No helmet. Just gum, guts, and greatness.

Presenting the deepest dive into Sir Viv Richards' story

A thread worth every scroll. 🧵👇 St. John’s, Antigua, 1952. Viv Richards was born into a home where cricket wasn’t just a game; it was part of the bloodline. His father, Malcolm, was a fast bowler with a fierce run-up. His brothers, Donald and Mervyn, played for local teams. The backyard was their stadium.

Viv didn’t have a proper bat. He didn’t need one. He picked up a coconut branch, wrapped tape around a tennis ball, and taught himself timing, reflexes, and power. One of his early coaches once said, “There’s fire in his wrists.” He wasn’t wrong.

Viv looked up to Sir Garfield Sobers. but he dreamed bigger. He wanted to be the greatest.
Not just for Antigua. Not just for the West Indies.
For the world.

The fall of Zimbabwe cricket is not just about a team losing form. It’s about a golden era destroyed by politics.

Here’s a thread on one of cricket’s most tragic downfalls 🧵 Long before Zimbabwe had a cricketing identity of its own, the country, then known as Rhodesia, was quietly playing domestic cricket in South Africa’s Currie Cup. But the winds of political change swept through southern Africa. Independence came on April 18, 1980, and with it, a new nation was born. Just a year later, on July 21, 1981, Zimbabwe became an associate member of the ICC.

Their journey in world cricket had begun, not with a bang, but with a spark.

Once the kings of cricket, now fighting to stay afloat...

🧵In this thread, I’ll take you through the rise and heartbreaking fall of the West Indies Cricket Board. 🧵 Let’s rewind to 1975.

A young, fiery West Indies team stepped onto the world stage for the very first ODI World Cup. The pressure was massive, but they weren’t just participants. They were favourites.

And they didn’t disappoint.

They steamrolled every opponent, remaining unbeaten and lifting the trophy with style. Four years later, in 1979, they did it again, back-to-back champions. No team could touch them.

This wasn’t just dominance. This was the birth of legends.

Names like Sir Clive Lloyd and Sir Vivian Richards weren’t just players, they were forces of nature. Icons. And together, they made the West Indies a cricketing empire… almost invincible.

A cricketer with dreadlocks, a soul scarred by racism, and a heart that never backed down. His career was ruined by a bottle of bear.

🧵 The story of Andrew Symonds 🧵 Andrew Symonds entered the world in Birmingham, England, in 1975, the child of Afro-Caribbean and European descent. At just six weeks old, he was adopted by Ken and Barbara Symonds, white Australian schoolteachers who would become his rock.

“I’m an adopted child… I’ve never met my biological parents,” he once shared on The Brett Lee Podcast.

The Symonds family moved to Australia soon after, settling in country towns where Andrew’s love for the outdoors and cricket, took root. His dad taught him to bat using Christmas decorations as makeshift balls.

But growing up wasn’t easy.

He faced racial taunts in classrooms, on the streets, and even on junior cricket fields. Monkey chants. Slurs. Isolation. Yet through it all, his parents stood firm , shielding him, guiding him, and nurturing the fire that would one day light up stadiums.

For him, Cricket wasn’t just a game.
It was identity.
It was escape.
It was defiance.

Full press conference - Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar on the Champions Trophy squad selection.

🧵 COMPLETE THREAD 🧵 Agarkar on Bumrah's fitness:

“We are waiting on Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness and will know his status in early February from BCCI’s medical team,”

A player whom even his teammates seemed to want to see fail, and his teammates did everything possible to damage his reputation. He shifted from being a bowler to a batter due to politics.

This is the story of Kevin Pietersen.

🧵A thread 🧵 Kevin Pietersen came from South Africa’s domestic cricket, where he initially played as an off-spinner. Due to a lack of opportunities, he found himself batting lower down the order. Frustrated with the politics surrounding cricket, he faced repeated exclusions from the team despite his undeniable talent. Disillusioned with South Africa's quota system, Pietersen eventually decided to pursue his cricket career in England.

However, there was a big issue. To qualify for playing for England, Pietersen needed to spend at least four years in county cricket. He took the challenge and performed season after season. Transitioning from an off-spinner, he began scoring centuries and even double centuries with the bat. Just as he was on the verge of being selected for the England team, he found himself embroiled in his first major controversy. This moment have set the stage for the complex relationship he would have with English cricket and his teammates moving forward.

The journey of Nike, from being the kit sponsor for 14 years to experiencing a harsh decline in Indian cricket.

🧵Thread 🧵 In 2005, Indian cricket was at a pivotal moment. The Indian team lacked an official kit sponsor, and their uniforms, produced by local manufacturers, were both low in quality and style. There was no excitement surrounding the jersey, and Nike recognized this as an chance to make an impact in cricket and establish a business similar to that in football. That's when Nike, the global sportswear powerhouse, stepped in to transform Indian cricket.

My Rating card for IPL Teams according to their strength and Weakness Gujarat Titans Rating: 9/10

Strengths:
- Exceptional Pace Attack: Featuring Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Gerald Coetzee, Mohammed Siraj, Jayant Sharma, and Arshad.
- Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, and Washington Sundar provide a strong spin lineup.
- Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler form a formidable opening duo.
- Key Finishers: Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, and Sherfane Rutherford are reliable finishers.

Weak Point:

- GT brings a strong bowling attack with Siraj, Rabada, and Krishna, but the absence of a reliable death-over specialist is a concern. Rabada’s economy and Siraj’s consistency in the death could prove costly in tight finishes.

Here are some highlights from Glenn Maxwell’s book The Showman, showcasing how poorly he was treated at Punjab Kings by Sehwag, followed by Virat Kohli’s invitation to join RCB:

Thread 🧵 Glenn Maxwell had an incredible season with Kings XI Punjab, scoring 552 runs, hitting the most sixes, and earning Player of the Tournament, though the team lost the final to KKR.

Maxi - “I was player of the tournament with 552 runs - I'd ridden the wave, hit more sixes than anyone, and was told clearly that the franchise was going to be built around me to go one step better. But just as I'm prone to runs of great form, it usually runs the other way as well - when I'm in a rut, it takes some breaking”

The journey of Prithvi Shaw, who went from being seen as the next Sachin Tendulkar to becoming a controversial cricketer, largely due to many controversies.

Here are some of the major incidents/controversies.

A thread 🧵 In November 2018, Sent home due to “Losing focus”

shortly after making his debut, Shaw was selected for the tour of Australia, he suffered an ankle injury during practice, As a result, he was sent back home, with some reports indicated that he was “losing focus.” Later he has declined those claimed.

Surya Kumar Yadav's childhood coach is facing a major problem; he has been fired from his job, he called SKY, and he has stopped entertaining the person who is to blame.

🧵Full Story 🧵 Surya's coach began his journey at the BARC ground back in 1989-90, supporting Jagannath Phanse as a groundsman and coach. Initially earning Rs 3,000 per month, he eventually saw his salary increase to Rs 26,000 for his groundsman role and Rs 15,000 for coaching through a coaching agency. However, in a sudden turn of events, his services were terminated by ASMC in December 2023.