Steve Smith is on track to play the 2nd Test against West Indies in Grenada. The great batsman rejoined the Australia squad over the weekend in a bid to be fit for the match which begins on July 3.
Smith missed the Barbados Test due to a dislocated finger which he suffered on day three of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against South Africa. He has been undergoing rehabilitation for the nasty injury, and Pat Cummins confirmed Smith has been taking steps towards a return.
Wouldn't be surprised if Steve Smith misses at least the start of the West Indies tour. A very nasty injury.#WTCFinalpic.twitter.com/l58xL3yRkN
Steve Smith a strong chance to play 2nd Test, but must tick a few boxes first
After Australia sealed a 159-run win on day three in Barbados, Cummins said Smith has “had a few hits” as he aims to return to the XI. However, Smith still has a few boxes to tick as he has not batted against a cricket ball yet since the injury.
“He’s had a few hits over in New York, which I think was with a tennis ball and an incredi-ball,” Cummins said, as quoted by cricket.com.au.
“I think his wound is looking good, so the next stage is to come over here and hit some balls in the nets. So we’ll know more over the next few days.”
Andrew McDonald is confident Smith will be available. The Australia coach said Smith will have the main session as well as training on match-eve to prove his fitness.
“It’s really about functionality around the finger rather than anything else,” McDonald said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “”There’ll be no risk to long-term health of that finger. He’ll return and I think it’s likely he’ll play. Leading into the next game, he’ll have the main session two days out.
“He’ll [also] train the day before [the match]. If that all goes well, then I’d expect Steve to resume at No. 4.”
If Smith is fit to play, Australia will certainly welcome him with open arms. The top order struggled significantly in the first Test. Usman Khawaja’s issues around offstump remain. Sam Konstas endured a tough return to the Test side. Cameron Green at number three doesn’t look the right fit, nor does Josh Inglis at four.
Pat Cummins backs younger players to come good
However, Cummins has called for calm given batting conditions were difficult in Barbados.
“You saw today how tricky a wicket that was. There weren’t too many 50-run partnerships throughout the whole game,” the captain said.
“That’s the challenge for our young batting group. If you presented that same wicket next week, would you do anything differently? Would you not? That will be the conversations over the next few days.
“But we back them in and their prep leading in was excellent and the way they’re talking about playing is really good, so we’ve got full confidence.”
After a tough first two days where Australia were saved by poor Windies fielding and questionable third umpire decisions, Cummins’ team took the game by the scruff of the neck. After beginning day three on 92/4 leading by 82, Travis Head, Beau Webster and Alex Carey all struck crucial half-centuries to propel the Aussies to a lead of 300.
Australia’s experienced attack was then far too strong for the hosts on a difficult pitch. All ten wickets fell in the final session as the Windies were bundled out for just 141.
Australia will travel to Grenada on Monday to prepare for their first-ever Test in the island nation. The National Stadium has hosted just four Tests in its history, along with 24 ODIs and eight T20Is.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius. Remember the name. The 19-year-old has made a superb start to Test cricket, becoming the first South African since Stephen Cook against England in 2016 to hit a century on debut. He is also the youngest Protea to score a Test century, full stop.
Pretorius walked in with South Africa in a spot of bother against Zimbabwe on a Bulawayo pitch offering assistance. The Proteas were reduced to 23/3 and then 55/4, before a terrific counterattack between he and fellow debutant Dewald Brevis allowed South Africa to get a foothold in the contest. Pretorius himself wasted no time getting going, smashed his fourth delivery for six.
The 19-year-old enjoyed a big stroke of luck when he was on 30. He was given not out after edging behind against Tanaka Chivanga. With no DRS available in this series, Zimbabwe could not review Richard Illingworth’s decision. However, the attacking left-hander played superbly nonetheless.
Pretrorius brought up his hundred off just 112 balls at a control percentage close to 90. He was particularly strong against the spinners, which allowed him to get into his groove at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. As he brought up his century, the Proteas went past 200 and can focus on shifting even more pressure back on Zimbabwe.
In the process, Lhuan-dre Pretorius became the sixth South African to make a century on Test debut, joining Andrew Hudson (vs WI, 1992), Jacques Rudolph (vs BAN, 2003), Alviro Petersen (vs IND, 2010), Stiaan van Zyl (vs WI, 2014) and Stephen Cook (vs ENG, 2016) in an exclusive list.
