Cricket Unplugged- A Podcast on Cricket

2023 has undoubtedly been the year for Indian Cricket across formats. Despite a resounding performance in Tests & ODIs, they were unable to get past a familiar foe in Australia who beat India enroute to becoming ICC World Test Champions and also ICC World Cup champions.

This is a beginning of a new season of Cricket Unplugged where I am delighted to have my close friend Mayur: (A proud and sensible ICT & CSK fan) on the podcast to discuss the events that unfolded in the year gone by from the missed ICC trophies for India to relooking at IPL 2023 and the mini auctions that got lot of attention & eye balls rolling!

Enjoy tuning in and heres wishing all the listeners a great end to 2023 and fabulous 2024 ahead!

 10 teams bought as many as 204 players after shelling out a total of ₹551.70 crore at the mega-auction in Bengaluru. Ishan Kishan was the most expensive buy at ₹15.25 crores when MI bought the wicketkeeper-batsman back to their franchise that has won a record five titles!

It was a dramatic mega auction when the auctioneer, Hugh Edmeades had to be replaced by Charu Sharma due to health reasons. Charu took over the mantle within less than thirty minutes notice & did a fabulous job! As this event is touted as the 'biggest event in the cricketing calendar' & its never easy to take centre stage and come out with aplomb! 

We at Cricket Unplugged take a deep look into each franchise and break down each team's best buys. Which are the franchises that have been really good at the player's auctions? Which are the teams that don't look that strong on paper heading into IPL 2022? Can a new champion be crowned this season with the inclusion of two teams; Lucknow Super Giants & Gujarat Titans?

Soraj & myself present our IPL 2022 Auction Review in this super chilled, fun analysis of each squad and also share our personal opinion on some players who have got more than maybe they could have and how its going to be to see regular faces who were part of one franchises for over 5 years represent another team from this year onwards; For all of you who love IPL & especially who have followed the IPL Auctions this is going to be a really enthralling, insightful episode! 

Enjoy listening! 

It has been a long while since we were able to put or stich together an episode for Cricket Unplugged. Looking at how the podcast is growing well despite lack of frequency in publishing the content was an extremely thrilling motivation to present to you all the 49th episode of this podcast & another episode of Cricket Unplugged, Snippets! 

On this comeback of sorts for this podcast after a lull of 3-4 months, we get co-host Sooraj and special guest Mayur Shivakumar pour their hearts out on all the current developments in the game; right from getting their personal thoughts on how the ICC World T20, 2021 shaped up for them as viewers to getting to know their thoughts on the IPL retentions thats doing all the talking on Social Media! 

For all the listeners of the podcast, hope you enjoy this return & definitely both me & Sooraj would certainly be more regular in sharing our love & passion for the game in the upcoming year! Do stay tuned for what's to come up really soon! 

It has been a while since me & Sooraj came together for a full-fledged episode on 'Cricket Unplugged' to discuss about Cricket! This reunion of sorts explores a broad variety of topics that has happened in the world of cricket in the past 3-4 months!

From the apathy of seeing Sri Lankan cricket, to India fielding two separate teams due to COVID and also building up to the India-England Test series which is highly anticipated we have got everything covered in this very free flowing, open ended conversation between two cricket fanatics reconnecting!

Our thoughts on ICC WTC Finals, Ind-SL series, and also some milestones in the world of cricket has been covered in vivid detail in this free flowing discussion!

Enjoy this reunion as we look ahead to India's tour of Sri Lanka!

As we see crowds return to Cricket especially Test cricket in the recently concluded England vs New Zealand Test series where the hosts England were completely outplayed & outclassed by the Kiwis.  Its a perfect way for them to head into the historic ICC WTC Finals that kicks off from June 18th. 

This episode is mainly focused on looking back on what has been a truly inspiring period for Indian Cricket since 2018 where they have dominated pretty much every series barring the ICC Cricket World, 2019. Virat Kohli's men have earned their right to play in the first ever ICC WTC Finals. 

And owing to COVID, India had to send a separate set of players to take on Sri Lanka from July 13th onwards. Led by Shikhar Dhawan, it features six uncapped players and despite that the people you will hear in this episode, our very own co-host of Cricket Unplugged Sooraj and my mate and respected TM member Mayur Shivakumar echo my thoughts that this Indian team can beat Sri Lanka! 

Talk about an abundance of top quality resources, and India is reaping in the aftermath of having so many top quality players who could walk into a full strength Indian team too! The future of Indian Cricket is certainly bright and many experts feel this team could be as dominating and imposing as the Windies were under Clive Lloyd were or the Aussies under Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting's leadership! 

