81 All Out - A Cricket Podcast

A big moment for us at 81allout as we have an international cricketer on our podcast for the first time. Vijay Bharadwaj played 3 Tests and 10 ODIs for India in the turn of the millennium. His high-point was during the LG Cup in Nairobi in 1999-2000 where he was named the Man of the Series for his all-round performances. He was a giant for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy and played a vital role in t...

In this special episode, we chat with veteran sports writer Sharda Ugra. From interviewing star cricketers as a college student... to blazing a trail as a sports journalist in the early '90s... to writing on a variety of sports for The Hindu... to being the chief sports writer at India Today... to presently working as a senior editor at ESPNcricinfo... Sharda has been an inspiration for a number o...

We are happy to kickstart a new series: street cricket chronicles. Here we hope to bring out the cricket culture in different cities at the most amateur levels: whether it is on the streets, in the gullies and driveways and terraces, on beaches, or in the parks. In this episode we chat with two guests who grew up in Delhi in the 1990s. Talking points: Tip-top and connections Breaking windows, dama...

In this special episode, we chat with veteran cricket journalist and author Makarand Waingankar. Over the last five decades, Makarand has been witness to the changing tides in Indian cricket. He has written extensively about the game – from the  maidans as well as the giant stadiums – and carries with him stories and anecdotes to last several lifetimes.  Apart from his work as a journali...

The cricketing memory is a strange beast. Sometimes you recall exactly where you were and what you were doing when you watched a cricket match 33 years ago. Words from the next day's match report are stuck in your head. The photographs are etched in your memory. They transport you to a time and place far, far away. Then you try and recall a game that took place ten days back. You watched every bal...

We review New Zealand's 2-0 series win against India in the recently concluded series. Talking Points: How NZ winning Tests within three or four days is bad financial news for their board. Were the pitches too green or green enough? When extra pace perhaps worked against India's fast bowlers. The swing masters - Boult and Southee The dangers of Pujara's natural game in specific conditions Pant's i...

In this special episode, we chat with the deputy editor at The Hindu, Vijay Lokapally. In his career spanning close to four decades, Vijay has had a ringside view of Indian cricket and written about the team and its performances from around the world. Long-time readers of The Hindu and Sportstar would have many fond memories from Vijay's reports and tour diaries, which he infuses with keen insight...

We preview the upcoming 2-Test series between New Zealand – who have been formidable at home of late – and India – the No.1 team in Tests. Talking Points Is India v New Zealand a rivalry that needs more hype? New Zealand's horror tour to Australia Wagner the warrior The trend of fielding first in Tests in New Zealand India's happy headaches with regard to selection of openers Should we read anythi...

In this podcast, we look back at India's tour of New Zealand in 1998-99. India had pulled off a thrilling Test series win at home against Australia earlier in the year, followed by some memorable wins in ODI tournaments, before the disheartening loss in the one-off Test in Zimbabwe in the lead up to the NZ series. Talking Points: Simon Doull's spell from hell. Azhar's brilliant back to the walls c...

Being a Tamil Nadu fan in the Ranji Trophy is not a journey for the faint-hearted. We talk to two ardent followers of Tamil Nadu's fortunes and chart their journey through the losses, moments of ecstacy, and eternal hope. We talk about the classic TN heartbreaks over the years, favourite games, the vibrant league cricket in Chennai, the struggles of early TN cricketers, the recent success stories,...

We talk to Michael Wagener about New Zealand's impressive Test results over the last 3 years and get a rundown of their strengths & weaknesses ahead of their series against Australia. Talking points: The pitches used for the England series Is Tom Latham a bully? The unYoutubable B J Watling How Colin de Grandhommme found himself alongside the legendary Aubrey Faulkner And the most fascinating...

We are living in a golden age of Indian fast bowling.  Pitches, conditions, match situation - nothing seems to matter. India's bowling attack is ruthlessly targeting the opposition, and summoning magic deliveries at will. What better time to talk about our favorite quick bowling performances in Indian conditions - from Malcolm Marshall's devastating spell in Kanpur in 1983-84 to Javagal Srina...

Between 1947 and 1971, only one Pakistani cricketer from the east of the country was picked in the Test team. Then Bangladesh was born, and there were far more important matters to attend to than worrying about cricket. But the passion survived in pockets and slowly, through schools and club cricket, the game made its way into the public consciousness. By the early 1990s, several foreign stars wer...

