December 2014. MS Dhoni walked off quietly and left the cricket world stunned. Retiring from Test cricket, mid-series. Fans were shocked, but not entirely surprised. Overseas whitewashes, defensive cricket, India tumbling down the ICC rankings. Enter Virat Kohli. The skipper. No one ever questioned Kohli the cricketer. Confident, skilled, ice-in-veins under pressure. His success as... Continue Reading →
A Kutti Story
“I really didn’t want to make it about myself…” - Ravinchandran Ashwin should’ve made it all about himself. India’s second-highest wicket taker in Tests calling time on his career is a mega event. He, alongside Jasprit Bumrah, has been India’s biggest match winner in red-ball cricket in the last decade. He was a massive cog... Continue Reading →
The Art of Jas!
Incredible, stunning, marvellous, jaw-dropping, sensational - nah! I have been trying to sum up that Jasprit Bumrah delivery to Ollie Pope for some hours now. And just like Pope himself, I have come up with nothing - empty, helpless, and dumbfounded. What on earth was that? Seriously, that Bumrah delivery boggled my mind and had... Continue Reading →
Doing it the Che way!
Did you see Cheteshwar Pujara dance? Go to twitter now and check out the video that’s doing the rounds. It’s the most awkward jig you will ever come across but it will definitely bring a smile on your face. Sounds a bit like Pujara’s batting, isn’t it? Awkward and out of sync but the end of... Continue Reading →
Bhuvneshwar Kumar – a moment of calmness amidst the Kohli storm
When Rohit Sharma tossed the ball to Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the last over of the 3rd T20I against South Africa, the match was hanging in the balance. It shouldn’t have been but a certain Christiaan Jonker decided to go bonkers at the Indian bowling. Shardul Thakur looked flummoxed. Jasprit Bumrah, uneasy. Bhuvi walked to his... Continue Reading →
Sir Ravindra Jadeja’s Excalibur: It cuts. It cuts deep
November 5, 2009 brings back bittersweet memories for every Indian cricket fan. In a cliff-hanger against the mighty Australians, Sachin Tendulkar produced a modern age classic. Chasing 351 runs to win, Tendulkar scripted an epic knock of 175. But India fell short. India fell heartbreakingly short. India lost the game by mere three runs. The superhero's... Continue Reading →
Rahul Dravid – a flop mentor but the one that Team India needs
2013 - Play-offs 2014 - Group stage 2015 - Play-offs 2016 - Group stage That's Rahul Dravid's CV as a coach/mentor. Add a Champions League final loss and a defeat in the World Cup U-19 final to that. The problem with Dravid, the mentor, is that his teams don't win trophies. In fact, when the... Continue Reading →
Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar – the greatness debate
India loves Virat Kohli. India loves Sachin Tendulkar. And India loves to argue So, it's time we declare the house open for the engrossing - "Is Kohli better than Tendulkar?" - debate. I never understood how two players playing different roles can be compared. I never found a common yardstick because the variables - conditions,... Continue Reading →
World Cup 2015: Time to Bleed Blue…Again
Defending Champions -- sounds like a joke. Has any defending champion ever entered the World Cup as the least favourites to retain the trophy? It's depressing to watch the current Indian cricket team play. They are in shambles right now and going into the World Cup, this is the worst preparation ever. Forget winning, India... Continue Reading →