The top order had the experience to bail out their inexperienced attack, but they instead went down in abject fashion

Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Mar-2023Angelo Mathews, Dimuth Karunaratne, and Dinesh Chandimal have all been on four Test tours to New Zealand (this one included). Kusal Mendis has been there three times. Dhananjaya de Silva twice. By now, they’ve sat through days worth of meetings and analysis on how to bat in New Zealand, pored through many hours of footage of the opposition, discussed leaving on length at length, and – such are this team’s predilections – likely become family friends with Nandos staff across the country.The attack has the excuse of inexperience. They have not toured New Zealand anywhere near as much, have a much more complicated history with injuries, and anyway are treated with borderline disdain at home, where pitches frequently make them comedic props in the spin bowlers’ dramatic production. And while New Zealand have had a difficult World Test Championship cycle, their batting order is studded with an all-time superstar in Kane Williamson, a reliable hand in Tom Latham, and batters who have made very bright starts to what promise to be long careers in Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, and Tom Blundell.Their bowling? Well, you’ve kinda gotta maybe say that they were a more daunting proposition in the bad old days when Trent Boult and Tim Southee curved the ball snarl viciously from either end, before Neil Wagner summoned bouncers from the depths of hell in the peak Wagnerball era.Related

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If one didn’t nick you off swinging it one way, the other would get you lbw swinging it the other. And if you survived all of that, the other guy would jam your fingers against the bat with a ball that rocketed off the pitch, his team-mates gathering around to kindly check on you as you writhed around in pain, knowing your tour was over.It is almost to be expected that Sri Lanka’s attack had as poor a first innings as they did in Wellington. On day one, they were battling a near-gale. On top of which, New Zealand’s best batter was incandescent. And there was also the debutant wicketkeeper, who missed a vital catch (he missed a straightforward one off Henry Nicholls on the first evening).

“Their bowling inexperience had made a victory almost impossible, but on day three, batting incompetence sent Sri Lanka nosediving towards defeat”

But for Sri Lanka’s batters to have as poor a day three as this? Just a single 50-plus partnership, and all out for 164, in testing, but not unplayable batting conditions? Their bowling inexperience had made a victory almost impossible, but on day three, batting incompetence sent Sri Lanka nosediving towards defeat.Across that first innings, Sri Lanka made what might be termed rookie mistakes. Late on day two, Mendis saw a short, wide delivery, and failed to hit it far enough away from Conway, who dived spectacularly to his left to intercept it. Mendis has been at the ground for a number of otherworldly New Zealand catches. When they are feeling themselves, this is what New Zealand do.Then, the next day, Mathews fished at one he shouldn’t have. Chandimal charged offspinner Michael Bracewell and went through with his doomed heave to legside when he might have played defensively when he realised he wasn’t getting to the pitch of the ball. Dhananjaya de Silva ran at Bracewell also, and chipped him softly to the catcher at midwicket – perhaps the softest dismissal of the day. Karunaratne played much better than his team-mates, reaching 50 twice in one day. But then he failed to make a century out of either one, holing out twice in the deep, with no need to fall this way in the second innings.Sri Lanka are now faced with an almost impossible climb. They are 303 runs behind, with eight wickets in hand. New Zealand’s bowlers have bowled almost 110 overs in succession, so there is hope the visitors can subject them to further fatigue, batting a wicketless first session out first thing on Monday, then clawing back the lead in the afternoon. It would not be the first time Mathews and Mendis have put on a big stand at the Basin Reserve.But Sri Lanka once again require a second-innings miracle to make something out of this game. The top order had the experience to bail out their inexperienced attack. Instead, in the first innings, they went down in abject fashion.

Bangladesh will be looking to bounce back in the two T20Is in Sylhet after Afghanistan came up trumps in the ODI series

Mohammad Isam13-Jul-2023Bangladesh and Afghanistan will play their last T20I series before entering an ODI extravaganza for the next few months. Both teams have the Asia Cup and World Cup in mind but these two matches in Sylhet could pose an interesting challenge for the two sides. The home side is itching to bounce back after going down in the ODIs earlier in the week, but Afghanistan are an even stronger force in T20Is and have the wood over Bangladesh in the format.The home advantageBangladesh have had a great year so far in T20Is – winning five out of six games – so beating Afghanistan will be the icing on the cake. They won both series they have played this year, against England and Ireland, further improving their already strong home performance in T20Is, taking their win percentage up to 61.9% at home in the last three years.They have adopted a new and bolder approach with big hitting throughout the batting order, which they have shortened to include extra bowlers. Mehidy Hasan Miraz bats at No. 7, which allows for him and Shakib Al Hasan to be the spinners, followed by a four-man pace attack. This year is so far Bangladesh’s best in terms of team bowling average and strike rate.Related

