Guileless display from England quicks does little to change the Anderson-Broad narrative

Andrew Miller10-Mar-2022Chris Woakes belongs to a select band of cricketers to have bowled the first ball in a World Cup final. He knows what it’s like to have the eyes of the world boring into the back of his skull as he approaches his delivery stride and, when it comes to Test cricket, he even knows what it’s like to marshal an unlikely run-chase from five-down for spit. But he’s surely never felt pressure quite like his opening spell on the second day in Antigua.As Woakes trotted in with that familiar arrow-straight approach, buzzing his way through the crease with the neat, incisive lines of a sawblade in a timber-mill, he would have known that he was about to be judged like never before in his international career. And by the time he trooped from the field with the bruised figures of 12-2-54-1, he might have been entitled to wonder if he’d been set up to fail.An awful lot of platitudes have been trotted out by England’s management in the weeks since they chose to dispense with James Anderson and Stuart Broad and their 1,177-wickets-worth of Test-match knowhow. But nothing has jarred with the evidence of a nine-year international career quite like the suggestion – voiced with little conviction by England’s captain Joe Root – that a sustained run with the new ball was all that Woakes needed to transform his status from priceless team player to golden-armed attack leader.The true reasons for Anderson’s and Broad’s binnings may never be publicly aired – are they really too old, or are they simply being challenged to fight for their places in the summer? Are the shadows that they cast too immense for others to flourish (the charge that was levelled at the women’s captain Charlotte Edwards after her ruthless culling in 2016), or was Root’s complaint about the lengths that they bowled in England’s defeat in Adelaide the final proof that the captain and his star bowlers had reached a fork in the road?Whatever the truth, this void in England’s reasoning – and the inevitable speculation that it has caused – has been thoroughly and damagingly distracting. Even a throwback to that very 2021 chestnut, rest and rotation, would have been preferable to the death by innuendo that Woakes, and to a lesser extent Craig Overton, have endured in the series build-up. Woakes, after all, went more than 12 months – between August 2020 and September 2021 – without a single Test appearance despite being England’s reigning Test cricketer of the Year. If this chance to lead the line had been presented as a reward for long service during lockdown, there might have been a few raised eyebrows, but surely a lot more understanding.Instead, the reasoning has been so weird, even the player himself didn’t really seem to believe he warranted it, after his six wickets at 55.33 in the Ashes had exacerbated the gulf between his home and away Test stats – 94 wickets at 22.63 in English conditions, and 31 at 52.38 overseas. Instead, it’s as if the post-Ashes intention of the England management had been to rip the players out of their comfort zones, and expose them to the harshest sink-or-swim realities of top-level professional sport – and if that’s the case, then fair play, they nailed the brief.And so it came to that fateful new-ball spell – a Dukes ball, no less, Woakes’ weapon of choice in his frequent excursions on home soil. In he charged, with conviction and with the occasional pretty-looking zip past the outside edge. But, assuming Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell had kept even half an ear to the ground in the Ashes fall-out, there was never going to be any mystery about his methods.Full and fuller was the requirement, in a guilelessly gung-ho bid for hooping swing – a display, in fact, that served only to reinforce the wisdom of ages that England have chosen to dispense with on this tour. Anderson and Broad would never have put up with this nonsense, whanging an unresponsive ball into the blockhole time and again, to be drilled back down the ground at an initial rate of seven an over. They’d have dragged those lengths back – much as it seems they did, to Root’s chagrin, in Adelaide – and conceded their runs at one an over while priming their orb for that display of reverse-swing that did, briefly, look like transforming England’s fortunes in the afternoon session.”It’s obviously going to be talked about, Anderson and Broad, because they are legends but we just have to admit we didn’t get it right to start with, and we’ll be out to get it right next time,” Mark Wood said at the close of playCraig Overton veered away from a full length to bounce out John Campbell•Gareth Copley/Getty Images”I don’t think it’s about being patient, we set higher standards than just being patient,” he added. “We’re out here to win. We’re trying to get it right now but, as can happen with any bowler, we just didn’t get it right to start. We maybe tried a little bit too hard, with the void of Anderson and Broad we wanted to try hard and prove we could do it, maybe that was it. But the way we came back showed good character as a group.”According to Cricviz’s Expected Wickets model, England’s new-ball effort was their third-least threatening of the past decade, a display outdone only by England’s efforts at Melbourne and Sydney at the fag-end of the 2017-18 Ashes – the former on one of the most disgracefully dead drop-in pitches in history; the latter in an asphyxiatingly hot dead-rubber at the SCG, a match in which Root would later keel over with sun-stroke.England’s lack of penetration was exemplified by the 1.5 degrees of swing that their openers located – compared to the 2.5 degrees that West Indies had found in routing England for 48 for 4 on the first morning. You would not have believed that West Indies have been starved of runs in recent encounters as Brathwaite galloped to the fastest fifty of his career, and in the process added his team’s first half-century opening stand … since they faced the same opponents in the final Test of their 2018-19 series win. In case Root was unaware, these guys tend to raise their game when England are in town.England’s lack of situational awareness was at times staggering. On the one hand, Root has clearly learned to treasure the pace and penetration of his last remaining 90mph bowler, Wood, and not bowl him into the ground as he did with Jofra Archer in 2019-20. On the other hand, limiting Wood to three overs out of the first 23, while West Indies galumphed to 95 for 1 with close to a boundary an over was another baffling misallocation of his resources.Related

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When finally thrown the ball, Wood duly struck in the second over of his comeback spell, luring Brathwaite with the wide one after tucking him up with another off-the-peg display of sustained pace. That’s the sort of lack of guile that pays dividends on surfaces as slow as this, not the sort of optimistic lollipops that Woakes felt obliged to fling at his opponents, as he strained for that elusive swing. By the close, his over-exertions had sent ten deliveries – or nearly one an over – sliding down the leg side, as well as one rank full-toss outside off that Jermaine Blackwood flicked contemptuously for one of the ten fours in Woakes’ day’s work.At least Overton got the memo before it was too late. His own England credentials may be hanging by an even more slender thread than his new-ball partner’s, but at least having been driven for two fours in his third new-ball over, he swiftly dispensed with the pleasantries when called upon again, and bombed out Campbell with a bouncer just when he was threatening to put the hammer down.Overton later delivered a useful display of reverse swing as back-up to Wood and Ben Stokes – who was restored to being an actual bowler here, rather than that spurious bang-it-in enforcer who succumbed to a side strain in the Ashes. But as if emboldened by the start that they had been given, as well as the knowledge that all things must pass, Nkrumah Bonner and Jason Holder rode out the threat with broad-batted resistance to inch their side ever closer to parity by the close.”Of course it’s weird,” Wood admitted, when asked what it was like to take the field with neither Broad nor Anderson. “They have been there every time. We can’t compare ourselves to them, because we are not them. We have to bring what we can do. Unfortunately the best we can do wasn’t that first bit. The second bit was a lot better. We have to bring our best next time, so we are on it.”

The Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach talks about Umran Malik, how the side ended up building an Indian bowling core, and more

Interview by Shashank Kishore05-May-2022After successive losses at the start of their IPL 2022 campaign, Sunrisers Hyderabad went on a five-match winning run. Unlike teams who have built their unit around batting, Sunrisers have a pedigreed bowling attack, largely Indian. Tom Moody, their head coach, who has been with the side for much of their journey in the IPL, explains what has gone into the making of their attack.Over the years, Sunrisers’ fast bowling core has largely been Indian. Has that been one of the big focus areas?
A lot of people have recognised over the years in T20 cricket that the 120 balls you defend are absolutely vital. I’ve always had the philosophy of making sure you should have the ability to take wickets in all three phases of your innings. With that in mind, ideally it’s nice to be able to secure Indian talent to fulfil those roles.Like for any specific role in the squad, you need to look at the supply and demand of what is available and make your judgement under pressure on auction day. So for us, having the familiarity of a couple of players we have brought back into the squad in 2022 was a no-brainer. Someone like Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar], who has done so much over a long period of time in IPL and India, we believe he still has plenty of years to come with his specific skills, that is to be able to bowl what I’d call the bookends of the game. And then you’ve got Nattu [T Natarajan] who has grown and grown as a mature fast bowler, gotten better and better. Yes, he had a slight hiccup with injury, but he’s not the first fast bowler to go through that.Natarajan has developed as this on-demand yorker specialist. Was he always one?
We knew of him as the yorker specialist from Tamil Nadu, and he’d had his success in the T20 League [TNPL] down there. But in his initial couple of years with us at Sunrisers there was a significant gulf between [his performances] in domestic cricket and IPL, but to his credit he has worked extremely hard on his skills and the physical side of fast bowling. He has continued to refine and perfect those skills he clearly had at the beginning. He just had to sharpen them a little further to provide that consistency at the IPL level and internationally.Related

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Some players can make the adjustment upwards and deliver their natural strength at the highest level; others find it difficult. Nattu has got better and better at refining his skill and remaining committed and authentic to who he is as a fast bowler. He hasn’t tried to do anything, but has got perfect at what he is really good at. In the T20 format, bowlers of his calibre are very rare.You’ve backed a number of Indian fast bowlers – Khaleel Ahmed, Basil Thampi, Sandeep Sharma, Bhuvneshwar, Natarajan, Umran Malik… the list is long. Tell us about your scouting process.
Scouting is important but what we do recognise, particularly now with Indian cricket is, nearly everyone knows what talent is out there, even though there is an overwhelming amount of talent. But it’s very rare that you can uncover a hidden gem. We were very fortunate to be able to do that with Umran Malik, but those examples are rare. We also managed to do that with Abdul Samad, who comes from the same state [Jammu and Kashmir]. We first gave Umran an opportunity through net bowling and the rest is history. The actual finding of players of that calibre are rare. Often young fast bowlers who have had any sort of recognition are pretty much on some sort of pathway, whether it’s through their state or through the Indian high-performance centre. Everyone has got the same advantage. It’s a question of identifying which one you feel can fit your strategy and set-up.Moody says T Natarajan is among those players who are able to make adjustments upwards to deliver their natural skills at the highest level•BCCIIt’s one thing to see players, another to back them, isn’t it?
A lot of people have commented over the years on how we have tended to bank [on] a lot of Indian fast bowlers. I don’t think we have gone out there with a conscious approach to have a squad full of Indian fast bowlers. What we have done is, we’ve gone out there with a conscious effort to make sure we have those specific roles nailed down within our squad. We have not only guys like Bhuvi as a leader of the pack with the new ball, we’ve got someone who can come in if Bhuvi is injured for a game or two or whatever it might be. And our focus has leaned toward Indian pace.It’s also because when Sunrisers Hyderabad took over from the Deccan Chargers in 2013, we didn’t inherit a lot of Indian international batsmen. They [Chargers] had Rohit [Sharma], but he got transferred to Mumbai Indians [in 2011], so we lost a world-class batter there. We managed to retain Shikhar Dhawan, but basically we had an inexperienced batting unit. So we had to build our batting around international players because there were very few Indians in the market to fill that role.Talking specifically about Umran Malik, it must delight you to see the wicketkeeper and slip fielders standing at the 30-yard ring when he bowls?
Look, it’s not just me. He’s thrilling the cricketing world with his appetite for pace and natural flair. There’s nothing better than seeing someone turn up and bowl 150 clicks, unless you’re at the other end.Umran has been terrific. We know his journey has just begun and he will have his challenges, like any other cricketer. Whether that be continuing to evolve and develop as a fast bowler or other challenges, he’s got a strong unit around him at Sunrisers. He’s got a great mentor in Dale Steyn. He’s a very focused and hard-working kid, so there’s a lot of upsides for him with Sunrisers and for Indian cricket.A lot of Indian fast bowlers in the past have gone from express to line and length because of injuries.