Well, only time will tell how true or right those comparisons are but one thing is certain; Indian Cricket is going through a golden phase under Virat Kohli's captaincy and we three are reflecting on what has been and also looking forward to ICC WTC Finals, Indias tour of SL and a lot more! 

Enjoy! 

It has a pretty tough time, in the past weeks to see how the second wave of COVID-19 has impacted so many people, many of whom who are part of our friends or family circles. At this time, with not much live Cricket going on & with me ramping up and intensifying content for my other podcast, 'Movies, Music & Memories' I was away for a bit. 

A conversation with my close friend Mayur Shivakumar who you will hear in this episode led me to publishing one episode covering all recent developments in the world of Cricket. From IPL 2021's rescheduling, to the NZ-England Test series to the exciting prospect of seeing the first ever ICC World Test Champion crowned; there's certainly a lot to look forward to in the coming days for all Cricket lovers! 

Mayur Shivakumar and Abhinav Kumar joined me in giving their thoughts on whether we should have an IPL replacing a maquee Test series to whether IPL franchises should consider playing three overseas players looking at the outstanding talent pool witnessed in Indian cricket in recent times, lots to look forward in this episode!!

Enjoy listening! 

It has been truly traumatic to witness the nature of this second wave, especially in the past month or so in India. At a time when common citizens o the nation are struggling to get even something as basic as oxygen, questions were raised and rightly so whether IPL 2021 should carry on. 

As IPL 2021 has been indefinitely suspended after the bio-secure bubble burst with 4 players across franchises getting COVID positive, the question on everyone's minds is simple: Is it too little too late from BCCI to postpone such a tournament only after some players got infected?

In Cricket Unplugged's IPL 2021 Wrap Up Special, I present my take as a common citizen of this country along with presenting my opinion as a Cricket Analyst and fan who after 13 months got an opportunity to write in a prominent portal again during the course of IPL 2021. 

Joining me giving an emotional appeal of sorts to this topic is my uncle Vasanth Krishnan, to get a frontline worker's perspective on whether IPL should have been conducted in these grave times and lot more we have Dr Manjunath shed light on what we can do to help these warriors who stake their lives so that we can stay safe. And finally, to get a Cricket & IPL fan's perspective my friend Chandrakanth Sharma rounds off this episode. 

Hope through this episode, people can get some diversion from the daily dose of grief that's surrounding us. Through Cricket Unpliugged, we will try our best to  put out more content that can help people just forget the present and get some pleasant & insightful distraction. 

It's that time of the year when most parts of India celebrate the beginning of a new year! And ever since the IPL has started, it adds a lot more fun & enjoyment to the festivities! So we at Cricket Unplugged decided to merge both: Festivals, albeit in times of a worrying second wave of the Coronavirus & IPL 2021! 

We have Sooraj, Dr Manjunath & a debutant on this podcast: Chandrakanth Sharma talk about what it means for a tournament like the IPL to take place amidst such tight, secure bio-secure bubbles. The kind of sacrifices the cricketers to bring joy to so many people's faces is priceless! As the 3-4 hours when an IPL game goes on live, no one thinks about the impact of the second wave of this deadly virus, as everyone is glued to their TV screens to watch some scintillating, nail-biting cricketing action! 

All the voices you hear will evoke one common sentiment: Gratitude to the BCCI & all the cricketers involved in making IPL 2021 happen without so much fuss or troubles as yet! The cricket action will speak louder than the virus! Enjoy listening to this festival special episode! 

As we are well & truly in the midst of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, IPL 2021 is going to be the common factor that unites everyone & takes them away from their gloom & worry! Cricket will speak loud & clear!! 

This special Fan's special episode of Cricket Unplugged-Snippets brings together many voices; some known voices & two debutants. It gives me immense pleasure to have my role model & guru in the broadcasting space: RJ Amit who hosts FullToss: The Voice of Cricket in America on MasalaRadio 98.7 FM where I am a Special Correspondent since the past 8-9 months on my podcast! 

Also, it gives me immense satisfaction to get my best friend & someone I really look upto, Pratik Chandak on the podcast to talk about a team he supports: RCB! We also get me express my backing for Delhi Capitals, Mayur Shivakumar speaks about CSK & this being MSD's last season & to round it off we have Abhinav Kumar talk about five time champions, Mumbai Indians!