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Afghanistan have the firepowerA quick look at the Afghanistan squad makes it clear that they have loaded their side with big hitters. Mohammad Shahzad is back in national colours after almost two years, Hazratullah Zazai also returns after missing the T20Is against Pakistan, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz is in fine form after his 145 against Bangladesh in the second ODI last week.Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored a crucial 145 in the second ODI against Bangladesh•AFP/Getty ImagesThey also have youngsters Sediqullah Atal, a left-hand batter who made his T20I debut recently against Pakistan, and Ibrahim Zadran in their batting stocks. Najibullah Zadran will be the finisher alongside allrounders Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat and Azmatullah Omarzai. Captain Rashid Khan has young Noor Ahmad and the now-experienced Mujeeb Ur Rahman for company in the spin department.Fazalhaq Farooqi will lead the pace attack alongside fellow left-arm quick Fareed Ahmad and Wafadar Momand, the only uncapped player in the squad. Nijat Masood, who took a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh on Test debut last month, was called up to replace Naveen-ul-Haq.Litton Das, Rony Talukdar vs Afghanistan’s new-ball attackBangladesh’s run rate of 6.03 in the powerplay overall against Afghanistan needs to meet their powerplay run rate of 9.36 from 2023. Litton Das and Rony Talukdar have been all the rage in the Bangladesh T20I side, leading their bold approach. They have already amassed 328 runs in six innings together, just 68 short of eclipsing Bangladesh’s best-ever opening pair. Their brave approach will be facing a strong Afghanistan spin attack, particularly Mujeeb who troubled the Bangladesh openers during the ODI series.A T20I supply line for ODIs?Since both teams have two major ODI tournaments from September, much of their focus will be on giving game time to key players who will feature in those competitions. At the same time, they will also be on the lookout for any new and emerging talent. Two T20Is can’t tell a lot but if a player makes a case for himself, doing well in these matches could help their causes.Bangladesh will get another look at batters Talukdar and Shamim Hossain, and spinners Nasum Ahmed and Rishad Hossain. It will also be another chance for Afif Hossain, who had a miserable ODI series, to get some runs under his belt.Afghanistan can look at several players including batters Hazratullah, Sediqullah and Shahzad, while fast bowlers Fareed, Janat and Nijat could get a look in. The prodigious Noor Ahmad can be a handy option in the subcontinent so a call-up in Sylhet may help him.Rain a big threat in big-scoring SylhetJuly is peak monsoon in Sylhet. It also means peak offseason for cricket in the region. The first T20Is to be held in Sylhet for five years therefore have the risk of both matches getting interrupted by rain. T20Is, however, last roughly three hours and coupled with the ground’s strong drainage facilities, they could sneak in the cricket. The scoring rate is quite high for night T20s in recent years in Sylhet, with BPL teams scoring at an average of 182 runs an innings since 2020.

The attention on Rahul Dravid the coach has reached parody levels, but on the field not much changed, which means India hold a dominant position again

Sidharth Monga25-Nov-20213:03

Jaffer: Shreyas Iyer has taken ‘opportunity with both hands’ after ‘hard grind in first-class cricket’

With Virat Kohli resting post T20 World Cup, the marketing of Indian cricket for the casual fan has centred on #newera in reference to the new coach Rahul Dravid, which is a disfavour to the cricket and also to Dravid himself, who is the last person to crave attention. No press conference, no spot interview, no special programming has gone without trying to look for the Dravid impact in even the most trivial things.

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Those trying to bring Dravid down have been complaining about no experimentation in the T20 XI without paying any mind to the fact that the series was still alive. They’ve been questioning why the team isn’t batting first to get better at setting totals, even though as ODI captain he made them bat second to get better at chasing. There’s even some mumbling over how often the cameras pan to him. On the charitable side of things, his humility has come up, as has his invitation to legends of the game to hand out caps to debutants. His offspin in the nets has been played on loop.It is fitting then that on the first day of Test cricket with Dravid as coach, we learnt nothing new about Test cricket. On his first day of Test cricket in Asia, Kyle Jamieson showed he is a phenomenal Test bowler, which we knew. Tim Southee surprised nobody with his wily use of angles and various kinds of grips. Shreyas Iyer demonstrated the well-known depth of batting talent in India. Ravindra Jadeja showed why he has been the most important member of this Test side since his comeback as an allrounder.Related

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Most importantly, the first day reiterated that you need deep attacks to compete away from home. There’s probably no bigger challenge for a Test team today than to travel to India and lose the toss. The last time India lost a home Test after winning the toss was nine years ago. Of 18 such matches since that defeat to England, two have been drawn because of weather and only one of the 16 wins has been by a margin of under 100 runs.Jamieson and Southee made the most of the situation after being asked to bowl on a slow and low Kanpur pitch. Jamieson in particular displayed his immaculate understanding of Test cricket and the skill to back it up. He was quick to find the fullest length to bring the batters forward without letting them drive. Remember that is not how he operates in helpful conditions where he comes behind Southee and Trent Boult and bowls dry lengths before going for the fuller ball that draws the edge.Kyle Jamieson celebrates the dismissal of Shubman Gill•BCCIJamieson bowled enough good balls to benefit from the old adage “it takes one ball to get them out”. It really was that in the case of Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane. Gill curtailed his movement across from England to stay beside the line of the ball and score freely, which he did, but he fell to perhaps the first ball that reversed, and it did reverse remarkably early. On another day, the first ball that misbehaves like this is not on target, and you get the chance to tighten your game. On this day, Gill’s stumps went for a walk.The same happened with Rahane, who everybody knows doesn’t have the runs: an average of 25 in his last 15 Tests. You can’t discard the cold evidence, but he has batted better than the numbers suggest.A big indicator of where Rahane’s game is at is how eager he is to hit an early boundary. He is a flashy starter: in the three years leading to the Australia tour no India batter had scored more streaky boundaries in the first 30 balls of an innings than Rahane even though he had quite a low strike rate over that period. Since Australia, Rahane has been more assured before he really struggled in the second half of the England tour. In Kanpur, he looked calm, middled most of the balls he played, had a control percentage close to 90, but got out to one that stayed low from the exact length that he had cut away for four previously.On Rahane’s day this bottom edge goes for four. It’s happened before. It was Jamieson’s day.Southee doesn’t have the disconcerting pace or bounce but he does have a lovely outswinger. Early in the piece he bowled scrambled-seam deliveries to look for the lbw, and then when it began to reverse he went wide on the crease, flipped the shiny side outside, made Pujara play the angle and then took the edge with away swing.Ajinkya Rahane middled a few and then got out to one that kept low•BCCIAt the other end, though, New Zealand would have seen worrying signs with balls keeping low and the odd one turning from the straight. And yet this was only the second time since 2001 that spinners bowled 50 overs in a day in India without a wicket. It raised the same old question that is asked of visiting sides: should you just pick your best bowler instead of two spinners?New Zealand’s selection shouldn’t be faulted in hindsight. Had they got to bat first their spinners would have got more helpful conditions. And even if they had gone with just the one, that one would have been Ajaz Patel, who had an ordinary day, struggling to put together a string of good balls, going for 78 in 21 overs, that too after he bowled his last few overs well outside leg to Iyer.Iyer was never meant to play in this series. A closer contender to the first XI was sent to South Africa on the A tour, and he was just a back-up. That he could slot in to cover for KL Rahul’s injury and score an efficient unbeaten 75 on debut from a tricky situation shows you how good India’s reserves are. In doing so he preyed on the lack of depth in New Zealand’s attack.The moment they were forced to bowl two spinners in tandem, thanks to a niggle to Southee, Iyer pounced. Jadeja once again underlined Hanuma Vihari’s misfortune: India have a specialist bowler good enough to bat at No. 6.Batting will not ease out the way it did for Iyer and Jadeja – who were no doubt good enough to capitalise on it – because India have just the bowling attack for these conditions. It will take a huge effort from New Zealand and the weather to not add to the list of comfortable wins for India when they win the toss at home. As for #newera, give them some time before making judgements. They are not here to make statements for the sake of making statements.

