Parts of the script for the series ahead were written during the tour of 2021, and India’s visits to England that year and the next

Andrew Miller23-Jan-2024There’s nothing new about Bazball, you might say. Two decades have elapsed since Virender Sehwag started blazing run-a-ball 300s for fun, and even the sepia-tinged Gilbert Jessop made a 76-ball century way back in 1902 that remains tantalisingly out of reach for England’s Baz-racers. So it’s little wonder that England’s apparent reinvention of the wheel has received quite so much pushback of late.Nevertheless there’s something especially compelling about the series that’s looming before us. Not simply because England are arriving with a plan that has proven its worth in two away campaigns in Pakistan and New Zealand last winter, but because so much of the action that is due to unfold across these five Tests was rehearsed, in defeat as much as victory, in their two most recent tussles with India, at home and away in 2021 and 2022.On the face of it, much has changed for England since their last Test series in India, which took place in the grip of the Covid outbreak in February and March 2021. Most symbolically, there’s no place at the top of the order for the look-before-you-leap pairing of Rory Burns and Dom Sibley, though the latter’s sheet-anchor 87 from 286 balls in the first innings of the series was nonetheless instrumental to his team’s solitary victory.Related

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• India's home dominance: Cherish it, and don't take it for granted

What’s also gone, however, is the air of stultifying pessimism that was set in motion at the back end of that series. It’s easily forgotten that England had won six Tests in a row in Asia going into the second Test of that India tour. Joe Root’s masterful batting form won the last three of those almost singlehandedly, in Galle and Chennai, while prior to that, in the winter of 2018-19, England’s 3-0 win in Sri Lanka had been secured by a broadly similar set of players, and with an innovative style of “total cricket” – encompassing deep batting strength and bowlers for all occasions – that could almost be regarded as a Bazball prototype.What happened next was instructive for all manner of different reasons. England’s trio of losses in the final three Tests, in Chennai and Ahmedabad, set in motion an extraordinarily bleak ten-month run of one win in 17 matches – exacerbated by the strictures of Covid bubbles, no doubt, but culminating in the 4-0 Ashes crushing the following winter, which confirmed the inevitable end of Root’s tenure as captain. That mini-era truly was the darkness before the dawn from which Bazball would emerge, and the rest quickly became history as Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum set about the psychological reinvigoration of their team’s self-worth.Pant vs Leach in Chennai was Bazball before it had a name: 48 runs came in 21 deliveries•BCCIBut the curious truth about that period is that England knew – both from their prior success, and from the speed of their subsequent revival – that they were capable of better (and braver) cricket, but they just could not access the mindset required to liberate their strokeplay and, as per the oft-mocked mantra of the current regime, “run towards the danger”.And no matter what impression they might give in public, India know from personal experience – on their two legs of the Covid-interrupted Test tour in 2021 and 2022 – that England’s turnaround in fortunes is no fluke of circumstance.In the first four Tests of that series in 2021 (and notwithstanding a James Anderson swing masterclass at Headingley) the hosts were routinely bullied by an outstanding India team playing in the uncompromising image of its then captain, Virat Kohli – most vehemently in their statement victory in the second Test, at Lord’s, when England’s resolve crumbled in the third and fourth innings. Twelve months later, however, those same timid also-rans were hunting down 378 at Edgbaston at close to five an over to square the series with unparalleled style.The naysayers will argue that there’s a world of difference between a victory canter on a flat deck in Birmingham and the trial by spin that seems certain to be waiting for them in India these next few weeks. But the need for bravery in Test cricket is universal, and crucially, many of the same players who were swept aside three years ago will recognise that their own loss of nerve was a crucial factor in such an abrupt series turnaround.Statement victory: India take the final wicket at Lord’s in 2021•AFP/Getty ImagesWhen the going was good in the opening Test in Chennai, England played an unequivocal blinder, first through Root’s outstanding 218 – his third massive hundred in as many England wins – and then, with a formidable 578 to push against, a bowling display that showcased the sort of hand-to-hand combat that has come to epitomise the Bazball era.Jofra Archer won’t be present this time around, but his influence on their tactics will surely live on. A superlative five-over new-ball burst evoked his MVP displays for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL: Archer scalped both of India’s openers, including the soon-to-be-peerless Rohit Sharma, with a relentlessly accurate yet subtly varied diet of raw pace, cutters and assorted sleight of hand.And then, with those early wickets in the bag and enough runs in reserve to roll the dice against the middle order, came an extraordinary duel between the returning Jack Leach and the since sadly injured Rishabh Pant – one that foreshadowed the uncompromising pursuit of wickets that has become the other key feature of England’s new-found attitude.It resulted in Leach’s first eight overs being launched for 77 – “I thought I was playing in the IPL!” he joked afterwards – but the logic of the match-up was unimpeachable. With Leach extracting some appreciable turn from outside the left-hander’s off stump, and Pant trusting his methods to hit through the spin time and time again, the passage of play was not simply compelling, it was a potential harbinger of England’s own batting approach this time out. Pant’s strength was his weakness – it could get him out at any moment, so why stand on ceremony? Instead of dying in a hole, waiting for the ball with his name on it, he backed himself regardless and picked off the small matter of 91 from 88 balls in the process.Even though, on that occasion, Pant’s counterattack didn’t prove successful, it was the sort of proactivity that England were incapable of matching when India cranked up the spin settings for the final three Tests. Clearly R Ashwin and Axar Patel swiped the plaudits for the series turnaround, as they shared 50 of England’s 60 wickets in those three defeats. And yet, as Root proved in taking 5 for 8 in the first of the Ahmedabad Tests with his then-still-speculative offbreaks, the challenge of surmounting the conditions wasn’t simply confined to the visiting batters.Eat my dust: Rohit Sharma made 66 and 25 in the first Ahmedabad Test in 2021•BCCIEnter Rohit, whose magnificence at the top of the India order didn’t simply turn the series on its head, but also provided a pointer to his beaten opponents as to how to thrive in such invidious circumstances. By lunch on the first morning of the second Test, on a crumbly surface that was only going to get tougher, he’d cracked 80 runs out of 106 for 3, and 161 from 231 balls by the time of his extraction in the 73rd over.”Mentally before the game I was prepared for what I was facing once I get in,” Rohit said after that innings. “Be clear in your mind. You can’t be tentative.” A week later, he repeated the trick in even more extreme conditions in Ahmedabad, where his 66 and a run-a-ball 25 not out helped condemn England to defeat inside two days. Only Zak Crawley, fourth man out for 53 in an innings where no one else passed 17, came close to matching such transcendence. But notwithstanding his efforts, or the eventual speed of their loss, England still dribbled along to a total of 193 runs in 79.2 overs across two innings, their slowest run rate to that point for a completed Test since the start of 2020.Other factors ate into England’s competitiveness, not least the ECB’s rest-and-rotation policy that was designed to manage the players’ well-being during Covid but ended up denying them a first-choice XI at any stage of the winter. It created, also, a jam-tomorrow mentality within the squad at large – a sense that the team’s real challenge was always further down the track. It’s a trait that Stuart Broad in particular called out in a memorable tirade during the following winter’s Ashes, and one from which England have entirely pivoted, with their uncompromisingly consistent squad selection a defining feature of the Bazball ethos.None of which necessarily means that England are any better placed to avoid the fate that they, and pretty much every other visiting team, have endured since their most recent series win in India, in 2012-13. But that Chennai win three years ago was the second of only three home defeats that India have suffered in 46 matches since the start of 2013, and if it contained within it the seeds of a strategy that would lie dormant for the rest of the tour, then the manner in which Rohit and Pant ripped the series India’s way is perhaps even more instructive for the days ahead.

