Author: Boria Majumdar

Boria Majumdar Midway through August and Indian football fans still don’t know if they’ll be able to watch the Indian Super League (ISL), the sport’s top tier in the country, this year. Understandably, much of the scrutiny has been on the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its management of the issues. Boria Majumdar, RevSportz editor-in-chief, spoke to Kalyan Chaubey, AIFF president, and put him on the spot about the ISL mess and the selection of Khalid Jamil as men’s national team coach. Boria: What is happening with ISL? Can we expect it this year? Kalyan: We had a meeting…

Is Shubman Gill a certainty in the Asia Cup squad? The answer is maybe not. This isn’t a reflection on Shubman Gill, the batter. He is a first-rate batter and someone who can score runs in any condition. In fact, if he plays 10 T20 games, he could well score in seven of them. Also, he has had fantastic seasons with Gujarat Titans. And yet from what I hear he isn’t a certainty in the Asia Cup squad. While things can indeed change between now and 20th when the selection committee is expected to meet, as on date, Gill…

Boria Majumdar Indian football has not been in good health. No one really knows what is happening with the nation’s top tier League and with several clubs stopping operations, there is a lot of uncertainty around. Kalyan Chaubey, President of the All India Football Federation(AIFF), has a lot to answer for. Does the organisation have any answers for all this ongoing chaos? Can things improve going forward and, most importantly, will the league season happen? If so, when? When I got on the Zoom call with Kalyan, I informed him that we would do the interview only if he agreed…

On this day a year earlier, the Paris Olympics was done and it was time to go home. While the Indian campaign was modest, team RevSportz had done its absolute best at the Games. As a young organisation, less than three years old then, we had made an ambitious plan for Paris. To get a team of 7 to the Olympics was considered crazy. How could we spend so much money? How will we generate so much revenue? Is this model of getting 7 journalists to a Games sustainable? Honestly, as Editor and Founder, I did not have answers to…

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…