that spinners have a record of doing well here, India should feel confident if they pick the right XI, with adequate spin options. India can rest assured of support from their…