It just feels like the other day that IPL 2020 finished successfully in rather unique circumstances in the UAE! Cricketers have spread so much joy & happiness by playing such memorable cricket in very unusual circumstances in the past year or so. This episode of Cricket Unplugged, Snippets focusses on IPL 2021 and what Cricket fans, analysts have to say about the tournament! 

We have to acknowledge the exemplary amount of sacrifices the players make in order to be move from one 'bio secure bubble' to another & not let the quality of Cricket dig whatsoever. Virat Kohli made a valid point that players must be consulted when it comes to scheduling of games especially as we see a surge in COVID-19 cases engulf the country. 

In this episode, we get one of the co-hosts of a very popular & engaging Cricket podcast, 'The HawkEye Podcast': Rahul Kumar & one of my close mates, a fellow fan of singer KK and an IIT Delhi alumni: Pratik Verma make their debut on Cricket Unplugged! We also have one of the biggest supporters of the podcast, a special guest Dr Manjunath present his views on IPL 2021 and his expectations from the tournament! 

It has been truly phenomenal to see that despite not being able to publish content on a regular basis in the past month or so, the popularity & eagerness to listen to the latest episode hasn't come down! In that endeavor, it's the time to make a format change & bring in more voices on the podcast! 

Presenting you 'Cricket Unplugged Snippets', where we get different voices talk about one common theme or topic & to spice things up there will be some music infused too! To kick off this feature of this podcast, we have Mayur Venkatesh, someone who I hold in high regard as hes a respected name in the Toastmaster's circuit in the past few years making his first appearance on Cricket Unplugged! And whats starting off something new on 'Cricket Unplugged' without having the co-host Sooraj engage the audience in his own style! 

Looking forward to get more voices coming onto my podcast, and with this new tighter, crisper format, the intention would be to keep our audiences engaged & also bring in new listeners, as we get deeper into this new exciting concept! 

A big part of my love & passion for the game has got to do with players who shaped my fondness for the game. One such iconic greats who will go down as someone who has shaped many people's childhood & someone we look upto is Sourav 'Dada' Ganguly!

It's a pleasure to have my cousin S Badrinathan or 'Badri' recollect & talk about someone who has been instrumental in our love for the game: Sourav Ganguly. We take the listeners down memory lane by looking at the rise of India as a cricketing nation under 'Dada's' captaincy!

From the iconic India-Australia series in 2001, to India's epic series in Pakistan in 2005-2006 where MS Dhoni's hairstyle caught everyone's attention we have got everything covered!

The stories, emotions and struggle certain Indian players had to go through back when 'Dada' was captain to the team which scripted history in Australia had the legacy of Sourav Ganguly beautifully carried on!

For any Cricket fan, nothing can beat the experience of watching a game in a stadium! After an especially tough year in 2020 where fans in India were starved of too much live Cricket owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are witnessing Cricketing action now in Indian shores with the ongoing India vs England series!

Among the lucky 15,000 spectators who got the opportunity to witness India take on England on Day One of the second Test was the co-host of Cricket Unplugged & my dear mate Sooraj! I get him to share his feelings of watching the game, how was it considering this is a a game held in pandemic times.

We also elaborate on a variety of experiences we both have had the privilege to witness in Chepauk & Chinnaswamy stadiums over the years respectively! How every instance, memory is so closely etched in our hearts! Was a truly exhilarating journey doing this episode!

It was a pleasure to look back on probably the best Test series in a long time!! The recently concluded India-Australia series has managed to evoke varied emotions across the globe where Test Cricket ended up as the biggest winner.

In this special episode, where we look back on India's monumental achievement of winning the series 2-1 against all odds, we discuss in detail on the following points:

1. The significance of India's achievement: Winning back to back Test series in Australia.

2. Going from 36 All Out to the heroics at the MCG, Sydney & Gabba. And the manner in which the media blew the Adelaide performance.

3. Reminiscing fond memories of analyzing the series through Ashiwn's show 'Kangaroo Bhoomi' and also a few interviews of Ajinkya Rahane.

4. How the Indian team rallied on & showed tremendous grit & resilience under Ajinkya Rahane's captaincy

5. Major takeaways from this iconic & unforgettable series of Test Cricket!

It's probably the biggest achievement for me as a Cricket Analyst to have the honor and luck to have had a freewheeling chat with a former cricketer for India, Minoti Desai! Not everyone has had that opportunity to have interviewed someone who has played for the country and is still as passionate about the game! 

In the first episode of the new year, I had the opportunity to have an amazing conversation with Minoti on a variety of topics; The rise of Women's cricket in India in the past decade, how certain aspects of Sonia's journey resembles her own journey as she went on to represent the country! 

