Cricket News: Steve Smith told to move away from anchor role in T20s | Steve Smith role to move away from anchor in T20 cricket
The Australian team is encouraging Steve Smith to assume a more free-flowing role whilst playing in the middle-order of their T20I setup. Smith has predominantly been the anchor in the current Aussie line-up but he might have to adopt a more dynamic approach with youngsters like Josh Inglis and Tim David breathing down his neck now.
Australia are set to play 11 T20Is before they embark on their journey to defend their World T20 crown Down Under later this year. ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ has been the mantra for success for cricket teams across the world. But the Aussies would be wary of any complacency and will be eager to make the necessary changes to improve their team as they head into the mega tournament.
Excited to get rid of that tag in T20s – Steve Smith
Smith’s role along with that of Aaron Finch has come under scanner recently as the experienced duo are enduring a period of indifferent form in T20 cricket. Now, this latest development arguably indicates that the management is keen to see Smith firing again before fresh concerns are raised over his inclusion in the squad.
“I’m pretty excited that tag’s been taken off, to be honest with you. Diva (stand-in coach Michael di Venuto) actually told me the other day … he said ‘we’re getting rid of that tag, that’s gone. Just go out and play freely. If you want to smack your first or second ball for six, go for it’,” the 33-year-old told cricket.com.au as the team prepares for the upcoming T20I series vs Sri Lanka.
He added, “So now it’s just about going out and playing freely and trusting my instincts, which I think I’ve done well over any format for a long time, instead of being a bit more reserved and trying not to get out, which I don’t think the right way to play T20 cricket. They’ve got rid of that ‘Mr. Fix-it’ tag.”
The 33-year-old explained that one cannot be aggressive and ‘free-flowing’ in the role of an anchor. He said that there is a sudden urge to switch on the gears when players like Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell are waiting in the dressing room.
“That’s not the way I’d generally play the game. When I’m playing well, I’m just hitting the gaps really nicely, I’m not trying to over-hit the ball. I’m just playing what’s in front of me, not thinking too much about getting out or letting the team down,” Smith further opened up on the issue.
Here is Australia’s confirmed playing XI for the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Tuesday: Aaron Finch (captain), David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wicketkeeper), Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Josh Hazlewood.
SL vs AUS 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report | SL vs AUS 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs Australia 1st T20 Key Players | Colombo Pitch Report
Australia’saction-packed 2022/23 schedule gets underway with a good test in Sri Lanka, as the T20 World Cup champions will aim to find their groove ahead of their title defence at home.
A key part of that is Aaron Finch and Steve Smith finding form, as both players are arguably under most pressure with the likes of Josh Inglis and Tim David pushing their claims for a regular spot in Australia’s T20I team in the future. It is particularly important for Finch to rediscover his touch, as strings of low scores across multiple series now has raised concerns about whether the Aussies need a new captain ahead of the World Cup.
Finch is hoping to “get people off his back“, and if he does, Australia will be well placed. It will be a challenge in Sri Lanka though, as a number of Sri Lanka’s bowlers have gained good experience playing in the IPL. Wanindu Hasaranga was outstanding for RCB, while Dushmantha Chameera and Maheesh Theekshana enjoyed good moments for LSG and CSK respectively.
However, the challenge for Sri Lanka will be for their batting to click against Australia’s array of seam bowlers, particularly given the home side struggled on this ground last year.
Australia: 1. Aaron Finch (c), 2. David Warner, 3. Mitchell Marsh, 4. Glenn Maxwell, 5. Steve Smith, 6. Marcus Stoinis, 7. Matthew Wade (wk), 8. Ashton Agar, 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Kane Richardson, 11. Josh Hazlewood
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Sri Lanka:
Wanindu Hasaranga is crucial to Sri Lanka’s hopes. The brilliant leg-spinner is coming off a brilliant IPL campaign, where he took the second-most wickets by a spinner in a single season (26). Also, he has figures of 3/38, 2/33 and 2/22 in his three T20Is vs Australia.
