Author: Snehasis Mukherjee

By winning the ISL Shield for the first time in this ongoing season, Mohun Bagan Super Giant created history on April 15, 2024. But that win also ensured a direct spot for them in the group stage of next season’s AFC Champions League 2. Last year, after winning the ISL Trophy, the green-and-maroon brigade competed in this season’s AFC Cup competition but had some forgettable performances. Considering that, this is a historical feat for the club as they are now ready to compete in the AFC Champions League for the first time. However, there is also a chance that they…

The stage was set at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata for Mohammedan Sporting Club on April 13, 2024, as they took on Delhi FC in their last game of the I-League 2023-24. Before this game, the Kolkata giants had already been declared champions, and it was a grand opportunity for them to celebrate the league triumph in front of over 40,000 supporters. But Mohammedan suffered a shock 3-1 defeat against Yan Law’s side and finished the season with 52 points from 24 games (15 wins, 7 draws, 2 losses). The result was unexpected for their many fans, but there…

Fans are the lifeblood of any sport, and especially so when it comes to football in India. In a cricket-loving country, the Blue Tigers have always tried to make a mark and attract fans towards game. A few years back, on the eve of his 100th cap, a video went viral where skipper Sunil Chhetri was seen requesting fans to be present at the stadium in order to support and motivate them. Since then, the fans or the Blue Pilgrims have always tried to attend most of the international games, whether it is a friendly or a competitive match, to…

India will be back in action at the Damac Stadium, Saudi Arabia when they take on Afghanistan in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The home clash is in Guwahati on March 26. Winning both these games will help India inch closer to history, as they have never qualified for the third round of the World Cup Qualifiers before! Rankings India 117. Afghanistan 158 Head-to-Head Record Teams have faced each other 11 times. India have won seven times and Afghanistan once. Three matches ended in draws. Afghanistan’s only win came in the final of the SAFF Championship, 2013 when they defeated…

It was the 2013 I-League season and a new club, named Bengaluru FC, came onto the Indian football scene, owned by the JSW Group. Former Blackburn Rovers assistant coach, Ashley Westwood became the club’s first-ever manager. India’s current skipper and leader, Sunil Chhetri was also signed from Sporting Portugal B. Incidentally, Chhetri was a part of the 2012 I-League winning team, Churchill Brothers, with Sporting loaning him to the Indian club. So, it was a statement signing at that time but there was a question on how Westwood would manage in his first-ever stint in India with a completely new…

Test Cricket has been the toughest format of the game always. But, over the years, fans have witnessed some quality batters while representing their respective countries. Back in 2014, the late Martin Crowe first came up with the term ‘Fab 4’ to refer to the most exciting talent in international cricket at that point. Since then, Australia’s Steven Smith, India’s Virat Kohli, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, and England’s Joe Root have been part of the elite club. But, when it comes to having an impact on your team, fans look for numbers, whether a player has performed or not in…

The 10th season of the Indian Super League (ISL) is at the business end and fans cannot keep their calm as the race for the top spot is heating up. All top five teams are in contention to be the league leaders and to win the ‘Shield.’ That will also ensure a direct slot in the next edition of the AFC Champions League. Last year, Mumbai City FC finished at the top at the end of the league phase and represented India in the Champions League. Now, the top five teams are looking for a strong finish as scenarios to…

Marnus Labuschagne’s dreadful form with the bat in the red-ball format continues as he managed only three runs in two innings in the first Test versus New Zealand at Wellington. Despite making a debut in 2018, he made headlines in 2019 during the Ashes in England. Lord’s Test, Labuschagne came in as a concussion substitute for Steve Smith and the rest is history. The way he played England’s pace attack was commendable and, in that series, he notched up four consecutive fifties. After that, he did not look back and scored runs for fun, especially at home. By the end…

The second phase of the Indian Super League (ISL), Season 10, began on January 31, 2024, with a game between Jamshedpur FC and Northeast United. On Saturday, February 3, fans are gearing up for the Kolkata Derby between Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) and East Bengal FC (EBFC). This most-awaited fixture is set to take place at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. Both teams will look to begin this new phase with a win in front of the home crowd. Standings in ISL 10 MBSG – 5th position with 19 points in 10 games (6W, 1D, 3L) EBFC…

India began the ongoing home Test series against England in a horrible way as they suffered a 28-run defeat in Hyderabad in the series opener. While chasing 231 runs in the fourth innings, their batters failed to England’s spin trio trap, particularly Tom Hartley. However, it was a good effort by the batters in the first innings but then, there was Shubman Gill who failed to score significant runs in both essays. The young batter has made a reputation for scoring big runs, while his career is still at an early stage. Recently, however, fans have witnessed a huge dip…