Author: Bharath Ramaraj

Bharath Ramaraj in Bengaluru Slovenia have taken one step closer to navigating a way through the Billie Jean King playoffs in Bengaluru after beating the fancied Netherlands 2-1 in the opening round of the three-country tussle. There was a time when Tamara Zidansek’s whip forehand was the talk of the town. That forehand also propelled the Slovenian to a French Open semifinal in 2021, and she was ranked as high as 22 in February 2022. Unfortunately, that year, she was down with Covid-19 and it took a long time for her to recover. When she returned to the tennis…

Somewhere in 2013, Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale lost 1-6, 3-6 in a Billie Jean King Cup (then known as Fed Cup) Asia-Oceania tie to Kazakhstan. Since then, Raina has participated in 49 more Fed Cup ties, which includes spearheading India, alongside Sania Mirza, to their first-ever Billie Jean King Cup playoffs in 2020-21. Just hit the accelerator pedal to take a flight back to 2025, and the 32-year-old Raina is still a key member of the Indian team that will play in the playoffs against Slovenia and the Netherlands, in Bengaluru. In all those 12 years, the unmistakable…

By Bharath Ramaraj Leadership is a subjective quality that cannot be quantified. In cricket, one could argue that wins and losses are the measure of a captain. But the caveat here is that a team’s success also depends on the resources available. So, what is leadership in this context? Perhaps Temba Bavuma’s captaincy can help us understand its subtleties. For Bavuma, leadership isn’t just about executing tactics to outsmart opponents. He is also leading a group of players from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. Consider how he handled the delicate situation during the 2021 T20 World Cup when Quinton de Kock,…

Bharath Ramaraj The name Venkatesh Prasad transports you back to a bygone era. Even further back than the iconic 1996 World Cup match played between India and Pakistan where a fiery Prasad castled Amair Sohail after he was at the receiving end of a sledge from the left-hand opener. It was a Deodhar Trophy game played between North Zone and South Zone during the 1993-94 season. By all accounts, it was a spicy pitch where North Zone could muster a mere 68 in pursuit of a lowly 83-run target set by South Zone. And it was Prasad who ripped…

In the recently held Pakistan–South Africa second Test in Rawalpindi, the visitors looked set to slump to a series defeat. In response to Pakistan’s first-innings total of 333, South Africa were struggling at 235 for 8. At that point, Senuran Muthusamy shared vital stands with Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada to not just take the visitors past Pakistan’s total but also steer them to a healthy lead. The lower order didn’t just guide them to a series-levelling victory, it also said something about South Africa’s resilience. A couple of weeks later, South Africa ‘A’ produced a collective batting effort to…

There’s an old phrase: “First impression is always the best impression.” On certain occasions, that statement might seem like a cliche. But at least in the case of Dhruv Jurel, it holds true. By the time Jurel entered the Test arena against England in Rajkot, there were already whispers about his immense potential and sound temperament. However, as Jurel walked out to replace nightwatchman Kuldeep Yadav, one wondered whether he would have a few butterflies in his stomach. The reality was somewhat different. James Anderson, the experienced pace bowler, employed his archetypal outswinger that slanted in a touch and moved…

A genuine swing bowler can generate movement either way at the flick of the wrist. Auqib Nabi, the spearhead of Jammu and Kashmir’s pace attack, is one of those bowlers blessed with the skillset required to gain entry into the swing-bowling club. The hooping inswinger that castled Kerala’s N Basil in last season’s Ranji Trophy game encapsulates his natural ability. More importantly, his 63 wickets at an astonishing average of less than 14 over the last two Ranji Trophy seasons tell a story of unremitting consistency. Such has been his golden run in Indian domestic cricket that he even claimed…

Test cricket has its own set of subtleties. The fortunes of a tantalisingly-poised match can oscillate due to moisture coming into play, or the surface getting a little drier. Even a change in the direction of winds could make a difference in relation to conventional swing bowling. In such a backdrop, it is important to strike the right balance while picking a playing XI. Ahead of India’s two-match Test series against South Africa, the home side’s selection panel seem to have played their cards quite well, picking a strong squad. When compared to India’s Test squad for the West Indies…

In sport, the victor gets all the plaudits and accolades. And rightly so. What about the defeated team or athlete and their gamut of emotions? Those few minutes at the presentation ceremony, where South Africa’s cricketers stood almost motionless wondering what might have been after they lost the final of the 2025 World Cup, have to be one of the toughest phases of their sporting careers. The legendary Marizanne Kapp, who has seen many a heartbreak, had tears in her eyes, and the Indian duo of Jemimah Rodrigues and Radha Yadav tried to comfort her. Laura Wolvaardt essayed another splendid…

Somewhere in 2019, Rohan Bopanna, the ace Indian tennis player, looked set to hang up his tennis shoes. The reason was lack of cartilage in his knees. So much so that he was taking two to three painkillers a day. He didn’t just overcome it through Iyengar Yoga and good physiotherapy but went on to win his first Men’s Doubles Grand Slam at the age of 43. He also became the oldest first-time No.1 player on the ATP Tour, at an age when most sportspersons would have already walked into retirement life. Behind the scenes, athletes have their own struggles…