The new captain was at the heart of a hard-fought victory over rivals Mumbai Indians

Alagappan Muthu15-Apr-20242:54

Was Hardik Pandya’s decision to bowl the final over sound?

MS Dhoni knows sixes. So, when his eyes widened, and he pushed his lips up and out, as he watched the ball sail over the boundary with an appreciative nod, it’s proof that something special has happened.Akash Madhwal was bowling. He had seen the batter charge at him. Making room outside leg stump. So he corrected his course. And dragged his line wide. Ruturaj Gaikwad was mid-move when he realised he was out of position.Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings is the biggest rivalry in the IPL. And that’s not just for the fans. The teams soak in it too. It showed in their tactics on Sunday night; in how much work had gone into outdoing each other. Of course, there are times when even the best laid-plans are busted by individual brilliance.Like Gaikwad – out of shape – managing to reach a ball he wasn’t meant to and striking it for six over point.Related

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Mumbai made similar moves and their opener was at the centre of it all too. Rohit Sharma vs left-arm pace is love story made in hell. CSK would have hoped to exploit that with Mustafizur Rahman, who has been in form this tournament. Except as soon as he came on, he was hit for four. Rohit kept doing this. Attacking the first ball of the over. It got to the point where he was toying with CSK.Once, he hurtled out of his crease, making room for himself to lift Mustafizur over cover. Next, he shuffled across his stumps, because he knew the bowler would pull his length back and bring his line tighter, and as reward for all of that quick thinking, he found himself in the perfect place to do a little redecoration of the Wankhede. His six crashed into the roof.This was cricket on the cutting edge of the cutting edge. And it was so much fun.Ravindra Jadeja had the biggest smile on his face as he finished his spell. He had been hit for a reverse-swept boundary but still gave away only six runs in the over. Mumbai had tried to smash him almost every ball. Rohit even tried to reverse sweep him, twice. And he doesn’t do reverse sweeps. He’d played only seven of those in his entire IPL career coming into this game. Once again, those were attempts to get a boundary off the first ball of the over.Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 69 off 40 balls even after dropping himself down the order•BCCIAccording to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, Mumbai brought out a big shot to 14 of Jadeja’s deliveries and he turned seven of them into dots or singles. CSK’s left-arm bowling machine had to do something he hates in order to succeed like that. He gave up the stumps. He bowled wide. Returns of 4-0-37-0 doesn’t do justice to his effort. The corresponding figures for Matheesha Pathirana (12 and 8) Tushar Deshpande (11 and 7) and Shardul Thakur (13 and 7) showcase just how good the whole team had to be to defend a total at the Wankhede.CSK’s win in the end owed as much to the fact that there wasn’t a lot of dew on the ground as there has been previously in Mumbai. Their slower balls into the pitch were sticking, so much so that they were able to drag a rampaging Rohit back. He had raced to 66 in 39. Then, he took 12 deliveries to score 12 runs. That kind of deceleration, especially in the back ten, is usually telling. He did go on to bring up a century. He did not celebrate it.”In the middle, when Rohit was going strong, we felt game is sliding a little,” Thakur told the host broadcaster. “And when I came on to bowl, I felt let’s be brave here and make him play to the bigger side [they weren’t playing on the centre wicket], challenge him to hit me on the bigger side, if he can clear the boundary, well give him full marks but if he can’t, then [that] might be turning point of the game.”2:45

‘Dhoni may be surprising even himself’

The night ended with Gaikwad raising his fist in the air, his head ever so slightly bowed. He was taking a moment for himself. This was the game that he finally became CSK’s captain. took the decision to give up his spot as opener – which is crucial to the way he bats because he is a touch player – to Ajinkya Rahane in order to give him the best chance of success because he was playing with a niggle. This little shift also enabled CSK to have their best pace-hitter out in the middle at all the times Jasprit Bumrah came on to bowl. That head-to-head only lasted four balls and yielded three runs but check out what Gaikwad did against the other two specialist quicks: 47 runs in 21 balls with four fours and four sixes, one of which, a picture perfect, straight bat, simple extension of defence against Gerald Coetzee, who is in the running for the fastest bowler of IPL 2024, had him literally licking his lips.Cricket on the cutting edge. So much fun.CSK might have been slow to start. They even allowed a powerplay over to sneak by without a single boundary, and were 48 for 1 at the end of six, but this is all by design. They conserve wickets and leverage their batting depth unlike any other side in the IPL. The numbers bear it out. Since 2021, CSK are the quickest-scoring team in the last ten overs (9.79 rpo), with the most fours (316) and the most sixes (254).On Sunday night, they made sure eight of the back ten went for double-digits, peaking with Dhoni smashing three sixes in three balls off the opposition captain. Then, they prevented it from happening to them by taking the pace off – CSK bowled 27 slower balls that cost them just eight runs an over as opposed to MI’s 13 slower balls that were smashed for nearly 12 an over. The difference might well have been in how Gaikwad’s men kept exhorting the Mumbai line-up to see if they can clear the longer side of the ground. They did that by digging it into the surface instead of floating it up on a length.1:35

Gavaskar on Hardik: ‘Ordinary bowling, ordinary captaincy’

“This was a repeated [used] pitch today,” Thakur added, “On the 11th, MI played on the same pitch and I think in Wankhede whenever the pitch is repeated, slower ones work better the next game and we felt apart from Pathirana I think we felt we should keep bowling slower ones into the pitch and at some point we’ll be able to get them out.”When Tim David was at the crease, Mustafizur wanted to target him from around the wicket. But realising that it was vital to keep away from the Australian’s hitting arc, the CSK captain overruled his strike bowler and made him come over the wicket. At the cost of a wide and a six, they dismissed MI’s final hope of victory.In their last game, after failing spectacularly in the effort to make sure Dhoni hit the winning runs, Gaikwad thought he might make up by letting take the lead as the players came together to shake hands. Dhoni would have none of it. He hung back. He knows new history is being written at CSK. And now after beating Mumbai in Mumbai, everybody does as well.

