Author: Debasis Sen

Debasis Sen in London England endured a major setback on Day 1 of the fifth Test against India, at The Oval, on Thursday, as Chris Woakes suffered a serious shoulder injury while chasing a ball in the 57th over. The 36-year-old all-rounder left the field clutching his left arm and is set to undergo a scan on Thursday evening. With his participation in the rest of the match now highly doubtful, England face a significant blow, losing their most experienced seamer at a critical juncture. Woakes, who has bowled 181 overs in the series, is one of only two seamers—alongside…

Debasis Sen in London Former England all-rounder Derek Pringle believes that England will keenly feel the absence of Ben Stokes in the fifth and final Test against India, which began at The Oval, on Thursday, July 31. The 66-year-old Kenya-born cricketer-turned-journalist said Stokes has been England’s standout bowler throughout the series. Pringle, fondly remembered for his economical spell of 3 for 22 in the 1992 World Cup final, shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview with Revsportz. Here are the excerpts from the conversation: Has this Indian team without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma surprised you, especially with Shubman Gill…

Debasis Sen from London With Jasprit Bumrah unlikely to play in the fifth and final Test at The Oval, starting Thursday, the Indian team management is set to bring back a fully fit Akash Deep Singh into the playing XI. The spot for the third pacer remains undecided, with a close contest between Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh. Arshdeep, a left-arm seamer, currently leads the race and is in line to make his Test debut. The 26-year-old has recovered from a hand injury sustained during a fielding mishap that required stitches and kept him out of the Manchester Test. During…

Debasis Sen from London Following the dramatic draw between India and England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, all eyes are now on the fifth and final Test at The Oval, scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 31. While players like captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah will take much of the spotlight, fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has been one of the most consistent and hardworking performers for India throughout the series. The Hyderabad pacer has emerged as the workhorse of the Indian bowling unit, having bowled more overs than any other Indian bowler in…

Debasis Sen from Manchester The entire Indian team gathered on the balcony at Old Trafford, applauding as Washington Sundar brought up his maiden Test century on the final day of the fourth Test – a moment that perfectly captured the spirit and resilience of the side. Determined to stay in the fight, the Indian batters, led by a composed Shubman Gill, showcased remarkable grit over the last five sessions to secure a hard-fought draw against England. After a shaky start at 0/2 in their second innings, the visitors displayed unwavering resolve, ending day five at 4/425, having lost just two…

Debasis Sen from Manchester Kuldeep Yadav’s continued exclusion from the Indian Test XI against England has raised several eyebrows, particularly after he was left out of the side for the fourth Test at Old Trafford. The decision has sparked debate among former cricketers and analysts, many of whom believe India missed a golden opportunity by not utilising the left-arm wrist spinner’s unique skill-set on a surface tailor-made for his style of bowling. Speaking ahead of the fourth Test on a Sky Sports podcast, former England captain Mike Atherton, who played for Lancashire and knows the conditions inside out emphasised that…

Debasis Sen from Manchester Former England captain David Gower believes Joe Root has a genuine chance of surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most runs in Test cricket. Widely regarded as one of the finest left-handed batters in the game’s history, Gower feels that if Root remains fit and motivated, he could comfortably continue playing at the highest level for another three to four years. In an exclusive interview with RevSportz, Gower also shared his thoughts on a range of topics, including Shubman Gill’s leadership potential, the composition of the current Indian Test team in the absence of Virat Kohli…

Debasis Sen from Manchester India showcased resilience on Day 1 of the Old Trafford Test, ending at 264/4 in tricky conditions against a disciplined England seam attack and overcast skies. With Rishabh Pant (37* off 48) unlikely to resume his innings due to an injury, India is effectively five wickets down. Despite a momentary lapse in focus that led to Shubman Gill’s dismissal and Pant’s injury-enforced retirement, the top order laid a solid foundation. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 58, KL Rahul contributed 46, and Sai Sudharsan impressed with a composed 61. At stumps, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur remain unbeaten on…

Debasis Sen from Manchester Former India wicketkeeper-batter, Farokh Engineer will inaugurate a stand named after him at Old Trafford before the start of Day 1 of the England-India Test, on Wednesday, July 23. Clive Lloyd, the West Indian legend, will also be honoured with a stand. Both Engineer and Lloyd represented the county for nearly a decade and brought a lot of glory. Engineer will be the first cricketer from India to have a stand named after him in England. The two cricketers will not just unveil the stands but also ring the bell. “It’s an absolutely huge honour…

Debasis Sen in Manchester On Monday, Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, invited renowned mental-skills coach Gilbert Enoka to bolster his team’s mindset ahead of the crucial fourth Test against India at Old Trafford. Enoka is best known for his long-standing role with New Zealand’s all-conquering All Blacks rugby team, whom he helped clinch back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles in 2011 and 2015. His influence has extended beyond rugby, having also worked with Premier League giants Chelsea and the New Zealand cricket team. Enoka’s latest assignment sees him working with the England cricket team at the start of this summer, with…