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Gayan Senanayake: Sri Lankan superfan who shares a special bond with Virat and Rohit

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PC- Debasis Sen There was a familiar face in the stands next to Galle Cricket Club for all five days of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium. With his trademark trumpet and unwavering support for Sri Lankan cricket, Gayan Senanayake stood out among the partisan crowd. The Sri Lankan super fan was with his Indian counterpart Sudhir Gautam as they both cheered their respective teams. Friendship with Virat Kohli Gayan’s friendship with Virat Kohli holds a special place. It began when Kohli visited Sri Lanka with India’s Under-19 team in 2007 for a triangular series ahead of the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. Gayan recalls encouraging a young Kohli and backing his leadership potential, even wishing him success at the World Cup. Years later, when Kohli made his ODI debut in Dambulla during India’s tour of Sri Lanka, the two met again, and Gayan reminded him of his earlier prediction that he would soon make it to the Indian team. Kohli warmly ackn...
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India Eye a Quick Finish, Sri Lanka Need Runs and Rain

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Image :Debasis Sen Vaibhav Tripathi, Galle There is a calmness to the morning that does not quite match the tension waiting on the field. The sky is clear, the sun is shining and, for now, there is no hint of the clouds that have interrupted this Test before. The forecast is encouraging too, suggesting that the final day should have a clear run. It is exactly how you would want the last day of a Test match to begin, with blue skies above, a result within reach and everything to play for. But the Sri Lankan weather can be deceptive. Along the coast, conditions can change without warning. A clear morning can quickly turn grey, and a few clouds can bring with them a deluge. Day 2 saw the worst of it, with five hours of play lost to rain. Sri Lanka’s fans may now be hoping for the skies to have one more surprise in store. Their team certainly needs one. At 84/4, Sri Lanka are 288 runs away from the 372 required for victory, with only six wickets left. India, meanwhile, have the luxury...
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Ravindra Jadeja’s Dogged Fight at Lord’s Last Summer Showed Why India Still Need Him in Galle and Going Forward

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Image :Debasis Sen Boria Majumdar At Lord’s on day five in 2025, India were at one stage reduced to 81-7. Each time something similar has happened in the recent past, the team has folded for a few more runs. My fear was that it would be the same at Lord’s and England would seize all the momentum. Ravindra Jadeja was the lone hope out there for India. In the next hour, we witnessed dour resistance. Both Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy were unwilling to concede without a fight and had started to thwart England. Defending with skill and showing plenty of patience, they managed to stitch together a 30-run stand and take India to 112. Just when it seemed there would be no further casualty before lunch, Reddy edged Woakes to Smith. You had to feel for Jadeja. He had worked incredibly hard to stay out there and get himself in. He had blunted everything that was thrown at him and was now starting to run out of partners. Stokes and Co. were also giving him the verbals, but with Jadeja, such ...
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Wrestling One-Tonne Covers: Saluting the Unsung Heroes of Galle

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Ground staff working tirelessly at the Galle International cricket stadium ( PC- Debasis Sen, RevSportz) The glitz and glamour of international cricket usually belong to the players wielding the willow or sending down thunderbolts. But during the first Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Galle International Cricket Stadium (GICS), the real MVPs weren’t wearing national colours; they were sprinting onto the outfield carrying heavy tarpaulins. With four frustrating rain stoppages disrupting the first three days of play, this Test match could easily have been washed out. Instead, it was saved by the relentless hustle and grit of the GICS groundstaff. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) stands apart in the global game for its visionary approach to weather management – covering the entire field of play. This revolutionary concept actually originated here in Galle before being adapted by other venues around the world. Thanks to this foresight, a wet outfield is rarely an excuse for abandonment in...
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India Lose Four Wickets, but Lead Swells to 294 Runs

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PC- Debasis Sen, RevSportz India went to lunch on Day 4 with a lead of 294 runs. The start was underwhelming — Yashasvi Jaiswal falling to a cut shot against Asitha Fernando and perishing for a duck in the very first over.   Devdutt Padikkal came to the crease and carried forward the confidence of his first-innings hundred. KL Rahul, though, initially got stuck at the other end before using the sweep shot well against the spinners and upping the ante. The opener had survived on review after hitting a six off Prabath Jayasuriya. He had started to walk, but Padikkal called him back and insisted on going for a review. The extra bounce saved Rahul.   The Indian team vice-captain was getting into a rhythm. When in flow, he is easy on the eye, and the way he hit a four through mid-wicket off Jayasuriya, going down on one knee, was gorgeous. A rush of blood followed and Rahul was holed out next ball.   From India’s perspective, acceleration is the need of the hour, and de...
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Phil Simmons: “Bangladesh team wanted to leave a recognition that we are a good Test team who can play good Test cricket”

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Phil Simmons ( PC- X) In an exclusive conversation with RevSportz, Phil Simmons, head coach of the Bangladesh men’s national cricket team, reflected on the team’s historic nine-wicket victory over Australia in the first Test in Darwin. Simmons spoke about the significance of the landmark win, the team’s celebrations and what the result meant to the players, including Mushfiqur Rahim, as well as the entire nation of Bangladesh. He also shared how Bangladesh is planning to approach the final Test against Australia while ensuring the team remains in control of their emotions and grounded after the high of such a memorable victory. Boria: How did you manage to take a Bangladesh team to beat Australia in Australia in red-ball cricket? Simmons: It definitely would be the biggest moment in Bangladesh cricket history, beating Australia in Australia. For any team who’s going there, it’s always a big thing because they are difficult to beat in Australia. But I think over the last year or two,...
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India Have a Fine Line to Walk on Day 4

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  Vaibhav Tripathi, Galle At lunch on the third day, Sri Lanka were staring at the possibility of being bowled out before the final session. The hosts had lost five wickets, with the dismissals of experienced campaigner Dinesh Chandimal, in-form batter Lahiru Udara and skipper Dhananjaya de Silva leaving them in a precarious position. What followed was an impressive fightback. Niroshan Dickwella joined forces with Sonal Dinusha and helped shift the momentum, while Sonal marked the occasion with his maiden international century. Their partnership gave Sri Lanka a much-needed lift when they appeared to be heading towards another collapse. With the pitch offering plenty to the bowlers, especially the spinners, Dickwella and Sonal showed grit and determination to bat out the entire second session and keep India at bay. Safe to say, whatever plans India threw at the left-handed duo, they seemed prepared for every challenge. However, after tea, the Indian team once again got on a r...
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