Reactions: Lhuan-dre Pretorius becomes sixth South African to score century on Test debut
Lhuan-dre Pretorius has already made a name for himself in T20 cricket, with 1,021 runs in 38 matches at a strike rate of 146.48. However, he has also been fantastic in First Class cricket, with 485 runs at 60.62 heading into this Test. This included three centuries.
“Hundred on Test debut for Lhuan-dre Pretorius. I understand he had a life, but he is a special talent. And he will hit a lot more sixes in T20 cricket,” wrote Bharath Ramaraj, Principal Correspondent at RevSportz.
“100 on First Class Debut, 100 in the First Class Final, 100 on Test debut. So lovely to see he [Lhuan-dre Pretorius] is hungry to make an impact in big moments!” wrote South Africa wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi on X, formerly Twitter.
Here are some of the reactions.
Hundred on Test debut for Lhuan-dre Pretorius. I understand he had a life, but he is a special talent. And he will hit a lot more sixes in T20 cricket 😊
Sean Williams made his International debut before Lhuan-dre Pretorius was even born. And though being in red-hot Test form himself lately, watching this kid smash a debut ton like that must’ve made him feel ancient for a second…
Only the 7th and the youngest batter (19) to score a century on debut for the Proteas 🙌 !!! INCREDIBLE INNINGS!!The FUTURE IS BRIGHT AND THE FUTURE IS NOW!!!! WELL PLAYER LHU!!! 🔥🔥🔥🙌🙌
Brilliant to see Lhuan-dre Pretorius making a splash in Test cricket. Such a precocious talent in all formats. Absolutely loved watching him bat with Joe Root at the SA20.
Pretorius survived another close caught behind shout off Brian Bennett on the stroke of tea. He went to the break not out on 128, making up more than half of South Africa’s 248/6. He was eventually dismissed for a magnificent 153 off 160 balls.
As Cameron Green struck multiple hundreds for Gloucestershire in the lead up to the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, Australian selectors were adamant he needed to be back in the side. Green, playing professional cricket for the first time since back surgery, was looking in good touch.
However, Australia only had openings at the top of the order as Steve Smith, Travis Head and Beau Webster were certain starters. Webster enjoyed a superb start to his Test career and provides the all-important fifth bowling option given Green is only batting.
George Bailey and Andrew McDonald have spoken in the past of their desire to have their perceived best six batters in the country playing for the Test side, no matter where they bat in the order. Green’s runs in the middle order in County cricket can easily be transferred to the top of the order in Test cricket, right?
Not quite.
A run of low scores is not uncommon for a number three, especially against quality pace bowlers on helpful pitches. Green’s returns of 4, 0, 3, and 15 against South Africa and West Indies respectively are obviously underwhelming. However, it’s the manner of Green’s dismissals that are cause for concern.
Analysis: A look at why Cameron Green is struggling at number three
Cameron Green’s struggles are underpinned by four key technical deficiencies that make it nigh on impossible to succeed in such a crucial position:
Pushes with very hard hands.
Heavy on his feet.
Backfoot slides across to the legside at point of impact when looking to punch through the offside.
Bat comes down at an angle across his front pad against deliveries pitched around the stumps.
Issue #1: Pushing out with hard hands
Australia, in a time of batting uncertainty, need confidence from their number three. Green has often been a nervous starter in Test cricket, and the move to three has exposed this significantly.
With nerves comes Green’s desire to get bat on ball. He pushes out with hard hands and is loose on offstump. Sure, there is a shift towards more attacking strokeplay in Test cricket, but allowing the ball to come to you and playing late remains vital, especially on surfaces offering movement.
Below are screenshots of two of his four dismissals since moving to number three. The first – in the second innings of the WTC Final – sees Green getting down the pitch to counter the threat of Kagiso Rabada. However, Green ends up pushing hard at a delivery just outside the offstump, and seam movement has him in trouble. He nicks to slip.
The second – in the first innings of the opening Test against West Indies – is arguably worse. His bat is way out in front to a delivery in the channel. He nicks to slip again.
“If you’re going to bat at number three for Australia, or any Test side, you need to be a little bit tighter in your defence than that,” said Greg Blewett on commentary on day one.
