A host of players have produced impressive performances in the first stage of the Shield season

Andrew McGlashan07-Nov-2020Australia’s selectors will sit down next week as the first stage of the Sheffield Shield season concludes to pick the Test squad to face India.The enlarged group is expected to number around 17 – “give or take,” national selector Trevor Hohns said – so if it’s assumed that the 12 players used last season (James Pattinson for the injured Josh Hazlewood was the only change) are locked in. That potentially leaves five spots up for the grabs to provide cover for all positions and options for various conditions.It has been a fascinating Shield season so far – both in terms of the quality of the cricket and those making an impression – but who could be closest to joining the established players?Will PucovskiHe has been close before – in the 2018-19 summer against Sri Lanka – but could this be the season for his highly-anticipated Test debut? His start, delayed by Victoria’s quarantine-hit build-up, could not have gone any better with a career-best unbeaten 255 against South Australia as part of the record Sheffield Shield stand of 486. It was the first time he had opened in first-class cricket and while he will face more demanding conditions, his concentration and hunger for runs stood out (not to mention some of the strokeplay). He would also bring the advantage of providing cover for any position in the top six.Marcus HarrisThe other half of that record stand, Harris’ 239 was an early reward for the hard work he has put in during pre-season to make some small technical adjustments following his first stint as a Test opener – the latter part of which ended after a poor Ashes tour. As with Pucovski, it was an almost faultless display against the Redbacks and big hundreds tend to stand out for the selectors. However, if Pucovski and the player next on this list earn spots, then there may not be room for another batsman.Cameron GreenThe allrounder has been the centre of a lot of discussions already this season – he made a superb career-best 197 against New South Wales – and earned his maiden call-up to the limited-overs squad a couple of weeks ago. And his figures in those formats, albeit from a small number of matches, are paled by his first-class numbers with bat and ball. He returned to the bowling crease in the previous match for the first time in a year and sent down 12 overs across four spells. The feeling is, though, that such is his batting pedigree the selectors are keen to get him in regardless.Michael Neser, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Swepson and Cameron Green have all impressed•Getty ImagesMichael NeserNeser knows all about carrying the drinks for the Test side. It has been a case of so near yet so far in terms of that first Test cap for the Queensland allrounder. It remains hard to see him getting past the big four quicks unless for injury although four Tests in a month means that reserves will need to be ready. He made a tremendous start to the season with a five-wicket haul followed by a maiden first-class century against Western Australia while his run out in the closing moments of the thrilling match against New South Wales was another reminder of his all-round commitment.Sean AbbottHe has had two impressive matches for New South Wales to push himself into Test contention. His nippy seam bowling has earned ten wickets while he has a brace of half-centuries – he is better than a career batting average of 19.81 – included top-scoring in the first innings against Queensland then holding his nerve to seal victory. A similar cricketer to Neser in a lot of ways, but whether he gets in may depend on how many extra pace bowlers are needed.Mitchell SwepsonThe legspinner is the leading wicket-taker in the early stages of the Shield having played a central role in Queensland’s first two games. He helped secure victory against Tasmania – bowling 45.2 overs in the second innings – and a career-best match haul of 10 for 171 came close to snatching a win against New South Wales. He was in the squad for the SCG Test against New Zealand in January and that would probably be his chance in this series barring an injury to Nathan Lyon.Will Pucovski on his way to a century•Getty ImagesAshton Agar In terms of bowling, Agar does not match Swepson in the spin stakes – although did take a five-wicket haul against South Australia – but he provides a more multi-dimensional option as shown by his century at No. 6 in the opening game. While the allrounder talk is centred around Green, Agar would be potentially another way for Australia to balance their side if they wanted two spinners at any stage.And a few others…Shaun Marsh has been in fantastic form but, at 37, surely his time has gone. Team-mate Sam Whiteman has made two centuries to show his opening credentials while Cameron Bancroft appears to be recovering from an awful 2019-20 season. Moises Henriques has earned a limited-overs recall and made 167 in his first Shield innings of the season.In pace bowling, Scott Boland was magnificent against South Australia on a flat pitch taking 6 for 61 in the second innings and Trent Copeland reminded everyone he’s as good as ever.With Matthew Wade in the Test set-up, he may be sufficient wicketkeeping back-up for Tim Paine, but if another one is required Alex Carey, who has been at the IPL, would be favourite although Josh Inglis is averaging an eye-catching 114.50 this season.

He and the rest of the South Africa line-up will make sure they take the fight to England in the upcoming series