This is a tale of the never say die attitude of someone who has the passion & determination to pursue her dreams and it also details the journey with all it's ups & downs! This book would surely add lot of value for all aspiring cricketers and for every cricket fan out there, in Minoti Desai's own words," It's a book once you pick it up, you can't put it down"! 

It has been a truly unique year, 2020 where due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the way we perceive life has changed. What matters and should matter has dramatically changed! It's a year where I was able to start this podcast with a dear mate Sooraj and it has been truly an honor to have completed 35 episodes on the podcast! 

So we decided to present a wrap-up special episode of 'Cricket Unplugged' wherein we give the listeners a sneak peek into how our journey has been in the year gone by both personally & professionally along with providing a detailed look at the Cricket post the COVID-19 era. 

And we can't be thankful enough for the love, reception and acceptance from passionate cricket followers who have helped this podcast grow to attain a respectable name. A special mention and tribute to becoming a big part of 'Cricket Twitter' is also included in this episode!!

Enjoy listening and continue to shower love your love for the podcast in 2021 as well!!

A significant reason for the increase in visibility & reach for 'Cricket Unplugged' is the traction and acceptance from 'Cricket Twitter'! 

So keeping that in mind, we decided to take lot of statements, opinions & discussions we saw on Twitter and decided to give our take in this unique episode conceptually.  A great to welcome back our co-host Sooraj on the show as he was 'missing' getting my take on certain topics/statements. 

We discuss a list of statements/opinions that has been discussed a lot on Social Media and present our respective take on the same. Enjoy listening!

In Part Two of the preview to the Border Gavaskar Trophy, we continue where we left off in the first part. The major highlights of what was discussed in this episode are:

1. Sledging, Banter & Controversies; an integral aspect of the India-Australia rivalry over the years.

2. A little bit on 'The Test' documentary on Amazon Prime. And my personal takeaways as an Aussie fan from the show.

3. Analyzing India's chances in the Test Series considering Australia has a full strength squad vs India sans Virat Kohli for most part of the series.

4. Picking a combined X11 of Indian & Australian players from the 2000s.

As we build up to the Border Gavaskar series, we at 'Cricket Unplugged' have something unique to present as a preview, with Sri Hari taking on the mantle of the host with me coming on as an Australian fan!

Here are some of the key highlights discussed in the first part of the preview series:

1. How come I am such a big Aussie fan despite being in India and following cricket.

2. Most earliest memories of watching cricket in Australia, especially India-Australia Tests.

3. Three most memorable performances(batting & bowling) from India-Australia Tests in Australia over the years.

4. Virat Kohli's emergence as a Test cricketer and how his batting & captaincy reminds me of Ricky Ponting(batting & captaincy).

It has been a thrilling ODI series with the likes of Steven Smith, Aaron Finch, Glen Maxwell shine for Australia to help them seal the series 2-1. India did have their own stars as well like Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja. 

In this episode, we get different perspectives on this ODI series, one which saw someone like T Natarajan make his ODI debut, an inspiring story to Virat Kohli becoming the fastest player ever to cross the 12,000 run mark in ODIs! 

In this segment of the Preview Episode to India's tour Down-Under, I have Abhinav and Manjunath and we discuss about how there is absolute lack of clarity when it comes to role definitions and selections for the LOI format for India in the Virat Kohli- Ravi Shastri regime.

And we end this two part series by giving our take on Virat Kohli's decision to take paternity leave and also how certain players not being there could result in new stars shining for India or even the resurrection of some players who have not been at their best in recent times.

Enjoy listening!

In Part one of the definitive preview to the India-Australia series which would start from November 27th, 2020 onwards, we at 'Cricket Unplugged' have two guests on our show Abhinav & Manjunath to present their thoughts on various aspects leading up to the highly anticipated series!

In this segment, we get their opinion on their favorite knocks played by Indians in Australia over the years, to the 'familiarity factor' considering for the first time ever the IPL is followed by a tour down-under.

And of course before ending this segment we get the guests to comment on the selection of the Indian teams especially for the LOI wing of the tour!

Probably the most heated and talked about rivalry in modern day cricket is the India-Australia contest. With India's rise as a team across formats, it has made this contest even more coveted and something every fan of the game looks upto with great level of anticipation! 

To talk about the memories one has of watching a game played in Australia, to looking back on some memorable contests between the two teams over the years, we have my brother Varun Ravichandran return on 'Cricket Unplugged' as a guest! 