Simple message brings devastating results as quick rips through Australia with 5 for 34

Vithushan Ehantharajah06-Jul-20230:32

Does Mark Wood think he can reach 100mph?

Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum are about simple, clear messaging. Cricket is a complicated enough sport, and English cricket a pressurised enough environment without introducing anything that may elicit doubt. Especially at a time when England need as few distractions as possible to overturn a 2-0 deficit.Ahead of this third Test at Headingley Chris Woakes, for instance, was told “you do you” before his first Test in 16 months and did exactly that. With his usual accuracy and nip off the pitch, the 34-year-old picked up three vital wickets in Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head and centurion Mitch Marsh in Australia’s first innings.Mark Wood’s instructions were even clearer. Long before he had the ball in hand for the seventh over from the Pavilion End, even before he went to bed on Wednesday evening ahead of his first match of the English summer, and first Test since December 2022 in Pakistan, Stokes relayed a straightforward brief. Bowl rockets, don’t fret about the runs. A simple message brought devastating results as Wood ripped through Australia with 5 for 34.This was not just about wickets, even if they were pretty spectacular. Usman Khawaja lost his leg stump at the end of a four-over opening spell where no delivery dropped below 91mph. Then an entire tail was lopped off inside 16 balls to snuff Australia out for 263. Yet the real power and truest glory of Wood’s exploits today was the emotion he evoked.Related

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Undoubtedly, everyone here witnessed the best day of the series so far. So much of it was in keeping with the last 11 days’ play: just as either team looked like they were getting in front, the other pulled them right back. On balance, Australia have the ascendancy, leading by 195 after removing three of the host’s top order.Just as in England’s attack, the point of difference was a bloke charging in and slinging down such fire it made the heat emanating from the Western Terrace feel like a cool breeze. Wood was seen as the ideal weapon to unleash against Australia after the last few days of English discontent following the final exchanges at Lord’s. In the end, he was edge-of-your-seat distraction.Stokes used him in bursts: four overs then two before lunch, before three in the middle session and 2.4 at the end. For a player who has subsisted on those workloads this year, with a last competitive outing coming in the IPL on April 15 for Lucknow Super Giants against Punjab Kings, it was the only way he could be used. And Wood responded by bringing his best, averaging 90.7mph across his 11.4 overs and, moreover, covering for four dropped catches that allowed Australia to regroup from 85 for 4.It wasn’t all his own way, particularly in the middle session when Marsh swung him away in front of square for six. Though even that period had a whiff of showdown about it. As the Western Australian put it, an upbringing on fast Perth decks made him all too aware this was a moment where he had to sink or swim. Wood was the only bowler to drive him to such limits.Mark Wood blasted out Pat Cummins for a duck•Getty ImagesTo watch Wood anyway is to sense a bloke charging to the crease like this may be his last delivery. The ankle and elbow surgeries, and the other parts of the body fast bowlers break and rebreak for our entertainment will eventually overpower his spirit. But based on today’s efforts and outcome, we are not as close to that point as previously feared.The ferocity of his deliveries was such they did not simply rap glove (both of the batters and Jonny Bairstow) or crack timber (bats and stumps) but stripped the context of the moments in play with the brutality of flesh blasted off bone.A routine developed among those in the stands for every delivery from the 33-year-old’s first four overs. A look to the person to your left or right to make sure they saw it too and you weren’t dreaming, then a glance at the big screen to check the speed. The “whoops” and “ooohs” for each reading finally turned to meaningful roars when Khawaja’s leg stump was taken out emphatically with the final act of that spell.People often talk about how pace bowling was better in “their” day, as if the current generation are too weighed down by oat milk and the crippling weight of a world around them falling to bits to either purvey or appreciate this lost craft. The truth is, few cherish it more than those watching this generation of cricket. Partly because the game is slowly tearing itself apart. But mostly because, well, bowlers have never been quicker.A case in point: those initial four overs from Wood came at an average pace of 92.90, which slots it into No. 2 of the fastest spells in an English Test since 2006 (when accurate ball-tracking data was available). He has four of the top six in that category – Brett Lee has the third and fourth – all from a single Lord’s Test against India in 2021 in which Wood returned previous best home figures of 3 for 51. No. 1 was 93.41mph which Wood was on course to bettering before the last two deliveries in that sequence.Throw in the fact he also sent down the fastest four-over spell in T20 World Cup history in a group game against Afghanistan in 2022 and it is clear while the gap between appearances are frustrating, the upside is unrivalled. For a man from Ashington who grew up in a world of swing, seam and elbow grease, lusting for Ferrero Rocher and possessing what his closest friends describe as “noodle arms”, it is a remarkable feat of endurance above all else. When considering the greatest speedsters over the last 20 years, he must feature.Ultimately, being part of those conversations are what it is to be at this level of sport. But the man himself acknowledges his case is not as strong as others. When told his opening burst had set an Ashes record, bettering Brett Lee’s 92.4mph offering at Old Trafford in 2005, Wood cherished the feat and the company but understood where the true measure of worth lies: “I’d rather have his wickets.”The Australian’s 310 are unreachable, given Wood is still five away from triple figures. But Thursday represented an important step towards rectifying a peculiar quirk of being far more effective away from home.Considering the Dukes is an English bowler’s best friend, it has never quite taken to Wood’s charm. The previous 14 appearances at home left him with an average of 39.63, while his 49 overseas dismissals have come at 24.18, six lower than the career average of 30.57.Even with the love of Test cricket in this country, it still suffers from the usual issues of distance and timezones dictating relevance. Wood might have impressed on the previous Ashes tour with 17 wickets and an impressive 6 for 37 in the final Test at Hobart, but performing through the winter nights ring-fenced his brilliance from the broader conscience. It also did not help that it was a chastening and utterly forgettable campaign from an English perspective. Stuart Broad even tried to void it.As Wood strode off with the match ball for the first time in England, raising it for a fourth time in his career but first towards his mother, Angela, and father, Derek, it felt like we were witnessing a personal moment for an individual and public relief for the team.Mark Wood holds up the ball after claiming a magnificent five-wicket haul•Getty ImagesHaving taken the winning wicket at Trent Bridge in the 2015 Ashes – a photo of the Nathan Lyon dismissal takes pride of place in his home – he missed the entirety of 2019 after tearing his side in the World Cup final. An injury picked up during the last of his 10 overs before making it worse when he put in one of the worst dives in humankind as he attempted to cross the line at the nonstriker’s end for the winning run.He was desperate to play the first Test of this series at Edgbaston only for Stokes to decide to save him for the second. Then, in the lead-up to Lord’s, the right elbow operated on twice last year began swelling. With the extra week’s grace, he has put in what could prove to be his most impactful display for his country.England has always come first for Wood. So much so that when Lucknow were preparing for an IPL fixture against Chennai Super Kings, he was reluctant to reveal too much about how to combat two of their upcoming opponents, Stokes and Moeen Ali.Here at Leeds, he has done them a huge favour by, for now, covering up some shortcomings. Drops of Smith, Head (off Wood in his pre-lunch dart), Marsh and Carey are, at this juncture, not as terminal as England’s previous 13 missed chances across the first two defeats. And they managed to largely contain Australia – Marsh notwithstanding – despite being a bowler light after Ollie Robinson left the field midway through his 12th over with a back spasm.That’s the key thing about breathtaking pace. It strips context, enriches the game, lifts your team-mates, scares your opponents and, well, always gives you a fighting chance. Exactly what England need from here until this Ashes is over.

