Beyond the Blues

The city v small-town cricketer

A few years ago, when I was still playing for Delhi, I saw a young Delhi batsman struggling against short-pitched deliveries in the nets

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Long way to go for Under-19 stars

August 26, 2012 was a momentous day for Indian cricket - their Under-19 team had lifted the World Cup in Australia, beating the hosts in the final

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Ranji venues asking for improvement

Goa-Mumbai-Jammu looked slightly better on paper than our last arduous travel route starting from Guwahati via Kolkata and Mumbai to reach Goa

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Cricket's quirky rules that defy logic

When GB Shaw said "the golden rule is that there are no golden rules", it made for marvellous lyrics

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Fast bowlers turning extinct in India

So, what's in fashion this cricket season?

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Ranji points system needs an overhaul

The first round of the Ranji Trophy this season kicked off amid much fanfare

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

For the love of the game

Memories of the majestic Armani Hotel in Dubai zip past my mind

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

What's wrong with commercialising cricket?

A journalist from a local news channel in Punjab recently questioned me about the growing commercialisation of Indian cricket

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

A tepid start minus the stars

In many ways this is a unique first-class season in India

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

The cricketer's endless quest for honour

George Bernard Shaw once famously remarked that when he was young, he realised that nine out of ten things he did were failures

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Does being prolific in domestic cricket matter?

Is thriving in domestic cricket, scoring tons, and excelling in the longer format any good, after all

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Is preparing sporting tracks so difficult?

"When you play in the semi-finals of a premier tournament like the Ranji Trophy, you want it to be played on a much better surface, not one that makes it a lottery"

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Implement Ranji format for the shorter versions

The BCCI did well for Indian domestic cricket when they decided to scrap the redundant Ranji format of teams from a particular zone playing among themselves, before the top two could proceed to the knockouts

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

The Duleep Trophy needs a revamp

Fresh from the Ranji games and straight in to the Duleep Trophy, one can't help but marvel at the latter's standard and the quality of cricket on display

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Domestic cricket needs the Kookaburra

It isn't just the level of competition being several notches up that separates Duleep Trophy games from regular domestic cricket

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Central's resources trump East's resolve

We, Central Zone, had the resources

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Local players made the difference

While the feeling is yet to sink in completely, the big question has already popped up

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Why Rajasthan got past Tamil Nadu

Was it Rajasthan's deep desire to win the semi-final against Tamil Nadu that turned the tables, or was it the latter's lack of caution that cost them the game

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

Third day's the charm

The third day, in my opinion, is usually the most important day of a four- or five-day game

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

The anonymous world of net bowlers

It's always the guy from outside, who's smart enough to understand that bowling in the nets is only tiring and not rewarding, who makes the cut

25-Feb-2013•Aakash Chopra

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Beyond the Blues

Alex Malcolm

Danyal Rasool

Karthik Krishnaswamy

Andrew Miller

Sidharth Monga