Author: Trisha Ghosal

By Trisha Ghosal in Manchester In the summer of 2019, Gigg Lane went still. Bury FC, 134 years old, beloved, broken, was expelled from the Football League. Financial mismanagement, ownership chaos, and systemic neglect left a proud football town without its heartbeat. The men’s team vanished. The stadium fell silent. But something else quietly endured. Between covering the India vs England men’s Test series, I travelled to Bury. It wasn’t an assignment, it was personal. Indian football icon Bhaichung Bhutia had once played here, making history in 1999 as the first Indian to sign with an English professional club. I…

Trisha Ghosal at Lord’s The skies above Lord’s are grey, the air heavy with history, and the Indian women’s team walks into the hallowed ground with a chance to script a story that goes far beyond just another bilateral win. India leads the three-match ODI series 1–0 against England. A win today won’t just seal the series; it could unlock a wave of belief. With the ODI World Cup at home just two months away, every match becomes a rehearsal for greatness. Winning both the T20I and ODI legs on English soil? That would be a serious statement. Not just…

Trisha Ghosal in Manchester There’s a kind of melancholy that only the Kolkata Maidan can cure. The soft slush of dew under your shoes on a December morning. The first crack of bat on ball echoing across fog-laced fields. The unmistakable scent of burning leaves somewhere in the distance. Little kids in oversized jerseys chasing dreams on patches of grass barely big enough for boundaries. And a younger version of me, cross-legged under a gulmohar tree with a packet of chola badaam (roasted groundnuts and chickpeas) in hand, watching a random club match with a seriousness that rivalled Eden Gardens.…

Trisha Ghosal in Manchester The Lionesses are one game away from the semi-finals of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025. They’ve trained relentlessly, studied opponents, survived injuries, and faced pressure. And then, at the pre-quarterfinal pressconference, someone asked about Love Island. You’d laugh – if it weren’t so infuriating. This isn’t a one-off. It’s a pattern. Women athletes, at the peak of their profession, consistently find themselves answering questions about anything but their profession. Style, relationships, reality TV – pick your poison. Meanwhile, their male counterparts are grilled on pressing tactics, injury management, psychological preparedness, and legacy. Serena Williams, one of…

Trisha Ghosal in London After five relentless days and one final act of defiance from Shoaib Bashir’s bruised hand, England edged India by 22 runs in a classic at Lord’s. It’s the kind of win that usually sparks champagne and noise—but Ben Stokes, drained and thoughtful, spoke more like a man recovering from battle than celebrating conquest. In his post-match press conference, the England skipper addressed his side’s intensity, the quiet triumph of Bashir, the physical toll on himself, and the controlled aggression of both sides in a series on a knife edge. “Pretty cooked”: Was there anything left in…

Trisha Ghosal in London After five gruelling days and a see-saw final session, India came up just 22 runs short in the third Test at Lord’s, handing England a narrow win and a 2-1 lead in the series. At the heart of India’s heartbreak was a controversial moment: the run-out of Rishabh Pant for 98 before lunch on Day 3, triggering a middle-order collapse. In the post-match press conference, Indian captain Shubman Gill fielded questions ranging from that run-out to the team’s missed moments and the emotional aftermath. Was the run-out about the milestone? Gill was quick to clarify that…

By Trisha Ghosal in London Six wickets. That’s what stands between England and a 2-1 series lead. The fourth evening at Lord’s ended in a blaze of noise and momentum, the kind of late-session chaos that shifts entire Test matches. India, chasing 193, finished nervy on 58/4 — still 135 runs away. But nothing comes easy against this Indian side. Not here. Not in this series. To close this out, England’s bowlers will need more than just skill. They’ll need control, clarity, and the cauldron of a full Lord’s crowd behind them. Hit early, hit hard The first hour today…

Trisha Ghosal in London It’s set up to be a Lord’s classic. India need 135 runs. England need six wickets. The buzz hasn’t stopped since that frantic final half-hour where India lost three. But Washington Sundar, who had one of his best days with the ball in overseas Tests, believes India are still in the contest. Calm in his words but fierce in intent, the all-rounder backed his side to “come out positive” and handle the pressure. “We’ll take this any day and we’ll come out positive” Asked about India’s position heading into the final day, Washington was quietly confident:…

By Trisha Ghosal in London The final day at Lord’s is set up perfectly — 135 runs needed, six wickets to get, and a sold-out crowd expected to roar through every twist. England believe they’ve edged ahead, thanks to a stirring last half hour on Day 4 that saw India crumble from steady to shaky in a blink. England’s lead Test batting coach Marcus Trescothick addressed the media after stumps and reflected on the atmosphere, momentum swings, and the magic that makes this format so unpredictable. “That last half hour was electric” Trescothick admitted that the game took a dramatic…

By Trisha Ghosal in London There’s something about Ravindra Jadeja’s batting this series that reminds me of the carrot cakes during tea at Lord’s—understated, dependable, and deeply satisfying. From Edgbaston to Lord’s, sitting in the press box and watching him unfold innings after innings, you realise just how much he completes India’s batting like dessert completes a meal. At Edgbaston, Jadeja arrived in chaos. India were cruising at 208/3 when they suddenly lost Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy in successive deliveries. The second new ball was looming. England smelt blood. But Jadeja, in typical post-lunch calm, built a towering stand…