Author: Naman Suri

It’s 2003. A young boy, just out of his U-16 practice at Azad Maidan, makes his way through the familiar chaos of Mumbai. Kit bag slung over his shoulder, he weaves through the hustle and bustle of the city of dreams, heading straight to the Wankhede Stadium — not to play, but to steal a glimpse of his idols in action. More than two decades later, that same boy, now India’s captain in Tests and ODIs, finds himself at the very ground he once gazed at in awe. Only this time, it’s his name that adorns a stand at the…

Naman Suri in Mumbai As the sun started to dip below the horizon, India’s brightest young talents took to the pitch one final time in the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) final. Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) U-21 began the match against Classic Football Academy with the same aggressive intent that saw them dismantle Jamshedpur FC in the semi-final. And it paid off once again. The Mariners’ high press bore fruit within the opening 10 minutes. The move began with Sandeep Malik embarking on a solo run from his own half, weaving past three defenders before linking up beautifully with…

With the sun setting in the backdrop, India’s young blood continued to toil on the pitch, chasing a coveted spot in the final of the nation’s largest U-21 competition — the Reliance Foundation Development League. And it was the boys in white, Classic FA (CFA), who rose to the occasion beating Goa FC comprehensively (3-0) on the night to secure their spot in the final. Applying pressure right from the outset, CFA’s dream run in the tournament showed no signs of slowing down. Outclassing their opponents in every department, the team was relentless. With dynamic runs down both flanks from…

Touted to be more suitable for the slower bowlers and with the ball likely to grip, it turned out to be different. It was the third week of the Indian Premier League 2025, and we were back to witnessing a bat versus bat contest, with bowlers from both sides left stranded. It was Lucknow Super Giants, who came out on top, beating Kolkata Knight Riders by four runs in a high-scoring match. Batters from either camp were capitalising on the favourable conditions and the shorter leg-side boundary on one side. Despite being the away side, it was almost a home…

A raw and fearless defender during his hustling days, former Real Madrid and Portuguese international, Pepe —who defended the honour of his badge with unapologetic relentlessness — stated that it was much tougher to deal with Cristiano Ronaldo than Lionel Messi. “I have to say Cristiano Ronaldo because I train with him. I know how difficult it is (to deal with him), so I have to choose him. Also, I have always had him as a team-mate,” a smiling Pepe told RevSportz during a pre-match press conference here in Mumbai. One of the last of his breed of defenders who…

A last-over thriller was needed for Lucknow Super Giants to scrape out another victory against Mumbai Indians — this time by 12 runs. It marked LSG’s sixth win over MI in seven meetings. In the final over, Hardik Pandya was unable to score the 22 runs required off the last six balls, as Avesh Khan kept him quiet with deceptive low full tosses. Additionally, LSG also had an extra fielder inside the 30-yard circle due to a slow over-rate penalty. With the pitch holding its own, earlier LSG batters took the attack to MI’s bowlers, starting with Mitchell Marsh, who…

When you have built your reputation on delivering high scores day in and day out, any dip in form is bound to turn heads. For Rohit Sharma, one of white-ball cricket’s ‘the greats’, this IPL lean patch has extended over to a few years now. The Indian stalwart will continue to be under scrutiny against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Friday, as his struggles with the bat add further pressure to an already fragile middle-order of the Mumbai Indians. In three IPL 2025 matches, Rohit has managed 21 runs off 20 balls, including a four-ball duck in the opening game…

“Dreaming is allowed,” Hansi Flick said after their 1-0 victory [5-4 on aggregate] against Atlético Madrid in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final. “But we will have to work hard. At the club, they have a lot of space for more titles.” And on Wednesday night against Atlético Madrid, Barça managed to suppress any kind of rebellion brewing in the home corner of the Metropolitano. After an open and wild first leg at Montjuïc, which saw both teams score four goals each, a much tighter contest ensued in Madrid—tight enough to prevent Atléti from registering a single…

Despite struggling in the first three overs, Gujarat Titans cruised to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Jos Buttler made up for his struggles behind the stumps by smashing an unbeaten 73 off 39 balls, while a familiar face, Mohammed Siraj, made his old franchise pay with the ball, bagging a three-fer. Chasing a modest target of 170, Gujarat made light work of it. Although Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed their captain, Shubman Gill (14 off 14), for the fourth time in the IPL, Sai Sudharsan and Buttler ensured the game never slipped…

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru at 7.30 pm What to expect After a week of high-octane drama, the Indian Premier League (IPL) finally shifts to Bengaluru. RCB, who have won two games on the trot to kick off their 2025 season, will be feeling confident about their homecoming. However, there will be a homecoming for a few opposing players as well. The fan-favourite Mohammad Siraj, who spent seven years with the red and gold franchise, returns, while Anuj Rawat, Sherfane Rutherford, and Mahipal Lomror have also previously played for RCB. More than rain, humidity is…