He brings in a perspective of an Indian fan having followed this rivalry from the early 1990's when Australia used to completely dominate proceedings to how 'life has come a full circle' with India going into this upcoming series down-under having won the previous ODI and Test series in 2018-2019!

It has been a truly memorable IPL 2020, with it being the most competitive of seasons in the tournament's history! For over two months, Cricket rose above all hurdles and troubles and delighted us all! The tournament was fabulously executed without too many glitches & considering the time we are in now, truly hats off Sourav Ganguly and the folks at BCCI for pulling this off so well! 

In this special Diwali episode of 'Cricket Unplugged', we move away from the usual conventional style of Q&A and give the mic to the fans! It's all interesting and a delight to listen to what different kind of fans have to say about one topic: IPL 2020. 

In an attempt to provide a different experience to the listeners we will get to hear many voices: some new to this podcast and few regular voices to sum up what has been a memorable IPL 2020!!

This season has been truly memorable and has been the most competitive with the last qualifier being decided in the last league game speaks volume about the quality of cricket on display in the past couple of months. 

As we head into the business end of IPL 2020, we at 'Cricket Unplugged' have come out with a League Stage Round Up special episode. Who have been the players that have impressed the most? Who are the uncapped players that have stood out and shone in this season of the 'toughest t20'?

To this we have a special guest on the show, Abhinav Kumar who is a proud Mumbai Indians(MI) fan. He brings in a varied perspective to round off the league stages of this year's IPL, along with explaining why MI has and continue to be so dominant since the inception of the IPL! 

It has been an amazing journey to get a platform to talk about and express our views on the game that's really close to our hearts! What started off as  making conversations between the crew of 'Cricket Unplugged' more professional to have completed 25 episodes! It does feel good and helps us to push ourselves to deliver better content in each episode that would keep our listeners entertained, informed and engaged when they tune into this podcast. 

In the milestone 25th episode, we at 'Cricket Unplugged' try to decode the most popular and successful franchise in the Indian Premier League(IPL)- Chennai Super Kings(CSK). There is a format change for this episode as Sooraj is on the receiving end of my questions as he is and continues to be an ardent and loyal fan of CSK. 

Despite this season where nothing seems to have gone right for 'Yellove' CSK, one can't just dismiss the franchise's contribution to the success of the IPL and through this conversation we get to listen to a pragmatic and level-headed  fan's perspective. 

And no podcast is complete without it's listeners and guests who have come on the show! There's something special in store for them as well!

In this episode, we have a special guest, Dr V. Manjunath who goes by the twitter handle @thefallingsweep. A plastic surgeon by profession, hes a huge cricket lover and describes himself as an eternal optimist! It was great having him come onboard our podcast to do a Mid-Season review of Dream11 IPL 2020! 

We get to discussing on various aspects of this IPL such as the price tag and how that affects the performances of players, the biggest hits & misses so far in this tournament, the importance of a stabilized core to succeed in a tournament like this. 

And we also end up bringing up the manner in which Chennai Super Kings(CSK) has fared this year so far and also we present the four teams who  would make it to the playoffs. And we stress upon the importance of not falling prey to the toxicity that's dished at us on Twitter and other social media platforms. 

Everyone knows that the IPL is the best possible platform where talent meets opportunity. The best players in the world converge in a two month T20 carnival which allows youngsters and upcoming stars to rub shoulders and share the dressing room with their idols. 

One breakthrough season for their respective franchises could propel them to national glory for their countries. 

In this episode, we at 'Cricket Unplugged' go in-depth into each franchise and present who are the player/players who we were keenly looking forward  to perform in this IPL and who have impressed us and hopefully can continue to have a good season for their franchises.  Some choices have fascinating stories, one people must know about! 

Also considering the times we are in currently, as many are saying: Is the IPL 2020 the best thing to have happened this year??

As we see the biggest T20 league in the world, Indian Premier League(IPL) unfold in the UAE currently, we decided to shed light on a rather grim and dark time in the league's history that led to two franchises especially one of the most loved in the IPL, CSK being banned for two years. 

We get our host Sooraj, who has been a CSK fan since the tournament's inception to provide his take on what that match fixing/betting scandal meant for ardent CSKians. How did it affect them? Did they dissociate themselves from the IPL those two years? And we round up on a hopeful note that the beautiful game must stay away from such scandals or controversies in future. 

