Sledging Room

Yes, the Sledging Room is back. As expected, we have asked a few tough questions as early as the first episode of Season 2. India lifted a T20I trophy after missing out on the World Cup. Yes, the scheduling of the series is questionable, but nothing can take away the efforts of the young Indian team, led by an impressive debutant captain Suryakumar Yadav. India will next embark on a major tour of...

India's journey through the ICC World Cup 2023 was a remarkable tale of skill, determination, and ultimately, heartbreak. The Men in Blue, led by the dynamic Rohit Sharma, embarked on a campaign that promised to end their ICC trophy drought. With every match, the Indian team built momentum, showcasing a brand of cricket that was both aggressive and captivating. Rohit Sharma, the captain, was at th...

India is set to face off against Australia in what promises to be a riveting contest in Ahmedabad. India are gunning revenge for the 2003 heartbreak as it seems the tables have turned with India looking invincible like how Ricky Ponting's side was 20 years ago. India's journey to the final has been nothing short of formidable. With an unbeaten streak that includes a sensational victory over New Ze...

India have the opportunity to play New Zealand in another World Cup semifinal. Four years after the heartbreak of 2019, India will take on the Black Caps, this time at the Wankhede Stadium for a place in the final of the 2023 World Cup. India have been the best team of the tournament by a mile. Unbeaten in the league stage, Rohit Sharma's men have been in sublime form. New Zealand, who played and...

India are set to face New Zealand in the semifinal of the 2023 World Cup with Pakistan facing an improbable task against England in their final fixture of the tournament. In 2019, New Zealand had defeated India in a thriller which was truncated by rain. MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja were involved in a sensational partnership but Dhoni's run-out meant curtains for India in their run-chase. New Zeala...

The Cricket World Cup 2023 is entering the business end of the league stage and there have been some sensational matches. For those who questioned the absence of close matches, the World Cup is serving some thrillers and magical moments over the last few days. On November 7, 2023, the cricket world witnessed an extraordinary spectacle in Mumbai during a World Cup match between Australia a...

India have become the first side to storm into the semi-finals of World Cup 2023 with a record-breaking 302-run win over Sri Lanka. With seven successive wins, India have been in a league of their own, and with just two more league matches to play, it is starting to feel like a dream.   India are not short of match-winners with the likes of Mohammed Shami, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohl...

India have looked a cut above the rest so far in World Cup 2023. With 6 wins in as many matches, India are 2 points away from sealing a semi-finals berth. The synergy between the batsmen and bowlers has been the cornerstone of India's success in the World Cup 2023. With their current form, the Indian cricket team is a strong contender for the championship, and fans are eagerly awaiting the end of...

What is going wrong with England? The defending champions have looked a shadow of their former self in the World Cup in India. Having lost 4 out of their first 5 matches, England have been rocked. They look a bit clueless with captain Jos Buttler not exuding the confidence and the charisma that Eoin Morgan did. This string of defeats marked the worst start for any defending champion since the...

Pakistan have lost three successive matches to India, Australia and Afghanistan in the ongoing 2023 World Cup and their semifinal hopes are as good as over. Pakistan have only themselves to blame for their timid performances so far in the tournament. Have Pakistan lost focus? Instead on focusing on making a strong cricket team, Pakistan Cricket Board has continued to do petty politics. Some of Pak...

Former captain Virat Kohli made headlines in India’s dominant World Cup 2023 win over Bangladesh in Pune by scoring his 48th ODI century. However, the manner in which he achieved this milestone sparked a wave of criticism from fans and cricket enthusiasts alike. Kohli's decision to deny singles as he neared his century was seen by some as a selfish move on social media. KL Rahul, who was batting a...

The World Cup has livened up in India. After India's dominant win over Pakistan in Ahmedabad, Afghanistan lit up Delhi by stunning England, the defending champions. India made it 8-0 against Pakistan in World Cups, highlighting the widening gulf in class between the two sides. Ahmedabad put on a splendid show with a packed house of 1,30,000 people but Pakistan failed to live up to expectations, fa...