Hasaranga has taken 22 wickets in 16 T20s on this ground at an average of 16.09 and economy of 6.34.
Pathum Nissanka scored the most runs (184) in Sri Lanka’s five-match T20I series in Australia earlier this year.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa has a poor record on this ground (16 inns, 297 runs, avg. 18.56, SR 132.59), but comes into this series on the back of a promising IPL campaign where he struck 206 runs at a strike rate of 159.68.
Maheesh Theekshana will be key, especially if he bowls in the powerplay. He took six wickets in this phase in the recent IPL, and took five wickets in five matches in Australia at an economy of just 6.78 earlier this year.
Also, Theekshana has a good T20 record on this ground. He has taken 14 wickets in 10 matches at R. Premadasa at an average of 18.07 and economy of 6.49.
Dushmantha Chameera was Sri Lanka’s leading wicket-taker in Australia a few months ago (seven scalps in five matches). Also, he has the third-most wickets of any bowler in T20s on this ground (25 inns, 29 wickets, avg. 23.48, SR 16.79).
Australia:
David Warner has the most runs in SL-AUS T20Is. The left-hander, who had a strong IPL campaign, has smashed 512 runs in 13 matches vs SL at an average of 56.88 and strike rate of 138.75. This includes six 50+ scores.
Glenn Maxwell is not far behind with 424 runs in 10 innings vs SL at a superb average of 60.87 and strike rate of 181.19. Maxwell also has four wickets against SL, and he could be key against their left-handers today.
Mitchell Marsh has had a dream run in T20s since the start of 2021. Australia’s number three has struck 1,432 runs at an average of 39.78 and strike rate of 138.09 in this period.
Watch out for Ashton Agar. He has the ability to take big wickets, evident in his two five-wicket hauls in T20Is since the start of 2020. He has taken six wickets in as many T20Is vs Sri Lanka at an economy of just 4.62.
Josh Hazlewood continues to go from strength to strength in T20s. He has eight wickets in four matches vs Sri Lanka (avg. 11.37, econ. 5.68), and recently took 20 wickets in 12 matches in IPL 2022.
Mitchell Starc will be key at the death. The left-arm quick has taken 11 wickets in nine matches vs SL at an average of 23.63 and economy of 7.22. Also, Starc has taken 11 wickets in seven T20s on this ground (avg. 17.82, econ. 7.00).
Other Stats and Facts
Head-to-head: Matches 22, Sri Lanka 9, Australia 13.
Australia have won nine of the last 10 matches between the teams, but Sri Lanka won the most recent meeting.
Wanindu Hasaranga has dismissed Glenn Maxwell twice in 18 deliveries in T20Is (33 runs). He also has a brilliant record against Aaron Finch, whom he has dismissed three times (15 balls, 19 runs, three dismissals).
Kane Richardson has 10 wickets in seven matches vs Sri Lanka at an average of 20.00 and economy of 7.50.
Aaron Finch was player of the match in his last T20I, against Pakistan.
Glenn Maxwell smashed 145* and 66 in the 2016 tour of Sri Lanka. He opened the batting in that series.
R. Premadasa Stadium Colombo Pitch Report and Weather
Australia captain Aaron Finch said that the decision to go with more pacers was due to the amount of grass on the square due to recent rain (details here).
In six T20 Internationals in July and September last year, the average first innings score was just 127.17, with spin playing a key role in those matches. The chasing team won four of those six matches, but lost both games where the team batting first scored above 160.
According to AccuWeather, there is likely to be thunderstorms throughout the day and evening in Colombo.
SL vs AUS 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction 7 June 2022
Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article as well as your own instincts to create your teams.
Cricket News: Can Joe Root go past Sachin Tendulkar as the all-time Test run scorer? Mark Taylor thinks so | Mark Taylor says Joe Root can go past Sachin Tendulkar
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor has tipped Joe Root to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most runs in Test cricket. Root scored an unbeaten century at Lord’s to help England chase down 277 runs with ease against New Zealand.
