Author: Boria Majumdar

Sourav Ganguly is always interesting to speak to. He understands the sport better than most and, if he is in a good space and not pushed by phone calls and selfies, gives you multiple headlines in the course of a 20-minute conversation. Friday was one such day. As we both sat in the green room of the Goa Fest planning our session, it was time for a detailed T20 World Cup deep dive with Sourav. From who should open, to whether he is worried about Hardik Pandya’s form, Sourav spoke about a host of issues. Excerpts from the conversation: Boria:…

It is arguably the biggest game for Igor Stimac as India’s head coach. A wrong step will mean India end their campaign on a sour note, and exit the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. It could also mean Stimac has to give up the job, and make way for someone else. A win against Kuwait, however, will change everything. India will be in the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the first time ever, and Stimac will be celebrated the country over. Moreover, Sunil Chhetri will get the perfect farewell as captain of India, and there couldn’t…

My first meeting with Jagmohan Dalmiya was rather strange. Back home for field research in March 2001, I landed up at the Cricket Association of Bengal office wearing a T-shirt and chappals. I had pages of questions for Dalmiya on the lack of transparency in Indian cricket and was rather aggressive to start with. It was the immediate aftermath of the match-fixing scandal and I was out to expose the rot. Dalmiya, after giving me a patient hearing, asked if I would dress the same way if I wanted to research the MCC’s archives. “You said you are from Oxford.…

The Indian football team arrived in Kolkata amid much fanfare on Wednesday afternoon. The team will play one of its most important games on June 6 against Kuwait, as part of the second round of Asia’s FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. A win will almost guarantee India a place in the third round, while a loss will mean Indian football is pushed back by a good few years. A loss would also mean Igor Stimac, the head coach, will have to make way and, all of a sudden, the sport would have lost all gains made in the past five years.…

What is sport without the winning mantra? For example, how is it that Mitchell Starc produces that peach against Abhishek Sharma in a final, and does so time and again across formats? How is it that Australia inevitably finds something special when it comes to ICC tournaments? How come Neeraj Chopra has not really lost in a competition that matters since winning the all-important Olympic gold medal in Tokyo? How does Mirabai Chanu finds the resolve to come back from a serious injury and be ready to mount a challenge for a second consecutive Olympic medal in Paris? These are…

Average of 77 in IPL knockout games and four 50s to go with it, Venkatesh Iyer, in pressure situations, has been a revelation for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). And in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he literally batted them out of the game in the third over itself, something he said to Boria Majumdar in this exclusive conversation with Revsportz. Getting married soon, Iyer took time out to chat on the Gautam Gambhir impact, what Shahrukh Khan means to the franchise, the Mitchell Starc ball to Abhishek Sharma and more. Excerpts: Boria: There is a lot of talk about Gautam…

Every evening, when I watch the IPL with one eye on the T20 World Cup, now just two weeks away, I have this dilemma. The IPL on its own is great. But the moment it is about the Indians in the IPL, and especially those picked for the T20 World Cup, there is a sudden sense of panic. In fact, in my imaginary IPL XI, no more than two Indians get a place. And that’s what tells me that India’s chances in the T20 World Cup are bleak. Before I get to my IPL XI, let me say that I…

Bharat Arun, former Team India bowling coach and currently part of the IPL 2024 winning Kolkata Knight Riders franchise, has heaped praises on Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora. The twosome played a crucial part in helping the team win the IPL title. Arun has been working closely with the pacer-duo and feels that both have the potential to play for India for a long time. In an exclusive chat with RevSportz, he shared his insights on the promising fast-bowling duo, Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, Gautam Gambhir’s role as a mentor, comeback of Mitchell Starc, KKR’s famed spin-bowling-duet and a lot more.…

“Do you think Gautam Gambhir can make a good head coach for India?” I asked. It was as if B Arun was ready for the question. In fact, even before I had finished asking it, he had a wry smile on his face. And had started answering, stopping me in my tracks. “Gautam has all the credentials to be a very good coach for India,” he said. “Whether or not he decides to throw his hat into the ring is his call, but let me tell you he has every credential that you need to be a good head coach.”…

It was just days after he suffered a debilitating shoulder injury that I had a chat with Shreyas Iyer. He was in pain, but the resolve had not gone away one bit. While he was still unsure if he needed surgery, his focus was very much on the comeback. He wanted the big stage for himself and was determined to make a mark. That he had to undergo surgery and missed cricket for months made him even more determined. A reasonably good IPL has brought Shreyas back into the mix, and what is being talked about more is his leadership.…