PCCI Podcast 🏏

In the aftermath of Sri Lanka's stunning rearguard action in the 2nd test of the recently concluded series, it was only fitting to get the voice of Sri Lankan cricket - Andrew Fidel Fernando on the pod!Richa, Sarthak and Aditya speak to Fidel about a host of topics.From Big Dickwella Energy, his feel for the game, school cricket, structure, administration, and underrated characters.Sri Lanka remains an integral part of Cricket and there is no one quite like Fidel to help us understand their perspective.You can follow him on Twitter, read his work on Cricinfo and of course please buy his excellent book - Upon A Sleepless Isle👉 You can follow us on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠✍️ We write not so regularly on Substack. You can read our work ⁠here⁠.📨 If you would like to write to us, please email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠✔️ If you like listening to us, please follow us on your Podcast Platform & leave a rating👉 You can follow us on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠✍️ We write not so regularly on Substack. You can read our work ⁠here⁠.📨 If you would like to write to us, please email us at ⁠[email protected]'d like you to listen to some of our other podcasts on politics and academia below.1. Bharatiya Junta Pod - quirky, liberal take on all that's farcical, absurd and depressing in 'New India'2. Desi Academia Pod - Perspectives of early-career Desi researchers navigating their futures both in India and abroad

We are joined by Mohammad Isam, Cricinfo correspondent for Bangladesh Cricket, to discuss a historic Bangladesh Test win against Australia. We ask him about their fast-bowling stocks, Shanto’s captaincy, Taskin’s celebration, Mahmud’s lack of one, and Kerry O’Keeffe. MV hosts, along with Sarthak, Saurabh, and Richa on the panel. This is one for the ages, folks. Tune in. -----✔️ If you like listening to us, please follow us on your Podcast Platform & leave a rating! It helps a lot👉 You can follow us on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠✍️ We write not so regularly on Substack. You can read our work ⁠here⁠.📨 If you would like to write to us, please email us at ⁠[email protected]

On this pod, Richa and MV are joined by Eddie Fitzgibbon.Eddie is a former ICC Development Manager; he was the director of operations for Cricket All Stars and now runs a sports management consultancy. Eddie's pieces on his Substack provide a window into the immense potential of Cricket as a global sport, offering a plethora of suggestions for improving the game through minor tweaks or by borrowing from other sports. It's not just about the players but keeping the fan at the centre of a lot of these conversations.We discuss the importance of World Cups, the need for Cabo Verde in a football WC, a Grey's Anatomy reference, journey of Associate teams and lack of clarity, Caitlyn Clark, GenZ (where have we heard that before?) and the burning question: What would Elon Musk do if he bought Cricket?-----✔️ If you like listening to us, please follow us on your Podcast Platform & leave a rating👉 You can follow us on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube✍️ We write not so regularly on Substack. You can read our work here.📨 If you would like to write to us, please email us at [email protected]

On this week’s PCCI pod, Richa, Sarthak, Nishant, Aditya, and MV discuss Rahane’s retirement and our best memories of his career, Gabba comes up once or thrice. We also discuss the ‘kesariya’ Indian Hockey Jersey, FIFA-UEFA jugalbandi, and Clicky Ponting type cricket ‘bodmosi’, the one off Women’s Lords Test between India and England, as well as the appointment of Fleming as the new Red Ball Manager successor to Baz.We also deep dive into the PCCI staff piece on Substack ‘Your cricketing heroes, they don’t really care about us’ and why Sachin and Kohli toe the party line.✔️ If you like listening to us, please follow us on your Podcast Platform & leave a rating👉 You can follow us on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠✍️ We write not so regularly on Substack. You can read our work ⁠here⁠.📨 If you would like to write to us, please email us at ⁠[email protected]

Before we start this epsiode, we would like to extend our deepest condolences on the passing of a member of our PCCI and BJPod community, Sourabh. Sourabh ji was always a huge supporter of our content since the early days and eager to share his thoughts on Indian and world cricket. Rest in Peace.In this episode, we discuss the recent developments from the ICC board meeting at Edinburgh and the last minute shrinking of the ICC ODI World Cup to be held in SA in 2027. We have with us Bertus de Jong, who first broke this story. Follow Bertus's substack - https://substack.com/@outsidethecircle/postsand twitter - https://x.com/BdJcricket?lang=en✔️ If you like listening to us, please follow us on your Podcast Platform & leave a rating👉 You can follow us on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠✍️ We write not so regularly on Substack. You can read our work ⁠here⁠.📨 If you would like to write to us, please email us at ⁠[email protected]

