Author: Boria Majumdar

There are 50 days to go for the third edition of the Trailblazers Conclave. And to think that India’s best athletes, able bodied and para, men and women, will all come together under one roof in Kolkata yet again has a sense of the unreal attached to it. And yet, it is true. From our 18-year-old world champion D Gukesh to the just-retired legend Ravichandran Ashwin, and India’s captain fantastic Harmanpreet Singh to the legendary Mary Kom and the lady on the comeback trail, Nikhat Zareen – the very best are all coming together for two-and-a-half days in March.…

Yesterday, on my show, there were a lot of questions and comments asking why it was that players like Jasprit Bumrah and some others would have to play the IPL. Why couldn’t they prioritise national duty over IPL? Most comments portrayed the IPL as a ruthless money-making exercise. The truth is that the IPL is the key to Indian cricket being what it is. The economic prowess of the BCCI stems from the IPL and the tournament is now India’s only global sports brand. It is an example of India’s soft power and, for once, the world looks at India…

Hardik Pandya is, and will continue to be, one of India’s go-to white-ball cricketers. He has captained India with success and also done well as skipper in franchise cricket. However, soon after the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, when many felt he would be appointed skipper, the selection committee opted for Suryakumar Yadav. The reason given was Hardik’s fitness being a concern. Unless he was a certainty for all games, it was not a risk worth taking. Surya, to be fair, has done an excellent job as skipper and his handling of Sanju Samson, for example, has helped get…

Finally, the wait is over and Mohammed Shami is back in India colours. From his perspective, it was an agonising last few weeks. Each time he stepped out to bowl for Bengal, there were talks that he was ready to be back. And yet things did not work out. He was desperate to play in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and may I say a fit Mohammed Shami in Sydney would have meant 160 could have been enough for India. He would have been India’s answer to Scott Boland and Jasprit Bumrah too would have got some much needed support. The skill…

Mohun Bagan versus East Bengal isn’t a mere football rivalry. It is a sentiment and a part of the ethos that is integral to the Bengali identity. It doesn’t matter who plays for either of the teams, or who coaches them, for all that is relevant is the contest between the Green-and-Maroon and the Red-and-Yellow. And that’s why fans shouldn’t really bother much about where the game is being played, and just continue to enjoy this 100-year-old legacy. From the time Nepal Chakrabarty scored the first goal in the Kolkata Derby in 1925 to MBSG’s 2-0 win last October, the…

I was just about settling down into my seat, 23D, on the Singapore Airlines A380, when a familiar face walked up and gave me a nudge. The boarding process wasn’t really smooth, with three of my colleagues on standby, and as their editor, it was my responsibility to make sure everyone boarded and all was okay. These things can get stressful at times, and it was time to relax and take a quick nap. That was when Harsha Bhogle came to my seat and we started chatting. Harsha has been someone we grew up listening to, and to his credit,…

Boria Majumdar in Sydney India endured a disappointing 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, ending their hopes of securing a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final in the ongoing cycle. After this victory, Australia will now face South Africa in the WTC final. The series saw Jasprit Bumrah emerge as the lone warrior for the visitors while India’s batting unit, particularly senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, had a forgettable tour. Afterwards, RevSportz’s Editor-in-Chief, Boria Majumdar, engaged in a candid conversation with former Australian skipper Michael Clarke. During their chat, Clarke shared his insights on Kohli’s…

Boria Majumdar in Sydney Who is India’s best red-ball cricketer at the moment? Rather, who is India’s best player across all formats? The answer, most will agree, is Jasprit Bumrah. He is India’s numero uno, and the impact he has had globally is just phenomenal. And yet, he isn’t Indian cricket’s biggest brand. If you look at crowd pullers or men who command much more money in the market, you will see Bumrah way down the pecking order. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill and then, maybe, Bumrah alongside KL Rahul. Shouldn’t it be that your best player…

The one thing that needs to improve on away tours is the relationship between the Indian players and management and the touring media. At the moment, the press conferences are more routine than anything else. Ask a player if he wants to meet the press and hand on heart the answer will be no. It is more out of compulsion than anything else that they do these interactions. And over the years, this is one aspect that has progressively deteriorated. Gone are the days when the media and the players would spend time like in 1989 in Pakistan – remember…

Indian badminton had a modest year in 2024. While Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty started the year well, things did not go to plan at the Olympics. Thereafter, the duo had to take a long break on account of the injury to Satwik. PV Sindhu was modest at best, while HS Prannoy was laid low by Chikungunya and other health concerns from the middle of the year. Lakshya Sen was good in patches and did well at the Olympics but missed out on a medal. He played some good matches and beat many higher-ranked opponents, but lacked the consistency that…