"In Australia, or in India, wherever I bowl, I want to put 100% effort to bowl." said Mohammed Siraj after the first day of the fourth ENG vs IND test. That's Mohammed Siraj in a nutshell for you. Everything he does is done at 100% intensity. Nothing less. Every single ball, he ferociously sprints to… Continue reading Do things the Mohammed Siraj way
“There is a time for everyone. But now Kuldeep is our frontline number one overseas spinner,” announced Ravi Shastri in February 2019. Really? Kuldeep Yadav, a rookie with just 6 Tests of experience, to be mighty India’s number one overseas spinner? Ahead of a seasoned veteran with 350+ Test wickets and India’s most valuable Test… Continue reading CricTracker: Kuldeep Yadav: The artist gone astray
Dark-red dukes ball, gloomy skies, a pitch with a tinge of green and an awaiting James Anderson: a scene we have seen far too often. And one with an inevitable result: Bamboozled batsmen. Extravagant swing. Tantalising seam. Limitless control. A supernatural display of poetry in motion. The expertise of Anderson in overcast conditions is not… Continue reading An over of genius
Breathtaking. The Godzilla vs Kong trailer was simply breathtaking. I'll admit, I was never really an avid follower of the MonsterVerse franchise but this spectacular trailer has converted me instantly into a fanatic. A movie about a colossal lizard battling a gargantuan gorilla in a no holds barred battle till the death does sound primitive.… Continue reading Ashwin vs Root: one will fall
Sri Lanka, a diminutive island on the coast of South India, is heralded as the "pearl of the Indian ocean". Spectacular wildlife, sparkling splendour and mouth-watering cuisine: it is a commodity like no other, a fragment of literal paradise. Uniqueness is a trait that runs deep into Sri Lankan culture and into their cricket. From… Continue reading The deadly simplicity of Lasith Embuldeniya
Cricket is undergoing a seismic change, an unprecedented shift that will alter the course of the sport. T20, the phenomenal entertainment package, is tailored towards the instant entertainment culture of today. It's mere 120 balls provide a short but giddying capsule of constant euphoria and sheer thrill, ideal for the present audience. It's like eating… Continue reading India’s 5th day rearguard and the timeless beauty of Test cricket
Despite the constant furore that permanently shrouds him, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's innermost personality still remains an inquisitive question mark. From the exterior we witness a man with an unshakeably cool demeanour, a man to which no task is impossible. However, the interior consists of an ordinary being, with an extraordinary talent, who never forgot his… Continue reading Reading with Rahul: The Dhoni touch
International cricket is an relentless spiral of unfathomable highs and lows. One day you are heralded for inevitable glory, the other you are the devil incarnate. It is futile to crave unerring success as the haunting presence of failure will barbarically hunt you down. No recent cricketer has epitomised this as much as Prithvi Shaw.… Continue reading What next for Prithvi Shaw?
Tim Paine has played a mere 32 test matches for Australia. Despite such a brief international career, he has had a tremendous impact on Australian cricket. Appointed skipper in the aftermath of the sandpaper debacle, Tim Paine led the side away from the days of relentless controversy and restored a prosperous team culture. His impeccable… Continue reading Never show the Paine
Here is my latest article for CricTracker.
The Slower Ball 