We review the dual whitewashes and come up with solutions to ease GG's woes. Also, some tangential football WC chat, and uncle suggestions. ✔️ If you like listening to us, please follow us on your Podcast Platform & leave a rating👉 You can follow us on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠✍️ We write not so regularly on Substack. You can read our work ⁠here⁠.📨 If you would like to write to us, please email us at ⁠[email protected]

We discuss how FIFA has learned some of its tricks from Jay Shah and ask if cricket was always ahead of its time. The discussion moves to how gatekept cricket is, and how it fails to even get the basics of organizing a sporting event wrong, again and again. The discussion moves onto the idea of expanding the sport, and what holds it back.✔️ If you like listening to us, please follow us on your Podcast Platform & leave a rating👉 You can follow us on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠✍️ We write not so regularly on Substack. You can read our work ⁠here⁠.📨 If you would like to write to us, please email us at ⁠[email protected]

In this episode, we have Sarthak, Nishant, Raj, Richa, and MV to discuss the burning topics of the day - Trishul on live telly, Homeopathy, how the average fan is thought as a noob by the broadcaster and above all the Joy of Watching Sport in different timezones and what it does to us being a fan and our growth as fans.

We talk about how difficult this IPL has been to watch, KKR's misfortunes, GT's bowling, the return of Bhuvi, bouncers from Krunal, a possible Klaasen Orange Cap(?), a lot about Mumbai Indians, what are bowlers?, who is Vaibhav Suryavanshi, how will Punjab be remembered?Sarthak wrote a piece earlier today talking about how IPL became inert. Read it here.

29 games in. We review the teams based on their current position on the points table. Joining Richa and MV are Aravint and Karan We deep-dive into the conspiracy theories surrounding Mumbai Indians, briefly wonder if the Indian Premier League is basically the male version of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, and spend more time dissecting Kolkata Knight Riders than they probably have themselves, before getting stuck in mid-table traffic.We also take a few (okay, many) digs at Lucknow Super Giants, debate Rajasthan Royals’ inevitable late-season fade despite one panelist backing them to win it all, break down Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s newfound efficiency, and make the case for Punjab Kings as the team to beat this year.

In this episode we have Richa, MV, Nishant, Vatsal and Asad to preview the teams. Highlights from the discussion include:Gujarat Titans get the Dr. Watson treatment from Asad capable, dependable, but forever in someone else's shadowMV finds yet another excuse to crowbar Succession characters into a cricket conversation, to no one's particular surpriseVatsal braces KKR fans for what looks like another season of frustrating mediocrityNishant isn't buying what the Punjab Kings are selling this yearSarthak, Nishant, and MV talk about the absurdity of Ryan Rickleton's age and QdK's selection chances. Not to miss their chat about Rohit and the short-haired man.Richa & MV discuss the madness behind the trade of Sanju Samson and what lies aheadListen in!

In this episode, we dive into detailed previews of RCB, CSK, DC, LSG, and SRH as we gear up for the season.Richa kicks things off with a deep dive into Royal Challengers Bangalore.For the Delhi Capitals segment, we’re joined by Arvint and Karan from Capitals Blood, alongside Raghav, as they break down the squad, key storylines, and what to expect this year. Vatsal takes the lead on Lucknow Super Giants, analysing their balance and potential combinations, while Sarthak covers both Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, looking at how these teams are shaping up.

In this pod, we have Vatsal, Asad, Raghav & MV discussing the Great IPL Performances of all time in a snake style draft. We discuss the memories and thoughts around the performances we've selected, how much of the IPL is actually forgotten, and probably a full list of 20+ other performances that never made it to the picks. The IPL is a blur and that is very well showcased in the chat and i'm sure the listeners are going to remind us of the many performances we forgot to discuss altogether.