They were outplayed by India and then crushed an injury-hit Sri Lanka who couldn’t compete. What does it mean for Australia’s Test side?

Andrew McGlashan06-Feb-20194:39

Cricket Tragics’ Review: How do you judge Australia’s thrashing of Sri Lanka?

Heading the right awayTravis Head filled his boots in Canberra, reward for the hard yards he had put in when faced more demanding conditions throughout the season. He had started well against India on two tricky pitches in Adelaide and Perth before throwing his wicket away in the latter part of the series. Against Sri Lanka he helped ensure a big lead in Brisbane then twice scored runs when the first three wickets had fallen cheaply at Manuka Oval. For now, he is on the outer of the ODI team so he may be able to focus on his red-ball game ahead of the Ashes, where he appears locked in for the middle order.Greatness in CumminsWe already knew Pat Cummins was a terrific cricketer, but for large parts of this season he has carried the Australian team. As with Head, the somewhat easier successes against Sri Lanka were payback for the grind of bowling to Cheteshwar Pujara. The other notable aspect for Cummins is that he has now stayed fit throughout two full home summers – there were times earlier in his career when it was possible to wonder if that would ever happen. One of the challenges for the management in the months ahead is how to ensure he is ready for the matches that really matter. At the end of the Sri Lanka series, former England captain Michael Vaughan tweeted that one day Cummins would win an Ashes on his own: a potentially career-defining year lies ahead.ESPNcricinfoBeyond the big threeIf Josh Hazlewood hadn’t suffered a back injury it’s likely that Australia’s pace attack wouldn’t have changed all season. But Jhye Richardson earned his chance against Sri Lanka and, though the opposition was weak, he looked at home. He is a different type of bowler – shorter, skiddier – than the main three and it has prompted a debate about whether he has the skills to be an Ashes starter. Even if he doesn’t make the XI at Edgbaston there has been the chance to have a look at a bowler outside the big three which both reinforces the pace-bowling depth and ensures the incumbents are kept on notice. The other thing to note about Richardson was that he appeared to find a hint of reverse swing in Canberra, something the Australia quicks struggled to obtain this season.Flexible thinkingIt took five Tests and a long-winded route to get there, but by the end of the season Australia’s Test side was close to having the best available batsmen in the XI. Joe Burns (a specialist opener opening the innings) and Kurtis Patterson may not have made a difference against India, but they are batsmen who have performed consistently in the Sheffield Shield and were worthy of selection. The fact the selectors made the last-minute decision to call-up Patterson both highlighted their uncertainty but on the other hand should be acknowledged as sensible, pragmatic thinking.ESPNcricinfo LtdWarner and who?But the belated batting successes does not mean all the questions have been answered. The entire season has been played with the backdrop of the suspended duo of David Warner and Steven Smith. They are both certain, fitness-permitting, to return for the Ashes. The two Tests against Sri Lanka have created some doubt as to who will open with Warner. Marcus Harris impressed against a world-class India attack but couldn’t take his chance against Sri Lanka while Burns flayed 180. There could yet be space for just one of Harris or Burns in the Ashes squad. If so, it’s a tough call.The comebacksAnd talking of the banned pair, that represents a challenge of its own. While there’s no doubt they will return – Tim Paine said he saw them playing a key role in the Ashes – there are still some unanswered questions about how the process will be managed. Is there any lingering resentment that needs to be sorted out? Is Warner, especially, willing to adopt a new way of playing? The early weeks in England – beginning with the World Cup build-up – are likely to be a bit of circus, although Smith may not be there. Then there’s the question of getting back up to speed for international cricket. Regardless of the world-class ability Warner and Smith possess it’s not a given that they can stroll back into the international game.Winning when it’s swingingYes, England’s batting is struggling badly at the moment, but while Australia ended their century drought with four hundreds in Canberra there was also a reminder of an old problem they will need to counter in the Ashes. In the two innings they were 3 for 28 and 3 for 37 as the Sri Lanka seamers, with just five caps between them, managed to cause problems in the short period where the Kookaburra ball swung. There was some hard-handed driving that will be a risky approach in England against the Duke ball which continues to move for much longer. It remains to be seen what sort of pitches are produced for the Ashes but there needs to be some tightening up in the top order.

