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Sometimes the eagerness to do well can be counterproductive

Aakash Chopra19-Aug-2021Right from his first day at the highest level, KL Rahul came across as a batter who would fit the bill for all three formats without compromising the foundation of his game. His stance, feet movement, back lift and the downswing of his bat were all in perfect sync. Even though it took him some time to meet the demands of T20, there was no looking back from the day he cracked its code.There’s a mysterious element to competitive cricket – when everything seems to be moving smoothly in the desired direction, something will threaten to derail the train. It happened to Rahul too. There were injuries and then a loss of form.It’s important to understand why and how one loses form, for even its presence is something you can’t put a finger on. One day you are so comfortable with your game that you are not thinking about your responses, and on another day, it’s the only thing you’re thinking about. Of course, the former happens when you are in form and the latter, when you are out of it.Cricket skills are like a wheel in motion and while you’re constantly attempting to upgrade your skills, sometimes it’s tough to just hold on to what you thought was your core strength. Minor errors find ways to creep into your game like uninvited guests and before you acknowledge their presence, they start controlling the way you think. In fact, you reach a point when you are thinking only about them.Related

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Rahul was going through a lean patch and spending countless hours in the nets between games, but the hard work wasn’t translating into runs in the middle. From the outside, you could see he wasn’t sure about his trigger movement – while in England (in 2018), he was out poking at deliveries, in India, he was getting trapped in front. Both sorts of dismissals often stem from how much you are moving and the timing of that movement.When you’re in “form”, this movement happens almost unconsciously, because your focus is on the ball coming your way. But when you’re not in “form”, you end up thinking about the same trigger movement and that leads to a delayed response to the incoming delivery.Sanjay Bangar, India’s former batting coach, recounts how after getting dismissed in a Test during that horrid run between 2018 and 2019, Rahul couldn’t wait to get into the nets to iron out his mistakes. He had just been dismissed, had seen the dismissals a few times on the screen and perhaps revisited it a hundred times in his head, but he wasn’t willing to let it sink in. He was eager to get to the nets while India were still batting in the Test.While there’s nothing wrong with the intent to identify and rectify mistakes, too much of anything, even training, can be counterproductive.That day Rahul was eager to iron out his flaws. Once he was dropped from the Indian team, he must have felt eager to get back into it. That’s a natural human reaction to rejection, even more so when you have already tasted success at the highest level. You seem to know the secret to success but have temporarily forgotten the username and password. You try different combinations, only to draw blanks.Rahul is bowled by a Josh Hazlewood yorker in Perth, December 2018•Ryan Pierse/Getty Images”Eager” has two very different meanings – keen and anxious. When you start, you are keen. But little do you know when keenness turns into anxiety. You start thinking too much about the result and too little about the process. It’s not that you aren’t putting in the hours, but you stop noticing the joy of playing the game, the melody of ball hitting the bat. And then one day, you stop obsessing about the result and things start to fall in place again.Of course, there’s a lot of conjecture in my reading of how it must have panned out for Rahul, but I won’t be surprised if it wasn’t too dissimilar to what I have described.It’s true that the IPL is a big part of a modern cricketer’s career, but I can bet my last dollar on the fact that Rahul isn’t one to be satisfied by just the IPL reward. His bigger goal was not just playing for India again but to play for India in all three formats. He re-established himself in white-ball cricket when he assumed the roles of keeper and finisher. And while he had prepped for a middle-order role in Tests, life played a trick to get him back to where he belongs – as opener.Rahul’s comeback as an opener in Test cricket wasn’t so much about his ability to succeed at the top – you don’t score five Test tons (four of them away from home) if you don’t have the skills. For me, it was about his eagerness to do the right thing. Was he keen or was he anxious?If his first innings of the tour, 84 at Trent Bridge, showed that he’s trusting his skills against the new ball, Rahul’s century at Lord’s established that he is back for good.It takes a lot of patience and self-belief to hang around for 18 runs off 100 balls when you know you have the shots to score faster, and to also insulate yourself from the fact that your opening partner has outscored you massively (at that point, Rohit Sharma was on 81 of 122 balls).Rahul isn’t anxiously eager to get bat on ball and is in a happy place while leaving a lot of deliveries alone. He isn’t anxiously eager to hit an extra shot on the up either. Instead, he’s willing to bide his time and wait for the right moment to up the ante. It’s not that minor errors will never find their way into his batting or that he’ll never go out of form again, but it’s very heartening to see him bat the way he is right now. The next challenge for him is to extend this good form for as long as possible.

Batter produces the innings of his Test career in a thrilling final-session counterattack

Andrew McGlashan09-Dec-2021Travis Head knew well before the opening day in Brisbane that he had earned the nod for Australia’s final batting position, but No. 5 remained the most debatable spot in the XI. That was until today when Head produced the innings of his Test career to halt an England fightback in a thrilling final-session counterattack.England’s attack was on its knees late in the day, two of the bowlers were limping and the ball was old. But this was a brutal momentum-seizing innings of which Adam Gilchrist would have been proud. When Head on-drove Chris Woakes in the first over with the second new ball he brought up his third Test hundred from 85 balls with all the runs coming the final session. It was the third-fastest Ashes century after Gilchrist’s 57-ball onslaught at the WACA in 2006-07 and Gilbert Jessop’s 76 balls in 1902.”It’s still a pinch-myself sort of thing, still can’t quite work out what transpired over the last couple of hours,” Head said. “It’s an amazing feeling to get a Test hundred. Think I said to Starcy [Mitchell Starc] as it happened, I couldn’t believe what was going on. I rode my luck in parts but was able to put Australia in a great position and very privileged to be able to do that.”Related