Mark Nicholas26-Nov-2020How many cricketers on this earth are a shoo-in for a World XI in all three formats of the international game? Not many. David Warner and Jasprit Bumrah, perhaps? Maybe not Virat Kohli right now, after an IPL that seemed to have left his T20 game somewhat in limbo. Then again, maybe Kohli is an unwise omission. Babar Azam? Kane Williamson possibly? Ben Stokes surely! And which of Kagiso Rabada, Jofra Archer and Pat Cummins, or all three? Trent Boult? Mitchell Starc? Ah, here’s one. Quinton de Kock. Yes, certain tick – Quinny the Quiet, with his gifts from the gods.You can argue the point, and doubtless will, but I can’t think of a wicketkeeper-batsman who maintains such standards while switching from one format to another. Jos Buttler and Wriddhiman Saha are potential contenders but de Kock has the title. Come to think of it, a single team can be chosen that would perform brilliantly well in all formats – the surest illustration of a game and its players that is moving into a new age. Increasingly, cricket allows for innovation – demands it, even – and the impact on the players has been to unlock their imagination.In the early 1970s the Dutch football team, inspired by Johann Cruyff, was credited with “total football”, a phrase loosely meaning that the 11 players could interchange roles without any obvious effect on their performance. This wasn’t quite true but it gave the magic a little extra myth. Holland lost the 1974 World Cup final to a pragmatic West Germany; of course they did: art undone by architecture.ALSO READ: Five areas of focus for South Africa as international season beginsSir Matt Busby is supposed to have said that George Best was not just the best player at Manchester United but the best player in every position – “but don’t tell Alex Stepney,” added Sir Matt. Stepney was the goalkeeper.Often it seemed that Cruyff and Best hypnotised their opponents, so flat-footed were the responses to their control and use of the ball. Neither saw this high level of skill as an excuse to not do the hard yards; both earned general respect for their all-round contribution to matches played in conditions good and bad. They were glamorous too, and typically surrounded by acolytes and parasites. Best was rather “looser” than Cruyff when it came to lifestyle, but in both cases the admission money was cheap at the price. It wasn’t just the dribbling – it was the dash and the derring-do.Cricket’s litmus test is the three formats and de Kock passes that test. Let’s deal with the keeping first. He catches the ball, which is a good place to start. It’s not an exemplary technique but with the keenest eye and a ball player’s natural hands, he gets the job done. Sometimes he flies like a bird to pluck the ball out of Johannesburg’s thin air, other times he stands on his regular spot, all understated humility, to gather it in like a clergyman accepting Sunday morning’s collection. Up to the stumps, he uses instinct above all else, waiting late to strike early. If the feet go, so too does his head and all is well; if they remain stuck, it’s those hands again, like lightning, to save the day. You wouldn’t swap him for anyone because of the possibilities. MS Dhoni was similar: an unorthodox in the clothes of the conventional.Now, let’s look at some QdK stats. 47 Test matches, strike rate of 71, five hundreds, 21 fifties, average a tad under 40; 121 one-day internationals, strike rate 95, 15 hundreds, 25 fifties, average 44.6; T20 strike rate 138.6, average 33.5. Very good.ALSO READ: Which players would make it to a current World Test XI?And at Adam Gilchrist – 96 Tests, strike rate 82, 17 hundreds, 26 fifties, average 47.6. 287 ODIs, strike rate 97, 16 hundreds, 55 fifties, average 35.8. T20 strike rate 140, average 27. Very good.Amazing really, both of them. Quite similar in their way. Richie Benaud thought Gilchrist the cleanest striker of a cricket ball he had seen, just pipping one Garfield St Aubrun Sobers to that place in the pop charts. Is it an advantage to keep wicket and open the batting, at least on the occasions when that is the sequence? Probably this is because the eyes have done their adjusting. But these occasions only apply for approximately half the number of matches they play. The rest of the time they are in the pack. Fact is, very few wicketkeeper-batsmen swing the bat with fear; it is as if the hard part is with the gauntlets on and the rest is easy.Perhaps the best thing we can say about them both is that, like Cruyff and Best, you make sure you are in your seat when they walk on out there. At the recent IPL, de Kock was quite likely to hit the first ball into the stands. This was never a slog, more a brushstroke with vigour. His cutting of the ball is killer, his shots over wide long-on as powerful as those of the big men, and he is only a slip of a thing but wiry-strong and blessed with timing. Only when he went rogue – ramping and scooping – did he miss. When he kept it straightforward, the sound of ball on bat was very Gilchrist. He’s a thrill a minute is the South Africa captain, with a hint of genius thrown in.

Sometimes he flies like a bird to pluck the ball out of Johannesburg’s thin air, other times he stands, all understated humility, to gather it in like a clergyman accepting Sunday morning’s collection

To the captaincy we come: the job in which when you win, you’re supposed to, and when you lose, it’s your fault. Captaincy is a hard-knock life, unless you’re Clive Lloyd with attack or Steve Waugh with other. Will de Kock rise with the responsibility or shrink with the burden? He needs his young players to grow up fast and his support staff to take care of the myriad off-field distractions that plague captains. He is not a waster of words but neither will he mince those words when needs must. Strong tactically, trusted and liked, his time has come in short-form cricket, and if it is his wish, will come soon enough in Test match cricket too. The trick for the selectors is to not paralyse him with promotions.This short series against England brings to end South Africa’s longest period without international cricket since returning from isolation in 1992. There will be rust in the joints and blips in the minds of all except those who were at the IPL. Now, of course, isolation has a new meaning and the coaches will be aware of the need to keep tabs on their number. The bubble is easier for some than others.The pitches at Newlands and in Paarl are likely to be slow, and the skill sets required to take a game by the scruff of the neck all the more demanding because of it. The South African IPL stock – de Kock, Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Faf du Plessis, David Miller, and Lungi Ngidi – have all had plenty of time with bat and ball. Their names are a reminder that England will not have it all their own way, so too will the scoreline last February, when some nerve-shredding matches had folk jostling for position in front of TV screens.Mark Nicholas’ current all-format world XI

1. David Warner
2. Quinton de Kock
3. Babar Azam
4. Ben Stokes
5. Kane Williamson
6. Jos Buttler
7. R Ashwin
8. Rashid Khan
9. Jofra Archer
10. Kagiso Rabada
11. Jasprit Bumrah

