Cricket Blogs

With every regime a new challenge will crop up and I hope I can keep renewing my love for covering the BCCI every-time.

Some of the the ICC's rules are open to debate and in urgent need of revision or change.

While Steve Smith has rightly been castigated for his action, at least he came forward and owned up.

Rajasthan Royals secured England all-rounder Ben Stokes for an eye-popping Rs 12.5 crore, two crore down from the price he fetched in 2017 season by Rising Pune Supergiant.

Justice Lodha, as long as he was addressing legal issues - corruption, cronyism and conflict of interest - was on the right track. But the switch from surgeon to system disruptor has destroyed the two nurseries of Indian cricket and replaced them with passive vote banks

India have not had an umpire in the ICC Elite Panel in over 11 years. Even several national cricketers have low opinion of the umpiring standards at home. "It's a tough job, respect them" says Simon Taufel. "Would love to see Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid donning white coats."

In England, merit is not the only criteria to decide who plays or doesn't. In West Indies it is no different. In South Africa, it seems, a quota decides who plays and who doesn't. The deprived are the fans. The unaffected is the cricket administration. The frustrated are the cricketers.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni caught an entire nation off-guard when he announced his Test retirement in the middle of the Test series against Australia last month.

Years ago Sourav Ganguly spent time with Greg Chappell in Australia (when they were still on talking terms) and immediately scored a hundred in Brisbane on a lively pitch. Recently, top Indian cricketers have started working with their own coaches and the most well known case is that of Pravin Amre.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni made his One-Day International debut for India ten years ago on 23rd December 2004.

Rory McIlroy, I found out,is a keen cricket follower, he was not only well informed about Tendulkar's exploits but even knew Rohit Sharma recently smashed 264 in a 50-over game. Among English cricketers he admires Kevin Pietersen for his flair and flamboyance, for his wonderful stroke-making and ability to win matches .

Perform or perish is an often-chanted mantra by sports fans all over the world. To them, victory means everything. And yet, when non-performing seniors were dropped from the World Cup probable squad, cries of despair reverberated.

Chris Gayle has 15 centuries and 34 half-centuries at an average of 42.01 in 99 Tests. He also has the distinction of being one of only four batsmen -- Don Bradman, Brian Lara and Virender Sehwag -- to make two scores in excess of 300 in Tests.

Son, did you know, no Indian had ever scored a triple century before your father reached that milestone in 2004? In fact, no Indian has still managed to score a triple ton while your dad has two. Allow me to take you back in time, to when, the IPL wasn't born and neither had the idea to have Aryavir been born inside your parents' heads.

Even as the Supreme Court probes allegations of match-fixing and betting in the Indian Premier League, revelations by Kiwi star Brendon McCullum indicate how money has the power to corrupt the gentleman's game.

It's nice to have a charismatic man lead your team. But charisma is an individual thing as Delhi Daredevils found out. Kevin Pietersen hardly led from the front.

While a majority of the eight teams have struggled to find their perfect opening combination in the Indian Premier League 2014, Chennai's Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum have done consistently well to put their side on course for yet another successful campaign.

In a tournament that allows franchises to go for a complete overhaul every three years, barring four or five players who are retained, can team loyalty ever come to roost?