In the process, he became only the 14th player in the history of the game to reach the 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket.
With age on his side, Root has sparked debates about whether he could cross Tendulkar’s landmark figure of 15,921 Test runs. Taylor certainly has put his bets on the 31-year-old Englishman.
“Root has a minimum of five years left in him, so I think Tendulkar’s record is very achievable,” the former Aussie skipper told Sky Sports, as reported by Cricket Addictor.
He added, “Root is batting as well as I have ever seen him bat over the last 18 months to two years. He is in the prime of his career, so there are 15,000 runs-plus for him if he stays healthy.”
The only one who might go past Sachin Tendulkar is Joe Root – Harsha Bhogle
Root has been on an imperious run of form in recent times. He has scored 2,192 runs at an average of 56.20 in his past 21 Test matches. The dynamic batsman has 26 centuries and 53 half-centuries to his name in 118 Tests.
He has played the most Test matches as compared to Virat Kohli (101), Kane Williamson (87) and Steven Smith (85). Root is the youngest amongst the four and is thus widely regarded to break Tendulkar’s record considering the comparatively higher number of Test matches that England tends to play.
The two people who I thought could have challenged Sachin's aggregate in test cricket, because they had time on their side, were Graeme Smith and Alistair Cook. Now, the only one who might is Joe Root. Simply because I don't see any other country playing that much test cricket.
“The two people who I thought could have challenged Sachin’s aggregate in Test cricket because they had time on their side, were Graeme Smith and Alastair Cook. Now, the only one who might is Joe Root. Simply because I don’t see any other country playing that much Test cricket,” noted commentator Harsha Bhogle echoed similar thoughts in his tweet on Sunday.
However, Bhogle asserted that Root might have to stay consistent and injury-free to get near to Tendulkar’s record. “We’ll look at it in 2025, though I think that landmark, like Muralitharan’s, is safe,” he signed off.
Cricket News: Australia confirm playing 11 for first T20I against Sri Lanka | Australia playing 11 for T20I vs Sri Lanka at Colombo
Australia have confirmed their playing XI for their opening T20I against Sri Lanka that will be held in Colombo on 7th June. There are hardly any surprises in the team barring the confirmed absences of Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa.
The World T20 defending champions have maintained a fairly stable batting line-up, much akin to their victorious campaign in the UAE last year. Ashton Agar and Kane Richardson are the only non-regulars to have made it to the side as the Aaron Finch-led side begins the pursuit of winning a consecutive World T20 title Down Under later this year.
Australia playing 11 for 1st T20I vs Sri Lanka
Aaron Finch (captain), David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wicketkeeper), Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Josh Hazlewood.
Australia have named their XI for tomorrow's 1st T20I against Sri Lanka.
It is still up for debate if the Aussies would prefer making some changes to the unit that led them to the title in 2021. Concerns have been raised over the forms of Finch and Smith with the exciting Tim David waiting in the wings to grab his opportunity. Many believe that David could be an exceptional choice for the number five slot and add more attacking depth in Australia’s batting line-up. Meanwhile, Finch is battling his own run of poor form and will be looking to ward off apprehensions regarding the same in the upcoming series.
“There was a temptation there (to play two spinners) but having seen the conditions over the last couple of days, the square is quite green, there’s been a lot of rain around and the outfield is quite heavy,” Finch was quoted speaking about the team combination in a report by Cricket Australia.
He also addressed the possible inclusion of promising keeper-batsman Josh Inglis in the XI. Inglis has impressed many people with his average of 36 and strike rate of 146 in six T20Is so far. But for him to displace Matthew Wade in the XI would take some serious convincing. Wade is renowned for his heroics in the World T20 semi-final vs Pakistan last year.