I don’t think he’ll ever be a line-and-length bowler. He’s born in a Ferrari and he’s going to drive the Ferrari (). He, like any fast bowler, will have his challenges, with injuries or whatever else, but the knowledge around managing fast bowlers and managing their aggression as they develop in their early years is a lot better now, so it’s a case of making sure he’s getting the right guidance, the right mentoring, and that he’s surrounded by key people who don’t overcomplicate the process. Given he’s a part of the Sunrisers family, that’s something I and the likes of Dale Steyn will make sure we communicate constantly throughout the year with the key people – with him, at the state level, and also at the high-performance level, to make sure that we’re all on the same page, looking after a rare diamond.Might Marco Jansen be a genuine allrounder for SRH in the future?•BCCIHave you seen a marked difference in the bowler who left the IPL last year and the one who arrived for this season?
I’ve seen improvements just in the games he has played this year. He was getting a little bit of negative feedback with regards to how expensive he was. His economy was quite high in the earlier games, but I think people have got to understand that when you have speed in the short format, you’re naturally going to have a high price. You need to accept there’s going to be a high economy, but what you want is a positive wicket return. He is encouraged not so much to focus on the runs he’s going for but his attacking approach and how he’s looking to pick wickets. And we support him with that by giving him some tactical inputs and game sense around his approach, depending on where we’re playing and who we’re playing. He is forever evolving, improving and understanding the game, because he’s still very young and has a lot to learn. What kind of a person is he?
He’s pretty relaxed, hard-working. He’s a character, has a bright personality and is a popular member of the squad, so a lot of people naturally gravitate towards him. Over the last 12 months, his English has got better and better, and our communication has become lot more fluent. His English has got a lot better than my Hindi over the last 12 months. He’s a very likeable character. The one thing that impressed us even before he became a contracted IPL player is that even when he was a net bowler, he was eager to learn, he’d ask a lot of questions. If he had to use Abdul Samad as a translator, he wouldn’t be shy to do that. He was always eager to learn, about his action, run-up, what he needs to be doing in the gym with regards to his strength programme, his rehab, etc. He’s been very proactive in that regard, which is a great sign for a young cricketer – for him to naturally gravitate to that approach as against having to be encouraged to go down that path.Let’s talk about Marco Jansen, another fast bowler in your ranks.
He’s unique. When you’re 6’9″ and bowling left-arm and with the ability to swing the ball, there are a few things going for you. One thing we really liked about Marco was, his style brought a point of difference to the IPL. A lot of players are not used to that extra bounce someone of that height can generate, so it gives our attack a point of difference when you’ve got someone delivering from that height who can get steep bounce and movement. The other thing is, we have a lot of hopes on Marco with regards to his batting ability. We haven’t seen it in the IPL yet, but in the mid- to long-term, we see him as a genuine allrounder, someone who can fill a role for us in the top six or seven and have a great impact with the ball as well.Halfway into the season, how satisfied have you been with the bowling recalibration, especially since you don’t have the bankability of Rashid Khan?
Rashid is a unique bowler. Any team that secures his services is going to have a huge value with the 24 balls that he delivers. But for whatever the circumstances were with regards to the auction and retention, unfortunately we couldn’t continue that story. But we have got a different approach this year. We have had to rethink our strategy.With the retention of Umran we knew he was going to play a role for us in the middle overs. We’re addressing the middle overs slightly differently now, and Umran is the aggressor in that role. Generally there the wristspinners – [Yuzvendra] Chahal or Rashid, or whoever it might be – are the aggressors in a different way. We have a different approach. We’ve had to work around with our balance. Washington Sundar, who has missed a few games because of injury, plays an important role. He is someone who can bat and play a key role as spinner in powerplay overs or outside them, depending on the match-ups. We find the balance working for us but one of the most important parts about our success over the last few games is our impact as a unit in the powerplay, and also the way we’ve controlled and shut down the back end of the innings.

History is against Pakistan, but they would hope to change that, while Barbados are unknowns at this level

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jul-2022AustraliaOverview
Though in a bit of a transitional phase off the field after losing head coach Matthew Mott to the England men’s white-ball set-up, Australia retain an imposing squad, which has made them world-beaters for years. Two T20 World Cup titles, two Ashes series victories, and an ODI World Cup crown in the past four years, and you can bet they are hell-bent on adding the inaugural women’s Commonwealth Games gold medal to that trophy cabinet. Their depth is breath-taking, as illustrated by the fact that a player of Ellyse Perry’s calibre has for some time now been outside their first-choice T20I side.Squad
Meg Lanning (capt), Rachael Haynes, Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade WellingtonRelated

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Recent form
Rain-affected T20s during the Ashes series at the start of the year and more recently against Ireland and Pakistan don’t provide the best gauge, but Australia were most convincing in the matches that were completed. Their run to the T20 World Cup title two-and-a-half years ago wasn’t quite as rampant as their ODI triumph at the start of this year, but they’re favourites for very good reason.Player to watch
Tahlia McGrath stunned England with 91 not out, batting for just the third time in T20Is during their Ashes series opener. It was one of those moments when England thought they had done pretty well reaching 169 for 4 only to discover Australia had yet another trick up their sleeves and McGrath led them to a thumping nine-wicket victory. She has batted four times in the format now and been named Player of the Match in each one, most recently for her 70 off 45 balls against Ireland last week. She shared a record third-wicket stand for Australia of 135 with Meg Lanning and finally has a T20 batting average – 247.00 – after being dismissed in that match.There are few better all-round athletes in world cricket than Deandra Dottin•ICC via Getty ImagesBarbadosOverview
Barbados will be making their international debut at the Commonwealth Games, as the representative country for the West Indian islands. As a multi-nation team is unable to compete at the Games, CWI intended to use the 2021 T20 Blaze as a qualification tournament to decide which nation would compete on their behalf. When the tournament was cancelled because of Covid-19, Barbados were chosen, having won the most recent competition in 2019.While it is the first time we’ll be seeing Barbados compete at the global stage, they aren’t short of experience among their squad. Seven of their 15-member squad have played international cricket, with six of them part of the West Indies squad that won the T20 World Cup in 2016. They will be led by Hayley Matthews, the 24-year-old allrounder who has been announced as Stafanie Taylor’s successor as West Indies captain.Squad
Hayley Matthews* (capt), Aaliyah Alleyne*, Shanika Bruce, Shai Carrington, Shaunte Carrington, Shamilia Connell*, Deandra Dottin*, Keila Elliott, Trishan Holder, Kycia Knight*, Kyshona Knight*, Alisa Scantlebury, Shakera Selman*, Tiffany Thorpe, Aaliyah Williams* Capped by West IndiesRecent form
Domestic T20s (most recent first): LWWWW
Barbados have had a strong domestic season, lifting the Super50 Cup unbeaten, while they narrowly missed out on the 2022 T20 Blaze title to Jamaica on net run-rate. Matthews topped the run charts in both tournaments, while medium-pace bowler Shanika Bruce was the leading wicket-taker in the Blaze.Player to watch
It’s hard to look past Deandra Dottin. She was the first woman to score a T20I century, she has the best T20 bowling figures for West Indies – 5 for 5 against Bangladesh at the 2018 T20 World Cup – and to top it off, she’s one of the standout fielders in the game. A natural athlete, in an alternate timeline, Dottin could have been at these games competing in another discipline – she was a junior Caribbean champion in the shot put, discus and javelin. Instead, Barbados will be grateful for her explosive presence at the top of their batting order and her readiness to put her hand up to bowl the big overs when the pressure is on. If Barbados are to spring a surprise at Birmingham 2022, Dottin’s ability to change a game single-handedly will be key.Yastika Bhatia’s emergence at No. 3 has been hugely beneficial for India•Fiona Goodall/ICC/Getty ImagesIndiaOverview
The towering presence of two legends – Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami – may no longer be there, but the shadow of Covid-19 is clearly still there. India are effectively a squad of 13 at the moment, and it is likely to remain that way at least for the first two group games.Missing are S Meghana, the top-order batter, and premier allrounder Pooja Vastrakar, who offers fearless and clean ball-striking in the lower order apart from bowling nippy seam-ups.In a big change, though, Harmanpreet Kaur knows she is the leader, and India don’t have to switch captains as they move between formats, like they did until the 2022 World Cup when Raj was still an active player. This is Harmanpreet’s team, and the core group of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma all have vital roles to play if India are to challenge for a medal. Gold may be tricky – Australia, remember? – but a young team, hardened by heartbreaks of the past, are determined to carve an identity. Birmingham is another opportunity.Squad
Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, S. Meghana, Taniya Sapna Bhatia, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Thakur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav, Harleen Deol, Sneh RanaRecent form
India are coming off a successful tour of Sri Lanka, where they won the ODIs (3-0) and T20Is (2-1). Rodrigues returning to form in the T20Is after a rough year – she had been dropped from the World Cup squad – was a positive, as was the transformation of Shafali Verma, who is showing signs of being more than just a feared ball-striker; she is on the way to becoming an all-round batter who can temper her game based on the conditions and the team’s needs.Player to watch
Yastika Bhatia has emerged as a vital piece in the team’s jigsaw. Her ability to hit big wasn’t in doubt, but lately, she has learnt to marry that with consistency. Her presence could take some pressure off Harmanpreet in the middle order. Yastika has also been groomed as a wicketkeeper, which also gives the flexibility of playing an extra batter or bowler based on conditions.Tuba Hassan has made an excellent start to her international career•PCBPakistanOverview
Pakistan do not have a good history at major tournaments and have only won three out of 30 50-over World Cup matches [including a losing streak of 18 games] and seven out of 28 T20 World Cup games. They will hope the Commonwealth Games starts changing that. Theirs is a tough group, which includes Australia and India, a match that is set to be a sellout and could also play a major role in whether they advance to the knockouts. With Australia’s dominance in the women’s game, the Pakistan vs India match could effectively be a quarter-final, and history is not on Pakistan’s side. They have only won two out of the 11 matches they have played against India and none of the last nine. Bismah Mahroof’s baby daughter Fatima and her mother have been allowed to stay in the athlete’s village so expect more cuteness as the tournament plays out.Squad
Bismah Maroof (capt), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gul Feroza, Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Tuba Hassan

