Author: Debasis Sen

Debasis Sen in Birmingham Shubman Gill, India’s new Test captain, has announced his arrival as a leader in grand fashion, delivering back-to-back centuries in the ongoing Test series in England. After a commanding 147 at Headingley in the series opener, Gill followed up with a masterclass of 269 in the first innings of the Edgbaston Test, cementing his stature as one of the game’s finest young talents. His epic knock, spanning 387 balls, was a display of composure, elegance, and authority. He struck 30 boundaries and cleared the rope thrice, leaving the packed Edgbaston crowd in awe. As he walked…

Debasis Sen in Birmingham Team India captain Shubman Gill led from the front with a composed and unbeaten century, steering India to a commanding 310/5 at stumps on Day 1 of the second Test against England at Edgbaston. After being asked to bat first, India built a strong foundation thanks to a mix of aggressive stroke-play and determined partnerships. Gill remained rock-solid on 114*, anchoring the innings through a tricky final session. He found an able partner in Ravindra Jadeja, who contributed a steady 41* in an unbroken 99-run stand that steadied the innings following a mini-collapse after tea. Earlier,…

Debasis Sen in Birmingham Yashasvi Jaiswal will be under the spotlight as he walks out to open the batting alongside KL Rahul in the second Test at Edgbaston, starting Wednesday. Jaiswal scored 101 off 159 balls in the first innings in Leeds before being bowled by Ben Stokes, but managed only 4 runs in the second innings, edging a delivery from Brydon Carse to the ‘keeper Jamie Smith. The dismissal exposed a possible vulnerability to deliveries pitched just short of a good length and outside the off-stump. During India’s practice session on Tuesday, Jaiswal was seen seeking guidance from KL…

Debasis Sen in Birmingham Jofra Archer has rejoined the England squad in Birmingham, though he won’t be part of the playing XI for the Edgbaston Test. Archer had missed the training session on Monday because of a family emergency. On Tuesday, the fast bowler joined practice at Edgbaston and was seen bowling at full tilt under the watchful eyes of bowling coach Tim Southee. Archer last played a test for England in February 2021. He was seen having a chat with Rob Key before joining the practice session. He bowled mostly to England’s openers – Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley.…

Debasis Sen in Birmingham Come Wednesday, as the second Test between India and England kicks off in the ongoing five-match series, the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham will once again roar to life—mainly thanks to the iconic Eric Hollies Stand. Named after former England cricketer William Eric Hollies, this stand holds a special place in the cricketing folklore. Hollies, best remembered for famously dismissing the legendary Don Bradman for a duck in his final Test innings—when he needed just four runs to average 100—played all his first-class cricket for Warwickshire, claiming an incredible 2,323 wickets at under 21 apiece. The…

You played for Brian Clough at four clubs, winning big titles with him at Derby County and Nottingham Forest. Why do you think he took you everywhere? And more importantly, what made you follow him everywhere? John McGovern: I think it was Peter Taylor who first noticed me in a trial match at Hartlepool United in English League Division 4. In the local papers, there was a quote from Peter who told Brian Clough to lock the gates of the ground and don’t open them, because we have signed that skinny kid playing outside-right in the trial match. I signed…

Debasis Sen in Birmingham A year ago, on this day, the Indian cricket team, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma etched a glorious chapter in history by winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 at the iconic Kensington Oval in Barbados. In a nerve-wracking final against South Africa, India emerged victorious by 7 runs, completing a perfect redemption arc for three stalwarts of Indian cricket—Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Head Coach Rahul Dravid. Their triumph was especially poignant, coming just months after the heartbreak of losing the 2023 ODI World Cup final to Australia in Ahmedabad. The build-up to…

Debasis Sen in Nottingham On most cricket tours, it’s rare for a reporter to find time for non-cricket stories. But on Friday, I had the opportunity to travel to Nottingham from Birmingham and explore a piece of football history — a visit to Premier League club Nottingham Forest. The trip wasn’t just about visiting a club once made famous by the legendary Brian Clough; it was about experiencing a place where English football history was made. The main purpose of the day was to cover the Indian women’s cricket team’s practice session at the iconic Trent Bridge ground,…

Debasis Sen in Nottingham The much-anticipated five-match WIT20 series between India and England women will kick-start with the first match being played at the historic Trent Bridge cricket ground in Nottingham on Saturday, June 28. It will be the first time ever that Nottingham will host a women’s IT20. The five-match series is seen as a dress rehearsal for the 2026 women’s World Cup, which will start on 12 June in London, with India playing their first game on 14th June in Birmingham. Having covered the Indian men’s cricket team for the last two decades, it will be my only…

Debasis Sen in Leeds England pulled off a stunning victory at Headingley, chasing down 371 runs to defeat India by five wickets in the first Test and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. This marked England’s second-highest successful run chase in Test cricket and the second-highest ever against India, only behind their own 378-run pursuit at Edgbaston in 2022. Shubman Gill-led India became the first team in Test history to lose a match despite having five individual centurions. Despite posting a massive 835 runs across both innings, India couldn’t withstand England’s relentless aggression with the bat. The hosts,…