“That to me is just nerves, pure nerves. He wants bat on ball. If you’re getting wide of off stump … you’ve got to be a little bit more focused and play it a little bit better. He’s a better player than this. He’s just showing his nerves at the moment.”
Cameron Green dismissal in second innings of WTC Final: Pushing out with hard hands.
Cameron Green’s dismissal in the first innings of the first Test vs West Indies: Pushing out with very hard hands.
Issue #2: Not light enough on his feet
Green looked composed and assured during his magnificent 174* against New Zealand batting at number four last year. His footwork looked better than ever in Test cricket, providing hope that he had moved past the struggles from earlier in his career.
However, those issues have come roaring back in the past few weeks. Green is quite heavy on his feet and plants his front foot, which doesn’t allow him to adjust quickly enough to what the ball is doing. Couple this with the hard hands mentioned above, and it is a recipe for disaster.
The first screenshot below is from his dismissal in the second innings of the first Test against West Indies. Green’s feet are firmly planted, which doesn’t allow him to be nimble enough to adjust.
This ties in closely with the second screenshot below, from the first innings against West Indies. Green’s front foot is still on the move as he hits the ball, highlighting the ongoing issue with his slow footwork.
Cameron Green struggling at number three: Heavy on his feet.
Cameron Green’s dismissal in the first innings of the first Test vs West Indies: Front foot still on the move.
Issue #3: Back foot slides to the legside when looking to punch through the offside
Green becomes an even likelier candidate to edge the ball when trying to punch through the offside, given the position of his back foot. Instead of the back foot coming into line, it shifts towards the legside, throwing off Green’s positioning and balance.
The two screenshots below are from the second delivery he faced in the West Indies series. His back foot slides further out to the legside at point of contact, making him very susceptible to edging the ball. In this instance, Brandon King dropped the catch at gully.
Cameron Green struggling at number three: Backfoot begins sliding out to the legside
Cameron Green struggling at number three: Backfoot slides out further to the legside
This issue was even more pronounced in his second innings dismissal. Looking to punch through the offside on the back foot, Green got himself in an awkward position, with his back foot again sliding out to the legside, ensuring his weight wasn’t fully into the shot.
Cameron Green’s dismissal in the second innings of the first Test against West Indies: Backfoot problems.
Cameron Green’s dismissal in the second innings of the first Test against West Indies: Backfoot ends up well outside leg.
Issue #4: Green’s bat comes down at an angle to deliveries pitched on the stumps
If the channel wasn’t dangerous enough, Green can also nick off to deliveries pitched on or close to the stumps. Against balls pitched further up, Green’s bat often comes down at an angle and across his front pad. He is also an LBW candidate as a result. In fact, he survived a close shout on day two of the first Test against West Indies.
The first three screenshots below are from day one of the WTC Final. Rabada bowls a beautiful delivery which nips away, but Green’s hard hands and angled bat means a dropped catch is his only hope of survival. Aiden Markram took a superb catch behind a diving Wiaan Mulder.
The fourth screenshot is of the LBW appeal in Barbados.
Cameron Green dismissal in WTC Final: Bat begins to come down straight, but head position is falling to the offside.
Cameron Green dismissal in WTC Final: Bat comes right across his body, exposing both the edge and front pad.
Cameron Green dismissal in WTC Final: He ends up nicking off to second slip.
Cameron Green survives LBW shout in West Indies Test, with the bat again coming across his body.
These glaring issues require hours of practice to rectify. I still believe Green has what it takes to be a successful Test cricketer, but number four is the absolute highest he should bat. With Steve Smith still going strong, Green will have to bide his time for that position.
Also, Beau Webster has made a strong start to his Test career in Green’s usual number six spot. So, it’s best the selectors take Green out of the spotlight and focus on fixing the technical issues that are plaguing him currently.
“Leading into the Australian series [Ashes] at home, how is the top three going to shape up?” Greg Blewett asked at stumps on day two of the first Test in Barbados.
“Who’s going to bat at number three for Australia? To me, Cameron Green isn’t the answer. There’s some things for the Australian selectors to work out.”
Marnus Labuschagne was dropped for the first Test against West Indies, but there is every chance he gets recalled quickly. Also, Australia have options domestically including Nathan McSweeney and Kurtis Patterson.
