Author: Gargi Raut

Gargi Raut in Melbourne In the midst of the high-stakes Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with the series all square at 1-1, India made the arguably questionable call of tinkering with their batting lineup for the Boxing Day Test. KL Rahul, India’s most consistent batter in the series, was moved down to No. 3, and Shubman Gill wasdropped from the side. This was in order to accommodate Washington Sundar in view of the conditions, according toassistant coach Abhishek Nayar. It also restored Rohit Sharma, the skipper, to the opening position. But what happened on Day 2 of the Test left fans with a…

Gargi Raut in Melbourne A 19-year-old Sam Konstas delivered a Boxing Day performance that will be etched in the minds of cricket fans for a long time to come. Ranged against a world-class Indian bowling attack in front of a crowd of over 87,000, the young batter displayed a level of audacity and determination that belied his age and experience. The Entrance of a Fearless Debutant Konstas walked in, in front of a packed MCG and marked his guard; with a curled lip and chanting mantras unknown the 19 year-old was ready to take on India. Tasked with facing Jasprit…

Gargi Raut in Melbourne Melbourne offers the best of festive spirit with Christmas being celebrated today. Yesterday, the open net set-up at the Melbourne Cricket Ground provided a rare chance for fans to watch the Indian cricket team train up close, something that doesn’t happen often back home. The fans, excited to watch their favourite heroes train, gathered in droves and cheered them on. On the other hand, for the players, the proximity of the fans brought both joy and an occasional challenge as they tried to fine-tune their skills ahead of the all-important fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.…

Gargi Raut in Melbourne Andrew McDonald, Australia’s coach, in a press conference ahead of the Boxing Day Test match, confirmed that 19-year-old Sam Konstas would be part of Australia’s playing XI. What stands out about the young batter is that he is as confident as can be. A day earlier, in the press conference that he addressed, he was faced with a flurry of questions about facing the Indian bowling lineup and debuting in front of a packed MCG. To which Konstas replied: “I think it’s just another day for me.” Konstas consolidated his confidence with a solid display of…

Kolkata’s sports scene has gotten much more exciting with the addition of a brand new pickleball court at the well-known Jaideep Mukerjea Tennis Academy. The court, a brainchild of Sharmin Mukerjea, is an endeavour that will add a fresh dimension to the offerings of the tennis academy. “The inspiration came after Jaideep and I played pickleball for just 15 minutes — it’s addictive!” Sharmin shared enthusiastically. “Jaideep always wants to do something new, so we thought, ‘why not’?” Sharmin admitted to facing initial scepticism, critics thought that the academy was stepping away from its tennis roots but she stayed committed.…

The Indian women’s cricket team came up with a dominant all-round display to defeat West Indies in the third T20I by 60 runs. After setting a record total of 217/4, thanks to incredible knocks from Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh, India sealed the three-match series. The Indian women’s team showcased their prowess as they posted 217/4, their highest-ever in T20Is. At the forefront were Smriti and Richa who hit scintillating half-centuries, leaving the Windies facing an uphill task. West Indies won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first. India got off to a shaky start as Uma Chetry…

The Indian Women’s Cricket Team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, is determined to bounce back after a humbling defeat against Australia in the three-match ODI series. The series exposed serious flaws in the team as a young Indian side struggled against a dominant Australian outfit. However, skipper Harmanpreet remains optimistic about the team’s future, emphasising the importance of learning from setbacks and focusing on the positives as they prepare for upcoming challenges. Addressing the press ahead of the series against West Indies, Harmanpreet tackled questions about team dynamics, the absence of Shafali Verma, and the squad’s preparation to turn things…

The recently concluded three-match ODI series between India and Australia has left Indian fans dejected. Following a humiliating exit in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, the Indian Women’s Cricket team were offered an opportunity to script the perfect redemption arc. Many believed that the three-match ODI series against Australia would be the perfect set of circumstances for India to make a comeback in international cricket and win the hearts of their fans. To everyone’s disappointment, the Women in Blue endured a humbling 3-0 loss against Australia. The series put the spotlight on the team’s weaknesses and raised…

In Formula 1, as fans, it is easy to cling to permanence when it comes to a driver-team duo. Lewis Hamilton was always synonymous with Mercedes, and vice versa. This is precisely why Hamilton’s farewell from Mercedes marks the end of an era. Looking back on Hamilton’s journey, Mercedes was more than just a team for him—it was his home and his family. “Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13,” Hamilton reflected after announcing his departure. The Brit first joined the team in 2013 and turned their partnership into the most successful driver-team duo in…

The Women in Blue are gearing up for a high-octane, three-match ODI series against Australia that is scheduled to be played from December 5 to December 11. The first two games will be hosted at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane, and the series will be wrapped up at the WACA Ground in Perth. It promises to be an exciting series, but more importantly, it’s a shot at redemption for the Indian team after a year of highs and lows which also includes a disappointing run at the World Cup. It’s an opportunity to turn things around. The team, led…