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There was a lot in favour of Usman Khawaja’s credentials for this place in the line-up, but Australia’s selectors have always felt there is plenty of growth to come from Head. Before this display his record was far-from shabby with two hundreds, including a Boxing Day century against New Zealand, but there hadn’t quite been the defining innings.His first incarnation as a Test cricketer was briefly interrupted when he was left out of the final match against England in 2019 when Mitchell Marsh was preferred to balance the side. He was back for the following summer against New Zealand and Pakistan, but last season against India was dropped after two Tests. He was in the squad again for the postponed tour of South Africa thanks to prolific returns for South Australia.A disappointing season for Sussex was a speed bump, but he was consistent in the Sheffield Shield this summer including a century in the game before the squad assembled in Queensland. There was a sense, however, that he needed to make the most of this opportunity.While England ended the day looking broken, that was not the case when Head walked to crease. Steven Smith had fallen in a superb spell from Mark Wood. Head hadn’t faced a ball when they walked off for tea, and a few moments after the break he watched David Warner drive to mid-off and Cameron Green shoulder arms at his first ball. At 195 for 5 England had a chance of keeping the lead to manageable proportions, but in the space of two hours they were left in the sort of bedraggled state of many of their predecessors.Head flashed and missed at his second ball after tea, a 146kph/91mph flyer from Wood, and his first boundary was a squared-up thick edge that evaded the fifth slip of England’s packed cordon. Three balls later he wasn’t far from guiding one off the face to the catchers. But Joe Root couldn’t keep using Wood, Woakes and Ollie Robinson all the time and turned back to a clearly struggling Ben Stokes in the 62nd over. Two half-trackers and a ball on the pads and Head was away.Travis Head played a free-flowing innings•Getty ImagesStill, when the last recognised batter – Alex Carey – fell, he was only on 29. In the next over he took a painful blow on the arm from Wood which for a moment looked like causing significant discomfort but he shook it off swiftly. A full toss from Wood was driven through cover to bring up a fifty off 51 balls – his next half-century took just 34 deliveries.”I got opportunities to score and I was able to take them today and put pressure back on bowlers,” he said. “I took some chances along the way especially into the new ball but with my technique and mentally I feel really composed. To be able to be in that moment is a great feeling. I found the first 20 runs really, really tough. The game opened up and I was able to take opportunity… I put myself in that position which was pleasing.”Like the batters before him he plundered Jack Leach, aided by four overthrows as England became increasingly ragged and forlorn. In many ways it was the type of innings that first made his name when he emerged into Australia’s limited-overs set-up in 2016. Sometimes in the early stages of his Test career his eagerness to play shots has proved his downfall; it may now have been the making of him.He looked keen to reach the milestone before the new ball, but no matter. After leaving the first delivery from Woakes he met the next with a straight bat and sent it rocketing down the ground. The helmet came off, the arms held aloft, team-mates and the crowd were on their feet. There was a scary moment to follow when he was felled by a beamer from Wood, but the glove had taken enough of the sting from the delivery that it ended up being a glancing blow to the chin. He was back on his feet having floored England.

Getting the show on the road itself will count as an achievement considering the Covid-affected build-up to the marquee series

Andrew McGlashan18-Jan-2022Covid. Schedule changes. Dodgy nets. Postponed matches. Injuries. Fear of missing the World Cup. To say the preparations for Australia and England ahead of the women’s Ashes have had their challenges would be an understatement.However, the squads have (mostly) made it to Adelaide to begin the multi-format series, which in itself is no mean feat. The men’s Ashes had to navigate Covid from the second Test onwards – while England’s support staff was severely depleted, Travis Head finished as the only player impacted – but the women’s series feels as though it will be even more of a tightrope walk because of the need to travel to New Zealand as soon as it finishes.”We’ll endure what we have to,” Australia coach Matthew Mott said. “We know we are in for a tough three months but players and staff are really dedicated and see this as really important opportunity for women’s cricket worldwide to get this series up and through the World Cup.”

“It’s not ideal. But every sporting team in the world would say that at the moment and it’s certainly no excuse. This is the moment where we click into cricket mode”Matthew Mott on the team’s preparations

There have already been cases in both camps. One member of England support staff tested positive in Canberra, while Katie Mack and Molly Strano from the Australia A squad will miss the T20s against England A. Ellyse Perry’s arrival was delayed but she will be available for the T20Is – whether she is selected is one of the fascinating early storylines.Pre-series plans have largely been thrown away after the rejigging of the schedule, to start with the T20Is instead of the one-off Test. Mindsets have had to switch from the longest to the shortest format, although it’s a game the players are very familiar with. England were twice beaten by Australia’s A side as batters tried to hit their way into form and rhythm.”I wouldn’t say we’ve started that well, to be totally honest,” England coach Lisa Keightley said. “We’re trying to get up to speed as best we can. I’m confident when we get to that first T20 they’ll be in a better place than what they are now.”Related

