Author: WebDesk

Vaibhav Tripathi Sunil Gavaskar, a former Indian captain, has expressed his disappointment regarding Rohit Sharma’s performance as the captain of the Indian cricket team, stating that he had higher hopes for the talented opening batsman. After Virat Kohli stepped down as captain, Rohit assumed the full-time leadership role in February of the previous year. While India has fared well in bilateral home series under Rohit’s captaincy, they have faced difficulties in achieving triumphs in ICC tournaments. “I expected more from him (Rohit). In India it is different, but when you do well overseas that is really the test. That is…

A few years ago, a journalist contacted Rohan Gavaskar for his father’s number. After he got it, he sent Gavaskar Senior a text with the appropriate pleasantries, requesting a chat when he was free. Within minutes, he got a reply. “Wrong number,” it said. The journalist was flummoxed. A while later, just as he was messaging Rohan to check whether he had got the digits wrong, another message popped up from Sunny. “Ha! Got you, didn’t I? I should have been a leg-spinner!” That little anecdote tells you a little about Gavaskar’s penchant for leg-pulling and humour. Anyone who has…

Vaibhav Tripathi Prithvi Shaw, the young Mumbai opener, reaffirmed his commitment to his aggressive style of play, acknowledging the need to be smarter in his approach. Despite twin failures in the Duleep Trophy semi-final against the Central Zone, scoring 25 and 26 in the two innings, Shaw stated that he does not intend to change his game entirely. He emphasized that he cannot bat like Cheteshwar Pujara and vice versa “Personally, I feel I don’t have to change my game, but a little smarter than what I am. I can’t bat like Pujara sir bats or Pujara sir can’t bat…

There were seldom any shades of grey with Sourav Ganguly. For his admirers, he was the messiah who dragged India cricket centre stage. For his detractors, he was lazy and arrogant. The truth, as always, fell somewhere in between those two poles. The one thing beyond dispute, however, was the admiration he commanded, and continues to do, among Indian cricket fans. Long after his international career was over, during the slow IPL fade to black, stadiums across the country would greet him with rapturous acclaim. What can you say of a career that spanned 113 Tests, 311 ODIs, and well…

Vaibhav Tripathi England all-rounder Moeen Ali is optimistic about the home side’s chances of winning the third Test against Australia after an intense Day 2. Moeen showed belief in England’s capability to chase any target that would be set. Australia are currently 116 for 4, in front by 142, with Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head at the crease. Meanwhile, Moeen played a crucial role for his team by dismissing Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. Speaking to the BBC Test Match Special after Day 2, he stated, “We have a good chance. It’s pleasing the day actually ended up quite nicely…

Vaibhav Tripathi Uncapped left-hand batter Kirk McKenzie has been picked in West Indies’ 13-member squad for the first Test against India, starting on July 12 at Windsor Park in Dominica. Additionally, left-hand batter Alick Athanaze is also in contention for his Test debut. Athanaze also was a part of the West Indies set-up that toured South Africa this year, but didn’t feature in any of the Tests. McKenzie, the Jamaica cricketer, scored a couple of fifties in the recently-concluded ‘A’ series against Bangladesh A. He averages a shade under 40 and has amassed 591 runs in first-class cricket. “We were…

Vaibhav Tripathi After an emotional retirement announcement in Chattogram, veteran Bangladesh cricketer Tamim Iqbal has decided to reverse his decision following a meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The meeting took place on Friday afternoon at the Prime Minister’s residence in Dhaka. Tamim was accompanied by his wife, along with former captain Mashrafe Mortaza and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hassan. As per the outcome of the meeting, Tamim has withdrawn his retirement. However, he will take a six-week break to recover from his injuries before making himself available for selection once again. “The honourable Prime Minister invited…

Damp squib. Not really a phrase you’d associate with MS Dhoni, and the legendary career he went on to carve out for himself. But that was exactly what Dhoni’s Test debut was. Literally. December, 2005, and it bucketed down for days in Chennai to ensure that we got a little over a day’s play in the Test between India and Sri Lanka. The prelude to the series had been very low-key, and one of the few highlights was Dhoni being brought before the media throng after practice one afternoon. Most cricketers at the beginning of their careers are quite nervous…

Vaibhav Tripathi Tamim Iqbal, the Bangladesh ODI captain, has made the surprising decision to retire from international cricket with immediate effect. This announcement comes on the heels of Bangladesh’s loss in the first ODI of their current series against Afghanistan, where they fell short by 17 runs. Moreover, Tamim’s retirement comes as a significant blow to Bangladesh’s chances in the upcoming World Cup to be held in India in October-November this year. Tamim, who made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in 2007, accumulated 8313 runs at an average of just over 36. It is worth noting that Tamim has already…

When the countdown to the World Cup ends in October, some of the talk will doubtless centre on a team that’s missing the showpiece event for the first time. West Indies’ absence is not dissimilar from Italy missing the last two FIFA World Cups, and is a sad indictment of the way the game has been run in the islands (and Guyana) over the past few decades. But there will be another team missing the big show in India – a side that have beaten Australia, India, England and South Africa in cricket’s marquee competition. Duncan Fletcher was already 34…