Author: Boria Majumdar

A number of our colleagues had asked for leave on Valentine’s Day. It is but natural, and we did try and accommodate every request. As a result, some of the more senior members of the team had to work longer hours and step up. And that’s what brings me to the issue of our profession, and the rigour it entails. Stories or news don’t break at any designated time. It can happen at any time and anywhere, and it is the job of the journalist to be on guard. The BCCI, for example, sent the team announcement for the Champions…

With just over a week to go, there is a nice zing to the India-Pakistan contest. That Pakistan chased down 350 against South Africa has added to the build-up. While India go in as favourites, the absence of Jasprit Bumrah has kind of evened out the contest. No Saim Ayub means Pakistan lack firepower at the top of the order, and with Bumrah ruled out, India have been dealt an even bigger blow. Given that the contest is in Dubai, Pakistan will enjoy significant support. Any other country, and the crowd would have been a sea of blue. We…

Mumbai are gearing up for their Ranji Trophy semifinal against Vidarbha in Nagpur, starting on February 17. Throughout this season, one of the standout players for the defending champions has been Shardul Thakur. Whether with the bat or ball, he has delivered, smashing centuries, picking up hat-tricks, and taking six-wicket hauls. In the quarter-final at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Mumbai defeated Haryana, with Shardul picking up nine wickets in the game. After that thumping win, Shardul opened up about his comeback, this Ranji season, his focus on the England tour, disappointment at not being in the IPL, and…

India are Champions Trophy-ready. Almost every batter has scored, while the bowling, which in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah is a worry, has also done well in the 3-0 whitewash of England. The smiles at the end of the series said it all. It seemed that the doom and gloom of Australia was finally past. The coach and captain are both on the same page and, in every sense, things looked good as the team gets ready to travel to Dubai. While India went in with KL Rahul for the third consecutive game, it meant leaving Rishabh Pant on the…

No Jasprit Bumrah and you can sense the seismic effect. It is a team which has all sorts of bowling options, and the only explanation is the management is unsure of the bowling unit. In contrast, they now know the batting is good enough and will hold its own and that’s why, as unfortunate or as disappointing it can be, Jaiswal had to miss out. Three straight questions come up from the selection. First, how much faith do they have in the pace bowling unit? With five spinners in the side, it is kind of apparent that they expect the…

For two games in a row, India have batted KL Rahul at No. 6. And in both games, he hasn’t scored many. In my opinion, that position isn’t the right one for Rahul, and the numbers bear that out. If India continue with the Axar Patel experiment at No. 5, and there’s no reason why they would not with the all-rounder doing extremely well with the bat, there is logic in trying out Rishabh Pant at No. 6. The point is simple. If Rahul is not batting at No. 5, where he has thrived in the past, there is reason…

A team’s strength can often be assessed by how good the bench is. And that’s where India’s 50-overs side scores over many others. India has someone of the calibre of Yashasvi Jaiswal sitting on the bench as a back-up opener. He is a match-winner, and had had the most extraordinary 2024. And yet, he doesn’t find an automatic spot in the team. With Shubman Gill scoring runs and Rohit Sharma back in form, chances are that Jaiswal might not get a single game in the Champions Trophy. Coming to the middle order, India have Rishabh Pant sitting on the sidelines.…

Rohit Sharma has now scored. Shubman Gill has scored in both games. Virat Kohli hasn’t looked out of touch in white-ball cricket, and will surely score sooner rather than later. Shreyas Iyer is in sublime form, and the Axar Patel experiment has been successful. With Hardik Pandya also in good touch, all of a sudden, India’s batting looks extremely formidable. I haven’t even mentioned Ravindra Jadeja here, as good a No. 8 as you will get anywhere. Perhaps, it is time to say that India are Champions Trophy-ready. An easy series win against a decent English side is good preparation,…

Rohit Sharma has scored a lot of hundreds for India, but this will be a very special one. Maybe he has played better. In fact, he has. Been more dominant and in control. But given the circumstances and all that has transpired over the last three months, this hundred will give him a lot of satisfaction and also relief. As captain, he will now know that the dressing room stays with him and he isn’t a passenger. He will not have to take the tough call like he did in Sydney, and all of the murmurs have been put to…

Let me make a confession first. I haven’t watched much of Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi, and did not know about her till her recent run at the Mumbai Open. Only when she started her matches did I start to follow more closely. My curiosity was first aroused when a friend, Niladhri Chatterjee, whose daughter and mine went to Kindergarten together, wrote to me, “Dada, get Maaya to the Conclave. She is the next big thing in Indian tennis.” His daughter is doing extremely well at the sub-junior level and I knew that he follows the sport closely. That was when I…