Proud moment for @maroof_bismah and women’s cricket!

The captain will carry the national flag along with @InamTheWrestler at the opening ceremony of the XXII Commonwealth Games

Good luck to the Pakistan contingent #CommonwealthGames2022 pic.twitter.com/iZWfFfoDn6

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) July 27, 2022

His blockbuster all-round show in Southampton is a reminder of what Indian fans had been missing out on

Shashank Kishore08-Jul-2022Hardik Pandya’s injuries – especially a stress fracture that needed surgery and extensive rehabilitation for the better part of two years, between 2018 and 2020 – led to several question marks over his longevity in the game.Can he be the Hardik of old? Can he remain injury free? Can he bowl? If yes, can he rediscover his pace and subtle skills that brought him success?Then at the start of IPL 2022, you wondered how he would warm up to the pressures of captaincy. Early in the season, you wondered if he was putting himself under too much pressure by trying to be Gujarat Titans’ everything man in the batting department. He batted at three, then four, finished off innings, held an end up – essentially, he was the jack of all trades.Related

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On Friday, Hardik delivered a blockbuster performance in what was perhaps India’s sternest T20I test since that World Cup exit last year. Against an England side that has set the benchmark as far as white-ball cricket goes, Hardik scored his maiden T20I half-century and picked up four wickets, a double no other Indian has achieved, to power India to an emphatic series lead.”I’m enjoying my cricket right now and that is more important,” he said after his match-winning performance in Southampton. “A lot of time goes behind the scenes with my preparation to ensure my body is all right. Because I took a long break [last year], I wanted to make sure my rhythm was all right, and it is.”That was a conscious decision taken by myself, when I decided that I wanted some time off from the game. When I can’t enjoy the game, there’s no point of Hardik Pandya playing. For me, it was about the effort and the intensity. When I got that, it felt very satisfying.”Hardik is in a great space currently. His career has scaled new heights. He has captained Titans to IPL glory, realised a boyhood dream of captaining India, and is – in his own words – “enjoying the present without worrying about how much I will play or contribute to the future”.These are words of a man who is confident in the skills he possesses. Skills India have dearly missed, and skills that have lent India the flexibility to play six bowlers, something they missed during the T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE, which ended in a group-stage exit.

“What I will play and what I won’t play, only time will tell. The focus right now is wherever I can give 100%, I want to. If I can’t give 100%, I will not take someone’s place”Hardik Pandya

At Mumbai Indians, Hardik’s role was to maximise the few balls he got towards the end of the innings. His batting positions at Titans brought with them many questions. And he proved he could temper his game to play situations before teeing off.
As a leader, you saw him soak in pressure for the youngsters to play freely in the IPL, a philosophy straight out of MS Dhoni’s captaincy book. All this stems from a great sense of enjoyment an injury-free Hardik has derived from his game.His performances have suddenly elicited talks – from the outside, of course – of his potential return to red-ball cricket. Hardik, however, firmly brushed aside such a prospect, for now.”It depends on what we’re playing. Right now, it’s the white-ball season, and the World Cup is coming, so we’re more focused there,” he said. “How much white-ball cricket I play for India, that much better. When Tests come, let’s see. But what I will play and what I won’t play, only time will tell. The focus right now is wherever I can give 100%, I want to. If I can’t give 100%, I will not take someone’s place.”On Thursday, he came into bat with India at 89 for 3 in the ninth over. He started briskly; his first scoring shot was a flat-batted rocket past legspinner Matt Parkinson. When he lost Suryakumar Yadav in the 14th, he had to ride a brief slowdown because India hadn’t got to Dinesh Karthik’s ideal entry point yet.”Right now it’s the white-ball season, and the World Cup is coming, so we’re more focused there.”•PA Photos/Getty ImagesHardik recalibrated without affecting momentum. He brought up the half-century off just 30 balls and by the time he was out in the 18th, India were staring at 200. Hardik’s, and India’s, approach was reminiscent of England’s mantra that has brought them much success.”Credit to Rahul Dravid and the management where those people allow us to express ourselves,” he said. “When you have so much clarity from coaches and management, as an individual, you get a big boost. If you play a shot and get out, you don’t feel ‘oh I’ve played a poor shot’. Credit to coach, which is important as a player.”With the ball, Hardik pegged England back in the powerplay with the wickets of David Malan and Liam Livingstone in one over. The first ball of his second over brought the wicket of Jason Roy, who was out slashing to deep third. At 33 for 4, England were on the ropes.All the elements of Hardik the bowler were on display. He was brisk, he was hitting hard lengths – a sign that he was bending his back – and there were subtle changes in pace, and he mixed them up with his usual smarts. In short, he seemed a complete package.In February, when Hardik wasn’t picked for the West Indies series, chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma, in a rare press conference, touched upon how he’d return only if he was “100% match fit”. Through the IPL and his performances over the past month, Hardik has done everything in his capacity to prove his fitness, and in the process deliver telling contributions.