In this episode, Sarthak, Aditya and MV catch up on nostalgia of jerseys, Independence Cup and review the World Cup's fantastic group stage where in fans across the subcontinent attended the games in great numbers and how the Associates lit up this World Cup every single day. This WC is a success despite the game's inherent objection towards the J word - Jeopardy.You can read S Gomesh's fantastic piece here.You can read Sharda Ugra's piece here.

Are you tired of the jingoism and ‘badle ka muqabla’ type narratives around India-Pakistan games? If yes, then this one’s for all you cricket lovers. We bring on people from both sides of the border, to hear their perspectives as people who have grown up loving the game and what this fixture has meant to them. This one should warm the heart, enjoy!We would like to thank Nawab Hassan Hussein Qureshi, Neha Shetty, Akshay, Assad Hasanain, Siva, Samee Siddiqui, Shubha Dutta, Rohail Salman, Saurabh, Raghav B, and Prateek Jha for featuring in this episode.

In what can only be classified as a coup (and as South Asians, we don’t use this term lightly), we have Sharda Ugra, Ahmer Naqvi, and Mohammad Isam to talk through the recent crisis in international cricket. We often explore these themes through Shah Rukh's movie metaphors, starting with K3G and ending with Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman. The episode serves as a reminder that we need to keep lines of communication open between the public, and it’s even more important to do this with the current media landscape. We briefly touch upon the associates at this World Cup and who we are most looking forward to watching. Our guests are joined by hosts Richa, Nishant, Sarthak, and MV.

We have a star studded line up for this! Richa is joined by Tarutr Malhota from Best of Cricket StoriesNeha Shetty from Never on the Backfoot PodcastPraatibh from Cricket by JBShayan Ahmad Khan from CommboxWe discuss RCB’s win (some of us still can’t believe it), talk about each team and even crown Sophie Devine as Falguni Pathak, worry about UP-W, wonder what went wrong with MI-W and end with some fun awards and a draft of the team of WPL 2026 which includes an uncapped player in this edition.

India-Pakistan cricket tensions are back in focus after Pakistan’s announcement of a boycott of the February 15 clash, raising fresh questions about the future of cricket diplomacy and global governance in the sport.To discuss this and more we spoke to Senior Journalist Chander Shekhar Luthra who has been covering the sport for over 30 years and long time friend of the pod, Behram Qazi.There are a ton of tangents but that's how it is, isn't it?

We had a freewheeling chat with Sushant Singh about Bangladesh’s omission from the T20 World Cup, ICC as the BCCI’s Dubai office, Hindutva and its reflections on how Indian cricket functions, sport’s culpability at letting oligarchs trample through the field, and lots of cricket memories.Sushant Singh is a journalist, author, and lecturer in South Asian Studies at Yale University. He is the Consulting Editor at The Caravan, a columnist with The Telegraph and The Morning Context, and his work has appeared in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Financial Times, and The New Yorker. Cricket fans have more recently seen him on videos of The Caravan and read his writing on Cricket Et Al.His piece on Mustafizur Rahman's exit from the IPL hereYou can follow him on TwitterSushant's RecommendationsFree by Leah Ypi Assembling India's Constitution: A New Democratic HistoryBook by Ornit Shani and Rohit DeOsman Samiuddin's seminal piece - The Haal of PakistanMohammed Hanif’s vlogs on BBC - HereLinks to Books, Pieces discussed on the PodEhsan Mani's moving tribute to IS BindraPundits from Pakistan (yes, again)War Minus The Shooting (yes, again)H-Pop : The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop Stars by Kunal PurohitCorner of a Foreign Field by Ramachandra GuhaValkyrie

The PCCI pod brings on a cricket fan who goes by the name @vibeyseagull on twitter to talk through the allegations against Yash Dayal and the wider implications of how this case has been handled by the organisations that employ and are affiliated with him. We talk through other such cases in sport, how they have been handled, and the impact on women’s safety and participation in sport at all levels.Books mentioned on the podThe Day I Became a Runner by Sohini ChattopadhyayWhole Numbers and Half Truths: What Data Can and Cannot Tell Us about Modern India by Rukmini S

In this pod, we have Nishant, Richa, and MV to discuss the Ashes. We discuss Noosa, the wad of cash, England's lengths, new ball bowling, Mark Wood's audacious plan to drive to Perth, the death of Bazball, and the continued excellence of the boring Aussies. We then move to the WPL where we briefly discuss each team on the table and who are we buying, selling and holding.

