Author: Boria Majumdar

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…

Boria Majumdar at Lord’s It was his third delivery in red-ball cricket after four years and the impact was immediate. Jofra Archer had squared up Yashasvi Jaiswal and the joy was palpable. He sprinted towards his mates and it was Shoaib Bashir who got the first hug. Archer was back and all of Lord’s had started to celebrate. While Karun Nair and KL Rahul played out the rest of the hostile five-over spell, the real battle had not yet started. It did the moment the Indian captain had come in. Within an over, Ben Stokes got Archer back into the…

The responsibility fairly and squarely lies with AIFF. This isn’t a new negotiation and it is known to one and all that the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) expires on December 8. Now, following a Supreme Court order, AIFF can’t negotiate on a new MRA. But months back, these negotiations were on. Did they not foresee what was coming? Did they not realise that this is India’s premier football competition and not starting it on time will send a really bad signal? While FSDL in all its letters has expressed willingness to engage, sources confirm that they will not agree to…