Author: Rahul Giri



G Rajaraman Chennai Super Kings marked their return to their home ground, the MA Chidambaram Stadium, with a 12-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants in a high-scoring Tata Indian Premier League game on Monday night. On a track that challenged the bowlers to remain accurate while attempting changes of pace, and set them up for punishment each time they faltered, Chennai Super Kings’ batting depth came to the party as they made 217 in 20 overs. After a 110-run opening stand between Rituraj Gaikwad and Devon Conway, they looked like losing momentum but found a second wind…

The Mind Maketh the Man Even more than his gifts in front of the stumps and behind it, it is his mind that sets MSD apart. By Boria Majumdar I was at Bhubaneshwar airport when MS Dhoni walked out with just a few balls left of the CSK innings. The television set in front of boarding Gate 1 on the ground floor, which till then had no takers, was all of a sudden the object in demand. Anyone who did not have their mobiles open to Jio Cinema had queued in front of the TV. In fact, the crowd…

G Rajaraman There was only one problem. Perhaps unforeseen. The 20-year-old athlete’s motivational speech packed all the elements to touch the even the heartless –triumph against all odds, bullying, body-shaming, nepotism by unscrupulous officials and an unbreakable bond with the sport. If it was meant to shock the audience of doctors and draw its sympathy and appreciation, it seemed to have hit bull’s eye. Indeed, there was only one problem. An inspired soul posted a video of the speech and soon many holes appeared in the ‘inspirational’ story that some of the best athletes in the sport were…



His numbers may have been average, but the esteem with which his contemporaries and rivals remember him offers a much more accurate picture of Salim Durani’s qualities as a cricketer. Here is an interesting exercise for you. Find any Indian cricket fan over the age of 60, and ask them how they’ll remember Salim Durani, who passed away at the age of 88 on April 2. Chances are that the answer will mention his six-hitting prowess and the flair with which he played the game. Now, head to the record books and check how many sixes Durani…



By Bharath Ramaraj Reece Topley and the injury curse Five stress fractures of the back over a period of six years. Shoulder surgery and a broken hand. Add in the ankle injury that ruled him out of England’s victorious 2022 T20 World Cup campaign, and now this shoulder dislocation. Reece Topley must be wondering whether he has been cursed by someone. In the RCB versus MI game, Topley had started on a perfect note by castling Cameron Green. However, in the eighth over, he dived to stop a single. Unfortunately, he landed awkwardly on his right shoulder.…

By Atreyo Mukhopadhyay Six-over tale This match was over in the first six overs. Rajasthan Royals 85/1. Sunrisers Hyderabad 30/2. That is where it was done and dusted. Chasing 204 to win and reduced to that, it was all over. It was not necessarily about what kind of bowling resources the teams used. It was about the kind of batting power they came up with. Rajasthan were about guns blazing. Go, go and go for it. Hit them out of the park, whatever the cost. Hyderabad were obviously not up to it when it came to responding to…

Interview conducted during the writing of 1971, a book by Boria Majumdar and Gautam Bhattacharyya Q: Despite a match-winning spell in Trinidad, you did not get picked for the 1971 English tour. Did you find that strange ? A: Strange is an understatement. It was a massive disappointment, and has stayed with me since then. I ended my career without playing in England. Q; The explanation given was that you and Jaisimha did not get enough runs on the Caribbean tour. A: I would think we got dropped because (Vijay) Merchant had this vision of grooming youngsters. He should have considered the reality…