Lance Morris and Xavier Bartlett are set for debuts in Melbourne while West Indies hope to ride the wave of Test glory

Alex Malcolm01-Feb-20241:09

Finch: You can start to future proof the Australia team

It has been a week of celebration in Melbourne for both West Indies and Australia. The smiles on the faces of the West Indies team after their Test heroics on Sunday in Brisbane will last for a long time. And despite being on the losing end of an epic, Australia have also had cause to celebrate.On Tuesday night every member of the winning World Test Championship and ODI World Cup teams, bar David Warner and Marcus Stoinis, gathered at the Eureka Tower Skydeck, with the players receiving commemorative rings. They doubled down on Wednesday at the Australian Cricket Awards where Mitchell Marsh was the toast of the night, winning the Allan Border Medal as Australia’s best international player over the last 12 months.Related

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But while Marsh was flying back to Perth on Thursday morning, a young fresh-faced Australian squad gathered for an optional training session at the MCG ahead of the first ODI since that World Cup triumph and scarcely a player skipped the session.Both sides are missing some big names for a variety of reasons, but the series looms as a very early fact-finding mission for the 2027 World Cup, while Australia also have the 2025 Champions Trophy in sight.

Australia’s youth get their chance

The post-Warner era begins for Australia in ODI cricket, but Australia’s selectors have also rested Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood from the World Cup-winning team while Stoinis is playing franchise cricket after discussions with selectors about a desire to give youngsters some opportunities.Australia are set to field one of their most inexperienced attacks in quite some time with two debutants likely to play at the MCG in Lance Morris and Xavier Bartlett, while allrounder Will Sutherland may well get a chance at some stage later in the series.Hard-hitting allrounders Matt Short and Aaron Hardie are set to play in their first ODIs on home soil while Cameron Green comes back into the XI after being squeezed out during the World Cup.Jake Fraser-McGurk, Will Sutherland, Xavier Bartlett and Matt Short ahead of the ODI series against West Indies•Getty ImagesDeveloping some lower middle-order batting depth in ODI cricket is a key part of the selectors planning for this series with Short and Hardie, who open and bat No. 3 in BBL cricket, set to be trialled down the list in the opening match at least. The selectors’ reasoning is that they have enough knowledge of what those two are capable of at the top of the order in domestic cricket and would like to give them some time in the tougher middle-order roles at international level, given they do not get a chance to bat there at the level below.While Short would prefer to open, as he has done with great success for Adelaide Strikers in the BBL and Victoria in the 50-over Marsh Cup competition, he understands that there is potentially a chance to grasp a permanent place in the middle-order.”I do feel more confident at the top of the order but any opportunity you get playing for your country, whether it be through the middle or at the top, I guess that’s the challenge,” Short said. “If the spot is there to be taken, if that’s the only way in, you just have to take that opportunity and try and do as best you can and sort of wait your turn.”

Likely Australia XI

1 Travis Head, 2 Josh Inglis, 3 Cameron Green, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Marnus Labuschagne, 6 Matt Short, 7 Aaron Hardie, 8 Sean Abbott, 9 Xavier Bartlett, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Lance Morris

Short has spoken to Stoinis about the transition from being a BBL and one-day opener to becoming a middle-order finisher at international level.”He’s been in a similar boat,” Short said. “He was really dominant at the top of the order throughout the BBL and probably didn’t quite have the spot available for him at the international level. So he’s sort of changed his game a little bit, obviously batting through the middle and finishing innings. I spoke to him a little bit just on that role change and starting with the field out. But I think it’s still having that same positive mindset.”Australia are also set to trial Josh Inglis at the top of the order in ODI cricket for just the second time in his career, having been an important middle-order contributor in the World Cup after replacing Alex Carey. Inglis has contracted Covid in the lead-up to Friday’s series opener at the MCG but was still able to train on Thursday and is expected to play, with some precautions taken in terms of his interaction with team-mates as was the case with Green during the Brisbane Test.Shai Hope and Steven Smith will captain the ODI series•Getty ImagesIt means there is likely no spot for exciting young batter Jake Fraser-McGurk in the series opener, but he will get the chance to play during the three matches, and it did not go unnoticed during the pre-series photo opportunity that he was wearing the No. 23 on his back, the same number worn by two of Australia’s great showmen, Shane Warne and Michael Clarke.If history is any guide, Australia’s XI on Friday could form the backbone of the side at the 2027 World Cup. Australia’s first ODI XI after the 2019 World Cup featured six of the XI who played in the 2023 final, with Marnus Labuschagne debuting in that game. But Travis Head, Marsh and Maxwell were all left out of that 2020 side on form before being matchwinners in the World Cup three years later.

West Indies look to build depth

Kavem Hodge could get the chance to bring his Test form into the ODIs•Getty ImagesWest Indies’ journey to 2027 has already begun with an excellent 2-1 series win over England at home in December. The ignominy of missing qualification for the 2023 World Cup is disappearing in the rearview mirror. Given the qualification for 2027 will likely be done on world rankings, the match-by-match pressure of the ODI Super League has been relieved, however, there is a need to be consistent.Coach Daren Sammy reiterated his captain Shai Hope’s statement that West Indies are trying to build some squad depth.”It’s about giving exposure, getting a core of guys,” Sammy said. “What I’m really happy about is the competition for places. And it’s competition from performance, not the lack thereof. If you give somebody an opportunity to play in your spot, sometimes you might not get it back. As you saw through the Test match, seven guys who have not played [performed].”Sammy was hopeful his ODI squad could be inspired by the deeds of the Test team. From the side that beat England last December, Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford have been released to play franchise T20 cricket while Shimron Hetmyer has been dropped. It opens the door for three batters to make a name for themselves.Kavem Hodge performed exceptionally in the Brisbane Test and could win an ODI recall having played three matches in 2023. Justin Greaves also showed promise in the Tests and could play his first one-dayer since 2022 while Grenadian top-order batter Teddy Bishop and Guyanese wicketkeeper-batter Tevin Imlach could make their ODI debuts.Sammy urged his inexperienced group to follow the lead of the Test side and adapt quickly to the style of cricket required in Australian conditions.”I’m looking at the MCG there, you got to adjust,” Sammy said. “Unlike most grounds where the square boundaries are short, Australia poses that challenge with big square boundaries. It means the ball will be more back of a length, shorter than fuller. So the ability to adjust and that’s the brand. Understanding what’s required. Everybody is clear about their roles.”Ever since I came in myself, and Shai, we’ve always tried to be clear with what’s required to help us with matches. To me adaptability here in Australia is key. The Test team did it. [It’s the] first ODI series in 2024 for us, we’ve got to come here and be adaptable in these conditions.”

