Author: Bharath Ramaraj

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai A few days prior to the India-Pakistan Asia Cup encounter, Arshdeep Singh’s main focus seemed to be restricted to fitness drills. Morne Morkel, Ryan ten Doeschate and Adrian le Roux oversaw the performed tasks. He did have some catching practice and also bowled a few overs of seam-up. However, one couldn’t help but wonder about Arshdeep’s current mental state. The left-arm pacer, who happens to be India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is, didn’t play in a single match in the Champions Trophy earlier in the year. At one point of time, it felt as if Arshdeep had…

Before the India-Pakistan Asia Cup game, a group of journalists, who in turn had seen the best of Pakistan cricket, were having a discussion on their peak period and downfall. Yours truly, who was some metres away from that assemblage, could hear names such as Salim Malik, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq, Saeed Anwar, Wasim Akram and many more. It transported the writer back in time to a bygone era. It also made you wonder about their current state – How far have they fallen? A few years back, Pakistan were at least competitive in the shortest format.…

The India-Pakistan 2025 Asia Cup encounter will be echoed for reasons outside of cricket. The Indian cricketers didn’t shake hands with their counterparts, and the Pakistan skipper didn’t attend the presentation ceremony. There would be a plethora of discussions on whether it was right on the part of Suryakumar Yadav & Co to not perform what was basically an act of courtesy. But just pare through everything that happened off the field, the main narrative of the match was Pakistan’s woeful show while facing India’s spinners. Granted that India’s attack comprised who’s who of spin bowling – Kuldeep Yadav,…

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai “He’s a very experienced campaigner,” said Suryakumar Yadav, in praise of Axar Patel at the press conference after he put on another of those invaluable performances with the ball against Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup. “He’s been around the Indian team for a very long time. He knows his job really well. His plans are very clear. Whenever I see him at practice, he bowls a lot to the left-handers because that’s a proper match-up. You feel if a left-handed batter is walking in, you can’t bowl a left-arm spinner. But he practices more against…

Dubai, September 14: India dominated Pakistan in all three departments as they posted a thumping seven-wicket victory in the 2025 Asia Cup game played in Dubai. With this win, India secured their place in the Super Four. With a mixture of googlies, tossed-up deliveries, quicker ones and the stock ball, Kuldeep Yadav was India’s man of the moment. He finished with a redoubtable figure of 3 for 18 from four overs. Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with two wickets each, while Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy took one apiece. Pakistan mustered just 127 in their allotted 20 overs.…

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai One question invariably crops up whenever there is a RevSportz live show in relation to the ongoing Asia Cup – Is there a possibility of dew coming into the equation in Dubai? Now, it is one of those external factors that is difficult to decipher. However, let’s take a deep dive to analyse whether dew has already played a part in the tournament, and whether there is a chance of it coming into play in the future matches. For starters, there has been no visible dew, at least during the matches held at the Dubai International…

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai As yours truly tried to complete a quotes copy in the corner of the ICC Academy, there was a commotion of sorts at the ground. Shubman Gill, the India vice-captain, had taken a blow on his hand. The eyes were suddenly fixed on Gill as the physio came rushing out. He soon went off the field and sat on the ice box with a rather worried look on his face. Gautam Gambhir, Suryakumar Yadav and Abhishek Sharma all had a word or two with him. However, the concern didn’t last for long as Gill was…

Bharath Ramaraj from Dubai Ahead of the India-Pakistan 2025 Asia Cup encounter, emotions have hit fever pitch, especially in the backdrop of Indian cricket fans calling for the boycott of the game because of the tragic incident that took place in Pahalgam. Ryan Ten Doeschate, the assistant coach of the Indian set-up, shared his insight on the thoughts of the players about the escalations and the Pahalgam attack. “It a very sensitive issue,” he told in the presser. “Players feel the emotion and sentiments of the public. This is what we have discussed in the team meetings. Players are here…

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai Jasprit Bumrah versus Shubman Gill. And Bumrah versus Abhishek Sharma. These two contests in the nets at the ICC Academy on September 12 were worth keeping an eye on. India’s pace spearhead wasn’t exactly bowling at full tilt but he still seemed to trouble his opponents. It felt as though both Gill and Abhishek were a tad late on the ball. Abhishek did land a good enough pull stroke but even that didn’t go all the way. This made you wonder what it is about Bumrah that makes it difficult for the opponent to land…

Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai In the India-UAE Asia Cup game played at the Dubai International Stadium, Abhishek Sharma smacked the first ball that he faced from Haider Ali over wide long-off. And the second offering from the spinner rocketed away via the extra-cover region. Abhishek’s ultra-aggressive instincts go far beyond just one game. Last year, he had tonked Gerald Coetzee, a fast bowler, for a four off the first ball at St George’s Park. In the very next T20I of that series, the left-hand batter charged down the track to his first ball, only to miss out on an…