Author: Boria Majumdar

KL Rahul is the most trolled cricketer. In the last few months, much has been said about him being given a long rope. And the trolls had an absolute feast going after him for days on end. Injuries haven’t helped, and in 2023, some even rejoiced saying good riddance when he wasn’t available for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. In fact, had it been Rahul instead of KS Bharat, the final could have been a different story. Perth is proof, and how. Rahul was India’s best batter in the first innings at Perth before he was controversially given out.…

After 150 all out, millions of Indian cricket followers were hoping for a miracle. And the leader delivered. So much so that former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, on his way to Jeddah, messaged and asked how he could watch the game in Dubai on his phone. He did not want to miss the Bumrah spell! His 6-over spell at the Optus stadium is now part of Indian cricket folklore. Conceding just 9 runs in six overs, Bumrah had the openers and the big fish in Steve Smith with sublime skill to open up the Test match for India. More than…

It was October 2002 and I was a PhD student at Oxford University working on the history of Indian cricket, when I got a call from an auctioneer in London. He had helped me with material and sounded very excited on the phone. “Come and see what I have found,” he said. When I met him the next day, I was in disbelief. I was actually holding in my hand a letter from Douglas Jardine addressed to Duleepsinhji, which said that Jardine had finally figured out a way to stop Donald Bradman and he wanted to discuss it with his…

Cricket, it wouldn’t be wrong to suggest, was and is the true national game in both India and Australia. This is precisely because it could be played against the English as part of the great imperial project. Hockey in India or Aussie Rules in Australia could not, and hence their legacies, like their origins, remain very curious in the sporting hierarchies of the two countries. More recently, however, the India-Australia rivalry has gathered steam with Australia gradually becoming the new Pakistan as far as Indian cricket fans are concerned. This works well for us in India. With bilateral series against…

He played a stellar role in India’s wins Down Under in 2018-19 and 2020-21. Recognised as one of India’s best bowling coaches, Bharath Arun is currently in recovery mode in Chennai after a surgery. Speaking to Boria Majumdar, he heaped praise on Harshit Rana and revealed how Ravi Shastri and the bowling group had worked on Mohammed Siraj in 2020-21. Boria: You played a stellar role in the 2021 win when everyone had written the team off. Siraj led an inexperienced fast bowling attack. What was the talk with Siraj then? Bharath Arun: Ravi and I spent a lot of…

There are five days to go for the all-important World Championship clash between Gukesh D and Ding Liren of China, which starts on November 25 in Singapore. While both are busy preparing for the clash, Gukesh took a little time off to answer some questions a few daysago. It gives us an understanding of his preparation and mindset going into the title clash. Excerpts: Boria: How is the preparation coming along? Clearly, there is a lot of hype and a lot of anticipation in India. Coming after the Olympiad, it could be the best thing for Indian chess. Gukesh: The…

Michael Clarke is widely acknowledged as one of the best Australian captains of all time, and is one of the most committed cricketers I know. His respect for the baggy green cap stood out from his first Test match itself. In the second part of this extensive conversation, Clarke talks of two under-pressure batting units, how Rishabh Pant could be key, and his views on Gautam Gambhir’s comments. Boria: Is this a case of two underdone batting units? Australia haven’t looked too convincing either and India had a nightmare against New Zealand. Clarke: I don’t think the batting units will…

Michael Clarke is widely acknowledged as one of the best Australian captains of all time, and is one of the most committed cricketers I know. His respect for the baggy green cap stood out from his first Test match itself. So when Clarke says he would have done exactly what Rohit Sharma has, it is a strong statement. In this detailed conversation, Clarke set up the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, explained why Virat Kohli has every reason to be successful, and how Rishabh Pant could be key. Finally, he spoke on what impact the IPL auction might have on the series. Boria:…

Sourav Ganguly was the one who decided to bat first at Headingly on an overcast morning in 2002. It was a decision that even the great Ian Botham was hugely surprised by. Ganguly did so because he was playing his spin twins, Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble, and wanted them to bowl in the fourth innings. Now, he is clear that India must go in with Ravichandran Ashwin in Perth, as he is their best spinner and will have real impact with the number of left-handers in the Australian line-up. Ganguly also bats for Virat Kohli, and says Rishabh Pant…

A RevSportz Exclusive Sourav Ganguly is one of the best analysts of the sport. As captain and leader, he changed the face of Indian cricket. It was his 144 at The Gabba that defined the tour of Australia in 2003-4 and when Ganguly says, “Send Shami immediately to Australia”, it is something that will surely be taken note of. In this hour-long chat in the ground floor living room of his Behala residence, Ganguly opened up on all things Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Part 1 Excerpts: Boria: Shami has bowled 40-plus overs. He has picked up 7 wickets. After this, there aren’t…