Author: Boria Majumdar

It was on Saturday at 5pm that RevSportz broke the story of Igor Stimac, the Indian national coach, being served a show-cause notice by the AIFF. The notice, dated August 31, allows him three days’ time to respond to the allegations levelled against him. Stimac, who was on his way to Thailand on Saturday evening for the King’s Cup, will have to respond to the charges by Monday. The letter, parts of which is reproduced below, makes some serious allegations against the head coach. Reacting to comments made in the media, the AIFF has even gone on to ask why…

It was two hours after the India-Pakistan World Cup match had ended on June 16, 2019, and the Curry Mile in Manchester was a sight to behold. One side of the road was dark, and all the Pakistani restaurants wore a deserted look. On the other, every Indian restaurant was full, and every conceivable dance form was on view. People were moving to the dhol and the bhangra was impromptu and full of energy. The tricolour was everywhere, and the party had just begun. India had again beaten Pakistan in a World Cup encounter, and yet again, it had been…

Boria- Coming to the question of home advantage. How do you see it- do you see it as pressure or do you think it will help India. Sourav- The positive thing is in the last few editions of the world cup the home team has won so there is no such thing that home teams don’t win. Boria- How are you seeing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Virat wasn’t at his best in the last few years but had a very good IPL and is looking very good again. And Rohit as captain and batter will be massively important for…

He has played many an India-Pakistan match and captained India to a World Cup final. And he has served in every position in the BCCI including as President. Sourav Ganguly knows very well how much pressure there can be on Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid in the forthcoming World Cup on Indian soil. Saying they are the best men for the job, Ganguly says India will start as favourites against Pakistan on home soil and in front of 110,000 Indian fans in Ahmedabad. Speaking on the concluding episode of Backstage With Boria, Sourav spoke at length about India’s world cup…

Few know better than Brad Hogg what it takes to win a World Cup. An integral part of Australian teams that won the tournament in 2003 and 2007, his role was especially crucial in 2003 when he had to take on the spin mantle after Shane Warne’s drugs ban. With extensive experience of playing in India and tremendous knowledge of Indian conditions, Hogg, who took 156 ODI wickets with his left-arm wrist-spin, is better equipped than most to predict how the 2023 World Cup will pan out. In this fascinating conversation with Boria Majumdar in the new World Cup series…

Salient points “Don’t sledge Virat Kohli. Any bowler who sledges him will have to pay the price. If you don’t sledge and just let him be, he could get bored and make a mistake,” says Ntini. “Anrich Nortje is bowling a tad too short. If he bowls slightly up and whoever is coaching him should tell him that, he can run through any batting line-up in the world.” “My four semi-finalists are South Africa, India, Australia and Pakistan,” says Ntini. EXCLUSIVE Makhaya Ntini is always good to talk to. He speaks his mind and doesn’t believe in being politically correct.…

On Dhyan Chand’s birthday this is a special tribute to the legend who united India in a manner that few have ever been able to do. His name and aura had spread far beyond the Indian shores and despite having come from the humblest of backgrounds, he was an Indian dream come true uniting people in their aspirations and pursuits. Through hard work and discipline, he made Indian sport a toast of the world and in doing so accorded every Indian a sense of self respect and pride. His multiple Olympic gold medals was speaking out one language- that we…

It is not easy being Neeraj Chopra. To do the things he does. To win consecutive medals on the world stage, and yet feel the same hunger when he gets ready for the next competition. And now, he has won India’s first-ever World Championship gold. In cricket, India has Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. In badminton, PV Sindhu, twice Olympic medallist, has support from the men’s squad, who have quietly come into their own in recent years. But in athletics, it is just Neeraj at the top. To be the polestar can’t be easy, and yet he has conducted himself…

He was one of the best fast bowlers of his time. Over 6’ 7” and running in to deliver thunderbolts from a height of over 9 feet, Sir Curtly Ambrose was one of the most difficult bowlers to encounter for any batter. Now a commentator and coach, Ambrose spoke to Boria Majumdar about the upcoming World Cup, and how much the return of Jasprit Bumrah could help the Indian team. Excerpts: Boria: Jasprit Bumrah is fit. He looked really good in Ireland. As a fast bowler yourself, could you tell me how you see him and how should he approach…

EXCLUSIVE He is one of the foremost voices in the world game. And the good thing about Athar Ali Khan is that he is always composed and chooses his words well. In this conversation with Boria Majumdar for the World Cup Series of Backstage With Boria, Athar claimed that Bangladesh were best placed to make the semi-finals this time round, with the conditions favouring Shakib and his team. He reckoned that this would be the big breakthrough that Bangladesh cricket has been looking for. Excerpts from the conversation: Boria: Experience of playing in Indian conditions, a very good 50-over record…