Author: Shamik Chakrabarty

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Mumbai Indians have all but confirmed Rohit Sharma’s stay with the franchise for the 2026 IPL. On the face of it, the franchise’s post on X (formerly Twitter) is cryptic, but it has revealed enough to be taken as a confirmation. “ Sun will rise tomorrow again ye toh confirm hai, but at (K)night… muskeel nahi, na mumkin hai (The sun will rise again tomorrow this is confirmed, but at (K)night… it’s not only difficult, it’s impossible,” read the post from MI. ye toh confirm hai, but at (K)night… मुश्किल ही नहीं, नामुमकिन है! pic.twitter.com/E5yH3abB4g — Mumbai…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Shreyas Iyer is likely to be out of competitive cricket for two months after suffering an internal injury during the third ODI between India and Australia in Sydney on October 25, RevSportz understands. This rules him out of the three-match home ODI series against South Africa in November-December. His participation in the ODI series against New Zealand that starts on January 11 is also touch and go, given that he would be short of match practice. More importantly, however, India’s ODI vice-captain is steadily recovering. It is learnt that Shreyas underwent interventional trans-catheter embolisation to stop the…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Mohammed Shami should certainly be part of the Indian Test squad for the home series against South Africa, feels former chief selector MSK Prasad. This comes on the heels of the fast bowler taking 15 wickets in two matches for Bengal in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. After running through Gujarat’s batting with a second-innings five-for at Eden Gardens on Tuesday, Shami told reporters that he has cricket left in him. Prasad concurs. “He (Shami) should definitely be part of the Test squad against South Africa, and then take it forward from there,” Prasad told RevSportz. “He…

By Shamik Chakrabarty in Mumbai “The (2027) ODI World Cup is also in South Africa. So, there might be a place open for a bowling all-rounder at No. 8. So, I am of course eyeing that spot,” said Shardul Thakur. On the face of it, this sounds implausible. Shardul would be 36 in 2027. His last ODI appearance was in October 2023, and of late his tenuous link to international cricket has been restricted to the longest format. But scratch beneath the surface, and he could have a slim chance, as weird as it may sound. Hardik Pandya is India’s…

By Shamik Chakrabarty in Mumbai Closer to tea and after it, the game changed. Suddenly, the ball started to do a bit, the bounce became a tad disconcerting and Musheer Khan, a part-time left-arm spinner, picked up the habit of landing the ball in the right areas. Against Mumbai’s first-innings total of 416 all out, Chhattisgarh had an 85-run opening partnership. They went to tea on 149/3. At stumps on Day 3, they slumped to 175/6. Rain appears to be the biggest impediment for Mumbai to force a result in this game here at the MCA Ground at Bandra Kurla…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Yashasvi Jaiswal is available for Mumbai’s next Ranji Trophy match against Rajasthan, a Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) official has confirmed. The match will be played in Jaipur from November 1. At the end of the last season, Jaiswal had written a letter to the MCA, informing that he was contemplating relocating to Goa. The opener played the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir last term and during its course, he reportedly had a fallout with a Mumbai stalwart. It was thought to be the reason behind his intention to shift base. Jaiswal, who has played all…

By Shamik Chakrabarty in Mumbai After scoring a sublime hundred — 159 in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Chhattisgarh — where he let his bat do the talking, Ajinkya Rahane went full throttle, as he spoke to a select group of reporters at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) on Sunday. The former India and Mumbai captain didn’t name anyone. But there should be no prizes for guessing who were at the receiving end of his verbal volleys. Excerpts: On his century against Chhattisgarh I have played many good innings. Even in the quarter-finals against Haryana (last season), I got…

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai In the first session, rain played peek-a-boo. In the second, it was non-stop. If a sharp shower had halted the proceedings for 25 minutes before lunch, a downpour after the break brought down the curtain on the second day’s play of the Ranji Trophy match between Mumbai and Chhattisgarh here at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) at 1.51 pm, two-and-a-half hours before the scheduled close. By then though, Mumbai had moved to a position of strength, going past 400 in their first innings. The pitch at the MCA ground at BKC has started to assist the spinners.…

Shamik Chakrabarty in Mumbai Steel is what separates the achievers and the also-rans. It is called khadoos in the Mumbai maidans. On Saturday in Sydney, Rohit Sharma channelled his inner Shivaji Park khadoos to score a match-winning hundred for India. At Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) here in Mumbai, Ajinkya Rahane revelled in it, as he scored an unbeaten 118 to get the hosts out of the woods against Chhattisgarh. Old is still gold. Rohit went to Australia with the narrative — perform or perish. He is returning with the Player of the Series award. Through his 73 in Adelaide and…

By Shamik Chakrabarty in Mumbai On the face of it, this is a David versus Goliath battle. Mumbai are Indian cricket’s royalty. Chhattisgarh, despite boasting the experience of Shashank Singh and Aditya Sarwate, are minnows. The Ranji Trophy match, starting on Saturday, however, will keep a player under the lens. Sarfaraz Khan, rather his India A omission, is talk of the town at the moment. Sarfaraz was present at Mumbai’s training at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) on the match eve. His calm exterior barely revealed anything. Deep inside, the 27-year-old must be hurting. The challenge for him would be to…