The squads

Australia: Steven Smith (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Lance Morris, Matt Short, Will Sutherland, Adam ZampaWest Indies: Shai Hope (capt), Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, Teddy Bishop, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.

England’s No. 3 has welcomed red-ball break while honing leadership skills in T20

Vithushan Ehantharajah14-Jun-2024It was Laurie Evans who broke the news to Ollie Pope that his unbeaten 100 in vain against Sussex last Friday was one short.Surrey’s Vitality Blast captain had arrived early in a chase of 214, lasting the course as they fell 36 runs short for their first defeat of the campaign. With an improbable 38 needed from the final two deliveries, Pope clocked the Kia Oval scoreboards, which showed he was on 99 not out.”It’s probably the one time you can be a bit selfish,” Pope says. “You know – ‘oh go on then, I’ll take the easy single’.” A snick through to the keeper on the bounce brought the run, followed by a sheepish raise of the bat.Related

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Alas, the scoreboard was wrong. Pope was actually on 98 when he faced the penultimate ball of the innings.”I got back into the changing room and Laurie Evans came up, shook my hand and went, ‘Nice 99 mate, well played!’ I was like, ‘What?!'” It would have been Pope’s first limited-overs century.”It was obviously annoying, but at the same time, we lost the game. If I did get a hundred, we still lose the game. That’s the thing that’s wrong with cricket – people think that one run should make a difference. It’s obviously nice to get those milestones. But when you lose, it doesn’t really matter.”Last Friday’s hiccup aside, Surrey have enjoyed a strong start to the Blast, winning three out of four and sitting third, with Somerset and Sussex above them in a strong South Group. Regular skipper Chris Jordan’s presence at the World Cup – one of three Surrey players in the England squad, along with Will Jacks and Reece Topley – presented Pope, England Test vice-captain, with the opportunity to enhance his leadership CV. He admits the last couple of weeks have been a crash course in captaincy, particularly game management.”It’s been good so far,” Pope says. “The thing for me is that I haven’t really played T20 cricket, so I was a bit behind – not the rules, but I guess just managing it. You forget how hectic and frenetic it can be out there. That first game [against Hampshire] we had to field with five inside the ring for the last over because we were slow between the overs. I felt like I couldn’t go any quicker! So there are a few things like that you need to sharpen up as quickly as you can.”The bowlers have bowled nicely overall, which makes my job easier. The last game [against Sussex] was probably the first time we’ve been put under some real pressure. They played nicely and it’s just trying to find a way to keep your calmness around the group. And also be at peace in T20 cricket that someone might get you. If someone hits the ball you want to bowl for four or six, then you have to be at peace with that.”Despite the new challenges, Pope is glad for the Blast after an uncharacteristically tough start to the County Championship season. Surrey sit top, but Pope is averaging 24.00 from nine innings, a paltry return considering he arrived into the summer boasting an average of 70.31 in first-class cricket for the county. Off the back of a tour of India, which began with a match-winning 196 in the first Test at Hyderabad before falling away to finish with a series total of 315, it was the last thing he wanted.

“I’ve had some good runs, good innings and then periods like the back end of India. If I can get an early score, can I back that up in the next game and the game after that? It’s about being ruthless”Ollie Pope on his Test form

“Coming back from India, I was like, ‘Right, have a couple weeks off and get stuck into the county stuff’. There was always this expectation for me to just go and score runs week in and week out. And then when I don’t, it’s like, ‘Why is this happening?'””I had a couple of low scores early, made a sixty [63 against Worcestershire] and a forty [44 against Warwickshire] and just struggled to get going. It has been kind of frustrating, but at the same time I think it’s quite a nice time for this T20 block to come. You can go and express yourself; you can hit balls, strong shots on the up, pick up length quickly and hit good pull shots. Sometimes, playing county cricket, it can feel like every ball is around the knee roll. It’s a great challenge but freeing up can help my red-ball game as well.”It speaks to how strong India finished the Test series, moving on from Hyderabad emphatically to triumph 4-1, that Pope’s memories of his century – one that drew rave reviews from many, including India head coach Rahul Dravid – are minimal, to a point.”It wasn’t until I got back and people were like ‘well done in India’ that I was like, ‘oh yeah – thanks!’ I’ve got high expectations of myself so I was disappointed with how the rest of the series went.”Hyderabad, he says, will always have a special place in his heart, the best feeling he has had in Test cricket, though he has not watched the innings back. But the fits and starts that followed – two 23s, a 39, three single-figure scores, including two ducks, then 11 and 19 in the final Test – still irk. Three dismissals in particular.”The last two [in Dharamsala] were annoying because I felt good on a good pitch. I ran past Kuldeep and top-edged a sweep off Ashwin. The other was my first innings [in Ranchi, the fourth Test], where I ran down the wicket when it was nipping around a bit. Somehow DRS said it was out, but, again, the shot I wasn’t too happy with after. Everything I’ve worked on over the last few years is trusting my defence, which I didn’t do.England’s tour of India ended on a low note for Pope•Gareth Copley/Getty”You get a few good balls – you always do – but there were dismissals where I’m thinking, ‘Why did I do that?’ They’re the learnings I can take. You become a better player by learning from those mistakes.”The summer is an opportune time to channel those frustrations. Pope will play the remainder of Surrey’s Blast matches in this block ahead of the return of the County Championship at the end of June. He will play away to Worcestershire, starting June 23, before missing the next round ahead of the first of three West Indies Tests, at Lord’s on July 10. Three more Tests against Sri Lanka follow, before tours of Pakistan and New Zealand before the year is out.Though England’s batting remains largely settled, they are likely to broach the prospect of a new wicketkeeper in a bid for more consistency after Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes shared duties over the last two years. Pope’s Surrey team-mate Jamie Smith has been touted as an option, likewise Lancashire’s Phil Salt, who has been in impressive T20 form.But what of Pope, who has fulfilled the role for England on three occasions? Would he be game? He laughs when the option is put to him. The last time he kept wicket was the second Test of the Pakistan tour at the end of 2022 – one of only eight times he has done so in a first-class match.”I’d do whatever is required from me,” he answers diplomatically. “Me as a keeper, I’ve always been a keeper, but batting at three over the last two years back in the Test team, that’s been my focus.”My volume of keeping hasn’t been up to what it should be. I’ve not been able to train much with it. I’d never say no to anything like that, but it’d mean I’d have to get my keeping gloves and dust them off. I’m not sure. I’ve not kept in a good while but if that’s the case, it’ll be crack on and work hard.”The No. 3 position he has assumed since Ben Stokes took the captaincy in 2022 is going well – averaging 41.75, set against a career Test average of 34.04 – even if he does want to adopt a more bloody-minded streak. That, at this juncture, remains his primary focus.”I’d like to keep making it my own and churn more consistently in that spot. I’ve had some good runs, good innings and then periods like the back end of India. If I can get an early score, can I back that up in the next game and the game after that? It’s about being ruthless.”