We try to address the continued hijacking of ICC events by BCCI (and the BJP), how cricket as a sport only serves interests of the Indian nationalistic idea, and against the interests of the sport.

In this episode, MV is joined by Richa and Dave to preview the WPL 2026. We break down the teams, talk about the new money flowing into the game, thank Jay bhai, and decide which food item best represents each franchise. There’s also a bold call on why DC could finish last, a completely unnecessary but entertaining detour on whether Meg Lanning will run onto the field to hug Sophie Ecclestone, and an attempt to explain why MI just keep getting everything right.The order of Previews -UPWRCBGGMIDCWe end with a fun quiz because why not?Who is most likely toBreak their bat smashing something?Have a really funny reel?Break a stump?Hit 5 sixes in an over?Yell at the umpire? Yell at their teammates? Yell at the opposition player?Take an awesome boundary catch?

In this episode, regular listeners Shay, Fahad and Smarts record about their first time at the stadium watching a Cricket match.We compare iconic Indian venues like MA Chidambaram Stadium, Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, and Wankhede Stadium, and contrast them with international experiences at Lord's Cricket Ground.The conversation revolves around stadium access, ticketing challenges, hygiene and security issues, crowd behaviour, and how these factors impact families and first-time fans. We also relive unforgettable moments like watching legends live, standing ovations, and dream destinations such as a Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.A look at why cricket isn’t just about what happens on the field, but everything that happens getting to the stadium for the average fan.

In this episode, we talk about Bazball.Its merits, demerits ,and how it all came crashing down because of very little planning and even poor execution.We also talk briefly about the Indian T20 squad for the upcoming T20 WC and what happened with the axing of Shubman Gill?

Richa, Aditya & MV are joined by Vatsal to discuss the humiliation in Guwahati and the first Ashes Test in Perth.- We start with a fun Game - Whose Line is it anyway? Baz or Gam?- Discussion on the difficulty of playing spin- Decline in structured cricket tours - Abject Selections and insipid leadership- Analysis of the game + Jansen, Bavuma and Harmer - the stars for SA- How teams prepare for Indian tours and the future- Lots of Vicky Paaji/Rev etc thrown in- Ashes - Disappointments with England, Elation with Starc, the long game in Australia- Wrap up - Why do stadia suck in India

We talk of Gambhir's latest blockbuster, how he can conjure lineups without balance even if given infinite resources. We then move onto discussing the insecurity that results in such pitches. The discussion then moves onto the recent news of Indian cricketers backing a majoritarian movement, diversity and inclusion in Indian cricket. Also, a lot of Sports Tak, Yaari and RevSports review around this test match.

In this episode with Ahmer Naqvi, we sit down to discuss the politics of sport, will cricket ever go truly global?, the future of India Pakistan Cricket, Is indian Cricket a Biryani or a Fine dining restaurant & why Ronnie from Awwal Number was the greatest batter in Cricket ever.Ahmer can be found on Twitter His Youtube Channel with Osman Samiuddin is Batta FastAhmer recommended the following books, movies & documentaries through the course of our conversation -Khayal Darpan - DocumentaryUncut Gems - MovieWar Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee - BookChinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew by Shehan Karunatilaka - BookSoccer & Sun in the Shadow - Eduardo GaleanoIfran Junejo's Youtube Channel to truly understand KarachiAnd of course, Awwal Number

This is an episode we had the most joy in creating. We can’t thank Sharda Ugra enough for her time, and you’ll hear that come through in the podcast. She also promises to join us for Part Two!India are World Champions and we discuss the game, the immediate aftermath, the emotions and the performances.This was a truly wide ranging chat and there was a lot of joy for the women who have just become World Champions!We are very thankful to a host of publications who sent their reporters all across the country and Sri Lanka.We reached out to many of them, and they sent in voice notes that reflect their thoughts on this tournament.In no particular order Lavanya from SportstarSamreen from HTGomesh from TNIEMrina Asija from Cricket.com.auNeha Shetty from Never on the Backfoot Podcast + Cricket.com (Get well soon!)Akshay from Cricket.comZenia D’Cunha from ESPNBunch of reporters who we must thank as well for their fantastic coverage during the WC.Annesha GhoshVinayak from IEPurnima from Cricbuzz

Well, that's the pod.The game, the players, Jemi, Harman, Charani, Litchfield, Australia's fielding but also the dropped catches and of course we lament that ICC's Twitter Team has not posted a single clip of the winning moment.

