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Why India Needs a New Captain and a New Mindset After Another T20 World Cup Failure

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  Images: X Trisha Ghosal, London The debate over India’s next women’s captain is no longer just a conversation among fans. It has become one of the biggest questions confronting Indian cricket following another disappointing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign. Two successive group-stage exits, in 2024 and now in 2026, have exposed a pattern that can no longer be dismissed as a one-off. India continue to possess one of the strongest talent pools in women’s cricket, yet the team has repeatedly failed to translate that potential into sustained success on the biggest stage. The issue, therefore, is no longer just about personnel. It is about leadership, planning and mindset. Smriti Mandhana’s recent interview with The Times of India added fresh momentum to the discussion. Asked if she was ready to captain India, her answer was simple: “I am ready.” It was not a public campaign for the role, but a statement of preparedness from someone who has served as Harmanpreet Kaur’s deputy s...
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Sir Garfield Sobers — The greatest is no more and you feel a sense of void

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  Images :X Boria Majumdar, London Sir Garfield Sobers will always be ranked as the greatest cricket player to have played the game. I was fortunate to have met him twice, thanks to Sir Hilary Beckles. The first was during the 2010 Frank Worrell Lecture, which I had the privilege of delivering. Sir Garry was kind enough to grace the occasion and may I say it was an absolute honour to speak to a packed audience, which included the legend. At the end of the lecture, Sir Hilary introduced the two of us and Sir Garry’s words still ring true in my ears, “You have to love the game to live the game. Only then can you do justice to your writing,” he had said. The second time was not a meeting per se. He was there at an event celebrating Brian Lara and we happened to sit on the same table for dinner. Yet again, it was an honour and a privilege. So how good was Sir Garry? One anecdote from the great Sunil Gavaskar should suffice. Commenting on India’s 1971 victory against the West Indie...
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‘Wild speculations,’ says BCCI secretary, ‘Rumours are rumours,’ dittos Rohit’s camp

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Rohit Sharma and Devajit Saikia (PC: X) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially put an end to swirling rumors claiming that Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is on the verge of stepping away or retiring from ODIs. Addressing the reports surrounding the former India captain, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the veteran opener is not treating the upcoming series finale against England at the Lord’s as his farewell game. Additionally, those close to Rohit, speaking to RevSportz on condition of anonymity, labelled the buzz around his retirement as: “Rumours are rumours.” It is evident that the Hitman is in no mood to hang up his boots from international cricket.  In a conversation with RevSportz, Saikia firmly denied the narrative that the 39-year-old will call it quits this Sunday. “There are a lot of speculations going on in the media about Rohit Sharma’s future. I want to firmly assert that there has been no such discuss...
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Opening baton set to pass from Rohit Sharma to Yashasvi Jaiswal

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  Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai Rohit Sharma’s race is run. The third ODI of the ongoing series between England and India at Lord’s on Sunday is, in all likelihood, going to be his last. Whether a formal announcement will come from the former India captain is a matter of conjecture. But the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee has decided to move on. The baton will pass to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is set to become India’s first-choice opener in the 50-over format alongside skipper Shubman Gill. According to sources, the selection committee has communicated its decision to Rohit. Last year, after the Champions Trophy, when India were preparing to tour England for a five-Test series, Rohit wanted to be part of it. According to an insider, the selection committee disagreed, prompting the opener to hang up his red-ball boots. The selectors also wanted to bring Jaiswal into the side at the start of the current ODI cycle, which began in October 2025. Somehow, Rohit survived the chop, but h...
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Lord’s Awaits: Can Rohit Sharma Script One Final Act of Defiance?

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    Image :X Boria Majumdar I have known Rohit Sharma for a good 20 years. In fact, I have covered his entire career. Even during my ban, Rohit and I did not lose touch. While I couldn’t interview him, we stayed in touch and he always had words of support. In that sense, there has always been genuine mutual respect. I needed to make that clear before getting into this deep dive. What I saw of Rohit in Cardiff was disappointing. He faced 46 balls but, apart from the one six off Gus Atkinson, he never really looked in. He got a life when Atkinson dropped a catch and the ball trickled away for four. In fact, the last ten balls of his innings were all dot balls, three of them against Will Jacks. A set, in-form Rohit would never let that happen. You would expect at least a couple of those deliveries to disappear into the stands. Not in Cardiff. He simply wasn’t able to do it despite all the effort. And that was painful to watch. Is Lord’s the last dance? Or can Rohit defy the...
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ENG VS IND: “You Play to Win Games,” says Joe Root after 99* masterclass in Cardiff

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Joe Root with a 99 run masterclass against India ( PC- X) Joe Root once again stood tall as England’s beacon of hope in the second ODI against India, delivering a composed knock when his team needed it the most after a tough start. While Root remained unbeaten at 99, it was a match-winning knock by the veteran as England level the three-T20I series 1-1. “That’s what the game is all about. Getting the job done, is the best thing,” Root, Player of the Match, told the host broadcasters. “That’s not what you play for (centuries), you play to win games. This was a big game. It was difficult to bat, our bowlers did a good job. That gave us the opportunity. We now go to Lord’s with everything to play for. We lost the first game and learnt. They are the number 1 ranked team in the world. I think it’s a different place where we are.” Walking in at a tricky juncture after early setbacks, Root was tasked with holding the innings together on a test...
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IND vs ENG: Sundar Credits Gambhir and Nehra for His Transformation

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Sundar in action at the nets. (PC: BCCI) India all-rounder Washington Sundar credited head coach Gautam Gambhir and Gujarat Titans (GT) head coach Ashish Nehra for his evolution as both a player and a person. Sundar addressed the media after the first ODI of the three-match series against England in Birmingham. The off-spin all-rounder was picked ahead of Kuldeep Yadav, a selection that sparked considerable debate. He justified the decision by scoring an unbeaten half-century to propel his team to victory. “The fact that I play different roles is exciting. Not many people get to play different roles. I get to play those different roles and be in those different situations. Obviously, I try my best to help the team win. As I said, it is exciting to be in different situations and different phases of the game,” Sundar said at the post-match press conference. “Gauti bhai always made me understand what exactly I could do with the bat, especially, and helped me understand...
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