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Scene from India vs Bangladesh, Kanpur (Image: BCCI) The best teams adapt to different situations, and that’s what makes them great. May I say that’s what this Indian team is all about. For the longest time, it was a given that India would go in with three spinners on home soil. The fast bowlers would bowl a few overs, and then the likes of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja would take over. Add Kuldeep Yadav to the mix, and it is a lethal threesome. At home, this was the template. So much so that even the likes of Jasprit Bumrah could be rested. What is also important to state here is that this was a successful template. India haven’t lost a series at home since 2012, and that is a staggering record when you come to think of it. But then, the best change when things are going well. When they know that the change being proposed is voluntary and not forced. Abhinav Bindra, whose birthday we celebrate today, had once said to me, “I was shooting my best in Athens in 2004. But then I realis...

Mominul batted well for his 40* on the opening day of the Kanpur Test. (PC: X.com) In what was a truncated opening day of the second Test, only 35 overs were bowled before play was called off due to bad weather in Kanpur. Despite challenging conditions, with the pitch showing signs of variable bounce on the first day itself, Bangladesh did well to post 107 runs for the loss of three wickets after India opted to bowl first. India, on the other hand, would’ve expected more from their bowlers, given the favourable conditions and the fact that they chose to bowl first, which is usually not the trend in the subcontinent. The start of play in the morning was delayed by an hour due to poor ground conditions. In overcast conditions, with moisture and a tinge of grass, the first hour was always going to be challenging for the batters. Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan did well to see off Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj’s opening spells, but the pressure of not getting off the mark got to Zak...

Bangladeshi Super Fan Tiger Robi, Source: X Around lunch on Day 1 of the first Test between India and Bangladesh here in Kanpur, a video clip on social media raised many an eyebrow. It captured a Bangladeshi fan accusing a section of the local crowd at Green Park of “assaulting” him. He also alleged that his national flag was snatched from him. RevSportz dug deep and got some details. The Bangladeshi fan calls himself Tiger Robi and turns up in the stands as a tiger mascot for Bangladesh matches. Police sources here confirmed that he was taken to the hospital after he complained about being “beaten”. “We will check CCTV footages to find out what happened,” a police officer told RevSportz on condition of anonymity. “As because he complained about suffering blows, we sent him to hospital.” Scratch beneath the surface, and some more details will emerge. A BCCI source called Tiger Robi a sensationalist. It is learnt that the fan takes pleasure in talking ill about India wherever he g...

Shakib Al Hasan (Image: BCB) Shakib Al Hasan is Bangladesh’s greatest ever cricketer. But as he calls it a day, the question is how he will be remembered, Will his politics come in the way, and will he have to live elsewhere with what is going on back home in Bangladesh? Or will the current political dispensation be kind and reasonable enough to give him the farewell he deserves?  Shakib isn’t the most endearing personality. He isn’t Mashtafe Mortaza, for example. He is elite, and a star who was always a cut above the rest. Be it in his 7500 runs in 50-over cricket or his 300 wickets, Shakib was Bangladesh cricket’s answer to greatness for a decade and more. But may be because he was so good, he was undiplomatic as well. From kicking the stumps to getting a batter timed out, Shakib was always a maverick whom cricket learned to love and hate over time.  Shakib Al Hasan wants to have his Test swansong in Mirpur against South Africa. But if the BCB couldn’t ensure his retu...

Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine. Source (ICC X) New Zealand will have their work cut out in this edition of the T20 World Cup, as their form hasn’t exactly been good in the recent past and they will be up against quality teams. There will be tons of expectations on the captain Sophie Devine as the lead player. With Devine likely playing her last World Cup, this New Zealand team has no better opportunity to make it a memorable campaign for themselves and their skipper. Strengths Amelia Kerr The conditions in the UAE will suit Amelia Kerr’s game perfectly, giving her the chance to contribute the most. She was in top form in the recent series against Australia and will hope to carry that momentum into the World Cup. The speeds at which she bowls will work brilliantly and trouble batters from all sides. She is also fantastic with the bat and well-suited for the T20 format, making her one of the most important players in the New Zealand team. Sophie Devine Sophie Devine is the most v...

Shakib Al Hasan caught in the moment. ( Source X) Shamik Chakrabarty in Kanpur The Kanpur Test against India, starting Friday, could be Shakib Al Hasan’s last in the longer format. Not that this is how Bangladesh’s greatest-ever cricketer wants to call time on his Test career. But the current situation in Bangladesh might force his hand. “I am available for the series (against South Africa),” Shakib said at the pre-match presser. “Since there is a situation existing in the country, naturally not everything is dependent on me. I have discussed this with the BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) and have told them about my plans, especially in Test cricket. What I felt is that this series (in India) and the Test series at home against South Africa will be my last.” Back in Bangladesh, Shakib reportedly has been named among 147 individuals accused in a murder case related to the August protests in the country. After the series in Pakistan, while his teammates returned home, the former Ban...

Abhishek Nayar, India’s coaching staff (PC: Shamik Chakrabarty) Shamik Chakrabarty in Kanpur Around 12 noon on Thursday, it started to drizzle in Kanpur. The groundsmen were quick to react, and the entire playing arena went under wraps. The heat was almost unbearable for the last few days. The weather changed today. There’s a forecast of rain for the next two days and the Test match could be affected. Conditions will play a part in both teams picking their respective playing XIs. On the face of it, the black-soil pitch at Green Park calls for playing an extra spinner. From India’s point of view, one of Kuldeep Yadav or Axar Patel should come in, at the expense of a seamer (Mohammed Siraj or Akash Deep). Bangladesh, on the other hand, should consider playing left-arm spinner Taijul Islam in place of Nahid Rana. But if it is overcast on matchday, things can change. Conditions played a big role in India dropping Ravichandran Ashwin and going with an extra pacer in the 2023 World Te...