Posts

Tilak Learns to Tame Spin, Builds a Case for Test Debut

Image
Tilak Varma. (PC: BCCI Domestic/X) In 2022, Mumbai Indians (MI) were having a season to forget. Defeat followed defeat, and the five-time champions found themselves at the bottom of the IPL table. Yet, somewhere amid the wreckage, a young left-hand batter quietly announced himself. Tilak Varma did not seem intimidated by the chaos. At just 19, he kept batting as if the pressure was never on him. By the end of the season, he had scored 397 runs, finishing second only to Ishan Kishan among MI’s run-scorers. Four years on, the setting has changed from the IPL to the Duleep Trophy, but the script feels remarkably familiar. South Zone found themselves in trouble in the 2026 final after East Zone piled up 708 at Chepauk. Just as Mumbai had struggled around him in 2022, wickets continued to fall around Tilak as South’s innings unravelled. The numbers have followed the same pattern, too. Tilak currently sits second on the Duleep Trophy’s run charts, with Kishan once again the only batter a...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Asian Games is not the Asia Cup

Image
India vs Japan match card (BCCI) With 10 days to go for the Asian Games, there is plenty of talk in the media. Can India win 100 medals? That is the question being asked. We also saw a gala send-off in Delhi the day before yesterday. The media turned up in numbers and the mood is upbeat. I am told that more than 100 media personnel from India have been accredited for the Asian Games. I don’t know how many will eventually make the trip, but suffice it to say the number will be many times greater than in Glasgow, where only a handful of Indian media were present to document the exploits of our athletes. But the Asian Games also brings plenty of challenges. With 100 medals expected over 16 days, there will be multiple medal-winning performances on any given day. Add cricket to the mix and the issue becomes even more complicated. Will the travelling media be asked to cover cricket on a regular basis, or will they be allowed to document multi-sport stories as directed by their edit...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tilak Varma Sets Sights on Afghanistan Series After Duleep Trophy Disappointment

Image
Tilak addressing the media at CoE. (PC: Bharath Ramaraj) India’s T20I vice-captain Tilak Varma is aiming to win the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan after failing to lead South Zone to glory in the ongoing Duleep Trophy final against East Zone. East Zone’s commanding 584-run lead has put them firmly in control and left South Zone with little chance of staging a comeback on the final day. With the result almost beyond doubt, South Zone captain Tilak can now look to move on from the disappointment and turn his attention towards the upcoming international assignment. “Yeah, the (personal) form has been really good. But at the same point, it’s a different format (against Afghanistan). So, I should change my gears again. I’m pretty confident about it,” Tilak said, as quoted by PTI, after the fourth day of the Duleep Trophy final. “My goal now is to win the Afghanistan series. So I’ll be going with the same confidence, and let’s...
Post a Comment
Read more

“He’s Got So Many Options in His Head” – Shahrukh Khan on Shubman Gill’s Captaincy

Image
Shahrukh Khan (PC: Shahrukh Khan) Shahrukh Khan has established himself as one of the most consistent figures in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), and his leadership record speaks for itself – he has guided his side to three championships and helped them qualify for the playoffs on six occasions. In an exclusive conversation with RevSportz, Shahrukh reflected on his long association with the TNPL and the role the tournament has played in shaping his career. He also opened up about how captaincy has influenced his batting, the responsibility of nurturing young players, and the culture that has helped several of his teammates progress to the IPL. The Gujarat Titans (GT) star also spoke about the difference between batting in the TNPL and the IPL, the environment within the Titans’ team set-up, and his experience of working under Shubman Gill. Q: How much has the TNPL changed the landscape for players from the state? Shahrukh: We were all in our teens when we started playing. The...
Post a Comment
Read more

Eden Gardens to host grand Mahalaya event in presence of PM Modi

Image
Eden Gardens, PC- X In a first in its history, the iconic Eden Gardens will be taken over by the West Bengal government from September 25 to October 15 for preparations for a special event marking the beginning of Durga Puja. The grand programme is scheduled to be held on Mahalaya, October 10, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Monday that a special four-hour programme will be organised at the venue on the morning of Mahalaya. The event will mark the beginning of the Durga Puja festivities and will feature a mix of cultural performances and cutting-edge visual spectacles. The programme will include live cultural performances, a spectacular drone show, fireworks, elaborate lighting and visual effects. Thousands of drones are expected to take part in a coordinated aerial display over the stadium, adding a major visual attraction to the celebrations. Noted Bollywood playback singer Shreya Ghoshal will also perform l...
Post a Comment
Read more

Harmanpreet or Smriti: Who should lead India to LA28?

Image
Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana (PC: BCCI Women) At the end of the T20 World Cup in England, much was said about why India should look at Smriti Mandhana as captain going into LA28. Harmanpreet Kaur has done the job for a decade, and India’s performances in the last two editions of the tournament have been below par. While India won the 50-over World Cup under Harmanpreet in 2025, the T20 performances have not been up to the mark. An infusion of fresh ideas seemed the logical way forward, particularly with the Olympics just two years away. Does Harmanpreet inspire confidence in the T20 format as captain to guide India to an Olympic medal? That is the question that needs to be asked. Thereafter, India won the Lord’s Test under Harmanpreet and, as is always the case, the issue was swept under the carpet. A Test-match win became the mask for the T20 World Cup failure, and once again formats were mixed up by fans back home. Now, with India doing well in the Asia Cup – a below-par...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bangladesh seal semi-final spot, set up India clash

Image
(PC: ACC) Bangladesh booked their place in the Women’s Asia Cup semi-finals with a 34-run win over UAE on Tuesday. Asked to bat first, Bangladesh lost wickets regularly but managed to post 103/7 in their 20 overs. Sharmin Akhter top-scored with a valuable 38 off 31 balls, hitting three fours. Captain Nigar Sultana made 23 off 28, while Juairiya Ferdous contributed 16 off 20. Nahida Akter remained unbeaten on 16 off 26 as Bangladesh finished with a competitive total. UAE’s chase never really gathered momentum as Bangladesh continued to pick up wickets at regular intervals. Heena Hotchandani top-scored for UAE with 18 off 19 balls while Theertha Satish made 11 and Samaira Dharnidharka scored eight. Rinitha Rajith made five, and Janani Thirukkumaran added six. Rabeya Khan was the standout bowler for Bangladesh, finishing with 3/14 from her four overs. Marufa Akter took 2/9, Nahida claimed 2/18, while Sultana Khatun and Fahima Khatun picked up one wicket each. UAE finished on 69/9. ...
Post a Comment
Read more