Time will tell who bats at three in the Ashes. On this evidence, however, it cannot be Cameron Green.
There has only been one successful run chase in Test cricket at Kensington Oval in Barbados. We’d have to go back to 1999 for one of the greatest innings in Test history – Brian Lara’s 153 not out which led the West Indies to a successful chase of 308 with just one wicket in hand against Australia.
West Indies collapsed to 105/5 and 248/8 in that game, before Lara and Curtly Ambrose (12 off 39 balls) took the hosts to 302/9. Courtney Walsh, one of the more famous number elevens in history, successfully negotiated five deliveries before Lara hit the winning runs with a trademark cover drive to spark scenes of joy.
One successful run chase in Tests at Kensington oval Barbados
While the West Indies’ chase in 1999 remains the only successful run chase in Tests on this ground, there have been two bigger scores in the fourth innings.
West Indies struck 387 batting fourth against Australia in 2008. However, the Australians won by 87 runs despite the Windies sitting very pretty at 307/3 chasing 475 at one point. Simon Katich was man of the match with scores of 36 and 157.
The other bigger total batting last was 313 by England way back in 1954. Chasing 495 for victory, Len Hutton (77), Peter May (62), Denis Compton (93) and Tom Graveney (64*) all crossed 50. However, no other player made more than five in one of the more unique scorecards in Test cricket.
Four half-centuries and five ducks in England’s attempted run chase against West Indies at Barbados in 1954.
West Indies have a great chance to become the second team to chase a target at Barbados in the 2025 Test against Australia. The visitors ended day two on 92/4, leading by 82 on a tricky surface.
The first Test between West Indies and Australia is not short of controversy, with third umpire Adrian Holdstock criticised for a number of poor decisions. After West Indies were incorrectly denied a catch behind on day one, the hosts bore the brunt even more on day two, including captain Roston Chase being given out when he clearly inside edged the ball onto pad.
“I disagree with the decision, I disagree with the technology there” said Ian Bishop on commentary. “I thought he hit that, but somehow it’s gone against Roston Chase.”
Bishop went on to say that the clear deviation made it obvious that Chase hit the ball. “If you’ve watched the game long enough, you know when there’s a clear deviation,” he said.
Key Adrian Holdstock decisions as Australia finish day two with lead of 82
The disappointment didn’t end there for West Indies. Alex Carey pulled off a great take off Shai Hope in the 58th over, but replays showed the ball grazed the turf as Carey was completing the catch. Holdstock, however, decided the catch was clean.
— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) June 26, 2025
In the 25th over of Australia’s second innings, there was a huge LBW shout against Cameron Green. The ball appeared to hit the front pad first, supported by UltraEdge. However, Holdstock decided inside edge only and West Indies lost their review.
While all those decisions went against West Indies, there was one that arguably went in their favour in the 21st over of their innings. There appeared to be a spike on UltraEdge as the ball passed Roston Chase’s front pad off a Josh Hazlewood delivery, before Holdstock concluded it missed the front pad and only an inside edge took place.
West Indies coach Daren Sammy did not hold back in his assessment of Adrian Holdstock. Speaking to the media after day two, Sammy even referenced Holdstock’s performances in the recent limited-overs series against England.
“We are just trying to find some sort of understanding as to what the process is,” Sammy said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “We only hope for consistency. That’s all we could ask for. When there is doubt in something, just be consistent across the board.
“I have noticed, especially with this particular umpire, it’s something that for me started in England. It’s frustrating. I just ask for consistency in the decision-making.”
When asked if he was referring to Adrian Holdstock, Sammy replied, “Yeah, look, you don’t want to get yourself in a situation where you’re wondering about certain umpires. Is there something against this team? But when you see decision after decision, then it raises the question. I know he’s here for the series. You don’t want to go in a Test match having that doubt.
“So I want to have that conversation as to the process… so we could be all clear. Because, at the end of the day, you don’t want to be going into a Test match not trusting the umpires. And that’s not what our team is about. So we’re just looking for some clarity as to the decisions.”
Fans vent their frustration on social media
“We need specialist third umpires,” said well-known and respected analyst Jarrod Kimber. “We have needed specialist third umpires for quite some time. And I’m sick and tired of saying it, and we keep seeing umpires make mistakes.
