Samir Chopra

After many attempts to process the sound and fury generated by Dhoni's 8-1 field placings (day three) and Ponting's bowler handling (day four) in the Nagpur test, I'm starting to think we don't have a determinate concept of "the spirit of cricket".

It is both an indication of my current (mild) mistrust in other umpires because of many little incidents like the two I have cited above, that I now feel the most relieved when I see Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf umpiring in India's games.

A friend of mine had secured what were supposed to be very good tickets but the sight lines still weren't great

The spectacle of a keenly contested Test match being played in front of empty rows of seats rankles, and it does not comfort me too much to know that plenty of interest is being shown in people's living rooms

Like most additions to media coverage of sports, the stump microphone has had mixed effects

This Test resembled a boxing match in which each opponent landed a few punches, won a few rounds on points, and created headaches for the judges when it came to calling a winner

Having observed this change we are now free to speculate on its causes

I've done the needful examination and I'm glad to report that this rivalry matches the hype

There is a quite simple reason why teams tour India rather than Pakistan

Those of us settling down on that rather chilly morning (Delhi winters sometimes packed a late punch) had little inkling of what was in store

As the guard in 'Run, Lola, Run' says at the beginning of the movie, when speaking of football: In the end, its 22 players and a ball

When my desire to engage in a conversation with them and express my thoughts about the game grew too strong, I took up blogging

Results show no overall positive or negative bump depending on the coach

Team India might be the team we call the "Indian team" but really it's just the "BCCI India XI", just like the English team at one time was the MCC XI (before the TCCB and then the ECB took over)

For this sort of suggestion, that somehow national character, a particular nation-wide psyche or characteristic, is to blame (or praise) for lack of success (or failure) at cricket, is exceedingly common in cricket journalism and in conversations

Smith, even though a flawed and less talented player than Kallis, is perhaps more likely to achieve greatness

The look of the game has changed over the years

I dream that American fans might be exposed to a high-quality broadcast of a one-day international final between two high-quality teams

It's a depressing state of affairs to be surrounded by a culture which specializes in systematic, clichéd misrepresentations of one's most abiding passion.

I worry about the influence the IPL will have in the years to come; if its corporate franchises can make the fan more comfortable, they will have my gratitude.