This episode is an ode to the organisational skills of the ICC and the dedication of the BCCI to make the Women's World Cup the biggest ever by throwing money at it.Rain started as a means of jeopardy in a WC has simply ruined it.Might add the lack of marquee venues and faraway venues has ensured the interest doesn't pique but decrease. So, this entire episode is a collection of Rain Sounds from PIXABAY. Enjoy.

This is not a review. We got together to discuss our thoughts on the current status of the tournament, lack of support for the game and the wonderful coverage in print and online media, we discussed Marufa Akter, Nigar Sultana Joty's inspiring captaincy, SA's chances at lifting the trophy, Aus-India game which was attended by Sarthak, and the joy of an underdog victory and the time for Bangladesh has come, the level playing field in the women's game compared to the men's game and Gavaskar's not so shocking comments on air during the India West Indies test series.

There’s some strong language in this episode. If that’s not your vibe, you’ve been warned.In this podcast, we discuss peace. Only fitting it's out on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday!

We discuss the noises about a boycott, the profiteering around the boycott, the lack of nuance and professional decency in Ind-Pak cricket coverage.

In this episode Richa, Aditya and MV are joined by Sarthak Dev to discuss the career of Cheteshwar Pujara.We dive into our earliest memories of Cheteshwar Pujara, tracing his evolution as a batter and how he cemented his place at No. 3. Along the way, we relive some of his finest and most underrated innings, admire his mastery against spin, and explore the unique challenges faced by modern Test batters in the era of the WTC, tricky pitches, and the pace bowling pandemic. Pujara's career, like many in the middle order, feels incomplete. We end by asking: Will we ever see another one like him in Tests? And, of course, we close with our personal favourite Pujara innings.Sarthak wrote a fantastic piece on Pujara, which can be read here.If you’d like to write to us, send us an email on [email protected] or just reply to us on Twitter.

We just quickly got together to record some initial reactions after the stunning game at the Oval. We will come back with a more detailed analysis of what has been a fantastic test series.

This episode is a chat with the folks on The Last Wicket Podcast. Do listen to their previous podcasts which have tremendous nostalgia value and a lot of depth in variety of the topics discussed.The current landscape of cricket journalism and television coverage is characterized by a significant decline in quality and depth, as discussed in our latest podcast episode. We explore how the monopolistic tendencies of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have led to a homogenization of narratives, focusing excessively on celebrity players while neglecting broader analytical discourse. Our dialogue also delves into the implications of rising jingoism in sports media, which appears to cater more to sensationalism than substantive cricketing insights. Furthermore, we address the emergence of fan culture that prioritizes tribalism over appreciation for the sport itself, reflecting a troubling shift in societal attitudes. Join us as we dissect these pressing issues and consider the future of cricket coverage in an increasingly polarized media environment.

We sat down to discuss England's win at Lord's.We discussed why Jadeja should have attacked more, why is this team so defensive?, what is the secret of Ben Stokes' energy? (No we didn't) but definitely marvelled at Archer's return and the dangers of Siraj being overbowled before looking ahead to the Manchester Test where we think Kuldeep is a must (heck, we thought he was a must in all tests).There is sadly no media review but an observation that the Indian fan and YT creators ended up defending this selection as the game went on.