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Australia, at least, are in their cricket season. But there has been precious little match time for most since the end of the WBBL, with the WNCL one-day competition barely getting started amid Covid, although Perry, Rachael Haynes and Nicola Carey all made hundreds in the matches that were possible. It is most problematic for the quicks who need to build up their workloads.”Scattered,” Mott said when asked about preparations. “The English would probably say the same. It’s not ideal. But every sporting team in the world would say that at the moment and it’s certainly no excuse. This is the moment where we click into cricket mode. We’ve done a lot of workshopping, what can and can’t happen… I’m confident the group is resilient and adaptable enough to deal with whatever comes.”England have not held the Ashes since their away victory in 2013-14. Given their depth and home advantage, Australia will start favourites. They were challenged by India earlier in the season and the eventual 11-5 margin was a little flattering, but it gave a chance to bring in a number of newer players with Jess Jonassen and Megan Schutt missing from the bowling attack.This time, they will be without Georgia Wareham and Sophie Molineux and though that is balanced by Jonassen’s return, it leaves the spin department looking very different. And the preference of uncapped legspinner Alana King ahead of Amanda-Jade Wellington was a big call by the selectors.Tammy Beaumont and Nat Sciver will be key to England’s batting along with captain Heather Knight•PA Photos/Getty ImagesTahlia McGrath, Player of the Series against India, has added to Australia’s strength after returning to international cricket looking a complete allrounder. From a fringe player, she now demands inclusion and, though Beth Mooney’s broken jaw may have changed things in the short term, it will provide some interesting selection debates.Australia’s growing list of quick bowlers is one thing that sets them apart. Darcie Brown and Tayla Vlaeminck are two of the fastest, while Stella Campbell, who took 7 for 25 in the WNCL recently, has only been able to make the Australia A squad. In that regard, it was a little surprising that Issy Wong did not make England’s main Ashes group. Although she only managed nine wickets in 13 WBBL matches for Sydney Thunder, her fast outswing often did not get the reward it deserved.England do, however, have a strong squad of their own, led by Heather Knight, who will carry a lot of the batting expectations alongside Nat Sciver and Tammy Beaumont. With the ball left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, who took a remarkable 7 for 14 in a warm-up match, will be crucial across all formats while Katherine Brunt, a warrior of an allrounder who may be playing her final Ashes, continues to lead the pace attack.Brunt is one of five England players who were part of the Test victory in Perth in 2013-14 – regarded as one of the finest matches in the format – along with fellow seamers Anya Shrubsole and Kate Cross, who took 13 wickets between them.There is a new generation starting to make their mark as well. Sophia Dunkley had a breakout series against India, and offspinner Charlie Dean claimed ten wickets in five matches against New Zealand. In the England A squad, 17-year-old Alice Capsey may soon be pushing for higher honours.But regardless of how the two sides match up, what happens in the middle will likely be only one part of the story of this Ashes.

He is level with Michael Holding on 249 Test wickets, and wants to get to 300 within the next two years

Mohammad Isam19-Jun-2022Kemar Roach is a great West Indian fast bowler. Courtney Walsh had touched on the label when he was approaching his 200th Test wicket in 2020.When Roach completed his five-for against Bangladesh on the third afternoon in Antigua, he equalled Michael Holding’s 249 Test wickets, and became only the fourth West Indian to take 50 wickets at a single venue. Roach’s numbers are – even when you consider the bigger picture of West Indies’ fast bowling history – impressive.Related

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It is even more telling when you realise that Roach has never been part of one of those magnificent pace collectives that his nation is known for. Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder are superb operators, but the trio has played only 23 Tests together. Like in this game, Roach has often had to lead an attack of youngsters.Four out of his five wickets on Saturday were of frontline batters. Roach had Litton Das and Mahmudul Hasan Joy caught behind around the first-hour mark on the third day. An in-form batter and another who had been battling for 150-plus deliveries suddenly couldn’t help pushing outside their off stump. That’s the genius of Roach. He keeps it simple. He keeps it tight. And he keeps on going until his discipline alone just wears you out.Bangladesh managed to recover a little bit – and even push into the lead – with fifties from Shakib Al Hasan and Nurul Hasan. It had been 36.5 overs since the last wicket. West Indies knew they needed something special and guess who they turned to.Roach, now armed with the second new ball, cleaned up Shakib, Nurul and for good measure Ebadot Hossain as well to pick up his 10th Test five-for.Kemar Roach equalled Michael Holding with 249 Test wickets•ESPNcricinfo LtdIn a post-match discussion with the TV commentators, Roach said that the plan was to bowl a bit wider of off stump, into the grassy patches that were there on the pitch, to generate movement.”I had a conversation with the bowling coach Roddy [Estwick], who thought that we were bowling a little bit too straight [on the second evening],” he said. “The pitch was a bit easier. He wanted us to bowl on the fifth stump; let the green spots in the pitch do the work. I thought we did that pretty well.”The edges carried to the slips quite nicely. It was definitely the plan. Definitely we did what was needed. The results showed. I am very proud of the team for putting up the good fight.”Roach added that West Indies didn’t panic when Shakib and Nurul were putting together the only century stand in the match.”They played well. We were a bit sloppy,” he said. “There were some tired bodies, but the guys stuck at the task. We knew that in international cricket, teams will bat well at some stage. There will be a partnership, so it is about keeping that body language and attitude.”We saw the ball got pretty soft after lunch, so we tried to be as patient as possible. Shakib batted well despite being a little injured; but he maneuvered the ball well. [Nurul] Hasan batted well. We knew this was a new-ball wicket. Once we get the new ball, we knew something was going to happen.”