Men’s cricket in the country faces a set of unique challenges because of the political situation, but keeps chugging along

Umar Farooq27-Aug-2022It has been just over a year since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, again, and the effect on every aspect of life in the country has been drastic. But what has this meant for cricket? While a fledgling women’s cricket scene has all but disappeared, the men’s game is one of the few pastimes accepted – and seemingly closely followed – by the regime, which has clamped down on public entertainment in many forms. And cricket remains wildly popular among common fans in the country.In the early days of the takeover, several from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) fled the country, as many others did, and the board has since had to arrange UAE residency visas for about two dozen players to avoid travel issues when it comes to cricket tours. There were also questions about whether Afghanistan’s ICC Full Membership should be reviewed altogether, given the Taliban’s regressive stance on women in cricket. Money is an issue, with sponsors pulling out. And the country remains a strict no-go zone for international teams, with the UAE effectively their home base now. But, despite all these complications, cricket has continued to exist.”There was uncertainty at the start but once the dust started to settle we see cricket is still there,” Asadullah Khan, a former selector who is helping the ACB putting together a roadmap of how cricket is to be run in the country, told ESPNcricinfo. “The passion for the game has increased but the flow of money has started to dry up.Related

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“Taliban in government helped cricket [to continue] but corporate sponsorships for the game have come down. ICC funds are not coming directly, hence money is an issue. ACB is still surviving but [we’re] not sure how long it can be sustained.”Since the Taliban took over, issues with banking and foreign exchange in Afghanistan mean that, in some instances, the ICC has – using the revenue share due to Afghanistan – made payments on behalf of the ACB. That has hit cash flow. Currently, the ACB is revamping its corporate and domestic cricket structure and upgrading facilities in Kabul to include a high-performance centre.”This is an issue [with the ICC’s funds] because ACB is looking to expand the game in other regions,” Asadullah said. “Kabul has been the main centre to cater to all the cricketers but now we need to go to the other venues too. The ACB is also presently working on revamping the entire board structure and revisiting its policy-making to make it more transparent.”There is extensive work being done to expand the infrastructure to other places like Kandahar and Khost regions. Every region needs to have an exclusive and specialist coaching set-up, so that players come through a proper pathway, and we need money for that. The focus is to make the system more professional, with a focal point on player development.”

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Fortunately, the current generation of Afghanistan cricketers boasts elite, global stars in the form of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. The three are pretty much automatic picks for every T20 league in the world. In all, Rashid and Nabi have turned out in six different leagues for a total of 114 and 61 T20s respectively after the pandemic. Mujeeb has played in seven leagues (58 T20s). Fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq, too, can be added to this list of in-high-demand T20 specialists, with four leagues and 68 T20s. Because they play around the world all year round, there is less focus on having them in preparatory camps.

“They are bringing in a load of information, the tricks, the intel about various conditions they are playing in, and it’s really good for the team in terms of learning. It’s free knowledge”Assistant coach Raees Ahmadzai on Afghanistan’s superstars playing in T20 leagues around the world

All that globetrotting presents a problem, in that they cannot regularly play alongside up-and-coming talent back home in domestic cricket for logistical and visa-eligibility reasons. They have been exempted from national preparatory camps but they make it to national duty, often joining the team a few days before the series. Like several of their national-team colleagues, Nabi and Rashid are based in the UAE.Raees Ahmadzai, the former Afghanistan middle-order batter who is now an assistant coach with the national team and has deep ties with grassroots and domestic cricket in the country, thinks players’ T20 league experience can only be beneficial to the wider set-up.”Our players feature in the different leagues, they learn a lot and come back with tons of experience and they have next-level confidence behind them,” Ahmadzai told ESPNcricinfo. “They might miss being with the larger camps but when they come, they bring a lot of knowledge back to the pavilion.”The environment suddenly changes with them in the team; Rashid, Mujeeb and Nabi have a lot to share with young boys and this is eventually beneficial for the team. They are bringing in a load of information, the tricks, the intel about various conditions they are playing in, and it’s really good for the team in terms of learning. It’s free knowledge and I don’t mind if they are missing Afghanistan camps but coming with million-dollar information for young lads in the team by playing T20 leagues.”There’s another stumbling block in the development of younger players, though, and this one pre-dates the Taliban’s takeover. There is little continuity with the coaches. The current batch of coaches, for example, including Jonathan Trott and Umar Gul, have contracts that run until December 2022. The ACB roped in Younis Khan before the Zimbabwe tour in June, to work with the batters for three weeks. On that tour, Afghanistan were without a head coach, with Graham Thorpe having fallen ill; so, Trott was called in for the Ireland tour in August and now the Asia Cup. In all, Afghanistan have had more than five head coaches since 2019, with none of them travelling to Afghanistan but only working on away tours, joining the squad just for the series.If you’re a T20 franchise looking for a magician with the ball, who do you call?•BCCI”Ideally a head coach should be someone who should spend time in the country and be part of players’ development right from the start,” Ahmadzai said. “But unfortunately the situation in our country makes them not come, so there is always a gap.”It’s really important for a head coach to stay informed about how the system works in Afghanistan, how players are groomed and to keep a track of their development. It makes their job more productive, after all he is the one taking the lead in making strategies and setting long-term goals. But in our case, we lack consistency in this regard. We were without a head coach in Zimbabwe but still managed to win…”

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Afghanistan blanked Zimbabwe 3-0 in both ODIs and T20Is, but they come into this Asia Cup, in the UAE, having lost to Ireland 3-2. Ahmadzai sees that loss as a good reality check ahead of showpiece events. “It was a good wake-up call before a tournament like the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup [in Australia in October-November],” he said. “Sometimes you come into the bigger event after winning a series but can’t carry on the momentum. So this Ireland result will help [us refocus].

“Kabul has been the main center to cater to all the cricketers but now we need to go to the other venues too. There is extensive work being done to expand the infrastructure to other places like Kandahar and Khost regions”Former selector Asadullah Khan

“We had a mixed performance, it wasn’t all bad. We did manage to come back after losing the first two. We won the next two and were unfortunate in the decider, losing on DLS method. Overall now players know exactly where they stand and what needs to be done to get ready and look forward to the Asia Cup and World Cup.”Ahmadzai explained that he was working with players to tone down their emotions in pressure situations. “We do come close to winning against bigger teams only to slip in the decisive moments in the innings,” he said. “I think we lack experience in dealing with the sort of pressure in those crucial moments. But this shouldn’t be an excuse, we are playing cricket for a long time now. I think boys get emotional and lose it from there.”In all big tournaments, we’ve played some close games that we should have won – like in the 2019 World Cup, against Pakistan. So this is the thing on our minds and we talked about how to conquer those critical stages and how to transform runs into match-winning knocks. You will see a difference this time, we will be doing something very special in this tournament.”Despite the year Afghanistan the country has had, there will be hordes of passionate cricket-lovers getting behind their team, hoping for just this.

