Author: Trisha Ghosal

Trisha Ghosal in Sydney Mohammed Siraj’s meteoric rise in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21, where he emerged as India’s bowling spearhead amid an injury crisis, is etched in Indian cricket folklore. His ability to extract bounce, move the ball both ways, and bowl tirelessly with unrelenting aggression made him a revelation. Fast forward to the BGT 2024-25, and Siraj entered the series with high expectations as India’s second pacer behind Jasprit Bumrah. Yet, his performance oscillated between moments of brilliance and periods of frustration. The issue wasn’t a lack of effort. It was consistency. Siraj’s career trajectory and current struggles reflect…

Trisha Ghosal in Australia For the first time in a decade, India has surrendered the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a series that historically defined India’s dominance in Test cricket. While much attention has been directed at the faltering Indian top-order, it’s imperative to look beyond the obvious and dissect an issue that consistently haunted the visitors throughout the series: our inability to dismiss Australia’s lower-order efficiently. The numbers paint a damning picture of India’s bowlers and their failure to close out innings. Australia’s last five wickets contributed a staggering 991 runs in eight innings at an average of 123.87 per innings. In…

Trisha Ghosal in Sydney Rishabh Pant is a name that evokes polarising emotions among Indian cricket fans and analysts. You can love him for his audacious brilliance, criticise him for his inexplicable dismissals, but you cannot ignore him, especially in Test cricket. Pant has played some of the most memorable innings in cricket history, showcasing an uncanny ability to single-handedly turn the tide in India’s favour. At other times, his ill-timed aggression has left India vulnerable, leading to heartbreaking losses. Let’s dive into moments where Pant’s batting was the difference between victory and defeat, proving why he is rightly called…

Trisha Ghosal in Sydney Virat Kohli – the name that has dominated the cricket world for over a decade. A beacon of consistency, hunger, and audacity. Yet, in recent times, his bat has echoed more silence than a symphony, particularly in red-ball cricket. The ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy has painfully exposed a glaring flaw in his technique, a recurring lapse in focus, and a pattern that is simply too predictable to ignore. As Kohli continues to chase deliveries wide outside off stump, edging to slips or the keeper, one is left wondering: how long will India’s most prolific modern-day batter succumb…

Trisha Ghosal in Sydney With one more sleep to the Sydney Pink Test, the tension is palpable. Just three days ago, India lost a Test in Melbourne that they were expected to save. Yesterday, adding fuel to the fire, a conversation from the Indian dressing room was leaked. Gautam Gambhir, attending the press conference, stirred the pot further by avoiding a direct answer on whether Rohit Sharma would play tomorrow, stating that the decision would be taken later. Amid all the drama and speculation, Ravindra Jadeja was the first to step out to bat in the nets. He started with…

Trisha Ghosal in Melbourne Virat Kohli wasn’t just in the game today — he was the game. At the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the Boxing Day Test, Kohli’s presence was electric from the first ball of Australia’s second innings. India had been bowled out for 369 in their first innings, trailing by 105 runs. With a mountain to climb, Kohli stepped up in his quintessential style, bringing the fire that Indian fans had been craving all series. Whether it was setting fields with precision or offering constant words of encouragement to Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep between deliveries,…

Trisha Ghosal in Melbourne The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was hanging by a thread. At 191/6, India’s dreams of retaining the trophy and staying alive in the race for the World Test Championship final seemed to be fading fast. The pressure was immense — not just on the team but particularly on Nitish Kumar Reddy, who walked in with the weight of a million expectations on his young shoulders. This wasn’t just another Test innings; this was a battle of resilience, belief and character. Shubman Gill had been dropped to accommodate Reddy and Washington Sundar, with the management backing them as all-rounders.…

Trisha Ghosal in Melbourne There’s a saying in cricket: “Play hard, play fair.” But when it comes to the Australian cricketing ecosystem—media, crowd, and sometimes players—one wonders if the “fair” part has been conveniently forgotten. This Test series has brought to the fore not just great cricket but also the sheer pettiness of the Australian media and crowd, who seem rattled by an Indian team that refuses to buckle under pressure. The latest target of their scorn? Virat Kohli, arguably one of the greatest cricketers of this generation, a match-winner whose exploits have redefined the game. And how is this…

Trisha Ghosal in Melbourne Some innings are remembered not for the runs scored but for the character they reveal. Cheteshwar Pujara’s 56 at the Gabba during India’s historic chase in January 2021 and Marnus Labuschagne’s 72 on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) are prime examples of the unyielding spirit that defines Test cricket at its finest. Two Innings, Two Contexts, One Grit Pujara, in 2021, was India’s immovable object against Australia’s irresistible force. On Day 5 of the Gabba Test, the Australian bowlers unleashed relentless short-pitched hostility, targeting Pujara’s body and…

As the clock ticks down to the Boxing Day Test, all eyes are on Australia’s two batting mainstays, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. For years, these two have anchored the Aussie batting line-up, but their recent form — and their net session yesterday — raise critical questions about their readiness to take on a confident Indian bowling attack. Labuschagne’s Battle Against the Pacers Labuschagne’s technique has often been celebrated, but yesterday’s nets exposed a vulnerability that India will surely look to exploit. Facing Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, Labuschagne found himself tangled against deliveries in the good-length zone, especially those…