India have made it 2 in 2 in the World Cup 2023, much like their arch-rivals Pakistan. The two teams could not have asked for better start to their campaigns before the marquee India vs Pakistan match, scheduled for October 14 in Ahmedabad. India laid down an early marker with a convincing win over Australia in Chennai but they showcased their ruthless side against Afghanistan in Delhi on October...

India marked a triumphant victory over Australia in their inaugural match held in Chennai. The match was a testament to the resilience and strategic prowess of the Indian cricket team, particularly highlighting the significant contributions of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. The match began on a shaky note for India, with the team losing its first three wickets for a mere two runs while chasing a target...

India will start their World Cup campaign against Australia in Chennai on October 8. Australia are 5-time world champions and are one of the favourites in the tournament but they will be up against hosts India, who have ticked every box so far. R Ashwin was a late addition to the Indian squad after an injury to Axar Patel. India now have a formidable spin attack with Ashwin set to go into battle a...

As the 2023 Cricket World Cup is set to get underway, India emerge as a formidable force and a favorite to clinch the title. The tournament, scheduled from October 5 to November 19, will be hosted across ten stadiums in India, with the final match set to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This marks a significant event for India, as they, under Rohit Sharma, seek to end a decade...

India made a significant eleventh-hour change to its squad for the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023 squad. Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was named as a replacement for the injured all-rounder Axar Patel. Ashwin, who is undoubtedly one of the greatest off-spinners, brings a wealth of experience to the team. With 155 wickets from 115 one-day internationals, his inclusion adds variety to Ind...

What was it like preparing Sachin Tendulkar for a press conference? How was it dining with some of cricket's all-time greats? How was it like managing the Indian cricket team on some of the most historic tours in the game? On this special episode of the Sledging Room, get up, close and personal with Amrit Mathur, a well-respected sports journalist who also served as manager of the Indian cricket t...

India has eased concerns over their World Cup preparation with solid performances in the Asia Cup, which finished with a resounding win over Sri Lanka in the final. Mohammed Siraj picked 6 for 21, the fourth-best figure by an Indian bowler, to bowl Sri Lanka out for only 50. Shubman Gill finished as the leading run-scorer in the tournament, while Rohit Sharma stood out with three successive half-c...

There was a bit of criticism for the Asian Cricket Council's decision to deploy a Reserve Day for India's Super 4 match of the 2023 Asia Cup against Pakistan. But that furore was uncalled for. Thank goodness there was an extra day. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) faced significant backlash over its decision to schedule a reserve day for the Super Fours match between India and Pakistan in the Asia...

India named their 15-man provisional squad for the 2023 Cricket World Cup and there were no real surprises. KL Rahul, who has not played international cricket since March, made it to the side. Prasidh Krishna and Tilak Varma were named in the Asia Cup squad but they were not included in the World Cup line-up. Sanju Samson, named as a travelling stand-by for the Asia Cup, was also snubbed for the W...

KL Rahul was named in India's Asia Cup squad even as chief selector Ajit Agarkar conceded the batsman had suffered another niggle. A day before India left for Sri Lanka for the continental tournament, coach Rahul Dravid confirmed KL Rahul would not play the first two matches against Pakistan and Nepal. This brings us back to a question we asked last week on the Sledging Room: should KL Rahul have...

India named their squad for the Asia Cup and not surprisingly, a few players made comebacks. KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna were called back after they spent time away from the team recovering from long-time injury issues. However, KL Rahul now has a fresh niggle. Forget this niggle, on what basis has he made it back into the Indian team? What is his recent run of sc...

In August 2023, the Indian cricket team faced a disappointing defeat in the T20I series against the West Indies. Despite a valiant comeback in the third and fourth T20Is, the team led by Hardik Pandya was outclassed in the decisive fifth match, resulting in a 3-2 series loss. The defeat was particularly bitter as no team has ever successfully come back from a 0-2 deficit in a T20I series, and Indi...

As the ODI World Cup looms, India's cricket team has been grappling with a muddled and confusing build-up. The team's preparation has been marked by a lack of clarity over the first-choice playing XI, with the crucial No. 4 spot and other positions in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. This uncertainty has been exacerbated by the team management's decision to rest stalwarts Rohit Sharma and...