2nd Test Review of the Anderson Tendulkar TrophyMedia Roundups (multiple times, as one must)Mulder Brainfade?The wives of cricketers are to blame for everythingPredictions for the Lord's Test

Pradeep Magazine is a cricket writer, columnist, and former sports editor of The Pioneer, the India Today e-paper, and the Hindustan Times. He began his journalistic career in 1979 with the Chandigarh edition of The Indian Express and served as its cricket editor in 1999–2000. He writes on cricket regularly in The Tribune. He has written 2 wonderful cricket books - Not Just Cricket & Not Quite CricketIn this episode we chat about -SA’s remarkable WTC win with a black captain in Temba Bavuma at the helmThe lack of representation & invisibilisation of Dalits and OBCs in CricketThe dim view of administration of Women’s CricketThe star power creates disparities in the Indian teamIs Match fixing still possible due to the economic disparities and mushrooming of smaller leagues?Pradeep refers to Ex-Commissioner of Police & Head of BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit - Neeraj Kumar’s book - A Cop in Cricket where his work and findings are ignored by the BCCIClassist humour in India against cricketers His evolving relationship with the game after being in such close proximityBooks by Pradeep MagazineNot Just CricketNot Quite CricketArticle that prompted the episode - When Quota is fair game - The Tribune

In this episode, we discuss the changing nature of Bazball, Gill in his first test as captain, Yashasvi's drops affecting the game, the joy of Rishabh Pant, the finesse of KL Rahul, the vitriol against Siraj and Prasidh, the uselessness of Ravindra Jadeja and of course a media review of our favourite Youtube channels.

Tim Wigmore is a sports writer for The Daily Telegraph and has also written for The Economist, The New York Times, ESPN Cricinfo, and The New Statesman, among others. We sat down to discuss his latest book - Test Cricket - A History, which is his most fascinating book yet. There is a unique mix of history, context, aesthetics, race & class which another writer could have easily papered over. Tim excels in his ability to weave stories across centuries with this one and making the history of the game we love not as overwhelming.We discuss the following -1. Legitimacy of Test Matches early on2. Fast Bowling Quartet3. Decline in Spin bowling4. Overperformance of Captains while they are Captains5. Resilience of Test Playing Nations to play after long gaps6. Role of Amateurs and Professionals in Cricket's long history7. Moral Victories8. Lovely references on Aesthetics of batting in the book9. Non-development of the women's game10. 4 Day tests and restructuring of the WTCYou can buy Test Cricket - A History from pretty much every good bookstore across Cricket playing nations along with Amazon as well.Buy the Book - Test Cricket - A HistoryAmazon USAmazon UKAmazon IndiaCrickonomics: The Anatomy of Modern Cricket:Amazon USAmazon UKAmazon IndiaCricket 2.0: Inside the T20 RevolutionAmazon USAmazon UK Amazon IndiaThe Best: How Elite Athletes are MadeAmazon USAmazon UKAmazon IndiaWhite Hot: The Inside Story of England Cricket’s Double World ChampionsAmazon USAmazon UK Amazon India Second XI: Cricket In Its OutpostsAmazon US Amazon UK Amazon India In our previous chat with Tim, we had asked him for Book Recommendations. Those are below.Pundits from Pakistan by Rahul BhattacharyaBeyond a Boundary by CLR JamesThe Unquiet Ones by Osman SamiuddinDifferent Class Duncan Stone

The only way to honour the memories of those who lost their lives in the stampede at Chinnaswamy on 4th of June is to continue talking about it. We speak to Sarthak Dev, who wrote an excellent piece for News Laundry. You can read The story of a disaster: An IPL win, a city’s joy, and a tragedy that was waiting to happen here.Tarutr runs BestofCricket Substack where he publishes a Daily Newsletter with the best cricket stories (text, audio & video). You can read & subscribe here.

Trigger WarningMentions of the Tragedy at Chinnaswamy are discussed at multiple points in the episode. There is an outline and trigger warning at the start of the episode.We are joined by Dave, Shay, Richa, Aditya, Tarutr & MV in this episode and there are 5 RCB fans who sent in voice notes on how they felt about winning the first league title.What is covered in this episode?1. RCB Fans from across the world share what it felt to win the first IPL title. (1:48 to 9:42)2. We speak to Tarutr Malhotra from BestofCricket about the tragedy at Chinnaswamy, the commotion, lack of communication and why he decided to exit the celebrations. (9:42 to 36:13)He has also written a piece. Read it here.3. We start the IPL review with introduction of the guests (36:38 to 38:07), speak about the tragedy at Chinnaswamy (38:07 to 45:07) & Move to the IPL review which continues right till the end!