“He’s so close, he’s really stiff. Every chance he’s had, he’s taken with both hands. He’s a super talented young payer. He’s shown his ability to float throughout the order in international cricket and domestic cricket,” Finch addressed this dilemma.
He added, “He’ll definitely get an opportunity with the quick back-ups between the three T20s and then the five ODIs being really congested. There will be an opportunity for Josh at some point. He’s made every post a winner.”
However, Finch would first and foremost look to get his own form back on track after registering only a single 50+ score in his last 14 T20Is. Australia cannot afford to walk into the World T20 with a depleted squad and hence they need to brush off these issues in the build-up to the mega tournament.
Cricket News: List of England’s all-time leading run scorers in Tests | Joe Root becomes 2nd Englishman to reach 10,000 Test runs
Joe Root achieved the incredible milestone of 10,000 Test runs with his match-winning century in the fourth innings against New Zealand in the first Test of England’s 2022 season at Lord’s.
The former skipper has sparked a stunning turnaround in last couple of years and scaled a comeback after a brief lull in his career.
All-time highest run scorers: Most runs for England in Tests
Freed from the shackles of captaincy, 33-year-old Root has become the second highest run-scorer in the longest format of the game for England. Let us take a look at the other Englishmen who join him in this coveted list.
1. Joe Root: 13,536
Root has found form and that too in some serious style in recent years. He has dominated bowling attacks across the world and is looking better than ever with the burden of captaincy being stripped off him. He became the second Englishman to reach 12,000 Test runs after Sir Alastair Cook.
Root not only has Cook in his sights, but even Sachin Tendulkar as well for most runs in Test history. Also, Root has gone past Cook for most centuries for England with 34, achieved on September 1, 2024.
2. Alastair Cook: 12,472
At one point in time, it looked absolute certain that Alastair Cook would surpass Sachin Tendulkar to become the highest run-scorer in Test history. But the southpaw arguably retired a bit earlier than required and ended up with 12472 runs in the whites. With 33 centuries to his name, Cook shouldered the batting responsibilities remarkably well for the English Test team during his 12-year-long international career.
3. Graham Gooch: 8,900
Graham Gooch emerged as a pillar of the English batting setup during the 1980s. He was widely regarded as a powerful hitter in his earlier years in international cricket.
However, Gooch moulded his game to become a more diverse and holistic batsman in the future. He struck 20 Test centuries and notched 8900 runs at an average of 42.58 against some of the most iconic bowling attacks of all time. Later on, Gooch went to coach Essex and played a significant role in Alastair Cook’s development as an all-time great of the game.
4. Alec Stewart: 8,493
Alec Stewart became a prominent batsman during an age when wicketkeepers weren’t really considered to be reliable with the willow. Stewart and then Adam Gilchrist gave rise to that transformation as the former bagged 8493 runs at an average of 39.54 in 133 Tests.
Stewart was a player who relied more on his touch and ability to carve out gaps on the field. He was a sensible and dependable figure in the batting line-up and his longevity ensured that he brought the curtains down in his career as arguably England’s best-ever wicketkeeper-batsman.
5. David Gower: 8,231
David Gower was certainly one of the most dexterous and skilful batsmen to have played for England. The left-hander had such an innate grace embedded in his stroke-play that it delighted the audience irrespective of their allegiance. He brought composure and consistency to the English batting line-up as Gower scored 8231 runs at an average of 44.25 with 18 centuries in 117 Test matches.
ZIM vs AFG 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report | ZIM vs AFG 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 2nd ODI Key Players | Harare Pitch Report
The first ODI was a reflection of where both nations are at in their cricketing journey. Both had slowish starts to their innings, but Afghanistan had the much better finishing, with 101 off their final ten overs proving crucial in the final analysis.
So, how will Zimbabwe respond at home? Given that their finishing stocks don’t look as strong as Afghanistan’s, they need more from their top order. The experienced Craig Ervine and Regis Chakabva will be key, but they need support around them including better from newbie Innocent Kaia, who soaked up 78 deliveries for his 39.