Cricket’s financial model demands West Indies perform miracles to stay competitive

Andrew Miller11-Jul-2024The great and the good were gathered in the Long Room last Friday, drawn together by the landlords of Lord’s, Marylebone Cricket Club, for the inaugural World Cricket Connects symposium.This day-long talking-shop was the brainchild of MCC’s incoming chairman Mark Nicholas – who happens to be one of the most passionate and engaged cricket fans ever to have been drawn into the sport’s administration. Unfortunately, the club’s subsequent summary of the event might as well have been drafted by the ECB’s former chief executive, Tom Harrison, for all the grimly capitalist realpolitik with which it dripped.If it wasn’t Greg Barclay, ICC’s chairman, being quoted as “highlighting the unsustainable pace of the current cricket calendar”, it was Manoj Badale, Rajasthan Royals’ owner, cautioning that the sport must be “relevant and accessible to the next generation”. Andrew Strauss, former England captain and allround ECB grandee, believes that “growth should be a priority”; Mike Baird of Cricket Australia advocates “learning from other sports’ marketing and grassroots investment strategies”.All of which, and more, was a lot of hard yakkity-yakka to fit into one day’s chat, although that is not to denigrate the effort or the enterprise that went into organising such a gathering in the first place: “All good things start with rhetoric,” as a former ECB executive once told me in relation to cricket’s racism crisis, the point being that gathering in a room to exchange platitudes is probably an improvement on not gathering in a room at all.But in throwing open its opulent doors to the (mostly) men who control the purse-strings, Lord’s couldn’t help but frame itself rather as Davos does each year in inviting a bunch of plutocrats to pontificate on the climate crisis. All the while, the world burns with increasing vigour, as West Indies have spent the past two days proving in their own increasingly forlorn traipses through that same Long Room.MCC members wait for the gates to open on the first morning at Lord’s•Getty ImagesFor this week, we have again witnessed what happens when sport is reduced to mere product. West Indies versus England at Lord’s has been an obligation to economics rather than an essential stirring of the soul, and with the best part of three days’ worth of refunds in prospect, it’s been spectacularly unsuccessful on that front too.If you’re really in the market for “grassroots investment strategies”, then a genuine appeal to the emotions remains an unimpeachable recruitment tool. It also happens to be the very reason why West Indies in the 1980s and 1990s became the most compelling drawcard the sport has ever seen, and if for some reason you still need convincing on that front, Brian Lara has the summer’s most compelling autobiography to plug.That’s not to say that West Indies have lacked the requisite passion in this week’s performance. On the contrary, they fought and they fell with the bat, while their reward for a genuinely spirited bowling display – in which none of England’s five very well-set batters could reach three figures – was merely to hasten Friday morning’s inevitable denouement. If nothing else, the raw joy of Mikyle Louis’ run-out from deep point evoked the same pride and togetherness that recently powered their white-ball squad’s home campaign in the T20 World Cup, not to mention that startling victory in Brisbane back in January.Ah yes… Brisbane. Maybe, just maybe, West Indies can bounce back at Trent Bridge next week, just as they did after their ten-wicket drubbing at Adelaide in January; just as they did at Headingley in 2017, after a similarly sickening loss at Edgbaston. But even if they can, it’ll prove nothing other than the superhuman resilience of the men who make it happen. No team in elite sport should be expected to perform miracles simply to stay competitive.West Indies have lost 16 wickets in 76.3 overs•Getty ImagesFor this pattern of anti-competitiveness has been abundantly clear for years. Only last summer, Ireland rocked up to Lord’s for a contest of even less context, coming as it did only days before their (failed) attempt to qualify for the 2023 World Cup, a campaign upon which their entire financial viability seemed to have been staked.Moreover, the pattern endures, even after the most vivid jolt to the sport’s economic model that could ever have been conceived. Last week, while recalling the circumstances of the 2020 England tour, which took place in bio-secure bubbles in the midst of the Covid outbreak, CWI chief executive Johnny Grave pointed out that the experience had reminded the ECB that “you can’t play against yourselves … you need to have opposition”.Related

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And yet, that’s not really the takeaway from two unnervingly dislocated days at Lord’s. From the pensioning-off of James Anderson, to Ben Stokes’ revealingly long-range focus on Australia, to a batting display – in bright sunshine, on a flat and unforgiving surface, and broadly stripped back of any Bazball fripperies – that smacked of a dress rehearsal for a first innings in Adelaide, England have gone through the motions of this match with diligent professionalism but with tangible dispassion.For if this is the look and feel of Bazball 2:0 – the “refinement” of which Brendon McCullum spoke after India, then caveat emptor for the rest of the summer. Speaking before the Test, Stokes was audibly exasperated when it was put to him that England’s failure to get over the line in their last three Test series might put a new emphasis on winning at all costs, but nothing about the way they’ve gone about this contest would debunk that notion.As Stokes himself put it, however, criticism along such lines is “a bit uncalled for”. The team’s evangelistic tendencies, lest we forget, came as a reaction to the very same atrophy that has rendered this contest, and too many like it, so unappealing. But they came across as too preachy, and they failed to seal too many positions of dominance along the way – including, in incredible scenes at Wellington last year, the second Test against New Zealand: a team that McCullum appeared to suggest, during MCC’s meet-and-greet last week, might not make the cut if Test cricket was pared back to just six teams. But whatever, boo to fun: back to the bottom line we must go!Does any of this matter to the men who call the shots, or is Lord’s just a happy backdrop for gatherings of the rich and famous? Among them in the Mound Stand today, as it happens, was Jacob Rees-Mogg, the recently ex-MP who is presumably familiar with hollowed-out husks of once-proud institutions. As with last week’s Long Room event, the glut of popped corks that littered the outfield by the close of play told a story of greater contentment than the state of play should warrant.

