Author: Shamik Chakrabarty

In the end, it felt like thanksgiving. The Chennai Super Kings players lined up and wore medals. The team did a lap of honour and MS Dhoni, along with a few other CSK players, hit signed tennis balls into the stands. The Chepauk crowd, who waited after the CSK versus Rajasthan Royals game on Sunday, lapped it up. CSK played their final home game in the group league stage in this year’s IPL and ahead of the match, the franchise dropped a teaser on their X handle. “Requesting the Superfans to Stay back after the game! Something special coming your…

KL Rahul will not be stripped of Lucknow Super Giants captaincy this season. RevSportz has learnt that the opener will continue to lead the side in the remaining IPL matches this term. A decision on whether Rahul will be retained at the 2025 mega auction will be taken later. LSG aren’t out of the playoff race yet. They have 12 points from as many matches and must win their remaining two group league fixtures to give themselves a chance to progress further. Their net run rate, -0.769, however, could prove to be a big deterrent. LSG’s net run rate took…

Mumbai Indians have retained their faith in Hardik Pandya. RevSportz has learnt the franchise will go to next year’s mega auction with him as the captain. This is despite MI’s early elimination in this year’s IPL, after losing eight matches out of 12 so far. Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as captain this season. According to a source, the franchise is willing to give Pandya time in his new role, as the management sees him as a long-term appointment. The team will undergo a rebuild next year and the all-rounder is considered to be the best option to take them forward.…

The IPL fixture between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday had a Rishabh Pant versus Sanju Samson subplot. The RR skipper scored a brilliant 86 off 46 balls and won the personal battle against his DC counterpart, who was dismissed for 15 off 13. Pant’s team, though, won the match. Next month, Pant and Sanju will be teammates at the T20 World Cup and make no mistake, the former will be the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter and Sanju his back-up. Pant is a special player. Very few in world cricket can match his skill-set. At the same time, his T20I record…

At the Wankhede, Rohit Sharma walked up to Rinku Singh and had a chat with the youngster. Rinku’s omission was arguably the biggest talking point from India’s squad announcement for the T20 World Cup and Rohit acted like a leader. He is loved and respected in the Indian dressing room. Not many moons ago, Ravichandran Ashwin had spoken about how Rohit helped him, when he had to leave the team midway through the Rajkot Test against England after his mother fell ill. “I have played under several captains and leaders, but it is his (Rohit’s) good heart that has made…

The Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) has made its mark. Its annual viewership is growing exponentially. It is collecting substantial gate revenue as well. As per figures received by RevSportz, the CCL has an annual viewership of 15 crores across platforms. Its gate revenue per game is Rs 25 lakh. The CCL is in elite company. Popularity-wise, it is one of the top leagues in the country. Of course, the IPL is in a league of its own. In terms of per-match value (Rs 104 crore approximately for the IPL), it is the second-most valuable sports league in the world, ahead…

The assumption is that the pitches in the Caribbean for the T20 World Cup would be slow-turners. The 15-member Indian squad for the ICC event in June has an overload of spinners, because captain Rohit Sharma wanted it that way. “I definitely wanted four spinners,” Rohit said at the post-selection press conference in Mumbai on Thursday. Scoring pattern in last year’s Caribbean Premier League suggests that the India captain has a point. In 2023, the tournament had only eight 200-plus scores in 34 matches. In the final, Trinbago Knight Riders were bundled out for 94 in 18.1 overs. Forty-five-year-old leg-spinner…

The first question at the press conference was on the wicketkeepers, the logic behind the selection of Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, and the omission of KL Rahul. “KL is a terrific cricketer, but we were looking for the players who would come in the middle,” said Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector. “Rishabh bats at No. 5. Sanju can come down the order.” Rohit Sharma, the India captain, was asked about him getting T20I captaincy again. “See, it’s part of life,” he replied. “Not everything will go your way. I have played under a lot of captains. When I’m not…

On Monday, former chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar told RevSportz that the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup should be picked on fitness and form. A day later, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee adhered to that, picking a squad on expected lines. The 15-member squad for the tournament in the United States and the Caribbean offered a mini-surprise with Rinku Singh’s omission, but he has been kept among the reserves. But both Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube have been picked on the basis of their performances in the ongoing IPL. Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, too, has been included. Shubman Gill missed…

Jake Fraser-McGurk hit the first ball he faced for a six. Bowler Spencer Johnson was stunned. In the Delhi Capitals dug-out, team director Sourav Ganguly shook his head in disbelief. DC were playing against Gujarat Titans and it was the irreverence of youth. Fraser-McGurk could well be opening the innings for Australia, alongside Travis Head, at the upcoming T20 World Cup. Australia also have David Warner and Glenn Maxwell’s firepower at the top of the order. Defending champions England have Phil Salt, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow in their top order. Hosts West Indies have serious hitters like Johnson Charles,…