Author: Boria Majumdar

Boria Majumdar There has been much talk about Shubman Gill being made vice-captain of the Asia Cup team. First things first, Gill is a gun player. He has been in stellar form, and that’s the case not just in red-ball cricket. There is no argument that he played superbly in England, and hence has to be included in the T20 set up. He had a very good IPL and has also been working on his strike-rate. The truth is you can’t go wrong by including him in the team. Having said that, it is not just about Gill alone. It…

In some good news for India, it is learnt that skipper Surya Kumar Yadav is perfectly on track to make it back for the Asia Cup. Surya, who is undergoing rehab, had already started batting and it is now a matter of time before he starts the final phase of his recovery. “He is taking it week by week,” a source close to developments said. “It is now time to start high intensity fielding drills and high-speed running. That’s will happen starting today.” It is also to be seen where Surya bats for India at the Asia cup. Chances…

Sandeep Patil’s comments on Jasprit Bumrah have been much debated on social media. A caveat is important here. Sandy Bhai is a good friend and someone I much respect for his achievements. But on this issue, I have to say I differ with him, and do so completely. The first reference point for me is Jofra Archer. Archer played two Tests in the series and was rested for The Oval. England managed his workload post-Manchester. Of the two Tests he played, he helped England win at Lord’s. In fact, in the second innings at Lord’s, he was almost unplayable and…

Boria Majumdar Much is being said about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and whether they will feature in the 50-over World Cup in 2027. First things first, it is not an entitlement for anyone. Even if they are Rohit and Kohli. If they are to be part of it, they need to be hungry and earn their right to be there. It is all about performance in the end, and if they perform, there is no way they can be denied a place. In the last event they participated in, Rohit led India to a Champions Trophy triumph. Also, he…

Boria Majumdar When the five-Test series began at Headingley in June, Akash Deep was not part of India’s first- choice pace attack. But with Jasprit Bumrah sitting out the Edgbaston Test, he came in and took a ten-wicket haul to help clinch a famous victory. Later, with India needing to win at The Oval for a share of the spoils, he struck a crucial second-innings 66 and chipped in with the vital wicket of Ben Duckett to play his part in a memorable triumph. After returning to India, he spoke exclusively to Boria Majumdar, RevSportz editor-in-chief, on his experiences during…

Boria Majumdar One of the most interesting moments in the Oval Test was the Akash Deep send-off to Ben Duckett. I have to say I was, and am, against any bowler putting his hand around a batter after dismissing him or her. And had tweeted to that effect as well. Having said that, I was unaware of what Akash was trying to tell Duckett. Or if there was a trailer to what eventually happened. And that’s why it was inevitable that I’d ask Akash this when I sat down with him at 10pm last night to look back at the…

Boria Majumdar Over the last week, we have seen news of football clubs suspending their operations against the backdrop of the uncertainty surrounding the start of the Indian Super League (ISL). To be honest, they are right to do so. Football in India is a loss-making proposition, and no club will want to add to the overheads with the league itself being in doubt. In this context, the meeting between the AIFF and all the ISL clubs was of heightened significance. In the meeting, the clubs were unanimous that for the sake of Indian football, the ISL uncertainty needs to…

Boria Majumdar We had just landed in Dubai, and had to rush to make the flight to Kolkata. That was when the gentleman stopped me. “I was watching you every day from Amsterdam,” he said. “Lived the series through the eyes of RevSportz.” This was just a random person at Dubai Airport Terminal 3. After we exchanged a few words and I finally made it to the boarding gate, another gentleman came and said, “Did not disturb you at The Oval. But watched the shows every day. Keep going. I was there at The Oval on the last day and…

Boria Majumdar You will reading this piece just as I land in Kolkata after a long tour of the UK. And, may I say, it was a fantastic work trip with some incredible memories standing out. India winning at The Oval in what will rank as one of the great Test matches of all time, the win in Birmingham and the fight in Manchester can never ever be forgotten. In what was an intense series, you also need your moments of release. Moments when you can just laugh and unwind. And with my team around, you always have such moments.…

Boria Majumdar in Dubai We will be boarding for Kolkata soon. Readers will read this once we have landed in Kolkata. Already have multiple messages from office staff about urgent meetings back home. The travel desk has already started to check on visas for the Asia Cup, and tickets and bookings for the Women’s World Cup. And the thing is, we haven’t even recovered from this two-month-long madness! But that’s what journalism is all about. The wheel doesn’t stop. Ahead of our departure, we had a team meeting at a cafe in Waterloo in front of the London Eye. And…