Not one of the young players in whom so much time and money has been invested has thrived under Silverwood’s watch

Matt Roller29-Dec-2021It was a comment that stuck in the craw. “I think there are positives coming out of this,” Chris Silverwood said in an interview to , after his England side lost by an innings and 14 runs at the MCG to give Australia an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Ashes. “I’ve got to give our boys credit for the way they pushed back yesterday.”If Silverwood’s intentions were sound – defending his bowlers’ efforts after they had come in for heavy criticism after the Adelaide Test – then his response still betrayed a coach whose outlook seems increasingly out of touch with reality. His side has lost nine of their last 12 Tests, including six consecutive thrashings away from home: this was the time for honesty and introspection, not empty cliché.Those results mean Silverwood should be well-versed in fronting up after a defeat but his words have suggested otherwise. He has referred to a batting line-up containing “youngsters that are learning on the job constantly”, when five of the top seven in all three Tests have been aged 30-plus. He has described the dressing-room debrief after the thrashing in Adelaide as “a good, honest chat” and evidence that the players respond to him, despite the manner of the defeat. Most bizarrely, he insisted that England know what their best XI is, despite the very notion being outdated in this squad-based era of Test cricket.But Silverwood has a history of making a rod for his own back. He has stressed the importance of preparing his side for this series ever since his appointment 26 months ago to the extent that everything had been geared towards it: why focus on winning the series at hand or making qualification for the World Test Championship final a priority when you can talk in vagaries about long-term Ashes preparation?The nadir came at the start of the English summer. “Playing the top two teams in the world, in New Zealand and India, is perfect preparation for us as we continue to improve and progress towards an Ashes series in Australia at the back end of the year,” Silverwood was quoted as saying in a press release before his side went on to win one out of six Tests across their home season. Under his predecessor, Trevor Bayliss, England were dominant at home but struggled away; under Silverwood, England sacrificed their stellar home record to prepare for the Ashes, but results overseas have been just as bad.

When Silverwood was unveiled as England coach, he had said his “job number one” was to improve the Test side so that they could “make a real impact” in Australia in 2021-22. Perhaps circumstances and a creaking system have let him down but he has clearly failed to achieve his primary goal

“Our gameplan is not rocket science – we need big first-innings runs,” Silverwood wrote in his programme notes at the start of the India series in August, like a football manager revealing that his team’s strategic masterplan was to try and score goals in the first half. In their seven Tests since then, England have been bowled out for 236 or under in the first innings four times and have made 400 only once. Silverwood highlighted old-school virtues of batting time but has been unable to implement that philosophy.Their failure to do simple things well has been a damning reflection on Silverwood’s training sessions: dropped catches, missed run-outs and wickets off no-balls have added to a wider sense that a focus on small details has caused England to lose sight of the basics. Jofra Archer’s absence is a mitigating factor – but his excessive workload in Silverwood’s first Test and beyond doubtless contributed to his injury.Asked about England’s response to Rory Burns’ first-ball dismissal in Brisbane, Silverwood spoke about the management’s wargaming and their attempts to think: “Okay, we expected this – let’s move forward.” Combined with his insistence that they picked the right team for the first two Tests in spite of all evidence, it has become clear that he lacks the humility to admit his own mistakes.In a winning team, that might be framed as a positive, demonstrating strength in his own convictions. But it has jarred badly with an unassuming public persona and either an inability or an unwillingness to explain England’s decision-making after defeats, and has been out of kilter with an understated defiance about his own future. “I do feel like I am capable of leading this team to winning things and that’s what I’m going to stay focused on,” he insisted after the MCG defeat.The response to a third consecutive drubbing in an Ashes series in Australia has been to look for systemic issues within the English game, to blame the rotation policy which saw first-choice players rested in India, to criticise the domestic schedule and to focus on the prioritisation of white-ball cricket. Covid, too, has contributed to a meagre warm-up period, a brutal schedule and an intense team environment.Silverwood is under growing pressure after his side conceded an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Ashes•Getty ImagesAll have contributed to this defeat, but Silverwood must shoulder some of the blame. Right now, his position appears untenable. Not one of the young players in whom so much time and money has been invested has thrived under his watch – in fact, most appear to have regressed – and two years of planning has unravelled within 12 days of cricket. Clearly, the players he has worked with have been limited, but it is damning on the management team he leads that aside from Joe Root, the only batter to emerge from the first three Tests with any credit – Dawid Malan – is the one who has spent the least time training with the Test squad in the last two years.Another defining feature of the Silverwood era has been his mistrust of spin, which has seen England go into seven out of his 27 Tests without a frontline spinner. Ironically, his primary qualification for the job was his Championship win with Essex in 2017 – a title underpinned by Simon Harmer, the outstanding spinner in county cricket, who took 72 wickets at 19.19. He clearly does not rate Jack Leach, who has not played a home Test under him, yet opted to throw him to the wolves on a green-top at the Gabba.Not since Ray Illingworth has an England coach had as much power as Silverwood, after Ashley Giles, the ECB’s managing director of men’s cricket, opted to give him lead selectorial duties and dismiss Ed Smith earlier this year. Yet that power has manifested itself in theory alone: after the T20 World Cup, Silverwood admitted he would not even consider removing the out-of-form Eoin Morgan as captain: “He’s got to make that decision himself… the longer he is there, the better,” he said.Giles’ own position must also be in question after the decisions to promote Silverwood twice: first from bowling coach to head coach, beating Gary Kirsten to the job, and later from head coach to overarching supremo. “His head is on the block,” he said when Smith was axed. “If we lose in Australia, the pressure will be on all of us. You might as well have a free run at it: it’s your team.”Giles hoped Silverwood could be cricket’s Gareth Southgate: a best-of-British choice who has used the knowledge and experience he gained in a junior role to galvanise a team that had lacked a clear identity. Instead, he has resembled Steve McClaren: hopelessly out of his depth after an overpromotion, as reflected by results.Related

