Pradeep Magazine

Captain MS Dhoni: An unconventional mind with a magnanimous heart

It all began in 2007 when the seniors of the team had decided to keep away from T20, the mini version of the game, which was yet to be taken as a serious threat to its longer version. A dynamic young unconventional explorer of the game, MS Dhoni, was handed over the reins of Indian cricket team for the inaugural ICC World T20 and the rest is history.

Virender Sehwag has a new career on social media: Entertainer with a cause

Virendra Sehwag is social media’s new funny man. Here’s how his earthy charm and pointed jibes have earned him a brand new set of fans!

Anurag Thakur’s sack a warning for all; no lover of Indian cricket will be sad

Good governance means putting in place systems that don’t rely on individuals and their coterie to run amok and do what they like. Anurag Thakur’s axe as BCCI president will send a strong message to other sports administrators crazy for power

Virat Kohli vs Joe Root: Nothing official about it, so why this silly debate?

The team chosen for the year 2016 by the ICC is by no means the final World XI and can be disputed without expressing outrage of the kind TV channels would like to incite to gain TRP ratings. This just goes to show how touchy we as a nation can be when it comes to judging who the best player/best team is, especially when India is in contention

BCCI’s defiance, Supreme Court’s reluctance could lead to chaotic situation

What should worry the followers of the game is that the BCCI, even after the appointment of administrators, is likely to create all sorts of problems and continue to defy the Supreme Court order on execution of the Lodha panel reforms

India vs England: No doctored wickets; series win augurs well for Kohli’s team

Alastair Cook’s England team will be the first to admit they were beaten fair and square by a Virat Kohli’s young team which was far superior to them and had better spinners and batsmen for the conditions on offer.

Jayant Yadav makes a mark, despite spotlight on Virat Kohli

In an age where players announce their arrival in a flash while excelling in the IPL and getting noticed while bowling four overs or hitting a few sixes, Jayant Yadav is a throwback to an earlier era.

Virat Kohli has the final say, makes debate on pitch redundant in Wankhede Test

Watching India bat on Friday and in the first session of the third day on Saturday, it did appear that the spin we had seen from the Indians had more to do with the superior quality of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja than any devil in the wicket. It had also something to do with the superior footwork of the centurion Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara and when wickets were falling, with Virat Kohli’s tremendous ability to negotiate the turning ball.

Spin test for England as well as Virat Kohli and his men in Mumbai

The Wankhede wicket for the fourth India vs England Test was turning sharply and bouncing as well on Day 2. The conditions were such that you would have expected Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to run through the England side. However, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid can be a perfect combination on tracks like these.

Ravichandran Ashwin leads India’s fightback after Keaton Jennings’ maiden ton

Ravichandran Ashwin was the star on Day 1 of the Mumbai Test as England squandered a solid platform that was set up by Keaton Jennings’ century on debut.

Despite Vizag defeat, don’t write off England just yet

Though India beat England in Vizag to take a 1-0 lead, there are enough pointers from the two Tests played so far that this five-match series is far from over.

India vs England: Virat Kohli’s focus is like a monk who meditates on his breath

Virat Kohli, unlike many other batsmen, has such a voracious appetite for runs, that it does not matter which format he is playing in. The second innings essay in the first Test against the England cricket team at Rajkot was by any yardstick a phenomenal exhibition of a batsman at the top of his craft.

Vizag Test: Virat Kohli and India need to work on how to use DRS, not waste it

It was after a long gap and much persuasion that India finally said yes to the DRS, in the ongoing India vs England series. One of the reasons, apart from the technology having improved over the years, was the realization that the DRS does more good than harm and eliminates the howlers that umpires do tend to commit once in a while.

India vs England: Alastair Cook’s dismissal opened floodgates for India

Though Ravichandran Ashwin did the trick for Team India, the most striking blow was struck by Mohammad Shami when he dismissed Alastair Cook with a stunning delivery.

From toss to Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara show: All’s right for India in Vizag

On a wicket, which we are told will turn and turn as the match progresses, winning the toss was of vital significance. Virat Kohli won that crucial first round without a ball being bowled. Kohli (151 nout out) then combined with Cheteshwar Pujara (119) to put India in a commanding position after Day 1’s play in Visakhapatnam

BCCI defiance on Lodha reforms making Supreme Court appear a helpless spectator

What we are witnessing is something unprecedented: a sports body, run under the registrar of societies act, like thousands in the country, telling the chief justice of the Supreme Court that though I respect your authority and the right to pass a judgment, I am sorry, I can’t implement your order.

For Test cricket’s sake, it’s time to break the home-advantage cycle

England’s swift surrender on an excruciatingly slow but viciously spinning track against Bangladesh, holds promise of an Indian dominance against them in the Test series that begins this month.

Travel, food woes, bad hosts: Ranji neutral venues create more complications

The massive exercise of playing at neutral venues, which could be a logistical nightmare, it seems, has not been properly thought-out and executed.

Time for ‘Captain Cool’ Dhoni to hand over the baton to Virat Kohli

There can be no greater acceptance and adulation of a person than when people start wearing his masks and actors impersonate him on cinema screens.

Better late than never: India warms up to the Decision Referral System

The Indian cricket establishment, it seems, has finally woken up to the need of accepting the Umpire Decision Referral System (DRS).

In celebrating India’s series win, spare a thought for Cheteshwar Pujara

In India’s frenetic scramble for some quick runs, Pujara scored a 148-ball hundred at a strike rate of 68. Not bad by any yardstick and at no stage of the innings did it appear that he was not playing in the “interest” of the team.

Even if judicial overreach, Lodha reforms welcome

Even if BCCI feels it is judicial overreach, Lodha report welcome

BCCI’s unprecedented defiance of the Supreme Court order seems to be a clever ploy to project itself as a victim of judicial overreach.

Ashwin’s routine act and the certainty of a victory sum up Day 3 for India

Right from the moment India built a huge first innings score, a defeat seemed imminent for the New Zealanders.

Indore Test: Ice-cool Rahane matches fiery Kohli as India march ahead of NZ

If Kohli lets his aggressive attitude reflect in the expansive strokes he plays, Rahane, though no less rounded a batsman, appears limited in comparison, though he is not shy of flirting with risks for the sake of his team.

India vs NZ: Virat Kohli greets full house in Indore with majestic century

The crowd, as the day wore on, got to see what most cricket fans have raved about all over the world. And that is Virat Kohli at his flowing best.

Fair is foul and foul is fair: The BCCI mantra to save itself

Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev have been put in the forefront to defend the Board’s stand on the few recommendations they don’t want to implement.

Board being hypocritical in this home-away game

‘Home-and-away’ strategy towards pitches reveals BCCI’s hypocrisy

India’s overdrive in making wickets that blatantly favour their spinners was on display in the Test series against South Africa at home.

India do the expected against the Kiwis at Eden Gardens to become top Test side

Since India are playing 11 more Test matches at home, they are now in a position to cement their place at the top and stay there for some time.