Author: Bharath Ramaraj

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai At present, it feels as if Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are playing each other in order to lock horns against India in the final of the 2025 Asia Cup. The statement may seem a tad harsh on the other sides, but that is how the Asia Cup has panned out so far. By a fair distance, India have looked the best of the teams on view. Pakistan have lost both their encounters to their arch-rivals, India. For a brief period, Sri Lanka showed some promise, but they have now crashed to successive defeats against Bangladesh…

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai Why do athletes practice for hours together? The answer could be this. In the sporting arena, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz might go toe to toe for four or five hours with jaw-dropping rallies and breathtaking angles. But behind the scenes, in the training workshops, a champion is built on the foundation of mistakes. That is the arena where an athlete has to feel the pain of making mistakes. And that is how you pursue excellence. Suryakumar Yadav, the India skipper for the shortest format, is no different. When in prime form, his batting comes…

The India-Pakistan Super 4 Asia Cup encounter had its share of verbal altercations between the players. Shaibzada Farhan celebrated his fifty by holding his bat akin to a machine gun. Haris Rauf, the Pakistan fast bowler, had a heated exchange with the crowd, where he was seen making the infamous ‘6-0’ gesture. Haris and Shaheen Afridi were also involved in verbal altercations with Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, the Indian openers. So, what does Ryan ten Doeschate, the assistant coach of the Indian team, think about how his side responded to Pakistan’s aggression? “Let me first say, the amount of…

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai Bangladesh’s pace attack is quite promising. Even some years ago, this statement wouldn’t have made much sense. If anything, Bangladesh were associated with producing a host of left-arm spinners. But things have changed with time, as they now have enough variety in their pace arsenal. The current Bangladesh fast-bowling quiver comprises Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud and the rapid Nahid Rana. Suddenly, from nowhere, Bangladesh have the required firepower to pick pace bowlers as per the conditions and different formats. In fact, Ebadot Hossain’s bursts of old-ball swing were the reason…

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai Suddenly, Haris Rauf, the Pakistan fast bowler, was pumping his fist and running around the Dubai International Stadium. He had just dislodged Suryakumar Yadav for the third time in T20Is. It was a rather curious shot from a batter known for picking the length quickly. Suryakumar ended up getting a leading edge that went straight to the fielder stationed at fine leg. Just pare through the outside surface, and you will realise that it isn’t just Haris who has troubled him in recent times. Barring Mahmudullah, his wicket has been taken by the seamers over his…

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai Extra bounce from a slightly fuller length can always be disconcerting for batters. The likes of Glenn McGrath, Curtly Ambrose, numerous South African speedsters, and a couple of present-day Australian seamers have employed it to great effect. While facing bowlers of that type, the batter could be caught in the crease, with the ball hitting higher up on the splice. McGrath himself once told Sportstar: “Sachin [Tendulkar] and [Brian] Lara always said it was tougher to face someone who bowled in the mid-130 kmph and got the ball to bounce off a length than a bowler…

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai How did he enhance your viewing experience? This was the question that kept reverberating in the mind while watching Abhishek Sharma bat against Pakistan in Sunday’s Asia Cup encounter. If you’re a nerd, you might think on the following lines – Abhishek’s flurry of shots were akin to a masterful mathematician breaking down the angles of the field with precision. If you’re into the technicalities of the sport, you might end up analysing the massive arc of his swing-path and how it invariably comes down on the ball for him to essay lofts, slog-sweeps, pulls and…

Dubai, September 22: Shubman Gill (47 off 28 balls) and Abhishek Sharma (74 off 39) put on a masterclass at the top of the order as India chased down the target of 172 set by Pakistan in 18.5 overs, in a Super 4 Asia Cup game played in Dubai. At the innings break, Pakistan’s score seemed to be competitive. However, Abhishek and Gill brought back evocative memories from their junior days by exploring every nook and cranny of the ground in the power play. As always, Abhishek took the aggressive route against the first ball that he faced — pulling…

Time never stops for anyone. Time just flies. These two are facts of life. After every 24 hours, today becomes yesterday and a part of our memory bank. One such capsule from the memory bank goes back to the 1992 World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand. To be specific, the recollection dates back to March 4, 1992 – the first time yours truly had the experience of witnessing the tension and drama surrounding a high-voltage India-Pakistan encounter. The memories are somewhat vague, but yours truly was down with a fever and had to take a day off from…

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai In sport, how do you regain form? Unfortunately, there is no mathematical equation that could help an athlete find his/her rhythm again. It could be just a small change in grip or stride that is bothering a sportsperson. And in a matter of minutes, the athlete might feel like they are somewhere back to their best. For a tennis player, a crosscourt backhand winner with heavy topspin could provide the much-needed boost. And for a cricketer, it could be either a wicket or the sweet sound of the willow against the leather. Shubman Gill is…