“What’s happening to the West Indies in this Test against Australia… not only did they just have bad luck in the first innings with their bowling, now they’ve just got umpires making horrendous mistake after horrendous mistake.
“I don’t want to blame an individual umpire because I’ve been saying for ages the issue here is we don’t have specialist third umpires.”
Many other fans took to social media to share their views on what was a controversial day’s play. Here are some of the reactions on X (formerly Twitter).
West Indies might have already won this match with normal 3rd umpiring and taking their catches.
Well west indies all out. They lead by 6…. What a pathetic third umpiring display we have seen this match. It's sad but Anyway. Australia have Been dying for an all rounder, that can bowl. And Webster was brilliant, crucial breakthrough of hope. Australia need runs. #WIvAUS
I'm sorry but the third umpire needs to have a spell. Happy for webster. But this is some of the worst third umpiring I have ever seen. The ball is still wobbling in Carey's hand when the ball touches the ground IN SLOWMO. That's not acceptable. Curtly Ambrose losing it #WIvAuS
Should be walking off, the Windies. Shouldn't be playing with this level of umpiring. The Test has turned on its head with the kind of decisions that has been made. Howler after howler. I get on-field umpires making a few errors, but with tech and replays, nah, can't be making so…
Whoever the 3rd umpire is he is absolutely not fit for the job . Chase clearly edged it & if he can’t even see that then he shouldn’t be officiating anymore games #WIvAUS
I'm sorry but West Indies should really walk off the field and refuse to come back till the time Adrian Holdstock stands down from the rest of the Test (and the series). He's very clearing having a mare. Dreadful umpiring.
Genuinely what is wrong with Adrian Holdstok ? The ball clearly touching the ground. This is absolutely ridiculous. How is this guy allowed to officiate after all the blunders he did last 2 days ? How are the WI players not protesting? #WIvAUS
Didn't think we'd have Sydney 2008 level of incompetence ever again, but that's 4 howlers from the same third umpire Adrian Holdstock. Time to make this a specialised position instead of rotating between in-person umps who are clearly unfit at adapting to lower quality production https://t.co/GSBZwyIFt5
— raghavbikh.bsky.social (@raghav_bikh) June 26, 2025
Adrian Holdstock shouldn’t get another test after this shambles of a performance. #WIvAUS
— Daan Human Stan Account (@GoTeamGoSports1) June 26, 2025
Australia’s top order struggled once again as they lost four wickets cheaply in the second innings. They finished day two on 92/4, leading by just 82 as the West Indies seek to achieve their second-straight Test win over the Australians.
Adrian Holdstock himself will be looking for a much improved performance on day three as the spotlight is on him as much it is the players.
Ian Healy has been forced to eat his words about Shamar Joseph immediately after the the fast bowler ripped through Australia’s batting lineup on the first day of the three-match Test series.
Before the opening match, Healy took aim at Joseph after the pacer said to “look out” in a statement aimed at Sam Konstas.
“OK Shamar, well you’ve delivered crap all year,’ Healy said on SEN earlier this week. “So he better improve, that’s what I’m saying. He’s got real trouble. You’re not Curtly Ambrose, champ.
“He’s picked on the 19-year-old (Konstas) again. Shamar’s had a terrible year since he beat us at the Gabba early last year.”
Heals wasn't having Shamar Joseph's warning to the young Aussie. 😅
Shamar Joseph rips through Australia after Ian Healy took aim
Joseph was unstoppable on day one, moving the ball both ways at pace to dismantle Australia’s vulnerable batting lineup. The fast bowler dismissed Konstas LBW for three, before having both Cameron Green and Usman Khawaja dropped soon after.
Joseph didn’t have to wait much longer to have the struggling Green caught at slip. He then dismissed Usman Khawaja (47) and Beau Webster (11) in quick succession in the second session to have four of the first five Australian wickets to his name.
Joseph’s performance sent Australia another reminder of his talent after dominating down under back in January 2024. He took 13 wickets at 17.30 in that series, including 7/68 at the Gabba in one of Test cricket’s most memorable spells.