For Afghanistan, it is an opportunity to gain further ODI Super League points. They are currently sitting pretty in third spot with 80 points, and another win here will take them another step closer to the 2023 ODI World Cup in India where they will be a difficult team to play against with their spin options.
Afghanistan: 1. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2. Ibrahim Zadran, 3. Rahmat Shah, 4. Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), 5. Najibullah Zadran, 6. Mohammad Nabi, 7. Azmatullah Omarzai, 8. Rashid Khan, 9. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10. Fazalhaq Farooqi, 11. Fareed Ahmad
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Zimbabwe:
Sikandar Raza, Craig Ervine and Regis Chakabva all average 34 in ODIs at Harare. Zimbabwe need these three experienced players to form the foundation of their innings.
Raza played beautifully in the first ODI (67 off 78 balls). He now has 687 runs in 21 innings vs Afghanistan at an average of 36.15 and strike rate of 82.07.
Wessley Madhevere is a player who has potential to deliver. He averages 40 in T20Is at home, and will be aiming to transfer that kind of form to ODIs.
Blessing Muzarabani made a successful return to ODI cricket. He took two wickets in the powerplay and two at the death to finish with 4/54. He now has 12 wickets in six ODIs against Afghanistan.
Tendai Chatara has the most wickets among current Zimbabwe bowlers at Harare (31 wickets in 25 matches) and has 20 wickets in 14 matches vs Afghanistan. He finished wicketless in the first ODI at 6.20 per over despite two maidens.
Afghanistan:
Rahmat Shah went from 57 (103) to 94 (120) in a great show of acceleration in the first ODI. He now has 602 runs in 12 innings vs Zimbabwe at an average of 50.16, with seven 50+ scores.
Hashmatullah Shahidi struck his best score against Zimbabwe in the ist match. He will be looking to build on his 88.
Mohammad Nabi has the most runs in ZIM-AFG ODIs (699, avg. 30.39). He also has the second-most wickets (33), including a dominant 4/34 in the first ODI where he found turn. In fact, he has taken 17 wickets in just nine matches on this ground (avg. 16.29).
Rashid Khan also has 17 wickets in nine matches at Harare (avg. 15.17) and has taken a huge 42 wickets in 19 ODIs vs Zimbabwe at an average of just 13.09. Also, he showed some of his IPL 2022 batting form at the backend of the innings in the first ODI (39* off 17 balls).
Mujeeb ur Rahman was the only wicketless bowler for Afghanistan in the first ODI (6-0-43-0). Can he bounce back? He has 15 wickets in seven ODIs against Zimbabwe (avg. 20.20).
Afghanistan have won six of the past eight matches between the teams.
Zimbabwe scored 93/4 between overs 17 and 41 in the first ODI (RR 3.8). They need to be better against Afghanistan’s spinners.
Craig Ervine in ODIs against Afghanistan: 19 inns, 449 runs, avg. 28.06, SR 63.59.
Harare Pitch Report and Weather
There was assistance upfront for the seamers in the morning, and that could be the case again on a ground where there is often some movement early. So, the team who wins the toss may choose to chase, despite the possibility of some turn later in the day.
Another clear and cool day is forecast in Harare as it is winter time in the African nation.
ZIM vs AFG 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction 6 June 2022
Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article as well as your own instincts to create your teams.
Option 1:
ZIM vs AFG 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
ZIM vs AFG 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction
Fan2Play Prediction
Base team:
Wicket-keepers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Batsmen: Rahmat Shah, Craig Ervine
All-rounders: Mohammad Nabi, Sikandar Raza
Bowlers: Blessing Muzarabani, Rashid Khan
ZIM vs AFG 2nd ODI Match Prediction
Afghanistan are in a good place and should win this match.
Cricket News: Highest successful run chases in Tests at Lord’s | Which team has achieved the highest successful run chase at Lord’s?