Cricket is a beautiful game and will continue to be so. But one can't deny that there have been certain incidents/ scandals that have presented the game in bad light. Apart from being a Cricket Analyst, I have been and continue to support the Australian cricket team. The teams under Steve Waugh's leadership and Ricky Ponting have played a defining role in my passion for the game. 

In this episode, I don the hat of an Australian fan and try to present how it must have been from the other side, especially when the cricketing fraternity and media were openly pouncing the Aussie side post the unfortunate incident that happened on 24th March, 2018.  Yes, those cricketers deserved to be punished, but was the treatment meted out to them fair and 'within the spirit of the game'? 

What does it take to have such a loyal, close knit support base like the CSK franchise have enjoyed over the years?? Why are fans so connected with CSK despite all the trials and tribulations they went through which included their two year ban from the tournament. 

Every player who is a part of CSK feels like it's a family and we have  our host Sooraj pour his heart out about CSK and why he is so attached and connected with the franchise from the past twelve years!! This episode is a special tribute to all the 'Whistle Podu' fans who I am sure will be rooting for their franchise even this year! 

The most coveted and the biggest T20 carnival in world cricket- IPL is back!! After some doubts owing to COVID-19, now the stage is set for the cash rich league to kick start off in the UAE from September 19th, 2020. And quiet naturally, like everyone else we at Cricket Unplugged are eagerly waiting for the action to start! 

In this episode we do a preview of our own, where we look at how this IPL could shape up sans the fans. Can the UAE and BCCI pull off such a high profile tournament blemish free? It certainly is a challenging task to keep so many players in a biosecure bubble for this long. 

Also, we discuss the possible advantages of players having played in the English summer and the CPL who could add a lot of value for their respective franchises as they have got a lot of play time already in the past couple of months. 

Cricket might have received its razzmatazz in the truest form decades later, clear hints around the same were pretty much evident during the World Series Cricket played between 1977-1979.  The tournament might not have lived long but encapsulated all the contemporary facets of cricket especially that of the T20 leagues being played around the world.

Coloured kits, protective helmets, field restrictions and day-night cricket, all of which are pretty common things in modern-day cricket were all pioneered during the World Series Cricket. Fitness, which has become a must during these times of the sport being played throughout the year, also gained awareness during the World Series Cricket for the players were required to play a lot of matches during a limited window.

That being said, the biggest positive coming out from the tournament was the belief that the sport can be marketed successfully to gain affirmative results as far as the commerce was concerned.

In this episode, we take you back time to a series or competition in World Cricket that has truly shaped the sport: much of what we see in Cricket now was envisioned and delivered way back in 1977-1979 by one man's vision- Kerry Packer! 

In the previous episode,  we at Cricket Unplugged took the listeners to what we felt are India's most iconic moments and memories in Test cricket over the years. The focus of this episode would be recollecting India's iconic performances over the years in Blues- ODIs and T20Is. 

India under MSD's leadership paved the way for World glory not once but thrice. We look at how MSD's captaincy has played such an integral role in India and World cricket's growth in T20 cricket in particular as the inaugural World T20 win in 2007 led to the formation of the IPL that has changed the face of cricket. 

We take the listeners down memory lane, by revisiting some iconic performances in the years gone by that featured the likes of MSD, Virat Kohli and a certain Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar!

On the occasion of the 74th Independence Day, we decided to dedicate one episode to the cricketers who have defined India's rise in World cricket over the decades. It's a thrilling and exhilarating experience to witness these cricketers go about their work as every Indian feels connected at various levels with their favorite cricketers or the Indian team. 

This episode is all about presenting our thoughts and memories of India's finest wins and performances in Test Cricket over the decades. From Sunil Gavaskar's brilliance in 1971 vs West Indies to Gautam Gambhir's superlative performance in New Zealand and everything in between, we have it covered!

Special mentions are provided but the overall focus for this special episode is India's memorable performances overseas over the years, especially against the British or England team. 

Many of you who have been following the game must have heard about the Kolpak Deal as a result of which many prominent and talented players from especially the African cricket countries like South Africa and Zimbabwe decided to forego the pride and honor to play for their country and instead chose to move to the United Kingdom and play for English counties. The main reason stated by players who took this deal was financial security. 

So then what really is the Kolpak Deal? Why has it affected cricketers from South Africa and Zimbabwe as much as it has in the past decade or so? Isn't playing for the country the biggest motivation and drive for a professional sportsman? Or do they also have to think about other factors that may not make too much sense for a common cricket fan.

