Author: Boria Majumdar

We run a sports company. When we say this, what exactly do we mean? Are we here to cover sport and give athletes, both able-bodied and para, a voice? Are we here to cover cricket and jump on the bandwagon to make some money? Are we here to cover every sport and try and make a difference to the Indian sporting ecosystem? Why are we here? This is the question we asked of ourselves last year ahead of the FIFA World Cup. While it is all very glamorous to cover major events like the World Cup and the Olympics, would…

We keep hearing that bilateral cricket contests aren’t relevant anymore. People are losing interest. Fans don’t really care. And yet, we keep seeing matches being organised on a regular basis, which don’t really reflect much prudence in scheduling. The India-Australia T20 series is an example. Australia, within days of winning a 50-over World Cup, will play a T20 series, which they will have very little motivation for. Dave Warner pulling out is clear evidence. And for some like Travis Head, who has stayed back to play, he could well return home having lost a series instead of going back as…

The 2023 World Cup was the most-watched cricket tournament ever. And by a distance, with 1,250,307 coming through the turnstiles over the six weeks. The concurrent viewership for the final was a staggering 53 million. Now, these are great numbers that give us a lot of hope and optimism about the format and also the future of the tournament. Imagine 50 million people – almost the population of a big European country – watching a game together! For almost all India games, the numbers were sensational. But that’s where the issue lies – India games. While we have seen the…

A RevSportz Exclusive While there were many positives to take from the World Cup qualifying match against Qatar, the one question that baffled football fans round the country was why Amrinder Singh was picked ahead of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu? More so when Gurpreet was the star of the 0-0 draw against Qatar at home in 2019. What was the thought behind the decision, and did it push India back with early goals conceded in both halves? There were some other interesting calls taken by Igor Stimac, the coach, which raised a few eyebrows and resulted in considerable debate. We sought…

A RevSportz Exclusive The 1-0 victory in Kuwait City last week was India’s first in an away World Cup qualifier in more than two decades. On Tuesday evening, Qatar, the Champions of Asia, arrive at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar fresh from an 8-1 hammering of Afghanistan. How India play in front of a packed house could well dictate their World Cup destiny. Ahead of the game, Igor Stimac, India’s coach, spoke to Boria Majumdar, RevSportz editor-in-chief, about the Kuwait result and how he and those around him have to keep faith in the process. Excerpts: Boria: Coach, do you…

As the dust settles on the World Cup final defeat, it is time to take stock of three important trends. First, in the build-up to the summit clash, there were a number of conspiracy theories doing the rounds. A lot of them had already given the World Cup to India. Many called it the political arithmetic of India’s ruling party. The players, such theories claimed, were mere pawns playing out a pre-determined script. The result has debunked such rubbish once and for all. Second, there were many havans, rituals, and every other kind of superstition indulged in to ensure that…

An unfinished quest. It was one of the best Wimbledon finals in history. Andy Roddick threw everything he had at Roger Federer and played the match of his life. And yet, he ended up second-best. Roddick’s tears at the presentation ceremony resonated with every member of the audience. Here was a champion who had done the sport proud. He had fought, stayed true, but was eventually outclassed in a hard-fought final by perhaps the greatest that had ever played the sport. Roddick wasn’t disgraced. His quest continued. There are others like Roddick. Ivan Lendl, one of the greatest of all…

He has won the Olympic gold medal for India. He has also stood atop the podium at the World Championship. Clearly, he is one who has handled and knows how to deal with extreme pressure. In this exclusive conversation with Boria Majumdar, Neeraj Chopra, Olympic champion in Tokyo (2021) speaks on how athletes handle such pressure, Virat Kohli and the fitness cult, the difference between the qualification stage and a big final, while confirming that he will be in Ahmedabad to cheer for the men in blue. Excerpts from the conversation: Boria: You have won the Olympic gold and the…

“Rohit Sharma has been exceptional in this World Cup,” said Michael Clarke, who led Australia to glory in 2015. “He has always been a great batsman. But what he has done here is that he has been completely selfless. Time and again he has taken calls that may not be in his interest as an opening batter, but in the interest of his team. He is playing a high-risk game. There is always a chance against him the way he is approaching his batting. But that’s greatness. To have the confidence of pulling it off time and again. Against…

Professional sport is all about sacrifice. To give up something for a cause. And often, such sacrifices go unnoticed. As we celebrate India’s famous win against Kuwait on Thursday night in a crucial World Cup qualifier, it is time to take pause and appreciate Luka Radman, the Indian team’s fitness coach, for his contribution. Radman, it should be pointed out, lost his father just 48 hours before the game. It would have been natural if he had left for Croatia to make arrangements for the funeral. He did not. Radman stayed on to help the team, and this win is…