Cricket world

Anshuman Gaekwad. Photo: X Only a few days ago, Kapil Dev had tried to raise the spirits of Anshuman Gaekwad via a video message. He urged his former India teammate to get well soon, so that the two could sit for a drink in the near future. Kapil and almost all his 1983 World Cup-winning teammates decided to donate their three months of pension amount from the cricket board for Gaekwad’s treatment, who was battling cancer.  The BCCI also released Rs 1 crore for the former India opener. All proved to be futile. Gaekwad stood firm, as former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd oversaw India’s ‘bloodbath’ in Jamaica. He took blows but never ran away, until a bouncer sent him to hospital. Cancer was a lot more deadly.  He died following a long battle with blood cancer on Wednesday. Until last month, he underwent treatment in London before returning to his native city of Vadodara, earlier known as Baroda. He was 71. Gaekwad played 40 Tests and scored 1,985 runs, including two ce...

Kohli and Gambhir had a lengthy discussion during the practice session. (PC: X.com) Shamik Chakrabarty in Colombo For a long period, Virat Kohli batted at the nets, first taking throwdowns, followed by match simulations. India had an optional practice session at Premadasa Stadium here in Colombo on Wednesday, and the focus was on getting into the ODI groove ahead of the three-match series that starts on Friday. The ODI contingent had arrived in Sri Lanka a couple of days ago and started to train under assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. At the conclusion of the T20I series, other players and coaching staff reached Colombo from Pallekele on Wednesday afternoon. The players who took part in the T20I series, preferred to cool their heels but the coaching staff turned up at the ground. Head coach Gautam Gambhir was present and he had a lengthy conversation with Kohli. Both looked relaxed. Before that, Kohli had a brief chat with KL Rahul, which from a distance looked like something on t...

Sundar was the star for India in the super over win against SL in the third T20I. (PC: X.com) Shamik Chakrabarty in Sri Lanka “One thing is for sure, you always ask tough questions, controversial questions,” Washington Sundar said tongue-in-cheek at the post-match press conference. The young all-rounder usually likes to stay poker-faced at pressers, but after dishing out a match-winning performance in the third T20I against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, he broke into a smile. The question was about his irregular game time. Washington made his international debut in 2017. Over the next seven years, he has featured in only 49 T20Is, 19 ODIs and four Tests. In the IPL too, he has mostly warmed the bench. The 24-year-old has had injury setbacks, a reason why he couldn’t become an India regular. On many other occasions, he was dropped for the sake of team combination and balance. Only a few days ago, he was adjudged the Player of the Series after taking eight wickets from five matches at an ...

India hand Sri Lanka a humiliating defeat to clean sweep series. (PC: X.com) Sri Lanka needed nine runs off the last 12 balls. With one set batter in, they were favourites to win the game and should have. But then, the two part-timers, Rinku Singh and Suryakumar Yadav, scripted a remarkable turnaround, conceding just eight runs while taking four wickets between them to tie the game. The home team came out to bat in the Super Over and could only score TWO runs (yes, you read it right), thanks to some brilliant bowling from Washington Sundar. The visitors completed the game with five balls to spare. India had overs remaining for their frontline fast bowlers, Mohammed Siraj and Khaleel Ahmed, but instead, skipper Suryakumar took a gamble with the part-time options, which paid off handsomely. India fought bravely until the last drop of blood and emerged as deserving winners. With this victory, they secured the three-match series 3-0. On a turning track, India were always in the game ...

Suryakumar Yadav (PC: X) Shamik Chakrabarty in Sri Lanka Riyan Parag made one turn sharply after pitching. Kamindu Mendis went forward to negotiate the turn, but the ball went past the outside edge. Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20I captain, promptly brought in a slip. The field change was logical and expected, but Parag is a genuine part-timer and Surya could have stuck to a more defensive field. He chose to be proactive, knowing fully well that Parag might not be as consistent with his line and length as a specialist spinner. The skipper, though, backed his bowler. India have already sealed the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka by winning the first two games and more than anything else, the hosts’ middle-order muddle has contributed to their defeats. But the way Surya has handled his bowlers, even when his team was under pressure, was impressive. It was important to use Parag, the team’s sixth bowling option, in a smart way. Surya has done that. In the first game, he bro...

Iyer will be in action against Sri Lanka tomorrow. (PC: X.com) Shamik Chakrabarty in Sri Lanka “What is the meaning of samaganda ? Shreyas Iyer jovially asked the local security staffer as he walked out of the Colombo airport, along with Rohit Sharma, late on Sunday. “Comfort,” he was told. As the two entered the car, Rohit didn’t lose the opportunity to berate his teammate: “Why are you after samaganda ?” Everything was cheerful and light-hearted. The three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka will be Iyer’s reintegration into the Indian team. In February, he lost his place in the Test side. In May, he lifted the IPL trophy as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain. In between, he lost his central contract for failing to turn up for a Ranji Trophy game. Now that he is back to the national team fold, Iyer would soon be reinstated as a centrally contracted player. As RevSportz earlier reported, Iyer went through pain, both literally and metaphorically. Back spasms had been a serious issu...