I love my stats. I look at my stats every night. Even if I am not playing.Kemar Roach

West Indies need only 35 more runs to win the Antigua Test. Roach was the one who bowled them into that position and so it felt like a good time to reflect on a career that has seen a lot of ups and downs. It actually began in less-than-ideal circumstances back in 2009 when West Indies had to play with a second-string squad against Bangladesh because the first-choice players were involved in a pay dispute with the board.”I am proud, man; [Particularly considering] how [my career] started obviously. I came into the team under very difficult conditions,” Roach said. “Then obviously to build a career and get amongst the greats is always a good feeling. I love my stats. I look at my stats every night. Even if I am not playing. So it is good to be up there with all the fantastic names.”Roach also touched upon how he had to break his bowling down to scratch and build it back up again after an ankle problem in 2014. “I lost pace due to injury, so I had to improve on my skills,” he said. “There was a lot of hard work; lot of consistent bowling to get where you want to be in your career. Blood, sweat and tears. It is good to go out there and see the results.”A key part of his skillset now is the threat he poses left-handers by coming around the wicket. “It started in England in 2017,” Roach said. “I remember we struggled a bit in the first Test. Roddy asked us to change the angle – to come around the wicket – in the next day when we hit the nets. He told us to get that shape on the ball. I have got a lot of wickets from it. I have bowled better to left-handers. I am pretty happy with how it is going so far.”A lot of great West Indies fast bowlers had other great West Indies fast bowlers around them. Roach hasn’t had that luxury. He has clawed his way up to greatness almost entirely on his own. And he has no plans of slowing down. A self-confessed stat nut, Roach is targeting the 300-wicket mark and if he gets there, even the traditionalists who have a hard time looking past the glory days will have to sit up and take notice.

A 2-1 result across five Tests in Asia is certainly not a failure, but things went pear shaped over the last few days

Alex Malcolm12-Jul-2022A reality check, indeed. Pat Cummins’ first defeat as Australia Test captain in Galle, by an innings inside four days, was more than just a blip on the radar.It doesn’t quite warrant the vitriolic email former Cricket Australia head of high-performance Pat Howard sent from a Dhaka cafe the day after their first-ever Test loss to Bangladesh in 2017.Nor does it warrant the resignation of the chair of selectors and wholesale team changes, as happened after Australia’s last Test match innings defeat in Hobart in 2016.It is the first defeat in 10 Tests for the new captain and the first defeat in five under new coach Andrew McDonald. Winning teams can have bad games and there are a lot of credits in the bank. If you had offered Cummins and McDonald a score line of two wins, two draws, and a loss from five consecutive subcontinental Tests prior to leaving for Pakistan in late February, especially in the wake of the messy departure of former coach Justin Langer, they would have gleefully accepted it.Related