Bangladesh have a rare chance of starting a fresh day with ten wickets in hand, and they have Shadman and Zakir to thank for that

Mohammad Isam22-Aug-2024One thing batters do not look forward to is to face twelve overs of bowling after spending the whole day fielding. Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam’s brave faces weren’t fooling anyone in Rawalpindi. Justin Langer wrote in his autobiography about wanting the twilight challenge, but few are cut from the same cloth.Zakir and Shadman are Bangladesh’s tenth different opening pair in the last three years. After Shan Masood declared the Pakistan innings on 448 for 6 at 4.34 pm local time, they were set to face at least an hour of hellfire from Pakistan’s pace attack. And they did… okay. They blunted Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, and annoyed Khurram Shahzad a little bit. That’s not a bad evening’s work. They have a more work to do but for now this will do.Related

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The expectations of Bangladesh’s batters have been so low these days that going twelve overs unscathed felt like a big deal. On a tough day for Bangladesh, Shadman and Zakir looked in control to ensure the visitors left the ground with some respite. Shadman is returning to the Test side after 16 months while Zakir is playing his first overseas Test. The pair played out 58 dot balls in the twelve overs and even hit three fours.Batting coach David Hemp wore a smile at the end of the day. He looked like one of those dads who watching their kids’ recital and mouthing their lines along with them. Hemp had received good news earlier in the day from the Islamabad Club where Saif Hassan and Jaker Ali struck hundreds for Bangladesh A. He was however more pleased with what he saw in Rawalpindi.”It is always a challenge to bat for a limited time in the back end of the day,” Hemp said. “After being in the field for five hours. We are really pleased not to lose wickets, but more importantly their approach. They are still trying to capitalise on scoring options. I also felt that they made good judgements about leaving the ball.”Shadman’s recent form should provide some confidence. He made 88 against Pakistan A in Darwin recently. Zakir didn’t have a good outing against Pakistan A in Islamabad last week, but he was beginning to forge a solid partnership with Mahmudul Hasan Joy, whose groin injury kept him out of this Test.Zakir Hasan cuts the ball•Associated PressHemp added that the rest of the Bangladesh batters are also prepared to take on the Pakistan attack. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque are up next, followed by the veterans Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, and Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz lower down the order.”From what we are seeing in the preparation period, they have all been striking the ball well and getting into good positions,” Hemp said. “They are all confident that they can contribute to the team. We have depth in the batting order with Litton at seven and Mehidy at eight.”[Pakistan] have four good seamers and a reasonable spinner. They have bowling options. They are a good attack. It is going to be a challenge. The priority is to bat the day. We have to negotiate each session, and then see where we are.”Hemp also expected the lower order to contribute runs, citing how the Bangladesh tail stood up against New Zealand in their last Test win, in November 2023.”The mantra in the team is for everyone to be able to contribute,” he said. “Everyone is expected to bat as much as possible. For us internally, we look at contributions from the lower order. We are more interested in balls faced than runs from No 9, 10 and 11. During the New Zealand series at home last year, the last four batters averaged 33 to 34 balls per innings. That’s 120 balls, which kept New Zealand in the field for 20 extra overs. It had a massive impact on the game. For us it is a really important factor.”Shakib, Shanto and Litton have not been among the runs. Mominul and Mushfiqur are low on game time, while Mehidy is also returning from a considerable break. Bangladesh will need a massive effort from the batters to get even in this Test.

Former players and coaches weigh in on the changes ahead of India’s new domestic season

Daya Sagar26-Aug-2024Is this the best format for the Duleep Trophy?Wasim Jaffer, former India opener: Having many international players participating in the Duleep Trophy is a positive step. You want these players to be part of domestic cricket when international cricket is not happening. Moreover, the national selectors picking these teams is a better move. The cream of promising talent get a chance to strengthen their case under the selectors’ watch.Related

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Faiz Fazal, former Vidarbha captain: Previously, there used to be dominance of a particular team from a zone. Take my example: I’ve been among the top scorers from my zone in the Ranji Trophy, but across the last eight-nine seasons, I was only picked in three zonal Duleep Trophy games. Central Zone was dominated by UP (Uttar Pradesh). The managers, coaches, and captain were all from that state. With the national selectors’ involvement, it’s a fairer process, greatly reducing the dominance and bias of a single state. I believe the selectors would have told the coaches and captains about the new players they want to see and those who should be given opportunities. Additionally, this will be good practice for Indian Test cricketers to start the new Test season with red-ball practice.Piyush Chawla, India legspinner: The current format with a number of top India players participating will make the tournament more competitive and attractive. Several new domestic players will be able to learn a lot from experienced Indian players.Will the splitting of the Ranji Trophy foster better competition?Jaffer: I had tweeted a long time ago that the season should start with red-ball cricket. When I played, the Ranji Trophy matches were held first, followed by the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) and Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s (SMAT). Before the season, there used to be KSCA and Buchi Babu tournaments, which helped in our pre-season preparation. Additionally, the Irani Trophy and Duleep Trophy matches used to be held at the beginning of the season. This gave players ample practice with the red ball before starting the Ranji Trophy. I think this is a better step and will also protect players against the harsh weather conditions in North India because if a match is cancelled or gets disrupted due to bad weather, it affects the team’s qualification.Punjab beat Baroda to clinch their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title last season•Mandeep Singh.Jaffer: There is only a six-day gap between the fifth round of the Ranji Trophy and the start of SMAT. During this time, players have to travel, rest, and then prepare for T20 cricket, which is completely different from first-class cricket. Since performance in SMAT also affects players’ IPL auction values and opportunities, I think this gap should have been eight to ten days to allow players to transition smoothly from one format to another. However, this will also test the professional attitude of players and coaches in adapting to this change in a short time.Returning to red-ball cricket for the final two matches and knockout stages after playing SMAT and VHT will be a new challenge. It may also happen that some teams or players do not maintain their form from the first phase. But that’s cricket, and you have to adapt professionally to every situation. Adaptability is the biggest challenge and demand in modern cricket.Chawla: No team should be deprived by weather, so this is an excellent step. Also, at the senior level, players need to be professional enough to handle such challenges of quick turnaround. This is an exciting and challenging move.Fazal: When I was playing the Ranji Trophy last year, I also felt that a three-day gap was very difficult not only for fast bowlers but also for batters. Suppose I am a batter scoring a hundred or double hundred on the final day to save or win the match, and then travel the next day, your entire recovery is hampered. It’s good that players like Shardul Thakur and Umesh Yadav raised this issue and Rahul Dravid too supported it.Having the Ranji Trophy in two phases is also a good decision. However, some teams might complain at the end of the season that their momentum was broken, and after winning the last two matches of the first phase, the break affected their consistency, and they could not win the next two rounds. This is likely to happen. But it is better to take a break and play other formats less affected by the weather than to have matches cancelled or abandoned due to bad weather. It happens in county cricket too, where different rounds of the one-day cup and County Championship matches run together. Therefore, this experiment should be welcomed and let’s see how it works in the Indian context.

