Author: Bharath Ramaraj

Did you know about Lahiru Kumara’s hard-hitting skills during his junior days? Or, that, Niroshan Dickwella’s shot created a hole in a hoarding? What about Matheesha Pathirana’s pinpoint yorkers in a friendly or Kumar Sangakkara being more into tennis at a young age? Bilal Fassy, who was instrumental in setting up the cricketing structure at Trinity College, has answers to everything you want to know about the institution and its cricketers. Fassy narrates an anecdote from a school game, where Kumara turned out to be the game-changer with the bat. “Kumara used to be a hard-hitting, middle-order bat and bowled…

In the last one year, there seems to be something different about Rohit Sharma’s game. He is trying to embrace a different role – taking the ultra-aggressive route at the top of the order. Rohit’s ODI strike rate since January 2020 is 103.72. He has also maintained a healthy average of 47.26. On the flip side, Rohit has only compiled two ODI hundreds in that period, with one of them coming in January 2020. It is safe to say that as the captain of the side, Rohit is looking to play with more intent at the top order of the…

Bharath Ramaraj in Colombo Brian Lara’s original photo when he stroked that famous double-ton at the SCG in 1992. Lara standing alone amid the ruins in the 1992 World Cup game against Australia. Sachin Tendulkar’s signed photograph. And a slew of team sheets from a bygone era. A visit to Colombo’s Cricket Club Cafe can give goosebumps to a connoisseur. The list of rare collectibles is endless. Photos of Don Anurasiri and Aravinda de Silva from the 1992 World Cup. Tendulkar from the 1990 tour of England. Peter Parker, the umpire, and Arjuna Ranatunga, related to the ball-tampering controversy during…

There is a good chance that Dunith Wellalage would end up in Rohit Sharma’s dreams after the completion of the India-Sri Lanka Asia Cup game. After all, the 20-year-old bowling all-rounder seemed to be omnipresent during the Super Fours game. He took a five-for, plucked a superlative catch to send Ishan Kishan back to the hut and also composed a crucial unbeaten 42. Yes, he ended up on the losing side, but it was truly Wellalage’s night. With the ball in hand, he didn’t just impart more than enough revs on the ball with his left-arm spin, but also…

Bharath Ramaraj in Colombo In what turned out to be a hard-fought and tense ODI, India pipped Sri Lanka by 41 runs to progress to the summit clash of Asia Cup 2023. Kuldeep Yadav bagged a four-for, while Dunith Wellalage’s stunning all-round show (42 not out and 5-40) went in vain. India had to play less than 15 hours after the completion of their rain-affected game against Pakistan, but the players showed commendable energy and resolve to defend a modest total of 213. On a tricky wicket, the target of 214 was always going to test the Sri Lankan batters.…

-Bharath Ramaraj in Colombo India would look to build on the momentum gained after a resounding win over arch-rivals Pakistan when they take on Sri Lanka in a Super Fours game in Colombo. The Indian think-tank would be pleased with the fact that almost all of their players contributed in some way or the other to the team’s success against Pakistan. Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill led the way with the bat, before a clinical show from the bowlers. Moreover, Rahul showed good fitness levels – both while batting and wicketkeeping – on his return to…

It is about 6 PM local time in Colombo. Virat Kohli’s blue flannel looks quite dark. He is sweating profusely, and yet, converting singles into twos. And then something magical happens – Kohli lofts the ball straight back down the ground. Granted that Faheem Ashraf missed the yorker by a fair margin, but for a batter to play such a stroke on 116, especially with humidity levels touching 80 per cent, was testament to Kohli’s awe-inspiring fitness. For a moment, transport yourself back to the 43rd over. Kohli had just pulled a half-tracker from Iftikhar Ahmed into the…

Virat Kohli (122 not out) and KL Rahul (111 not out) compiled masterful hundreds while Kuldeep Yadav bagged a five-for as India clinched a morale-boosting 228-run win over Pakistan in their Asia Cup Super Fours game played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Pakistan could muster only a paltry 128 in pursuit of a monstrous 357, with Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf injured and unable to bat. In what turned out to be a two-day match, India had resumed on 147 for 2 after 24.1 overs. Initially, the pair of Kohli and Rahul looked to get their eye in.…

There are some things that can be quantified. And then there are some where you struggle for adjectives. In total, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill stroked 16 fours and four sixes in the Super Fours game against Pakistan at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. But there was one shot that just forced you to turn the pages of the dictionary – Rohit flicking Shaheen Afridi over backward square leg. There was nonchalance written all over that shot. There was also a subplot attached to that one stroke. For a period of time, Rohit has been troubled by the angle and…

Just over three years ago, KL Rahul seemed to have touched a rarefied zone in an ODI against Australia in Rajkot. It wasn’t just about the 80 runs he scored off just 52 deliveries. But the way he compiled those runs spoke of a batter who was supremely confident of his ability. The hair-raising lofted shot he played off Mitchell Starc over covers exemplified that point. Such was the audacity on display while facing one of the finest white ball bowlers that even the press box in which I was sitting erupted in joy. Right at that juncture, it…