England pulled off the third-highest successful run chase in Tests at Lord’s courtesy of a brilliant unbeaten 120-run stand between Joe Root and Ben Foakes. Along the way, Root struck his 26th Test century and brought up 10,000 runs in Test cricket in a glorious knock, achieved under pressure as England were in trouble at 69/4 chasing 277.
Root was awarded player of the match for his 115*. He fittingly hit the winning runs off Tim Southee after he and Foakes cruised the final 61 runs needed on day four to seal victory.
“It feels fantastic, more than anything for us to have won this Test match after such a long time. It’s been so enjoyable. Hopefully we can use this as a way to step forward,” Root said in the post-match presentation.
“The number of times Ben [Stokes] has won us Tests under my leadership, it’s a great chance for me to give back to him. I love batting. I want to score as many runs as I can and win us as many Test matches as I can.”
Earlier, other centurion Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell put on a 195-run stand to rescue New Zealand from the depths of 56/4 in their second dig. At 251/4, the Black Caps could envision a lead of 300+, but they collapsed again and lost their last six wickets for 34 runs.
In the end, their 276-run lead wasn’t enough. England’s second innings began before even two days’ worth of overs were bowled, so they had the chance to bat on a relatively fresh Lord’s track. And, after yet another collapse earlier in the Test, England managed to pull it off thanks to Stokes, Foakes and the brilliant Joe Root.
West Indies were a different beast in the 1970s and 1980s. Their magnificent run chase of 342 back in 1984 remains the highest successful run chase on this ground.
Gordon Greenidge belted an unbeaten 214 off just 242 balls, while Larry Gomes finished not out on 92 off 140 balls. The only wicket England took was Desmond Haynes via a run out. Sheer dominance.
282-3 by England against New Zealand, 2004
A year before England’s superb triumph in the 2005 Ashes, Andrew Strauss struck 112 and 83 as England chased 282 against New Zealand at Lord’s. Nasser Hussain also starred in the second innings, hitting an unbeaten 103 to guide England home.
279/5 by England against New Zealand, 2022
Victory in the opening Test of the 2022 series against New Zealand was England’s second in 18 Tests since defeating India at Chennai in early 2021. Joe Root was instrumental to victory in that Chennai Test, and was also key to England’s triumph at Lord’s nearly 18 months later.
Yet another successful run chase by England against New Zealand at Lord’s. 57 years ago, Geoff Boycott (76) and Ted Dexter (80*) led England to a seven-wicket win. It was a result that saw England go 2-0 up in that three-match series against the Black Caps.
193-5 by England against West Indies, 2012
High-flying England were staring down the barrel of an upset defeat against West Indies in 2012. Chasing 193 for victory, England slipped to 57/4, before Ian Bell (63*) and Alastair Cook (79) put on a 132-run stand to put the home side on the brink of victory.
191-8 by England against West Indies, 2000
England won this Test despite getting rolled for 134 in their first dig. They then destroyed West Indies in the second innings, rolling the tourists for just 54, leaving 188 to win.
The home side got there in the end, but not before a six-wicket haul from Windies legend Courtney Walsh. Dominic Cork (33*) and Darren Gough (4*) came together with 28 to win and two wickets in hand, and they remained there at the end.
Cricket News: Could Hardik Pandya become India captain one day? | Hardik Pandya has given India food for thought regarding captaincy
Hardik Pandya excelled in his first season as captain of the Gujarat Titans, leading the franchise to the IPL 2022 crown in their first season in the competition.
Pandya was one of the top three selections made by the Titans following their launch as one of the two new teams for the 2022 tournament. Vikram Solanki and Ashish Nehra opted to make Pandya captain, having served under Rohit Sharma at the Mumbai Indians and Virat Kohli at international level. Pandya won the IPL four times with the Indians, having been deployed in the lower order, and was more than potent with the ball when called upon.
However, there was a notion that he could be even better when handed greater responsibility.
