Author: Boria Majumdar

As RevSportz grows and people realise that it is a platform for aspiring journalists, the number of applications that come to me for jobs has grown exponentially. A number of these applicants write to me saying they would love to be on tour and contribute. That’s where things go wrong. A number of people feel that being on tour is all about travel and food and partying at night. For some, it is the glamour. And only for a handful, it is about hard work. The truth is, it is only about hard work and nothing else. During a Test…

Boria Majumdar As I fly back to Delhi and then Kolkata for a few days, it is also time to introspect and reflect on the work the team has been putting together in England for the last one month and more. When we planned the coverage, there was no template in front of us. While for a multi-discipline event, it is now a tried and tested formula, for cricket it was entirely new. Why are you taking such a big team to the UK in the summer when the costs are exorbitant? Many had asked me the question. I had…

Boria Majumdar in London As the dust settles on a heart-wrenching Lord’s defeat, it’s time to think what India need to do going ahead to Manchester. First things first, this team has shown fight. Once India were reduced to 81/7 on the fifth morning of the third Test, I for once feared that they would get bundled out for 100 and it would be a telling blow to the team’s morale. And when Nitish Kumar Reddy was out just on the stroke of lunch, my fear was reinforced. With Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj left to assist Ravindra Jadeja, not…

Boria Majumdar in London It was eventually the last round in a 15-round boxing bout. No team was ready to throw in the towel and the punches from both sides kept landing. Players were bloodied and exhausted but the fight was still on. India, thanks to Jadeja and the lower order, threatened the unthinkable and had it happened it could have been compared to Ben Stokes’ miracle at Headingley or Kusal Mendis’ effort against South Africa. Ravindra Jadeja almost pulled off a heist. But then, sport can be cruel and that’s what happened when Mohammed Siraj dragged the delivery from…

Boria Majumdar in London The truth is I was booked on a 10.05 am flight from Gatwick to Dubai on Monday morning and from Dubai to Kolkata. I have a pressing engagement in Delhi on the 16th, which I can’t get out of, and the idea was to spend a day at home and then fly to Delhi on the 16th. With the RevSportz team here, I was confident of going back after Lord’s. Not anymore. After the manic Sunday, to go back on what is the deciding day appears foolish. To change tickets last minute is difficult and will…

Boria Majumdar in London On a manic Sunday, the match moved at blistering pace and now stands on a knife’s edge. While India will feel they would have been far happier with the captain still there, they know that they have KL Rahul and the rest to get the remaining runs against a ball that is now losing shine. England, on the other hand, will believe that one more burst tomorrow morning and they can open the doors. It was a day when nothing went to plan for either team. England would have wanted at least 225 but got 30…

It was a few minutes into our morning live show from opposite the Grace Gate, and I could see a lady pushing a pram wanting to have a word. It has happened often on this tour that people have come up and said they watch, and like, what we do. I expected this to be something similar. The lady in question, however, did not say anything for a while. That’s when I asked if she was waiting to speak and if I could help in any way. What happened in the next few minutes left me speechless, and is something…

It is yet again a one-innings shootout. India started the day on the back foot at 145-3. By the stroke of lunch, it was India who were calling the shots with Rishabh Pant, batting with an injured finger, and KL Rahul showing enough steel and resilience, playing superbly. In fact, it could have been India who dictated terms thereafter had it not been for a brain-fade moment just before lunch. Ben Stokes, athletic as always, pulled off a stunning run-out which pegged India back and cut short Pant’s brilliant effort. At lunch, it was yet again even. Things changed for…

Boria Majumdar in London There are moments that kind of make you feel that all this hard work is worth it. We generally do our post-day live shows from the park opposite the Danubius hotel. The Internet reception is really nice there. Yesterday also, the routine was the same. I had reached early while Gargi joined me a couple of minutes later. In that little time, a young man walked up to me and called out my name. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t really place him. That’s when he said, “Boria sir, recognise me? Met you at the…

Boria Majumdar in London Sunil Gavaskar is an all time favourite. For years, it has been the same and will remain the same for all times to come. Even during my ban, Sunny bhai, as I fondly call him, repeatedly said to me that I need to stay true to my conscience and things will change. It is a relationship I am justly proud of. So, it is very natural that I’d wish Sunny bhai on his 76thbirthday and try and celebrate it with him. So far, things were going to script. I wished him and he responded and it was all very…