“Having many international players participating in the Duleep Trophy is a positive step. You want these players to be part of domestic cricket when international cricket is not happening.”Wasim Jaffer

Is the doing away of the toss in the Under-23 competition a positive move?Chawla: Additionally, teams will receive batting and bowling points, unlike earlier where only the team taking a lead, winning outright or drawing a game would be awarded points. If these experiments prove successful, there is a possibility of it being implemented in senior cricket. The no-toss rule isn’t a novelty, though. It was introduced county cricket was in effect from 2016 to 2019, but was discontinued from the 2020 season.Shukla: This is an attempt to remove the advantage given to the home team, and such efforts should be appreciated. Only after one season of the experiment can players, coaches, and others involved in Under-23 cricket comment on how appropriate this rule is and what benefits or drawbacks it has. Previously, when the impact player rule was introduced, I had said it should be tried out rather than discarded outright.Now, the impact rule’s effects, benefits, and drawbacks are clear. Similarly, the super sub rule was tried, and it was found not suitable for cricket. This rule should also be viewed as an experiment before pointing out its shortcomings. But I also feel that the less interference with cricket, the better it remains. Cricket should be left as it is.Jaffer: This rule was in place for a few years in county cricket, and I played there at that time. But what happened was that home teams started preparing flat wickets, and there were fewer pitches favouring seam and spin, leading to more drawn matches. This rule eliminates the uncertainty of the toss. If we want to reduce the impact of the pitch, BCCI already sends neutral curators. So, this rule was not necessary here.

The 21-year-old has only been playing professional cricket for 16 months but was drafted by Perth Scorchers on the urging of his Manchester Originals coach Simon Katich

Matt Roller13-Dec-2024Matty Hurst arrived in Perth as an unknown, young keeper-batter ahead of Sunday’s Big Bash League curtain-raiser at Optus Stadium, but has already made a significant impression on at least one Australian.Hurst, who turned 21 on Tuesday, was the only Manchester Originals player to enhance his reputation during their 2024 Hundred season. His boundary-hitting against genuine pace and high-quality spin matched with a temperament that belies his age, prompted Simon Katich, Originals’ coach, to recommend Hurst to Perth Scorchers ahead of September’s BBL draft.Scorchers’ management, led by coach Adam Voges, paid attention: after turning down an SA20 deal to guarantee his availability for the full season, Hurst was signed as a ‘silver’ pick on a contract worth A$200,000 (£100,000 approx.). He could play a vital role as wicketkeeping cover, with Josh Inglis set to miss at least some of the season with Australia’s Test squad.Related

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A talented all-round sportsman, Hurst grew up in the north-west of England between two rugby league strongholds. He supports Wigan Warriors – rather than local rivals St Helens – but was never physically big enough to have taken the sport seriously. Instead, he played age-group football for Manchester United as a central midfielder, with opponents including Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.But cricket was his real passion ever since he watched his dad Bill play club cricket in the Southport and District League for Winstanley Park, and he has been involved with Lancashire since the age of 10. “It first hit when I was around 14 that I could actually have a chance,” Hurst told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s always been a dream to play for Lancs, ever since getting into the academy.”At 14, he gave up football and went all-in on cricket, progressing through the Bunbury Festival, England Under-19s and Lancashire’s age-group teams to make his professional debut aged 19 in the Metro Bank Cup last summer. Since then, he has flourished: “You don’t take part just to be average,” Hurst said. “You want to be the best you can be.”He was the beneficiary last year when Phil Salt signed a replacement deal at the IPL shortly before the start of the County Championship season. That enabled Hurst to take the gloves and bat in the middle order, with his output of 677 runs at 32.23 – including a maiden hundred against Nottinghamshire – a rare positive in a Lancashire campaign which ended in relegation.But it was the Blast that helped his career take off, through an opportunity that emerged with Salt, Liam Livingstone and Jos Buttler at the T20 World Cup. In his first professional T20 innings, Hurst walked out in the fourth over with Lancashire 10 for 3, hit his first ball for four, and then shimmied down the pitch to launch his third for six.

“There’s not too many players I’ve looked forward to watching, but Hursty is definitely one of them. Hopefully he hits the ground running over there… I’ve got everything crossed for him.”Phil Salt on Matty Hurst

It was that sense of fearlessness that impressed Lancashire’s staff throughout the season – and prompted Katich to sign him on a wildcard deal in the Hundred. Again, he benefited from a high-profile absentee: Buttler’s calf injury left the Originals light on batting, and Hurst hit half-centuries in his first two innings as Salt’s opening partner.The highlight was an outrageous reverse-scoop for six off Spencer Johnson in his 50 against Oval Invincibles. “I’ve started developing the reverse over the last couple of years,” Hurst said. “I’ve got the game to be cute and clever when I need to be, but I’d back myself to clear any rope now… Old Trafford’s not a small ground. But you’re never perfect. You always want to improve.”He last played in Australia in early 2023 with England’s Under-19s, including two four-day matches with Jacob Bethell as his captain. They could come up against each other on December 23, with Bethell due to arrive for his stint with Melbourne Renegades next week after his remarkable maiden Test tour to New Zealand.Hurst cites Buttler and Salt as the two players he most enjoyed watching as a teenager, and Salt has acted as a mentor. “We always end up having good chats about batting and keeping,” Salt explained. “We spoke quite a bit about the short ball during the Hundred, and he made a couple of technical changes very, very quickly. He’s a bit of a sponge.”Katich believes Salt was influential in advising Hurst to make himself fully available for the BBL – and thereby leaving an England Lions tour early – ahead of other leagues, having himself kicked on while playing for Adelaide Strikers. “There’s not too many players I’ve looked forward to watching, but Hursty is definitely one of them,” Salt said. “Hopefully he hits the ground running over there… I’ve got everything crossed for him.”Hurst is joined in Perth by his Lancashire team-mate Keaton Jennings and the pair could even be competing for a spot when Scorchers are at full strength. “If you’d told me that I’d be doing this in February, I’d have probably laughed in your face,” Hurst said. “You’ve just got to take it in your stride: focus on yourself, be the best you can be and you’ll be perfectly fine.”The demand for his services after only one full season as a professional marks Hurst out as an archetypical young English player of the modern era, weighing up the potential benefits and drawbacks of an abundance of different opportunities in the off-season. But he has just signed a new three-year, all-format deal with Lancashire, and his ambition is clear: “My aim is to play for England, in all three formats. That’s the pinnacle.”

