Author: Shamik Chakrabarty

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Rishabh Pant has a race against time to be fit for the West Indies series that starts in Ahmedabad on October 2. He returned to India a few days ago, consulted a specialist in Mumbai and his foot is now out of a cast. The next stage is the rehabilitation process at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. Although he is reportedly walking comfortably, it is learnt that there is just an outside chance of him playing the two Tests against the Caribbeans. The team for the series is expected to be announced during or…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai This is a defining season for Shreyas Iyer in terms of his Test future. He is 30 years old and not getting any younger. Yes, Karun Nair did have a red-ball second wind at 33, which saw his return to the Indian team. But such comebacks usually don’t happen. Cricket eventually gave a few more chances to Karun, which he failed to grab, returning from England with 205 runs at 25.62 in four Tests. He is unlikely to be picked for the upcoming home series against West Indies in October. There would be a middle-order vacancy…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Harbhajan Singh is being considered as an option to become the next BCCI president, but nothing has been finalised yet. Elections for the office-bearers’ posts would be held at the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mumbai on September 28, and the dates for filing nominations are September 20 and 21. Whoever is picked to helm the cricket board going ahead, he would be elected unopposed, but the whole thing is set to go down to the wire. Harbhajan, an MP in the Rajya Sabha who was nominated by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), will represent the Punjab…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Apollo Tyres will be the Indian team’s new sponsor in a two-and-a-half-year deal until March 2028, the BCCI has confirmed. The Indian multinational tyre manufacturing company, which is also the global tyres partner of Manchester United, will replace Dream11 as Team India’s new sponsor, reportedly paying Rs 4.5 crore per game. For the BCCI, it’s a significant jump from the previous deal. “This marks Apollo Tyres’ first-ever foray into India cricket, a strategic move to align with a sport that resonates deeply with the nation,” the BCCI stated in a press release. Dream11 reportedly spent Rs 4…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Sunil Gavaskar was recently in the United States for a fundraiser for the Heart to Heart (H2H) Foundation, where he chairs the Board of Governors. Events were held in Phoenix, Sacramento and Houston, as the ‘Little Master’ continues with his effort to save children from Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs). The Foundation also empowers lives through comprehensive health care for newborns and pregnant women, to prevent infant and maternal mortality. Gavaskar is 76 years old, and he still works round the clock. “In the USA for Heart to Heart Foundation. God willing, reaching Dubai tomorrow,” he told RevSportz…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are not part of the India A squad that will play three unofficial ODIs against Australia A in September and October. This means that if the two senior batsmen are picked for the official ODI series in Australia next month, they would go there undercooked. Both haven’t played any competitive cricket since the IPL. Rajat Patidar will lead India A in the first one-day match, while Tilak Varma will captain the side in the next two games after returning from the Asia Cup. The team composition suggests the selectors wanted to focus…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai The Mumbai Ranji Trophy squad for the upcoming season will be selected between October 8 and 10, and as has been widely reported, Shardul Thakur is the frontrunner to take over the captaincy from Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane has stepped down as Mumbai skipper, but will continue as a player. “At present, we are playing the KSCA tournament, and after that, we will have some camps or that sort of thing,” Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) secretary Abhay Hadap told RevSportz. “Some local tournaments like Kanga League and Police Shield will start. And then, the (Ranji Trophy) team shall…

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) vice-president Sanjay Naik could represent the association at the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 28, it is learnt. A confirmation in this regard is expected by evening today. As RevSportz reported, Ajinkya Naik, the MCA president, was the association’s unanimous choice to be at the BCCI AGM. An email in this regard was sent to the Apex Council members for ratification. But this website also reported yesterday that the president might nominate someone else, as he could be travelling abroad in the last week of this month. The way it has transpired, Sanjay Naik…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has nominated its president Ajinkya Naik to represent the association at the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 28, RevSportz understands. However, it is learnt that Naik might be travelling abroad during that time and could nominate someone else to be at the AGM. That someone else, however, is not Sachin Tendulkar, according to sources. The whole thing sort of douses the wild rumour that Tendulkar could be the next BCCI president. It is learnt that the MCA has sent an email to its Apex Council members, seeking ratification that Naik,…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Sanjay Manjrekar, in his typical style, has opened up a debate — does Rohit Sharma qualify to be among India’s all-time batting greats? According to Manjrekar, he doesn’t, and the former India batter has his logic. “Rohit Sharma does not fit in the all-time Indian batting great list because we are talking about legends like (Sunil) Gavaskar, (Sachin) Tendulkar, (Rahul) Dravid and Virat (Kohli). Rohit does not quite make it there,” Manjrekar said on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan. After this, the former India middle-order bat might find himself at the receiving end of trolls/abuse…