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However, if you’d offered the same at 329 for 5 on the second morning of the second Test in Galle would they have taken it?”It’s a good reality check,” Cummins said post-match. “For people touring over here, it’s really hard. I think there’s so many positives out of last week that we did find methods that work. One small hiccup doesn’t mean you’ve got to change everything about your game.”This is true. Reacting to one loss emotionally, no matter how large, would go entirely against the grain of this team’s new philosophy of being cool, calm and composed at all times.But this was a little more than a hiccup. This capitulation had a very familiar feel to it for Australian teams on the subcontinent. For all the good work of Pakistan and the first Test in Galle, this would have felt like two steps forward and one decent step back.Australia’s collapse on the second morning was a reminder to make strong positions count•Getty ImagesTo the batting firstly. India’s Ravindra Jadeja would have been licking his chops as he watched during his morning coffee in England, as 30-year-old left-arm orthodox Prabath Jayasuriya tore through Australia twice to take the fourth-best figures in history by a Test debutant.Australia had mauled Lasith Embuldeniya last week to the point where Sri Lanka could not afford to pick him again. But the same methods did not work against Jayasuriya, who franked his tremendous first-class record with two spells of bowling that belied his Test inexperience.Where the sweep and reverse sweep had been so productive for Australia’s batters in the first Test, it caused no end of problems in the second. What was noticeable was how many Australia batters fell trying to sweep off the stumps, with Cameron Green (first innings), David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, and Nathan Lyon all trapped lbw attempting to sweep.Contrast that with the diligence of Dinesh Chandimal, who used the sweep prodigiously but judiciously during his superb 206 not out. He barely once swept Mitchell Swepson’s legspin or Lyon when he bowled from around the wicket, given lbw was very much in play. He only swept Lyon when he pitched wide of off, so he could get his front pad outside the line and he could sweep with the turn, something Steven Smith prefers to do.The reverse sweep also yielded plenty of runs in the series but caused the downfall of Alex Carey at a critical time in the first innings. It would be rash and ill-advised for all of Australia’s top order to abandon their sweeping and reverse sweeping plans for India next year as a few did in Sri Lanka in 2016, but some refinement of those plans will certainly be needed.”I think it’s just those individual methods,” Cummins said. “Everyone does it in their own way, slightly different. But just trying to get a little bit better at everything you try to do. We’ll obviously sit down after this and review it and look at different areas and maybe tactics, but I think it’s just those methods, which might be quite different to what we experience back home in trying to be good enough overseas.”Likewise, with Australia’s batting selection on the subcontinent, refinement might be needed. Some of the areas were already known going in but it would have taken courage to make a change ahead of time.Travis Head’s record against spin was a watching brief for Australia’s selectors and he only confirmed what they already suspected. He could not protect his off stump nor could he score with any freedom. He was the only Australia batter not to make a half-century across the Pakistan and Sri Lanka series, with a highest score of 26. He now averages just 21.30 in Asia from seven Tests and has passed 50 only once.There will be loud calls for Glenn Maxwell for India next year, as he was close to playing in this series. But Maxwell averages just 26.07 in Asia from seven Tests and has also passed 50 just once, albeit it was a superb hundred in Ranchi in 2017. He also hasn’t played a first-class game in three years and is unlikely to play one prior to the India tour.The notion that he is a miles better horse for the course is not backed up by the numbers. Australia A’s concurrent tour to Sri Lanka yielded some excellent batting performances on similar pitches to that produced for the second Test. That Maxwell was called into the squad above any of those players did go against the high-performance philosophy they have been trying to move to in recent times.Warner’s form in Asia is also worthy of discussion. He scored two half-centuries across the two tours. He has the unenviable record now of being one of only three players in Test history to have batted in the top four more than 25 times in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka without making a century. He averages just 26.13 in those three countries with a highest score of 71. He has three centuries in the subcontinent, two in Bangladesh and one in the UAE, but only once has he faced more than 200 balls. The need to bat long in the subcontinent, as shown by Usman Khawaja, is every bit as valuable as big runs and Warner has not been able to provide it over his career despite being unequivocally one of Australia’s greatest ever openers.Travis Head did not make a half-century across the two tours•AFP/Getty ImagesFrom a bowling perspective, as well as Australia have played in these tours, they have only taken 20 wickets twice and have failed to bowl an opposition out inside 160 overs three times. One of those was on a flat wicket in Rawalpindi that yielded just 14 wickets in five days. But both in Karachi and Galle, opponents have batted for more than 170 overs on pitches where other innings in the game have seen 10 wickets fall inside 54 overs.There will be questions raised about the composition of the attack and the form of Australia’s spinners, as they were unchanged for four of the five Tests. However, Australia’s fielding and reviewing were as much to blame in Galle. The bowlers created as many as 19 clear-cut chances to take just 10 wickets. Lyon and Swepson are lightning rods for opinion, but they had three missed stumpings (two were extremely difficult), a dropped catch, and four lbws between them that would have been out if either the umpire’s call had gone their way or reviews had been kept.Mitchell Starc also had Chandimal caught behind on 30. Australia fans will make noise around some of the umpiring decisions, but it’s worth noting Sri Lanka overturned three incorrect decisions against them in the Test because they kept reviews up their sleeve.Nathan Lyon shouldered a huge workload•Associated PressJayasuriya did, though, prove the value of a left-arm orthodox in the subcontinent, particularly on a decent pitch, where the angle to the right-handers and the odd ball not spinning can often cause more problems than a legspinner can muster. But Australia do not have a left-arm orthodox who averages 25.08 and strikes at 44.3 as Jayasuriya does, with their first-choice option Ashton Agar (whose tour was ended with a side strain) averaging 41.28 and striking at 80.7.Cummins admitted he could have managed his bowlers better, with Swepson and Starc under-bowled in Galle compared to Lyon’s marathon 64 overs.”I think field placements and using the spin bowlers, I hadn’t had a lot of experience with that,” Cummins said. “And just managing the tempo and even the bowling spells, 180 overs out here happens quite a bit overseas. Just managing different bowlers trying to keep relative control on the scoreboard and the scoring rate. It felt like I learned quite a bit.”It has been a useful learning experience for Australia. A deciding third Test against Sri Lanka would have been even more valuable. But alas, they now wait until February next year for the date with India in their conditions. Five Tests against West Indies and South Africa at home will not aid their preparation for that tour in the slightest.Therefore they cannot afford to brush this loss under the carpet, despite the positive nature of some of the gains over the previous four Tests. Sri Lanka have rather easily exposed some cracks that Australia thought they might have filled in. India have the skill to make them gaping holes next year.

Batter sets aside disappointment at not getting an India A call-up to score a century in the Duleep Trophy final

Deivarayan Muthu23-Sep-2022B Indrajith has functioned on autopilot in domestic red-ball cricket in recent times, racking up the runs season after season. In the ongoing Duleep Trophy, Indrajith has been in a similar mode, following up his 65 for South Zone in the semi-final with a breezy 125-ball 118 that gave his side the lead in the final in Coimbatore.Indrajith is arguably the best player of spin in the Tamil Nadu side – he is adept at both using his feet and executing a variety of sweeps. On Thursday, Indrajith dominated Shams Mulani, the highest wicket-taker in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy season, and his Mumbai team-mate Tanush Kotian with those two options.”I’m very happy to get a hundred in a Duleep Trophy final,” Indrajith told ESPNcricinfo. “I didn’t look at the [big] names in the opposition and wanted to set it up. If I get out early, I was okay [with it]. If I get my eye in, I want to make it big. Initially, the runs flowed for me, so I felt like I was in the zone.Related

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“Once I got 15-20 runs, I got the feeling that I was middling the ball and I wanted to make full use of it. I more or less followed the same pattern I have [in red-ball cricket]. Against the spinners, whenever I had the opportunity, I used my feet, and after that, I got the back-foot options. I was looking for runs, but I didn’t take too many risks for it.”Given his body of work in red-ball cricket, Indrajith was expecting an India A call-up for the home series against New Zealand A, but he was omitted from the squads. While Indrajith admitted to being disappointed, he took the snub in his stride and decided not to put undue pressure on himself.”To be honest, I was expecting an India A call-up, but there was disappointment,” Indrajith said. “But I was fine after two days. I didn’t want to prove myself to anyone because that creates pressure on myself. So instead of that, I followed the same things I normally do in domestic cricket. But I will remember these things when I get that [call-up]. When I was in the thirties and forties, I knew this was the time when I should make it big; I need to do more. But those things come into my mind only when I’m batting or when I need to push on.”Again, certain things when I expect it’s not happening. Again, I didn’t expect that I won’t be there for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy… that [disappointment] is also definitely there. That was even harder for me to take, but it settled down in two days. Wherever and wherever I get the opportunity, I will try to put runs on the board. Sometimes when you’re not getting things where you expect to, an opportunity might come up elsewhere. I just need to keep doing my job and keep scoring runs.”