Australia now have a major squeeze for batting spots, but the death bowling was put under pressure by India

Alex Malcolm26-Sep-20222:48

Hodge: Green might go on to become one of the best Australia has produced

Green’s opening salvo a long-term bonus and a short-term shadowThere was optimism and quiet confidence within Australia’s camp that Cameron Green would become a fine T20 player in time but no one quite expected him to show it so soon with so little experience behind him. Having never opened in any professional match and having only played 14 professional T20s and one T20I coming into the series, Green was asked to open on a hunch from Australia’s selectors and he delivered with two stunning half-centuries at a mind-blowing strike-rate of 214.54.It was hunch that had been discussed previously by Australia and Perth Scorchers. “It’s probably opportunistic, the way that he’s coming in with the opening position with obviously Davey Warner not being here and a couple of other players in our World Cup 15,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said after the final T20I in Hyderabad. “Fortuitous, but he’s taken that opportunity. We thought he had the skill when we did our strategy before we come over here. And he’s taken on some of the best bowlers in world cricket. You could argue Jasprit [Bumrah] is one of the best T20 bowlers ever. So to be able to do that, work your way through that situation again tonight, and do it two out of three times is very impressive and bodes well.”But as of now, Green is not part of Australia’s 15-player World Cup squad. He is scheduled to be appearing in the Sheffield Shield for Western Australia when Australia’s T20 squad reconvenes in Queensland next week for matches against West Indies. After what he did against India, Australia’s selectors might be secretly praying for an injury to one of their batters so they can somehow get him in. But even then, there is no place for him at the top of the order with Warner returning and captain Aaron Finch’s place secure. Green will cast a large shadow over the team should he not end up in the squad.Related

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David delivers as expectedTim David had previously cast a large shadow over Australia’s T20 team before finally getting his opportunity in this series and he duly delivered on what was expected of him. A calm 18 off 14 in game one to help Matthew Wade guide Australia home was followed by a sensational 54 off 27 in game three to lift Australia from a perilous position at 117 for 6 to a near match-winning total.Australia’s selectors were keen to see how David fitted into an established middle-order, albeit in the absence of Marcus Stoinis. His partnerships with Wade, who had an exceptional series, and Daniel Sams showcased his ability to work through the gears alongside both senior and junior partners, playing different roles when the situation required. It would seem ridiculous to consider leaving him out of Australia’s first-choice World Cup XI now. But the question is, who misses out?Tim David quickly looked at ease in Australian colours•BCCISmith still vulnerableWarner, Mitchell Marsh and Stoinis are seemingly locks to return for the upcoming series against West Indies and England which leads into the World Cup – providing the latter two are fit. Green can’t even get into the 15 and Australia must find room for David in the best XI. Steven Smith’s place was vulnerable heading to India and he was given the chance to bat at No. 3 in Marsh’s absence. He played nicely in Mohali to make 35 off 24 but his strike-rate of 145.83 in that innings was short of the 177.54 that was produced collectively by both teams in a high-scoring run-feast.Australia’s view of his power-hitting ability was evident in the eight-over-a-side sprint in Nagpur when he was dropped down the order to No. 6. He then scored at less than a run a ball in Hyderabad despite facing 10 balls in an innings where he was also dropped at backward point. If Smith is to play in the World Cup it could come at the expense of David, while Green will be playing Shield cricket. It would be an extraordinary show of faith from Australia’s selectors to make that call.There were some interesting calls over those who bowled the late overs•BCCIDeath bowling questionsBoth Australia and India struggled with the ball at the death in this series although McDonald acknowledged it was a very tough series for the bowlers in general. “There was really no place to hide for bowlers and particularly at the death coming up against Hardik [Pandya],” he said. “But I think we worked our way through some plans. We saw some good results with some of the plans that we implemented that may be able to transition to the World Cup.”The connection between here and Australia might slightly differ with a little bit more bounce, so some different tactics. Mitchell Starc clearly comes back into the picture, he’s been one of our best death bowlers, so we feel like we’ll get reinforcements there. But I think most death bowling attacks are under the pump with the high skills of the batters these days. Are we keen to get better at death bowling? The answer to that is yes. But we just encourage our guys to make good decisions, execute, and see what happens.”While’s Starc’s return does alleviate some issues, the fact that Green, Sams and Nathan Ellis were asked to bowl in the final two overs of each match more often than Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, when none of them are in the World Cup 15 does raise more questions than answers to McDonald’s death bowling conundrum. Australia’s other potential option in the World Cup squad, Kane Richardson, did not play a single game in the series due to a side injury that he suffered in the warm-up in game one.

Looking at pitching lines and lengths for offspinners against right-hand batters tells a story

Kartikeya Date13-Apr-2023Australia toured India for four Tests each in 2017 and 2023 and lost 1-2 both times. On its website, the BCCI publishes scorecards and ball-tracking records for each ball of these series (and others). Readers can look up any ball in a recent Test, ODI, T20I or IPL match played in India, one at a time.Related

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These records make available the pitching point (line and length of the delivery), interception point (the point at which the ball hit the bat, pad or a part of the batter’s body, if at all), and the beehive point (the point at which the ball would have crossed, or did cross, the plane of the stumps). Additionally, the ball-tracking record provides measures of turn, seam movement and speed, among others. This is a treasure trove of information made available by the BCCI.ESPNcricinfo records a control measurement for each delivery. This is an answer (either yes or no) to the question “Did the ball end up where the batter intended?” This article uses these two types of records – ball-tracking and control – to describe the contest between offspinners and right-hand batters in the 2017 and 2023 series.Kartikeya DatePitch maps showing the pitching points and interception points for balls bowled by offspinners to right-hand batters in the two series are in the graphs above and below.Kartikeya DateFirst impressions suggest that the line of attack was straighter in 2023, mostly because the offspinners bowled around the wicket to right-handers most of the time. These distinctions are also shown in the table below. (This table includes all deliveries by offspinners to right-hand batters in these two series for which complete ball-tracking records (pitching, interception, beehive) are available. Records are not complete for 103 balls in the 2017 series and 36 balls in the 2023 series; 15 false shots and one dismissal in 2017 and six false shots and 0 dismissals in 2023 are consequently missed in this record.)