Hardik Pandya made a smooth transition as captain in IPL 2022
After his move to the Titans, the 28-year-old shifted to number three and top-scored for the franchise with 487 runs. Also, he seemingly made all the right calls when required to ensure that his side lifted the crown.
In fact, Gujarat Titans spinner R Sai Kishore labelled Hardik as a younger version of the great MS Dhoni. Quite the compliment. “I would call Hardik the junior version of Dhoni. There are a lot of similarities between the two. Much like Dhoni, Hardik has the knack of getting the best out of his players. Both put the team before themselves and that’s what you expect from your leader,” said Kishore in a recent interview with Times of India.
Pandya’s leadership will come to the fore once more, and it will be fascinating to see how he and his team-mates cope with the level of expectations that comes with winning the IPL. Even if the Titans are unsuccessful in their title defence, Pandya has still accomplished more as a leader than the great Virat Kohli managed in 15 seasons with Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Could India look at Hardik Pandya as a future captain?
It may just give India food for thought regarding their captaincy for the future. Sharma inherited the captaincy of all formats from Kohli following his resignation in 2021. However, at the age of 35, Sharma is certainly not a long-term option for the national side, especially in the white-ball formats.
Also, the opener endured his worst IPL campaign in 2022 with Mumbai Indians as his side finished bottom of the standings, while he managed only 268 at an average of 19.14. On the other hand, Pandya was on the money with all of his calls.
Lokesh Rahul has been named vice-captain and did lead India in their tour of South Africa in 2022 in the absence of Sharma. However, India were whitewashed by the Proteas, slumping to a 3-0 defeat in the ODIs. Rahul was criticised not only for his decision-making under pressure, but also his batting as he appeared to play within himself at times to the cost of his team.
It was evident in Paarl in the second ODI of the series when he scored 55 from 79 balls at a strike rate of 69.62, which was blown away by the aggressive batting of the hosts as they chased down their total with ease to win the series. Then, we saw similar in IPL 2022, as Lucknow Super Giants bowed out in the Eliminator.
Captaincy is not an easy transition for players to make, but the fact is that Pandya not only coped with the pressure, but he also thrived under it. He took his batting to new heights, notching his highest single-season IPL run total in 2022, while he was useful with the ball when required. Pandya could well be worth considering for the Indian hierarchy, especially if they are not able to perform to the standard required to win the World T20 in Australia towards the end of the year.
Cricket News: 5 incredible facts about the James Anderson-Brendon McCullum partnership | 5 facts about Anderson & McCullum
James Anderson is one of the few modern-day greats adorned with this incredible workhorse attitude. At 39, he ran down the New Zealand batting line-up like a pack of cards upon his return to the English Test squad.
This series also marks the beginning of Brendon McCullum’s tenure as the head coach of the Ben Stokes-led side. McCullum, only 40, had retired from the whites in 2016 and this is his first major international coaching assignment after guiding the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
He will expect Anderson to play an instrumental role in giving a new shape and sparking a turnaround for the English Test team. Here are five interesting facts about the partnership between McCullum and Anderson, two absolute greats of the modern game.
McCullum was a brilliant Test cricketer back in the days. He had made 100 consecutive appearances in his whites since his debut. Many felt that his retirement at 35 in early 2016 was a bit earlier than expected.
On the other hand, Anderson has continued working his socks off to remain relevant for the English team in the longest format of the game. He is playing his 170th Test currently and coaching him currently is a contemporary who is less than a year older than the pacer!
2: Anderson has taken 211 Test wickets since McCullum’s retirement
Certain players are unable to take over 200 test wickets in their entire careers. Then, there is Anderson who has scalped 211 dismissals in the whites since McCullum retired in February 2016. The seamer has consistently taken a considerable number of wickets in the last six years. Not many testaments are required to appreciate his longevity in the game but this one fact might come as a sweet surprise for many of his admirers.