To make so many comebacks and to make the latest comeback for the World Cup at this age… Obviously, Dinesh (brother) had a goal, but to do it and be part of the World Cup squad is a very big thing.Indrajith draws inspiration from Tamil Nadu team-mate

Indrajith has drawn inspiration from his Tamil Nadu team-mate and close friend Dinesh Karthik, who has surmounted tremendous odds to make India’s T20 World Cup squad, in his quest to earn higher honours.”To make so many comebacks and to make the latest comeback for the World Cup at this age… Obviously, Dinesh (brother) had a goal, but to do it and be part of the World Cup squad is a very big thing. When you see him from close quarters, you know how hard he has worked for this. Looking at him, you also get the confidence [that you can achieve your goal]. To see him make this comeback is an inspiration to me. So, when [tough] situations come, you keep fighting and working hard to get that place [in the team].”Indrajith got a taste of top-flight cricket in IPL 2022 when he was with Kolkata Knight Riders in what was his first IPL season. He, however, managed only 21 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 70. He was asked to open in two games and was bounced out both times but believes he will get better with experience.”IPL is a step up and you play with international cricketers from around the world,” Indrajith said. “Bowling, batting – all levels are high. It was a great learning curve but [in] the few games I got, it didn’t go the way I would have liked it to go. Not every time you will get a good start, nor every time things will go smoothly in T20 cricket.”No complaints. At that level, you wait for the opportunity, and you shouldn’t pick and choose to open or bat in the middle. I’ve played more in the middle in domestic cricket, but you have to adapt to opening the batting. I think once I get more games and get to play different roles, I will learn more.”

Khulna Tigers, Chattogram Challengers and Dhaka Dominators are out of the tournament with eight matches left in the league phase

Mohammad Isam04-Feb-2023

Rangpur take final spot

Following their two-wicket win against Dhaka Dominators, Rangpur Riders became the last team to make it to the BPL’s playoffs. Captain Nurul Hasan played a captain’s knock, promoting himself to No. 4 and scoring 61 off 33, but the side also survived a late batting collapse to get to the win.But Rangpur’s confirmation also means that the other three teams – Khulna Tigers, Chattogram Challengers and Dhaka – are all out of the tournament with eight matches left in the league phase. There’s been a clear gulf between the top four and the bottom three teams this season. The four teams that have qualified – Rangpur, Comilla, Barishal and Sylhet – have shown consistency. They picked the right combination when building their teams, and have followed up with mostly consistent selection calls during the tournament.Chattogram and Khulna, meanwhile, could never replicate the success they had last season. Khulna lost four games in a row to bow out of the competition. Dhaka have won just three out of 11 games.

Dearth of newcomers

There have been five debutants in this BPL season. Among those, Ashiqur Zaman (Victorians) is the only player who is part of the top four teams. But he hasn’t made a splash, and neither have the other debutants – Abdullah Al Mamun, Nahid Rana, Khawaja Nafey and Habibur Rahman Sohan.None among the four has played more than three matches, although Rana and Mamun are likely to feature in the remaining matches for Khulna and Dhaka respectively. However, Rana and Ashiqur have impressed Allan Donald, Bangladesh’s fast bowling coach, during a recent camp, while Mamun was the NCL’s Player-of-the-Tournament this season. Nafey is from Pakistan, but he has built a big-hitting reputation in the Karachi circuit.

Batter of the week: Johnson Charles

Johnson Charles vs Khulna Tigers lit up the BPL this week. First, he slammed five sixes in his 22-ball 39 on January 28, before laying into them with a 56-ball unbeaten 107. This innings had eleven sixes and five fours as he powered Victorians to a record-breaking highest chase in the BPL. But this wasn’t Charles’ first century in the BPL. Five years ago, he hit his first century, coincidentally against Comilla, when he made 105 off 63 balls.

Bowler of the week: Azmatullah Omarzai

It has been a productive week for Azmatullah Omarzai who has become an important player for Riders. The Afghanistan allrounder has been lethal with the new ball. Among all the BPL bowlers this season, he has the most wickets in the powerplay. Omarzai has not broken through yet in the T20 franchise world like his compatriots, but his new-ball chops and big-hitting ability make him a marked man for franchises around the world.

The home side has a potentially fragile batting line-up and it is to be seen how long they can persist with their attacking outlook in the face of adversity

Ian Chappell03-Jun-2023Yet another Ashes series is looming, a continuation of the long-running cricket rivalry between Australia and England but this time with a difference.While this Ashes series will see five hard-fought Tests played again, they are crammed into just six weeks with an unusual July finish. This is physically and mentally demanding for all players but especially the faster bowlers. As the bulk of England’s genuine pace bowlers are suffering injury, it is a schedule that favours Australia.If, as expected, England bat ultra-aggressively, the question is whether they will continue to play in this manner if they experience failure. This is a fascinating proposition, because England will face fast bowlers who are difficult to attack if Australia are able to select their best trio.A fully fit Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are accustomed to opposition batters wanting to attack. Their vast experience will place a lot of pressure on an English batting line-up that can be fragile, especially at the top of the order. If England collapse early, will they have the nerve to maintain their attacking philosophy?Related