It is clichéd to say that these matches mean a great deal to South African cricket. Chaos reigns within the corridors of power but attention is turning to those who play instead of those who administer, which is a boost for morale in itself. England’s willingness to return so soon after the last visit reflects a world that is joining up the dots. From the tour, South Africa will make something in the region of 70 million rand (approximately US$4.6m), crucial money at a troubled time. This will kick-start the television-rights pathway, allowing CSA to sell its wares far and wide.One thing we know, they all want to watch de Kock bat, and Stokes. They all want to watch Rabada bowl, and Archer. This is a golden age for sport on television simply because there is nowhere else for it to be. An empty ground promises little but realises a great deal. The IPL was proof of that, so too England’s summer series against West Indies and Pakistan. That the game has come together in this way is a thing of beauty in itself. Come Friday evening, 6pm South Africa time, don’t miss the moment when Archer sprints in to de Kock. It’s the knuckle of sport.Oh, and as for that team… in T20 batting order (to be tinkered with for a Test match by swapping de Kock and Williamson): Warner, de Kock, Babar Azam, Stokes, Williamson, Buttler, R Ashwin, Rashid Khan, Archer, Rabada, Bumrah, with Kohli the floater, stirred up and busting to stamp his authority on everyone and everything. And Boult (or Starc) in the party of 13. You could travel the world with that lot and not go far wrong.Mind you, it is a list without Rohit Sharma – such a talent! – and one that sorely misses AB de Villiers, whose retirement from Tests and ODIs still breaks the heart. In him is a bit of both Best and Cruyff, and of course, a signpost to “total cricket”. These may be far from the days of our lives but from sport comes a sense of optimism and the chance to marvel at performances that continue to evolve and entertain. We can be thankful for that, even without de Villiers at Newlands on Friday evening.

Statistical highlights from England’s highest successful ODI chase vs India.

Sampath Bandarupalli26-Mar-20210 Successful chases of 300+ targets by England in ODI cricket against India before the 337-run chase in Pune. England’s previous highest ODI chase against India was 266 during India’s first-ever ODI appearance in 1974.34 Sixes hit by India (14) and England (20) during this match, the third-most in a One-Day International and the second-most in an ODI hosted by India. England alone hit 20 sixes, the joint-most conceded by India in an ODI match. India’s bowlers also conceded 20 sixes against South Africa in 2015.Kuldeep Yadav alone conceded eight sixes. Only two bowlers have conceded more sixes in an ODI match; 11 sixes off Rashid Khan against England at the 2019 World Cup, and nine off Moeen Ali against West Indies in 2019.ESPNcricinfo Ltd10 Sixes hit by Ben Stokes during his 52-ball 99, the third most sixes by an England player in an ODI innings. Eoin Morgan struck a world record of 17 sixes during his 148 against Afghanistan in 2019, while Jos Buttler hit 12 against West Indies in the aforementioned game in 2019. Stokes’ 99 is also the lowest individual score to involve ten-plus sixes in an ODI innings.9.75 Economy rate of India’s spinners in this match, the second-worst for any team’s spin bowlers in an ODI where they bowled at least 15 overs. New Zealand’s spinners conceded 171 runs in 17 overs against England at an economy of 10.05 in 2015 at The Oval.13 Century partnerships between Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy in ODI cricket, the most by an England pair, surpassing the 12 century stands by Eoin Morgan and Joe Root. The Bairstow-Roy pair is also fifth on the list of most century ODI partnerships for the first wicket.ESPNcricinfo Ltd7 England players dismissed for 99 in ODI cricket, including today’s innings from Ben Stokes. The all-rounder is also the first player dismissed on 99 in ODIs against India since Andrew Flintoff in 2004. Stokes’ strike rate of 190.38 is by far the highest among the 49 scores of 99 in ODIs.5 ODIs, out of 26, won by England in India since 2003. Of those, this was only the second that they had won while the series was still on the line, the other instance being their nine-run win during the first game of the five-match series in 2013.Related

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6 Previous instances of a team chasing down a 300-plus target with more than six overs to spare. None of England’s 11 successful chases of 300-plus targets before the Pune win came with more than six overs to spare.4 Century partnerships in the second ODI; two each by India and England. It is only the second match in the history of ODI cricket with four century stands. The other such game was between India and Sri Lanka in 2009 at Rajkot.

Punjab Kings’ 25-year-old allrounder also made a vital 17-ball 25 in only his fourth IPL game

Vishal Dikshit01-May-20210:59

Harpreet Brar explains how he took down Royal Challengers Bangalore

Who is Harpreet Brar?
A left-arm spinner and a hard-hitting lower-order batter, Brar hails from Moga, a small city in Punjab, which is also the hometown of Harmanpreet Kaur. Brar played age-group cricket and several club competitions in Punjab before he was picked by Kings XI Punjab in the 2019 IPL auction for his base price of INR 20 lakh at the age of 23.Related

