Author: Bharath Ramaraj

There is a memory of Mohit Sharma from May 2014 that still lights up like a bulb. It was a high-pressure IPL Eliminator game played at the Brabourne Stadium, home turf for the Mumbai Indians. Amid the cacophony of sounds and an electrifying atmosphere, a young Mohit did exactly what his captain wanted him to do in the slog overs, and was rewarded with three wickets. There was one ball that stood out, which also epitomised Mohit’s key strengths. In the 18th over of the Mumbai innings, Rohit Sharma tried to play a trademark pull stroke off Mohit, but could only find…

Overview At the moment, Kolkata Knight Riders seem to be stuck in a dark tunnel, struggling to find the escape route. Having won just two of the seven games they have played so far, the Kolkata think-tank need to quickly find a way out of the deep abyss. A victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore on their own patch would serve as the starting point for them to get back on track. Collective effort could be a mantra that the think-tank needs to coin for the players. Until now, Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh have spearheaded the batting unit, playing at different…

December, 30, 2022 – The day Rishabh Pant met with a near-fatal accident, which ruled him out of playing competitive cricket for months together. Pant’s absence also left a huge void in the Indian set-up, especially in Test cricket – a format where he has turned out to be game-breaker in all conditions. India can’t find a like-for-like replacement for someone who is basically a generational talent. However, ahead of the World Test Championship final against Australia, to be played against at the Oval in June, the question on everyone’s lips is who is the next-best available option? KS Bharat,…

In the 1990s, Sachin Tendulkar’s name was synonymous with the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, as the master blaster essayed some of the finest knocks in the history of ODI cricket at the venue. So it was fitting that, on the occasion of his 50th birthday, the West Stand was named after him. Khalaf Bukhatir, CEO of Sharjah Cricket, made the announcement, and spoke of the unforgettable impact left by one of Tendulkar’s greatest innings, especially the 131-ball 134 in the Coca-Cola Cup final against Australia on April 24, 1998 – his 25th birthday. Two days previously, in a match disrupted by…

On a Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch that was a tad slower than expected, Royal Challengers Bangalore pipped Rajasthan Royals by seven runs to seal their fourth win of IPL 2023. Here’s a list of takeaways from the game. The ball of the tournament? If there is a prize for the perfect ball of IPL 2023, then Trent Boult’s delivery to Virat Kohli, Bangalore’s stand-in captain, would perhaps clinch it. Boult found the near-perfect line and length with the first ball of the game itself. He also managed a hint of inswing to trap Kohli plumb in front. The left-arm angle also…

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is just a day away from celebrating his 50th birthday. It seems unreal that more than three decades have gone by since a teenage boy stood up and said “mein khelega” after being hit by a bumper from Waqar Younis in Sialkot. Simply put, such has been his allure and magnetism, Tendulkar has become a part of our psyche over the decades. Time just flies. Long, long ago, on November 10, 1991, India were playing South Africa in an ODI at Eden Gardens. South Africa, led by Clive Rice, were returning to international cricket after a little…

Nowadays, the spotlight is on Matheesha Pathirana’s slingy action and exploits under the bright lights of the Indian Premier League. Quite a few batters are finding it difficult to pick up Pathirana’s action, as he releases the ball from almost near his right ear. Thousands of words are being penned comparing the young prodigy with Lasith Malinga. The video of him dismissing batters with yorkers while playing for Trinity College in Kandy has gone viral across social-media platforms. That video also attracted the attention of MS Dhoni and the Chennai Super Kings camp, and they soon recruited him into the set-up. But…

Overview Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Jekyll-and-Hyde show in IPL 2023 continued, as they registered a convincing win over Punjab Kings in their last game. Perhaps, that would serve as the launchpad for RCB to win a slew of matches and become serious contenders. Or is that just another dream after 15 seasons of pain? Just run through the records for Bangalore this season, and a bigger picture emerges – The trio of Virat Kohli, Faf Du Plessis and Mohammed Siraj continue to be the fulcrums of the side. Glenn Maxwell is the side’s third highest run-getter with 176 runs. However, their…

Overview After playing six matches, Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants have won four games each and are competing for the top position in the IPL 2023 points table. Meanwhile, Punjab Kings slot in at a lowly seventh, but have only one win less than Lucknow and Rajasthan. The competition for the top positions seems like a Formula-1 race, where one loss for X could lead to Y overtaking them in the table. On April 22, two of the front-runners – Lucknow and Gujarat Titans – go head-to-head in a crucial clash in Lucknow. Lucknow would be boosted by their…

Faf du Plessis smacked five sixes in his superbly-paced 56-ball 84 against Punjab Kings in IPL 2023. But the essence of how du Plessis has evolved by maximising his strengths is best encapsulated by the first and second sixes he crunched off Harpreet Brar. The second ball that du Plessis faced from Brar, he manufactured an inch or two of room and clubbed the ball down the ground. So when du Plessis again looked to create a bit of width, Harpreet knew the card that the opener would throw at him. So he duly fired one in at leg stump,…