The Punjab Kings batter talks about his favourite innings of this IPL season, and the time he spent in the India dressing room

Interview by Himanshu Agrawal11-Jun-2023Although Punjab Kings didn’t make the IPL 2023 playoffs, wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma’s form was a bright spot in their campaign. He scored 309 runs – the third-most for them – at a strike rate of 156, following on from 234 runs in his debut season last year. Jitesh, who was also called up to India’s T20I squad this January, talks about what he learnt during the IPL and his time with the India side.What was the IPL like for you?
I see myself improving and learning. This was only my second time in the IPL, which is a high-pressure tournament. Plus, the team had better expectations from me this time after my performance last year. So I tried to carry forward that mindset. This IPL was a good learning experience.Did you notice any differences in yourself as compared to last year?
I believe the more I played this season, the calmer I got. I have seen what the IPL looks like. Now, I feel I belong. I learned how to get used to playing alongside the big names and with the loud crowd across all stadiums.Can you give us an example of an innings where your calmness played a role?
When I scored 49 not out against Mumbai Indians in Mohali. I have played an attacking role in pretty much every situation, but against Mumbai, I had to have a long partnership, which I got with Liam Livingstone [they added an unbeaten 119 from 53 balls].Related

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What did the two of you say to each other during that partnership?
Our communication was clear: if the ball is in your radar, go for the big hits. But we had also decided that we would first face a few deliveries [to settle down] before going all out. There was quite some time left when we got together [in the 12th over], so we could afford to just have a look at any new bowler who was coming in.Liam had told me that initially my role would be to give him the strike. But when I got a free hit and hit Jofra Archer for a four, I had a very good feeling about bat on ball with that shot. Then I hit a few more boundaries and then Liam said that from there on, both of us would go for the big hits and try to score as much as we could. We hardly even talk to each other otherwise!I was given all the freedom by the team to express myself, while also being told that my role would be to break the opposition’s momentum.How did you go about trying to break their momentum?
The best mode is to attack. I had to pick which bowler to attack and when. The management did give us an idea of what to expect, but ultimately it is me who has to break it down on the field.2:05

‘I feel privileged that people trust me to play the role of a finisher’

A lot of players practise range-hitting, especially for a finisher’s role. What are your drills ahead of a game?
Range-hitting is the most common kind of practice, but I think differently. We mostly see players have a knock in the nets and then go for range-hitting. But I believe that when I’m waiting in the pavilion for my chance to go out and bat in a real-match situation, there is no way I can have a net session then. So that is how I practise too – by creating such a scenario in the nets. I pad up for nets and imagine myself batting in the 18th over or so, which means getting the most out of the remaining few deliveries.That is how I train my mind and keep myself active about what is to come, because a real game situation doesn’t give you any time to settle. So I have hit all our bowlers a lot in the nets (. Him being a mystery spinner helped me in the nets, as did the fact that he can speak Hindi well despite being from Zimbabwe. He made me practise by trying to bowl with Rashid’s action.And Liam asked me to have a clear mindset when attacking. He said, “There shouldn’t be any scope for a second thought once you have decided that you will be going for the big hit. Also, you shouldn’t regret getting out playing a big shot.”As an Indian, I always feel that I have limited opportunities to showcase my talent. But Liam told me that the No. 6 or 7 position is one where you’re bound to fail multiple times, considering the requirements of that slot. He wanted me to be thick-skinned. In fact, even the team management has given me a lot of backing because I was able to play with such boldness. They have asked me never to worry about selection and to just try my best.As a finisher, you mostly expect to walk out towards the latter stages of an innings. But like against Mumbai, you might also have to bat a bit early. How do you adjust when you walk in to bat in different situations?
The game is all about the mindset. You have to attack but then, the attacking-shot percentage tends to come down the moment you are four down early. That is when I look to play more orthodox shots even if my approach is always to keep scoring runs. And the moment you have lost four early wickets, the game is half done for your side; you can’t expect to put up 200 on the board every day from that situation. So you have to cut down on risks. And even if I still prefer attacking, I boil it down to one single bowler to attack – like the weakest link in the opposition’s attack – before increasing the number of attacking shots as I progress.”I really like run chases that are challenging, because when you are batting at No. 6 in such games, you have the chance to try and be a hero”•Associated PressCan you pick an innings from this season in which you became better at handling the situation and performing your role?
That was against Gujarat Titans, even though I only scored 25 from 23 balls. Bhanuka and I were constantly chatting. I was mostly playing orthodox shots, but I also hit a short ball for four. That is when I realised that no matter the situation, I can still pile up runs by attacking.The pattern of attack might change. Attacking doesn’t only mean hitting sixes. You can keep ticking over by converting ones into twos, which can still help you maintain a run rate of above eight an over.I didn’t score many against Gujarat, but I really liked the way I played. Even if I couldn’t manage a six, I kept finding the boundary and kept running hard. I couldn’t execute all my plans that day, but it was an innings that gave me the belief that I can make it big.Which other innings was memorable from this season?
The one against Mumbai at Wankhede, when I hit four sixes in six balls.How do you adjust to the pressure of hitting big from ball one, knowing that you have only a few balls to make an impression?
There is a lot of pressure, but I also feel very privileged that people trust me to play the role of a finisher. I really like run chases that are challenging, because when you are batting at No. 6 in such games, you have the chance to try and be a hero. I love that feeling. I don’t like the top four batters finishing games off; I want it to come down to me to finish matches off, so that I can crack 20 runs off ten balls!

“I kept looking for bigger scores. Bhanuka made me realise that even cameos between 20 and 30 tend to be really important contributions in a T20”

I take it as a challenge, and I’m really delighted when I am in such a situation. And I still remember how MS Dhoni, whom I idolise as a finisher, finished off a game against Punjab in Dharamsala [in 2010], when he hit Irfan Pathan for sixes in the last over. I really admired how he played that day – he dug CSK out of a tough situation and finished it off.How did the Impact Player rule influence your batting this season?
The Impact Player has given us a lot of freedom. The rule allows us to play fearlessly because I can start smashing from ball one, knowing that with the rule in play, it’s possible that Shahrukh Khan, Sam Curran and Harpreet Brar can all bat after me. So when I walk out to bat in the death overs, I can further attack; it’s a big lottery for batters.How much of a role does data play for you as a batter?
Analysis helps you get a basic idea about what to expect; but on the field, it’s all dependent on the situation and you play accordingly. So if as a right-hand batter, data tells me that an offspinner will bowl a particular line at a particular stage, it isn’t necessary that he be bowling there. It’s just an estimate – sometimes it helps and other times it doesn’t. In the end, it’s about instinct. You can’t keep waiting for a yorker from a bowler in the death overs just because the data tells you to expect that.You cannot be entirely dependent on data and analysis. Imagine if my side needs ten runs to win in the last over and data provides information saying I can’t play an offspinner well. I can’t take a single to start the over! I just have to hit him from ball one. Brad Haddin, the former Australia wicketkeeper-batter, is part of the Punjab Kings staff. Apart from batting, what work have you done on your wicketkeeping in the two seasons?
I had a lot of interactions with him. Whenever I get [to meet] someone with so much international experience, I try to collect as much information as possible from him. He helped me with my basics.”Liam [Livingstone] told me that the No. 6 or 7 position is one where one is bound to fail multiple times, considering the requirements of that slot. He wanted me to be thick-skinned”•Arun Sankar/AFP/Getty ImagesThere was a fault in my keeping which he helped improve. Earlier when I used to collect the ball, my head went to the other side. I also almost hurried on to flick the bails off, so there would be a lot of gap between my head and hands, which caused the hands to stretch far away and get quite hard. Now I make that my head and hands move in the same direction, so that I am able to have softer hands while keeping. That was a very small adjustment, but now I feel as if I have an extra second in terms of collecting the ball, and so I’m quicker too.Also, I wasn’t very calm during the first year, so I had stiff hands. That said, as a wicketkeeper, my only focus last year was to keep wicket; but this time I also looked around to check the field settings and help Shikhar [Dhawan] bhai.Keeping also helps you in batting, and vice-versa. Whether you have batted or kept wicket first, you subconsciously get an idea of how the wicket is behaving, which shots are hittable off which lengths. When you bat first, you need to get an idea only by observing your team-mates; but when you are chasing, having kept wicket in the first innings helps you ascertain how much the ball is turning and off which lengths.You were called up to the Indian team early this year. What was your experience of that dressing room?
I have played with or against almost all of them in domestic cricket, whether it’s Hardik [Pandya], Surya [Yadav] bhai or someone else. But as I look back at the time spent in that dressing room, I realise there was a lot of professionalism there, and also belief in me. I was there for the first time but they already knew what kind of player I was and what role I play.

