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T Dilip as Indian Men’s Fielding Coach (PC: BCCI) T Dilip’s tenure with the Indian team saw fielding gain a renewed sense of importance, with his famous fielding medal becoming one of the most recognisable features of the dressing room. In an exclusive conversation with Boria Majumdar, the former India fielding coach opens up on how the medal came about, and the support he received from Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid in executing the idea. He also offers insights into Virat Kohli’s approach to fielding, stressing that what can appear to be natural athleticism is backed by immense discipline and hours of work behind the scenes. Boria: You were able to give fielding an important celebration, that perhaps is a legacy of yours. Can you comment on that? T Dilip: I am not sure if it is a legacy but being able to provide fielding the recognition that perhaps it did not have before gives me immense satisfaction. Apart from catches and run-outs, the 1% of factors like intensity, energ...

Team India in Galle. Image: Debasis Sen Vaibhav Tripathi, Galle A stone’s throw from the Galle International Cricket Stadium stands the Galle Fort, a landmark where Sri Lanka’s flag is almost always part of the scenery. But as the first Test slipped into its final moments, another flag took centre stage. High above the ground, the Indian tricolour was raised as India completed a memorable victory. A 165-run win gave India the opening Test and, in the process, another reason to celebrate in Galle. The players stood together on the field, the tricolour flying above them, creating an image that will linger long after the scorecard is forgotten. Then came the rain. Only moments after India had sealed victory, the showers arrived. Had they arrived a few minutes earlier, they might have forced India to wait for the result of their 600th Test. They could not, however, alter the outcome. For a young Indian side, most of whom were playing a Test in Sri Lanka for the first time, it was an...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...