Author: Boria Majumdar

In a major development that will have wider political ramifications, the BCCI have asked Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad, and KKR have already done so, following due protocol. First things first, the BCCI cannot make this call unilaterally. A seasoned administrator and a legal eagle, Debajit Saikia could not have taken this call without back-channel talks with the central government. Clearly, the decision was taken at the External Affairs Ministry level, in consultation with the Home Ministry, and the BCCI may have merely implemented it. Now to the decision itself. With the rise in…

Most countries have now announced their respective 15-member squads for the forthcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. India have done so a week earlier. The thrust, may I say, has been on spin. Australia have focused on the same and the CA post on X highlighted the thought process. The question to ask is do we in India have the spin bowling ability to win us the World Cup and how effective will spin be in the competition? One of the players who has kind of slipped under the radar in the year 2025 despite making real…

We have all wished each other a very happy 2026. But if you are an Indian footballer or a stakeholder in the ecosystem, it isn’t a happy 2026. Indian football is in dire need of inspiration. The league is nowhere in sight, and until last night, there had been no breakthrough. Clubs have pushed the issue back to the AIFF, saying they need the federation to cover at least part of the costs. They have also said it is unfair for the governing body to expect clubs to foot the entire bill for the league. The AIFF, on its part,…

In a new episode of Backstage with Boria, hockey stalwarts, Jarmanpreet Singh and Hardik Singh, open up about their target of ending India’s 50-year World Cup-medal drought. They also reflect on the upcoming Hockey India League season, acknowledge the constant backing from the federation, underline the importance of the Asian Games as a crucial pathway to Olympics, and credit the fans for being the driving force behind their confidence and performances on the big stage. Boria [To Hardik]: What is your first impression on Hockey India League and what it can do for Indian hockey? Hardik: It’s a very good…

The Indian squad for the ODI series against New Zealand is likely to be announced on Saturday or Sunday, and the one name that should be in the reckoning is that of Mohammed Shami. At a press conference in Dubai during the Asia Cup earlier this year, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had said that Shami hadn’t played enough at the time to get himself back into the scheme of Team India things. He had added that there was never any doubt about the class of the fast bowler. If we go by his words, Shami has now played the Ranji…

This is the one question I asked TV Narendran, Tata Steel’s global CEO and managing director, as we met up in Kolkata last week over a cup of tea. First things first, the success of the Trailblazers Conclave can indeed be attributed to the support of Tata Steel and Mr Narendran. I vividly remember a conversation with him in January 2023, when I first requested him for support for the conclave. His answer was interesting. “If you want to do only cricket then I am not keen. Cricket is already a cluttered space,” he had said. It was music to…

As the clubs deliberate with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to figure out a way forward for Indian football, one thing is for certain — even if there is a league, it will be a curtailed one and a competition that will not be as attractive as the ISL. That is not to suggest that it shouldn’t happen. Something is better than nothing, and at least football will resume in the country. The players will find their feet and the ecosystem will get a lifeline. As we wait for clarity, I have to say two things have given me…

There’s no business without self-doubt. When we created RevSportz, the plan was to do multi-sport and do a deep dive. But then, when you do multi-sport, you know you won’t get half the social media numbers in comparison to men’s cricket. The question then is should you or should you not? Do you want to back the Hockey India League, the shooting league, Paralympic sport, or just stay with men’s cricket? I have forever asked my teammates to go beyond cricket and do multi-sport. That way we can actually make a difference and bring about real change. Cricket is already…

It was around 8 o’clock in the evening, and our football correspondent Rahul Giri called to ask if I was good for a call with someone in the Kerala Blasters senior management. Rahul sounded concerned but was keen at the same time. When we got on the call, the complexity of the situation became clear to me in no time. “Let me explain the economics to you, Boria,” the person said at the very start. “We earn sponsorship revenue between Rs 15-17 crore when we play at home. We also earn ticket revenue between Rs 5-7 crore. Add Rs 15-17…

Stalwarts of Indian Hockey; Abhishek Nain, Jugraj Singh and Sukhjeet Singh in conversation with Boria Majumdar ahead of the start of Hockey India League 2026. They talk about their plans to defend the title for Shrachi Bengal Tigers, preparing for an action-packed 2026, focusing on World Cup, significance of fan support, thriving under pressure, need for hockey to be commercially viable and plenty more. Boria: [To Jugraj Singh] Tell us a bit about Hockey India League (HIL) and your performance last year. Jugraj Singh: It is a great league and it has been a great one for me. It has…