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Equally, if the English method pays dividends and they win convincingly, will Australia be tempted to retaliate? If England were to win a match or two convincingly, it would present Cummins, the Australia captain, with a big decision. It’s unlikely he will be stampeded into a drastic change of tactics, but the possibility makes for an interesting encounter.Australia play their best cricket when the team is purposefully aggressive. This policy worked spectacularly in the last Ashes series and over the long haul has proved superior to England’s more conservative methods. However, Ben Stokes’ attacking captaincy and England’s drastic change of batting tactics in recent times adds drama to an already potentially spicy series.If Australia hold their nerve, they have fewer questions to answer than England.England’s openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, tend to be either brilliant or brittle. Facing a strong Australian pace attack, they are in danger of being the latter, which would place enormous pressure on Joe Root. Ollie Pope is a good player but if he is in early, it will benefit Australia.

If the attacking English method pays dividends and they win convincingly, will Australia be tempted to retaliate? It’s unlikely Cummins will be stampeded into a drastic change of tactics, but the possibility makes for an interesting encounter

Then there’s Harry Brook. So far Brook has excelled in Test cricket but Australia could challenge him with some accurate short-pitched deliveries. The inclusion of Jonny Bairstow ahead of Ben Foakes as keeper is an indirect admission that England prefer an aggressor in the middle-order.The concerns over Stokes’ bowling are a major worry for England in view of the devastating loss of Jofra Archer’s pace and skill. Without Archer, England will rely heavily on the fitness and speed of a willing but injury-prone Mark Wood, and possibly the inexperienced Josh Tongue.An attack of Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson is viable in English conditions. However, age issues and a similarity of style among those three bowlers will encourage Australia to plan on playing long first innings against such an attack.The Australian batting line-up has a more settled look than England’s but it still relies on Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne to amass big scores. Travis Head, and to a lesser extent Usman Khawaja, have to establish their English credentials, while Cameron Green faces a tough test in the conditions.The big unknown, and the player who, if he succeeds, could tip the balance in Australia’s favour is David Warner. Despite his struggles in England in the past, Warner is a dangerous batter because of his tendency to score quickly. If he succeeds, Australia will be boosted but if Broad continues to have the edge over Warner, the series is wide open.Nathan Lyon is a superior spin bowler to Jack Leach and if England are unable to dominate Lyon, he will provide excellent variety to Australia’s powerful pace attack.In normal circumstances the odds slightly favour an Australia series victory. However, this is not a normal Ashes and the fact that the Tests are crammed close together, plus England’s desire to bat dynamically, make this a tantalising series.

As his time comes to a close, the opening batter, despite his recent struggles with form, will be remembered for his courage to play his own way

Ian Chappell10-Sep-2023The modern tendency is to favourably recall the last occurrence in a player’s career. Consequently, Australia’s opening master blaster, David Warner, will often be remembered as having a desire to finish his spluttering Test career at the SCG.Barring injury, Warner’s excellent form in Australia should allow him to achieve his ambition.However, it’s a mistake to only recall his overseas struggles. There’s a lot more to him than those recent setbacks.Warner is definitely not a T20 hitter who happened to make it in the Test arena. He is foremost a batter capable of performing well in any format.Related

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I first saw him play against a strong South Africa attack, which he blasted to all parts of the MCG in his debut T20 international. My wife placed dinner on the table and I said, “Sit down and watch this kid, he can really play.””What,” replied Barbara-Ann, “all the fours and sixes?””Not just them,” I answered, “the way he handles all deliveries – the excellent and the hittable ones.”Shortly afterwards Warner carried his bat, making a scintillating Test century against a good New Zealand attack where the other Australian batters struggled on a tricky Bellerive pitch. That cemented his place as a Test opener and it confirmed his all-round batting ability.It also heralded one of Warner’s biggest attributes – the courage to play his own way. He had the guts to take on the pace bowlers with the new ball and that is no mean feat. It’s something that he should be remembered for – not many have the courage to not only do it but to maintain that approach throughout a lengthy career.A look at Warner’s overall career strike rate in all formats confirms he favoured that approach.

There are very few aggressive batters who keep an opposing captain awake at night with their ability to virtually win a match in one session. Warner is one of that rare breed

Not long after the explosive opener blasted an exquisite 165 not out in a 50-over match for NSW, a coach wanted Warner to bat at No. 7. He reasoned Warner could take advantage of the five late-innings powerplay overs that were then available to the fielding side.This was stupidity on two counts. As an opener, Warner had a guaranteed ten powerplay overs, with another five likely. More importantly, it detracted from Warner’s amazing ability to win a match in quick time with his belligerent stroke play against the new ball.There are very few aggressive batters who keep an opposing captain awake at night with their ability to virtually win a match in one session. Warner is one of that rare breed.He is also a smart, aggressive cricketer who would likely have made a tactically good captain. When a broken thumb on the 2015 tour against England forced him to do a short commentary stint for Channel 9 back in Australia, it soon became apparent he knew a lot about batting and what bowlers were doing to try and claim his wicket. He was also well aware of how he could overcome their tactics.It would have been preferable if Warner had avoided the “attack dog” reputation he gained for on-field verbal jousting in his prime. However, I often wonder how much of that reputation was gained at the behest of the hierarchy.Importantly, Warner hasn’t forgotten his early days of stacking supermarket shelves. He’s well aware of what his calling could have been if he hadn’t been a talented opener. When that batting talent earned him good money early in his career, he set about looking after his parents financially.In another admirable example of his ability to learn from life, he has forged a very strong family life, with his helpful wife Candice, and his beloved daughters.Sure, Warner, like us all, has made some mistakes. The important thing is, he has learned from them and is a better person for those experiences.Fans will have their memories of Warner, both good and bad. However, they should always remember that he had the courage to be an aggressor against the new ball and was a rare match-winner for his team.