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What was Brar’s childhood like?
When he was a kid, Brar saw a flyer for a cricket academy stuck on a wall in a nearby market. Excited with the ambition of becoming a professional cricketer, Brar took the flyer home and showed it to his mother to which she said, “‘See, you can join if you wish, but only if you put your heart into it,” as reported by the Kings website in 2019.She said so because Brar came from a family that played cricket but most of his cousins gave up the sport due to “financial difficulties”. With a lot of pressure on him to make it big once he grew older and started representing Punjab in Under-16 and Under-19 competitions, there was even a time when Brar protested going to marriages because his relatives would tell his mother, “Cricket? The whole world plays cricket, nothing will come of it”.But Brar wanted to prove them wrong. If not cricket, he was destined to either join the Punjab Police, where his father worked as a driver, or move to Canada on a study visa for higher studies. But he decided to give cricket one final shot.How did he make it big?
When he was playing at the Under-23 level in 2018, Brar knew time was running out for him. He had already appeared in two trials for the Mumbai Indians but couldn’t make the cut.It was then that Punjab’s Gurkeerat Singh made Brar represent a Mohali district team where Brar shone with his performances, even though he didn’t have enough money to buy new bats at times. Gurkeerat helped him with that as well.”The bats were expensive, so we had to make them last longer by threading it,” Brar told the Kings website in 2019. “Or hope that a senior hands one down. One time Gurkeerat gifted me one.”The tournament that stamped him as a bowler for the next level was the 2018 Under-23 CK Nayudu Trophy in which he ended with a whopping 56 wickets from 11 games at an average of 16.41, that included six five-wicket hauls and best figures of 7 for 23.Not surprisingly, he was handed an IPL contract by the Punjab franchise in November 2018 for the 2019 season.The Punjab Kings left-arm spinner’s match-winning returns•ESPNcricinfo LtdWhat has his journey been like so far since 2019?
Brar made is T20 debut in the 2019 IPL against the Delhi Capitals, when his captain R Ashwin described him as a “mystery spinner” at the toss. Brar impressed with an unbeaten 20 off 12, that included a six off a Kagiso Rabada bouncer, but he was given the tough task of bowling in the powerplay. Brar’s spin was struck for a six first ball by Shikhar Dhawan in a 17-run over, and he went on to play just one more game for a wicketless five overs that season.Brar played the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy later that year and ended as Punjab’s highest wicket-taker with a tally of 14 and an economy rate of 6.89, in a bowling line-up that also featured Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul and Mayank Markande. Brar’s victims that season featured a star cast of Devdutt Padikkal, Dinesh Karthik, and Prithvi Shaw, among others.Around 10 months later, he flew to the UAE for the 2020 IPL but got just one game and this time he was taken to the cleaners by Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis for 41 runs off his four overs in a 10-wicket loss.In the Mushtaq Ali Trophy at the beginning of 2021, Brar rose again. This time his seven wickets at an economy rate of just 5.70 from seven games played a pivotal role in Punjab’s run to the semi-final after remaining unbeaten in the league stage. By now Brar was one of the main Punjab bowlers along with Sharma, Kaul, Markande and Arshdeep Singh.The magical IPL night
After losing four of their first six IPL games this season, the Kings made three changes against the Royal Challengers, and gave Brar his fourth IPL game.Brar first batted with his captain KL Rahul to finish on an unbeaten 25 from 17 at No. 7 that included 18 runs off five balls against Harshal Patel, this IPL’s highest wicket-taker, with the help of two sixes and a four, that took the Kings to a challenging 179 for 5.But the real magic from Brar came with the ball. Even though his first ball was struck for a six again, by Kohli, Brar broke the back of the Royal Challengers’ chase with his first two IPL wickets off consecutive balls that had the names of Kohli and Maxwell on them; one losing his leg stump and the other his off.And in his next and last over, he even had de Villiers caught at extra cover for a fairytale ending that left the chase at 69 for 4 from where the Royal Challengers never recovered.His first 11 overs in the IPL starting from 2019 went for a wicketless 106 runs, and his next seven balls didn’t concede a single run while removing not one but three big fish.”My first IPL wicket is Virat ‘s wicket so I was very happy when I got that,” Brar said after receiving his Player-of-the-Match award at the presentation. “Once you get one wicket, the mentality changes a bit, you get confidence that you’re landing the ball nicely, so I got the flow and more wickets.” (It feels like a dream).”

14 players will miss the start of the County Championship season with an eye on the T20 World Cup

Matt Roller07-Apr-20215:17

Eoin Morgan: Middle order versatility Knight Riders’ biggest positive

Moeen Ali (Chennai Super Kings)

Chennai’s big-money buy at February’s auction, Moeen will hope that he can repay the franchise’s faith in him and that he can remind England of his worth as a T20 allrounder while he’s at it. He has been left on the bench for eight T20Is in a row, and has played only 12 of England’s last 36 matches in the format, while RCB could only find space for him in their side three times last season. At his best, Moeen remains a destructive batsman – particularly against spin in the middle overs – and a handy offspinner. Does Chennai’s willingness to spend as much as they did on him indicate that he will be given the opportunity to prove it?Price tag INR 7 crore (£680,000 approx.)
IPL history Royal Challengers Bangalore (2018-20), Chennai Super Kings (2021)
T20 stats Matches: 167; Inns: 158; Runs: 3513; Avg: 24.73; SR: 140.18 | Wickets 110; Avg: 26.96; Econ: 7.68
IPL stats Matches: 19; Inns: 17; Runs: 309; Avg: 20.60; SR: 158.46 | Wickets 10; Avg: 30.80; Econ: 7.13
Recent form Parsimonious bowling slipped under the radar during the ODI series in India, while he made two good starts with the bat but failed to press on. T20 opportunities have been scarce in the last 12 months.It remains to be seen how many games Archer will be able to play in the IPL•BCCI

Jofra Archer (Rajasthan Royals)

Last season’s MVP. There is no doubting Archer’s ability as a T20 bowler, but there are concerns around his fitness. He is certain to miss Rajasthan’s first four matches following hand surgery and an elbow injection on his return to the UK, but the franchise remain optimistic about his chances of playing a part in the rest of the tournament. England would love him to spend another season playing in Indian conditions ahead of the T20 World Cup, but will also want to ensure he is mentally and physically fresh when that tournament and the Ashes series that follows arrive. Archer was Rajasthan’s powerplay banker last season, and chipped in with some impressive lower-order hitting, too.Price tag INR 7.2 crore (£700,000 approx.)
IPL history Rajasthan Royals (2018-21)
T20 stats Matches: 120; Inns: 61; Runs: 551; Avg: 17.21; SR: 147.72 | Wickets: 153; Avg: 22.39; Econ: 7.66
IPL stats Matches: 35; Inns: 23; Runs: 195; Avg: 15.00; SR: 157.25 | Wickets: 46; Avg: 21.32; Econ 7.13
Recent form England’s leading wicket-taker in the T20I series against India despite having to manage his injuries throughout, while conceding only 7.75 runs per over. At the top of his game.