We discuss about this grave and sensitive issue plaguing World cricket in this episode where we present our personal take and opinions on this issue and look at what we think this has done for the quality of cricket coming out of South Africa and Zimbabwe in the past 7-10 years.

In the last and final segment with Sri Hari, we dig into one area or aspect of the game that he's really interested in- Lefties. I found out why he rates left-handers especially left arm pacers so well, along with getting him to name his favorite players who are lefties. One name strung a chord- Irfan Pathan! 

Apart from that, I also got him to give his opinion on the importance of T20Is and T20 leagues and how he spoke on our behalf when he said he hoped that Cricket doesn't become a sport ruled by T20 leagues post resumption of the sport worldwide. Nothing can beat watching International cricket.

We end this segment and our conversation by putting him on the back foot through a rapid-fire style Q&A!!

In this fun filled segment with our special guest from the Bay Area in the USA, we discuss about various topics that matter a lot to the both of us. It was great getting to know and get an insight into his mind on a multitude of topics, the most important being his keen interest in Women's cricket!

We ended the first segment with us sharing our personal reasons for moving away from the IPL and not following the tournament as much as we used to earlier. In this episode, we get talking about the role Umpires play in the sport especially with the new rule introduced by the ICC to allow three DRS in a Test match. 

Also, it was interesting to know about what SriHari was watching during the lock down phase when there was no cricket. There was a clear indication as to whose shows he found to be the best! Something I really enjoyed listening to! We round up this fun conversation with his take on the controversial 'Mankading' rule and also how we feel R Ashwin could well be the fresh voice that India needs in the commentator's box in the future!

In this special episode which happens to be the second episode where we get a guest on the show! It's always intriguing and interesting to know their side of the story when it comes to various topics and aspects about the game that is a common connection. 

This segment focuses on the guest- my childhood friend SriHari, who is a Bangalorean  at  heart and is someone working in USA now. Have always found his views on the game very interesting to listen to over the years. He brings in a pragmatic point of view while discussing various aspects of the game. 

Here we get talking about his inroads into the game, his personal story of how he started becoming a Cricket fan, the memories associated with that. Along with that we dwell into his current situation, being in USA- How has that shaped his love and fondness for the game. We also discuss about one thing we have in common- lost fondness for the IPL as a tournament. 

India's version of the controversial and path-breaking Cricket World series that happened in 1984-1985 where Kerry Packer managed to bring in the best talent from across the globe and go against the norm in all aspects was the controversial laden Indian Cricket League(ICL).

This tournament was pioneered by Subash Chandra, the head of Zee Corporation who had his own personal score to settle with the BCCI. He made BCCI and world cricket believe in the business potential of a T20 tournament that includes the best and popular players from across the globe in the two years it was in existence. 

A big chunk of Indian Premier League(IPL)'s inception and idea came into fruition thanks to the ICL.  In a big way, without the learning got through the ICL ensured IPL is as big a tournament as it is now. 

There was a premier Indian domestic tournament called the Challenger series/ trophy that was played between 1999 up until 2013. This tournament was the base or platform for established Indian team players to face off against the upcoming talents.  More or less what IPL is nowadays. 

It was played after the culmination of the Ranji Trophy season and was mainly completed in a weeks time. It was possibly India's premier domestic 50 over tournament apart from the VIjay Hazare trophy which is an interstate competition. 

This episodes deals with hat happened to the Challenger trophy? What are some of the memorable moments from the tournament and we present our  favorite knocks and spells from the tournament that lost it's purpose post IPL emerging as such a big force that's shook up World cricket. 

What transpired before the England- West Indies test series was a stirring and heartfelt talk about the 'Black Lives Matter' campaign that shook the world of cricket. We had the former West Indian fast bowler Michael Holding break down on camera recollecting what it was like for his parents to face constant racism owing to their skin color. 

In this episode, we are going to focus on the issue of Discrimination and Bias in cricket. Discrimination happens on various levels- color of skin and religion to name a few factors. We look at this very grave and serious issue and analyze why this issue needs to be addressed now and how sportsmen  especially prominent cricketers can help in reducing this clearly visible discrimination and bias seen in the sport. 

In this new episode of Cricket Unplugged, we focus on Indian Captains in particular. India have had three stalwarts who have led the team with aplomb since the 2000s.  Sourav Ganguly inherited the team when Indian cricket was at it's lowest ebb since I have started watching the game and his captaincy saw India rise as a force to reckon it. He didn't have the sliver-ware to prove his credentials as a skipper but the sort of impact he left on Indian cricket is unparalleled. 

