Author: Boria Majumdar

This is an appreciation piece for John Abraham. I personally don’t know John. Haven’t met him either. Having said that, I am aware of the contributions he has made and keeps making. A source tells me John has spent 150 plus crores in Indian football already and has done everything possible to keep North East United flying. Back-to-back Durand Champions, it is a testimony to the effort put in by the management as well. A strong club needs strong ownership. See the turnaround at MBSG with Sanjiv Goenka investing serious monies into the club. Emami spending money will help East…

I have been reading a lot of articles that the white-ball series in Australia will be the last for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. First things first, don’t club them together. That’s not the right thing to do. Secondly, while captaincy is indeed a call the management can take, how does anyone ask a player to retire if he is performing? Take the last assignment for both Kohli and Rohit. Kohli was very impressive and even scored a hundred against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. He was consistent and followed the Champions Trophy with a very impressive IPL. At no…

The selectors have chosen Shubman Gill as India’s vice-captain for the Asia Cup. As I have argued before, Gill is a very good player and a deserving candidate. He was the vice-captain when he was last part of the T20 set-up, and they have given the responsibility back to him with the Asia Cup and World Cup on the horizon. In doing so, Axar Patel, who was doing the job for a while, has been ignored. That’s where the question crops up – have we given Axar his due and have we celebrated his contributions enough? Also, has the decision…

Boria Majumdar The government has now spelt out the roadmap of India’s engagement with Pakistan in sport. A firm NO to any kind of bilateral sporting ties. Permitting India to play Pakistan in multi-nation sports competitions, which are governed by the international charter, while deliberating on them if the competition is being played in Pakistan. For the longest time I have been trying to explain exactly this mode of thinking. This is based on India’s geo-political ambitions. Aspirations of being a global power. Hosting the Olympics is not just about sport. In fact, much less about sport than about India’s…

Boria Majumdar Real-money gaming is all set to be banned. And in very simple terms, it means a death knell to what we have all termed as the fantasy sports industry. Add rummy, poker and other such platforms to it, and you know you are talking big money. Lakhs of jobs are at stake and thousands of crores will be lost in taxes as well. The economic costs of the bill is massive. The exchequer does stand to lose out. And significantly. And yet, the government appears determined to push it through with amazing swiftness. A deep dive reveals one…

Shubman Gill is being groomed to take over as India’s all-format captain, and that’s a fact. But then, what could be the succession plan? How long could Suryakumar Yadav lead the T20 team and what will be the thinking going ahead? Surya will captain the Indian team in the 2026 T20 World Cup, unless there are exceptionally bad results in the Asia Cup, and the three bilateral series that follow. If things go to plan, and they should, Surya will indeed lead the team on home soil in February-March. And Gill will be his deputy. Thereafter, however, comes the twist.…

Gostha Pal, aged 16, made his official debut for Mohun Bagan against Blackwatch in the Calcutta Football League. Picked as a replacement for Reverend Sudhir Chatterjee, Gostha, immortalised as one of the best players ever to play for the club, had not done well in the practice game against Dalhousie. In fact, he was a disaster on the slushy ground, allowing the strikers to score two goals past him. On this fateful day a century earlier, Pal came to the club with the knowledge that he wouldn’t play. However, two individuals had other ideas. Much to Pal’s amazement, Rajen Sen…

India’s selection meetings over the years have indeed thrown up some rather strange choices. Yesterday’s gathering was yet another one, which left many questions unanswered. And much like I had written straight after the meeting, my key takeaway was the omission of Shreyas Iyer. When I try to wrap my head around it, the only explanation that comes to mind is that the selectors did not want to include Shreyas in the standbys because he is a senior pro. They did not want to seem disrespectful, or maybe he is being looked at for ODIs and also red-ball cricket. But,…

Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of selectors, said that Shreyas Iyer has done nothing wrong while addressing the media, adding that they could only pick 15. Fair point. I don’t have a single problem with the 15 that they have picked. But then, he went on to announce five standbys, and that included a third wicketkeeper in Dhruv Jurel. In all honesty, I can’t get my head around the inclusion of a third wicketkeeper for a three-week-long tournament, at the expense of Shreyas, who is one of the very best we have. The truth is that more than Shubman Gill’s return…

Finally, it’s selection day. If the selectors pick a 17-member squad, and they certainly can going by ACC rules, all debates can be put to rest. Almost all the players who deserve a look in will make it to the squad, and there will be no heartburn. On the contrary, if it is a 15-member squad that is picked, things could get heated and some deserving players will have to miss out. And the only thing that will decide this is the approach the selectors opt to take. Will the committee and the team management opt for continuity, or will…