By the end of this mesmerising spell, both England’s top order and the match were broken open

Andrew McGlashan18-Jun-2023It’s shortly after lunch on the third day of the first Ashes Test. England have taken a seven-run first-innings lead. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley build on it calmly, comfortably knocking the ball into gaps against Australia’s defensive fields. It is the first time this opening pair face the opening four overs and do not hit a boundary. Then the rain comes.

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The mop-up has been swift. The players are back in the middle, but there is a massively dark cloud approaching Edgbaston. Pat Cummins sends down the final ball of his incomplete over.

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Nathan Lyon had bowled his first over before the rain delay, just the sixth of the innings. But on resumption he’s withdrawn. The ball is handed to Scott Boland. Slow pitch or not, this is a time for pace not spin.Related

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The field remains reasonably defensive. Duckett angles one out to point. Crawley is then beaten. It feels as though there’s more zip under the leaden skies, whether it’s real or perceived. Scientists have never really been able to explain why clouds in England make such a difference.Crawley defends one, then is taken high on the back pad. There’s an appeal. Australia ponder a review but decline.Next ball Crawley shoulders arms and is taken on the pads. The shout is bigger this time. Another chat about a review. This takes a bit longer. Again they don’t take it.Final ball, Crawley leaves it alone.

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Cummins is round the wicket to Duckett, who is beaten by one that nips past the edge. There has been very little movement all match. But things are starting to happen. Meanwhile, it looks like the end of the world is approaching from over the South Stand and Hollies, who remain in strong voice especially to their new friend Travis Head.Duckett defends. This is hard work. Any second now the players could go off. If ever there isn’t a time for Bazball, it’s probably now. Cummins strengthens the cordon, so it’s two slips and Cameron Green at gully. Duckett defends to mid-on.The groundstaff are almost running on as the wind whips up. Duckett looks in their direction. The umpires stay put. Darth Vader was earlier escorted out of the ground, the skies suggest he has made a return.Cameron Green and his team-mates are pumped up after his low catch at gully to send back Ben Duckett•AFP/Getty ImagesIt’s a length delivery outside off, Duckett can’t help playing at it. He doesn’t do leaving. It takes a thick edge and flies low to Green’s left. Surely not again. But Green gets down to it, fingers under the ball and keeps full control. It’s a screamer.Duckett waits and walks down to Crawley. The umpires converge. They go upstairs. Remember, no soft signal these days. This one is much easier than Richard Kettleborough’s call last week at The Oval. One replay makes it clear Green has held this. Duckett starts to walk off. Australia celebrate for a second time. “Out” comes up on the big screen.Ollie Pope skips out to the middle. Cummins’ first ball to him is full and fast, but just slips past the pads although not far from leg stump. There is tension everywhere. Pope defends the final ball of the over.

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It’s back-of-a-length from Boland, angling in at off stump then straightening. The sort of thing that has helped him average 16 in Test cricket. Crawley plays and gets a thin edge to Alex Carey. The Australians roar in celebration. Crawley stands his ground. But the edge is clear. Marias Erasmus raises his finger to confirm it. It’s dark and Crawley does not look impressed.It’s a slow walk off, Joe Root has almost made it to the middle in the same amount of time. Root always gets to the crease quickly, but if there’s ever a time to slow things down, it’s now.

It doesn’t matter what the run rate has been over the last 13 Tests, a dank afternoon in England with the ball moving around is tough for any batter.

Australia are swarming. They were happy to accept England’s aggressive approach in the first innings, even defer to it. But there’s no deep point anymore. It doesn’t matter what the run rate has been over the last 13 Tests, a dank afternoon in England with the ball moving around is tough for any batter. There’s three slips and a gully. Boland is zipping it like the MCG.His first ball to Root nips back sharply at Root, does too much for the lbw. The next one is much closer, slamming into the front pad as Root does all he can to counter the movement. There is a huge appeal. The Australians confer. Marnus Labuschagne is very excited (when isn’t he?). He may or may not have been told to not get involved. In the end, there’s no review. Erasmus then has a word with Cummins and Labuschagne.Root defends with that trademark open face to backward point. Next ball he’s shuffling out of the crease. The last delivery takes the pad into the leg side for a scampered extra. It took Australia 37 overs to bowl a maiden in the first innings. Now they have two in a row. The rain can only be minutes away.

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Cummins again. Root defends into the covers.It was a high-intensity short session of play from Australia between two rain breaks•Getty ImagesThe next one is fuller and outside off, it brings Root forward for a drive. It skims past the bat and there’s a big appeal, although more from behind the stumps than from Cummins. However, this time the captain is talked into a review. Root is one of big wickets. Replays show daylight between bat and ball.The sky is going to dump on the ground any moment.Root leaves alone outside off. The Australians want every ball they can get. For the first time in the match it really feels like they have control.They are off. The rain starts to fall, then starts to pelt down. The groundstaff race to get the covers on. One of them is left underneath trying to attach a drainage hose. The players scurry into the dressing rooms.

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It’s been 22 balls. England scored two runs. Australia took two wickets. The rain thunders down. The players don’t get back on. The game is on a knife-edge. The significance of those 20 minutes will be known in the next two days.