Author: Boria Majumdar

Boria Majumdar Indian football urgently needs a solution. With the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) meeting in good faith at some point today, three things need to be ironed out. First, the assumption is that FSDL had a monopoly call over Indian football rights, and it was an exploitative relationship. To gauge the ground reality, the best thing to do is float a tender. Let the AIFF float a tender, with FSDL agreeing to that call, and it will be known if there are takers for Indian football rights – companies that can help…

Crushing the pain barrier – mental and physical – became Cheteshwar Pujara’s calling card during an illustrious 13 years in the Indian jersey, the highest point being January 19, 2021. That day, he knew that he had to survive the first two hours at The Gabba if India wanted to make what till then looked like an improbable victory into reality. To add to his challenges, on one side of the track there were cracks. They had been created as the match had gone on, and balls started misbehaving frequently. “It was tough, but I knew I had a job…

Late American playwright John Patrick had once said: “Pain makes man think. Thought makes man wise. Wisdom makes life endurable.” Cheteshwar Pujara’s greatest strength is knowing his limitations. It’s an attribute that goes unrecognised. But it’s a vital part of a human being’s mental make-up. Knowing what you can do and where you stand. His retirement is yet one more reminder. He has given it his all. He knew there was nothing more left to give. He has decided to move on and with grace. This attribute was best evident to me when he described his approach to Nathan Lyon…

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…