Jonny Bairstow (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

A revelation opening the batting alongside David Warner in his debut IPL season, Bairstow was unfortunate to slip out of the side midway through Sunrisers’ 2020 campaign, squeezed out to accommodate Kane Williamson in the middle order. Bairstow’s own form in an England shirt since moving down to No. 4 in T20Is has been excellent, to the extent that he may well be considered in that role this season.Price tag INR 2.2 crore (£210,000 approx.)
IPL history Sunrisers Hyderabad (2019-21)
T20 stats Matches: 141; Inns: 128; Runs: 3093; Avg: 29.17; SR: 134.59
IPL stats Matches: 21; Inns: 21; Runs: 790; Avg: 41.57; SR: 142.34
Recent form At his explosive best in the ODI series against India. Some handy contributions in the T20I series without making a half-century.

Sam Billings (Delhi Capitals)

Back at Delhi for the first time since 2017, Billings is competing with Steven Smith, Shimron Hetmyer and Marcus Stoinis for two overseas slots in the middle order. Opportunities could be limited with that level of competition, but a strong showing would ensure further chances in the England side ahead of the T20 World Cup.Price tag INR 2 crore (£195,000)
IPL history Delhi Daredevils (2016-17), Chennai Super Kings (2018-19), Delhi Capitals (2021)
T20 stats Matches: 187; Inns: 175; Runs: 3527; Avg: 23.67; SR: 131.01
IPL stats Matches: 22; Inns: 19; Runs: 334; Avg: 17.57; SR: 133.60
Recent form Excellent Big Bash season for Sydney Thunder but a sprained collarbone in the first ODI in India cost him the opportunity to back that up.

Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals)

He is locked in as England’s opener for the T20 World Cup, but where will Buttler bat for Rajasthan? Last season, he shuffled down from the top into the middle order with some success but could not prevent them from finishing bottom of the pile; this year, with Smith and Robin Uthappa both let go, there might be a temptation to open with him and Ben Stokes, even if it leaves an inexperienced middle order behind them.Price tag INR 4.4 crore (£430,000 approx.)
IPL history Mumbai Indians (2016-17), Rajasthan Royals (2018-21)
T20 stats Matches: 275; Inns: 253; Runs: 6499; Avg: 31.39; SR: 144.77
IPL stats Matches: 58; Inns: 57; Runs: 1714; Avg: 34.97; SR: 149.56
Recent form Leading run-scorer for England in the T20I series in India, including a masterful 83 not out in the third fixture, but only 17 runs in three innings in the ODIs that followed.Sam Curran was the lone bright spark for CSK last season•BCCI

Sam Curran (Chennai Super Kings)

Following a mixed bag of a debut season in Kings XI Punjab colours, Curran was the shining light for Chennai Super Kings in an otherwise disastrous 2020 campaign, which saw them fail to reach the play-offs for the first time. He was used in a number of different roles by MS Dhoni with both bat and ball, and after struggling to impose himself during England’s most recent T20I series, he has a point to prove ahead of the World Cup later this year.Price tag INR 5.5 crore (£535,000 approx.)
IPL history Kings XI Punjab (2019), Chennai Super Kings (2020-21)
T20 stats Matches: 91; Inns: 71; Runs: 1055; Avg: 19.53; SR: 131.54 | Wickets 81; Avg: 29.83; Econ: 8.58
IPL stats Matches: 23; Inns: 19; Runs: 281; Avg: 23.41; SR: 143.36 | Wickets 23; Avg: 29.00; Econ: 8.89
Recent form Largely anonymous during the T20I series in India, but smoked a valiant, unbeaten 95 off 83 balls as England came agonisingly close to a from-behind win in the ODI series decider. Relatively tight with the ball throughout the tour.

Tom Curran (Delhi Capitals)

The eldest Curran brother’s stock has fallen in the last year, to the extent that he is clinging onto his spot in England’s T20 World Cup squad. He had a torrid time bowling at Sharjah for Rajasthan Royals last year but Delhi happily splashed out for him, winning a bidding war with Sunrisers Hyderabad in February’s auction.Price tag INR 5.25 crore (£510,000 approx.)
IPL history Kolkata Knight Riders (2018), Rajasthan Royals (2020), Delhi Capitals (2021)
T20 stats Matches: 135; Inns: 76; Runs: 972; Avg: 19.83; SR: 132.42 | Wickets 157; Avg: 25.50; Econ: 8.86
IPL stats Matches: 10; Inns: 8; Runs: 106; Avg: 26.50; SR: 117.77 | Wickets 9; Avg: 36.22; Econ: 11.50
Recent form Expensive throughout the tour of India, with his slower balls becoming increasingly predictable.Related

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Chris Jordan (Punjab Kings)

