Author: Shamik Chakrabarty

Shamik Chakrabarty in Kolkata Shubman Gill is all but out of the Guwahati Test starting on November 22, it is learnt. This is a big blow for India, with the team staring at two whitewashes in three Test home series over the last 12-odd months. India had suffered a 3-0 clean-sweep against New Zealand last year. They have lost the first Test of the ongoing two-match series against South Africa. Gill aggravated his neck injury while batting in the first innings in Kolkata. He retired hurt and as the pain became severe, the India captain had to be admitted to…

By Shamik Chakrabarty in Kolkata Between October 2024 and November 2025, India have played six Tests at home under Gautam Gambhir as their head coach. They have lost four. It’s a diabolical record and a sackable offence for a coach in any sport. In football, the chant would have been: “You’re getting sacked in the morning.” As Cheteshwar Pujara said on Star Sports, the team going through transition is a lame excuse. “Look, I don’t agree with one thing that the Indian team losing in India due to transition, it cannot be digested,” said the former India stalwart.…

Shamik Chakrabarty at Eden Gardens Keshav Maharaj responded to a four and a couple of sixes in an over with a delivery that was pushed a little wide outside off. Axar Patel, who had to chance his arm, went for a slog-sweep but top-edged it. Temba Bavuma ran back from midwicket to take the skier. A turnout of 39,769 at Eden Gardens on Sunday was stunned. The Proteas celebrated in the sound of silence. The glory moment came next ball, as Mohammed Siraj edged a Maharaj delivery to Aiden Markram at slip to secure a 30-run victory in the first…

Shamik Chakrabarty at Eden Gardens The Eden Gardens pitch is dividing opinions. On the face of it, batting was extremely difficult on this surface, especially at the High Court End. Then again, Gautam Gambhir played down the pitch factor at the post-match press conference, saying a target of 124 was chaseable. Validation came from afar via Kevin Pietersen, the former England captain, who questioned the technique of modern-day batsmen. “Seeing the wicket first and then the scores and then the result in Kolkata, it can only be put down to batters’ modern-day techniques,” Pietersen posted on his X (formerly Twitter)…

Shamik Chakrabarty at Eden Gardens The dust was settling on the first Test. The team buses had left the stadium. But the groundsmen at Eden Gardens were working assiduously, watering the pitch that had played havoc over the last two-and-a-half days. “Arre match ke pehle paani dena chahiye tha (the pitch should have been watered before the match),” someone quipped. Gautam Gambhir refused to be wise after the event. Last year against New Zealand, India suffered a home whitewash after opting to play on snakepits. The team did well on placid pitches in England in the summer. The team management…

By Shamik Chakrabarty at Eden Gardens For 123 minutes, Washington Sundar had dropped anchor at one end. He was doing his job, but India failed to build partnerships around him. In the end, it came down to the makeshift No. 3 and the extra all-rounder in Axar Patel, whose inclusion forced a rejig in the batting order. The excellent Temba Bavuma, the South Africa captain, made a surprise bowling change at the High Court End. Aiden Markram’s fastish off-spin replaced Keshav Maharaj’s left-arm spin and it did the trick. Markram bowled an off-break that landed on off and straightened. As…

Shamik Chakrabarty at Eden Gardens The breakthrough eventually came in the 13th over of the day. Jasprit Bumrah from the High Court end castled Corbin Bosch with the one that skidded off the surface and kept low. It was only Bumrah’s third over of the day. Did stand-in captain Rishabh Pant miss a trick by not starting the proceedings with the team’s best bowler from one end? It was fine to give Ravindra Jadeja the Club House end. The left-arm spinner was spitting venom on his way to taking four wickets yesterday from that end. But Bumrah should have been…

Shamik Chakrabarty at Eden Gardens Shubman Gill will take no further part in the ongoing Kolkata Test between India and South Africa, as he will be kept under observation on Sunday also. The India captain is likely to be discharged from the hospital on Monday, RevSportz understands. Medicines have been administered after Gill was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata on Saturday as he was experiencing severe neck pain. A six-member medical board has been formed under Dr Saptarshi Basu which includes a cardiologist and a neurologist. But this is purely as a precaution. It is learnt that pain…

Shamik Chakrabarty at Eden Gardens Shubman Gill is in doubt for the second Test in Guwahati after being admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata on Saturday. The India captain, who retired hurt on the second day of the first Test here at Eden Gardens, experienced severe neck pain as the day progressed, it is learnt. Eventually, it was decided to take him to the hospital, where he has been kept under observation. The admission process is complete and it is learnt that Gill will be monitored through the night. According to sources, the 26-year-old has been administered medicines but…

Shamik Chakrabarty at Eden Gardens Last month in Rawalpindi, Simon Harmer bowled a dream delivery to get the better of Imam-ul-Haq. From around the wicket, he pitched the ball outside leg, and it turned sharply to knock back the off stump. Given that India have a far better batting line-up than Pakistan, the South African off-spinner would take his 4/30 at Eden Gardens on Saturday as a badge of honour. Harmer has been a revelation of late. He made his Test debut in 2015 before changing track and joining county cricket. The 36-year-old has returned to international fold as a…