Author: Subhayan Chakraborty

Jasprit Bumrah, India’s pace spearhead, has come out in strong support of Mohammed Siraj, despite the latter’s fluctuating form during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Siraj has been under the scanner for not being able to replicate his heroics from the 2020-21 series, where he played a pivotal role in securing India’s memorable series win Down Under. He has been blowing hot and cold which has put extra pressure on Bumrah to pick regular wickets. During the Perth and Adelaide Test followed by the first innings of the Brisbane Test, Siraj faced challenges in finding the correct length to…

Subhayan Chakraborty in Brisbane Indian bowlers appeared clueless on the field on Day 2 of the ongoing GaBrisbane, as Travis Head, yet again, smashed a century, continuing his marauding run of form against his ‘favourite’ side. Head and Steve Smith tired out the Indian bowlers, stitching together a magnificent 241-run partnership to put Australia on top in the third of the five-Test series. After a rain-affected Day 1 at the Gabba, India started the second day on a bright note by putting Australia under pressure, with the hosts at 75/3. However, with the sun out and the ball 33.3 overs…

With rain playing spoilsport at the Gabba, only 13.2 overs could be bowled. Heavy downpour halted play, leading fans to leave the stadium early, even before the match was officially called off. As thousands of fans were exiting the stadium, among them was Australian pacer Spencer Johnson. Johnson was roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for ₹2.80 crore at the IPL 2025 auction in Jeddah after a bidding war with Punjab Kings. KKR have consistently sought Australian pacers for their squad. From Pat Cummins, John Hastings, Nathan Coulter-Nile, to Mitchell Johnson, and now Spencer, the association between KKR…

Subhayan Chakraborty in Brisbane Shubman Gill stood still at the crease, eyeing the spot where the ball pitched and zipped past his bat, taking a slender edge during India’s net session at the Gabba on Friday, the eve of the third Test against Australia. It was the last 15 minutes of his net session, and the 25yearold had looked solid until that moment. India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel and several local net bowlers, all pacers, were bowling to Gill. Among them, one stood out. Nathan Barnwell, Surrey pacer with 8 List-A appearances and one first-class game to his name,…

Subhayan Chakraborty in Brisbane The Gabba isn’t the Gabbatoir anymore. Australia have lost two out of the last four matches they’ve played at this iconic venue. The last time they played here, they were blown away by West Indies’ Shamar Joseph with the pink ball. Now, with the ball back to red and the match scheduled in the pre-Christmas phase, where Australia has traditionally dominated on fresher pitches, the series against India stands at 1-1. The Gabba Test could decide the final result. Both India and Australia have their strengths and weaknesses, but by no means are either perfect sides.…

Subhayan Chakraborty in Brisbane Where’s the aggression? Where’s the intensity? Where’s the unity? Why is the players’ body language so low? These were among the questions Indian fans asked after India’s crushing 10-wicket defeat in Adelaide, which allowed Australia to level the series at 1-1. On Thursday, after completing the warm-up drills, the Indian players and the coaching staff gathered for a team huddle. Notably, the huddle was not addressed by either Gautam Gambhir or Rohit Sharma, but by Virat Kohli. The former Indian captain, known for his passionate antics on the field, looked animated as he addressed the side…

Subhayan Chakraborty in Brisbane As Australia and India gear up for the third Test at the Gabba, both teams are likely to encounter a pitch that echoes the traditional characteristics of the venue, known for its life and bounce when played before Christmas. The Gabba’s curator David Sandurski, along with his staff, was spotted at the venue using the heavy roller as the preparations for the high-octane clash continued. While the continuous work is being done in what looks like a complete green top, a ground-staff was spotted trimming the extra layer of grass. It is expected that further trimming…

Subhayan Chakraborty in Adelaide Something seems off with Rohit Sharma. Is it the pressure of not scoring enough runs for India in recent Test matches, or the burden of losing four consecutive games as red-ball captain? Whatever it is, India need Rohit at his best at the Gabba in Brisbane when the third game of the five-Test series starts on December 14. Following a crushing 10-wicket defeat against Australia in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide Oval, the Indian team held a net session where both veterans and young players were present. The series is now tied at 1-1, with both…

Subhayan Chakraborty in Adelaide On Saturday, as Australia were dominating India in the second of the five-Test series at the Adelaide Oval, a frail yet familiar figure walked into the media enclosure, all suited and booted. As one walks into the picturesque stadium, just beside the Sir Donald Bradman Pavilion stands the Chappell Stand, a tribute to the Chappell brothers – Ian, Greg, and Trevor. To see Greg Chappell, who has had a love-hate relationship with India and its die-hard fans, given his history as India’s head coach in the mid-2000s, was noteworthy. After suffering from prolonged illness and financial…

By Subhayan Chakraborty from Adelaide Day 2 of the Adelaide Test between Australia and India was marked not only by the on-field battle but also by controversy surrounding TV umpire Richard Kettleborough and the use of Snickometer (Snicko) technology. While Australia made strides toward levelling the series at 1-1 with a strong batting and bowling performance, the day’s discussions were dominated by contentious umpiring decisions, particularly involving Mitchell Marsh. The Marsh Incident The first controversy unfolded in Australia’s first innings just before Tea when Ravichandran Ashwin appealed for an LBW after the ball struck Marsh’s pad, seemingly before hitting the…