Author: Joydeep Mukherjee

Joydeep Mukherjee To say that India got out of jail could not be more true of the host’s opening game in this edition of the Cricket World Cup, against mighty Australia, five-time winners of the trophy. It was an excellent toss to lose, as the dryness in the wicket would have prompted any captain to bat first. Later, the dew came into play and the deck firmed up, along with an already-wet ball getting soapy, to make life difficult for the spinners. India’s spinners, as a unit, were just superb. Ravindra Jadeja will always be the toughest to play in…

The final 15 for India’s World Cup campaign is out, and it is the squad that most expected. The unfortunate injury to Axar Patel made things easier for the selectors. On the day the final 15 had to be submitted, Axar was still looking at another two weeks of recovery time. It’s heartbreaking for him that he misses out on a home World Cup, and we all feel for him. The biggest talking point was Ravi Ashwin’s comeback. For me, this was a no-brainer. With Axar injured, one place had opened up and it was always going to an off-spinner.…

The Indian team for this year’s cricket World Cup is out, and everyone has an opinion. Rightly so. In a country with freedom of speech, why not? Opinions are divided, but the passion unites us. That is what drives the nation, and for a tournament that takes place every four years, the importance of it grows manifold. To add to the spice, it is a home tournament for us Indian fans. We all remember what happened the last time India had home advantage in the 2011 World Cup. Personally, I am happy with the team. Yes, we don’t have a…

You know what? For me, this was a very poor tour of the West Indies for the Indian cricket team. Yes,they won the Test series, and the ODI contest, just about, before narrowly losing the T20Is.But if India want to lay claim to be one of the top sides in the world, they were way below par. Enough has been said and written on the Test and one-day series, so I will cut to the chase. For me, in the T20Is,India were way below par from the first game. Now, this a is a version in which West Indies are…

Baz McCullum is someone I have known for a while. When I jog my memory back, it takes me to 2008 and the formation of the Indian Premier League. That’s when our friendship started and I am honoured and privileged to call him a friend. Honest, warm, a huge heart and great company are some of his biggest attributes. He is what he is, no two ways about that. Having spent a lot of time, over travel, dressing rooms, dinners and most importantly the golf course, I can safely say I know this man well. When England named their new…

For starters, as a kid growing up, I thought Sunil Gavaskar owned All India Radio. The reason was a simple one for a nine/ten-year-old. Whenever India were playing and I was glued to my transistor, he kept batting and batting and I heard his name all day. I considered myself the second-biggest fan of Sunil Gavaskar. The top seed was Raj Chaudhuri, my school friend who knew the Sunny Days chapters by heart. Divine justice then that Sunny bhai and Raj, settled in the UK, are now good friends. Growing up in Kolkata and being mad about the game, I…

Bengal were into another Ranji Trophy quarter-final. The year was 1989. This was the golden era of Bengal cricket, when they reached the last four with unrelenting repetitiveness. All the probables went through a few days of rigorous nets, and then a practice match was organised among them. Arun Lal, the senior pro, had a look at both the teams, and suggested that Sourav Ganguly, who wasn’t a part of the probables, be given a go. Who? Why? Not many had heard of him. He had made a big impact in age-group cricket for Bengal, and was just coming off…

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) were having their customary season-ending P Sen Trophy. Of the five tournaments that CAB runs for its Division 1, this is the special one. There are multiple reasons for that. Only the group winners qualify for this, and it’s an open tournament, which means that a club can get any player from anywhere to play for them. To be able to play in the other four tournaments, the player would have to be registered with the club for the season. The 1994 P Sen Trophy final at the Eden Gardens with 1,10,000 supporters is…

Most of the time, when I sit down to write, it’s either opinion or analysis. This time, when RevSportz asked me to write a piece on Mukesh Kumar, the Bengal fast bowler, who has been included in the Indian cricket team to tour West Indies, I was really excited. The simple reason being that I have seen this dream story unfold in front of my own eyes, and would also like to think that I have played a small part in this amazing journey. Vision 2020 was a dream project that was started by The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB)…

It was just another day in my life. At home, far away from where the action was happening. Most of the interest and support was from far east of England but I was perched far west in America, as my family had moved there. I must admit there weren’t too many who knew India were in a World Cup final. Those were the early days of television, and the coverage was nothing close to what it is today. My family and a few other Indian families got together at our place, and I must admit it was more of a…