Indian cricket Odyssey :A view from the Third eye of a fan

 India'Dazzling start On Day 1 and What's to Come  India scored 359/3 after England put them in to bat on a green top, hoping India would cave in easily. But this Indian team, under the new captain Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir, didn’t believe in surrender. Rahul and Jaiswal played superbly for a 91-run stand—a feat no other visiting team has managed in the past 20 years on such a pitch. Then came Jaiswal’s fluent century and Gill’s magnificent unbeaten 127 at No. 4, with ample support from vice-captain Pant, ushering India to a strong total of 359/3 by stumps. With 450–500 looking within reach—just 141 runs away—India would consider this a solid foundation. But let’s be honest, that’s still not a safe score against Bazball England, especially on this wicket. Ideally, India would like to post 650, which means 300 more runs from here. I know that’s asking a lot from the lower order. Anything can happen in England. The Duke ball, especially the new one, swings heavily fo...

South Africa’s recent ICC trophy win — after 27 years of heartbreak — isn’t just about cricket. It’s a powerful symbol of resilience, redemption, and transformation. For decades, South Africa has produced world-class players — Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Hashim Amla — yet somehow, they could never lift that elusive global title. Many called them “chokers,” cursed for faltering in the most crucial moments. The 1999 World Cup semi-final tie, the 2003 rain-rule miscalculation, and other knockouts became painful memories etched into their cricketing identity. But South Africa’s story goes far beyond wins and losses. It is deeply entangled with the history of apartheid — a system that not only oppressed but completely excluded black South Africans from elite sport. Until 1991, cricket was largely a white man's game in that country. After apartheid ended, the country didn’t just need to rebuild a team — it had to rebuild a nation’s sense of belonging. And that’s where the...