We preview the upcoming 2-Test series between India and Bangladesh – which will include the first ever day-night Test to be held in India. Talking Points: Bangladesh's tumultuous lead-up to the series The Shakib Al Hasan shocker Why would Bangladesh's greatest-ever cricket overlook something so fundamental? How public sentiment fluctuated over the hectic few days between the players' strike and Sh...

It was a year when everything came together... until it fell spectacularly apart. There was something magical about Pakistan in 1999... till they time they crumbled. For a generation of Pakistan fans, the year 1999 meant much. Shoaib Akhtar emerged as a force of nature. Shahid Afridi provided a glimpse of his otherworldly powers. Wasim Akram was poised to turn into leader of the stature of Imran K...

We review India's dominating win over South Africa in the recently concluded home series. Talking Points: The superlative performance of the Indian fast bowlers South Africa's inability to retain control while bowling, and the fierce test their batsmen failed to pass Rohit Sharma's stellar start as a Test opener The inspired decision to opt for the specialist wicketkeeper A bold call on Mayank Aga...

We are thrilled to bring you the 50th episode of the 81allout podcast. Our special guest for the occasion is Clayton Murzello, group sports editor of Mid-Day in Mumbai. We chat with Clayton about his journey - from running a bookstore, managing a cricket club, and covering local sports... before turning into one of the most recognized names in the field of cricket journalism. Talking Points: The c...

We preview the upcoming 3-Test series between India and South Africa – where points count for the World Test Championship. Talking Points: A rivalry that often goes under the radar South Africa's historically impressive record in Asia An inexperienced batting line-up coming up against the world's best side A chance for Markram, Bavuma and de Kock to step it up The Rabada threat The prospect of Mah...

In the latest 81allout podcast we look back at South Africa’s tour of India in 1996-97. India continued their winning run at home, pulling off a close win at Ahmedabad. South Africa came back with a dominating win in Calcutta. And India rounded off the series with a resounding victory in Kanpur. We talk about the all-too-familiar orientalist attitudes of visiting teams of that era, the revolving-d...

In our latest episode we chat with ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent – and one of the finest cricket writers in the world – Andrew Fidel Fernando. Highlights: A brief review of the recent Sri Lanka v New Zealand Test series Three great Test innings in the last five years - by two Kusals and one Dinesh A streak of 26 straight Tests that have yielded results in Sri Lanka The soundtrack of Test...

In our latest episode we are pleased to put out a random podcast on random cricketing memories. Highlights: When Gavaskar and Dravid sported moustaches When Nayan Mongia wore a yellow helmet When Phil Tufnell went after Richard Blakey When Tim Zoehrer showed his backside When Tony Greig and Harsha Bhogle used Pythogoras Theorem to explain cricketing matters When the sun stopped play in Chennai Etc...

We review India's thumping win against West Indies in the recently concluded two-Test series. Talking Points: Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari bolstering the Indian middle order. India's superlative bowling performance in the two Tests Shannon Gabriel's under-par performance Jasprit Bumrah's magic balls The decision to pick Jadeja over Ashwin The marvel that is Kemar Roach Participants: Mahesh Set...

In this episode of the 81allout podcast, we dive headfirst into the banal talking points that dominate our sports related conversations, how they propagate, and the deleterious impact these narratives can have on the popular discourse. We also discuss the need for data transparency and how to use the data into defensible, digestible narratives that truly inform avid viewers of the sport. Is this a...

In the latest episode of the 81allout podcast, we are delighted to be joined by Trinidad-based writer, editor, and historian Vaneisa Baksh. We talk to Vaneisa about her experiences of writing about cricket in the Caribbean, the rampant sexism she had to battle early in her career, her research on the life and career of Sir Frank Worrell, and how West Indies have taken to T20s like a duck to water....

We preview the upcoming Test series on India's tour of West Indies which marks the debut for both teams in the newly conceptualized World Test Championship Talking Points: We meditate on the point and pointlessness of the World Test Championship. Talk (a lot) about the impact of Dukes ball on the dynamics of the series. Discuss India's dilemma of choosing between a 5th bowler and a 6th batsman. Ca...