Vishal's Blog

  Reminiscing India’s maiden test win at the Lord’s Last week the Indian cricket team kept us glued to the television sets like a reader to a thriller novel. The cricket especially on the fifth day of the Lord’s test made the match intriguing and fascinating. The snobbery of the English players in the second innings was evident and perhaps resulted in their own demise. Joyously for us, the win at Lord’s had succeeded another famous win at the Gabba against the Aussies earlier this year. However, off the 19 test matches India has played at the Lord’s, this was only our third win after almost half a decade of trying. The victory at Lord’s was a rare win which we as fans would remember for a long time. When I rewind my memory further, India’s first ever test match win at this venue comes to my mind. The world cup victory in 1983 gave us something profound than just a world cup win. It gave us an identity. Likewise, the maiden test match win at Lord’s in 1986 gave the Indians a...

What’s my take on the Concussion Substitution controversy? England Vs Australia – Second test at Lords - 2019 In the first innings, Steve Smith was batting on 80 and was well placed for a longer one. One of Jofra Archer’s deliveries bowled at 148 kph rose menacingly to hit the batsman on the neck. A dazed Smith languidly walked off with uncertainty looming over his further participation in the match. He later returned to add 12 more runs to his tally before he was trapped leg before on 92. Cricket Australia announced that Smith will not able to participate in the match any further. The Australians took advantage of the new rule of ‘Concussion Substitution’ allowing them to make a like-for-like replacement of the injured player. Steve Smith was thus replaced by another batsman Marnus Labuschagne. In the second innings, needing 264 to win, the Australians were in a precarious position when Labuschagne walked in the middle. He scored a patient 59 to help his team draw the match....