Tinu Yohannan and Sanju Samson (PC: X) Shamik Chakrabarty in Sri Lanka For Sanju Samson, the opportunity to play the second T20I against Sri Lanka at Pallekele came by chance. Shubman Gill had a neck spasm and an opening position fell vacant. Sanju was fitted into that slot. India restricted Sri Lanka to 161/9, with the hosts suffering another middle-order crash. Then, when the tourists batted, a stoppage for rain altered the equation to 78 off eight overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal chalked off 12 of those runs in the first over and Sanju faced his first ball under no scoreboard pressure. He perished for a golden duck. Maheesh Theekshana bowled a faster one and it breached the batsman’s defence. It was another opportunity wasted for Sanju, who somehow has struggled to bridge the gap between the IPL and international cricket throughout his career. Strong criticism would be harsh on Sanju. It’s not easy for any player when chances are few and far between. But that’s the reality. Only a ha...

PC – Sri Lanka Cricket.   “When Chamari Athapaththu walks out to bat, better to switch on the TV.” This particular line has echoed in the mind ever since yours truly ended up watching the left-hand batter crunch a game-changing 72-ball 62 in the England-Sri Lanka encounter during the 2013 50-over World Cup. More than a decade after that momentous victory over one of the powerhouses of women’s cricket, Chamari was all geared up to lay the foundation for Sri Lanka’s maiden Asia Cup title. And up against Sri Lanka was one more formidable opponent, India, who in turn were the favourites to lift the title. The experience of watching Chamari starts with her entry itself. There is an air of confidence in the way she walks out to the middle. At the non-striker’s end, after confidently adjusting her helmet, she patted her thighs a few times. Maybe, she was inadvertently telling herself – ‘C’mon, today, you have to perform.’  Chamari’s batting is defined by both willowy sound an...

India register another series win over Sri Lanka. (PC: X.com) India beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the rain-curtailed second T20I in Pallekele. The visitors thus took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Hardik Pandya and Ravi Bishnoi were the architects of the win, with handy contributions from others. The third match will be played on Tuesday. Sent in to bat, Sri Lanka lost Kusal Mendis early to Arshdeep Singh, for the second time in two matches. Kusal Perera came in at No 3 and formed crucial half-century partnerships with Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis. Despite the initial setback, Sri Lanka’s momentum remained intact as Perera launched a counter-offensive, eventually scoring a brilliant half-century. The surface was favourable for batting, allowing Sri Lanka to maintain a decent run rate. These 50-plus partnerships for the third and fourth wickets ensured that the boundaries kept flowing. India made a remarkable comeback to end the innings. Sri Lanka’s middle-ord...

Sri Lanka make history as they win their Asia Cup Title (Credit: @OfficialSLC) There was a stat that flashed on the screen – Chamari Athapaththu had scored almost 50 per cent of Sri Lanka’s runs in the just-concluded Asia Cup. The Sri Lankan stalwart continued to be her team’s fulcrum  (43-ball 61) as Sri Lanka created history by sealing their maiden Asia Cup triumph with an eight-wicket win over India. The talented Harshitha Samarawickrama also played her part with a 51-ball unbeaten 69. In pursuit of a competitive target of 168, Sri Lanka had started on the wrong note, losing Vishmi Gunaratne in the first over via a run out. Until the 5th over, India seemed to have the ascendancy. It was the sixth over that gave Sri Lanka the required momentum, with Chamari cracking a six and a four off Tanuja Kanwer. Chamari continued to play with freedom, smacking Radha Yadav via long-on. Meanwhile, Harshitha also showcased some improvisation with a reverse-hit off the same bowler. She a...

Boria Majumdar with Jay Shah at the India House in Paris Olympics 2024 (PC: Boria Majumdar/X) Boria Majumdar in Paris It was a pleasant surprise to see Jay Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the opening of the India House here in Paris. World cricket’s most powerful man at the moment, Shah is here for a couple of days and was present at the inauguration to promote cricket for Los Angeles 2028. It was the first time we were meeting after India’s World Cup win and it was natural that the conversation would go to that. After a brief chat about the trophy win and about Suryakumar Yadav taking over the reins of the side, the conversation turned towards the Olympics. “How many medals do you think we can win this time?” asked Shah. It was the usual question to ask, but interestingly, he did not stop there. When I said we should surely have our best games, Shah was quick to add, “At Los Angeles in 2028, cricket will add two medals to our tally. I e...