Australia were eventually bowled out for just 180, raising further questions about their strategy to pick who they think are the country’s top six batters no matter where they line up in the order. Khawaja and Travis Head combined for 91 runs before Pat Cummins’ late flurry saw Australia move from 143/8 to 170/9. Jayden Seales finished with 5/60 as he and Joseph (4/46) took nine wickets between them.
Australia responded well with the ball, taking four wickets late to leave West Indies in trouble at 57/4. However, as seen in Australia’s batting struggles in the recent World Test Championship (WTC) Final, West Indies can still cause plenty of damage in the third innings to leave themselves with a manageable chase in the fourth innings.
Australia are back in action soon after their defeat in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, with the first of three Tests against West Indies kicking off on June 25. The Australians made a big decision in dropping Marnus Labuschagne following the loss. Also, they will be without Steve Smith for at least the opening match due to a nasty finger injury he picked up in the final.
So, two of Australia’s batting linchpins between the 2019-2022 period are out of this clash. Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis are confirmed starters, but where Inglis bats is the big topic of conversation.
Australia predicted XI for 1st Test against West Indies in Barbados: Sam Konstas will play.
Australia predicted XI vs West Indies: Where will Josh Inglis bat?
Australia XI (possible): 1. Usman Khawaja, 2. Sam Konstas, 3. Cameron Green, 4. Josh Inglis, 5. Travis Head, 6. Beau Webster, 7. Alex Carey (wk), 8. Pat Cummins (c), 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Nathan Lyon, 11. Josh Hazlewood
Cameron Green was all at sea in the WTC Final, although he copped two excellent deliveries by Kagiso Rabada. However, Australia will persist with him at number three.
“We see (Green at three) as a long-term option,” captain Pat Cummins said, as quoted by cricket.com.au.
“He’s hitting the ball really well; he’s moving really well. He had a Test match where it didn’t go to plan, and he only faced (five) balls.
“The message is not to look into that too much. We’re really happy with where his game is placed and I dare say he’ll get a decent run at number three.”
A report by abc.net.au on the 24th of June state that Inglis batting at three was a possibility, but Australia have opted to put him at four.
“I think it’s just because I have done it, I feel comfortable going into different positions,” Inglis said to the media at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.
“I’ve batted at the top in white-ball cricket and in the middle, so I’ve become accustomed to moving around a fair bit, and [it’s] something I pride myself on.”
With a new look team, Australia will be banking on their experienced batters, as well as their first-choice bowling attack, to make a strong start to the new WTC cycle. Pat Cummins’ team are undoubtedly favourites to win in the Caribbean, but they will be wary of any complacency given what Shamar Joseph did down under back in early 2024.
Australia tour of West Indies 2025 Test series schedule:
1st Test, Kensington Oval Barbados, June 25-29 2025.
2nd Test, National Cricket Stadium Grenada, July 3-7 2025.
3rd Test (D/N), Sabina Park Jamaica, July 12-16 2025.
While Steve Smith is widely regarded as the “Modern-day Bradman,” there was another cricketer who came close to Don Bradman’s batting average. He is none other than the Western Australian legend Adam Voges. In fact, Voges still holds the second-highest batting average in the history of Test cricket for a player with more than 25 Tests (61.88). With a batting average of over 45 in all three formats of the game, Voges goes down as one of the biggest “What Ifs” of cricket as he was good enough to play more internationals.
Nevertheless, the 45-year-old is still one of the most influential figures of WA cricket. After winning two titles for the Perth Scorchers as their captain, Voges then went on to become their head coach, and still holds that position as we speak. The recently-concluded Big Bash League 15 Draft saw the five-time BBL champions choose Finn Allen as their first BBL pre-signing.
During an exclusive interview with Arvind Kalyana Krishnan for CricBlog during the BBL 15 Draft in Melbourne, Adam Voges expressed his excitement over getting the Kiwi batter. He spoke about how Allen has been in superb form in the ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025. The opener is currently the leading run-getter of the tournament with 294 runs in just four games. This includes a sensational knock of 151 (51) against Washington Freedom in the season opener, which included 19 sixes.
Finn Allen smashed 19 SIXES in his 151 off 51 balls for San Francisco Unicorns against Washington Freedom.