“You’ve got to have a bit of trust in what you’re trying to do,” Smith says after scoring his 34th Test century on a heady day for Australia

Alex Malcolm27-Dec-2024Just before Steven Smith raised his arms to celebrate his 34th Test century, there was a little knowing nod to the dressing room.It wasn’t the release of emotion that erupted from him after his drought-breaking century at the Gabba. The running joke within the Australia team at the start of each summer is that Smith has found his hands again. This nod suggested he had found something else, his old self.His 140 against India at the MCG was the closest Smith has resembled to the run-making machine he once was. The movement patterns, the scoring shots, the defensive strokes, the calmness and the ease of his accumulation all looked familiar. There was an air of inevitability about his century. It was a matter of when, not if, as it had been so often in the past.Related

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The nod was telling when juxtaposed with Smith shaking his head as he walked off Adelaide Oval three weeks ago, having been strangled down the leg side for 2.Then, he wore the look of a man bereft of answers, exasperated to the point of exhaustion that he could not find his old self. He was averaging 23.20 for the calendar year at that point and 10 in his last seven Test innings. The move back to No. 4 had yielded scores of 0, 17 and 2. Ten-thousand Test match runs was only 296 away but it was starting to feel like a matter of if rather than when.Three hits later, there was a moment at the MCG where he looked like he might get there before tea, until he was bizarrely bowled 51 runs short of the milestone after scoring a second century in as many Tests.”You’ve got to have faith,” Smith said after play. “You’ve got to have a bit of trust in what you’re trying to do. I’ve played the game for long enough now to know that you can have your ups and downs. Sometimes you can be hitting the ball really nicely, which, I think I said when I wasn’t scoring the runs, I actually felt like I was batting pretty well. And there’s a difference, I think, between being out of form and out of runs.”I think you need a lot of luck on these wickets to get big runs as well.”Australia will be grateful Smith has found his old self again. It may be a fleeting plateau amid a gradual decline. It could also be a regression, as he would hope, in the opposite direction back towards his extraordinary mean.As always with Steven Smith, it didn’t always look orthodox, but that’s kind of the point, isn’t it?•Getty ImagesBut it comes as Australia have found a functioning batting order. That too may be fleeting. It also could be because the MCG pitch has finally given the batters some grace.”This one’s probably offering a little bit less perhaps, than some of the others,” Smith said. “That’s probably more the ball getting a little bit softer quicker than the other wickets, but yeah, there’s certainly still something on offer”Coincidentally, the order has functioned as a collective for the first time in a long time. Sam Konstas’ extraordinary and chaotic innings dragged Australia’s struggling top-order in its slipstream. Each of the top four passed 50 for the first time in 28 Test matches. Smith walked out to bat in the 45th over, the first time he had faced his first ball as deep into an innings in 32 walks to the crease, during which time he had averaged 36.32.Australia piled up 474 without the need for an exceptional rearguard from Travis Head or Mitchell Marsh, who contributed just four runs between them.And apart from finding his old self, Smith found a rare ally at No. 8. Pat Cummins made an excellent 49 in a stand of 112 with Smith. It was the highest score by an Australia bowler at No. 8 in six years. Only Alex Carey has reached 50 batting in that position in that time due to a nightwatcher dropping him down one spot.

“I thought Patty played really nicely, really good, positive intent,. We were able to get a nice partnership together and sort of take a bit of a momentum of the game from that point”Steven Smith on the partnership with Pat Cummins

Cummins has been a clutch contributor for Australia with the bat in the last 18 months. But his heroics at Edgbaston, Brisbane and Christchurch had all come at No. 9. For all the talent that he and Mitchell Starc possess with the bat, they both average 14 at No. 8 in Test cricket. It is the reason they have switched positions as often as they have. Cummins has repeatedly spoken about how little batting positions matter when talking about his top order, yet it seems to matter a great deal to him and Starc as both have declared a preference to bat at No. 9.Of the 18 players to have batted at No. 8 more than 25 times since Cummins’ Test debut in 2011, only New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell has a worse average than Cummins and Starc.Starc averaged 25.40 in his first 18 innings in the position but has averaged 9.33 in his last 34 since 2017, hence Cummins has taken the role this summer.Getting such poor contributions from No. 8 has meant Australia’s batters have not been able to form lower-order partnerships. In the last ten years, Australia had only four century stands for the seventh wicket or lower. Only Ireland and Afghanistan have had fewer.Steven Smith and Pat Cummins put together a century partnership for the seventh wicket•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesBut Cummins, like Smith, looked as comfortable as he had all series. Like the top-order batters, he has been tormented by Jasprit Bumrah. In his career, Cummins had been dismissed by Bumrah eight times for just 45 runs at an average of 15.75 deliveries per dismissal. Having entered against the second new ball on the first evening at 299 for 6, and then faced Bumrah again on the second morning, he was able to survive 20 balls against him without being dismissed.Smith and Cummins then attacked at the other end. They rattled along at five-an-over to grind India down. Smith got inside the line and hooked two balls for six, including one of Bumrah. Cummins stayed leg side and carved balls either side of point.”I thought Patty played really nicely, really good, positive intent,” Smith said. “We were able to get a nice partnership together and sort of take a bit of a momentum of the game from that point.”They needed the stand. Without it, a score under 350 would have looked vulnerable on a surface that became splendid to bat on in the afternoon. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli were made Australia’s attack look toothless for significant period in the afternoon. But the scoreboard pressure they had created with that first innings total played a part as India imploded late via a calamitous run-out and another special MCG spell from Scott Boland.”We’ve posted a nice score and we’re in good spot,” Smith said with another knowing nod. “That last hour, that was a big last hour in the game.”

Stats highlights from the match between SRH and RR in Hyderabad

Sampath Bandarupalli23-Mar-20252:06

‘Kishan hammered everyone to every corner’

286 for 6 Sunrisers Hyderabad’s total against Rajasthan Royals is the second highest in the IPL. They missed equalling their own record by one run.242 for 6 RR’s total against SRH is their highest in the IPL, going past the 226 for 6 against KXIP in 2020.528 Total runs scored by SRH and RR – the second-highest aggregate for a T20 match. The highest is 549 runs by RCB and SRH in last year’s IPL match in Bengaluru.4 Number of 250-plus totals by SRH in the IPL; all have come since the start of 2024. They have four of the top five IPL totals. SRH are the only team with four 250-plus totals in men’s T20s.34 Fours hit by the SRH batters against RR – the most in a men’s T20 innings .208 Runs scored by SRH in boundaries vs RR. Only RCB have scored more in an IPL innings – 210 boundary runs in their 263 for 5 against Pune Warriors in 2013. SRH also scored 208 runs through boundaries during their record 287 against RCB last year.81 Boundaries hit by the SRH and RR batters – 51 fours (SRH 34, RR 17) and 30 sixes (SRH 12, RR 18) – equalling the most in a T20 match. South Africa and West Indies also hit 81 boundaries in the 2023 Centurion T20I, while RCB and SRH hit 81 in 2024.76 Runs Jofra Archer conceded in his four overs – the most expensive spell in the IPL, going past the 73 runs Mohit Sharma conceded against Delhi Capitals last year.14.1 Overs in which SRH passed 200 against RR – the joint fastest in the IPL, equalling RCB against Kings XI Punjab in 2016.94 for 1 SRH’s powerplay score on Sunday is the fifth highest in the IPL. Three of the top five powerplay totals in the IPL have been by SRH, including the top two.