In this episode, we have long time listeners Saurabh, Shay & Fahad to discuss their memories of the IPL.It’s a great mix of folks from varying age groups and their association with the league. While Saurabh is largely neutral despite having a soft corner for SRH & RR, Fahad loves CSK & Shay is an RCB fan from North India. It gives us an insight into how the IPL has evolved and how the evolution affects the people watching it. Are they still as chuffed at watching the IPL from their first viewing of the league? Listen in.

We sat down to record the Origin Story of our love with the game.

We discussed -- Our first playgrounds (societies, mohalla etc)- How our teams were decided?- What were the various toss instruments?- Specific rules for batting (1D, 2D) and bowling (fast, knee height no balls etc)All of the above across the country since the panel was diverse and we wrapped up with our favourite story of playing Cricket.

In our series of episodes dealing with the lack of cricket in Indian cricket coverage and the rise of jingoism and demi-god worship in cricket media, we have with us accomplished cricket analyst and writer, Gurkirat S Gill.

Sarthak is a writer and music composer. He writes a Substack called Lines on The Grass, and you can find some of his other written work at IndianExpress and EuroSport. He uploads his music on Instagram and YouTube, but only when his morning coffee hits the right spot.Read Lines on the Grass Listen to Sarthak's music here & you can follow him on Twitter as well.In this episode, we have both the Adityas, Raj & MV.We discuss -- The Hero Worshipping of Dhoni, Kohli & Rohit- Twitter Fanwars as an extension of how Cricket is packaged- Inceldom and the violent nature of Cricket discourse- The Loss of Tenderness in sport- No room for the stories of 7/10 cricketers (The Hanuma Viharis & Mayank Agarwals)- Sexualisation of Women in & associated with Sport with Cameramen & how society reacts to 5 second clips of Women in stadia- Lack of Narrative & History in Cricket Commentary- BCCI's lack of interest in Women's Cricket

Today, we have with us Sharda Ugra, a sports journalist for over 30 years who now writes what she wants, when she wants and where she wants. You can read her work in the Hindustan Times and her coverage of the BCCI in The Wire and The Caravan, amongst other publications.Along with Sharda, we have Swaroop who has been with The New Indian Express for over a decade and a Red Ink Award winner. He has covered multiple Hockey World cups, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups and, very recently covered the World Chess Championships. Richa, Aditya & MV join them to discuss - - BCCI Central Contracts for Women , CA's plan for women's cricket and grassroots investment- Why are Ranji Cricketers are paid so little, and why does the BCCI want Int'l cricketers to prioritise domestic over IPL- Saudi Money & Golf - How will they move forward with Cricket- IPL salaries vs the World's best leagues (Swaroop's piece is linked here)- Indian Cricketers Association - The Late Anshuman Gaekwad and current President V Chamundeswarnath, a sexual harassment accused and also an IPL Governing Council Member.RecommendationsSharda Temples, Tombs, & Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt by Barbara Mertz Acquired Podcast on IPL (It's only 4.5 hours long)Sky Sports Podcast with Nasser & Athers Zeteo Podcast founded by Mehdi HasanSwaroopThe Business of Sport Podcast - Listen here.Indian Summers by Sharda Ugra & John Wright, which he used as reference material for his Master’s thesisAditya - The Book of Awesome by Neil PasrichaRicha - Mystery novels by Tana French

In this episode, we have Richa and MV joined by Tarutr Malhotra from Best of Cricket.---Best of Cricket scours the internet for the best cricket stories and brings them to you straight to your Whatsapp. If that's not enough, they also publish original stories themselves and deepdives into the cricket media landscape and how the game is covered since they're looking at everything from a Bird's eye view and up close, daily. You should subscribe if you haven't already.During the WPL, they covered all the games with reporters from all over the world talking about stories beyond the scorecard. You can find their WPL coverage here.--On to the episode -- MI are WPL 2025 Champions!- We start with the final. What went right for MI & what went wrong for DC?- Gujarat's last minute run to the playoff spot- We’ll talk about scheduling and what should change next year- moving away from this to the home and away concept? - ⁠Revisit the teams at the bottom of the table what went badly for them - We discuss Retentions for each team We finally end with Awards for the Season - Moment of the SeasonBest Young Gun ⁠Best Redemption Arc Who won the Ashes? Did Australian players do better or English players? 1 Retention and 1 Discard for each team