What a start to the new Major League Cricket season. 😳
Further on, Voges also drew light on the World Test Championship 2025 Final. He predicted there will be some changes in the Australian batting unit. After their loss to South Africa in London, a lot of cricket pundits and fans criticised Australia for backing a few aging players, and feel the need for a transition. The Pat Cummins-led side are currently in the Caribbean, and thus, there’s a lot of pressure on the Aussie batters to come good.
Adam Voges interview – Finn Allen at his best is one of the top players in the world
Below is the entire audio and text versions of the conversation between Arvind Kalyana Krishnan and Adam Voges:
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: So you managed to get Finn Allen back, and with the form he is in, how excited are you to have him?
Adam Voges: Yeah, very excited to have Finn. We’ve seen what he’s been doing in America in the MLC and he’s at his destructive best, I think he’s one of the best players in the world. So yeah, to have Finn come back to the Scorchers for another year we’re very excited.
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: Yeah, and you’ve played international cricket yourself and have a very good record even now. So as we saw Australia lost the WTC Final and since a lot of people feel that there needs to be a transition. What is your opinion on the current team?
Adam Voges: Yeah, I think the Australian team will be disappointed about the result in the World Test Championship Final and I guess at the end of this block, I think there maybe some opportunities for change and the batting didn’t quite perform in London and with the West Indies series, I think Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis who were on that tour but didn’t play the final will come into consideration. I think the bowling attack is still very solid and those guys are going great but we may see some changes to the batting lineup.
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: Now that we have the future generation coming up, who do you think can be the future fab 4 or the future face of our sport?
Adam Voges: (Smiles) Ooh of world cricket? That’s a great question! That’s a question without notice (laughs). You want three or four? Well there’s a lot of exciting young talent in the world. I don’t like naming just individual players. It’s a dangerous game to do that but naah I won’t do that for you (smiles again).
As the first Test between England and India heads towards a gripping finale, one of the key talking points has been the output of Shoaib Bashir. The offspinner struggled for both control and wicket-taking threat in both innings, despite the Headingley surface being a good one for batting.
Bashir took combined figures of 3/190 off 49 overs, with his three scalps all caught in the deep. India were largely able to sit and wait for deliveries they could put away for runs, pointing to Bashir’s inexperience and required improvement in terms of landing the ball in the right areas more often.
Bashir’s performance led to debates on social media. On one hand, the offspinner is just 21 years of age and the youngest England bowler to reach 50 Test wickets. The contrary argument is he needs more time in First Class cricket to hone in on his skills, including variations of pace and completing his action better to ensure greater consistency.
Fans debate on whether Shoaib Bashir should be England’s number one Test spinner at this stage
Concerns around Shoaib Bashir’s current status as England’s #1 spinner
Fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their views on Bashir. Some of the views are harsh as the potential is there, especially when he can get the ball to dip using his height. However, there is work to be done in terms of contributing more for the bowling attack, whether he is required to contain or attack.
Not hugely helpful conditions, but the worry for England looking ahead is Shoaib Bashir has bowled about as well as he can, and he's 1-142
The slower one The one that doesnt turn The one that comes onto the bat nicely The one that is not a wicket taking delivery The quicker one which skids onto the bat The slot ball which is thrashed for a boundary
I have a solution for England’s problems which I’m sure you can figure out from me saying Jacob Bethell has more wickets in games involving Somerset this season than Shoaib Bashir
— No Context County Cricket (@NoContextCounty) June 23, 2025
Hopefully nobody on this planet still thinks Bashir is better than Jack Leach
He has no plan B. Root turns it more than him, and tries more variation when it’s not going our way. Bash is one for the future, but for the rest of this series and the Ashes, we need Dawson in. It’s not just this match people are judging Bash on, but a long time now.
One fan wrote that Bashir shouldn’t be judged just on this match, given India play spin well.
“People Bashing Bash because India are playing spin well on a pitch helping the spinner with next to nothing, is a wild kneejerk. Indians tend to play spin well folks,” wrote Tony Steele on X.
People Bashing Bash because India are playing spin well on a pitch helping the spinner with next to nothing , is a wild kneejerk . Indians tend to play spin well folks 👍
England’s fast bowlers dismantled India’s lower order for the second time in the match to set up a fascinating final day. When KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant were going strong, India had a 400+ lead in their sight. Instead, they finished with 370, and England will start day five on 21/0 needing a further 350 to win.