Now in his fifth IPL season, Jordan is back with the re-branded Punjab Kings as overseas fast-bowling cover. The franchise splashed out on two overseas quicks in Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith at the auction, suggesting Jordan is likely to start on the bench. He had a mixed 2020 season, finding form through the middle as Kings XI found their feet but leaking runs at the beginning and end of the tournament.Price tag INR 3 crore (£290,000 approx.)
IPL history Royal Challengers Bangalore (2016), Sunrisers Hyderabad (2017-18), Kings XI Punjab (2020), Punjab Kings (2021)
T20 stats Matches: 217; Inns: 129; Runs: 1075; Avg: 13.96; SR: 117.87 | Wickets: 229; Avg: 27.11; Econ: 8.60
IPL stats Matches: 20; Inns: 7; Runs: 32; Avg: 6.40; SR: 88.88 | Wickets: 21; Avg: 28.11; Econ: 9.33
Recent form Leaked 10.51 runs an over in England’s T20I series in India. Has not been at his best since bicep surgery last year.Livingstone is back with Rajasthan after missing the 2020 season•BCCI

Liam Livingstone (Rajasthan Royals)

The fourth member of Rajasthan’s English contingent, Livingstone is back for his second IPL season after playing four games for the Royals in 2019. He may well have to content with some more time on the bench this year, but Archer’s injury could provide him with a chance in the first few games of the season.Price tag INR 0.75 crore (£70,000 approx.)
IPL history Rajasthan Royals (2019, 2021)
T20 stats Matches: 128; Inns: 123; Runs: 3133; Avg: 27.48; SR: 140.36 | Wickets: 47; Avg: 18.06; Econ: 7.93
IPL stats Matches: 4; Inns: 4; Runs: 70; Avg: 23.33; SR: 145.83 | Wickets: 0; Avg: N/A; Econ: 13.00
Recent form Two eye-catching cameos in the ODI series in India – the only games he has played since an impressive Big Bash season for Perth Scorchers.

Dawid Malan (Punjab Kings)

Playing his first IPL season at the age of 33 on the back of his superb T20I record for England. Malan is likely to start on the bench, with Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran ahead of him in Punjab’s pecking order, but will have to prove he can adapt to Indian pitches if he does get a chance: against spin in the T20I series last month, he scored at a strike rate of 79.48 and was dismissed every 13 balls.Price tag INR 1.5 crore (£145,000 approx.)
IPL history Punjab Kings (2021)
T20 stats Matches: 228; Inns: 223; Runs: 6265; Avg: 33.32; SR: 128.40
IPL stats Matches: 0
Recent form Found a way to score runs during the T20I and ODI series in India but not at his fluent best. Struggled to make an impact in the BBL for Hobart Hurricanes but impressed throughout England’s T20Is in 2020.

Eoin Morgan (Kolkata Knight Riders)

After going unsold in consecutive auctions, Morgan returned to the IPL in 2020 and had his most prolific year in the competition, hitting 418 runs with a healthy strike rate of 138.41. He took over the captaincy from Dinesh Karthik halfway through the season, and his influence on the franchise in a captain-coach partnership with close friend Brendon McCullum has been obvious, as evidenced by the recruitment of England white-ball analyst Nathan Leamon for this season. KKR struggled to nail down roles for Morgan, Karthik and Andre Russell last season, with all three ideally suited to the death overs, and Morgan may need to shift up to No. 4 more regularly this year, even if that means facing more spin.Price tag INR 5.25 crore (£510,000 approx.)
IPL history Royal Challengers Bangalore (2010), Kolkata Knight Riders (2011-13, 2020-21), Sunrisers Hyderabad (2015-16), Kings XI Punjab (2017)
T20 stats Matches: 312; Inns: 295; Runs: 6912; Avg: 27.42; SR: 132.82
IPL stats Matches: 66; Inns: 59; Runs: 1272; Avg: 25.44; SR: 126.31
Recent form Struggled for rhythm in the T20I series against India and split the webbing in his hand in the first ODI, ruling him out for the following two fixtures. He had been in the best form of his T20 career in the 18 months leading up to that tour, but has generally struggled on slower pitches in India.Roy was a late replacement for Mitchell Marsh•BCCI

Jason Roy (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

A late replacement for Mitchell Marsh, Roy will provide cover for Sunrisers’ overseas top-order batsmen. Opportunities in the IPL have been sporadic for him, but with a T20 World Cup looming, two months against top-quality spinners in the nets in India will provide more relevant experience than some early-season County Championship games.Price tag INR 2 crore (£195,000 approx.)
IPL history Gujarat Lions (2017), Delhi Daredevils (2018), Sunrisers Hyderabad (2021)
T20 stats Matches: 235; Inns: 230; Runs: 6085; Avg: 27.78; SR: 142.47
IPL stats Matches: 8; Inns: 8; Runs: 179; Avg: 29.83; SR: 133.58
Recent form Three scores in the 40s in the T20Is in India. Ultra-attacking against spin without too much timing, but looked more fluent in the ODIs.

Ben Stokes (Rajasthan Royals)

Stokes’ role in the England side was a major talking point in their T20I series defeat in India as he struggled to make a significant impact on games from the middle order despite hitting 46 off 23 in the fourth fixture. The theory that he should move up to No. 3 was given further credence by his 52-ball 99 in the second ODI, and while Morgan has insisted that he does not see Stokes moving up the order, another successful season opening for Rajasthan would test the captain’s resolve.Price tag INR 12.5 crore (£1.2m approx.)
IPL history Rising Pune Supergiant (2017), Rajasthan Royals (2018-21)
T20 stats Matches: 139; Inns: 126; Runs: 2752; Avg: 25.96; SR: 136.50 | Wickets 75; Avg: 32.74; Econ: 8.52
IPL stats Matches: 42; Inns: 41; Runs: 920; Avg: 26.28; SR: 135.09 | Wickets 28; Avg: 34.35; Econ: 8.52
Recent form Limited impact in the T20I series but showed off his ability to slip into sixth gear during the ODIs that followed. Bowled regularly throughout the limited-overs leg of the tour and should provide a sixth option for the Royals.

