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Jurel, Not Sarfaraz, Set to Be Team Management’s Choice in Galle

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Dhruv Jurel. Source: BCCI X India’s nets session here at the Galle International Cricket Stadium on Thursday started with a close inspection of the pitch. The ‘usual suspects’ were there — head coach Gautam Gambhir, captain Shubman Gill, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak. As they were having a mid-pitch conference, Dhruv Jurel was called in. The latter had led India A in the unofficial Tests against Sri Lanka A in Galle only about a month and a half ago. His inputs were sought. Later, Jurel had a long batting stint at the nets, and there was enough indication that the team management will stick with him at No. 6 or 7, at least in the first Test, which starts on Saturday. There shouldn’t have been a debate on this. But Sarfaraz Khan’s inclusion as the replacement for the injured Sai Sudharsan has given rise to this middle-order discussion. A middle-order batsman coming in for a No. 3 suggested that the selectors and team management wanted to add to the ...
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AUS vs BAN: Hasan Mahmud’s six-wicket haul gives Bangladesh ascendancy

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Hasan Mahmud (PC: X) Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud delivered a brilliant performance as his six-wicket haul helped his side clean up Australia for 198 runs on the opening day of the Darwin Test on Thursday. Mahmud finished with figures of 6/55 in 17 overs at an economy rate of 3.23. He removed both Australian openers, Jake Weatherald (23) and Travis Head (22), before dismissing captain Pat Cummins (9) and Mitchell Starc (1) after lunch. Mahmud then picked up the key wicket of Steven Smith who was the top scorer with 71 runs to complete his third five-wicket haul in his Test career. He wrapped up the innings by removing Nathan Lyon (7) to complete his six-wicket haul. Mahmud was the standout performer but the rest of Bangladesh’s pace attack also played a major role. Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain claimed two wickets each. In reply to Australia’s score of 198, Bangladesh finished up on 96 for 1 as it turned out to be a great day for a team that hadn’t played Test cricket...
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SL vs IND – “Playing domestic cricket is very important”: Kapil Dev amidst India’s struggles versus spin

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Kapil Dev (PC: X) Former Indian captain Kapil Dev has urged the country’s top players to play more domestic cricket as India continue to struggle against spin in Test cricket. He also believes the growing number of white-ball matches is making it harder for batters to adapt to challenging conditions in the longest format. Speaking at the launch of the inaugural JITO Premier League, Kapil said, “Playing domestic cricket is very important. The reason why Indian team struggles against spin is because the top players don’t play enough domestic cricket. That’s where the BCCI should put its foot down and make everyone play multi-day matches. The other aspect is that the younger generation will get to learn from the top players.” India has been struggling against quality spin in recent years. The team suffered a 3-0 home series loss to New Zealand in 2024 and then South Africa handed them a 2-0 defeat. Kapil believes playing domestic cricket regularly could help Indian batters i...
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Galle Pitch Preparations Hint at What India Could Face in Series Opener

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Pitch at the Galle International Stadium. Image :Subhayan Chakraborty, RevSportz Vaibhav Tripathi, Galle For the first time on the tour, Team India had a rest day on Wednesday. Much like they have been doing since August 8, Sri Lanka practised at the scenic Galle International Stadium. Between the start of their practice session and the announcement of their squad, Gautam Gambhir, dressed casually, made a surprise visit to the stadium. The India head coach wasn’t alone. Accompanying him were batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule. The coaching trio was there to have a look at the pitch, which has become a major talking point. Gambhir was seen taking a closer look at the pitch after removing his glasses. He assessed the pitch with Kotak and then had a conversation with the curator as well, in order to get an idea of the pitch preparations. The main pitch cover was briefly removed for an inspection by the Indian contingent and was immediately put back on...
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India will have to manage Bumrah well for World Cup and Tests: Chaminda Vaas

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  Debasis Sen, Colombo   Legendary Sri Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas was notably absent from the annual awards ceremony organised by Sri Lanka Cricket held in Colombo recently. He is currently not associated with the cricket board in any official capacity. Vaas was part of the Kandy Royals coaching setup during the sixth season of the Lanka Premier League. Widely regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s finest fast bowlers, the 52-year-old claimed 355 wickets in 111 Tests and 400 in 322 ODIs during an illustrious international career. He now spends much of his time at the Colombo Colts Cricket Club, where he also serves as vice-president. The former Sri Lankan pacer took some time out after his gym session at the CCC grounds to speak with Revsportz about the upcoming two match Test series involving India, absence of Jasprit Bumrah, whether there will be reverse swing with Kookaburra ball, Shubman Gill’s importance, the current state of Sri Lankan cricket and more. India are playing a ...
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India take breather in Galle before final two days of preparation

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Image: Debasis Sen Vaibhav Tripathi, Galle The Indian team had just arrived in Galle on Tuesday afternoon, and what followed was a heavy spell of rain. The weather forecast for the three-day match suggested that there would be plenty of rain at the Nondescripts Cricket Club. However, that didn’t happen. Fortunately for Team India, the rain gods favoured them and didn’t spoil their preparations. Now that they are in Galle, and the forecast for the city for the upcoming days, including the match days, isn’t promising. Rain is predicted on all days. The visitors as well as the hosts would be hoping that the weather forecast goes wrong, as for both teams, the two-match Test series is very important. In order to qualify for the WTC final. Neither team can afford a drawn Test match. Keeping aside the weather, the Indian team, after arriving in Galle, was seen relaxing. A much-needed rest. After what was six days of intense grind at the NCC, the players could finally relax, with Tuesday be...
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Three Sports Properties That Could Be India’s Next Big Investment Bets

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Images :X Indian sport is clearly on an upswing. We are playing host to the BWF World Championships, and crores have been spent on upgrading the venue. The Khelo India budget has increased exponentially, from ₹3,000 crore to ₹30,000 crore. Each IPL team is now a billion-dollar enterprise, while Commonwealth Games medal winners are increasingly becoming top earners, with state governments and corporates showering them with rewards. Much of this, however, is reactive. After you win, people take notice and reward you with money. That’s the general norm. Why RCB and RR have become case studies is because they were relatively small investments that have now yielded a 20X upside. From ₹400 crore to ₹18,000 crore is a crazy story. That’s the potential sport has demonstrated. While the IPL is indeed an aberration, sport can surely be a strong investment option. So, what are the three sports properties that I think are growth propositions for the next decade? Which ones can increase in valu...
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