• Cricket Unplugged, S2 E1- 2023 Year End Special
    Dec 31 2023

    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!

    --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/raghav-ravichandran/support
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    39 mins
  • IPL 2022 Mega Auctions: Cricket Unplugged's Review & In-Depth Analysis
    Feb 20 2022

     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! 

    --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/raghav-ravichandran/support
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    1 hr and 39 mins
  • Cricket Unplugged, Snippets: Reflections on the ICC WT20 2021 & IPL Retentions
    Dec 2 2021

    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! 

    --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/raghav-ravichandran/support
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    38 mins
  • Cricket Unplugged's Reunion: An Open Ended conversation on all the Recent Developments in the World of Cricket
    Jul 18 2021

    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!

    --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/raghav-ravichandran/support
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    49 mins
  • Cricket Unplugged Snippets- Reflections on a Golden Era in Indian Cricket
    Jun 16 2021

    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! 

    --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/raghav-ravichandran/support
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    46 mins
  • Cricket Unplugged Snippets- Covering Recent Developments & Looking Ahead to the ICC WTC Finals
    May 26 2021

    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! 

    --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/raghav-ravichandran/support
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    37 mins
  • Cricket Unplugged's IPL 2021 Wrap Up Special
    May 7 2021

    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. 

    --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/raghav-ravichandran/support
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    34 mins
  • Cricket Unplugged, Snippets- Festival Special: Our State, Our Heroes
    Apr 14 2021

    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! 

    --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/raghav-ravichandran/support
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    37 mins