Author: Gargi Raut

KL Rahul has been a mainstay in India’s ODI set-up for years. His ability to adapt across batting positions and versatility has often been praised, but the constant shuffling of his position in India’s line-up is starting to raise serious concerns. The ongoing ODI series against England is yet another example of this mismanagement. Rahul, despite his stellar record at No. 4 and 5, has been pushed down to No. 6. And to make things worse, all-rounder Axar Patel was sent ahead of him, most likely to maintain a right-left combination, leaving Rahul with almost nothing to contribute in the…

Rohit Sharma falling to his knees with his arms up in the air as Hardik Pandya bowled the last delivery of the match to Anrich Nortje on the 29th of June, 2024, is a memory ingrained in every Indian cricket fan’s mind. As Rohit slammed his palms on the ground, he had reached his peak as the Indian captain, the weight of a decade of unfulfilled dreams finally lifted. But little did he know that from that moment, the fall would be steep and the descent—relentless. After a fairly good series with the bat in Sri Lanka, things took…

When Harshit Rana first took the field during the Perth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, some fans speculated about how much his selection was influenced by Gautam Gambhir also having previously been mentor for KKR, where Rana had played the 2024 season. Subsequently, his controversial role as Shivam Dube’s concussion substitute drew attention, and within two months, he also made his ODI debut—raising eyebrows across the cricket world. Many questioned Rana’s inclusion in the playing XI, especially as he was picked ahead of Arshdeep Singh. However, by the end of the match, both pundits and fans were convinced…

India clinched a dominant 4-1 T20I series victory against England under Gautam Gambhir’s coaching, with his aggressive and fearless cricketing philosophy yielding impressive results. But the ongoing ODI series will be a defining moment for the head coach. The 50-over format is sure to test Gambhir’s adaptability and leadership after a tough couple of months in red-ball cricket, especially with senior players — Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – returning to the squad. The Border Gavaskar Trophy may have ended disastrously for India,with a 3-1 loss marred by controversies, including the dropping of captain Rohit for the final game, and…

Domestic cricket has largely been an ignored spectacle, followed only by the most ardent cricket fans in the nation, but owing to international stars, the Ranji Trophy has turned into a festival. A wave of excitement has swept through Indian domestic cricket, bringing in a new sense of purpose and adulation, whether it’s stadiums filling up, young cricketers making a name for themselves, an unexpected story keeping the buzz alive or fans rediscovering the charm of India’s premier red-ball tournament. International Stars Flood Domestic Circuit The presence of India’s cricketing megastars in the Ranji Trophy has transformed the domestic…

Gargi Raut at Arun Jaitley Stadium A Virat Kohli fan standing outside Gate No. 17 of the Arun Jaitley Stadium proudly showing off his sketches of Indian players, a fangirl at the end of Day 1 screaming at the top of her lungs in excitement over her brief interaction with the local hero, and a crowd of over 10,000 filling up the stands all remind us of the sheer power of public adoration. The same adoration has breathed new life into domestic cricket, bringing the kind of attention that the Ranji Trophy hadn’t seen for decades. Be it Rohit Sharma…

Gargi Raut in Delhi Two weeks ago if someone had said that an inconsequential Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways would fill up two entire stands of the Arun Jaitley Stadium, no one would have believed it. But such is the craze for Virat Kohli. The superstar’s return to domestic cricket after over a decade has sent shockwaves among fans, so much so that DDCA had to make special preparations as they expected a footfall of 10,000 spectators. On a chilly and foggy Delhi morning, thousands of fans queued up outside of the Arun Jaitley Stadium to catch a…

The Ranji Trophy has truly never been more alive. The BCCI’s 10-point policy after India’s abysmal showing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which also included a mandate for centrally contracted players to participate in domestic cricket, has prompted an instantaneous investment by fans in India’s premier red-ball tournament. To add to the excitement, one of the greatest batters of the generation, Virat Kohli, is all set to make a return to the competition after more than a decade in Delhi’s game against Railways. Delhi head into the game after back-to-back losses against Saurashtra and Baroda in the last two matches. While…

With the influx of the biggest stars in Indian cricket to the domestic circuit, Ranji Trophy is buzzing like never before. Following India’s failure against New Zealand and Australia, BCCI has put pen to paper and set a mandate that necessitates centrally contracted players to participate in the domestic circuit, and fans consequently saw the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and now Virat Kohli take the field for their state teams. Kohli, who last played a Ranji match in the 2012-13 season, is all set to take part in the practice session this morning, as he gears…