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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...