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The recruitment process appeared flawed, with reports highlighting the strength of Silverwood’s presentation. Kirsten himself has revealed a disconnect between what he had been led to believe heading to his interview at Lord’s in 2019 and the reality of the situation: “It was a very weird process,” he said last year. “I think they wanted Chris to do the job but if I arrived and I was convincing enough they might have offered it to me; but I was thinking they were going to offer me the job.”The refusal to split the head coach’s role in two was an obvious mistake, exacerbated by the pandemic further squeezing the international schedule. Silverwood has regularly missed white-ball series in order to take time off and contributes little to the limited-overs set-up; he was appointed due to his credentials as a red-ball coach after leading Essex to promotion and then the title, but had a losing record overall in the T20 Blast.Kirsten is already indirectly on the ECB’s payroll as Welsh Fire’s head coach and has at least some knowledge of England’s talent pool through his role in the Hundred. If his family commitments allow, he would be the standout candidate as a Test coach, with Paul Collingwood – already a regular and popular stand-in for Silverwood – well-placed for the white-ball job.Graham Ford, who left his job as Ireland head coach after growing increasingly frustrated with their lack of facilities and fixtures, would be another strong candidate for the Test job, but many of the world’s best coaches will justifiably have limited interest in spending hundreds of nights a year away on tour when they can earn just as much from two months at the IPL.When Silverwood was unveiled as England coach in 2019, he had said that his “job number one” was to improve the Test side so that they could “make a real impact” in Australia in 2021-22. Perhaps circumstances and a creaking system have let him down but he has clearly failed to achieve his primary goal.

Whether through luck or tactical ingenuity, Titans, LSG, RR and RCB have all had to overcome adversity to reach the playoffs

Karthik Krishnaswamy23-May-2022Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings, PuneBefore the season began, you probably wouldn’t have tipped Gujarat Titans to qualify for the playoffs, let alone get there as table-toppers. That they’ve achieved this despite having obvious holes in their batting has largely been down to three things: their strength as a bowling unit, the match-winners in their lower middle order, and luck going their way in a number of close games.Related

