Cricket now

With the two-Test series against Sri Lanka around the corner, one question stands out for India: How important is it for Kuldeep Yadav to make himself India’s lead spinner? The question becomes even more relevant with Ravindra Jadeja back in the squad and younger options such as Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain around him. Kuldeep has the experience and the skill set, but now he needs to take ownership of the role. Kuldeep has also developed into a more rounded bowler over the years. He entered the Sri Lanka series with 79 Test wickets from 18 matches, while his recent Test numbers underline how effective he can be when given an extended role. He took 12 wickets in India’s two-Test series against the West Indies in October 2025. The Wrist-Spin Advantage: Why He Doesn’t Need the Pitch’s Help A wrist-spinner at his best doesn’t need much assistance from the pitch; he can create pressure and pick up wickets purely through skill, regardless of conditions. That’s wh...

  Image: Debasis Sen Debasis Sen, Colombo India Test captain Shubman Gill missed the second day of the three-day warm-up match against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI at the NCC Grounds in Colombo after being advised to rest by the team’s medical staff. Gill sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger during Thursday’s training session and was rested as a precaution. With India’s first Test against Sri Lanka beginning in Galle on August 15, the visiting team’s management is taking no chances with the captain’s fitness. Instead of batting, Gill spent time on the sidelines on Saturday, closely observing Gurnoor Brar and Manav Suthar during their net session. The India captain interacted with both players and shared technical inputs as they went through throwdowns, and faced Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar and Tanush Kotian. Brar, in particular, strengthened his case for a place in India’s playing XI with an impressive all-round performance in the warm-up game. The seamer retur...

  Images: Debasis Sen Unlike football, where the manager is the real boss of the team, cricket has been and always will be a sport where the captain is the ultimate authority. If there is ever a clash between the captain and the coach, as was the case between Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli a decade ago, it is the captain who eventually prevails. From that standpoint, the Sri Lanka series is a very important one for Shubman Gill. While there is no clash whatsoever between Gautam Gambhir and Gill, the truth is that Gill needs to make the team his own and be his own man. As a batter, he is India’s best red-ball player at the moment. He looks sublime, and the 2025 England series saw Gill coming of age as a Test batter. Sadly for him and for India, he was injured in Kolkata in the game against South Africa and could not play any further part in the series. I still believe that had Gill played the Kolkata Test, India would have won the contest. Rishabh Pant led the team in his absence i...

Shashank Singh  Image :X Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Shashank Singh lets out his frustration and alleges that he was poorly treated by the Chhattisgarh cricket hierarchy. He makes it clear that his allegations aren’t against Prabhtej Singh Bhatia, a senior Chhattisgarh cricket official who currently serves as the BCCI joint-secretary. The player trains his gun on “two other officials” who didn’t treat him well, forcing him to part ways with Chhattisgarh and migrate to Puducherry this season (2026-27) to play domestic cricket. “I won’t name them, but the way they behaved with me, the disrespect, I decided that enough was enough,” Shashank, who is also the Punjab Kings vice-captain in the IPL, told RevSportz. He recalls certain incidents. “Last season, we were playing our Ranji Trophy game against Mumbai at BKC and I hurt my shoulder while fielding,” he said. “It was a bad injury and yet, I batted, scored 33 and we eventually managed to eke out a draw. But after ...

Shubman_Gill (PC: Debasis_Sen) As India prepare for the crucial two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, starting August 15, the margin for error has vanished. Lying fifth in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 standings with a record of four wins and as many losses, India face a daunting mathematical reality. They must win eight out of their remaining nine Tests in the current cycle to guarantee a place in the 2027 WTC final. With Sri Lanka breathing down their neck in sixth place, even a solitary draw or a slip-up on this tour could severely damage India’s hopes of reaching the final.     If India have to revive their flagging Test fortunes, then skipper Shubman Gill must be at heart of it. He must once again deliver a monumental batting performance to steer his side through a pivotal juncture. Gill’s individual output in the current WTC cycle has been nothing short of extraordinary. Across eight Tests, he has amassed 950 runs at a stunning average of 79.16, ...

  Image :Revsportz Mohor Chaudhuri The grand launch of the non-fiction show Bigg Boss Bangla unfolded in style at Taj Bengal, Kolkata. Revsportz was present on the occasion and could very well feel the excitement and anticipation surrounding a show that promises to blend high-voltage drama with twists and turns. More so, because this edition carries added intrigue with Sourav Ganguly taking over as the host. The evening was witness to a conversation between the press and the ‘Prince of Calcutta’, with several sporting analogies being drawn to describe the new show and its proceedings. In the media interaction, Ganguly spoke candidly about the chaos that defines the Bigg Boss House, drawing parallels with the unpredictability of a cricket dressing room. He emphasised how handling strong personalities, navigating conflicts, and handling a group through crisis moments are all part of leadership—something he is accustomed to right from his cricket leadership days. In...