“In the end, it’s about instinct. You can’t keep waiting for a yorker from a bowler in the death overs just because the data tells you to expect that “

There was a sense of maturity there, and it seemed they believed that there wasn’t much need to give a lot of feedback to the players. I had a lot of space during those two series [against Sri Lanka and New Zealand] and there was a very healthy atmosphere. The captain and the coaches even spoke freely and pointed out where I can get better.I even spoke to Rahul [Dravid] sir about how to maintain a good strike rate even if the side if four down early. He said, “If you are going out to bat at four or five down, half the side is gone anyway, so focus on what you know best. Just give yourself some time and focus on the kind of game you know best.”I was also a bit close to Paras [Mhambrey] sir, who has been coach at Vidarbha. He asked me not to worry about anything and that nobody would judge me there. All he wanted me to do was to pay attention to my batting and keeping.After that experience, do you feel you are better prepared to play for India if called up now?
I feel that if I enter the Indian dressing room now, I would feel a lot more comfortable after that experience. I have already interacted with them once. And if selected to play, I will be glad to bat even at No. 11 for India!What are your plans for the upcoming domestic season, which starts in a few months?
My aim is to play better for Vidarbha. Also, even though I feel I am well established there, I want to do something that helps them win trophies. My aim is to share my experience with the newcomers and also give them some confidence.

Inaugural T20 champions looking to win title for the second time 20 years on

Matt Roller14-Jul-2023Has county cricket ever seen a fixture with as much star power as last Friday’s T20 Blast quarter-final between Lancashire and Surrey? The two biggest clubs in the country fielded 13 internationals between them, and boasted over 3,500 matches of T20 experience worldwide.”As a neutral, you’d probably like to see that sort of game in a final,” Chris Jordan, Surrey’s captain, reflects. He is right – and not least because it would have meant the game being televised rather than merely live-streamed.Lancashire were unbeaten in three seasons at Old Trafford heading into that quarter-final, but Surrey’s all-star XI – the Harleyford Globetrotters – defended 187 against a batting line-up containing three of England’s T20 World Cup-winning side in their top four, and New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell at No. 5.Related

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It means Surrey will be in Birmingham on Saturday for Blast Finals Day, hoping to win only their second T20 title – almost exactly 20 years after their first. It is a bizarrely poor record given the calibre of players Surrey have fielded across those two decades, and one they are looking to put right.”We’re very fortunate that we have so many players that have played international cricket and have played a lot of T20 cricket,” Jordan says. “And not only that: they’ve played in a lot of big games in front of big crowds and know what comes with that, and what to expect in those situations.”We are blessed with so many awesome players. But cricket is played on the day: no matter how good a team you have, or how good a set of individuals, you definitely have to play cricket as a team to win over a long period of time. That’s definitely something that I feel we’re growing into nicely as the season’s gone on.”Jordan has also grown into captaincy, taking the reins on his return to The Oval – where he started his professional career before joining Sussex – last summer. “Even though it might be challenging, it’s an enjoyable challenge,” he says, “trying to find solutions to problems, trying to put guys in positions to succeed.”I’ve been very fortunate to play under people like Morgs [Eoin Morgan], MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma – so many different top captains. I’ve learned a lot from playing under their leadership. I guess I also want to bring my own flavour and my own style as well, but I’m definitely drawing on those past experiences as well to help me through.”He has had to make some tricky decisions – not least in selection. Jason Roy, for example, missed the vast majority of the group stages through a calf injury; when he returned, Will Jacks and Laurie Evans’ success as an opening partnership meant the only room for him in the side was in an unfamiliar role at No. 3.Jason Roy scored a fifty at No. 3 in the quarter-final win over Lancashire•Getty Images”Jase was very open to it,” Jordan explains. “All his life, he’s only ever been an opener – but in that quarter-final, he really did show his versatility. He came in at the back end of the powerplay and had to work his way through the middle playing some smart and really mature cricket. You would swear he’d been batting No. 3 for ages.”Evans edged past Jacks as Surrey’s leading run-scorer during the quarter-final, but Jacks is the Blast’s leading six-hitter. Across the last four Blast seasons, he averages 35.41 and strikes at 155.10; at 24, he looks on the cusp of a breakthrough at international level. “He’s been ready to go to that next step for a while,” Jordan says.”He’s been a little bit unlucky with one or two injuries, but he’s ready, man. He’s one of those guys you want to cross the line with. He’s a really good leader, always up for the fight and for the challenge. He always wants to be that guy with the bat, always wants the ball in the field, no matter what the situation.”Jacks is always the big wicket for Surrey’s opponents; Somerset, who they play in the semi-final on Saturday, rested their entire bowling attack for their Championship game against Hampshire ahead of that challenge. Not that Surrey will underestimate Somerset, who have won 13 of their 15 games in the Blast this year.”They’re an impressive outfit,” Jordan says. “You know exactly what you’re going to get from them: they’re very organised in the field, they have a clear template with the way they want to bat and bowl. They fully deserved to finish the league games on the top of the table.”It’s one-all so far in the season. We beat them at their place, they beat us at ours so I guess we’re on neutral ground now. The most important thing now is we keep getting those Ws – the semi-final first, and then hopefully that ultimate W at the end of it.”