We then look at a MS Dhoni who took India to #1 ranking in Test cricket for a period of eighteen months to him winning three major ICC trophies- ICC World T20, ICC World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy? Does this qualify and make him the best skipper India has ever had?

Also, discussed in this episode is the rise and rise of Indian cricket under the captaincy of Virat Kohli. India missed out in the ICC World Cup 2019 but created history by winning a Test series for the first time in Australia in 2019. 

So the question to be asked is who is your favorite skipper??

In the latest episode of Cricket Unplugged, we  get talking about two significant eras in Cricket that shaped the sport for the better: Clive Llyod's West Indies that ruled and dominated World cricket in the 1970's & 1980's and Steve Waugh's Australia that trampled oppositions across the world in the 1990's. 

Can one team be better than the other? Both of us present our opinion on each side and why probably one team could rank higher than the other. We also look at an interesting proposition where we find out what a great like Sir Vivian Richards could have probably achieved if he had started playing from the early 1990's. 

Through this episode on Cricket Eras,  we would definitely take the listeners down memory lane and make them remember some of the greats of the game who we have had the privilege to see either live or on TV! 

In the second part of this episode with my brother Varun,  I get his views on some very serious issues pertaining to Cricket such as:

1. The bias against players from South Indian states; how if given a prolonged opportunity could have helped them make an larger impact on the international game.

2.  Are we as Tamilians reading too much into this issue? Or are there any valid reasons to justify the treatment meted out to them? Also,  a little bit about his fondness for Dinesh Karthik and why he could have been far more of a figure to reckon with internationally if handled better.

3.  His thoughts on how the lock-down period has helped him in reigniting his fondness for the game, which was missing in the past few years. 

4.  His take on the mental issues and stress cricketers go through. On how players like Glen Maxwell and ABD have helped in many others coming up and talking about this very prevalent aspect of the game. 

In this episode of Cricket Unplugged, I have a freewheeling chat about Cricket with someone who is instrumental in me becoming a Cricket fanatic and Analyst, my brother Varun Ravichandran. He is someone who was a Cricket freak but off late he has been following the game from a distance. 

We dwell into various aspects of the game such as; How did he become a Cricket fanatic? When did Cricket mean more than just another sport for him? His thoughts on the iconic 2001 Test series between India and Australia, recollecting and going down memory lane back to our childhood. 

Also, we have Varun providing his take on the relevance of Test Cricket over T2OIs and IPL and also players that have attracted or inspired him in his formative years especially when he was actively playing the sport. 

In this episode of Cricket Unplugged, the topics of discussion are the truly Unsung heroes of Cricket. How many people remember Amol Mazumdar, Wasim Jaffer, Brad Hodge, Stuart Mcgilll or a Jalaj Saxena? Is proven match-winning talent in the First Class circuit not considered as enough accomplishment to play for their countries?

In India, is playing for the IPL the only parameter for selection into the national team? Do Indian selectors really care too much about performances of players in the Ranji Trophy? Why is one fantastic IPL mean national selection and recognition? 

We also dwell into the Mumbai Lobby in Indian cricket that may have ended the careers of many talented players coming in from the Southern part of India. And also, we bring up certain players whose contribution has gone unnoticed over the years. 

In this episode of Cricket Unplugged, we get more personal and interactive. Everyone has their favorite memories, moments and performances from ICC World Cups. 

Not all memories are fond, not all would evoke the same reaction from everyone who follows the game but that's the beauty of the sport and World Cups!

I present my admiration for the Minnows and how watching and looking forward to ICC Cricket World Cups to see teams from less recognized teams play on the big stage.  There's also lot of interactive fun, a quiz as well to round off our discussion on ICC Cricket World Cups. 

In this Podcast, we dwell into a topic that is close to every Cricket fan and is of extreme pride and importance for people who dont follow the sport- ICC Cricket World Cups. Everyone's patriotism peaks at a different level when their team plays in Cricket World Cups. 

We present the most memorable spells and batting performances from ICC World Cups from the time we have been following the game. This would take the listeners down memory lane as we kindle the happiness, sadness and try to relive the drama associated to such performances that stick in people's minds even now!

This is a Cricket Podcast that is hosted by Sooraj, a Cricket enthusiast and freak and me, Raghav a Cricket Analyst and fan. We discuss and get deep into topics that interest, intrigue us about the beautiful game of Cricket! 

In this podcast, we let the listeners know who are our favorite Test cricketers are over the years and what makes them special and also we end this fascinating episode with a fun, interesting and tough quiz that left me pleasantly surprised!!