Author: Shamik Chakrabarty

Midway into the Kolkata Knight Riders versus Punjab Kings game at Eden Gardens on Friday, Ravichandran Ashwin came up with a cheeky post on his X handle: “’Save the bowlers’ someone plsss SOS”. Out there in the middle, it was carnage. KKR scored 261/6. PBKS chased it down with eight balls to spare, winning by eight wickets. A total of 523 runs had been scored on an Eden Gardens belter, a T20 record. A record 42 sixes were hit in the game. “Save the bowlers” someone plsss 🆘🆘🆘 #KKRvsPBKS #IPL2024 — Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) April 26, 2024 The game…

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s blistering 60-ball 104 against Mumbai Indians was timely. Not that his indifferent form running into that game would have affected his T20 World Cup selection, but the youngster would like to carry a rich vein of form into the ICC event, to be played in the USA and the Caribbean in June. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is likely to pick a 15-member squad soon, along with five stand-bys. The majority of the squad picks itself. Debate, though, remains over a few places. First the certainties… Rohit Sharma will captain the side and Jaiswal is likely to partner…

Midway into Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s innings against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday, Star Sports commentators interviewed Muttiah Muralitharan, Sunrisers’ assistant coach, and asked him if he was bowling at the nets. “I’m too old now,” said the off-spin maestro. “Also, the way cricket has changed over the last two years, against these batters (I don’t have a chance).” By then, the ‘troll army’ was out in force on social media, and Virat Kohli was trending. After making a rapid start against Sunrisers, the RCB opener got stuck and got out for a 43-ball 51. His strike-rate was 118.60 and a two-paced…

Dinesh Karthik aspires to play at the upcoming T20 World Cup. Only a few days ago, he spoke about being “100 per cent ready” for the ICC event. “At this stage in my life, it would be the greatest feeling for me to represent India. I’m very, very keen to do so. There’s nothing bigger in my life other than representing India in this T20 World Cup,” the 38-year-old wicketkeeper-batter told reporters. Karthik has the numbers to back his wish. In eight matches in IPL 2024, he has scored 251 runs for Royal Challengers Bengaluru at a strike-rate of 196.09.…

What does a journalist do when a national cricketer falsely accuses him of “bullying, threat and intimidation”? Two years ago, when that happened, the cricketer was relevant and he could influence the ‘social disgrace’ that is what social media is at its worst. The journalist was made to serve a two-year ban. He was ostracised from covering cricket in India. What was his fault? Someone who supported the cricketer throughout his cricketing career would stoop to the level of bullying and intimidation? Is it believable? No, it is not. Boria Majumdar could have taken the humiliation on his chin and…

Many moons ago, with Indian cricket caught in the quagmire of a club versus country debate, this correspondent had reached out to then BCCI president N Srinivasan for his comment. The question was if, during the IPL, the BCCI could intervene as regards to the injury/workload management of a centrally contracted player? “Of course it can. The BCCI is the boss,” Srinivasan had said in his indomitable style. Cut to the present and a similar debate is pretty relevant, with the T20 World Cup around the corner. The player in question is Jasprit Bumrah, who is central to India’s chances…

As woman FIDE master and renowned chess photographer, Maria Emelianova has said, at 17 years of age, most teeangers struggle with “high-school trigonometry or an acne outbreak”. But D Gukesh is special and that’s why at 17 years of age, he is a Candidates chess champion. In an exclusive interview for RevSportz, on Monday morning, Gukesh was asked if the achievement has sunk in yet. “Not fully,” said the young champion. It has been a monumental day for Indian sport, with Gukesh becoming the youngest-ever Candidates chess champion, earning the right to take on China’s Ding Liren in the world…

Is the ice melting? India captain Rohit Sharma has thrown open the possibility of India-Pakistan Test series at a neutral venue. This comes on the heels of IPL chairman Arun Dhumal telling RevSportz that “nobody can predict the future” as regards to Pakistan players’ participation in the Indian T20 league. In a chat with Club Prairie Fire podcast, co-hosted by Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan, Rohit said he would love to see India and Pakistan playing bilateral cricket on a regular basis, something that has been put on hold for more than a decade now. The arch-rivals haven’t played a…

On April 18, 2008, cricket changed. On the field, Brendon McCullum was the king, hammering a 73-ball 158 not out for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Off it, the advent of the Indian Premier League had a ripple effect on the entire cricket world and beyond. The baby is in its teens now, and through ups and downs, it has grown exponentially. In an interview with RevSportz, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal spoke about the tournament’s evolution, hiccups and much more. Excerpts: Q: What was your initial reaction when the IPL started 17 seasons ago? A: Well, the IPL…

Derek Underwood had earned the sobriquet ‘Deadly’ because he was deadly on sticky dogs (damp pitches). Also, he was deadly accurate. “He was a great bowler,”DilipVengsarkar told RevSportz. “Very accurate. He used to bowl fantastic lineandlength. You couldn’t drive him effortlessly or cut him. That kind of length he would bowl.” The former England left-arm spinner passed away on Monday and Vengsarkar, who played against him during England’s tour of India in 1981-82, spoke about the degree of difficulty. “He was faster in the air and especially on a slightly helpful pitch, he was unplayable.” Underwood had a stellar 24-year…