Chris Woakes (Delhi Capitals)

A wildcard buy: Woakes hasn’t played T20 cricket for England since 2015, and hasn’t played in the format for anyone since August 2018, but Delhi’s coach Ricky Ponting is a big fan and retained him despite his withdrawal ahead of the 2020 season. He is likely to spend most of the season on the bench, though may have a chance to prove himself if Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada are unavailable for the Capitals’ season opener as anticipated. Expensive in his previous IPL outings.Price tag INR 1.5 crore (£145,000 approx.)
IPL history Kolkata Knight Riders (2017), Royal Challengers Bangalore (2018), Delhi Capitals (2021)
T20 stats Matches: 111; Inns: 69; Runs: 803; Avg: 24.33; SR: 136.10 | Wickets 121; Avg: 25.12; Econ: 8.38
IPL stats Matches: 18; Inns: 11; Runs: 63; Avg: 10.50; SR: 95.45 | Wickets 25; Avg: 23.04; Econ: 9.24
Recent form None to speak of in T20s – or any format for that matter, after a winter spent warming the bench. Impressive in the ODI series against Australia at the end of last summer, bowling in all three phases of the innings.

This is far from a golden era of slip catching, but there are still some players who make a habit of taking stunners in the cordon

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jun-2021Steven Smith

There are few better sights in cricket than a packed slip cordon – well, maybe it’s just me. But does this feel like a golden era of slip catching? I’m not going to delve into the percentage of dropped catches right here, but the gut feeling is no. A recent social media poll by our digital gurus posed the question of the dream cordon: Darren Gough’s was Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Jacques Kallis and Andrew Flintoff. It’s an all-timer, for sure.The best of the current players? I’ve gone for Smith, who snaffles them pretty safely, and sometimes spectacularly, either against the quicks or the spinners (when he isn’t standing too deep and getting Shane Warne riled up). One of the more recent ones to stick in the memory is a full-stretch dive to remove Kane Williamson – should there be extra marks for the quality of the batter? – in Perth two seasons ago. Williamson edged Mitchell Starc in a day-night Test with the lights taking hold, and Smith was horizontal at second slip when he took it almost behind him. Would he make an all-time cordon? I might check the replies to that social post.#OhmyBroad: Ben Stokes’ grab at Trent Bridge in 2015, is an unforgettable Ashes moment•Getty ImagesBen Stokes

There’s probably a distinction to be made between great slip catchers and takers of great slip catches. Some of those vying for the all-time cordon pouched almost everything that came their way with soft-handed surety, but may have been less likely to fling themselves bodily for the one-percenters. And if there are fewer in the never-drop-a-chance category these days, perhaps it’s because the modern cricketer is more likely to get close to ones that would have zipped straight through in the past.Related

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Anyway, while Stokes does put down more than the odd one, there’s no doubting his ability to pluck ’em from thin air – and it’s spectacular snags that do it for me. Exhibit A is, of course, the Aussie-scuppering, #OhMyBroad-inspiring, claw-assisted snatch of Adam Voges’ outside edge from fifth slip at Trent Bridge in 2015 – aerial, horizontal, behind him. But we’ve subsequently discovered this is just what Stokes does. See four grabs in a day in Cape Town (three of them full length, one an absolute screamer), or a regulation flying one-hander to dismiss Jasprit Bumrah in Chennai that he barely celebrates.My other candidate was Faf du Plessis, who might edge Stokes on reliability and could also pull off a worldie but was deemed ineligible having retired from Tests.Big ticket: Rakheem Cornwall can make the long journey down to take some outstanding low catches•AFP/Getty ImagesRahkeem Cornwall

It’s obviously no hindrance to be a natural athlete, but you don’t have to be one to be a good slip fielder. Think Mark Taylor.Several large men have fielded there – Warwick Armstrong and Inzamam-ul-Haq, to name two – so it’s perfectly natural for Rahkeem Cornwall to do so, blessed as he is with bucket hands and the meditative temperament of one who will always let the ball come to him rather than go snatching at it. It’s no surprise when he pulls off nonchalant catches like this one, when Rory Burns top-edged a full-blooded square cut his way at Old Trafford, but his unlikely party trick is the low catch, by his bootlaces – surely the most difficult feat for a man of his size to pull off. Have a look at this effort to send back Rashid Khan in Lucknow (at the 17-second mark here), or the famous low tumble to his right to end Mehidy Hasan’s resistance and complete West Indies’ 2-0 Test series triumph in Bangladesh. Is Cornwall the best slip catcher in world cricket? Who knows? Is he the most fun to watch? Most definitely.Ajinkya Rahane makes the tough catches look simple because of his soft hands•AFPAjinkya Rahane

I wonder if there’s a happy coincidence between being a good slip fielder and wearing either a cool floppy hat or a worn-out cap that has absorbed buckets of sweat over the years. Mark Taylor and Mark Waugh come to mind in the 1990s. In the 2000s, it’s hard to look beyond Mahela Jayawardene and Rahul Dravid.My pick from the current era is Ajinkya Rahane. Hat aside, I’ve picked Rahane because when he stands at slip to the spinner, he makes difficult catches look easy. Look at the ones he took to dismiss Steven Smith in the 2017 Dharamsala Test or Adelaide 2020. Whether Rahane is dealing with the turn of the subcontinent that needs him to stay low or the bounce of Australia and England, which calls for positioning further back, his anticipation, the ability to stay light on his feet to allow him to move either way, and his sound judgment of where he should stand means he takes most chances.

Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul put on 126 runs together for the first wicket

Sampath Bandarupalli12-Aug-2021126 Partnership runs for the first wicket between KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma, the first century opening stand for India outside Asia in Tests since the start of 2011. The last India opening pair to share a century stand overseas was Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, who put on 137 in India’s second innings at Centurion in 2010.1 Rahul and Sharma are also the first visiting pair with a century stand in England since August 2016. The 126-run stand is also the highest opening partnership in England in this period, alongside Alastair Cook and Alex Hales against Pakistan in Birmingham in 2016.126 The partnership of 126 between Rahul and Sharma is the second-highest by a visiting team in England after being put in to bat. Michael Slater and Mark Taylor shared a 128-run stand in 1993 at Old Trafford.20.4 Overs per innings before the fall of the first wicket for India overseas in 2021. Between 2011 and 2020, the Indian opening pair lasted only 6.4 overs on an average in Tests outside Asia.ESPNcricinfo Ltd43.4 Overs batted by India’s opening pair of Rahul and Sharma on Thursday, the second-longest opening stand for India outside Asia since 1998. Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik take the top place as they batted out 56.1 overs for a 153-run stand in Cape Town in 2007.5 Instances of India’s opening partnership lasting 20 or more overs in Tests outside Asia since the start of 2011. All the five instances came in 2021, including twice in the ongoing series against England.247.5 Balls per dismissal for Sharma during the first 20 overs of innings away from home this year. Across nine away innings in 2021, Sharma got out just twice before the end of 20 overs.4 Hundreds by Indian openers in Test cricket outside Asia since the start of 2015. All those four are by Rahul – twice in England and one each in Australia and West Indies.

The first day of the fourth England vs India Test was a good one for quick bowlers, as 13 wickets went down

Sampath Bandarupalli02-Sep-202131 – Shardul Thakur completed his half-century in only 31 balls, the second-fastest recorded half-century in Test cricket for India. The fastest is by Kapil Dev off 30 deliveries against Pakistan in Karachi in 1982. In terms of strike rate, Thakur’s 36-ball 57 is the second-quickest fifty-plus score in Tests for India, behind Kapil’s 55-ball 89, also against England at Lord’s in 1982.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 – Thakur’s is also the fastest-recorded half-century in Test matches in England. The previous fastest was by Ian Botham, in 32 balls against New Zealand in 1986, also at The Oval. It is also the third-fastest recorded fifty in Tests against England, behind Foffie Williams’ 28-ball fifty in 1948 and Tim Southee’s 29-ball effort in 2008.23.33 – Ajinkya Rahane’s batting average in Test cricket against England. It is the second-poorest average among players to bat in the top six for 20 or more Tests against a single opponent. Alec Bannerman had scored 1108 runs at an average of only 23.08 against England in 50 innings spread across 28 Tests between 1879 and 1893.11 – James Anderson has now sent back Cheteshwar Pujara on 11 occasions in Test cricket – his best against a batter in Tests, joint with Peter Siddle. Nine of those 11 dismissals have come in England, the joint-highest for any bowler at home against a batter in the last 20 years – Stuart Broad had the better of Michael Clarke on nine instances in home Tests, while Ben Stokes has fallen nine times off R Ashwin in India.7 – Ducks for Jasprit Bumrah is Test cricket in 2021, the joint-highest by an Indian in Tests in a calendar year. Bishan Singh Bedi also had seven ducks in 1974, all across ten innings. The only player to bag more ducks in a calendar year is Mervyn Dillion, ten in 2002.13 – Wickets to fall on the first day of the fourth Test, the most on the opening day of a Test match held at The Oval since 1983.

His collapsed back leg while defending on the front foot has often helped him, but it has also caused his downfall often in recent times

Shiva Jayaraman26-Dec-2021Cheteshwar Pujara’s lean run in Tests continued with his second duck in his last three innings. It’s been a while since Pujara has scored a hundred in Tests, but his form has dipped sharply in the recent past with his average falling below 45 – for the first time since 2012 – in the last couple of innings.While there could be other technical and psychological factors affecting Pujara’s batting at present, the persistent issue of his backward leg collapsing while going on to his front foot hasn’t gone away. His first innings dismissal on the first day in Centurion to Lungi Ngidi caught by backward short leg was perhaps the latest example of that.Pujara’s collapsed back leg while defending on the front foot has often helped him keep his hands low on pitches that don’t offer much bounce, but it has also caused his downfall much too often in the recent past. The flip side of a collapsed leg is that he doesn’t get as close to the pitch of the ball as possible, which leaves both edges of his bat vulnerable as it happend in this innings. Footwork data recorded by ESPNcricinfo shows that front-foot defence has indeed been an issue for Pujara: since the beginning of 2018, Pujara has been out defending on the front foot in 29 out of 65 Test innings. No batter in this period has been out defending on the front foot more often. Pujara gets dismissed every 40.3 balls playing the front-foot defence on an average, which is the seventh-lowest among 64 batters to have defended on the front foot at least 300 times in Tests since 2018.