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There’s been no shortage of dramatic games in their journey to this point, but their comeback win over Chennai Super Kings defined their season. It began with the bowlers. Super Kings were 124 for 2 after the 14th over, but Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal and Rashid Khan conceded just 27 off the next five overs. It left Titans chasing 170 rather than, say, 190.Even so, Titans were still vulnerable because Hardik Pandya was out injured, compromising their depth to the extent that Rashid was slotted at No. 7. At 87 for 5 in the 13th over, that lack of depth was going to be severely tested, even with David Miller batting brilliantly.You know what happened next. The 18th over began with Titans needing 48 off 18 – ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster gave them a 4.2% chance of victory – before Rashid whipped Chris Jordan for 6, 6, 4, 6 to transform the match. Cometh the hour, cometh another unlikely hero.R Ashwin brought out the big hits against Lucknow Super Giants, but didn’t overstay his welcome, opting to retire out in the 19th over•BCCIRajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants, Wankhede StadiumEven before a ball was bowled this season, Rajasthan Royals’ strengths and weaknesses were clear. Their top five and their bowling attack were among the best in the league on paper, but it wasn’t clear how they would bridge the gap between those two ends of their line-up.They unveiled the solution to that issue in their fourth match of the season, against Lucknow Super Giants. Reduced to 67 for 4 in the tenth over of their innings, Royals promoted R Ashwin to No. 6, giving viewers their first glimpse of their intention to maximise his batting ability. They would use him in other roles in future games – most often as a pinch-hitter at No. 3 – but now they were sending him in to see out the remainder of the middle overs in Shimron Hetmyer’s company, with Riyan Parag held back for later.Ashwin performed his role perfectly, but just when he threatened to overstay his welcome, his innings stretching into the 19th over, he ran off the field and became the first batter to tactically retire out in the IPL. With Hetmyer rushing to an unbeaten 59 off 36, Royals set Super Giants a target of 166.Royals’ bowlers then did their bit to seal an enthralling victory. Trent Boult picked up two wickets in his first over, Ashwin bowled four boundary-free overs, and Yuzvendra Chahal – whose last two overs were held back for the 16th and 18th of Super Giants’ chase – made the decisive intervention with figures of 4 for 41.Mohsin Khan has been instrumental in giving Super Giants crucial breakthroughs•BCCILucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals, Wankhede StadiumThe flexibility afforded by a plethora of allrounders was tipped to be Super Giants’ trump card. As things have turned out, that flexibility has been a bit of a mixed blessing so far, at least with the bat, leaving Super Giants with an unsettled middle order.With the ball, though, the flexibility has allowed KL Rahul to use and hide bowlers as and when needed. This was particularly in evidence in a successful defence of 195 against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium.With Mohsin Khan and Dushmantha Chameera dismissing the Capitals openers early, Rahul gambled by bringing Krunal Pandya on for the fourth over despite Rishabh Pant being at the crease. He may have hoped that Pant would treat the left-arm spinner with more respect than normal given the match situation, or for Pant to go after Krunal and lose his wicket in the process. The move backfired, however, with Pant hitting three fours and a six in a 19-run over. Capitals took 34 off the next two overs and ended the powerplay at 66 for 2.But Super Giants’ wealth of bowling options eventually helped them claw their way back. It allowed them to hide their fingerspinners, who weren’t having the greatest of days; Krunal bowled just that one over, and Krishnappa Gowtham – who was taken apart by Rovman Powell in the 12th over – only two. Then, with Capitals needing 50 off the last four, Super Giants were able to use up their main fast bowlers’ last three overs in the 17th, 18th and 19th, since they had Marcus Stoinis in reserve. It came down to 13 needed off four balls, and Stoinis did his job, stringing together three crucial, back-to-back dots by denying Axar Patel elevation.Dinesh Karthik slammed a 34-ball 66 to lift Royal Challengers Bangalore to 190 against Delhi Capitals•BCCIRoyal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Capitals, Wankhede StadiumRoyal Challengers Bangalore have been IPL 2022’s worst powerplay team. With the ball, they’ve been both the most expensive (economy rate of 8.05) and least penetrative (average of 45.13) team in this phase. With the bat, they have the lowest run rate (6.40) and the third-worst average (25.61). But they’ve found ways to make up for this, just about often enough to sneak into the playoffs.Perhaps the best example of Royal Challengers overcoming their powerplay weaknesses was their victory over Capitals, who were eventually their closest rivals for fourth place.Sent in, Royal Challengers lost both openers in a 40-run powerplay, and Virat Kohli two balls later, before crucial knocks from Glenn Maxwell (55 off 34 balls), Shahbaz Ahmed (32* off 21) and Dinesh Karthik (66* off 34) helped them recover and set a challenging target of 190.David Warner put Capitals on track, propelling them to a powerplay score of 57 for 1. But Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maxwell and Shahbaz combined to give away just one boundary in the next four overs, and Capitals’ required rate climbed to 11.10 at the halfway mark.Forced into taking chances, Warner hit Harshal for two boundaries in the 11th over but fell while attempting to switch-hit Hasaranga in the 12th. It began a collapse that saw Capitals lose four wickets for 21 runs in the space of 22 balls, and Royal Challengers were now in control, with 75 required off the last 30 balls. Late hitting from Capitals’ lower order spoiled the figures of Harshal and Hasaranga, but the result was never in doubt.

“I feel that 21-24 is a good age to get a debut for the Indian team and I’m just trying to give my best,” Kumar Kushagra says

Deivarayan Muthu24-Aug-2025After recovering from a back niggle that had prevented him from training during the last month, Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra has returned to action with a fifty and a hundred in the first two rounds of the ongoing Buchi Babu tournament in Chennai. Ahead of the Duleep Trophy, which will kick off on August 28 in Bengaluru, Kushagra has declared himself fully fit for the domestic grind.”Last month, I was not practising [my batting] or keeping, but I’m totally fit and good now,” Kushagra said on the sidelines of the Buchi Babu tournament. “While going into the Duleep Trophy, this [Buchi Babu] is a good match for us Jharkhand players and for me as well. The facilities, grounds and environment are a good preparation for the Duleep Trophy.”A separate back injury had earlier forced Kushagra to miss a chunk of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy and the Emerging Asia Cup last October. In the lead-up to a new domestic season, Kushagra has prioritised fitness, having worked hard with his father Shashikant, his de facto trainer, back at home, and with the BCCI’s medical team at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.Related

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“Before this tournament, I was at the NCA [CoE] and before that I was working with my dad,” Kushagra said. “I was going early in the morning at 4.30-5am to work on my fitness and batting and keeping. Being at the NCA also helped because there are good coaches and physios there. I gave my yo-yo test and was ready for the Buchi Babu tournament.”Missing the [Emerging] Asia Cup was a setback because it was important ahead of the IPL auction. The one who helps me is my dad. Even when I’m not with him, like when I’m in Tamil Nadu now, he gives me inputs on the phone and sends batting videos of players who are playing at the international level.”Kushagra, 20, has been part of a wider pool of targeted players shortlisted by the CoE in recent times. He made his India A debut in February 2024, scoring a run-a-ball 40 in the second innings against an England Lions attack that included Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts. That knock gave Kushagra the belief that he could succeed at the top level too.”At that moment, I was sold in the IPL for [INR] 7.2 crore [to Delhi Capitals] and I was a bit confident to play for India A as well because I had scored a [Ranji Trophy] hundred against Services in Delhi. I scored 40-odd against England, so I was confident that I could score runs here also.”Kumar Kushagra has played for India A already, suggesting he is in the wider pool of players the BCCI is looking at•PTI Kushagra, who is set to play for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy, sees the tournament as a springboard for higher honours.”Yeah, it definitely helps being in the eyes of the selectors,” he said. “If you perform in these matches like Buchi Babu and Duleep Trophy, it can take you to the Indian team, but you have to be consistent at the same time.”I’m keeping things very simple at the moment and I want to go there and express myself. I feel that 21-24 is a good age to get a debut for the Indian team and I’m just trying to give my best.”With Jos Buttler being Gujarat Titans’ frontline keeper, Kushagra didn’t get a game during IPL 2025 [after moving from DC], but he used the training sessions to pick the brains of Buttler, Matthew Wade (GT’s assistant coach) and Parthiv Patel (who is also part of GT’s backroom staff).”I was not playing matches, but I thought I should keep because in domestic tournaments you bat a lot [during training] but don’t keep much. Parthiv sir, Matthew Wade and Jos Buttler helped me a lot,” he said. “Actually, I was not that comfortable when keeping to fast bowlers when the ball was wobbling too much. I [learnt] how I can tackle that [wobbling ball] in windy conditions like in England and all that.””I’m keeping things very simple at the moment and I want to go there and express myself”•PTI Jharkhand had a poor start to the 2024-25 Ranji season, having no outright win to show for in their first five games. Then they beat both Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu at home to close out the season with back-to-back victories. Kushagra said the team had drawn confidence from toppling a strong Tamil Nadu team.”We were brilliant in the last two matches at the Keenan Stadium [in Jamshedpur],” Kushagra recalled. “Our spinners were all over the batters, and we were performing above the Tamil Nadu team, which was good for us.”The last time Jharkhand’s senior men’s team won a domestic title was back in 2010-11, when their current association secretary Saurabh Tiwary had led them to glory in the 50-overs Vijay Hazare Trophy.”I just want my team to win a particular format, and we also discuss these things about winning a tournament in my home, also because every day my mom says that you should win because Jharkhand have so many talented players,” he said. “So, in my mind, there is always one thing: I want to win a trophy for my team and do whatever the team wants from me.”