3: Anderson’s long lease at Lord’s
James Anderson in: Jun 2022 – Takes 4/66 at Lord's under Brendon McCullum coaching
May 2003 – Takes 5/73 at Lord's even before Brendon McCullum made his Test debut as a player#ENGvNZ
Anderson relishes playing at the Lord’s and there are no two ways about it. He has taken seven five-wicket hauls in the iconic ground. Overall, he has scalped 114 test wickets in the stadium.
Interestingly, the 39-year-old had taken a five-wicket haul in his international debut against Zimbabwe on this ground way back in May 2003. McCullum hadn’t even debuted on the international stage at that point in time. Now, 19 years down the line, the Kiwi has become England’s coach but Anderson is still doing the same job as he delivered figures of 16-6-66-4 on the first day of the first Test.
4. McCullum has been a strong advocate of the Anderson-Broad duo
Jimmy Anderson 122 Tests,467 wickets. Stuart Broad 102 Tests,368 wickets. Whenever the time comes, good luck replacing that!
McCullum kicked off his journey as the England coach by calling back the duo of Anderson and Stuart Broad after the veterans were dropped from the squad towards the fag end of Joe Root’s captaincy.
Apparently, the swashbuckling Kiwi has been a long-term advocate of the two pacers. His tweet on them, dating as back as 2017, reads, “Jimmy Anderson 122 Tests,467 wickets. Stuart Broad 102 Tests,368 wickets. Whenever the time comes, good luck replacing that!”
We are pretty sure McCullum is not losing sweat over replacing this iconic duo anytime soon!
5. Unique head-to-head record
Anderson has dismissed McCullum more times in ODIs (4) than in Test cricket (3). This is irrespective of the fact that the English pacer is widely regarded as a great in the longest format of the game and McCullum was more of a limited-overs star.
McCullum in fact maintained a great average of 48.3 and 57.8 against Anderson in Tests and ODIs respectively. The English pacer couldn’t dismiss him in whites in consecutive series’ that took place in 2013 and 2015 between the two sides. We wonder if the two of them ever reflect back on these faceoffs in the dressing room these days!
Cricket News: Twitter reactions as England lose 7/57 to hand advantage to NZ | England go from 59/0 to 116/7 in the first Test vs NZ at Lord’s
New captain. New coach. Same old England.
After bowling out World Test Champions New Zealand for just 132, the home side handed back the advantage with some abject batting in the final session. England, hoping to turn the page to a happier chapter compared to their recent Test form, lost 7/57 to sit 16 runs behind the Black Caps with just three wickets in hand.
Some of the reactions from England fans in particular are pure gold. There was almost a sense of unease even when England were sitting so comfortably at 59/0 in pursuit of New Zealand’s 132 that anything could happen.
And it did indeed. Kyle Jamieson’s opening wicket began a procession, where England’s experienced middle order – expected to do most of the scoring – fell like a pack of cards. After James Anderson and debutant Matty Potts ripped through New Zealand, England will have to claw their way back in the contest on day two after dominating much of day one.
Twitter reactions as England lose 7/57 in yet another collapse
“Only England could bowl a team out for 132 after losing the toss and end up having the worse day. So bad,” one tweet read. Below is a selection of tweets that paints the mood perfectly. If you’re an England fan, if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.
Parkinson: "Hi lads, well bowled, how we going with the ba..
More evidence why Test cricket is the most beautiful format of the game. You can slump 36/6 in the morning, have Anderson bowling with 6 slips at Lord’s, be all out 132. And yet fight your way through to redemption by the end of the day..,no sudden death here..#ENGvNZ
Shane Warne Remembered in touching tribute at Lord’s
The late, great Shane Warne was honoured on day one at Lord’s. First, Sky Sports renamed their commentary box the Shane Warne Commentary Box. Then, the players and capacity crowd stood and applauded for 23 seconds at the end of the 23rd over in a touching tribute for the greatest leg-spinner to play the game.
One thing is for sure, Warne would have not held back after another England collapse. We will all miss that.