ESPNcricinfo examines the roles of various South Africa players via their recent IPL performances

Gaurav Sundararaman07-Jun-20222:02

David Miller: ‘I pride myself on finishing off games’

David Miller
Runs: 481 Average: 68.71 Strike rate:142.72
Miller had a fixed role for Gujarat Titans and played it so perfectly that he had his best IPL season. He remained not out in nine matches and was one of the best finishers this IPL. Of the 58 batters to face at least 500 balls across the six IPL seasons from 2016 to 2021, Miller had the second-lowest strike rate – 118.65. He, however, turned it around this season with impressive strokeplay against spin and stated that the role clarity he had with the Titans was instrumental in his success. Miller plays a similar role for South Africa and he will be hoping that he can continue his scintillating T20 form.Quinton de Kock forged a strong opening partnership with KL Rahul at Lucknow Super Giants•BCCIQuinton De Kock

Runs: 508 runs Average: 36.28 Strike rate:148.95
Having retired from Test cricket, de Kock has now turned his focus to white-ball cricket. He may not get the top billing that other IPL superstars get but he has averaged 36.28 and struck at almost 150, with three fifties and one century, this season. Powerplay performance is usually key to setting the foundation and de Kock did the job during this phase by striking at 136.7 with 12 sixes.Only Jonny Bairstow and David Warner scored at a faster pace than him among overseas openers. Most oppositions look to match up de Kock with offspin as he has struck at only 124 against this type of bowling. de Kock will look to remedy this in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup.Kagiso Rabada was the highest wicket-taker among seamers in IPL 2022•BCCIKagiso Rabada
Wickets: 23 Average:17.65 Economy rate:8.45
No pacer has bowled more balls than Rabada across formats since 2016. Also, no bowler has conceded more sixes than Rabada across the last three IPL seasons. Since start of 2020, Rabada has 98 T20 wickets at an economy rate of 8.23. In IPL 2022, Rabada was the most prolific wicket-taker among pacers, picking up 23 wickets at an average 17.65. However, Rabada was below par in a couple of areas: taking wickets in the powerplay and keeping it tight at the death. Since January 2020, Rabada has struck only once every 24 balls in the powerplay and has conceded 9.45 an over at the death. He, however takes wickets at the death, striking once every 10 balls. South Africa will be hoping for early wickets and death-overs bite from him in the forthcoming series.Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran finished games for Sunrisers Hyderabad•BCCIAiden Markram
Runs: 381 Average:47.62 Strike rate:139.05
Markram was a surprise addition to the Punjab Kings set-up in the second half of 2021. Many players from various countries were not willing to fly to the IPL, citing bubble fatigue, while Markram was ready to fly in from Sri Lanka. The move proved a turning point in his T20 career.In IPL 2022 he hit higher notes, scoring 381 runs at a strike rate of 139.05 for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Markram has played only 18 T20Is so far and will look to build on that. He now plays one of the toughest roles in T20 cricket – batting at No.4 or 5. In his short T20I career at this position Markram has done an excellent job. Since June 2021, only five batters have scored more T20 runs than Markram while striking at over 135 and averaging over 35. Markram also is a good player of spin and can be handy with his own offspin.Marco Jansen sent Virat Kohli back for a first-ball duck•PTI Marco Jansen

Wickets: 7 Average:39.14 Economy Rate:8.56
Jansen is yet to make his T20I debut but in his short T20 career, he has shown that he is ready for the big stage. In IPL 2022, Jansen took seven wickets at an economy rate of 8.56. He is best suited to bowling three overs upfront; in the recent IPL season he went at just 7.7 an over during the powerplay while taking five wickets. His left-arm angle could pose a threat to Indian players who often struggle with this type of bowling.Anrich Nortje’s bowling lacked enough penetration in IPL 2022•BCCIAnrich Nortje
Wickets: 9 Average:24.51 Economy rate:9.71
Nortje’s return to Delhi Capitals from injury seemed a bit rushed as he could not replicate his form from IPL 2020 and 2021. Nortje played only six matches this season, conceding 9.71 an over. He ended up giving up 12 runs or more in an over on nine occasions. Returning from an injury can be particularly hard and hence South Africa need to manage his workload well. Nortje is at his best when he is paired up with Rabada. However, if he continues to leak runs for the national team as well South Africa may turn to other options.Rassie van der Dussen, Dwaine Pretorious, Tristan Stubbs and Lungi Ngidi were the others who had IPL gigs but did not get enough games to prove their worth. They will be looking to push for T20 World Cup selection if they get more opportunities against India.

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